Austerity, Abundance, and the Investor States: The Political Economy of Sovereign Wealth Funds

Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) are not new, but their foreign investment created concerns among many states in 2005 and 2006. Many policy makers argued that the ownership of foreign governments in specific areas may expose their countries to various risks. The concerns in the United States were from a national security perspective, while Europe was more worried about the lack of reciprocity and established standards. The political economy literature lacks a suitable framework for the study of investor states. The mainstream economic view contends that SWFs are a result of balance of payments surpluses and are used for economic smoothing purposes. This dissertation identifies three alternative theoretical perspectives—drawn from major political economic theories—to explain the potential goals investor states may pursue through their SWFs. It also addresses the gap in the literature by proposing a systematic methodology for the study of these funds, and subsequently applying it to four major SWFs: the Government Pension Fund-Global (Norway), the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (United Arab Emirates), Temasek (Singapore), and the National Wealth Fund (Russia). This research revealed that the dominant conception that investor states are in pursuit of political power over another state is unjustified. The assertion that SWFs are used for balance of payments corrections is equally unfounded. None of the funds was shown to have attempted to exert political power over another state. The national system of political economy of investor states defines the purpose of SWFs. Some states act as economic agents or entrepreneurs in order to increase the value of their assets. For others, accumulating sufficient resources required for domestic compensation is the immediate goal. Therefore, it would be wrong to treat all funds equally, as most of the analysts and policy makers do. In fact, investments by SWFs create interdependencies between the investor and the recipient states. A critical and yet hardly-discussed issue is that vulnerabilities can go both ways in these interdependent relationships. This means investor states, too, are exposed to various risks. In summary, we need a paradigm shift in our approach to the study of SWFs

Examining Pedestrian Accessibility to Opportunities in Four New Deal Villages

This study focuses on accessibility as an essential performance factor in city planning and urban development. The automobile-oriented designs that characterize and organize most modern United States cities, since the 1950s, have degraded pedestrian mobility and accessibility, causing people to be largely dependent on cars rather than walk, bike, and/or use public transit to reach essential and complementary daily destinations. This pervasive condition not only hinders community and sense of place, but also negatively affects people’s health and environment. We as planners should not forget that cities should be designed to serve people rather than cars. The more our cities are pedestrian accessible, the more they will draw people in, and potentially bring about other positive qualities, like safety, that could result in a better place to live in. This study explores how pedestrian accessibility to key destinations might be influenced by: 1-land-use spatial structure and 2- urban design, using transportation network topology as proxy. As a case study, the study compares the pedestrian accessibility afforded by four New Deal villages (Greenbelt (MD), Greendale (WI), Greenhills (OH), and Eleanor Roosevelt (P.R.)). These towns, or villages as they were originally conceived, were planned, and developed during the late 1930s as part of a comprehensive Federal economic revitalization policy program known as the New Deal (Figure 1). All four New Deal villages cases share the same age; similar mix of architectural typologies and densities; and similar original land-use programming where most services and opportunities for socio-economic interactions were located at and near a village center. Yet, these case studies differ slightly, with one of them differing significantly in terms of urban design and transportation network layout. These villages present a convenient quasi-experimental framework to evaluate how urban design, as expressed in the scaling and design of neighborhood blocks and in the disposition of their transportation networks (pedestrian and vehicular) might influence levels of accessibility to opportunities in each village and possibly corresponding aggregate travel behavior. Results from this investigation could inform recommendations to improve pedestrian accessibility in lower-ranking neighborhoods, according to the calculations and analysis of this study brought in the table of result (page 39) as well as inform methodologies and best-practices for the planning, design, and assessment of pedestrian accessibility in other existing or proposed neighborhoods. Sampling strategy motivated the selection of the four New Deal Town cases in this investigation and relates to their common policy and ideological (communitarian) origins, overarching planning, and spatial design paradigms inspired by Howard’s Garden City Model, which emphasized self-sufficiency and pedestrian accessibility; similar socio-economy profile and purpose as communities geared for the working class and lower-income families; and all being publicly subsidized in pursuit of housing affordability and job creation in a time of economic crisis. Despite all the similarities, only Eleonor Roosevelt Village exhibits a traditional web-like grid street network, in contrast to the larger and more organic superblock morphology of the other three New Deal villages located in the US mainland that reflect a distinct suburban neighborhood design tradition influenced by Clarence Stein and Henry Wright’s Radburn development, in New Jersey. Comparing these four neighborhoods could provide me insight into the influence of urban design and land-use patterns on pedestrian accessibility as a key factor in the planning and design for more sustainable neighborhood patterns that promote more walking. The insights and methods explored in this terminal project could also inform assessment protocols to evaluate existing and future developments as a standard practice in city planning, management of the built environment, and urban design

