Financial evolution and income inequality: channels and evidence

The thesis makes original contribution to knowledge in income inequality research area by investigating the links between financial developments and income inequality for a diverse panel of 36 countries over a 26-year period from 1980 to 2005. Based on an extensive literature review and use of a new set of stylised facts, the initial chapter of the thesis reviews the association between the evolution of financial aspects of the economy and income distribution. The outcomes demonstrate that financial globalisation, financial development, and financial liberalisation are among the key factors affecting income inequality, setting a clear context for impending empirical investigations. The first empirical chapter investigates the associations between financial globalisation and development, and income inequality. The chapter makes a contribution by investigating that whether different measures of financial globalisation can have opposing effects on inequality. The outcome show that the de jure and de facto measures of financial globalisation affect income inequality in opposing directions where the former abbreviates it, and the latter aggravates it. In an attempt to make further contribution, the chapter proposes that financial development accompanied with robust banking supervision can reduce income inequality. The results show that financial development integrated with a robust banking supervision can reduce income inequality. The second empirical chapter investigates the association between financial liberalisation and income inequality, with particular emphasis on the role of human capital investments. Contributing to income inequality research field, the results show that financial liberalisation, removal of credit controls in particular, reduces income inequality through creating a more convenient path for the low income group to borrow funds, invest in human capital and get better paid skilled-jobs

Determinants of Financial Health of US General Aviation Airports

This survey-based study investigates the current financial environment of US general aviation airports. Due to a dearth of data and research on the financial performance of general aviation airports, the paper provides vital information regarding the critical needs and major revenue sources of such airports.The findings suggest that general aviation airports can be self-sustaining regardless of their location, runway length and other airport-specific characteristics.The attitudes of the airport manager towards the importance of financial self-sustainability, positive relationships with local communities, and utilisation of non-traditional and non-aviation revenue sources are found to be critical for the financial health of general aviation airports. In addition, the research provides estimates of the funding needs of US general aviation airports and evidence of the cumulative demand for T-hangars on a national basis

Entrepreneurial Spirit in Government Managed Enterprises: Evidence from the U.S. General Aviation Airports

While a number of studies introduce entrepreneurship in the public sector, there is still a need for empirical research in this field. We use a survey of U.S. general aviation airport managers to investigate the benefits of entrepreneurial spirit in public sector management. The results of logistic regressions suggest that the airport managers’ beliefs in importance of self-sustainability significantly improve the likelihood of general aviation airports to be self-sustaining. On the other hand, the airport specific characteristics, such as a favorable location, county population, and others are not statistically significant in achieving self-sustainability. Our findings support the literature that argue that entrepreneurship can be a mean of achieving more efficient, flexible and adaptive management in the public sector

Analisis Kelembagaan Organisasi Di Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah Provinsi Jawa Tengah

The organizational structure is a hierarchical arrangement of organizations ranging from the lower level to the upper level. In each hierarchical division of labor are complex and require specialized expertise in each task execution. BPBDs structure Central Java province has advantages in the job descriptions of the structure of the organization. Human resources have yet to be appropriate competencies for the organization\u27s needs, the emergence of a dispute between the employees and the workload between field uneven. Results of the study aims to describe and analyze the institutional organization and organizational design BPBDs Central Java Province. This type of research used qualitative descriptive data analysis using taxonomic analysis techniques. Selection informant by purposive sampling that later developed through snowball sampling. Data collection techniques used were observation, interviews, documentation and literature. Based on this research, organizational strategy realized in accordance with the target effectively and efficiently manage resources. BPBDs Central Java province has a flat organizational structure, with the advantages of the structure of the job descriptions. Extensive networks reflected on the steering element. Functional organization has not materialized yet being filled with functional groups. As a learning organization, BPBDs Central Java Province continues to improve the quality of employees and freedom emergence of collective aspirations. In terms of organizational design, structural configurations according to the Regional Disaster Management Agency of Central Java province is a simple structure and the structure of professional bureaucracy. Institutional organization BPBDs Central Java Province is still in institutional strengthening. Expected to BPBDs Central Java province to do to optimize the budget to improve the competence of personnel resources and infrastructure, consider filling the functional position, and initiate meetings on the middle line, in order to create a pattern of horizontal communication with the operating core

Rosiglitazone Metabolism in Human Liver Microsomes Using a Substrate Depletion Method

