Transport consumption inequalities and redistributive effects of taxes: A repeated cross-sectional evaluation on French household data

This paper evaluates transport consumption inequalities among French households, investigates their temporal dynamics, and estimates the redistributive effects of taxes on different commodity categories. A decomposition by expenditure component of the Gini coefficient is applied, using household-level data from five expenditure surveys conducted between the end of the 1970’s and the early 2000’s. The results highlight the effect of car social diffusion. Indeed, the relative contribution to global inequality of car use items, especially fuels, decreased regularly over time, reflecting the more and more widespread use of the car. Moreover, fuel taxes become regressive (i.e. they affect the poor more than the rich), while the progressive character of taxes on the remaining car use commodities weakens over time. Therefore, the design of policy measures to reduce car use and thus attenuate its nuisances for the environment should also account for the imperative of equity. The case of local public transport underlines the necessity of accounting for disparities in terms of availability of alternatives to the car. Taxes on these services appear to be neutral (i.e. neither progressive nor regressive) at national level, but this result conceals a diversity of local conditions in terms of supply of these transport means according to the degree of urbanization and population density. Effectively, these taxes prove to be regressive when focusing on the Greater Paris region, a large urban area very well endowed with public transport infrastructure. Hence, a distinction by degree of urbanization is to be considered.Inequality, transport consumption, household expenditure surveys, Gini index, decomposition by component, redistributive effects of taxes

Strategic Decision Criteria in an Emergent Company Confronted to Important Institutional Changes

During these last years, Algeria, like some other developing countries is undergoing important institutional changes. The structural adjustment plan (1990s), and the association agreement signed with the European Union (2005) are some of political tools that guide these profound changes that have considerable impacts on the strategic behavior of local enterprises. Beyond these mutations at national level, important policy changes are observed at international level, like the recent reform of the European sugar policy that constitutes a considerable shifter on the behavior of enterprises operating in the Algerian sugar refining industry. The present research aims to measure the weight of the institutional criteria on the strategic decision of sugar refining companies in Algeria, by the application of the SWOT analysis. The ultimate purpose is to contribute to the analysis of interactions that exist between institutional changes induced by the globalization process and the strategic choices of local enterprises in an emergent economy.Institutional change, Strategy, SWOT-AHP, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Eksekusi Tindak Pidana Perjudian (Maisir) di Mahkamah Syariyah Lhokseumawe

Article 5 Qanun No. 13 of 2003 onGambling (Gambling) states "Everyperson prohibited from gamblingact". Furthermore, in the explanationof Qanun No. 13 of 2003 states thatthe prohibition of gambling Qanunareintendedtopreemptive,preventive, and at its optimum levelRemedium as repressive effortsthrough the imposition of uqubat inthe form of uqubat tazir which canbe either uqubat whip and uqubatfines (gharamah). Syariyah Court inthe Province of Aceh is a special courtin the religious courts throughout thejudicial authority regarding theauthority of religion and is a specialcourt in general courts throughoutthe judicial authority of the publicauthority concerned.Keywords : Ekseksekusi, Maisir, Mahkamah Syariyah

Sizing and Energy Management of a Hybrid Locomotive Based on Flywheel and Accumulators

The French National Railways Company (SNCF) is interested in the design of a hybrid locomotive based on various storage devices (accumulator, flywheel, and ultracapacitor) and fed by a diesel generator. This paper particularly deals with the integration of a flywheel device as a storage element with a reduced-power diesel generator and accumulators on the hybrid locomotive. First, a power flow model of energy-storage elements (flywheel and accumulator) is developed to achieve the design of the whole traction system. Then, two energy-management strategies based on a frequency approach are proposed. The first strategy led us to a bad exploitation of the flywheel, whereas the second strategy provides an optimal sizing of the storage device. Finally, a comparative study of the proposed structure with a flywheel and the existing structure of the locomotive (diesel generator, accumulators, and ultracapacitors) is presented

Enhancing Bremsstrahlung Production From Ultraintense Laser-Solid Interactions With Front Surface Structures

We report the results of a combined study of particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo modeling that investigates the production of Bremsstrahlung radiation produced when an ultraintense laser interacts with a tower-structured target. These targets are found to significantly narrow the electron angular distribution as well as produce significantly higher energies. These features combine to create a significant enhancement in directionality and energy of the Bremstrahlung radiation produced by a high-Z converter target. These studies employ short-pulse, high intensity laser pulses, and indicate that novel target design has potential to greatly enhance the yield and narrow the directionality of high energy electrons and $\gamma$-rays. We find that the peak $\gamma$-ray brightness for this source is 6.0$\times$10$^{19}$ ${\rm s^{-1}mm^{-2}mrad^{-2}}$ at 10MeV and 1.4$\times$10$^{19}$ ${\rm s^{-1}mm^{-2}mrad^{-2}}$ at 100MeV (0.1$\%$ bandwidth).Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1310.328

Characterization of three vasopressin receptor 2 variants: an apparent polymorphism (V266A) and two loss-of-function mutations (R181C and M311V).

