RevenueSources of State and Local Governments

This report compares the reliance on various revenue sources across Georgia compared with eight other states. FRC Report 16

Forecasting Pre-K Enrollment in Georgia Counties

This report provides a manual that documents the forecasting methodology and provides the actual forecast of Pre-K enrollment by county for 2007-2011. FRC Report 15

Economic Impact of the Commercial Music Industry in Atlanta and the State of Georgia: New Estimates

This report documents the economic and fiscal impact of the industry, and changes in the impact from 2003 to 2007. FRC Report 15

The Maturity Structure of Bank Credit: Determinants and Effects on Economic Growth

We investigate a new data set on the maturity of bank credit to the private sector in 74 countries. We show that credit maturity is longer in countries with strong institutions, low inflation, large financial markets, and where banks share information about borrowers. Furthermore, we extend the finance and growth literature by showing that credit maturity matters for economic growth. Economic growth is enhanced in countries where agents have access to long-term financing. Therefore, weak institutions, high inflation and other variables that reduce credit maturity have an impact on economic growth via their influence on credit maturity. The estimated effects are substantial in size. Working Paper 08-1

Master of Science

thesisComparison of data gathered in an electronic medical record (EMR) database on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients age 65 years and older with oral antidiabetics (OAD) agent prescription and recorded body mass index (BMI)/weight was performed. A retrospective review of the General Electric Centricity Medical Quality Improvement Consortium (MQIC) research database containing the ambulatory health records of US patients was conducted. T2DM patients age 65 and older were identified by diagnosis, OAD prescription or both. Sixmonths of continuous OAD activity was required; 395 days pre-index-date (index datewas defined by first OAD prescription) clinical activity was required. Two BMI and weight readings were mandated, at baseline, closest to index date and follow-up, closest to 6 months after initiation of OAD activity. A historical, longitudinal cohort design was used and data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey test for adjustment of the differences in the means between the groups for continuous variables; Pearson's Chi-square test was used to test association for categorical variables. The overall mean age for all of the OAD groups was 72.7 years. The values of the baseline diastolic blood pressure (DBP) differed (p=0.0009), as well as age (p< 0.001); DBP indicated patients were in Hypertension Stage 1. The baseline A1C level was shown to be statistically significant between the groups (p< 0.001) with the highest mean value in sulfonylureas group (7.7). Significant differences between the OAD groups were also found in respect to race and smoking status (p=0.004 and < 0.0001). In comparison between the baseline and the follow-up values, statistical significance was found in both of the outcomes and a drop of 0.7 BMI units was initiated among all of the OAD groups. The overall mean BMI value among all of the OAD groups was 29.08 kg/m². The change in BMI after 6 months of monotherapy demonstrated that meglitinides had the biggest decrease in BMI (-1.27), followed by the metformin group (-1.06) and the sulfonylureas showed the least BMI drop (-0.14). Weight as the secondary outcome variable demonstrated an average 3.97 lb weight loss between all of the OAD groups. Major weight loss was found in the meglitinides users (-7.82lb), pursued by the metformin group (-6.41lb); the sulfonylureas group reported the least weight loss (-0.89lb). EMR data demonstrated an association between the OAD user and BMI/weight and associated conditions consistent with elderly T2DM patients in a real-world setting. The likelihood of weight loss was somewhat consistent with the previous literature, except in the case of the TZD group, where the literature showed the expected weight gain and this study does not support these findings

Northwest Pacific—Exploring North Korea’s Asymmetric Military Strategy

North Korea’s military strategy can be difficult to decipher, but it should not be regarded as irrational or insignificant. Over the past decade, the North Korean regime has taken deliberate steps to increase its asymmetric military capabilities, giving credence to the argument that North Korea is engaging in offensive posturing, not simply defensive buildup

Financial Intermediation and Economic Growth: Bank Credit Maturity and Its Determinants

This dissertation is an investigation into one of the important functions of the banking system: to transform short-term liquid deposits into long-term illiquid financial assets that can fund long gestation activities and, thus, raise the rate of economic growth. To investigate this function empirically, the dissertation uses two new data sets on the maturity of bank credit to the private sector. First data set contains yearly observations covering 74 countries during the period from about 1990 to 2005, while the second data set contains quarterly observations covering 14 transition countries from about 1995 to 2006. Using the data on a broad set of countries, the dissertation shows that economic growth is enhanced in countries where the financial system extends more long-term credit. This finding is the first empirical confirmation of the theoretical predictions regarding the liquidity transformation function of banks. Furthermore, using the same data set, the dissertation shows that credit maturity depends on a number of institutional and economic factors. The determinants of credit maturity have an impact on economic growth via their influence on the availability of long-term external financing. Credit maturity is longer in countries with strong legal institutions, with low inflation, with deeper financial markets, and with schemes for sharing credit information between financial institutions. From a policy perspective, the institutions for sharing credit information probably present the most interest because their establishment is a policy choice. Findings from the broad set of countries are confirmed in the second data set using several definitions of maturity. Additional results from the second data set suggest that credit maturity is longer in countries at the higher level of economic development, with less liquid stock markets, and with more privately owned domestic banks. Furthermore, the results suggest that credit information sharing mechanisms lengthen the maturity of credit if credit information sharing institutions are privately owned or have greater quality of information