Economic growth and budgetary components: a panel assessment for the EU

In this paper we test whether a reallocation of government budget items can enhance long-term GDP growth in a set of European countries. We apply modern panel data techniques to the period 1970-2006, and we use three alternative dependent variables in a growth regression: economic growth, total factor productivity and labour productivity. Our results are able to identify also the distortions induced by public expenditure in the private factors allocation. In particular, we detect a strong crowding-in effect associated to public investment, which have enhanced economic growth by boosting private investment. We also associate a significant dependence of productivity on public expenditure on education as well as the role of social security and health issues in growth and the labour market. JEL Classification: C23, E62, H50, O40Economic Growth, fiscal policy, panel models

Economic Growth and Budgetary Components: a Panel Assessment for the EU

In this paper we test whether a reallocation of government budget items can enhance long-term GDP growth in a set of European countries. We apply modern panel data techniques to the period 1970-2006, and we use three alternative dependent variables in a growth regression: economic growth, total factor productivity and labour productivity. Our results are able to identify also the distortions induced by public expenditure in the private factors allocation. In particular, we detect a strong crowding-in effect associated to public investment, which have enhanced economic growth by boosting private investment. We also associate a significant dependence of productivity on public expenditure on education as well as the role of social security and health issues in growth and the labour market.economic growth; panel models; fiscal policy.

Fiscal policy challenges in oil-exporting countries – a review of key issues.

Fiscal policy choices have a particularly significant impact on economic performance in oil-exporting countries, owing to the importance of the oil sector in the economy and the fact that in most countries oil revenues accrue to the government. At the same time, fiscal policy in oil-centred economies s facing specific challenges, both in the long run, as regards intergenerational equity and fiscal sustainability, and in the short run, as regards macroeconomic stabilisation and fiscal planning. Institutional responses to the specific fiscal challenges in oil-exporting countries involve conservative oil price assumptions in the budget, the establishment of oil stabilisation and savings funds and fiscal rules. Fiscal policy in most oil-exporting countries has been expansionary over the past years in the wake of high oil prices. Fiscal expansion has added to inflationary pressure, and monetary policy has been constrained in tackling inflation as a result of prevailing exchange rate regimes. While, in this context, fiscal policy is the major tool for macroeconomic stabilisation, it has faced competing objectives and considerations. Cyclical considerations would have warranted fiscal restraint, but, in times of high oil prices, pressures to increase public spending have been mounting. Such pressures stem from primarily distribution-related considerations, development-related spending needs (e.g. in the areas of physical and social infrastructure) and international considerations in the context of, for example, global imbalances. The sharp fall in oil prices since mid-2008 has brought to the fore a different question – whether oil exporters can sustain spending levels reached in previous years. JEL Classification: E62, E63, H30, H60, Q32, Q38.Fiscal policy, oil-exporting countries, inflation, global imbalances.

Mathematical network models applied to the analysis of mobile applications behavior