Biomarkers approach in the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis

Sepsis is a systematic host response to infection defined by suppression of the immune system and organ failure which can rapidly lead to septic shock and death if not managed properly. Methods Therefore, the timely diagnosis of sepsis has prompted researchers to assess several number of blood biomarkers. In a complex situation like sepsis where multiple organs and systems are involved, the sensitivity and specificity of blood indicators that can easily and accurately show the severity and prognosis of the disorder are of great importance. Results C-reactive protein (CRP) and Procalcitonin are the most common biomarkers used in clinical routine to diagnose sepsis and monitor the response to treatment. Other biomarkers including pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, monocyte and lymphocyte, antibodies, and nucleic acid can also be used to assess the disorder. Biomarkers offer utility for disease progress, the prognosis of disorder, risk stratification, and treatment effect rather than diagnosis at the early stage of sepsis. Conclusions Therefore, although defining molecular properties in septic patients opens up new means to diagnose and manage sepsis in a shorter time compared to conventional methods currently used at hospitals, further clinical evaluation of biomarkers should be performed. In this review, we summarized pathophysiology, pathogeneses, and clinical diagnosis of sepsis. We also provided an overview of the role of candidate biomarkers on diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis

Genetics in Peripheral Artery Disease

Besides traditional risk factor, it has been proved that genetics and gene–environment interaction have a possible independent role in the development and progression of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Knowledge about such genetic factors will increases our understanding about pathophysiologic mechanisms of PAD and could facilitate the therapeutic approaches. Human genetics has gone through an advanced improvement and it increases our chance to acquire better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In this chapter, we try to provide an update on the genetics of PAD, which is mostly about genome-wide association studies, linkage analyses, heritability, candidate gene studies, and epigenetics. Finally, we discuss challenges and future developments of researches in PAD genetics

Reconocimiento de patrones de diseño de casas nativas en la provincia de Mazandaran con enfoque climático

In Forming residential house in Khazar’s shore, climatic condition plays a basic role because in them had used of natural energy and environmental condition for heating, cooling and air conditioning.With studying, recognition and analyses of principles and patterns of native architecture can find out the compatibility of them with the climatic condition. With appearing modern architecture and destroying construction identity, patternology is one of the important issues that wants to find the practical methods for accessing to identity maker elements and patterns of past and using of them in now a day modern architecture. Traditional residential texture as the fundamental core of cities and so elements and architecture construction in them undoubtedly are worthy heritage for studying and analyzing and presenting proper patterns of native architecture.  In this study first with an analyzing- descriptive approach have an overview and then the skeletal factors affecting texture and traditional residential constructions of Mazandaran province patternology are identified. Study method in this method is analyzing-descriptive and used of fieldwork for fundamental recognition and identifying for sample structures that are under studying. Finally, due to the obtained results, principles of native architecture and comparison of available criteria, native house designing patterns will present.Las condiciones climáticas juegan un papel clave en la formación de casas residenciales en la costa del Caspio porque utilizan energía natural y condiciones ambientales para la calefacción, refrigeración y aire acondicionado. Al estudiar, reconocer y analizar los principios y patrones de la arquitectura indígena, podemos descubrir su compatibilidad con las condiciones climáticas. Con el advenimiento de la arquitectura moderna y la destrucción de la identidad estructural, el modelado es uno de los temas importantes que quiere encontrar formas prácticas de lograr los elementos y patrones de identidad del pasado y utilizarlos en la arquitectura moderna. El tejido residencial tradicional como núcleo básico de las ciudades y por tanto los elementos y la construcción de la arquitectura en ellas es sin duda un patrimonio digno para el estudio y análisis y presentación de patrones adecuados de la arquitectura indígena. En este estudio, primero con un enfoque descriptivo-analítico, una visión general y luego se identifican los factores esqueléticos que afectan la textura y las construcciones residenciales tradicionales de la provincia de Mazandaran. Método de estudio En este método, el análisis descriptivo y el uso del trabajo de campo para identificar los conceptos básicos e identificar las estructuras muestrales en estudio. Finalmente, de acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos, se presentan los principios de la arquitectura indígena y la comparación de los criterios existentes, los patrones de diseño de las casas indígenas

