An Equilibrium Analysis of the Gender Wage Gap

This paper develops a theory of the gender wage gap. In a general equilibrium model, spouses devide their labor between a formal sector and a home sector. Due to indivisibility effects, productivity of labor in the formal sector is negatively related to labor used in the home; at the same time labor inputs are complementary in home production. We show that initial beliefs about the gender wage gap are self-fulfilling, and a central result is multiplicity of equilibria. Spouses allocate their labor equally, if they expect to earn the same wage rates, which ex post reinforces equal wage rates; whereas they allocate their labor differently, if they expect to earn different wage rates. The latter situation manifests itself in a gender wage gap. By use of numerical examples, we show that welfare is highest when spouses allocate labor equally. We relate this finding to policy recommendations.gender wage gap; household models; household production; labor markets

Spending Natural Resource Revenues in an Altruistic Growth Model

This paper examines how revenues from a natural resource interact with growth and welfare in an overlapping generations model with altruism. The revenues are allocated between public productive services and direct transfers to members of society by spending policies. We analyze how these policies influence the dynamics, and how the dynamics are influenced by the abundance of the revenue. Abundant revenues may harm growth, but growth and welfare can be oppositely affected. We also provide the socially optimal policy. Overall, the analysis suggests that variation in the strength of altruism and in spending policies may be part of the reason why natural resources seem to affect economic performance across nations differently.natural resources; economic growth; welfare; altruism

ZALIJETANJE PČELA (APIS MELLIFERA CARNICA POLLMAN, 1879) U EPIDEMIOLOGIJI AMERIČKE GNJILOĆE PČELINJEG LEGLA

The drifting of honey bees often occurs in apiaries where numbers of hives are kept close together and it is an important vector in the spreading of honey bee diseases. It occurs in high numbers, frequently and over long distances. Within this work, it was investigated whether drifting might play a role in the epidemiology of American foulbrood. To determine the presence and the number of P. larvae spores in samples of honey, pollen and honey sacs, three different methods were used: modified Ritter-Kiefer (1993) method, Columbia blood agar test (Plagemann, 1985) and catalase tests (Haynes, 1972). Although the level of drifting within the colonies with clinical symptoms of AFB was slightly higher than the one within the colonies without clinical symptoms, AFB infection did not significantly influence the drifting frequency. Even when drifting was compared between two groups of young bees at the age of orientation flights, AFB infection did not significantly influence the level of drifting. However, as the level of P. larvae spores detected both in the pollen and honey stored in the hives, as well as in the pollen found on the legs of the bees from infected colonies, was significantly higher compared with the one in colonies with no clinical symptoms of AFB, it can be concluded that drifting plays a role in the spreading of AFB, especially during the orientation flights of young bees.Zalijetanje pčela predstavlja važan put u prijenosu pčelinjih bolesti i često se događa na pčelinjacima, gdje je veći broj košnica na okupu. Zahvaća velik broj pčela, javlja se učestalo i na većim udaljenostima. U ovom je radu istraženo može li zalijetanje imati ulogu i u epidemiologiji američke gnjiloće pčelinjeg legla. Za utvrđivanje prisutnosti i broja P. larvae spora u uzorcima meda, peluda i u mednim mjehurima, korištene su tri različite metode: modificirana Ritter-Kiefer metoda (1993), Columbia krvni agar test (Plagemann,1985) i katalaza test (Haynes,1972). Iako je razina zalijetanja unutar pčelinjih zajednica s kliničkim znacima američke gnjiloće bila neznatno viša od one unutar zajednica bez kliničkih simptoma, zaraženost američkom gnjiloćom nije značajno utjecala na učestalost zalijetanja. Čak i kada se zalijetanje usporedilo između dviju grupa mladih pčela u dobi orijentacijskih letova, zaraženost američkom gnjiloćom nije značajno utjecala na razinu zalijetanja. No kako je razina spora P. larvae utvrđena u peludu i medu iz košnica, kao i na peludu nađenom na nogama mladih pčela iz zaraženih pčelinjih zajednica bila značajno veća u usporedbi s onom u zajednicama bez kliničkih znakova američke gnjiloće, može se zaključiti da zalijetanje pčela ima ulogu u širenju američke gnjiloće, naročito u vrijeme orijentacijskih letova mladih pčela

