Early-type galaxies as probes of galaxy formation and cosmology

The goal of this thesis is to analyze the possibility of using early-type galaxies to place evolutionary and cosmological constraints, by both disentangling what is the main driver of ETGs evolution between mass and environment, and developing a technique to constrain H(z) and the cosmological parameters studying the ETGs age-redshift relation. The (U-V) rest-frame color distribution is studied as a function of mass and environment for two sample of ETGs up to z=1, extracted from the zCOSMOS survey with a new selection criterion. The color distributions and the slopes of the color-mass and color-environment relations are studied, finding a strong dependence on mass and a minor dependence on environment. The spectral analysis performed on the D4000 and Hδ features gives results validating the previous analysis. The main driver of galaxy evolution is found to be the galaxy mass, the environment playing a subdominant but non negligible role. The age distribution of ETGs is also analyzed as a function of mass, providing strong evidences supporting a downsizing scenario. The possibility of setting cosmological constraints studying the age-redshift relation is studied, discussing the relative degeneracies and model dependencies. A new approach is developed, aiming to minimize the impact of systematics on the “cosmic chronometer” method. Analyzing theoretical models, it is demonstrated that the D4000 is a feature correlated almost linearly with age at fixed metallicity, depending only minorly on the models assumed or on the SFH chosen. The analysis of a SDSS sample of ETGs shows that it is possible to use the differential D4000 evolution of the galaxies to set constraints to cosmological parameters in an almost model-independent way. Values of the Hubble constant and of the dark energy EoS parameter are found, which are not only fully compatible, but also with a comparable error budget with the latest results.

L'evoluzione della funzione di massa stellare delle galassie: un test per i modelli della loro formazione

Per lo sviluppo di un modello realistico di formazione ed evoluzione delle galassie è necessario un confronto sistematico con le osservazioni in modo da verificare che i dati vengano ben riprodotti. Lo scopo che si prefigge questo lavoro di Tesi è un confronto tra le caratteristiche delle galassie presenti nei cataloghi simulati (mock), costruiti sulla base di alcuni modelli, e quelle evinte dai dati osservativi di campioni di galassie (surveys) con l'obbiettivo di far luce su quali siano le maggiori discrepanze e quindi sulla direzione in cui i modelli andrebbero perfezionati. Per far questo, si è scelto di far uso della funzione di massa stellare delle galassie (MF), in quanto strumento statistico più indicativo di una popolazione di galassie, considerando sia la totalità delle galassie, sia separatamente le star-forming e le quiescenti. Questo lavoro di Tesi attua un confronto tra le MF a 0

Mycobacterium ulcerans persistence at a village water source of Buruli ulcer patients

Buruli ulcer (BU), a neglected tropical disease of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans and is the third most common mycobacterial disease after tuberculosis and leprosy. While there is a strong association of the occurrence of the disease with stagnant or slow flowing water bodies, the exact mode of transmission of BU is not clear. M. ulcerans has emerged from the environmental fish pathogen M. marinum by acquisition of a virulence plasmid encoding the enzymes required for the production of the cytotoxic macrolide toxin mycolactone, which is a key factor in the pathogenesis of BU. Comparative genomic studies have further shown extensive pseudogene formation and downsizing of the M. ulcerans genome, indicative for an adaptation to a more stable ecological niche. This has raised the question whether this pathogen is still present in water-associated environmental reservoirs. Here we show persistence of M. ulcerans specific DNA sequences over a period of more than two years at a water contact location of BU patients in an endemic village of Cameroon. At defined positions in a shallow water hole used by the villagers for washing and bathing, detritus remained consistently positive for M. ulcerans DNA. The observed mean real-time PCR Ct difference of 1.45 between the insertion sequences IS2606 and IS2404 indicated that lineage 3 M. ulcerans, which cause human disease, persisted in this environment after successful treatment of all local patients. Underwater decaying organic matter may therefore represent a reservoir of M. ulcerans for direct infection of skin lesions or vector-associated transmission.

"Let's Talk Cash": Cantons' Interests and the Reform of Swiss Federalism

In 2004 the Swiss people accepted a new equalization scheme and a new distribution of competences between the federal state and the cantons. It was argued that the reform was successful because of the capacity of veto-players to overcome their interests and adopt a ‘problem-solving’ interaction mode. We propose a different interpretation and argue that distributive issues and the accommodation of actors' interests crucially mattered. We identify three mechanisms that contribute to a successful reform, i.e. package-deals, side-payments and the downsizing of the reform. Our in-depth, mainly qualitative study of both the content of the reform and related decision-making process supports the pertinence of these strategies for the explanation of the successful reform of Swiss federalism.

