Regional convergence across European Union

This paper analyzes the per-capita incomes convergence process across 140 NUTS2 European regions during the period 1980-1999. Two methods of analysis have been used. The first adopts the non parametric method proposed by Quah (1996, 1997) to study whether the cross-regions income distribution shows evidence of convergence, i.e a tendency for the steady-state distribution to cluster around one or more poles of attraction, or divergence. The second uses panel unit root tests for cross-sectionally correlated panels. Unlike other studies, we find evidence of convergence among the EU regions. When looking at the distribution of per-capita income, we show that it converges toward the average pole, without convergence clubs emerging. Panel unit root tests strongly reject the null of divergence for the full sample of regions and evidence is also provided for two regional subgroups.Key words : Convergence, Distribution analysis, Panel unit root tests.

The behaviour of food relative prices: An analysis across the European Countries

In this paper we analyze the behavior of relative food prices for a set of 24 European countries observed during the period 1996.1 - 2007.7. Using new methods for analyzing nonstationary panels, we are able to show that relative food prices have a common component which accounts for a large share of their variance. We show that this component has had a greater effects on the group of countries that adopt the Euro. We also find that countries in the Euro area are more market integrated, i.e. food prices tend to converge, than countries that have not adopted the Euro. Finally, we report that the half-live of a shock to relative food prices varies depending on the product, and that the adjustment is generally faster, on average about 10 months, than those usually reported in literature.Food relative prices, Non stationarity, Common factors, Demand and Price Analysis,

Convergence in the Agricultural Incomes: A Comparison between the US and EU

In this paper we compare the changes in farm incomes in EU regions and US States between 1989 and 2002. The aim of this comparative analysis is highlight the patterns of convergence or divergence and how they d iffer over time. We use two recent analytical instruments: non-stationary panel analysis and dynamic distribution analysis. Both tools overcome the problems involved in using standard cross-section analysis. The results of the non-stationary panel analysis show that the EU regions are converging, and that family farm income is converging faster than net added value. In the US states the analysis shows that substantial differences in farm income persist, and there are no evident signs of convergence.Agricultural Finance,

Convergence in the Agricultural Incomes: a Comparison between the US and EU

In this paper we compare the changes in farm incomes in EU regions and US States between1989 and 2002. The aim of this comparative analysis is highlight the patterns of convergence or divergence and how they differ over time. We use two recent analytical instruments: non-stationary panel analysis and dynamic distribution analysis. Both tools overcome the problems involved in using standard cross-section analysis. The results of the non-stationary panel analysis show that the EU regions are converging, and that family farm income is converging faster than net added value. In the US states the analysis shows that substantial differences in farm income persist, and there are no evident signs of convergence. While, the regions are heterogeneous, we modified the analysis to allow for the concept of conditional convergence. The results show that the regions converge towards different levels of productivity but regions that are further from their steady-state level will grow faster.Agricultural Finance,

Goal-directed therapy in intraoperative fluid and hemodynamic management.

Intraoperative fluid management is pivotal to the outcome and success of surgery, especially in high-risk procedures. Empirical formula and invasive static monitoring have been traditionally used to guide intraoperative fluid management and assess volume status. With the awareness of the potential complications of invasive procedures and the poor reliability of these methods as indicators of volume status, we present a case scenario of a patient who underwent major abdominal surgery as an example to discuss how the use of minimally invasive dynamic monitoring may guide intraoperative fluid therapy

Single-particle cryo-electron microscopy studies of ribosomes with fragmented 28S rRNA

In the past five years, single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has revolutionized structural biology. Recent advances in detector technology and powerful computational methods now allow images of unprecedented detail to be recorded and structures to be determined at near-atomic resolution. For my PhD studies, I took advantage of this technique to study the structure of uniquely fragmented ribosomes. Ribosomes, are large macromolecular complexes that translate genetic information carried by messenger RNAs (mRNAs) into polypeptide chains. They are the protein production factories of all living cells and are thus involved in virtually all aspects of cellular development and maintenance. By virtue of their core role in the cell, ribosomes share a highly evolutionarily conserved core that carries out the fundamental processes of protein synthesis [1]. However, outside of this core, ribosome composition varies considerably. The main differences among eukaryotic ribosomes are due to rRNA expansion segments (ESs) and variations of ribosomal proteins (r-proteins) [1, 2]. Further, rRNA fragmentation occurring in regions of high variability has been reported in several organisms from bacteria to protozoa, insects, helminths, fish, and surprisingly mammals [3-15]. Recently, the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) was discovered to have unusual cleavage sites in its 28S rRNA resulting in the deletion of the major part of the D6 variable region (ES15L) and leaving the two rRNA fragments disconnected [14]. The cleaved 28S rRNA has been associated with the naked mole rat’s increased translational fidelity [14]. The only other known mammals having fragmented rRNA are the tuco-tuco rodent (of the genus Ctenomys) and the degu (in the related genus Octodontomys) [13]. Here we present the high-resolution structures of the naked mole-rat, tuco-tuco, and guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) ribosomes. Guinea pig, which has canonical (non-fragmented) 28S rRNA is used as a rodent model for comparisons to the naked mole-rat and tuco-tuco ribosomes. During my PhD studies, I also looked at another uniquely fragmented ribosome, that of the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), the causative agent of Chagas disease. The T. cruzi large subunit (LSU) rRNA is assembled from 8 pieces-5S, 5.8S, and six pieces forming jointly the 28S rRNA. Together with my colleagues from Joachim Frank’s and Liang Tong’s research groups, we solved the structure of the T. Cruzi LSU and identified distinctive trypanosome interactions, which allowed us to propose a tentative model for assembly of the large ribosomal subunit (60S) [16, 17]

The Spanish Long-term Care System. ENEPRI Research Report No. 88, 15 June 2010

Launched in January 2009, ANCIEN is a research project that runs for a 44-month period and involves 20 partners from EU member states. The project principally concerns the future of long-term care (LTC) for the elderly in Europe and addresses two questions in particular: 1) How will need, demand, supply and use of LTC develop? 2) How do different systems of LTC perform? This case study on Spain is part of the first stage in the project aimed at collecting the basic data and necessary information to portray long-term care in each country of the EU. It will be followed by analysis and projections of future scenarios on long-term care needs, use, quality assurance and system performance. State-of-the-art demographic, epidemiologic and econometric modelling will be used to interpret and project needs, supply and use of long-term care over future time periods for different LTC systems

DEVELOPMENT OF A CONSTITUTIVE MODEL OF COMPACTED SHALES AND DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECT OF WEATHERING ON ITS PARAMETERS

Compacted shales cause problems because they tend to degrade with time due to weathering. Degradation results in the shale deteriorating from a hard rock-like material to a soft fine-grained soil mass with lower shear strength and high deformability. Consequently, common problems that occur in embankments constructed with compacted shales include settlement and instabilities. Therefore, accelerating weathering prior to compaction by wetting and breaking down the shales before placement can reduce the deterioration during the service life of the construction. Extensive laboratory testing was performed in order to characterize the mechanical behavior of compacted shales. Critical State theory is a clever framework that describes the mechanical behavior of soils with a simple system of equations that explains all the aspects of compression and shear of soils. NorSand is a model constructed in the framework of the Critical State theory that decouples the yield loci from the normally consolidated line. This characteristic made this model suitable for compacted shales. Also, empirical evidence showed that the plastic behavior of compacted shales is controlled by a Nova type flow rule that is a function of the mineralogical characteristics of the shales. This finding has implications in the shape of the yield loci and the hardening rule