The housing market in the Russian Federation : privatization and its implications for market development

The author reviews sociological data on privatization and the development of a housing market in Russia through 1996. Using data from urban surveys largely unknown outside Russia, she also considers demand for housing and household mobility in Russia. Since early 1997 the Russian government has increasingly focused on housing reform. Current policy calls for a reduction (in stages) of housing subsidies (for which both owners and tenants of privatized apartments are eligible), with the goal of 100 percent cost recovery by 2003. But household incomes are not expected to rise commensurately, so housing's share of the household budget is likely to grow for most Russians. By the end of 1996 about 55 percent of Russian housing was privately owned. The rate of privatization peaked in Moscow in 1993 and has since abated considerably, essentially coming to a halt in 1996. The pattern was the same in smaller cities, but with a later starting date. Not surprisingly, high-quality apartments in city centers have much higher rates of privatization than lower-quality housing some distance from the center. Also affecting the decision to privatize are demographic characteristics of the occupants and household incomes, values, and education levels. Privatization has produced a far-from-uniform class of owners. The two groups most likely to have privatized their apartments--pensioners and the relatively well-off--have quite different effects on the housing market . Pensioners--the larger group--are generally not inclined to move and thus exert a negative effect on housing mobility. The well-off--a much smaller group--can be expected to participate actively in the housing market. There has been some movement toward a more efficient allocation of housing. Because of economic forces, part of the mover households moved from their original apartments to apartments that were somehow inferior. Moreover the housing market allows poorer households to find housing more in keeping with their ability and willingness to pay for it. Many renters in Russia have chosen not to privatize their apartments, influenced largely by the sense of"occupation rights"inherited from the former Soviet Union. Many Russians have little incentive to privatize their housing, but data from Moscow and two smaller cities indicate that market ideas about searching for housing are beginning to penetrate the Russian public's mentality.Real Estate Development,Land andReal Estate Development,Municipal Housing and Land,Banks&Banking Reform,Housing&Human Habitats,Housing&Human Habitats,Urban Housing,Municipal Housing and Land,Real Estate Development,Land and Real Estate Development

Determinants of household choice of breakfast cereals: healthy or unhealthy?

We studied consumer demand for more and less healthy breakfast cereals. Using ACNielsen Homescan database and USDA food nutrition data, we developed three cereal nutrition indexes for each household in the data. In addition to the standard demographic characteristics of households and prices, we included variables representing differences between private labels and national brands. We found that the structure of the industry, through its effect on the product mix produced, affects consumer choice of nutritious foods. Some households buy fewer healthy cereals simply through reluctance to trust private labels. Among all factors expected to influence consumer purchases, the prices appear to have the strongest effect on the healthiness of the choice of breakfast cereals, which is a relatively inexpensive product. Households with children and teens buy less healthy cereals, while older and more educated households make healthier choices.consumer demand, healthy and unhealthy food, breakfast cereals, Consumer/Household Economics,

Model order reduction approaches for infinite horizon optimal control problems via the HJB equation

We investigate feedback control for infinite horizon optimal control problems for partial differential equations. The method is based on the coupling between Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equations and model reduction techniques. It is well-known that HJB equations suffer the so called curse of dimensionality and, therefore, a reduction of the dimension of the system is mandatory. In this report we focus on the infinite horizon optimal control problem with quadratic cost functionals. We compare several model reduction methods such as Proper Orthogonal Decomposition, Balanced Truncation and a new algebraic Riccati equation based approach. Finally, we present numerical examples and discuss several features of the different methods analyzing advantages and disadvantages of the reduction methods

Biofuel Growth: Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Impacts from Changes in Forest Carbon Stocks

