The Performance of European Full Service Airlines after Liberalisation: An Econometric Analysis

Deregulation in the airline industry has forced full service airlines to change their strategies in order to respond to increasing challenges. In this paper, an econometric analysis of the possible determinants of economic performance of full service airlines after liberalisation has been carried out. A fixed effects model was used and the performance of ten European full service airlines has been analysed over a period of 11 years. Variables considered in this analysis were the number and type of aircraft in the fleet, the number and type of destinations, investments, number of employees and alliances. The analysis suggests that full service airlines should adjust fleet composition and re-organise operations on their routes in order to react to the increasingly competitive environment.

Productivity change in Italian airports

This paper examines the total factor productivity of 28 Italian airports during 2000–2006 using non-parametric estimation methods. Moreover, non-parametric inference and hypothesis test on the Malmquist index and its two main components, efficiency and technological change, have been carried out. All the airports have been characterized by technological regress and only a minority of airports experienced an increase in productivity lead by the improvement of efficiency.Airport efficiency; bootstrap; Malmquist index; DEA

The performance of Italian airports

The aim of this work is the analysis of the operational efficiencies of the major Italian airports. The study is based on a cross-sectional, time series dataset of 14 Italian airports for the period 2000-2004. In the sample there are the two international airport systems of Rome and Milan, each composed by two airports, and ten regional airports. The analysis of the industry characteristics have pointed out that both structural and institutional factors cause an high degrees of dissimilarities among the 14 Italians airports. In this framework comparing the efficiency could be troublesome and misleading at the same time. Thus the methodological goal of the paper has been the application of two multivariate techniques, factorial and cluster analysis, in order to reduces dissimilarities and improve the results of the efficiency measures. The two multivariate techniques help in determining variables which mostly affect the airports operational efficiencies. The operational efficiencies have been estimated using non parametric models. In particular, the modified Torqvinst index has been employed to measure both Total Factor Productivity (TFP) and Variable Factor Productivity (VFP) indexes. Moreover, in order to remove the effects of the variables beyond the managerial control the residual Total Factor Productivity (RTFP) and Variable Factor Productivity (RVFP) indexes have been computed.Factorial analysis; Cluster analysis; Torqvinst index; Productivity

Investigating correlation of faecal indicator bacteria and potential pathogenic fungi on Dublin beaches in the interest of public health

Sandy beaches are usually the preferred location for leisure activities but may pose a risk to public health in particular to children, the elderly and immuno compromised individuals Beach sand and marine water may be a reservoir of opportunistic and pathogenic microbes, as well as faecal indicator bacteria (that influence the bathing water quality status. The growth and the proliferation of microbes in beach sand and water are not restricted to bacteria but include also different groups of fungi such as potentially pathogenic and allergenic moulds, yeasts and dermatophytes Currently, no clear guidance about pathogenic fungi levels in relation to public health is available for these environments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Association between the intake of cocaine and a strong physical and emotional stress: a case report of a sudden death

Cocaine is a powerful sympathomimetic agent, that determines its effects either by inhibiting synaptic re-uptake of noradrenaline or through the direct stimulation of the release of catecholamines from the adrenal gland. Cocaine abuse is associated with various cardiovascular events including ventricular arrhytmias, systemic hypertension, myocardial infarction and left ventricular hypertrophy. These effects are independent of the dose and route of administration of the substance and can be noticeably enhanced by the synergistic action of factors such as stress, smoking and alcoholism. The case that we report has involved a 48 year old man, who died of acute myocardial infarction, which arose as the result of an intake of a large amount of cocaine and a strong physical and emotional stress

Multiple sclerosis patients' preferences: a preliminary study on disease awareness and perception