Labor-Use Efficiency in Indian Banking: A Branch Level Analysis

This paper uses Data Envelopment Analysis to measure labor use efficiency of individual branches of a large public sector bank with several thousand branches across India. We find considerable variation in the average levels of efficiency across the four metropolitan regions considered in this study. In this context, we introduce the concept of area or spatial efficiency for each region relative to the nation as a whole. Our findings suggest that the policies, procedures, and incentives handed down from the corporate level cannot fully neutralize the influence of the local work culture in the different regions. Most of the potential reduction in labor cost appears to be coming from possible downsizing the clerical and subordinate staff. Our analysis identifies branches that operate at very low levels of efficiency and may be gainfully merged with other branches wherever possible.

Actividad industrial y crisis del régimen de convertibilidad en el Gran La Plata : Estudio de una fábrica recuperada

En el Gran La Plata las políticas económicas implementadas durante el régimen de convertibilidad profundizaron la desindustrialización y reestructuración de los años 70 y provocaron un achicamiento general del sector industrial y una fuerte expulsión de mano de obra y precarización laboral. La recesión y crisis del régimen de convertibilidad incrementaron el deterioro de la actividad económica y el quiebre de empresas, ante lo cual trabajadores de algunas industrias de la región decidieron impedir el cierre de las mismas permaneciendo en los establecimientos para evitar el desempleo. La situación más significativa es la de la actual Cooperativa Unión Papelera Platense la que, una vez lograda la compra de la empresa luego de su recuperación, orientó su estrategia hacia su consolidación y a enfrentar las problemáticas que afectan al conjunto de las pymes industriales: sostenimiento en el mercado, dificultades de financiamiento, incremento de los costos internos

Actividad industrial y crisis del régimen de convertibilidad en el Gran La Plata : Estudio de una fábrica recuperada

En el Gran La Plata las políticas económicas implementadas durante el régimen de convertibilidad profundizaron la desindustrialización y reestructuración de los años 70 y provocaron un achicamiento general del sector industrial y una fuerte expulsión de mano de obra y precarización laboral. La recesión y crisis del régimen de convertibilidad incrementaron el deterioro de la actividad económica y el quiebre de empresas, ante lo cual trabajadores de algunas industrias de la región decidieron impedir el cierre de las mismas permaneciendo en los establecimientos para evitar el desempleo. La situación más significativa es la de la actual Cooperativa Unión Papelera Platense la que, una vez lograda la compra de la empresa luego de su recuperación, orientó su estrategia hacia su consolidación y a enfrentar las problemáticas que afectan al conjunto de las pymes industriales: sostenimiento en el mercado, dificultades de financiamiento, incremento de los costos internos

Actividad industrial y crisis del régimen de convertibilidad en el Gran La Plata : Estudio de una fábrica recuperada

En el Gran La Plata las políticas económicas implementadas durante el régimen de convertibilidad profundizaron la desindustrialización y reestructuración de los años 70 y provocaron un achicamiento general del sector industrial y una fuerte expulsión de mano de obra y precarización laboral. La recesión y crisis del régimen de convertibilidad incrementaron el deterioro de la actividad económica y el quiebre de empresas, ante lo cual trabajadores de algunas industrias de la región decidieron impedir el cierre de las mismas permaneciendo en los establecimientos para evitar el desempleo. La situación más significativa es la de la actual Cooperativa Unión Papelera Platense la que, una vez lograda la compra de la empresa luego de su recuperación, orientó su estrategia hacia su consolidación y a enfrentar las problemáticas que afectan al conjunto de las pymes industriales: sostenimiento en el mercado, dificultades de financiamiento, incremento de los costos internos