Les applications mobiles: analyse et proposition d’un concept de collection pour la Bibliothèque nationale suisse

Nouveau vecteur d'information dans le domaine numérique, les applications mobiles sont populaires et largement utilisées. Par leur abondance et la diversité de leurs contenus, elles sont le témoignage d'un mode contemporain d'accès aux informations. Ce travail considère les applications mobiles et les propose comme nouveau groupe de publications pour les collections nées numériques de la Bibliothèque nationale suisse. L'analyse aborde les caractéristiques des applications mobiles. Elle présente des sources pour la recherche et l'identification des applications mobiles helvetica. Un échantillon exemplaire est analysé. Un concept de collection propose les lignes directrices pour la constitution d'une collection d'applications mobiles helvetica à la Bibliothèque nationale suisse

DOES A SKIER’S POSITION ON THE SKI AFFECT THE RESULTS OF GLIDING TESTS USED TO ASSESS SKI-SNOW FRICTION?

Ski manufacturers and ski racers test the gliding performance of skis by standardized gliding tests on straight runs. These test procedures have the advantage that they resemble the real situation in ski racing, but they have the disadvantage that the tester might influence the test result by influencing air drag or ski-snow friction. In this study we analysed if the position of the skier on the ski, which determines the force transfer from the skier onto the ski, affects the results of gliding tests. Three professional ski testers were asked to perform five different tasks: glide with the skis as flat as possible, stabilize your motion by edging the skis, glide in neutral, in forward, or in backward leaning position. The results show that edging on the one hand stabilizes the gliding motion, on the other hand, it significantly increases gliding time. The position of the skier in direction of the ski axis did not affect the skiers’ gliding times, which contradicts a common opinion of many ski racing experts

VALIDATION OF AN IMU-SYSTEM (GAIT-UP) TO IDENTIFY GAIT PARAMETERS IN NORMAL AND INDUCED LIMPING WALKING CONDITIONS

The purpose of this study was to investigate an IMU system (GaitUp) with respect to validity in normal and induced impaired walking by comparing with a state-of-the-art 3D motion capture system. The gait of nine participants was analysed collecting data simultaneously with the GaitUp (Physiolog) placed at each foot and an eight camera motion capture system (Vicon) at 200 Hz each. Participants walked in normal and induced limping (elevation of one shoe) conditions at three walking speeds. For all conditions the two systems yielded similar results regarding the standard gait parameters (gait cycle time, stride length, stride frequency and gait velocity) according to absolute differences and correlation coefficients. GaitUp gathers fairly valid and reliable data in normal and limping walking in a range of walking speed between 0.9 and 2.0 m/s

Waist circumference thresholds and cardiorespiratory fitness

Purpose This study's purpose was to examine whether established risk categories of waist circumference (WC)—normal, high risk, and very high health risk—reflected significant differences in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and physical activity (PA) level. Methods CRF was directly measured as maximal oxygen uptake during a progressive graded treadmill test to exhaustion in 722 individuals (349 women) aged 20–85 years. WC was measured between the lower rib and the iliac crest. Objectively measured PA was assessed using an accelerometer. Results Men in the normal risk group (WC  102 cm). Corresponding numbers for women within normal (WC  88 cm) were 25% and 18% (p <0.05). There was a high negative correlation between CRF and WC in men (r = −0.68), and a moderate correlation for women (r = −0.49; p <0.001). For each cm increase in WC, CRF was reduced by 0.48 and 0.27 mL/kg/min in men and women, respectively (p <0.001). Conclusion The recommended WC thresholds for abdominal obesity reflected significant differences in CRF for both men and women, and could serve as a useful instrument for estimating health-related differences in CRF.publishedVersio