The Policy Road to Socialism

In the standard formulation, the Marxist theory of the state implies that socialism requires revolution: Reformist social policy generates capital flight and capital flight undermines reform. I show that this mechanism, while plausible, turns out to have little empirical merit. State theory correctly points to an “accumulation” function whereby capitalist states depend on revenue and must therefore worry about the reforms that undermine profitability. But this accumulation function has been overwhelmed, historically, by a more powerful “legitimation” function: Popular social expenditures in rich capitalist democracies tend to grow and only rarely decline, even during the so-called neoliberal period. This article considers both sides of this debate. First, I propose (and predict) a path to socialism by way of mushrooming social policy. And second, I argue that if revolution is the only hope for socialism, then socialism is off the table; the revolution must be betrayed.

Optimization of correlate subquery based on distributed database

Subquery is widely used in database. It can be divided into related subquery and non-related subquery according to whether it is dependent on the table of the parent query. For related subqueries, it is necessary to take a tuple from the parent query before executing the subquery, that is, the content of the subquery needs to be repeatedly operated. Disk access costs of this strategy is very big, in the distributed database, because of data communication overhead, in the parent query yuan set is too low efficiency, therefore, for the class sub queries, on the basis of the optimization of the existing query strategy, combining with the characteristics of distributed database, put forward by the subquery on to join queries, eliminate redundant clauses in the subquery, eliminate accumulation function method based on distributed database query optimization strategy, and the effectiveness of the present optimization strategy is verified by experiment.

Acemoglu Meets Lucas: Institutions, Human Capital and Economic Growth

This paper proposes a reinterpretation of Lucas endogenous growth model (1988), once we add an institutional component as one of its determinants. Firstly, the paper develops a theoretical model that links human capital and institutions. Our modelling strategy establishes the human capital accumulation function as being derived from an endogenous process in which the institutional performance is a booster for the economy’s growth. The essay uses a 40–country panel data of the years 2000, 2005 and 2010 and implements a Pooled Ordinary Least Squares (POLS) analysis – alongside instrumental variables (IV) – aiming to validate empirically the model proposed. We verify that Lucas’ model overestimates the human capital contribution as we evaluate the significant impact that economic and political institutions have on the capability of human capital foment growth. Additionally, our estimations also suggest that human capital is, effectively, institutionally driven and works as a channel for the institutions.

New records of polychaetes (Annelida: Polychaeta) from three locations of Oaxaca, Mexico

Introduction: The knowledge of polychaetes from Oaxaca, Mexico, is represented by 41 families and 241 species, nevertheless, 148 species are considered questionable. The majority of taxonomic studies of polychaetes in Oaxaca have taken placed on estuarine zones or commercial ports, sidelining other marine ecosystems. Objective: To identify the polychaeta-fauna from three different marine ecosystems in Oaxaca, Mexico. Methods: Specimens analyzed came from the Sección de poliquetos de la Colección Científica at the Laboratorio de Sistemática de Invertebrados Marinos, Universidad del Mar. The material deposited in the collection was collected between 2007-2017; additionally, new collect were realized in 2017. For each locality, the family and species richness were estimated using the accumulation function of linear dependence model. Results: One hundred lots and 273 specimens were revised. Seventy-one taxa, belonging to 47 genera and 21 families were identified, only twenty of these taxa are confirmed species (28 %). Chacahua Lagoon had the highest richness and relative abundance with 37 taxa and 149 specimens, Agua Blanca was identified 21 taxa and 92 specimens, and from San Agustín 19 taxa and 32 specimens. Sabellariidae had the highest relative abundance (58 specimens), while Phyllodocidae presented the highest species richness (12 species). Conclusions: This study adds 75 new records of taxa of polychaetes to the coast Oaxaca, which increase the knowledge in this animal group, now represented by 304 species, belonging to 154 genera and 42 families.

MEASURING TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF INSURANCE COMPANIES USING DYNAMIC NETWORK DEA: AN INTERMEDIATION APPROACH

This study measures technical efficiency of the Malaysian insurance companies using a new framework for performance efficiency, built on the intermediation approach, by decomposing the complex service processes of insurance companies into two functional divisions, premium accumulation and investment capability. The study employs a dynamic network data envelopment analysis for performance evaluation of insurer (life, general and composite insurers) and ownership (local and foreign) types, spanning the period 2007–2014. The findings reveal a lack of efficiency in the investment capability function among local insurers as compared to their foreign counterparts. While the composite or non-specialized segment performs better in the investment capability function, the general segment achieves better efficiency in the premium accumulation function. The results suggest the high usage of input quantities and lack of total investment as key reasons for low efficiency, particularly among the local insurers. Implications for business excellence for insurance companies are further discussed.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PRINCIPLES OF THERAPY OF A NEUROGENIC HYPERACTIVE URINARY BLADDER IN PATIENTS AFTER CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT

Neurogenic hyperactiv e bladder in different clinical variations is a characteristic com plication of restorativ e and residual periods of ischemic stroke and an important diagnostic criterion in vascular dementia. Mechanisms of formation of individual symptoms included in this syndrome is due to ischemic damage to cortical, subcortical and brainstem (the nucleus of Barrington) centres of urination and associative areas of the brain, and the functional dissociation of these structures due to demyelination of the Central conductors of the afferent and efferent impulses. As a result of deficit of cerebral effects (such as brake and activating), is a violation of the implementation of the reflexes of urination (including carrying out continence), ongoing spinal (sympathetic, parasympathetic and somatic). The article presents a new concept of formation of the syndrome of hyperactive bladder on the basis of violations of the implementation of the 4 reflexes of urination, which provides the normal retention of urine and are responsible for the accumulation function of the bladder. First we analyzed the main point of application of drugs of anticholinergic and sympathomimetic actions in the reflexes of urination and mechanisms of restoration of function of the lower urinary tract in patients with acute and chronic v ascular diseases of the brain.