Trade and Industrial Policy of Transition Economies

Trade reforms in transition economies are analyzed in a model of trade and vertical product differentiation. We first show that trade liberalization in transition economies reduces the local firm’s output and raises the prices of all variants. Second, we find that neither free trade nor the absence of a subsidy are optimal. Third, there exists a rationale for a government commitment to use socially optimal trade and industrial policies to release the domestic firm from low-quality production. Finally, we establish an equivalence result between the effects of exchange rate changes and those of trade policy on price competition (but not on social welfare).Exchange rates, leapfrogging, optimal trade policy, product quality, trade liberalization

Procompetitive Trade Policies

We study the procompetitive effects of trade policies against a foreign oligopoly in a model of vertical product differentiation. We show that a uniform tariff policy like the Most Favored Nation (MFN) clause is always welfare superior to free trade because of a pure rent-extraction effect. However, a nonuniform tariff policy is, in addition, procompetitive and thus yields a higher level of social welfare. The first best policy typically consists of giving a subsidy to the country producing low quality and levying a tariff on the country producing high quality. Regional Trade Agreements (RTYs) are examples of nonuniform tariff policies. We show that these arrangements yield higher welfare than free trade and, moreover, that a RTA with a low-quality producing country yields larger gains than a RTA with a high-quality producing country.endogenous quality, most favored nation (MFN) clause, procompetitive policies, regional trade agreements

Regime de Classificação e produção de conhecimento: implicações para a Universidade

In this integrated review of literature, we address a powerful movement among interrelated organizations that we call the “ranking regime.” We argue that the ostensive purpose of this regime is to identify “world class” universities, and thus to organize post-secondary education into a competitive transnational market. Although extant research has addressed how rankings are reshaping the field of higher education, there is little work that addresses the influence of rankings on the evaluation of faculty work and the production of knowledge. Thus, we review existing studies that have focused on the intersection of this ranking regime, faculty work, and faculty evaluation in order to assess the implications of the ranking regime for the production of knowledge within academia and for faculty evaluation.  We argue that the ranking regime affects the production and evaluation of knowledge by promoting individualism, standardization, commodification, and homogenization. We offer policy and practice implications as well as directions for future research.En esta revisión integrada de la literatura, analizamos un movimiento potente de organizaciones interrelacionadas que llamamos “Régimen Clasificatorio”. Argumentamos que el propósito ostensible de este régimen es la identificación de las universidades de "clase mundial", y por lo tanto organizar la enseñanza post-secundaria en un mercado transnacional competitivo. Aunque la investigación existente ha abordado cómo los rankings están remodelando el campo de la educación superior, hay poco trabajo que se ocupa de la influencia de las clasificaciones en la evaluación de la labor docente y la producción de conocimiento. De este modo, se revisan los estudios existentes que se han centrado en la intersección de este régimen de clasificación, el trabajo de los docentes universitarios, y las universidades con el fin de evaluar las consecuencias del régimen de clasificación para la producción de conocimiento en el mundo académico y de evaluación del trabajo de los docentes universitarios. Nosotros sostenemos que el régimen de clasificación afecta a la producción y la evaluación de los conocimientos, promoviendo el individualismo, la normalización, la mercantilización y homogeneización. Ofrecemos sugerencias de políticas e implicaciones prácticas, así como direcciones para investigaciones futurasNesta revisão integral da literatura, analisamos um poderoso movimento de organizações inter-relacionadas que chamamos de "Esquema de Classificação". Argumenta-se que o propósito ostensivo do regime é a identificação das universidades de "classe mundial" e, portanto, organizar o ensino pós-secundário em um mercado transnacional competitivo. Embora a pesquisa existente abordou como os rankings estão remodelando o domínio do ensino superior  há pouco trabalho que aborda a influência dos rankings na avaliação do ensino e da produção de conhecimento. Assim estudos existentes têm-se centrado sobre a intersecção desse esquema de classificação, o trabalho de acadêmicos e universidades, a fim de avaliar as consequências do sistema de classificação para a produção de conhecimento. Argumenta-se que o esquema de classificação que  afeta a produção e avaliação de conhecimento, promovendo o individualismo, a normalização, a mercantilização e homogeneização. Oferecemos sugestões de políticas e implicações práticas e orientações para futuras pesquisa

First IJCAI International Workshop on Graph Structures for Knowledge Representation and Reasoning (GKR@IJCAI'09)

International audienceThe development of effective techniques for knowledge representation and reasoning (KRR) is a crucial aspect of successful intelligent systems. Different representation paradigms, as well as their use in dedicated reasoning systems, have been extensively studied in the past. Nevertheless, new challenges, problems, and issues have emerged in the context of knowledge representation in Artificial Intelligence (AI), involving the logical manipulation of increasingly large information sets (see for example Semantic Web, BioInformatics and so on). Improvements in storage capacity and performance of computing infrastructure have also affected the nature of KRR systems, shifting their focus towards representational power and execution performance. Therefore, KRR research is faced with a challenge of developing knowledge representation structures optimized for large scale reasoning. This new generation of KRR systems includes graph-based knowledge representation formalisms such as Bayesian Networks (BNs), Semantic Networks (SNs), Conceptual Graphs (CGs), Formal Concept Analysis (FCA), CPnets, GAI-nets, all of which have been successfully used in a number of applications. The goal of this workshop is to bring together the researchers involved in the development and application of graph-based knowledge representation formalisms and reasoning techniques

Addressing Rice Waste in University Cafeterias Using Material Flow Analysis and System Dynamics Modeling

