Essays on Dutch Disease and exchange rate pass-through : evidence from Canadian manufacturing industries

The dissertation consists of three essays on Dutch Disease and exchange rate pass-through. Dutch Disease refers to the adverse effects of the natural resource booms on the tradable sectors (manufacturing industries) which may occur mainly through the subsequent appreciation of the real exchange rate. The first essay aims to investigate whether Canadian manufacturing industries have experienced Dutch Disease over the period 1992-2007 as a result of the oil boom. After a review of the literature and discussion of the theoretical considerations, the paper presents a two part empirical analysis to estimate the short- and long-run Dutch Disease effects for the Canadian manufacturing industries at three, four and few cases of five-digit levels of NAICS (about 80 industries), using quarterly data. The first part of the empirical analysis estimates the relationship between real exchange rate and energy prices as well as the other related factors and the second part estimates the effect of real exchange rate on output of the manufacturing industries. Based on these two estimated relationships, the Dutch Disease effect is derived by calculating the effect of energy prices on output of the manufacturing industries. The results indicate that the direction and magnitude of the Dutch Disease effect varies substantially across industries likely, as theory explains, because of differences in market structure in terms of the market power. Specifically, 53 out of the 80 industries suffer from the Dutch Disease with the elasticity of -0.18 in average, while Dutch Disease is beneficial for 24 industries with the elasticity of 0.21 in average. The simulation results reveal that, among the industries suffering (benefiting) from the Dutch Disease, each industry could have more annual output growth by 0.93 (-1.07) percent in average if energy prices remained at its level in 1992. This simulated value for the whole sample is 0.30 percent which is significant compared to 2.8 percent as the average of annual industrial production growth during 1992-2007. The second and third essays together aim to model and estimate the degree of exchange rate pass-through into Canadian producer prices in manufacturing industries. The second essay, as a theoretical one, presents a literature review and contributes to the literature by developing a relatively more general theoretical framework. The provided model, which extends Yang’s model (1997) by incorporating the role of the tradable inputs, is able to show all the major determinants of exchange rate pass-through together, while the previous studies have only analyzed the role of one or some of these factors. Specifically, the theoretical model indicates that the exchange rate pass-through should be between one and zero, while it is positively affected by the share of tradable inputs in total cost, and the domestic firms' market share and negatively by the elasticity of marginal cost with respect to output. The sign for the degree of substitutability among the variants is not theoretically clear and remains as an empirical question. Finally, the third essay presents the empirical framework for estimation of the exchange rate pass-through and its determinants in Canadian manufacturing industries. In this essay, the short- and long-run exchange rate pass-through elasticities to the domestic producer prices are estimated for the industries at three, four and few cases of five-digit levels of NAICS (about 100 industries), using quarterly data from 1992-2007. Then, the pass-through variation across industries is explained by regressing the estimated pass-through elasticities on the variables that are hypothesized to affect the pass-through elasticities according to the developed theoretical model. The results indicate that incomplete pass-through is observed in most cases although its magnitude is different across industries. The average short- and long-run pass-through elasticities are 0.24 and 0.36 respectively. The share of intermediate materials, as the tradable inputs, in production costs (with positive effect) and the elasticity of marginal cost with respect to output (with negative effect) are the most important determinants of the exchange rate pass-through across industries

General Grammar vs. Universal Grammar: an unbridgeable chasm between the Saussureans and Chomsky