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is released from the posterior pituitary and controls water homeostasis. AVP binding to vasopressin V2 receptors (V2Rs) located on kidney collecting duct epithelial cells triggers activation of Gs proteins, leading to increased cAMP levels, trafficking of aquaporin-2 water channels, and consequent increased water permeability and antidiuresis. Typically, loss-of-function V2R mutations cause nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), whereas gain-of-function mutations cause nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (NSIAD). Here we provide further characterization of two mutant V2Rs, R181C and M311V, reported to cause complete and partial NDI respectively, together with a V266A variant, in a patient diagnosed with NSIAD. Our data in HEK293FT cells revealed that for cAMP accumulation, AVP was about 500- or 30-fold less potent at the R181C and M311V mutants than at the wild-type receptor respectively (and about 4000- and 60-fold in COS7 cells respectively). However, in contrast to wild type V2R, the R181C mutant failed to increase inositol phosphate production, while with the M311V mutant, AVP exhibited only partial agonism in addition to a 37-fold potency decrease. Similar responses were detected in a BRET assay for β-arrestin recruitment, with the R181C receptor unresponsive to AVP, and partial agonism with a 23-fold decrease in potency observed with M311V in both HEK293FT and COS7 cells. Notably, the V266A V2R appeared functionally identical to the wild-type receptor in all assays tested, including cAMP and inositol phosphate accumulation, β-arrestin interaction, and in a BRET assay of receptor ubiquitination. Each receptor was expressed at comparable levels. Hence, the M311V V2R retains greater activity than the R181C mutant, consistent with the milder phenotype of NDI associated with this mutant. Notably, the R181C mutant appears to be a Gs protein-biased receptor incapable of signaling to inositol phosphate or recruiting β-arrestin. The etiology of NSIAD in the patient with V266A V2R remains unknown

Transport consumption inequalities and redistributive effects of taxes: A comparison of France, Denmark and Cyprus

We evaluate household transport consumption inequalities in France, Denmark and Cyprus, investigate their temporal dynamics and estimate the redistributive effects of taxes on different commodity categories. A comparative analysis is carried out in light of the differences between these countries, most notably in terms of car taxation systems and car ownership levels. A decomposition by expenditure component of the Gini index is applied, using household-level data from repeated cross-sections of expenditure surveys spanning long time periods. The results highlight the effect of car social diffusion. The relative contribution of vehicle use items to total expenditure inequality decreases over time, thus reflecting the more and more widespread use of the car. Moreover, fuel taxes become regressive (i.e. they affect the poor more than the rich), while the progressive character of taxes on the remaining car use commodities weakens with time. Taxes on transport goods and services as a whole are progressive (i.e. they affect the rich more than the poor). However, this is principally due to the progressivity of taxes on automobile purchases. The progressivity of taxes on car purchases is by far much stronger in Denmark. In this country, these taxes are so high that car purchase costs can be afforded only by high incomes. These findings underline the fact that equity issues should not be overlooked when designing policies to attenuate the environmental impact of cars. Increasing car use costs, notably fuel prices, through an increase of uniform taxes would be particularly inequitable.Inequality; transport consumption; household expenditure surveys; Gini index; decomposition by component; redistributive effects of taxes

Development of PID current control for DC motor using arduino

Power electronic systems have been widely used in varieties of domestic applications and industrial sector due to its reliability, simple construction and low weight. Therefore, this project is to design and to develop of PID Current Control that could be applied for the DC motor. The control technique was called as current control technique by comparing the output current with the reference current. Thus, the PID controller will force the output current to follow the reference current by creating the pulse with modulation (PWM) signals. The PID Controller was developed and simulated by using MATLAB/Simulink software and then implemented to the hardware by using Arduino microcontroller board as a digital signal processing system. The final observation from this project is by using Arduino Uno board, the current of DC motor can control but in small scale. This is due to the current sensor that used had range in small scale reading. Lastly, the result of the performance for this controller was explained in this report by observed in three condition; simulation, open loop control and closed loop control

Analysis of water hammer in a penstock in the case of valve closure. Part 1: Without pressure losses

Nous développons, dans cette contribution, une méthode de calcul du coup de bélier inspirée de la construction graphique de Bergeron, que nous qualifions de méthode analytique. En nous aidant de ces graphes, nous tirons les relations qui permettent de calculer les débits et les pressions le long d’une conduite forcée. L’écoulement de l’eau s’effectue en adduction gravitaire reliant à l’amont un réservoir de mise en charge et à l’aval une vanne. Dans cette première partie, nous négligerons  les pertes de charge. L’étude portera essentiellement sur le coup de bélier induit par la fermeture lente de la vanne. Un exemple de calcul pratique sera présenté à la fin de cet article pour illustrer la méthode de calcul exposée.Nous développons, dans cette contribution, une méthode de calcul du coup de bélier inspirée de la construction graphique de Bergeron, que nous qualifions de méthode analytique. En nous aidant de ces graphes, nous tirons les relations qui permettent de calculer les débits et les pressions le long d’une conduite forcée. L’écoulement de l’eau s’effectue en adduction gravitaire reliant à l’amont un réservoir de mise en charge et à l’aval une vanne. Dans cette première partie, nous négligerons  les pertes de charge. L’étude portera essentiellement sur le coup de bélier induit par la fermeture lente de la vanne. Un exemple de calcul pratique sera présenté à la fin de cet article pour illustrer la méthode de calcul exposée.We develop, in this paper, a method of calculating the water hammer inspired by the graphic construction of Bergeron, which we qualify as analytical method. In helping us of these graphs, we get the relationships that allow calculating the flow rates and pressures along a penstock. The flow of water is carried out by gravity adduction connecting at upstream a storage tank and at downstream a valve. In this first part, we neglect the pressure losses. The study will focus on water hammer-induced by a slow closing of the valve. A practical example will be presented at the end of this work in order to illustrate the exposed method