[EN] The network topologies are present in different social, political, economic and technological phenomena. These network structures allow to share information, alliances generation, behavior influence, opinion spread and virus transmission, among other aspects. Online networks are a reflection of the offline world and they also show these kind of network structures, in such a way that they allow the information transmission, social circle or community detection, affinity prediction between individuals, generation of recommendations, detection of influence people and generation of viral phenomena. Although all of these networks exhibit heterogeneity, they have enough underlying structure to allow their modelization for the study and analysis of all the listed phenomena. Nowadays, the line between the offline world and the online world is becoming more diffuse and there are network structures where both natures are mixed: There are almost as many mobile phones as individuals and in developed societies, the pervasiveness of smartphones on day-to-day is unquestionable in such a way that almost everybody is almost always connected everywhere. This permanent connection means that the individual, simultaneously and in a continuous mode, is a node belonging to its social network and its social network online. A key aspect of smartphones are the mobile applications that can be downloaded to the device. There are many applications for a host of different uses and the user behavior with these applications is the factor that determines how these applications behave. Also, mobile applications are the main source of infection of viruses on smartphones and, in this case, also the user behavior is what determines the transmission of these viruses. That is, the number of downloads of the application, the retention time of the application without being uninstalled, weekly minutes of usage, the popularity of the application, the transmission of viruses between smartphones, etc., depend on user behavior and, since the user is part of a social "offline" network and a social online network, in which the information is shared, communities are generated, behavior is influenced, opinion is spread and viruses are transmitted, we can intuit that the application behaviors can be modeled considering the network structure which user belongs to, so it is possible to analyze and study issues such as predicting the retention and download of applications and/or the transmission of viruses between smartphones. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the behavior of mobile applications through mathematical network models. The behavior of mobile applications will be defined by the network of the users, taking into account parameters such as user behavior and technical issues of the mobile devices, so for model the networks both factors will be taken into account.[ES] Las estructuras de redes están presentes en multitud de fenómenos sociales, políticos, económicos y tecnológicos. Estas estructuras permiten compartir información, constituir alianzas, influir en comportamientos, generar corrientes de opinión, y transmitir virus, entre otros aspectos. Las redes online son un reflejo del mundo "analógico" y también presentan este tipo de estructura de red, de tal forma que permiten transmitir información, detectar comunidades, predecir afinidades entre individuos, generar recomendaciones, identificar individuos influyentes o producir fenómenos virales. Aunque todas estas redes son de naturaleza heterogénea, la estructura subyacente que presentan permiten su modelización para el estudio y análisis de los fenómenos indicados. Actualmente, la línea que divide el mundo "analógico" y el mundo online es cada vez más difusa produciéndose estructuras de redes donde se entremezclan ambas naturalezas: Existen casi tantos teléfonos móviles como individuos y, en las sociedades desarrolladas, la omnipresencia de los smartphones en el día día es incuestionable de tal forma que cualquier persona está conectada casi en todo momento y lugar. Esta conexión permanente conlleva que el individuo constituya simultáneamente y de un modo continuo un nodo de su estructura de red social y de su red social online. Una parte fundamental de los smartphones son las aplicaciones que se pueden descargar en el dispositivo. Existen multitud de aplicaciones para infinidad de utilidades distintas y el comportamiento del usuario frente a esas aplicaciones es el que determina cómo se comportan dichas aplicaciones. Asimismo, las aplicaciones móviles son la principal fuente de contagio de virus en los smartphones y en este caso, también el comportamiento del usuario es el que determina la transmisión de esos virus. Es decir, el número de descargas de la aplicación, el tiempo de retención de la aplicación sin ser desinstalada, los minutos semanales de uso, la popularidad de la aplicación, la transmisión de virus en smartphones, etc., dependen del comportamiento del usuario y, puesto que el usuario forma parte de una red social "offline" y una red social online, en las cuales se comparte y transmite información, se constituyen comunidades, se influye en los comportamientos, se generan corrientes de opinión y se transmiten virus, podemos intuir que los comportamientos de las aplicaciones pueden ser modelizados considerando la estructura de red de la que el usuario forma parte, de tal forma que sea posible analizar y estudiar aspectos tales como predecir la descarga y retención de aplicaciones y/o la transmisión de virus entre smartphones. El propósito de la presente tesis doctoral es modelizar y analizar el comportamiento de las aplicaciones móviles mediante estructuras de red. El comportamiento de las aplicaciones móviles vendrá definido por la red formada por los usuarios, teniendo en cuenta tanto parámetros de comportamiento de los usuarios como parámetros relacionados con aspectos técnicos de los dispositivos móviles, por lo que para la modelización de las redes se tendrán en cuenta ambos factores.[CA] Les estructures de xarxes estàn presents en multitud de fenòmens socials, pol'itics, econòmics i tecnològics. Estes estructures permeten compartir informació, constituir aliances, influir en comportaments, generar corrents d'opinió, i transmetre virus, entre altres aspectes. Les xarxes online són un reflex del món analògic i també presenten este tipus d'estructura de xarxa, de tal forma que permet transmetre informació, detectar comunitats, predir afinitats entre individus, generar recomanacions, identificar individus influents o produir fenòmens virals. Encara que totes estes xarxes són de naturalesa heterogènia, l'estructura subjacent que presenten permeten la seua modelització per a l'estudi i anàlisi dels fenòmens indicats. Actualment, la línia que dividix el món analògic i el món online és cada vegada més difusa produintse estructures de xarxes on s'entremesclen ambós naturaleses: Existixen quasi tants telèfons mòbils com individus i, en les societats desenvolupades, l'omnipresència dels smartphones en el dia a dia és inqüestionable de tal forma que qualsevol persona està connectada quasi en tot moment i lloc. Esta connexió permanent comporta que l'individu constituïsca simultàniament i d'una manera contínua un node de la seua estructura de xarxa social i de la seua xarxa social online. Una part fonamental dels smartphones són les aplicacions que es poden descarregar en el dispositiu. Hi ha multitud d'aplicacions per a infinitat d'utilitats distintes i el comportament de l'usuari enfront d'eixes aplicacions és el que determina com es comporten aquestes aplicacions. Així mateix, les aplicacions mòbils són la principal font de contagi de virus en els smartphones i en este cas, també el comportament de l'usuari és el que determina la transmissió d'eixos virus. És a dir, el nombre de descàrregues de l'aplicació, el temps de retenció de l'aplicació sense ser esborrada, els minuts setmanals d'ús, la popularitat de l'aplicació, la transmissió de virus entre smartphones, etc., depenen del comportament de l'usuari i, ja que l'usuari forma part d'una xarxa social "offline" i una xarxa social online, en les quals es compartix i es transmet informació, es constituïxen comunitats, s'influïx en els comportaments, es generen corrents d'opinió i es transmeten virus, podem intuir que els comportaments de les aplicacions poden ser modelitzats considerant l'estructura de xarxa de què l'usuari forma part, de tal forma que siga possible analitzar i estudiar aspectes com ara predir la descàrrega i retenció d'aplicacions i/o la transmissió de virus entre smartphones. El propòsit de la present tesi doctoral és modelitzar i analitzar el comportament de les aplicacions mòbils per mitjà d'estructures de xarxa. El comportament de les aplicacions mòbils vindrà definit per la xarxa formada pels usuaris, tenint en compte tant paràmetres de comportament dels usuaris com paràmetres relacionats amb aspectes tècnics dels dispositius mòbils, per la qual cosa per a la modelització de les xarxes es tindràn en compte ambdós factors.Alegre Sanahuja, J. (2016). Mathematical network models applied to the analysis of mobile applications behavior [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/67389TESI

