Are mortgage lenders guilty of the housing bubble? A UK perspective

Existing theoretical models of house prices and credit rely on continuous rationality of consumers, an assumption that has been frequently questioned in recent years. Meanwhile, empirical investigations of the relationship between prices and credit are often based on national-level data, which is then tested for structural breaks and asymmetric responses, usually with subsamples. Earlier author argues that local markets are structurally different from one another and so the coefficients of any estimated housing market model should vary from region to region. We investigate differences in the price–credit relationship for 12 regions of the UK. Markov-switching is introduced to capture asymmetric market behaviours and turning points. Results show that credit abundance had a large impact on house prices in Greater London and nearby regions alongside a strong positive feedback effect from past house price movements. This impact is even larger in Greater London and the South East of England when house prices are falling, which are the only instances where the credit effect is more prominent than the positive feedback effect. A strong positive feedback effect from past lending activity is also present in the loan dynamics. Furthermore, bubble probabilities extracted using a discrete Kalman filter neatly capture market turning points.

Reactivity of Nellore steers in two feedlot housing systems and its relationship with plasmatic cortisol

To evaluate reactivity to assess the temperament of Nellore steers in two feedlot housing systems (group pen or individual pen) and its relationship with plasmatic cortisol, 36 experimental units were observed five times at 28-day intervals of weight management during a 112-day feedlot confinement. A reactivity score scale ranging from 1 to 5 was applied when an animal was in the chute system. To the calmest animal, a reactivity score of 1 was ascribed and to the most agitated, 5. Blood samples were collected for cortisol analysis. No differences were found in reactivity and feedlot system. There was a relationship noted between reactivity and feedlot time in both housing systems (P < 0.01). There was a relation between reactivity and cortisol levels for group animals (P = 0.0616) and for individual ones (P < 0.01). Cortisol levels varied among housing systems (P < 0.01). Feedlot time influenced the cortisol levels (P < 0.09 individual; P < 0.01 group) and when variable time was included, these levels changed, decreasing in the group pen and increasing in individual pens. The continuous handling reduces reactivity and plasmatic cortisol, and group pen system seems to be less stressfully than individual pens. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Plant Needs Ants like a Dog Needs Fleas: Myrmelachista schumanni Ants Gall Many Tree Species to Create Housing

Hundreds of tropical plant species house ant colonies in specialized chambers called domatia. When, in 1873, Richard Spruce likened plant-ants to fleas and asserted that domatia are ant-created galls, he incited a debate that lasted almost a century. Although we now know that domatia are not galls and that most ant-plant interactions are mutualisms and not parasitisms, we revisit Spruce`s suggestion that ants can gall in light of our observations of the plant-ant Myrmelachista schumanni, which creates clearings in the Amazonian rain forest called ""supay-chakras,"" or ""devil`s gardens."" We observed swollen scars on the trunks of nonmyrmecophytic canopy trees surrounding supay-chakras, and within these swellings, we found networks of cavities inhabited by M. schumanni. Here, we summarize the evidence supporting the hypothesis that M. schumanni ants make these galls, and we hypothesize that the adaptive benefit of galling is to increase the amount of nesting space available to M. schumanni colonies.

An enhanced content selection mechanism for personalization of video news programmes

In this paper, we propose a content selection framework that improves the users` experience when they are enriching or authoring pieces of news. This framework combines a variety of techniques to retrieve semantically related videos, based on a set of criteria which are specified automatically depending on the media`s constraints. The combination of different content selection mechanisms can improve the quality of the retrieved scenes, because each technique`s limitations are minimized by other techniques` strengths. We present an evaluation based on a number of experiments, which show that the retrieved results are better when all criteria are used at time.

Energy savings potential in existing houses : Energy simulation results for Dalarna's single-family housing stock

Vägar till en halverad energianvändning i Dalarnas byggnadsbestånd

Tha contribution of home-based technology to older people's quality of life in extra care housing

Background: British government policy for older people focuses on a vision of active ageing and independent living. In the face of diminishing personal capacities, the use of appropriate home-based technology (HBT) devices could potentially meet a wide range of needs and consequently improve many aspects of older people's quality of life such as physical health, psychosocial well-being, social relationships, and their physical or living environment. This study aimed to examine the use of HBT devices and the correlation between use of such devices and quality of life among older people living in extra-care housing (ECH).  Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered for this study. Using purposive sampling 160 older people living in extra-care housing schemes were selected from 23 schemes in England. A face-to-face interview was conducted in each participant's living unit. In order to measure quality of life, the SEIQoL-Adapted and CASP-19 were used.  Results: Although most basic appliances and emergency call systems were used in the living units, communally provided facilities such as personal computers, washing machines, and assisted bathing equipment in the schemes were not well utilised. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for confounders including age, sex, marital status, living arrangement and mobility use indicated a coefficient of 1.17 with 95% CI (0.05, 2.29) and p = 0.04 [SEIQoL-Adapted] and 2.83 with 95% CI (1.17, 4.50) and p = 0.001 [CASP-19].  Conclusions: The findings of the present study will be value to those who are developing new form of specialised housing for older people with functional limitations and, in particular, guiding investments in technological aids. The results of the present study also indicate that the home is an essential site for developing residential technologies.