Reconocimiento de patrones de diseño de casas nativas en la provincia de Mazandaran con enfoque climático

Las condiciones climáticas juegan un papel clave en la formación de casas residenciales en la costa del Caspio porque utilizan energía natural y condiciones ambientales para la calefacción, refrigeración y aire acondicionado. Al estudiar, reconocer y analizar los principios y patrones de la arquitectura indígena, podemos descubrir su compatibilidad con las condiciones climáticas. Con el advenimiento de la arquitectura moderna y la destrucción de la identidad estructural, el modelado es uno de los temas importantes que quiere encontrar formas prácticas de lograr los elementos y patrones de identidad del pasado y utilizarlos en la arquitectura moderna. El tejido residencial tradicional como núcleo básico de las ciudades y por tanto los elementos y la construcción de la arquitectura en ellas es sin duda un patrimonio digno para el estudio y análisis y presentación de patrones adecuados de la arquitectura indígena. En este estudio, primero con un enfoque descriptivo-analítico, una visión general y luego se identifican los factores esqueléticos que afectan la textura y las construcciones residenciales tradicionales de la provincia de Mazandaran. Método de estudio En este método, el análisis descriptivo y el uso del trabajo de campo para identificar los conceptos básicos e identificar las estructuras muestrales en estudio. Finalmente, de acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos, se presentan los principios de la arquitectura indígena y la comparación de los criterios existentes, los patrones de diseño de las casas indígenas

Reconocimiento de patrones de diseño de casas nativas en la provincia de Mazandaran con enfoque climático

In Forming residential house in Khazar’s shore, climatic condition plays a basic role because in them had used of natural energy and environmental condition for heating, cooling and air conditioning.With studying, recognition and analyses of principles and patterns of native architecture can find out the compatibility of them with the climatic condition. With appearing modern architecture and destroying construction identity, patternology is one of the important issues that wants to find the practical methods for accessing to identity maker elements and patterns of past and using of them in now a day modern architecture. Traditional residential texture as the fundamental core of cities and so elements and architecture construction in them undoubtedly are worthy heritage for studying and analyzing and presenting proper patterns of native architecture.  In this study first with an analyzing- descriptive approach have an overview and then the skeletal factors affecting texture and traditional residential constructions of Mazandaran province patternology are identified. Study method in this method is analyzing-descriptive and used of fieldwork for fundamental recognition and identifying for sample structures that are under studying. Finally, due to the obtained results, principles of native architecture and comparison of available criteria, native house designing patterns will present.Las condiciones climáticas juegan un papel clave en la formación de casas residenciales en la costa del Caspio porque utilizan energía natural y condiciones ambientales para la calefacción, refrigeración y aire acondicionado. Al estudiar, reconocer y analizar los principios y patrones de la arquitectura indígena, podemos descubrir su compatibilidad con las condiciones climáticas. Con el advenimiento de la arquitectura moderna y la destrucción de la identidad estructural, el modelado es uno de los temas importantes que quiere encontrar formas prácticas de lograr los elementos y patrones de identidad del pasado y utilizarlos en la arquitectura moderna. El tejido residencial tradicional como núcleo básico de las ciudades y por tanto los elementos y la construcción de la arquitectura en ellas es sin duda un patrimonio digno para el estudio y análisis y presentación de patrones adecuados de la arquitectura indígena. En este estudio, primero con un enfoque descriptivo-analítico, una visión general y luego se identifican los factores esqueléticos que afectan la textura y las construcciones residenciales tradicionales de la provincia de Mazandaran. Método de estudio En este método, el análisis descriptivo y el uso del trabajo de campo para identificar los conceptos básicos e identificar las estructuras muestrales en estudio. Finalmente, de acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos, se presentan los principios de la arquitectura indígena y la comparación de los criterios existentes, los patrones de diseño de las casas indígenas