Humanist Networks and Keepers of Ancient Wisdom: Hermes Trimegistus in Medieval and Early Modern Spain

This dissertation examines how Hermes Trimegistus, legendary sage and author associated with the pagan god Mercury, came to be seen as a cultural mediator for learned men of different religious traditions in medieval and early modern Spain. Through this figure, who represented the ideal teacher and philosophical mentor to many pre-modern thinkers and writers, it explores the role of non-Christian culture in the growth of Christian literature and philosophy in Spain. Studies of this period have tended to focus either on the “three cultures” (coexistence, cultural exchange, polemics), or on the reception of the Classical tradition. This project shows that various themes and topics of Late Antiquity lay behind Jewish, Muslim, and Christian cultures alike, and thus served both as a cohesive factor among them and as a controversial influence within the particular orthodoxies of each of them. After explaining how the cultural, political, and religious circumstances of early modern Spain determined the reception and understanding of Hermes, this dissertation centers on a lesser-known but increasingly studied figure of Spanish Golden Age literature: Bartolomé Jiménez Patón (1569-1640). Jiménez Patón is the center of this project because he not only wrote the most complete treatise about Hermes Trimegistus of his time (what can be called the Answer, a short text included in his rhetorical treatise Mercurius Trimegistus), but also because he had a well-established network which connected him with the most important writers, erudite men, and even celebrities of sixteenth and seventeenth century Spain. Since Patón was able to publicize his work about Trimegistus through his extended network, the Answer is a starting point to show what Mercurius (Hermes) Trimegistus, the ancient God or wise pagan man, meant for the Christian scholarship of renaissance and baroque Spain. This study also examines how in the same way that the philosophical background of the Hermetic writings in Antiquity was a mixture of Platonism, Aristotelianism, and Stoicism, in the Late Humanism represented by Jiménez Patón there is an equally eclectic reception of all three of them. Those three schools of philosophy reinterpreted in the early modern period, and the controversies with Christian dogma associated with them and Trimegistus, are the nucleus of the last chapters. They show how Hermes’s place in each one of these trends of thought was epitomized by Patón’s treatise. The Answer is analyzed as referential of its contemporary culture, allowing Spanish early modern scholars to be situated in a wider struggle over the status and survival of all non-Christian culture in Europe.PHDRomance Languages & Literatures: SpanishUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146106/1/udaondo_1.pd

The Distribution of Public Expenditure in Europe.

