Modelling the Density of Inflation Using Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity, Skewness, and Kurtosis Models

The paper aimed at modelling the density of inflation based on time-varying conditional variance, skewness and kurtosis model developed by Leon, Rubio, and Serna (2005) who model higher-order moments as GARCH-type processes by applying a Gram-Charlier series expansion of the normal density function. Additionally, it extended their work by allowing both conditional skewness and kurtosis to have an asymmetry term. The results revealed the significant persistence in conditional variance, skewness and kurtosis which indicate high asymmetry of inflation. Additionally, diagnostic tests reveal that models with nonconstant volatility, skewness and kurtosis are superior to models that keep them invariant.inflation targeting, conditional volatility, skewness and kurtosis, modelling uncertainty of inflation

Risks and Uncertainty in the Formal Solutions to the Informal Settlements in India

This paper discusses various formal solutions adopted by the Indian official bodies to deal with the Indian informal settlements “the slums”. It focuses on Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) or the “Housing for All by 2022” as an essential housing act toward improv-ing the living conditions of the informal settlements, and to achieve cities and housing for all. According to the Indian 2011 censes, 66% of formal towns and cities in India have informal areas. Nearly one in every six urban Indian res-idents lives in a slum. Poor and rural immigrants find in the slums a physical shelter, but they lack quality of living and basic social-economic infrastructure. Bringing formal solution to the informal set-tlements is a challenge that requires deep understanding of the Indian heterogeneous population. This paper starts with the main housing policies that were launched in India during the 2000s, and extend to cover several case studies in In-dian cities based on a field visit conducted in India. It discusses sever-al concepts applied such as in-situ and relocation alternatives; possible improvements for the local communities by promoting livelihood re-sources; the concepts of using land as a resource, land pooling and public private partnership in developing the slums. This paper aims to understand the notion of risks and uncertainty in these solutions as constraints in improving the informal settlements in India for a better urbanism future

Development of Multiple Microemulsion Eye Drops for Sustained Release of New Glaucoma Drug

Persistent or repeated elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) is a primary risk factor of visual field loss in glaucoma, therefore IOP reduction is the first-line therapeutic option in the disease management. Unfortunately, the current therapies are associated with a lot of deficiencies including several daily dosing, reduced efficacy and systemic side effects all of which resulted in poor patient compliance. Previously we have identified Calcium voltage-gated channel auxiliary subunit Alpha2delta 1 gene (Cacna2d1) as a novel modulator of IOP and confirmed that pregabalin targeted CACNA2D1 in eye tissues (ciliary body and trabecular meshwork) to lower IOP in a dose-dependent manner. The research presented in this dissertation aimed to develop a once-daily ocular pregabalin-loaded multiple water-in-oil-in-water microemulsion eye drops. Several in vitro and in vivo evaluations were used to characterize the prepared ophthalmic formulations. Also stability study at 5°C, 25°C, 30°C and 40°C was conducted for four months. All the formulations components were carefully selected to be highly biocompatible that provided a highly transparent eye drops with a miniscule droplet size

Retardation effect and corrosion detection of blended cement pastes

AbstractDifferent blended cement pastes were prepared from OPC+10%, 20% and 30% slag (air cooled) by using a water/solid ratio (W/S) of 0.25 (by weight). The hydration was conducted for various time intervals at 1, 3, 7, 28 and 90days. Each hardened cement paste was tested for its physico-chemical and mechanical characteristics under normal curing conditions. In addition, the phase compositions of the formed hydration products were identified by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD). Moreover, the electrical conductivity and corrosion detection measurements were also carried out for all the previous blended cements under investigation. The results showed that the combined water contents increase gradually with hydration time for all hardened cement pastes and the partial replacement of OPC by slag cause a notable drop in the combined water content for all blend pastes. The compressive strength values obtained for the hardened blended cement pastes is less than that of neat OPC pastes at all ages of hydration up to 90days but the sample with 30% slag+70% OPC had the highest compressive strength. The electrical conductivity of the studied blended cement pasts was lower than that of OPC due to less alkali hydroxides when cement is diluted by the added slag. The significance of low potentials of steel bars in these pastes indicates inhibition of corrosion. As a result, it can be concluded that the mineral admixtures retards the hydration and inhibit the corrosion for cement pastes