International audienceAs Harris (2003: 152-170) has illustrated -especially by his concentration on the notion of ‘creativity’- ‘Chomsky the Saussurean’ is nothing but “an academic fable”. This fable is a result of misreading –by Chomsky himself (1964) and also by others-, assimilating Saussure’s la langue (in the singular form) with the generativist concept of ‘competence’ and, therefore, its grammar with the Universal Grammar (UG).Chomsky’s approach to deviant utterances, from his standpoint of individual psychology, never brings him to a concept of ‘grammar’ which function would also be to explain poems, puns and any kind of wordplay. The contradiction here is that, on one hand, he claims just to speak about the ‘individual faculty of language’ (which can lead to an infinitive number of individual grammars), and on the other hand, his aim is to discover the UG which means “a framework of principles and elements common to attainable human languages” (Chomsky, 1986: 3) (which for him would be a concrete unique absolute one). This situation leads him to assume a completely transcendental postulate which claims that all human beings share an innate, genetically determined language faculty that contains/knows the rules of UG. As a result, Chomsky and others in the huge generativist camp concentrate their attempts on the search for a vouchsafed ‘universal rule-and-concept system’ which is a reproduction of an old traditional dream of a ‘universal language of thought’. In a Saussurean perspective, this assumption, aside from its failure to observe the diversity and specificity of languages, is a metaphysical and, therefore, an incoherent basis for linguistic theory.Basing linguistic theory on language acquisition or biological facts is not at all acceptable for Saussure because any understanding of the faits de parole and ‘substantive facts’ presupposes an understanding or an implicit definition of language which is, in Chomsky’s case, the common modular understanding of language. The generativist modular conception of language, therefore, turns a deaf ear to the fundamental problems propounded by Saussure concerning the very essence of language, especially the arbitrariness of linguistic sign.How does Saussurean linguistics define its own grammar as General Grammar, and how does it deal with the common or universal linguistic facts which are the main goals for the Chomskyans? In the present study, this is a main concern, which I intend to consider as a matter of ‘algebra of language’ and also as a question of typology by investigating the few indications by Saussure in the CLG and ELG and the explications given by Hjelmslev. From this perspective, we will find only the universal arbitrary structural rules in our search for a general framework/calculus susceptible to describe all possible languages and language types.Finally, in agreement with Harris and De Mauro, we will claim that the Chomskyians and the Saussureans are in two fundamentally different paths in dealing with grammar, where the latter –and notably Hjelmslev- provides a broader possibility for theorizing language

Transformation of Conventional Houses to Smart Homes by Adopting Demand Response Program in Smart Grid

In an ever-growing state of electricity demand due to population growth as well as modernization of societies, it has compelled us to look for many options to cope with the situations. However, for a balanced electrical power demand and supply, it is necessary to respond requirement at any time without any interruption with the strategy of demand response programs (DRP) to the users. In order to promote smart usage of electrical power, smart grid networks are gradually transforming conventional grids in many places. As a part of smart grid, conventional houses may be transformed to smart house by simply implementing some intelligent controller with interfaces like smart plugs to the conventional electrical appliances. This chapter elaborates a new strategy of home energy management system (HEMS) in a smart grid environment to transform any ordinary premises to smart house to be energy efficient by simply rescheduling operation time

3D printing of PEEK-based medical devices

open access articlePolyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) is an excellent thermoplastic alternative to metallic biomaterials which is used for loadbearing applications due to its high strength and stiffness, and biocompatibility with no cytotoxic effects. However, a potential clinical concern is that PEEK alone is not bioactive enough, and thus has limited fixation to bone. To overcome this problem, bioactive materials and/or porosity are incorporated into PEEK medical devices. The latest developments in these two strategies are presented. in this paper. Bioactive PEEK/hydroxyapatite (HA) prepared by integration of 3D printing and compression molding is presented in this paper. In addition, nozzle and build plate temperatures for 3D printing of porous PEEK were optimized using genetic algorithm (GA) to achieve the highest mechanical strength for load bearing applications such as spinal fusion cages

Psychological empowerment and its associated factors among operational staff of tehran emergency center

Introduction: Emergency medical personnel often face chronic stress which, in many situations causes psychological problems. In this regard, psychological empowerment can reduce psychological tensions in health care environment through increasing efficiency and motivation. Aim: To investigate psychological empowerment and its related factors in operational staff of Tehran Emergency Center (TEC). Materials and Methods: In this analytical study, a total of 285 people were selected by simple sampling method from 1100 operational staff of TEC. Data was collected using demographic information and Spritzer’s psychological empowerment questionnaire. SPSS/19 software and descriptive analytical tests were used for data analysis. Results: The findings suggested that most of the participants (46%) were in intermediate level in terms of psychological empowerment, and the mean score of psychological empowerment in participants was 46.43. A significant correlation was found between the dimension of self-determination of psychological empowerment and work experience (p<0.05). Conclusion: Owing to the critical duties of medical emergency centers in maintaining and improving public health, and based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that the authorities should pay more attention to the capabilities of the staff while giving responsibilities to them and to conduct effective planning in this regard

Cutaneous Symptoms and Rashes in Patients with HIV-Positive Infections (A review article)

