Financial Crises and Bilateral Foreign Direct Investment Flows

Despite impressive studies on financial crises consequences and foreign capital flows, by large the research done has examined these economic phenomenons separately without addressing their nexus. This paper aims at bridging this gap by examining the impact of financial crises on bilateral foreign direct investment (BFDI). Financial turmoil reshapes the perception and magnitude of BFDI flows in both host and home countries; host countries governments see in FDI a mean for overcoming the sluggish economic situation and hence become eager to stimulate FDI inflows, while for the same reasons home countries governments, and investors become more cautious about their decisions to invest abroad. This paper addresses in particular the impact of financial crises on FDI in both host and home countries. To that end the paper uses a panel data covering the period 1985-2008 on home countries, as presented by the six largest FDI outflow, and 42 host countries. Empirical analysis applies the system GMM estimator to a gravity model of BFDI flows. The key findings in this paper are that financial crises exerts a negative impact on BFDI, a generalized fact that applies to all financial disturbances that took place during the last 23 years. Second the magnitude of the negative shock of financial crises on FDI differs by type and origins causing the financial crises.Foreign direct investment; financial crisis; Bilateral Foreign direct investment; dynamic panel data; spatial dependence.

A New QoS Renegotiation Mechanism for Multimedia Applications.

While there are a lot of advances in the area of QoS deployment and management over IP networks, there is still a need for a robust QoS renegotiation framework for multimedia applications. A QoS renegotiation framework has three concurrent modules which should be integrated with the least amount of overhead. These muddles include a feedback mechanism, a load control mechanism, and a service-response mechanism. This thesis proposes a new feedback mechanism which is based on call rejection notification for QoS renegotiation. The difference between the proposed mechanism and previous approaches is that it uses flow information (not packet information) as a feedback mechanism. The new feedback mechanism provides a better QoS, improves the system performance, and maximizes the service revenue

Empowering Women Through Cyber Security

A large segment of women today lacks access to high-quality education, fair employment opportunities, and inadequate business opportunities just because they are women and that is why Sue Durkheim calls them the “missing women.” Scholars argue that women empowerment could be accomplished by offering them resources, boosting their agency, and facilitating their achievements (Kabeer 2005). Education improves access to resources, boost their agency, and develops their leadership. It improves their share in the job market, cognitive capacity, decision quality, and chance to have a good partner. What is not yet clear is the impact of different academic majors or teaching strategies on empowerment. In this project, we attempt to explore how service-learning empowers Arab female students and prepares them for the labor market. Service-learning is a teaching strategy through which students address societal needs through community service while realizing learning objectives (Knapp and Bradley 2010). It offers a wide range of benefits for students, faculty, academic institution, and the local community. However, we are interested in their offering to students that may empower them. Service-learning develops their skills of problem-solving, leadership, decision making, collaboration, and communication. We established a cyber-security group of female students in my information security course. The cybersecurity field is very competitive particularly in a labor market that favors a muscular workforce. Adopting the service-learning pedagogy, the class assignments were set out to offer training to high school female students, write news articles, organize awareness campaigns, contribute to Wikipedia, develop podcasts, and publish infographics related to security issues. Our objective is to develop a conceptual framework that outlines the role of service-learning of cybersecurity in women empowering. We are using a grounded theory approach that integrates data from multiple sources including focus groups, field notes, and unstructured interviews with our students. We will collect data about resources (e.g. knowledge, electronic services, software, and social resources) students use in their security activities. Another issue of interest is investigating how these community services boost different aspects of their agency such as autonomy, capacity, self-determination, conditions, freedom of association, communication skills, and leadership. Another interesting empowering factor is the intrinsic goals they achieve during service-learning such as self-steam, independence, fulfillment, responsibility, personal development, and the sense of security. The framework will also outline key achievements (e.g., podcasts, news articles, tutorials) or collective actions (workshops, seminars, projects) they have achieved. We hope that this work will contribute to both the women empowerment areas and the information system education

Facile hydrothermal fabrication of nano-oxides hollow spheres using monosaccharide as sacrificial templates