Background: Elimination of rosiglitazone in humans is via hepatic metabolism. The existing studies suggest that CYP2C8 is the major enzyme responsible, with a minor contribution from CYP2C9; however, other studies suggest the involvement of additional cytochrome P450 enzymes and metabolic pathways. Thus a full picture of rosiglitazone metabolism is unclear. Objective: This study aimed to improve the current understanding of potential drug–drug interactions and implications for therapy by evaluating the kinetics of rosiglitazone metabolism and examining the impact of specific inhibitors on its metabolism using the substrate depletion method. Methods: In vitro oxidative metabolism of rosiglitazone in human liver microsomes obtained from five donors was determined over a 0.5–500 µM substrate range including the contribution of CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, CYP2E1, and CYP2D6. Results: The maximum reaction velocity was 1.64 ± 0.98 nmol·mg−1·min−1. The CYP2C8 (69 ± 20%), CYP2C9 (42 ± 10%), CYP3A4 (52 ± 23%), and CEP2E1 (41 ± 13%) inhibitors all significantly inhibited rosiglitazone metabolism. Conclusion: The results suggest that other cytochrome P450 enzymes, including CYP2C9, CYP3A4, and CEP2E1, in addition to CYP28, also play an important role in the metabolism of rosiglitazone. This example demonstrates that understanding the complete metabolism of a drug is important when evaluating the potential for drug–drug interactions and will assist to improve the current therapeutic strategies.</p

Investigating the role of temperature on thermal stress and fracture propagation in geothermal systems

Available geothermal energy extractable by conventional techniques is in dry and comparatively impermeable rocks. Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technologies enhance geothermal resources in the hot dry rock (HDR) through fracture operations, usually through hydro-shearing. Large scale deployment of geothermal power production requires the demonstration of successful EGS projects extracting heat from reservoirs constituting a variety of geological conditions. In this part, numerical models are very important to show how geothermal power plant operations can be less risky and safer. Owing the fact that, some major challenges in these operations are interaction between shear and tensile fractures with natural faults. These interactions can be seen in two different cases, either these faults are badly oriented or these faults are fill in pore fluids or gases which are mainly high pressure. Fluids and gases are important on account for because of the fact that these pore fluids can over whelmed the injection pressure and cause well blow out. Furthermore, to prevent these operational hazards, we use field data and analysis in combination with experimental tests and numerical/analytical models with finite element method software such as COMSOL Multiphysics. Further work will be required for improving enhanced geothermal production by optimizing hydro-shearing practices

Defining polypharmacy in the elderly: A systematic review protocol

Introduction: Ageing-along with its associated physiological and pathological changes-places individuals at a higher risk of multimorbidity and treatment-related complications. Today, polypharmacy, a common and important problem related to drug use, occurs subsequent to this multimorbidity in the elderly in all populations. In recent decades, several scientific investigations have studied polypharmacy and its correlates, using different approaches and definitions, and their results have been inconclusive. Differences in definitions and approaches in these studies form a barrier against reaching a conclusion regarding the risk factors and consequences of polypharmacy. It is therefore imperative to establish an appropriate definition of polypharmacy. Methods and analysis: A systematic review will be conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, PsycINFO and AgeLine bibliographic databases, as well as the grey literature on polypharmacy in older adults to answer these two questions: What definitions in the literature are being used for polypharmacy in older people?, and Which definitions are more comprehensive and applicable? 2 independent reviewers will conduct the primary screening of the articles and data extraction, and eligible sources will be selected after discussing nonconformities. All extracted data from selected articles will be categorised based on the type of study participants, study design and setting, the methodological quality of primary studies and any other potential source of heterogeneity, and results will be summarised in a table, which will contain the levels of evidence and methodological quality of the included studies. The most comprehensive definition of polypharmacy will be selected from the final list of definitions through an international expert webinar. Ethics and Dissemination: This research is exempt from ethics approval because the work is carried out on published documents. We will disseminate this protocol in a related peer-reviewed journal

Scattering Theory for Jacobi Operators with Steplike Quasi-Periodic Background

We develop direct and inverse scattering theory for Jacobi operators with steplike quasi-periodic finite-gap background in the same isospectral class. We derive the corresponding Gel'fand-Levitan-Marchenko equation and find minimal scattering data which determine the perturbed operator uniquely. In addition, we show how the transmission coefficients can be reconstructed from the eigenvalues and one of the reflection coefficients.Comment: 14 page

Integrating a suicide prevention program into the primary health care network: A field trial study in Iran

Objective. To describe and evaluate the feasibility of integrating a suicide prevention program with Primary Health Care services and evaluate if such system can improve screening and identification of depressive disorder, reduce number of suicide attempters, and lower rate of suicide completion. Methodology. This was a quasi-experimental trial in which one community was exposed to the intervention versus the control community with no such exposure. The study sites were two counties in Western Iran. The intervention protocol called for primary care and suicide prevention collaboration at different levels of care. The outcome variables were the number of suicides committed, the number of documented suicide attempts, and the number of identified depressed cases. Results. We identified a higher prevalence of depressive disorders in the intervention site versus the control site (� 2 = 14.8, P < 0.001). We also found a reduction in the rate of suicide completion in the intervention region compared to the control, but a higher prevalence of suicide attempts in both the intervention and the control sites. Conclusion. Integrating a suicide prevention program with the Primary Health Care network enhanced depression and suicide surveillance capacity and subsequently reduced the number of suicides, especially in rural areas. © 2015 Seyed Kazem Malakouti et al