Fly-By-Night Firms, Credit, and Regulation: A Simple Model

“Fly-by-night” is a derisive term for a firm that appears to be untrustworthy and/or transient. Previous studies have focused on general fly-by-night firms’ behavior and their interaction with the credit market, while much less has been done to show how they approach government regulation. After a brief explanation of the importance of studying fly-by-night firms and a discussion of some relevant literature, this paper presents a simple model that permits a liability-holding fly-by-night entrepreneur to choose between complying or not complying with a governmental regulation. Though perhaps most useful as a classroom exercise, the model could be used to examine what factors affect the compliance decision and in what way. I find that (i) if we assume fly-by-night firms have relatively lower probabilities of project success, then they are unambiguously less likely to comply with governmental regulations; (ii) an increase in the interest rate on business loans decreases the probability of compliance; and (iii) from a regulatorystandpoint, an increase in inspection rates deters non-compliance, but an increase in the noncompliance fine may not exert deterrence if strategic default is an option

Bullying prevention and social justice: recommendations for teachers

Though bullying was once considered a rite of passage, in recent years experts have begun to re-conceptualize bullying as an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim and to recognize the deleterious mental health outcomes that are often the result of having experienced or having participated in bullying. This phenomenon is also coming to be viewed more broadly as a human rights violation as it creates and perpetuates barriers for specific student populations to equal access to education. Historically, teachers have been among the most outspoken advocates of social justice issues and are on the front lines of addressing social inequality. However, those in the field of psychology have also taken steps to advocate for human rights and members of its professional organization have adopted the aspirational goal of acting as agents of social change. Nevertheless, there continues to be a dearth of research into the relationship between the promotion of social justice and bullying prevention, particularly as it relates to the role of psychologists within the school system who serve in a consultative capacity to teachers. Inspired by an existing bullying prevention module for teachers, the goal of the present study was to develop bullying prevention recommendations for educators that incorporate academic literature-informed social justice considerations

Socio-Economic Returns to Voluntary Armed Forces Service

This dissertation has three chapters, each one originally being a separate analysis and paper. All three pertain to the socio-economic returns to having served in the United States Armed Forces during the early 21st century wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. By the time they were compiled, Chapter 1 was already published in the Journal of Labor Research. The second chapter is coauthored with Dr. Christian Brown, now an economist at the FDA, while the others are solo authored.In Chapter 1, I estimate the effect of military service during these wars on civilian labor and educational outcomes. I find that veteran status increases civilian wages by approximately ten percent for minorities but has little or no effect on whites in this regard. Veterans of all demographic groups are found to be equally employable and equally as satisfied with their civilian occupation as non-veterans. For females and minorities, veteran status substantially increases the likelihood one attempts college. They are found to be more apt to pursue and obtain a two year degree instead of a four year degree.With respect to their employment ambitions and perhaps prospects, the average military enlistee is likely to differ from the average American. In Chapter 2, we estimate the impact military service has on civilian wages across the wage distribution. For early 21st century veterans, we find that former military service grants civilian wage premiums at and below the median wage level but perhaps penalties at the high end of the wage distribution. For late 20th century veterans, who were mostly peacetime volunteers, we find evidence that veteran wage premiums were more constant across the wage distribution.Military service adds additional challenges for married couples. In Chapter 3, I perform a trajectory analysis of the effect of military service on the likelihood of divorce. I find that these individuals were most likely to get a divorce in the first year following active duty service, with an increased probability of three to six percentage points. A within-racial group analysis shows that these effects are stronger for whites than minorities. I find that veterans who served during an earlier period (1980-1992) were unaffected, implying differing effects for wartime versus peacetime service.Ph.D

Riesgo cardiovascular determinado mediante el modelo REGICOR y edad del corazón en trabajadores de diferentes sectores productivos

Objetivo: Debido a la escasez de estudios tanto nacionales como internacionales que impliquen a diferentes sectores productivos nos planteamos valorar cuál es el nivel de riesgo cardiovascular de un gran número de trabajadores pertenecientes a diferentes sectores laborales. Métodos: Entre enero de 2011 y diciembre de 2012 en 60.798 trabajadores se determinó el nivel de riesgo cardiovascular mediante el modelo de Framingham calibrado para población española (REGICOR) y mediante la edad del corazón. Se realizan análisis de la chi cuadrado, t de Student y regresión logística binaria. Resultados: El 94,1% de las mujeres y el 81,4% de los hombres del sector sanitario presentan niveles de REGICOR bajo y el 65% de mujeres y 31,1% de hombres, también del sector sanitario, presentan edades del corazón inferiores a su edad biológica. En la regresión logística el factor que más influye en la aparición de valores elevados de REGICOR y edad del corazón es el consumo de tabaco (odss ratio 4,8 y 8,6 respectivamente). Conclusión: Los valores tanto de REGICOR como de edad del corazón son peores en los varones y a medida que va aumentando la edad. Por sectores productivos, el sanitario es el que mejor se comporta en ambos casos en las mujeres mientras que en los hombres no hay un sector claramente dominante aunque globalmente los mejores valores se obtienen en el sector servicios y en sanidadObjective: Due to the lack of studies done in this area, both nationally and internationally, we have decided to assess the different levels of cardiovascular risk in a large group of workers from a variety of industries. Method: The level of cardiovascular risk in 60,798 workers was determined between January 2011 and December 2012 using the Framingham Risk Calculator calibrated for the Spanish population and heart age. Chi-Squared test, Student’s t test and Binary logistic regression analysis were also performed. Results: REGICOR testing showed that 94.1% of the females and 81.4% of the males, in the health care sector, had low level results. We found that the actual heart age in 65% of the females and 31.1 % of the males, was lower than their biological age. The major independent risk factor, that elevated the REGICOR value and heart age using logistic regression, was cigarette smoking (odss ratio is 4.8 and 8.6). Conclusion: We have determined that males have lower values in both, REGICOR and Heart age, and that these values continue to decrease as they get older. As per work sectors, women in the health care sector demonstrated better results. As for the men, there was no specific section with better results. However, as a whole, the sector with the best results was that of service and health care

