Evidence from Italy: how local governments manipulate tax and spend policies to help win re-election

There is a clear incentive for politicians to manipulate tax and spend policies in advance of an election to help boost their electoral chances. Yet while this phenomenon has been studied extensively at the national level across Europe, there is relatively little evidence of it at the level of local politics. Drawing on a study ... Continue

Unterdeterminiertheit in der Schnittstelle Syntax/Semantik bei Grammatikalisierungsphänomenen am Beispiel schon

The aim of this paper is to show the interaction between different grammatical modules in grammaticalization phenomena. Such interplay is rendered possible in particular by the underspecification present at different levels of the grammar: some lexical elements underspecified for certain features acquire functional meaning in certain syntactic positions also underspecified for their functions. It is not the syntactic position in itself which causes the acquisition of the new functional meaning, it rather depends on the interaction with the other elements in the syntactic configuration which specify each other. This quite complex process will be exemplified through the case study of the German modal particle schon. German schon is polysemous; the modal particle, the adverb and the scalar particle share a minimal common meaning, i.e. the predication of a positive state and the presupposition of a negative state on different scales. This meaning implies a contrast which is the main feature of the modal particle. All the further meaning nuances are due to a modular interplay between different factors like the verbal aspect and modality or the illocutive force of the sentence, which serve the purpose of specification of the modal meaning. As for the grammaticalization of schon, the process will be illustrated by following and then further specifying the proposal of three phases by Diewald (2002)

Google and beyond : web-as-corpus methodologies for translators

Aquest article fa un repàs als plantejaments actuals sobre l'ús del web com a corpus lingüístic i emfatitza els avantatges (així com els inevitables riscos) que aquests poden introduir en el treball del traductor. Per tal d'il·lustrar aquest punt, es mostra un exemple de les diferents maneres en què un corpus derivat del web es pot aplicar profitosament a una tasca de traducció especialitzada..Este artículo estudia los planteamientos actuales sobre el uso de la web como corpus lingüístico y enfatiza las ventajas (así como los inevitables riesgos) que éstos pueden introducir en el trabajo del traductor. Para ilustrar este punto, se ofrece un ejemplo de las diferentes formas en que un corpus derivado de la web se puede aplicar provechosamente a una tarea de traducción especializada.This paper presents an overview of current approaches to the use of the web as a linguistic corpus and highlights the advantages (as well as inevitable pitfalls) these may bring to translators' work. To illustrate the point, an example is made of different ways in which web-derived corpora can be profitably applied to a specialised translation task

Effects of meteorology on PM10 concentrations: a comparative assessment of machine learning methods

Administrative decisions regarding the application of measures to address air quality issues have to rely both on present observation and future predictions of the concentration of various pollutants. Since PM10 is one of the most critical pollutants, the ability to provide accurate forecasts for its concentration, when required, is crucial in order to enforce the necessary measures at the right time. Together with the pattern of emission sources which is present in a geographical area, meteorological conditions can significantly affect the concentration of pollutants in air, since they can favour the dispersion or, on the other hand, the build-up of those compounds. It is possible then to predict (at least partially) the concentration of PM10 in air using meteorological variables as predictors. In fact, various statistical models have been proposed for accomplishing similar tasks on a number of geographical regions and urban areas, with varying results. The set of meteorological variables that have been considered in those cases included various predictors, measured both in the day of interest and in the previous ones. Sometimes also some non-meteorological descriptors (e.g. time-related variables) that are grossly related to the variation of the emission patterns have been considered as input variables for those models. In this work an analysis of the relationship between meteorology-related variables and PM10 concentration levels in the capitals of the provinces of Emilia-Romagna has been performed in order to understand how the meteorological conditions affect PM10 concentration. Then the considered meteorological variables have been input as predictors to statistical regression models based on machine learning in order to obtain predictions for the daily mean value of PM10 concentration

Recem-nascidos a termo com desnutrição intra uterina: incidência morbidade e mortalidade.

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Pediatria, Curso de Medicina, Florianópolis, 197

Bulding 192, Engineering IV, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

This report presents a fire and life safety analysis of Engineering IV. This analysis includes a review of prescriptive code requirements per the International Building Code, 2009 Edition and other applicable codes and standards; a description of the current fire and life safety systems or features in place; a prescriptive.based analysis; and a performance.based analysis. Beyond typical fire protection systems, such as means of egress systems and structural fire protection, Engineering IV was found to an automatic fire alarm and notification system, an automatic sprinkler system, and smoke control features. The systems and features surveyed were found to be within prescriptive compliance. In most cases, prescriptive requirements were not only met, but exceeded. However, an equivalency was used for smoke control to achieve compliance. The performance.based analysis, based on a comparison of ASET and RSET in two fire scenarios, demonstrated adequate building performance. In both cases, occupants were found to be able to safely evacuate before untenable conditions were reached

Spatial interaction in local expenditures among Italian municipalities:evidence from Italy 2001-2011

We estimate a spatial autoregressive dynamic panel data model, using information on 5,564 Italian municipalities over the period 2001-2011, exploiting their border contiguity as a measure of spatial neighborhood. We find a positive and statistically significant effect of neighboring expenditures on total, capital and current expenditures of a given municipality. We do not find any evidence of yardstick competition when we take account of political effects, while we do find a negative relationship between spatial interaction and the size of the municipality for current expenditure. Thus, we conclude that spillover effects drive the strategic interaction

FATORES QUE ESTIMULAM SERVIDORES TÉCNICO-ADMINISTRATIVOS DE INSTITUIÇÕES FEDERAIS DE ENSINO SUPERIOR A CURSAREM MESTRADO OU DOUTORADO

O presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar os fatores que estimulam os servidores técnico-administrativos de uma IES a cursarem mestrado ou doutorado. Trata-se de um estudo de caso, que apresenta uma abordagem eminentemente qualitativa com aportes quantitativos. A população envolvida integra todos os servidores da UFSC com formação em mestrado ou doutorado, num total de 151 respondentes. Os dados para a realização do estudo foram coletados por meio de fontes secundárias (documentos legais da instituição, e o referencial bibliográfico) e primárias, entrevista semi-estruturada aplicada aos dirigentes da instituição; e aplicação de questionários aos servidores técnico-administrativos. O estudo demonstrou que a necessidade de reconhecimento profissional e aspectos pessoais relacionados à satisfação pessoal foram predominantes na decisão dos STAs em cursar mestrado ou doutorado. De acordo com a análise dos dados, fatores como a limitação e restrição na carreira técnico-administrativa, satisfação pessoal e segunda carreira, foram os principais estimuladores. As conclusões sugerem haver necessidade de estudo nas questões quanto à reformulação no plano de carreira desta categoria funcional, reformulação nos parâmetros para designação e ocupação de cargos na instituição, flexibilização e mobilidade nos ajustes necessários à atuação e desenvolvimento das funções, com um olhar voltado a gestão empreendedora. E, principalmente, a disposição dos gestores da instituição na busca constante de fatores de estímulo à carreira técnico-administrativa, possibilitando o desenvolvimento de competências necessárias para o alcance da qualidade dos serviços prestados, que coloca a instituição no tão almejado e divulgado ranking das melhores instituições do país