Mein Ziel in dieser Dissertation ist es eine einfache, umweltfreundliche, ökonomisch sinnvolle und additivfreie Syntheseroute für die Herstellung von oxidischen Hohlkörpern vorzustellen, welche letztendlich eine Optimierung der anorganischen Hohlmaterialien ermöglicht, die mittels einer einfachen hydrothermalen Eintopfsynthese unter Verwendung von Einfachzuckern (Glucose und Fructose) als Templat durchgeführt wird. Diese Klasse von Materialien ist vom wissenschaftlichen und technologischen Standpunkt aus gesehen von großem Interesse, da sie aufgrund ihrer einzigartigen Eigenschaften, wie zum Beispiel eine große spezifische Oberfläche und eine geringe Dichte, attraktiv sind für viele potentielle Anwendungen. Eine Serie von Experimenten wurde durchgeführt, welche verschiedene Hohlkugeln aus porösen Metall- bzw. keramischen Oxiden lieferte, welche als Produkt aus der hydrothermalen Synthese erhalten wurden. Die synthetisierten oxidischen Hohlkörper wurden mittels SEM, TEM, XRD, IR und isothermaler Stickstoffadsorption (BET) charakterisiert. Insgesamt ergibt sich aus meiner Arbeit, dass die Verwendung von Einfachzuckern als Templat in einer hydrothermalen Eintopfsynthese effizient ist um nanokristallone Oxide mit einer Hohlstruktur herzustellen. Es konnten zum ersten Mal erfolgreich SiO2 Nanohohlkugeln mit Hilfe von einem Glucosetemplat über ein hydrothermales Verfahren herstellt werden. Zusätzlich konnte erstmalig Fructose als Templat für die Synthese von Hohlstrukturen aus Cr2O3, α-Fe2O3, Co3O4, NiO und ZnO anwendet werden. Was auch mit Hilfe eines Glucosetemplats für die zuvor genannten Oxide durchgeführt werden konnte. Weiterhin konnten Korrelationen zwischen der Partikelgröße und der Zuckerkonzentration sowie auch dem Verhältnis von Metallprecursor zu Zucker festgestellt werden. Weitere wichtige Faktoren zur Partikelgrößen und -formselektiven Synthese sind Temperatur, Reaktionszeit und die Verwendung eines Katalysators. Beachtet man, dass Metallsalze als Ausgangstoff verwendet wurden und diese für viele Metalle erhältlich sind, ist damit zu rechnen, dass die Verwendung von Einfachzuckern als Templat bei der hydrothermalen Synthese den zugängigen Bereich an Metalloxidhohlkugeln noch erweitern kann

Extreme Secularism vs. Religious Radicalism: The Case Of The French Burkini

The French theory of Laïcité, or assertive secularism, has rapidly developed to become a significant part of the French constitutional legacy, which subsequently brought out what should have been expected: conflicts between the right to self-determination, local culture, religious freedom, and the state interest in curbing radicalism and extremis

Preliminary Contamination Risk Assessment of Mining Waste Using Spatial Analysis and Geochemical Characterization of Rock Formations. Case Study in Hungary

The Mine Waste Directive (2006/21/EC) requires the risk-based inventory of all mine waste sites in Europe. The geochemical documentation concerning inert classification and ranking of the mine wastes requires specific field study and laboratory testing and analyses of waste material to assess the Acid Mine Drainage potential and toxic element mobility. The procedure applied in this study used a multi-level decision support scheme for the inert classification of waste rock material including: 1) expert judgment, 2) data review, 3) representative field sampling and laboratory analysis and testing of rock formations listed in the National Inert Mining Waste List, and 4) requesting available laboratory analysis data from selected operating mines. Based on a preliminary expert judgment, the listed formations were classified into three categories. A: inert B: probably inert, but has to be checked, C: probably not inert, has to be examined. This paper discusses the heavy metal contamination risk assessment (RA) in the Hungarian quarrymine waste sites. In total 30 waste sites (including both abandoned mines and active quarries) were selected for scientific testing using the EU Pre-selection Protocol. Altogether 93 field samples were collected from the waste sites including andesite, rhyolite, coal (lignite and black coals), peat, alginite, bauxite, clay and limestone. Laboratory analyses of the total toxic element content (aqua regia extraction), the mobile toxic element content (deionized water leaching) carried out according to the Hungarian GKM Decree No. 14/2008. (IV.3) concerning mining waste management. A detailed geochemical study together with spatial analysis and GIS were performed to derive a geochemically sound contamination RA of the mine waste sites. Key parameters such as heavy metals, in addition to the landscape metric parameter such as the distance to the nearest surface and ground water bodies, or to sensitive receptors such as settlements and protected areas calculated and statistically evaluated in order to calibrate the RA methods. Results show that some of the waste rock materials, assumed to be inert, were found non-inert. Thus, regional RA needs more spatial and petrological examination with special care to rock and mineral deposit genetics