Las Opciones Reales en los Expedientes de Regulación de Empleo

Las empresas en situación económica negativa, recurren en España a los Expedientes de Regulación de Empleo que es la figura legal que permite ajustar sus plantillas y cuya utilización se acrecienta en épocas de crisis. El objetivo de esta investigación se focaliza en la integración de la Teoría de Opciones Reales en los proyectos organizativos de recursos humanos, en particular en el estudio y aplicación de la opción de contracción y de la opción de aplazamiento a los proyectos de desarrollo de los Expedientes de Regulación de Empleo. Las opciones reales son una herramienta de gestión, novedosa y contrastada, que posibilita realizar la valoración de los Expedientes de Regulación de Empleo tomando en consideración las incertidumbres futuras, lo que permite cuantificar mejor el resultado de la decisión y supone un avance sobre la valoración realizada de forma estática. Dos aspectos clave ha sido necesario resolver. En primer lugar determinar la fuente de incertidumbre que ponga en valor las opciones reales para este tipo de proyectos y como consecuencia desarrollar los procedimientos para obtener el valor de la opción. La puesta en valor de la opción de contracción permite, a partir de la consideración de la demanda como factor de incertidumbre, desarrollar un modelo que proporciona el valor óptimo del número de contratos de trabajo a extinguir, de modo que sitúa a la organización en la mejor posición para la toma de decisiones. La resolución del modelo se logra con la ayuda de la herramienta “The Newsvendor Model”, que facilita la obtención el valor óptimo. En la aplicación de la opción de aplazamiento se ha concluido asimismo, que la volatilidad de la demanda es la fuente de incertidumbre que hace viable la opción y a partir de dicha incertidumbre se ha desarrollado un procedimiento basado en el árbol binomial que permite obtener su valor. Una vez desarrollados los dos modelos para las opciones de contracción y aplazamiento, se ha elaborado un modelo conjunto con ambas opciones, integrando los resultados obtenidos en cada caso. Para validar los modelos obtenidos se presenta su aplicación al caso real de una empresa en situación económica negativa que requiere la necesidad de llevar a cabo un Expediente de Regulación de Empleo, lo que ha permitido comprobar la utilidad de dichos desarrollos, al obtener resultados que facilitan la toma de decisiones y que presentan soluciones que pueden ser más equilibradas para los trabajadores de la empresa, aspecto clave a tener en cuenta, dado el coste personal, familiar y social de este tipo de proyectos. La integración de las opciones reales en la gestión de recursos humanos tiene un amplio campo de aplicación, dadas las diferentes inversiones que se pueden llevar a cabo sobre el capital humano. Aunque esta investigación se ha focalizado en la opcionalidad de las inversiones para el ajuste de plantilla, existen otro tipo de inversiones en recursos humanos, como son las dedicadas a formación, motivación, adecuación o incorporación de personal, que también estarán sujetas a opcionalidad si existen incertidumbres a futuro. Con el objetivo de avanzar en el estudio y aplicación de las opciones reales a estas inversiones, se presenta un marco conceptual que identifica las bases de partida en lo referente a los retornos de las inversiones y las incertidumbres futuras. Con los resultados obtenidos en esta investigación se entiende que se ha conseguido el objetivo de aplicar la Teoría de Opciones Reales a los Expedientes de Regulación de Empleo y con ello establecer la posibilidad de mejorar las implicaciones sociales de estos proyectos dentro de la empresa y en la sociedad. ABSTRACT During crisis times, like the one Spain has been going through on the last years, the Collective Dismissal Procedure is an important issue to be considered within companies that are having a negative economic situation. This research focuses on the integration of the Real Options Theory for organizational projects in the management of human resources, and particularly the study and inclusion of the option to contract and the deferral option in Collective Dismissal Procedures. The Real Options Theory, an innovative management tool that has been proven as correct, help to improve the assessment of the Collective Dismissal Procedures using the dynamic demand instead of the static demand, giving a better quantification of the decision that is going to be taken. Two main issues which are hoped to be resolve are examined: the search for a source of uncertainty to make the real options viable for this type of projects, and consequently the development of a procedure to obtain the value of the option. The option to contract allows, from the consideration of the demand as a factor of uncertainty, to develop a model obtaining the optimal value in the reduction of the workforce, therefore allowing the organization to place itself in the best position for the decision making. The resolution of this model is achieved with the help of "The Newsvendor Model" tool, which facilitates obtaining the optimal value. The analysis performed in the deferral option also concluded that the volatility of demand is the source of the uncertainty that makes the option viable and the procedure developed by the binomial tree is the tool that enables the value of the option to be found. Once developed two models for contraction and deferment options, a joint model has been developed including both options by integrating the results obtained in each case. To validate the models, the real case of a company in negative economic situation requiring the need to carry out a procedure for collective redundancies is applied. This has demonstrated the usefulness of this kind of development that can deliver results to improve the decision making and provide more balanced solutions for company employees, key consideration given the impact on personal, family life and social environment of these Collective Dismissal Procedures. The integration of real options in the management of human resources has broad scope, given the different investments that can be performed on the human capital. Although this research has focused on the optionality of investments for downsizing, there are other investments in human resources for training, motivation, arrangement or incorporation of staff that are also subject to optionality if there are future uncertainties. With the aim of advancing the study and application of real options to these investments, a conceptual framework is presented that identifies the basis of research in terms of the investment returns and future uncertainties. With the results obtained on this research it is clearly defined the objectives for which this work was started for, the application of the Real Options Theory to the Collective Dismissal Procedure. And thereby achieve the final goal of improving the social impact of these projects within a company and society.

The impact on general practitioners of the changing balance of care for elderly people living in institutions

Objectives: To describe utilisation of general practitioners by elderly people resident in communal establishments; to examine variations in general practitioner utilisation and estimate the likely impact of the “downsizing” of long stay provision in NHS hospitals.

