Determinants of Consumer Confidence in Emerging Economies: A Panel Cointegration Analysis

This study aims to analyze the relationship between consumer confidence and economic growth in six emerging economies, namely Brazil, China, Mexico, Poland, South Africa and Turkey. The relationship between consumer confidence and economic activity in developed markets has been well documented (Carroll et al., 1994, Howrey, 2001 and Ludvigson, 2004). However, to our knowledge, there are hardly any studies which assess the validity of this theoretical framework for households in emerging economies. We propose that there are two different variables that could play a significant role on consumer confidence in emerging economies as economic variables that measure production and financial variables that reflect the relationship between consumer confidence and financial markets. This study uses panel data analysis via conducting panel unit root and cointegration tests. Our empirical findings show that consumer confidence, industrial production and stock exchange have a long-run relationship in emerging economies. Moreover, households in emerging and developed markets exhibit similar behavior

The application of electroanalytical methods to the measurement of metal complex-nucleic acid interactions

PhD ThesisThis thesis reports voltammetric and quartz crystal microgravimetric studies of the binding of metal complexes to nucleic acids in solution and immobilised on metal surfaces. Cyclic voltam iet y and steady-state microelectrode voltammetsy were applied to the solution phase interactions between metal complexes and nucleic acids. The binding constants were obtained by the analysis of bound and free metal complex concentrations. The binding of N, N, N-1-propylthyminedimethylaminomethylferrocene (Fc-Th), N, N, Ntrimethylaminomethylferrocene (Fc-NMe3), bis(hexamethybenzene)iron(II), hexamuiiineruthenium( III), tris(1,10-phenantlu-oline)iron(II) and tris-(bipyridyl)iron(II) to DNA and RNA was observed. The application of microelectrode voltammetry for metal complexnucleic acid binding studies has not been reported before and this thesis demonstrates the advantages of the method due to increased signal-to noise ratio and better discrimination between free and nucleic acid-bound metal complex. These voltammetric results showed the binding of Fc-Th to DNA is stronger than the binding of Fc-NMe3 to DNA, indicating that even a single nucleobase can influence the binding. The binding of singly charged feirocenyl derivatives to DNA or RNA is mainly electrostatic plus some non-electrostatic contribution from interaction of the thymine with DNA. Fe(bz)22 binds to DNA electrostatically and the binding is senstive to ionic strength. Ru(NH3)63+ binds more strongly to DNA due to its higher charge. The binding of Fe(phen)32+, a known intercalator, is stronger than the binding of Fe(bipy)32+ to DNA and the measured binding constants were in agreement with previous reports, however more precise data could be obtained using the microelectrode technique devised in this thesis. This thesis also describes a novel modification of gold and platinum surfaces by the adsorption of 4-mercaptopyridine and subsequent methylation with methyliodide to produce a positively charged suface at which DNA adsorbs strongly. Cyclic voltammetry was applied to quantify the binding of Fc-Th, Fc-NMe3 , hexammineruthenium(II), and tris(1,10-phenanthroline) iron(II) to DNA or RNA immobilised on a gold electrode. A detectable binding of Fc-Th, Ru(NH3)63+ to DNA was observed, while no bound. FcNMe3 and Fe(phen)32 were detected using cyclic voltammetry. The difference in binding to immobilised DNA compared to dissolved DNA could be rationalised by the effect of the electrostatic interactions of the metal complexes with the charged pyridinium monolayer. Quartz crystal microfravimetry was used to estimate the surface coverage of DNA, Fc-Th, Ru(NH3)63+ and Fe(phen); '+on gold and platinum crystals modified as above. Crystal admittance measurements showed no significant change on DNA adsorption indicating approximate rigid-layer behaviour. In agreement with the CV studies no binding of Fc- NMe3 was detected. Some binding of Fe(phen)32 was observed and the negative result of the CV experiment may be due to instability of the monolayer at the high potentials required to oxidise Fe(phen)32+. In general, the QCM results showed higher surface coverages than detected by CV. Two factors may be important, the absence of solution phase metal complex in the CV experiment leads to some desorption and the QCM measurements are complicated by the unknown extent of solvation of the metal complexes.University of Newcastle upon Tyne: Harran University: The Higher Educational Council of Turkey