The Religious Calculus of Privacy

The main types of privacies include information privacy, physical privacy, and decisional privacy. Information privacy refers to personal facts a person does not want to reveal to others. The term physical privacy is concerned with preventing intruders from interfering into physical space or properties of a person. Decisional privacy refers to the autonomy of a person in making his own decisions without interference from others. Both informational privacy and physical privacy are typical research topics in information systems research. Yet, decisional privacy has not captured the attention of information systems scholars. We describe decision-making as a system that has inputs, processes, outputs, and a feedback mechanism. An aggressor could invade into decisional privacy of another person through altering the inputs of this system, disrupting its processes, or damaging or freezing the outputs- the decisions that have been taken. Scholars from legal studies, social sciences, information sciences, and philosophy dominate the wisdom of privacy. Very few studies addressed privacy from religious point of view. One of these scholars is Bélanger\u27s (2011) who holds that religious traditions and culture could serve as a foundation for self-regulations, laws, code and privacy related policies. Cannataci (2009) also argues that dealing with privacy-related issues demands us to consider the larger context, diversity, culture, religion, and local social processes. The privacy calculus theory, coined by Culnan and Bies (2003), holds that people compare between the cost of disclosing personal information and the benefits they gain. Inspired by their view, we attempt to explore whether individuals consider the religious cost-benefit analysis of privacy. In fact, all Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) have a decent account of wisdom that disgrace espionage, gossip, rumors, backbiting, slander, and intrusions, to name a few. For instance, spreading rumors is forbidden in the bible as it says, …if you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. (Mattew 5:22). Similarly, in Judaism peering into private space (which is a violation of physical privacy), of others is considered an act of harm (Golinkin 2020). In addition, the Jewish traditions honor confidentiality of information and disgrace intrusions. Equality, Islam has a decent a count of wisdom that honors informational privacy, physical privacy, decisional privacy, and bodily privacy. When the legal system, organizational regulations, and physical controls fail to control privacy invasions, we should search for and deploy other systems such as morality or religious cost-benefit analysis. The religious calculous is an important regulator of the daily life affairs of many societies and a primary source of their culture as well as jurisdiction. In particular, it reshapes the values, preferences, beliefs, and judgment of the decision-maker. In addition, some religious societies may treat an individual as a persona non grata if his behavior does not coincide with their religious traditions and morality. Therefore, its members avoid espionage, backbiting, spread rumors, and infringement on others\u27 properties for religious calculations. People may guide others or avoid influencing their decisions for the same calculous. Given the previous views, I argue once more that there is a need for interdisciplinary research to explore how religious traditions and morality improve the quality of decisions related to both routine choices and strategic decisions of consumers, workers, and managers. Data will be collected through a questionnaire

Dynein Light Chain Roadblock 1 Regulates FMRP Axonal Transport and Degradation

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate UniversityDoctor of PhilosophyThe fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMRP) is a multifunctional RNA binding protein (RBP) implicated in human neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. FMRP mediates the localization and activitydependent translation of its associated mRNAs through the formation of phase separated condensates that are trafficked by microtubule-based motors in axons. Axonal transport and localized mRNA translation are critical processes for longterm neuronal survival and are closely linked to the pathogenesis of neurological diseases. FMRP dynein-mediated axonal trafficking is still largely unexplored, but likely to constitute a key process underlying FMRP spatiotemporal translational regulation. Here, we show that roadblock 1 (Dynlrb1), a subunit of the dynein complex, is a critical regulator of FMRP function in sensory neurons. In axons, FMRP associates with the dynein complex and is retrogradely trafficked in a Dynlrb1-dependent manner. Moreover, Dynlrb1 silencing induced FMRP granules accumulation and repressed the translation of Map1b, one of its primary mRNA targets. Our findings suggest that Dynlrb1 regulates FMRP function through the control of its transport and degradation.doctoral thesi

Preliminary contamination risk assessment of mining waste using spatial analysis and geochemical characterization of rock formations. Case study in Hungary

The Mine Waste Directive (2006/21/EC) requires the risk-based inventory of all mine waste sites in Europe. The geochemical documentation concerning inert classification and ranking of the mine wastes requires specific field study and laboratory testing and analyses of waste material to assess the Acid Mine Drainage potential and toxic element mobility. The procedure applied in this study used a multi-level decision support scheme for the inert classification of waste rock material including: 1) expert judgment, 2) data review, 3) representative field sampling and laboratory analysis and testing of rock formations listed in the National Inert Mining Waste List, and 4) requesting available laboratory analysis data from selected operating mines. Based on a preliminary expert judgment, the listed formations were classified into three categories. A: inert B: probably inert, but has to be checked, C: probably not inert, has to be examined. This paper discusses the heavy metal contamination risk assessment (RA) in the Hungarian quarrymine waste sites. In total 30 waste sites (including both abandoned mines and active quarries) were selected for scientific testing using the EU Pre-selection Protocol. Altogether 93 field samples were collected from the waste sites including andesite, rhyolite, coal (lignite and black coals), peat, alginite, bauxite, clay and limestone. Laboratory analyses of the total toxic element content (aqua regia extraction), the mobile toxic element content (deionized water leaching) carried out according to the Hungarian GKM Decree No. 14/2008. (IV.3) concerning mining waste management. A detailed geochemical study together with spatial analysis and GIS were performed to derive a geochemically sound contamination RA of the mine waste sites. Key parameters such as heavy metals, in addition to the landscape metric parameter such as the distance to the nearest surface and ground water bodies, or to sensitive receptors such as settlements and protected areas calculated and statistically evaluated in order to calibrate the RA methods. Results show that some of the waste rock materials, assumed to be inert, were found non-inert. Thus, regional RA needs more spatial and petrological examination with special care to rock and mineral deposit genetics