The role of real time three dimensional echocardiography to guide optimal lead positioning and improve response to cardiac resynchronization therapy: A prospective pilot study

AbstractAimsA non-optimal resynchronization lead (RL) position is a possible cause of poor CRT response. The study aims to test the value of real-time-three-dimensional-echocardiography (RT3DE) for individual assessment of LV dyssynchrony and prospective evaluation of CRT response after RL implantation at the pre-determined segment of maximal delay (SMMD) whatever the method of CRT used.MethodsSeventeen HF patients were prospectively included in the study. RT3DE data were obtained before and after 1, 3, 6months of CRT. Time/volume curves and parametric imaging were applied for pre-implant identification of SMMD and for individual assessment of CRT response. Delta-time delay (delta-t) and selective parameters between tmsv of the latest and earliest activated segments were calculated.ResultsAll patients received CRT according to accessibility of the SMMD. We used bifocal right ventricular pacing (BFRVP) in 5 patients with septal SMMD; biventricular pacing (BVP) in 12 patients with LV SMMD. The RL was successfully implanted at the SMMD or nearest segment in 14 (82.4%) initial responders (5 BFRVP, 9 BVP). Twelve of them were still responders after 6months. CRT response was comparable in BFRVP and BIVP. A moderate correlation was found between % change of EF and that of SDI (r=−.406), delta-t (−.497). Baseline delta-t showed a stronger correlation with % change of EF (r=−.718∗∗, P=0.009) than that of SDI (r=−.509, P=0.091).ConclusionThe use of RT3DE for individual assessment of LV mechanical dyssynchrony and for optimal RL positioning at the pre-identified SMMD can provide more optimum CRT regardless the method of CRT

Behavior of Collapsible Soils Improved by Fly Ash and Cement Kiln Dust

Collapsible soils are metastable soils characterized by voids inside their building, at grain sizes ranging from silt to fine sand. On wetting, they collapse producing distortions that might cause failure of structures. In this study, addition to the natural collapsible soil, an artificial collapsible soil was prepared with the exact properties of the natural one taken from the deposit to avoid the remodel during transfer. Then, both the natural and artificial soil samples were stabilized with fly ash and cement kiln dust with several percentages. Kaolin particles were used to prepare the artificial samples with low density to represent the metastable soil structure. The fly ash and cement kiln dust were used in several percentages 5%, 10% and 15% to demonstrate the effect of using these stabilizing agents on Odometer test. The addition of fly ash (up to 15%) to the natural or artificial soil resulted in a decrease in the collapse potential (CP) from 15.4% to 4.4 % and from 13.8% to 2.6%, respectively. The obtained results showed that treatment of collapsing soils (natural and artificial) with CKD resulted in a reduction of collapse potential from 15.4% to 0.72% and from 13.8% to 0.95%, respectively. The results showed a significant improvement of the stabilized collapsible soil over the non-stabilized one whether treated by using fly ash or CKD. Additionally, CKD showed more effectiveness than fly ash in all the undergone tests

Les deux usages des orthographes approchées : approche méthodologique et pratique enseignante

Résumé Le présent article constitue une note de synthèse qui porte sur la présentation des orientations didactiques qui sont susceptibles d’améliorer et de soutenir l’enseignement-apprentissage de l’écrit. L’objectif de cet article est de présenter la démarche didactique des orthographes approchées ainsi que son importance en tant que stratégie qui favorise l’apprentissage de l’écrit et en tant qu’approche méthodologique permettant aux chercheurs de suivre l’évolution de l’écrit chez les élèves. Cette méthode permet aux enseignants de bien s’adapter aux différences individuelles des élèves et de mieux suivre leur cheminement cognitif lors des situations d’orthographes approchées.   Mots-clés : orthographes approchées, approche méthodologique, pratique enseignante, enseignement-apprentissage de l’écri

XYF3 (X=Ag, K ve Y=Mg, Ni, Zn, Co, Mn) malzemelerinin yapısal ve elastik özelliklerinin teorik olarak incelenmesi