Food waste has emerged as one of the focus areas in sustainability research. At the Ateneo de Manila University, previous studies have found that food waste is composed mainly of rice. This study, therefore, analyzed cafeteria rice systems in the university through a material flow analysis (MFA) to identify key factors for formulating effective rice waste reduction techniques and then applied the results toward developing system dynamics (SD) models as tools for decision-making. The MFA found that the total mass of produced known rice waste was 49.48 kg/d. The largest sources of rice wastes were the upstream processes of the cafeteria rice system involving the cooking and serving of rice. The SD model developed for one cafeteria found that the service stage was the largest source of rice waste. The main factor influencing service waste generation was the surplus of cooked rice. A scenario was simulated in which the amount of rice used in additional batches cooked was minimized, yielding a substantial decrease in the mass of service waste and lost revenue. Not only does this research provide baseline information that enables the university to enhance sustainable consumption and food waste minimization efforts, but it also contributes to the data pool for rice wastage in the Philippine and Southeast Asian contexts. Furthermore, results indicate a need to re-strategize rice waste campaigns that focus on consumption when much can be done in the preparation and service stages. Collaborating with cafeteria management to improve efficiency in the kitchen is key in addressing the overall rice waste problem. Downstream, consumer-focused interventions targeting changes in attitudes and behaviors must be complemented by upstream changes in operations and management approaches to support both a structural and cultural transformation for sustainability

Risk factors for sporadic hepatitis A infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is responsible for common acute viral hepatitis worldwide. Improvement in sanitation and use of efficient vaccines have reduced HAV incidence in developed countries. However, naive adult population are most susceptible to severe outcomes, and high endemic areas persist in developing regions. The transmission of HAV through the fecal-oral route is established. However, considering evolving consumption habits and global market exchange of food, investigations on risk factors associated with HAV infection are needed. Thus, a systematic review and a meta-analysis of case-control, cohort and transversal studies was performed to determine the main risk factors associated with sporadic HAV infection. Relevant scientific articles were identified through systematic literature search and subjected to a methodological quality assessment. Mixed-effects meta-analyses models were adjusted by population type to appropriate data partitions. HAV infections are defined by serological testing. The quality assessment stage selected 78 studies investigating risk factors for sporadic infections with hepatitis A conducted between 1985 and 2013. This meta-analysis confirmed that HAV infections are mostly related to inter-human transmissions, either due to contact with an ill person, through oral-anal sex practice, or lack of personal hygiene. Travel to endemic countries, occupational exposure such as working in child daycare, and exposure to wastewater were associated with HAV infection. As HAV can persist in the environment, it was not surprising that consumption of untreated drinking water, shellfish consumed raw, and crop products were risk factors. Food contamination could be due to the use of contaminated water (fruits, vegetables) or originate from infected food handlers at every point of the food chain (from picking to serving). Eating or drinking outside were associated with HAV infection. A lack of recent case-control studies was identified, with only three studies eligible between 2011 and 2017. Case-control studies required a more precise definition of risk factors such as type of crop product, and storing/preparation information (e.g. washed, frozen). The frequency of consumption or duration of environmental exposure could also better inform relationship between exposure and risk of infection. In a context of epidemiological change of HAV, international travel and trade of foods, future case-control studies are needed and should focus on populations at risk of severe infections and acute cases.U. Gonzales-Barron and V. Cadavez are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under programme PT2020 for the financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

REFLEXIÓN Y ANÁLISIS DEL DELITO DE CONCUSIÓN EN EL CÓDIGO PENAL PERUANO

En el presente artículo los autores se encargan de desarrollar los elementos del delito de concusión en el Código Penal peruano. Se explica el origen histórico, los principales aspectos problemáticos en relación con los elementos objetivos, subjetivos, así como la situación de la víctima en el referido delito. Abstract: in this article the authors develop the elements of the crime of concussion in the Peruvian Penal Code. They explain the historical origin, the problematic aspects in relation to the objective and subjective elements and the situation of the victim in the mentioned crime

Discovery of a Transiting Adolescent Sub-Neptune Exoplanet with K2

The role of stellar age in the measured properties and occurrence rates of exoplanets is not well understood. This is in part due to a paucity of known young planets and the uncertainties in age-dating for most exoplanet host stars. Exoplanets with well-constrained ages, particularly those which are young, are useful as benchmarks for studies aiming to constrain the evolutionary timescales relevant for planets. Such timescales may concern orbital migration, gravitational contraction, or atmospheric photo-evaporation, among other mechanisms. Here we report the discovery of an adolescent transiting sub-Neptune from K2 photometry of the low-mass star K2-284. From multiple age indicators we estimate the age of the star to be 120 Myr, with a 68% confidence interval of 100-760 Myr. The size of K2-284 b ($R_P$ = 2.8 $\pm$ 0.1 $R_\oplus$) combined with its youth make it an intriguing case study for photo-evaporation models, which predict enhanced atmospheric mass loss during early evolutionary stages.Comment: Accepted to AJ, 36 pages, 17 figures, 5 table

A case study in modeling company policy documents as a source of requirements

This paper describes an approach that was developed to produce structured models that graphically reflect the requirements contained within a text document. The document used in this research is a draft policy document governing business in a research and development environment. In this paper, the authors present a basic understanding of why this approach is needed, the techniques developed, lessons learned during modeling and analysis, and recommendations for future investigation. The modeling method applied on the policy document was developed as an extension to entity relationship (ER) diagrams, which built in some structural information typically associated with object-oriented techniques. This approach afforded some structure as an analysis tool, while remaining flexible enough to be used with the text document. It provided a visual representation that allowed further analysis and layering of the model to be done