A history of the Midlothian coal mines

This thesis attempts to tell tho story of the coal mining industry in the northwestern part of Chesterfield County, Virginia, The coal deposits in this area are only a part or a larger coal basin lying west or Richmond and covering several counties, but as the title suggests, this paper is confined entirely to the mines in the vicinity of Midlothian. It is a history of the mines, and no attempt has been made to deal with the technique or mining except where such remarks have been included because of the historical interest; tor example, the layout of the mines and mining methods used in the early days

La promoción de la salud en los lugares de trabajo

Introducción: La promoción de la salud en los lugares de trabajo debería ser una prioridad para los profesionales de salud de las unidades de salud laboral. Material y método: Se presentan diferentes programas de promoción de la salud realizados entre los años 2006 y 2010. Estos programas incluyen actividades en diferentes áreas de salud: cardiovascular, respiratoria y metabólica. Se analizan los programas y se presentan los resultados más significativos. Resultados: Los parámetros cardiovasculares de las mujeres están mejor que los de los hombres, tanto en lo referente a edad del corazón, síndrome metabólico o riesgo cardiovascular. El 37% de los trabajadores presentan una edad pulmonar superior a su edad biológica y el 11,9% presenta un patrón pulmonar alterado. El 2,2% de las mujeres y el 7,9% de los hombres tienen un riesgo alto o muy alto de sufrir diabetes tipo 2. Discusión: Los resultados de este trabajo confirman el importante papel que tienen los profesionales de salud laboral en la promoción de la salud en los lugares de trabajo.Introduction: Health promotion in the workplace should be a priority for Occupational Health professionals. Materials and Methods: Different programs designed for the promotion of health in the workplace that were carried out between the years 2006 and 2010 are presented. These programs include activities in different health related areas such as cardiovascular services, respiratory services and metabolic management. The programs are analized and the most significant results are presented. Results: Cardiovascular parameters in women are better than those in men regarding heart age, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of the workers present a superior lung age in comparison to their biological age and 11,9 % present an alterated pulmonary pattern. Two and two tenths percent (2.2%) of women and seven and nine tenths percent (7,9%) of men have a high or very high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Discussion: The results of this investigation confirm the importance of occupational health professionals leading “promotion of health” programs in the workplace

Sleep, Salary, and Successful Occupational Negotiation: Evidence from a Labor Market Survey

We examine the relationship between sleep and wages and then ask a follow-up question: might occupational negotiation be one intermediate factor? That is, are workers of a certain sleep pattern more likely to successfully (re)negotiate the terms of their employment? Popular press, non-economic research articles, self-help guides, and websites often purport relationships between sleep patterns and one\u27s ability to successfully negotiate. Results point to sleeping hours having a statistically significant, positive, and strong relationship with both salary and successful negotiation, though the latter relationship is only apparent for workers in about their 4th or 5th year on the job

Older and Wiser? Relative Age and College Course Failure

A student\u27s relative age in their schooling cohort has been shown related to several measures of academic and labor market success. Here, we focus on a singular outcome: the probability of college course failure. Even within a sample constrained to students with traditional academic progression and who completed their college degree program, we find evidence relatively younger students were more likely to fail courses. The estimated impact is larger for males, minorities, and those with less academic success before college. Statistical significance remains constant across the parental income distribution. Students within the sample represent over 600 colleges and universities across the United States. Three different empirical methodologies are used: fixed effects regression, two-stage least squares, and regression discontinuity design. Results have implications for educational policy and provide motivation for further study of the relationship between relative age and collegiate success

Especias, hierbas medicinales y plantas. Usos en medicina. Revisión de la bibliografía científica (Medline)

Diversas hierbas, plantas y especias han sido importantes instrumentos de la medicina tradicional y, a veces, de la magia. Antes de la generalización de los medicamentos elaborados de forma industrial, solían prescribirse remedios compuestos por hierbas, muchos de ellos de probada eficacia, que han sido redescubiertos y utilizados en nuestros días. En la actualidad, la ciencia nos ofrece información contrastada sobre los efectos beneficiosos que las especias pueden suponer en determinadas patologías y las bondades médicas que se apuntan en el horizonte de la ciencia. Culturas orientales, como la India o la China, llevan años incorporando experiencias en esta línea de estudio. Se realiza en este trabajo una recopilación de algunas de estas publicaciones, dejando abierto el campo a futuros investigadores occidentales y especialmente españoles, sobre las opciones terapéuticas que ofrecen las especias y las plantas; un camino donde nuestra experiencia es aún escasa.Various herbs, plants and spices have been important tools for traditional medicine and sometimes magic. Before the widespread use of industrially manufactured drugs, very common remedies, made out of herbs were prescribed, many of them with proven efficacy that have been rediscovered and used nowadays. Today, science offers contrasted information on the beneficial effects that spices may represent for certain pathologies and their potential medical benefits that might arise in the horizon of science. Eastern cultures, such as India or China, spent years incorporating their experiences in this line of study. This work represents a compilation of some of these publications, leaving the field opened to future researchers, western and especially Spanish, on potential treatment options offered by spices and plants, a path where our experience is still limited

Heartland Sonshine: A Thriving Rural Church and Community

xi, 236 leaves. Advisor: Dale Patrick