06.03.2018 tarihli ve 30352 sayılı Resmi Gazetede yayımlanan “Yükseköğretim Kanunu İle Bazı Kanun Ve Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamelerde Değişiklik Yapılması Hakkında Kanun” ile 18.06.2018 tarihli “Lisansüstü Tezlerin Elektronik Ortamda Toplanması, Düzenlenmesi ve Erişime Açılmasına İlişkin Yönerge” gereğince tam metin erişime açılmıştır.Genel formülü ABF3 (A: Alkali metaller, B: Alkali toprak metaller) olan Florid Perovskitler fotolüminesans, piezoelektriklik, ferromagnetiklik ve magnetik direnç gibi ilginç özellikleri nedeniyle dikkatleri üzerlerine çekmişlerdir. Bu eşsiz özellikleri, ABF3 bileşiklerini optik uygulamalarda, lenslerde, magnetik tünel eklemlerinde ve medikal uygulamalarda kullanılmak üzere elverişli duruma getirmiştir. Bununla birlikte bir malzemenin teknolojik veya endüstriyel uygulamalarda kullanılabilir olup olmadığını anlamak için özellikle onun elastik ve mekanik özelliklerinin de bilinmesi gerekmektedir. Bu tezde, XYF3 (X=Ag,K and Y=Mg, Ni, Zn, Co, Mn) bileşiklerininyapısal ve elastik özellikleri yoğunluk fonksiyonel teorisi ve genelleştirilmiş gradyan yaklaşımı kullanılarak hesaplanmıştır. Çalışılan malzemelerin örgü parametrelerinin daha önceki deneysel sonuçlarla uyum içinde olduğu bulunmuştur. Ayrıca, çalışılan tüm malzemeler için Shear modülü, Young modülü, Poisson oranı, Kleinman parametresi, elastik anizotropik faktörü ve Lame katsayıları da hesaplanmış ve detaylı bir şekilde tartışılmıştır. Bunun yanı sıra B/G oranı ve Poisson oranı sonuçları kullanılarak, çalışılan tüm malzemelerin esnek ya da kırılgan olup olmadıkları tanımlanmıştır.Fluoride Perovskites with the general formula ABF3 (A: Alkali metals, B: Alkaline earth metals) have received great attention because of their interesting properties such as photoluminescence, piezoelectricity, ferromagnetism and magnetoresistivity. These unique properties of ABF3 compounds make them favorable materials to use in optical applications, lenses, magnetic tunnel junctions and medical applications. However, in order to determine whether a material can be used in technological or industrial applications, it is necessary to know especially its elastic and mechanical properties. The structural and elastic properties of XYF3 (X=Ag,K and Y=Mg, Ni, Zn, Co, Mn) compounds have been calculated by using generalized gradient approximation within the density functional theory in this thesis. The calculated lattice parameters of studied compounds have been found in good agreement with the corresponding experimental results. Additionally, the shear modulus, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, Kleinman parameter, elastic anisotropic factor and Lame's coefficients for all studied compounds are also calculated and discussed in detail. Besides, the ductile and brittle characters of the studied compounds have been determined using B/G ratio and Poisson's ratio

Modelling the Density of Inflation Using Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity, Skewness, and Kurtosis Models

The paper aimed at modelling the density of inflation based on time-varying conditional variance, skewness and kurtosis model developed by Leon, Rubio, and Serna (2005) who model higher-order moments as GARCH-type processes by applying a Gram-Charlier series expansion of the normal density function. Additionally, it extended their work by allowing both conditional skewness and kurtosis to have an asymmetry term. The results revealed the significant persistence in conditional variance, skewness and kurtosis which indicate high asymmetry of inflation. Additionally, diagnostic tests reveal that models with nonconstant volatility, skewness and kurtosis are superior to models that keep them invariant. JEL Classification: C13, E31, E37

Étude de l’appropriation de l’orthographe française langue seconde/étrangère d’élèves arabophones du secondaire en Égypte