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, disabling, and progressive illness, representing one of the most common causes of neurological disability in young and middle-aged adults. There is not a definitive treatment for MS yet. However, disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) for MS, which include interferon-beta and copolymer-1 have shown to be effective in reducing the frequency and severity of relapses and the progression of disability. The clinical efficacy of such therapies has been well documented in the medical literature. Instead, the factors underlying the decision to start the pharmacological treatment, to continue it or to drop out, have not been studied so far. Adverse drug effects, as well as patients’ emotional states, therapeutic expectations, the need to assume the medicines very often, and lack of communication with medical staff, are some of the elements affecting patients’ adherence to the therapy. Data from medical records of 567 MS patients referred to the MS Centre of the IRCCS Centro Studi Neurolesi (Messina) between the years 2001-2008 have been retrospectively analyzed in a first phase. Factors influencing patient decision to start a pharmacological treatment with DMDs, in agreement with the neurologist suggestion, have been evaluated by applying a multinomial logit model. The second phase of the study was cross-sectional and analyzed the data obtained through a questionnaire administered to consecutive outpatients referred to Centro Studi Neurolesi within March and May 2009 (n = 143). The probability to proceed in the treatment or to drop out was estimated through a probit model. The present research constitutes a novelty among the existing economic and medical literature: in fact, there are no, so far, studies evaluating factors underlying MS patients’ decision to undergo a pharmacological treatment and to proceed it according to medical protocols. Moreover, a significant expenditure for health care systems is associated to MS treatment, both for patients who undergo the treatment (cost of medicines, productivity losses for patients who experience severe side effects, etc.) and for those who do not take the medicine or take it discontinuously. Given the documented evidence of augmenting costs (direct and indirect) with increasing disease severity, the ability of the DMDs to reduce relapse rates and slow the progression of MS may help to offset the cost of these therapies. Conversely, delayed treatment or poor compliance can dramatically increase costs and reduce benefits.disease modifying drugs (DMDs); compliance; multinomial logit; probit.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic Syndrome after Liver Transplant

Liver transplant is the unique curative therapy for patients with acute liver failure or end-stage liver disease, with or without hepatocellular carcinoma. Increase of body weight, onset of insulin resistance and drug-induced alterations of metabolism are reported in liver transplant recipients. In this context, post-transplant diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and arterial hypertension can be often diagnosed. Multifactorial illnesses occurring in the post-transplant period represent significant causes of morbidity and mortality. This is especially true for metabolic syndrome. Non-alcoholic steatosis and steatohepatitis are hepatic manifestations of metabolic syndrome and after liver transplant both recurrent and de novo steatosis can be found. Usually, post-transplant steatosis shows an indolent outcome with few cases of fibrosis progression. However, in the post-transplant setting, both metabolic syndrome and steatosis might play a key role in the stratification of morbidity and mortality risk, being commonly associated with cardiovascular disease. The single components of metabolic syndrome can be treated with targeted drugs while lifestyle intervention is the only reasonable therapeutic approach for transplant patients with non-alcoholic steatosis or steatohepatitis

The Performance of European Full Service Airlines after Liberalisation: An Econometric Analysis

Deregulation in the airline industry has forced full service airlines to change their strategies in order to respond to increasing challenges. In this paper, an econometric analysis of the possible determinants of economic performance of full service airlines after liberalization has been carried out. A fixed effects model was used and the performance of ten European full service airlines has been analyzed over a period of 11 years. Variables considered in this analysis were the number and type of aircraft in the fleet, the number and type of destinations, investments, number of employees and alliances. The analysis suggests that full service airlines should adjust fleet composition and re-organize operations on their routes in order to react to the increasingly competitive environment

Light emitting diodes technology in public light system of the municipality of Rome: an economic and financial analysis

This study evaluates an investment project concerning the redevelopment of the public lighting of the Municipality of Rome. In particular, we consider the replacing of the traditional lamps of the system with light emitting diodes lamps. We consider the factors that affect this kind of project: The cost of energy, the manteinance cost, the investment cost and the weighted average cost of capital. Our results underline the reduction of energy consumption and of the maintenance costs, lower emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere, the reduction of light pollution, the positive effects on road safety and the indipendence by incentives