Identifying the cutaneous symptom associated with HIV positive disease and investigating the kind of rashes can be helpful in early diagnosis of the disease. The extensity of skin disorders in HIV infection is widespread. Examination of the skin of these patients can be a good indicator of the status of the immune system as well as the patient's psychological status and also in early diagnosis can make a worthy help. We carried out a literature search (From 1990 to 2016) related to this issue through Google Scholar, Pub-MED, Scopus, Science Direct, and Iran DOC, by using keywords cutaneous symptoms, HIVpositive, skin infection, warts, early diagnosis. Among 124 articles only 51 papers were related to skin infections. Review of the associated research, investigation the skin infections in HIV patients and early diagnosis made a great help in the treatment process, particularly in people with high-risk behaviors which leads to diagnosis the HIV in the early stages. The results of this study suggest the importance of cutaneous symptom in patients with HIV infection and early diagnosis to start the medical procedures

Radiografski utvrđene promjene kostiju i zglobova prsta u goveda s abnormalnim papcima prikupljenima u klaonici.

An abattoir study of radiographic changes of bones and joints was carried out on 94 samples with gross abnormalities of digits which were collected from Shiraz slaughterhouse. Appropriate radiographs were taken from each sample. Various radiographic changes were classified as: osteomyelitis, exostosis, alteration of bone density, deformity of bones, soft tissue calcification, rotation of phalanges, arthritis, degenerative joint diseases, ankylosis of joint, displacement of navicular bone and fracture. About 90% of arthritis and DJD were considered in distal interphalangeal joints. No radiographic changes were observed in 9.57 percent of samples.Istraživanje je provedeno na kostima i zglobovima prikupljenima u klaonici u Shirazu od 94 goveda s poremećajima na papcima. Svaki primjerak prikazan je radiografski. Ustanovljeni su sljedeći poremećaji: osteomijelitis, egzostoze, promjene u gustoći kostiju, deformacija kostiju, kalcifikacija mekog tkiva, rotacija članaka, artritis, degenerativne bolesti zgloba, ankiloza zgloba, dislokacija navikularne kosti i frakture. Oko 90% upala zglobova i degenerativnih zglobnih bolesti utvrđeno je u distalnom zglobu. Poremećaji nisu ustanovljeni u 9,57% pretraženih uzoraka

The Relation between Deposited Weight and Quality of Coating in EPD Method Derived by Genetic Programming

In this work, the relation between deposited weight and the quality of electrophoretically deposited coating has been derived using genetic programming method. Although, the accumulated mass is thicken by time, its quality varies at different times of coating procedure. Three different suspensions i.e. Mullite, SiC and Mullite/SiC were stabled in ethanol medium and the suspended particles were electrophoretically deposited on C-C composite at several different times. The results of SEM micrographs show that the quality of coating rises by time and after some time it starts to drop for all three suspensions. The results of Zeta potential of suspension after different times of coating that is derived by pH measurement, illustrate the same pattern. There is a maximum for zeta potential after 150 sec of deposition process. Accordingly, the quality of coating rises as a result of enhancement of Zeta potential in suspensions. Last but not least, there is a relation between deposition time and quality of coating which is mathematically modeled using genetic programming method. In this case, the root of multiplication of Z-w and w-t differential equations could show the optimum time of deposition process

The Effect of Harmane on Hyperalgesia Induced by Stressed Male Mice in the Presence and Absence of Moderated Exercise

Introduction: Physical exercise has positive effects on stress-induced pain response, while chronic stress persuades a negative effect on cognitive functions. Depending on the nature, duration and intensity of the stressor, it can repress pain (stress-induced analgesia) or exacerbate pain (stress-induced hyperalgesia). Furthermore, beneficial effects of Harmane on stress processes have been reported in rodents. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Harmane and moderate physical activity (associated or not) on pain response in restraint stressed mice.Materials and Methods: Harmane was injected intraperitoneally at doses of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg, every other day until 28 days, and pain response of the adult NMRI mice was detected using the hot-plate testResults: The results exhibited that Harmane, at all doses used, did not alter pain perception in mice; however, 3- but not 6 and 9-day restraint stress (3 hours per day) induced hyperalgesia per se. In addition, Harmane reduced hyperalgesia in 3-day stressed mice, while moderate treadmill running (10 m/min for 30 min/day, 5 day/week) caused hyperalgesia in 6- and 9-day stressed mice. Furthermore, the hyperalgesia induced by moderate treadmill running in 9-day stressed mice restored by Harmane.Conclusion: The findings indicated that Harmane has a protective effect on hyperalgesia induced by stress per se or potentiated effect of moderate treadmill running in stressed mice