The future of the national laboratories

The end of the Cold War has called into question the activities of the national laboratories and, more generally, the level of support now given to federal intramural research in the United States. This paper seeks to analyze the potential role of the laboratories, with particular attention to the possibility, on the one hand, of integrating private technology development into the laboratory’s menu of activities and, on the other hand, of outsourcing traditional mission activities. We review the economic efficiency arguments for intramural research and the political conditions that are likely to constrain the activities of the laboratories, and analyze the early history of programs intended to promote new technology via cooperative agreements between the laboratories and private industry. Our analysis suggests that the laboratories are likely to shrink considerably in size, and that the federal government faces a significant problem in deciding how to organize a downsizing of the federal research establishment.

Raising the bar: the importance of hospital library standards in the continuing medical education accreditation process*

The Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS) reviews and accredits the continuing medical education (CME) programs offered by Connecticut's hospitals. As part of the survey process, the CSMS assesses the quality of the hospitals' libraries. In 1987, the CSMS adopted the Medical Library Association's (MLA's) “Minimum Standards for Health Sciences Libraries in Hospitals.” In 1990, professional librarians were added to the survey team and, later, to the CSMS CME Committee. Librarians participating in this effort are recruited from the membership of the Connecticut Association of Health Sciences Librarians (CAHSL). The positive results of having a qualified librarian on the survey team and the invaluable impact of adherence to the MLA standards are outlined. As a direct result of this process, hospitals throughout the state have added staffing, increased space, and added funding for resources during an era of cutbacks. Some hospital libraries have been able to maintain a healthy status quo, while others have had proposed cuts reconsidered by administrators for fear of losing valuable CME accreditation status. Creating a relationship with an accrediting agency is one method by which hospital librarians elsewhere may strengthen their efforts to ensure adequate library resources in an era of downsizing. In addition, this collaboration has provided a new and important role for librarians to play on an accreditation team.

Managing Layoff Survivors

‰Û÷Survivor syndrome' or negative consequences of a layoff on survivors is the key reason why layoffs fail. This Capstone Project draws on downsizing-related research and proposes a customizable plan to revitalize the surviving workforce after a downsizing initiative. The plan divides downsizing-related interventions into three phases: pre-downsizing, day of the announcement, and post-downsizing. Key elements of this plan include linking the plan to a revised vision, detailed planning of the process, open, two-way communication systems, employee involvement in all stages of the process, respectable treatment of departing employees, plans to support survivors, training frontline managers, and implementing a top talent retention strategy. The Capstone also addresses roles and responsibilities of leaders, HR professionals, and managers in the survivor management process.

When Labour and Capital Collude: The Varieties of Welfare Capitalism and Early Retirement in Europe, Japan and the USA. CES Germany & Europe Working Papers, No. 00.4, 2000

The institutionalisation of early retirement has become a universal feature of postwar industrial economies, though there are significant cross-national variations. This paper studies the impact of different types of welfare regimes, production systems and labour relations on early exit from work. After an analysis of the main trends, the paper discusses the costs and benefits of early retirement for the various actors — labour, capital and the state — at different levels. The paper outlines both the "pull” and "push” factors of early exit. It first compares the distinct welfare state regimes and private occupational pensions in their impact on early retirement. Then it looks at the labour-shedding strategies inherent to particular employment regimes, production systems and financial governance structures. Finally, the impact of particular industrial relations systems, and especially the role of unions is discussed. The paper finds intricate "institutional complementarities” between particular welfare states, production regimes and industrial relations systems, and these structure the incentives under which actors make decisions on work and retirement. The paper argues that the "collusion” between capital, labour and the state in pursuing early retirement is not merely following a labour-shedding strategy to ease mass unemployment, but also caused by the need for economic restructuration, the downsizing pressures from financial markets, the maintenance of peaceful labour relations, and the consequences of a seniority employment system.

Civil-Military Relations in Croatia: Politicisation and Politics of Reform.

This article argues that since 2000 successive Croatian governments have shown themselves increasingly dedicated to reforming civil-military relations. However, their efforts have been hampered by four key obstacles. First, the need to implement defence reforms in the context of an unwieldy set of civil-military relationships, political and institutional rivalries, a lack of civil and military defence expertise and a continuing legacy of politicisation. Second, the need to cut defence spending as a proportion of the overall budget whilst taking on new military roles and improving the capability of the armed forces. Third, the need to balance the demands of the NATO accession process while implementing a balanced and fundamental reform of the armed forces as a whole. Finally, the need to implement root and branch personnel reforms and downsizing in the OSRH while simultaneously recruiting and retaining quality personnel and addressing the wider social issue of unemployment.