There is significant policy interest in liquid biofuels with appealing prospects for energy security, farm security, poverty alleviation, and climate change. Large-scale commercial biofuel production could have far reaching implications for regional and global markets – particularly those related to energy and land use. As such, large-scale biofuels growth is likely to have significant impacts on global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper utilizes a CGE model with explicit biofuel, land, and energy markets. The model is able to estimate the effects on the broad range of input and output markets potentially affected globally by biofuels policies. One of the most controversial issues within the biofuels debate is potential indirect changes in land use and, in particular, the resulting changes in forest carbon stocks. To uncover consequences of biofuel policies for forest carbon, we link our CGE model with a dynamic forward looking model of the forest sector. Within this framework, we evaluate the potential effects of US and multinational biofuels growth on changes in land use and emissions from changes in forest carbon stocks.land use change, biofuels, CGE model, forest carbon stocks, GHG emissions, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Reliability and construct validity of the Participation in Life Activities Scale for children and adolescents with asthma: an instrument evaluation study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and construct validity of the Participation in Life Activities Scale, an instrument designed to measure older school-age child and early adolescent level of involvement in chosen pursuits.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional design was used. The convenience sample consisted of 313 school-age children and early adolescents with asthma, ages 9–15 years. The self-report summative scale of interest is a 3-indicator survey. Higher scores are reflective of higher levels of participation. Internal consistency reliability and construct validity for the entire sample and sub groups of the sample were evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The instrument was deemed sound for the entire sample as well as sub groups based on sex, race, age, socioeconomic status, and severity of illness. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal consistency reliability for the entire sample was .74. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a single component solution (loadings .79–.85) accounting for 66% of the explained variance. Construct validity was established by testing the posed relationship between participation in life activities scores and severity of illness. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good fit between the data and specified model, χ²(10, <it>n </it>= 302) = 8.074, <it>p </it>= .62.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This instrument could be used (a) in clinical settings to diagnose restricted participation in desired activities, guide decision-making about treatment plans to increase participation, and motivate behavioral change in the management of asthma; and (b) in research settings to explore factors influencing and consequences of restricted and unrestricted participation, and as an outcome measure to evaluate the effectiveness of programs designed to foster child and early adolescent management of asthma.</p

Drug utilization pattern of antimicrobials in OPD of ENT in teaching hospital

Background: A drug utilization study may be helpful to identify the problems, suggest the remedial measures and promote rational use. Antimicrobials are commonly used to treat infections caused by bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi, evidently require huge prescriptions in India.Methods: A prospective, observational study was carried out for a period of four months from February to May 2019 in the Department of ENT (OPD) at NRI Medical College and General Hospital. Prescriptions were collected randomly from around 300 patients attending the ENT outpatient department after obtaining informed consent. The data were collected in the predesigned proforma for analysis.Results: 300 ENT patients were selected for the study, 62% were male and 38% were female. Out of 300 patients 190 ear disorders, 50 nasal, and 60 throat infections. Antimicrobial therapy were most commonly instituted in ear diseases (67.66%), nose (16.95%) and throat (15.37%) respectively. The most commonly used agents were amoxicillin with clavulanic acid- n=295, cefixime- n=1260, gentamicin- n=200, ciprofloxacin- n=157, azithromycin- n=199, nitroimidazoles (metronidazole- n=111).Conclusions: Cefixime and amoxicillin+clavulanic acid combination was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in our study. Interventions to rectify the use of brand names are necessary to promote rational drug use. An antibiotic policy has to be developed for the doctors in treating infections so that rationality in using the antibiotics will be developed and the occurrence of antibiotic resistance can be reduced

Effect of Aegle marmelos methanolic extracts of leaf and fruit pulp on learning and memory in albino rats

Background: The objective was to study the effect of Aegle marmelos methanolic extracts of leaf (LE) and fruit pulp extract (FE) on learning and memory in albino rats. 40 healthy wistar albino rats of either sex were randomly divided into 10 groups of 4 each (n=4), weighing about 150 to 200 gm were selected for the study. The extracts i.e. 1ml of 1% carboxy methyl cellulose, LE and FE at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg were administered per oral one hour before the experiment.Methods: Learning and memory was assessed by elevated plus maze and Hebb William maze. Latency time and number of entries were assessed by elevated plus maze whereas only latency was assessed by Hebb William maze.Results: Plant extracts of LE and FE at doses 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg have shown significant percentage reduction in latency time in elevated plus maze and Hebb William maze (p<0.05) and reduction in the number of entries in elevated plus maze.Conclusions: LE and FE at doses 200 mg/kg have shown significant effect on learning and memory

The Relative Role of Land in Climate Policy

Replaced with revised version of paper 06/26/09.Climate policy, land use related emissions, carbon forest sequestration, CGE, Environmental Economics and Policy,

IMPACT OF US AND EUROPEAN BIOFUEL POLICIES ON FOREST CARBON

This paper develops a dynamic, regional analysis of the effects of US and European biofuel mandates on land use, forestry stocks, and carbon emissions. The results suggest that these mandates may cause an additional 23-26 million hectares of forestland losses globally, but additional carbon emissions of 1.2 – 1.6 billion t CO2. The estimates are found to be sensitive to the elasticity parameter on the land supply function in the model, with the higher elasticity estimates associated with larger carbon losses. The regional analysis turns out to be quite important, because some regions end up gaining forestland and increasing carbon stocks. The regional and dynamic effects have been missed by most other noteworthy analyses of the induced land use effects of biofuel policies, potentially leading the authors to overstate the impacts by 3-6 times.Biofuel policy, Indirect land use effects, Forest carbon sequestration, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,