La présente recherche vise à décrire le développement orthographique des élèves arabophones de 1re année du secondaire en Égypte au début de l’apprentissage du français langue étrangère. Les recherches égyptiennes qui concernent le français écrit se sont préoccupées des erreurs grammaticales commises par les élèves. À notre connaissance, il n’existe pas d’études relatives à l’appropriation de l’orthographe française menée auprès de ces élèves. Afin de combler ce vide, nous avons souhaité apporter un éclairage sur les compétences orthographiques des élèves en essayant d’éclairer la documentation de ces compétences en français écrit par la mise en relation avec celle de jeunes enfants arabophones qui apprennent le français L2 au préscolaire lors de leur séjour au Québec. Afin d’atteindre nos objectifs, nous avons soumis 30 élèves arabophones du secondaire à une épreuve d’orthographes approchées à quatre reprises. Celle-ci s’est déroulée dans le cadre d’un entretien semi-structuré individuel dans lequel les élèves ont été invités à produire des mots et une phrase. L’analyse descriptive et statistique de la production écrite des sujets a permis d’observer trois types de préoccupations écrites : visuographiques, phonologiques et orthographiques. D’autre part, leurs écrits ont témoigné d’un transfert langagier de l’arabe L1 et de l’anglais LE, qui était parfois positif, d’autres fois négatif. Les résultats ont, enfin, révélé que les élèves ont utilisé trois stratégies, lexicale, phonologique et analogique, lors de leurs productions. En outre, une étude de cas multiples exploratoire avec quatre enfants arabophones du préscolaire au Québec a été effectuée. Ces derniers ont été individuellement invités à produire des mots et une phrase en français et en arabe. De manière exploratoire, nous avons mis en relation l’appropriation de l’écrit des élèves du secondaire et celle des enfants du préscolaire en français et en arabe, ce qui nous a permis de vérifier l’effet de l’âge sur le développement orthographique et sur le transfert langagier chez les apprenants. Les résultats obtenus indiquent que la performance écrite des élèves du secondaire était significativement plus réussie que celle des enfants du préscolaire et que les premiers étaient les plus susceptibles de produire un transfert langagier. Ainsi, l’âge de l’apprenant peut avoir un impact sur l’appropriation de l’écrit ainsi que sur le transfert langagier en français langue seconde/étrangère. Finalement, au-delà de son apport scientifique et pratique, la présente recherche propose des pistes de recherches futures.The aim of this research was to assess French language-spelling development for the first year Arabic language-speaking students of the Secondary Schools in Egypt. These students were studying “French” as a foreign language. Previous studies performed in Egypt addressed the grammatical errors committed by these students in the field of “written French language”. To date, and to the best of our knowledge, there are no available studies addressing the issue of “French language-spelling development”. To fill this gab in literature, we examined the spelling competence of the students. We evaluated the features of the French language - spelling development for the first year Arabic language - speaking students in Secondary schools in Egypt. Also, we examined the relationships between these features and corresponding features in French and Arabic language development for preschool Arabic language-speaking children in Quebec. To achieve our goals, 30 students of the first year Arabic language-speaking students in Secondary schools in Egypt underwent a test of invented spelling, through semi-structured interview. The test was repeated four times on different occasions. During the test, the students were asked (on individual basis) to produce some writings (French language). The results of these tests raised three writing features, namely: visuographic, phonological and orthographic concerns. Moreover, their writings showed a language transfer produced from both Arabic as a mother language and English as a foreign language. Our findings revealed that, during writing, students have employed three strategies: lexical, phonological and orthographic. In addition, a multiple case study exploratory was conducted with four Arabic language-speaking preschool children in Quebec. Each child was asked to produce some writings in French and in Arabic languages. The French language-spelling development of the students the Secondary Schools was made comparable to that of the preschool children in French. Such strategy allowed us to test the effect of age on the spelling development and on language transfer. We found that the written performance of the students from Secondary Schools was significantly more advanced as compared to that of the preschool children. Also the students from Secondary Schools were more able to produce language transfer. These findings indicated that the learner’s age had a significant impact not only on the French language - spelling development but also on the language transfer in second/foreign language. Finally, the scientific and practical ramifications open avenues for further investigations in these fields