Parenthood in transition : Somali-born parents' experiences of and needs for parenting support programmes

BACKGROUND: Pre- and post-migration trauma due to forced migration may impact negatively on parents' ability to care for their children. Little qualitative work has examined Somali-born refugees' experiences. The aim of this study is to explore Somali-born refugees' experiences and challenges of being parents in Sweden, and the support they need in their parenting. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken. Data were collected from four focus group discussions (FGDs) among 23 Somali-born mothers and fathers living in a county in central Sweden. Qualitative content analysis has been applied. RESULTS: A main category, Parenthood in Transition, emerged as a description of a process of parenthood in transition. Two generic categories were identified: Challenges, and Improved parenting. Challenges emerged from leaving the home country and being new and feeling alienated in the new country. In Improved parenting, an awareness of opportunities in the new country and ways to improve their parenting was described, which includes how to improve their communication and relationship with their children. The parents described a need for information on how to culturally adapt their parenting and obtain support from the authorities. CONCLUSIONS: Parents experienced a process of parenthood in transition. They were looking to the future and for ways to improve their parenting. Schools and social services can overcome barriers that prevent lack of knowledge about the new country's systems related to parenthood. Leaving the home country often means separation from the family and losing the social network. We suggest that staff in schools and social services offer parent training classes for these parents throughout their children's childhood, with benefits for the child and family.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN KENNEBEC COUNTY

http://digitalcommons.colby.edu/atlasofmaine2005/1025/thumbnail.jpg

Affordable Housing in Kennebec County

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines affordable housing as a household paying no more than 30 percent of its annual income on housing. That is, families who pay more than 30 percent of their income on housing are considered cost burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare, and transportation. This project focused on Kennebec County, Maine. Between 1990 and 2000, market demand for housing increased at a faster rate than did the supply of housing. Despite the addition of 6,719 homes, the average home price increased faster than average household income. This raises the question of just how many households in Kennebec County are facing unaffordable housing. Using shapefiles and data provided by the US Census Bureau, a map was created with ArcGIS to illustrate the percentage of households, down to the Census Block level of detail, that are paying more than 30 percent of their income to housing. By looking at this information I was able to get a better picture of the housing situation and where in the county households are having the hardest time meeting their needs. The results indicate that households in the more urbanized sections of the county are more likely than rurally located households to be facing unaffordable housing. Namely, Waterville and Augusta held the highest percentage of households paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing.

Técnica de programação e controle da construção repetitiva, linha de balanço, estudo de caso de um conjunto habitacional

Este trabalho apresenta uma técnica de programação e controle da construção repetitiva denominada Linha de Balanço. E uma técnica, surgida na indústria fabril, onde a produção em série e em grande escala exige a organização dos métodos de produção e a racionalização do trabalho. O estudo, inicialmente, modela o trabalho de construção de unidades repetitivas, salientando os problemas de organização e administração destes empreendimentos. Num segundo momento, são apresentados os princípios teóricos da técnica com aplicações práticas da programação. Por fim, é analisada a metodologia usual de construção de conjuntos habitacionais através de um estudo de caso e, observadas as condições de aplicação da técnica da Linha de Balanço, não exigindo mudificações muito profundas na atual ação gerencial neste tipo de obra. As conclusões esboçadas confirmam as vantagens da técnica da Linha de Balanço para estes empreendimentos e propõem a sua utilização na organização do trabalho nos canteiros repetitivos.

Pro-poor growth and social programmes in Brazil

From a methodological point of view, this paper makes two contributions to the literature. One contribution is the proposal of a new measure of pro-poor growth. This new measure provides the linkage between growth rates in mean income and in income inequality. In this context, growth is defined as propoor (or anti-poor) if there is a gain (or loss) in the growth rate due to a decrease (or increase) in inequality. The other contribution is a decomposition methodology that explores linkages between growth patterns and social policies. Through the decomposition analysis, we assess the contribution of different income sources to growth patterns. The proposed methodologies are then applied to the Brazilian National Household Survey (PNAD) covering the period 1995-2004. The paper analyzes the evolution of Brazilian social indicators based on per capita income exploring links with adverse labour market performance and social policy change, with particular emphasis on the expansion of targeted cash transfers and devising more pro-poor social security benefits.

Housing development in Latin America and the Caribean, its measuring and its determinants

This text briejly describes the Housing Development lndex (HDI). Following a concise introduction on the reasons for this research, HDI's methodology, characteristics, properties and databases supporting its calculation are discussed. Next, the third part presents, analyzes and compares the HDI's figures for Brazil and some other Latin American countries. The part that follows shows HDI figures for all states in Brazil and points out the regional differences and the indicator 's recent growth. Then, this paper analyses the injluence of some social and economic variables on the HDI and, finally, it makes some considerations on HDI.

Indicadores de housing affordability para o mercado brasileiro

A análise da evolução dos indicadores de housing affordability permite acompanhar o comportamento do poder de compra de um imóvel. A metodologia utilizada nesta dissertação, ao considerar toda a distribuição da renda domiciliar e do preço dos imóveis, uma vez que as mesmas possuem assimetrias diferentes, possibilita analisar estes indicadores para diferentes segmentos da população. A aplicação desta metodologia para o mercado brasileiro possibilitou observar que a capacidade de compra se reduziu nos últimos anos devido, principalmente, ao aumento do preço dos imóveis a uma taxa maior do que a variação da renda combinada com a flexibilização das condições de credito imobiliário.