ESTIMATION OF EXPORT DEMAND FUNCTIONS FOR U.S. WHEAT

Export demand functions for U.S. wheat were estimated for five world regions. Estimates of the effects of income, price, and nonprice variables on U.S. wheat exports were obtained using various econometric procedures. The major finding of the paper indicates that exchange rate changes have had a substantial impact on U.S. wheat exports. This result, conditioned on the aggregative nature of the study, supports the belief expressed by some researchers in recent years.Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade,

Exploring factors that determine consumer attitude toward use of intelligent software agents

The aim of the research described in this paper is to evaluate the impact of Intelligent Software Agents (ISA) used in the on-line purchase of e-tickets, and their acceptance as a source of information service and decision assistance for customers. An empirical study was conducted using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the EC Consumer Behaviour Model in order to determine the factors affecting consumer attitude towards using ISA. The research instrument employed was a questionnaire survey among 150 postgraduate students from the School of Management at the University of Surrey, the findings demonstrate a positive view of ISA – the stronger predictors of consumer attitude towards ISA being perceived usefulness (PU), information richness (IR), customer interface (CI) and perceived trust (PT). Overall, the future of ISA at the business-to-customer (B2C) interface level is to a great extent affected by the consumers’ perception of ISA usefulness and control over it. The present study’s recommendations indicate a need for travel businesses to develop more intelligent electronic environments that will elicit a more positive response from the consumers if they are to be used more

The Mechanics of a Cantilever Beam with an Embedded Horizontal Crack Subjected to an End Transverse Force, Part A: Modelling

International audienceThis study addresses the mechanics of a cracked cantilever beam subjected to a transverse force applied at it's free end. In this Part A of a two Part series of papers, emphasis is placed on the development of a four-beam model for a beam with a fully embedded horizontal sharp crack. The beam aspect ratio, crack length and crack centre location appear as general model parameters. Rotary springs are introduced at the crack tip cross sections as needed to account for the changes in the structural compliance due to the presence of the sharp crack and augmented load transfer through the near-tip transition regions. Guided by recent finite element findings reported elsewhere, the four-beam model is advanced by recognizing two key observations, (a) the free surface and neutral axis curvatures of the cracked beam at the crack center location match the curvature of a healthy beam (an identical beam without a crack under the same loading conditions), (b) the neutral axis rotations (slope) of the cracked beam in the region between the applied load and the nearest crack tip matches the corresponding slope of the healthy beam. The above observations led to the development of close form solutions for the resultant forces (axial and shear) and moment acting in the beams above and below the crack. Axial force and bending moment predictions are found to be in excellent agreement with 2D finite element results for all normalized crack depths considered. Shear force estimates dominating the beams above and below the crack as well as transition region length estimates are also obtained. The model developed in this study is then used along with 2D finite elements in conducting parametric studies aimed at both validating the model and establishing the mechanics of the cracked system under consideration. The latter studies are reported in the companion paper Part B-Results and Discussion. Introduction. Over the last two decades, the frequency response [1-5] of a component or a structure has been used to assess " structural health " as one of several methods used in damage detection [6-13] and structural health monitoring. In most of such studies, the effects of damage on the structural frequency response has been explored using a cantilever beam geometry. With the above in mind, diffused damage detection studies have been developed [7-13] using optimization algorithms that minimize an " error estimate ". Typically, the employed " error estimates " are calculated by comparing the experimentally measured frequencies of the structure [8] to the respective frequencies predicted by a physics based model that solves a problem of the same structural geometry but with reduced localized properties at a prescribed location [9]. Often, the optimization algorithms identify the model structure that best matches the experimental results, thus identifying the likely location and degree of structural damage manifested through the EI, structural stiffness reduction. For example, Xu et al. [8] developed a damage detection algorithm that monitors the changes in the first 10 transverse frequencies of a vibrating beam as a means of detecting the location and degree of damage along the axis of the beam as measured through a reduced localized structural stiffness. The promising outcomes of their initial studies have been validated through model experiments and have sparke

Transitioning to a national health system in Cyprus: a stakeholder analysis of pharmaceutical policy reform

Objective To review the pharmaceutical sector in Cyprus in terms of the availability and affordability of medicines and to explore pharmaceutical policy options for the national health system finance reform expected to be introduced in 2016. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews in April 2014 with senior representatives from seven key national organizations involved in pharmaceutical care. The captured data were coded and analysed using the predetermined themes of pricing, reimbursement, prescribing, dispensing and cost sharing. We also examined secondary data provided by the Cypriot Ministry of Health; these data included the prices and volumes of prescription medicines in 2013 Findings We identified several key issues, including high medicine prices, underuse of generic medicines and high out-of-pocket drug spending. Most stakeholders recommended the national government review existing pricing policies to ensure medicines within the forthcoming national health system are affordable and available, introduce a national reimbursement system and incentivize the prescribing and dispensing of generic medicines. There were disagreements over how to (i) allocate responsibilities to governmental agencies in the national health system, (ii) reconcile differences in opinion between stakeholders and (iii) raise awareness among patients, physicians and pharmacists about the benefits of greater generic drug use. Conclusion In Cyprus, if the national health system is going to provide universal health coverage in a sustainable fashion, then the national government must address the current issues in the pharmaceutical sector. Importantly, the country will need to increase the market share of generic medicines to contain drug spending

A comparison of generic drug prices in seven European countries: a methodological analysis

Background Policymakers and researchers frequently compare the prices of medicines between countries. Such comparisons often serve as barometers of how pricing and reimbursement policies are performing. The aim of this study was to examine methodological challenges to comparing generic drug prices. Methods We calculated all commonly used price indices based on 2013 IMS Health data on sales of 3156 generic drugs in seven European countries. Results There were large differences in generic drug prices between countries. However, the results varied depending on the choice of index, base country, unit of volume, method of currency conversion, and therapeutic category. The results also differed depending on whether one looked at the prices charged by manufacturers or those charged by pharmacists. Conclusions Price indices are a useful statistical approach for comparing drug prices across countries, but researchers and policymakers should interpret price indices with caution given their limitations. Price-index results are highly sensitive to the choice of method and sample. More research is needed to determine the drivers of price differences between countries. The data suggest that some governments should aim to reduce distribution costs for generic drugs

Identification Key to Fishes in Fresh Waters of Greece

The European Environmental Agency formulated a biodiversity initiative in 1996 specifying a freshwater stream-monitoring program to inventory, identify and describe aquatic and terrestrial species in European Union countries. With one of the richest freshwater ichthyofaunas in Europe (126 fish taxa: 97 species and 29 subspecies of primary or secondary freshwater fishes), Greece has two extinct fish species, five listed as critically endangered, and 29 considered endangered and/or vulnerable. There are, however, no published identification guides that are available for identifying fish specimens from fresh waters in Greece. We present an English translation of the only available identification key (in Greek) to 97 fish species (20 families) in fresh waters of Greece. Our intent is to create an illustrated identification guide in the future as new species are identified and ranges of all lotic and lentic species are clarified. In the interim, we believe that the current guide can be used effectively in the field to reduce the number of voucher specimens required to authenticate inventories of the freshwater ichthyofauna of Greece as repeated heavy sampling has the potential to decimate local populations that are already vulnerable