Urban primacy, gigantism, and international trade: Evidence from Asia and the Americas

Gustavsson [1999] finds that policies that promote international trade increase the size of a country’s largest city relative to the country’s total population, which is defined here as an increase in urban gigantism. In contrast, Ades and Glaeser [1995] report urban gigantism is reduced by freer political institutions and, with less confidence, more open trade. In light of Henderson’s (2000) findings that excessive urban concentration inhibits economic growth, these conflicting results for the relationship between openness and urban gigantism (concentration), which are of great interest for the new economic geography, call for additional study. This study uses two measures of urban concentration and finds that lower international-trade costs are associated with lower primacy, but not with lower gigantism. Unlike Gustavsson, however, we find no evidence that lower trade costs increase gigantism. --

Total factor productivity and economic freedom implications for EU enlargement

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An empirical analysis of competing explanations of urban primacy: Evidence from Asia and the Americas

This paper tests the relationship between primacy and economic development for countries in Asia and the Americas. It tests explanations for primacy drawn from several social-science disciplines--demography, economics, geography, political science, and sociology. The study is one of the first to use panel-data estimators for the tests. Economic and domestic political variables are found to be important determinants of primacy. In particular, rent-seeking and dictatorial governments are associated with primacy, but the association exists independent of the level of economic development. The implication from dependency and world-system theories that current international economic interactions promote primacy is not supported. It also examines the hypothesis that primacy first increases and then decreases with GDP per capita. --

Factors That Foster or Hinder Student Reading Motivation in a Suburban Primary School

Readingtakes a large amount of effort, but if students are without the motivation to read, they will put little effort into the task of reading (Guthrie, Perencevich, Tonks, and Wigfield, 2004). According to the report of the International Student Assessment (PISA) results of the sixty-four participating countries, 37% of the students polled engaged in reading for pleasure (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2010). People who engage in reading for pleasure are motivated to read, but someone who is not reading for enjoyment is not motivated to read. (Guthrie et al., 2004) Reading motivation is a very important aspect of a student’s reading process. Many classroom teachers are focused on what they are held accountable for, which is test scores and being in line with the Common Core Standards. The purpose of this study was to explore what teachers did to foster reading motivation according to theory, and to observe what teachers actually did in their classrooms. The research questions that I explored in this study are: How do teachers, in a suburban primary school, set up their classroom libraries and environment related to reading motivation? In what ways do the teachers’ actions and schedules appear to foster or detract from reading motivation

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

This digital poster explains the pathophysiology behind the rare but fatal condition known as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). Due to the uncommon nature of NMS, this poster is geared towards education. Information regarding the underlying pathophysiology, causes, signs and symptoms, risk factors, and treatments are presented to the reader. The goal is to spread knowledge about NMS in hopes of recognizing and treating this disorder before patients are harmed

ARE STIGMA AND OUTNESS ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENCES IN WORKPLACE STRESS BETWEEN SEXUAL MINORITY COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATES AND THEIR HETEROSEXUAL PEERS?

This study is aimed at finding the differences in workplace stress between heterosexual and sexual minority undergraduate students in North Carolina Universities. The relationship between workplace stress, outness, and stigma consciousness due to sexual orientation, will be examined through analysis of survey results distributed to undergraduates. Due to the financial burden of a college education, around 80% of college undergraduates have a job during college (Carnevale, Smith, Melton, & Price, 2015). This situation is unique when considering sexual minority students. Employment could be harder to navigate as a sexual minority student due to complicated decisions such as whether or not to be out in the workplace, choosing to actively hide one’s orientation, and managing the possibility of harassment or discrimination. These factors could lead to sexual minority students having higher levels of workplace stress. The effects of outness and stigma consciousness on workplace stress will be examined to create a detailed approach to sexual minority experiences. High workplace stress has negative side effects on both physical and mental health (Colligan & Higgins, 2006). Data will be collected through a survey given to undergraduates in North Carolina. The survey will include the Maugeri Stress Index reduced form (Massidda, D., Giorgi, I., Vidotto, G., Tringali, S., Imbriani, M., Baiardi, P., & Bertolotti, G., 2017), the Nebraska Outness Scale (Meidlinger & Hope, 2014), and the Stigma Consciousness Questionnaire (Pinel, 1999). A short answer question will be given to obtain qualitative data. This study fills important gaps in past research by examining this population and their experience’s in the workplace

Fire Sale? The Admissibility of Evidence of Environmental Contamination to Determine Just Compensation in Washington Eminent Domain Proceedings

Jurisdictions across the United States are split on the issue of whether evidence of environmental contamination should be admissible to determine just compensation in an eminent domain proceeding. Jurisdictions that admit this evidence reason that environmental contamination is a property characteristic that necessarily affects the value of the property. Those that exclude the evidence cite procedural due process concerns and the risk of extra liability for the landowner. Washington\u27s Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) establishes a system of assigning liability and recovering cleanup costs for environmental contamination. No Washington court has addressed whether evidence of environmental contamination should be admissible to determine just compensation in an eminent domain proceeding. This Comment argues that, under MTCA and Washington eminent domain law, the evidence should not be admitted, because its admission (1) would violate the prohibition in Washington eminent domain law against speculative evidence, (2) would infringe upon the procedural due process rights of landowners under MTCA, and (3) may result in additional liability on the part of the landowners and extra recovery on the part of the condemning authority