Schooling, learning on-the-job, earnings and inequality

Why might people in poor countries leave school earlier and invest less in learning on-thejob than people in rich ones? How do these human capital decisions impact on inequality? To give quantitative answers to these questions, I build an overlapping generations model with optimal human capital accumulation and a given distribution of abilities. Variation in mortality and population growth rates can generate large variability in schooling decisions, earnings profiles and measures of inequality. High mortality and population growth rates are shown to produce comparatively little investment in human capital, flat earnings profiles and low inequality, both within and across cohorts.human capital, earnings profiles, schooling, inequality.

Is debt replacing equity in regulated privatized infrastructure in developing countries?

The main purpose of this paper is to describe the evolution of the financing structure of regulated privatized utilities and transport companies. To do so, the authors rely on a sample of 121 utilities distributed over 16 countries, and 23 transport infrastructure operators and 23 transport services operators distributed over 23 countries. They show that leverage rates vary significantly across sectors, with the highest rates observed in transport and the lowest in water. Moreover, the authors also show that the 1997 Asia crisis led operators to adjust their financial structure differently in different regions. Overall, the evidence they present shows that debt is replacing equity in financing the investment needs of utilities and transport services in developing countries. These results raise some questions as to whether the regulator's mandate should be expanded to monitor the financial structure of companies and as to whether the international community should make a stronger commitment to more transparent regulatory accounting systems.International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Banks&Banking Reform,Payment Systems&Infrastructure,Public Sector Economics&Finance,Municipal Financial Management,Banks&Banking Reform,Public Sector Economics&Finance,Rural Finance,Municipal Financial Management,Environmental Economics&Policies

5G in Public Safety Networks: Opportunities and Challenges

Este documento aborda as possibilidades abertas pela 5G na área das Redes de Segurança Pública, ou seja, nas redes de comunicação destinadas às autoridades, polícia, protecção civil, bombeiros, infra-estruturas críticas, e a todos os envolvidos em actividades de emergência e segurança. É apresentada a evolução dos terminais e serviços, até aos novos elementos de desgaste; os serviços associados são também abordados, até às realidades aumentadas e virtuais, bio-métricas e monitorização de sinais vitais do corpo, bem como uma melhor precisão de localização. Os aspectos técnicos são abordados numa perspectiva geral, nomeadamente a métrica de implementação de serviços-chave (taxas de dados, latência, fiabilidade e capacidade de conectividade), interface rádio (maior flexibilidade e eficiência dos 4G) e características de rede (virtualização/slicing de redes e arquitecturas de nuvem/edge). As oportunidades e desafios na implementação de 5G especificamente para Redes de Segurança Pública são muitos, os primeiros englobando a utilização de redes comerciais e o salto das actuais redes baseadas em 2G para as 5G, enquanto que os segundos incluem escassez de espectro, implementação das características necessárias e problemas de segurança. Ainda assim, as possibilidades que são abertas por 5G para as Redes de Segurança Pública são infinitas e ninguém pode dar-se ao luxo de ficar de fora.This paper addresses the possibilities opened by 5G in the area of Public Safety Networks, i.e., in communication networks aimed at authorities, police, civil protection, fire departments, critical infrastructures, and all of those involved in emergency and security activities. The evolution of terminals and services is presented, up to the new wearables; the associated services are also addressed, up to augmented and virtual realities, bio-metrics and body vital signs monitoring, as well as improved localisation accuracy. Technical aspects are addressed in a general perspective namely key services implementation metrics (data rates, latency, reliability, and connectivity capacity), radio interface (increased flexibility and efficiency of 4G’s) and network features (virtualisation/slicing of networks and cloud/edge architectures). The opportunities and challenges on the deployment of 5G specifically for Public Safety Networks are quite many, the former encompassing the usage of commercial networks and the leap from today’s 2G based networks to 5G ones, while the latter includes shortage of spectrum, implementation of required features and security problems. Still, the possibilities that are opened by 5G for Public Safety Networks are endless and no one can afford to be left out.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Multi-agent simulations for emergency situations in an airport scenario

This paper presents a multi-agent framework using Net- Logo to simulate humanand collective behaviors during emergency evacuations. Emergency situationappears when an unexpected event occurs. In indoor emergency situation, evacuation plans defined by facility manager explain procedure and safety ways tofollow in an emergency situation. A critical and public scenario is an airportwhere there is an everyday transit of thousands of people. In this scenario theimportance is related with incidents statistics regarding overcrowding andcrushing in public buildings. Simulation has the objective of evaluating buildinglayouts considering several possible configurations. Agents could be based onreactive behavior like avoid danger or follow other agent, or in deliberative behaviorbased on BDI model. This tool provides decision support in a real emergencyscenario like an airport, analyzing alternative solutions to the evacuationprocess.Publicad

Effect of the curing time on the numerical modelling of the behaviour of a chemically stabilised soft soil

The ability of the Modified Cam Clay (MCC) model combined with the Von Mises (VM) model, considering the effect of curing time on the enhancement of the mechanical properties of a chemically stabilised soft soil is examined. The evolution of the strength and stiffness over time is based on the results of undrained compressive strength (UCS) tests carried out for different curing times (from 28 days to 360 days). Initially, the MCC/VM models associated with the effect of curing time are validated by CIU triaxial tests, for curing times of 28 and 90 days. Finally, the behaviour of an embankment built on a soft soil reinforced with deep mixing columns is predicted based on the previously validated models. The results show that the increase of curing time of the DMCs slightly decreases the settlement obtained with a curing time of 28 days

Um estudo sobre a qualidade de vida na cidade do Porto: exploração de um post no Facebook

O presente relatório apresenta uma pequena experiência de usar o Facebook e a página pessoal do primeiro autor, para recolha de temas para auxílio na produção de um questionário sobre a qualidade de vida nas cidades, no âmbito do trabalho de doutoramento associado com a discussão do papel das plataformas digitais nas cidades e das iniciativas de cidades digitais e smart cities. O uso de posts do Facebook parece ser promissor na obtenção de contribuições, sendo importante considerar o tempo e a pergunta ou contexto de inicio. O desafio será o de conseguir o maior número possível de interações, de um maior número de diferentes intervenientes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio