Politics, Inflation, and the Mundell-Tobin Effect

This paper addresses the possibility of a correlation between inflation and investment for countries with inflation below 20%. The existing literature typically finds no correlation below this level of inflation. By instrumenting with an extensive set of political stability and regime variables I have shown that within a lower range of inflation rates, between 5% and 9%, this correlation is positive, highly significant, and shows no signs of reverse causality.Politics, Inflation, Investment, Mundell, Tobin

Competition on MARS? A study of broker-dealer competition in the U.S. municipal auction rate securities market

The relationship between competitive bidding in auctions and its impact on price and interest rates has long been of importance for a wide range of market practitioners. Although research has shown that increased competition among broker-dealers and bidders results in lower municipal interest rates, the amount of literature addressing auction rate securities is almost non-existent. The U.S. municipal auction rate securities market (MARS) offers an opportunity to expand the growing but limited empirical analysis of auctions. In particular, researchers can study the impact of market power and competitive search on interest rates using this uniform pricing, multi-unit, frequently repeated dutch auction process. Furthermore, in general, previous cross-sectional models measuring relationships in standard municipal markets are quite static in that they mostly assume some form of dynamic parametric homogeneity. Using a novel empirical approach, i.e., one that doesn't assume the time-constancy of cross-sectional parameters, our research shows that greater underwriter competition and search for potential investors in the form of multiple broker-dealers does indeed lead to lower municipal auction rates. This outcome does not hold for the entire sample life of the security--a result that was captured clearly using our methodology.MARS, municipal auctions, securities, parametric heterogeneity

Private sector participation in the water and sanitation sector: alternative options and measurement issues

This paper studies various aspects of the increasing role of private investment in the water services and sanitation (WSS) sector in developing countries. We start by surveying the different types of private sector participation (PSP) in the WSS sector, and the share of public and private responsibilities under each scheme. We then proceed by empirically testing the impact of PSP in the provision of water and sanitation on the average individuals’ welfare with regard to water and sanitation. This paper shows that the private sector has the potential to generate a number of social and environmental benefits for a number of reasons, including its potential to increase efficiency within the sector and increase much-needed levels of investment. Poorer households gain access to affordable services from which they have long been excluded. Furthermore, adverse public health effects of inadequate service provision may be mitigated, and wastewater collection and treatment levels may be increased. The paper also illustrates actual case studies involving PSP in developing countries to present some of the actual improvements that the private sector has already generated, particularly the increased access to water and sanitation, and the rise in water use as suggested by our empirical part.Water demand, public-private partnership, conservation

Beginning On-Line Delphi Ethnographic Research: The BOLDER Method

The use of the Internet to gather data, produce and report research has changed the face of the fields of education and research. This paper will present a method for combining electronic on-line media and Delphi methodology to begin the process of ethnographic research with participant inclusion, informed consent, data gathering by discourse facilitation, and preparation for coding. The use of a reflecting team by the research group provides impetus for second round responses by participants. Methods, format, a case study and an evaluation of the process will be presented

THE TRANSPORT AND MODULATION OF HIV PROTEASE INHIBITORS INTO THE RAT CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND MILK

The objective of this dissertation is to study the mechanism by which HIV protease inhibitors enter into the central nervous system (CNS) and breast milk of rats, and what effects MDR modulators have on the distribution and metabolism of HIV protease inhibitors. The transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) has been shown to limit the distribution of HIV protease inhibitors into the CNS of rodents. This thesis examined the effects of GF120918, an MDR modulator, on the CNS distribution of amprenavir, an HIV protease inhibitor, in rats. GF120918 significantly increased the unbound CNS concentrations of amprenavir without altering the unbound blood concentrations of amprenavir. The results of these studies show that GF120918 can inhibit P-gp at the blood brain barrier (BBB) to increase the unbound CNS concentration of amprenavir and potentially other HIV protease inhibitors. Many first generation MDR modulators inhibited both P-gp transport and CYP3A metabolism. Therefore, a principal goal of this thesis was to determine if GF120918 could selectively inhibit P-gp transport without inhibiting CYP3A metabolism. Using in vitro (human) and in vivo (rat) studies, GF120918 selectively inhibited P-gp at the BBB without inhibiting CYP3A metabolism. The transporter MRP1 has been shown to both transport HIV protease inhibitors and expressed in the CNS. Studies contained in the thesis have shown that mrp1 is not localized to the BBB of rats, therefore, mrp1 is unlikely to play a significant role in the distribution of HIV protease inhibitors into the CNS of rats. The distribution of nelfinavir, an HIV protease inhibitor, into rat breast milk was studied in the thesis as a first approach in understanding the extent to which HIV protease inhibitors can accumulate into milk. The concentration of nelfinavir in rat milk was approximately half that of plasma. P-gp protein expression was detected in lactating rat mammary tissue. However, GF120918 showed no effect on the distribution of nelfinavir into rat milk suggesting that P-gp does not play a significant role in the distribution of HIV protease inhibitors into milk

Regression Analysis as an Alternative to Difference Scores

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68519/2/10.1177_014920639402000311.pd

Petrology and contact relationships, SW portion PC Mullen Creek mafic complex, Medicine Bow Mts., Wy.

1983 Spring.Includes bibliographical references (pages [148]-151).Geologic mapping and thin section petrography of rock units in and adjacent to the southwestern portion of the Mullen Creek mafic complex reveals the presence of a roof zone of a Precambrian layered basic intrusion that invaded a metavolcanic sequence (predominantly hornblende gneiss). This portion of the mafic complex consists of variably metamorphosed interlayered rocks that originally ranged from pyroxenite to anorthosite but were dominantly gabbro and leucogabbro. Most of these rocks underwent regional medium-grade metamorphism to form amphibolite facies assemblages in which hornblende has replaced pyroxene, labradorite has remained stable and relict igneous textures are preserved. A later episode of retrogressive low-grade metamorphism has produced locally abundant fractures, veinlets and minerals typical of the greenschist facies such as chlorite, epidote, talc, serpentine and saussurite

The Value of Teaching Preparation During Doctoral Studies: An Example of a Teaching Practicum

For doctoral students who seek faculty appointments in academic settings upon graduation, it is imperative those students have access to quality mentoring, direct instruction, and experiential opportunities to apply effective teaching methods during their training. Currently, some doctoral programs are beginning to develop teaching practicums which provide essential skills and experiences for doctoral students. The purpose of this paper is to describe best practices in the field of education and provide examples of post-graduate programs that are providing training and teaching opportunities to graduate assistants. One existing teaching practicum course offered at a public university in the southeast is described in detail. In addition, to support the value of a teaching practicum during doctoral training, narrative accounts from two doctoral students and a faculty mentor who participated in a teaching practicum is provided

The Efficacy of Aircraft Type Club Safety

The FAA and industry are attempting to make significant improvements in general aviation (GA) safety through voluntary measures largely carried out by grassroots aviation organizations, such as aircraft type clubs. While aircraft type clubs are principally focused on safety and education efforts, little is known about the efficacy of their voluntary measures. Research is lacking with respect to understanding whether or not voluntary measures contribute to GA safety. This mixed methods research quantifies the accident data of three aircraft type clubs and compares the safety of their members to nonmembers. A qualitative examination reveals why type club members may have a safer safety record than nonmembers