Taybetîyên Derbiranên Qalibî yên Dîyarbekirê

Dîyarbekira ku xwedî dîrokeka dêrîn û çandeka qedîm e, xwedî ziman û zaravayên cuda ye jî. Dîyarbekirîyan pişta xwe dane kevirên reş yên Bedenê û bi kurdî (kurmancî- kirmanckî) û tirkî êş, jan, kêf, zewq, boçûn û hizrên xwe; kirine bêje, îdyom, stran, çîrok û hin keresteyên din yên devkî. Ji van keresteyan yek jî derbiranên qalibî ne. Derbiranên qalibî ku di jîyanê da mişt in, gelek caran xelaskerên axiver û guhdaran in û bi wan axaftin û ragihandineka baş pêk tê, bi saya serê wan hest û helwest bêyî fikirîn tên derbirîn. Derbiranên qalibî ku civak bi wan dizane; di navmalê da, li bazar û kolanê, di şîn û şahîyan da, di biwarên curbicur yên jîyanê da pirîya ku hatine gotin, bûne axaftinên klîşeyî. Ev gotinên malhazirî û klîşeyî li Dîyarbekirê jî zêde zêde hene. Di vê xebatê da, bi rêya hin derbiranên qalibî yên Dîyarbekirê yên bi zaravayê kurmancî taybetîyên derbiranên qalibî yên Dîyarbekirê hatine destnîşankirin. Herweha bi rêya rapirsîyê, encam û rêjeyên berbelavîya derbiranên qalibî yên Dîyarbekirê, hatine eşkerekirin. Li gorî van daneyan, derbiranên Dîyarbekirê xwedî varyantên cuda ne. Piranîya van derbiranan di awayê risteyê da ne û rêjeya daxwazên başîyê ji yên xerabî û nebaşîyê zêdetir in. Herweha ji % 95ê derbiranan ji alîyê beşdarên rapirsîyê ve hatine zanîn

Pairing colours in residential architecture for different interior types

Most colour studies focus on single colour effects; however, interiors are multi-coloured environments and contemporary users are looking for more innovative colour schemes in interiors. Interior architects rely on their own subjective experience and instincts when they take up the challenge. This study aims to reveal colour semantics of paired colours on walls for different residential interior types (eg, living room) as a second part of the previous study conducted by the same authors. Both studies explore colour semantics through 42 Munsell colours (with variety of hues, value, and chroma levels) with 14 adjectives (eg, beautiful, unpleasant, cold) under controlled conditions. The predecessor study had explored single colour meanings, however, in this study, participants were asked to pair colours for the same residential interior types on the same semantic scales. Thus, its results can be compared to single colour data on different residential interior types through same methodology and participants. Results reveal that all colour attributes affect semantics paired wall colours. Orange is associated with negative meanings more whereas yellow hue induces positive meanings more for all adjective pairs, except cold-warm and feminine-masculine. For positive association, lighter colours and less saturated colours are selected more compared to saturated and darker colours. Comparing results of single colour study and the current study reveals that pairs cannot be anticipated through single colours for all residential interior types and adjectives, and positive adjectives tend to require different colours than their single associations in their pairs

ontwikkelingen en risico's op criminaliteit en radicalisering

The present study is centred around the following question: Which developments in the social position of persons (in particular young adults) with a Turkish background have taken place in the Netherlands over the last decade and what are the effects of these developments on possible risks of criminality and radicalisation.In dit onderzoek staat de volgende vraag centraal: Welke ontwikkelingen in de maatschappelijke positie van personen (in het bijzonder jongvolwassenen) met een Turkse achtergrond doen zich het laatste decennium in Nederland voor en wat betekenen deze ontwikkelingen voor mogelijke risico's op criminaliteit en radicalisering? INHOUD: 1. Aanleiding, onderzoeksvragen en methoden 2. Onderwijs 3. Arbeid 4. Huisvesting en etnische segregatie 5. Sociale contacten 6. Identificatie en oriëntaties 7. Religie 8. Politiek 9. Criminaliteit 10. Radicalisering 11. Beantwoording van de onderzoeksvrage

L1 norm based multiplication-free cosine similarity measures for big data analysis

The cosine similarity measure is widely used in big data analysis to compare vectors. In this article a new set of vector similarity measures are proposed. New vector similarity measures are based on a multiplication-free operator which requires only additions and sign operations. A vector 'product' using the multiplication-free operator is also defined. The new vector product induces the ℓ1-norm. As a result, new cosine measure-like similarity measures are normalized by the ℓ1-norms of the vectors. They can be computed using the MapReduce framework. Simulation examples are presented. © 2014 IEEE

Redox Behavior of Anticancer Chalcone on a Glassy Carbon Electrode and Evaluation of its Interaction Parameters with DNA

The interaction of anticancer chalcone [AMC, 1-(4′-aminophenyl)-3-(4-N,N-dimethylphenyl)-2-propen-1-one] with DNA has been explored using electrochemical, spectroscopic and viscometric techniques. A shift in peak potential and decrease in peak current were observed in cyclic voltammetry and hypochromism accompanied with bathochromic shift were noticed in UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. These findings were taken as evidence for AMC –DNA intercalation. A binding constant (K) with a value of 6.15 × 105 M−1 was obtained from CV data, which was also confirmed by UV-Vis absorption titration. Moreover, the diffusion coefficient of the drug with and without DNA (Db and Du), heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (ko) and electron affinity (A) were also calculated from electrochemical data