No abstract availableFiscal policy -- European Union countries;

Economic growth and budgetary components: a panel assessment for the EU

In this article, we test to determine whether a reallocation of government budgetary components can enhance long-term GDP growth in a set of 15 EU countries. We apply panel data techniques to the period 1971–2006, and use three alternative dependent variables in a growth regression: economic growth, total factor productivity and labour productivity. Our results also identify the distortions induced by public expenditure in the private factors allocation. In particular, we detect a strong crowding-in effect associated to public investment, which has enhanced economic growth by boosting private investment. We also associate a dependence of productivity on public expenditure on social security.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Economic growth and budgetary components: a panel assessment for the EU

In this paper we test whether a reallocation of government budget items can enhance long-term GDP growth in a set of European countries. We apply modern panel data techniques to the period 1970-2006, and we use three alternative dependent variables in a growth regression: economic growth, total factor productivity and labour productivity. Our results are able to identify also the distortions induced by public expenditure in the private factors allocation. In particular, we detect a strong crowding-in effect associated to public investment, which have enhanced economic growth by boosting private investment. We also associate a significant dependence of productivity on public expenditure on education as well as the role of social security and health issues in growth and the labour market

Tax autonomy mitigates soft budget constraint: evidence from Spanish Regions

Within the framework of the soft budget constraint problem, this article investigates the impact of a legislative reform that increased regional tax autonomy on the propensity of Spanish regional governments to incur a deficit. For this purpose, a dynamic panel data model is estimated, using data for the period 1984–2019. The sample shows a breakpoint in 2002, when the reform of the regional financing system came into force, providing Spanish regions with greater tax autonomy, more fiscal competency, and lower intergovernmental transfers. Results show that the budget constraint has hardened, as regions have fewer incentives to accumulate budgetary deficits with the expectation of future compensations from the central government. A comprehensive review of the evolution of other factors previously identified as determinants of soft budget constraints, and the analysis of two regions not included in this financing system, suggest no other possible explanation for these results.This work has benefited from research funding from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain (Grant numbers ECO2014–52,999-R, RTI2018–097,434-B-I00, PGC2018–094,364- B-100 and RTI2018–093,543-B-100, MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE); from the Government of Catalonia through the grant “Beca per a la realitzaci´o de treballs individuals” awarded by the Institut d’Estudis Autonòmics; and from Junta de Andalucía through grant B-SEJ-544-UGR20 from the Programa Operativo FEDER de Andalucía 2014–2020. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA

Open Thoracotomy and Decortication for Chronic Empyema

OBJECTIVES: Traditionally, chronic empyema has been treated by thoracotomy and decortication. Some recent reports have claimed similar clinical results for videothoracoscopy, but with less morbidity and mortality than open procedures. Our experience with thoracotomy and decortication is reviewed so that the results of this surgical procedure can be adequately evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 1992 to June 2006, 85 patients diagnosed with empyema were treated at Santo Tomás Hospital by the first author. Diagnosis of chronic empyema was based on the duration of signs and symptoms before definitive treatment and imaging findings, such as constriction of the lungs and the thoracic cage. Thirty-three patients fulfilled the criteria for chronic empyema and underwent open thoracotomy and decortication. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (81.8 %) were male and the average age of the study group was 34 years. The etiology was pneumonia in 26 patients (78.8%) and trauma in 7 (21.2%). The duration of symptoms and signs before definitive treatment averaged 37 days. All patients had chronic empyema, as confirmed by imaging studies and operative findings. Surgery lasted an average of 139 min. There were 3 (9%) complications with no mortality. The post-operative length of stay averaged 10 days. There were no recurrences of empyema. CONCLUSIONS: Open thoracotomy and decortication can be achieved with low morbidity and mortality. Long-term functional results are especially promising. We suggest that the validation of other surgical approaches should be based on comparative, prospective and controlled studies