bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Technology Location and the Urban Areas of Great Britain
Authors: Begg Iain G. , Cameron Gordon C.
Published: October 2006

High technology manufacturing and services are not evenly spread throughout Great Britain. London and the rest of the South East dominate with almost half of all the high technology workforce: the rest of the South East, East Anglia and the South West have relative concentrations of high technology. In terms of urban areas, none of the evidence and statistical testing suggests any correlation between the location of high technology manufacturing and city size. High technology services do, however, appear to prefer larger cities. Both high technology manufacturing and services reject locations which contain a high proportion of traditional economic activities but are more likely to be found where producer services are also concentrated.
Labour and Housing Market Change in London: A Longitudinal Analysis, 1971-1981
Authors: Hamnett Chris , Randolph Bill
Published: October 2006

In market economies the housing market operates to sift and sort households into different sections of the market by occupation and income. Changes in the distribution of households across the housing market can therefore occur as a result of changes in the structure of occupation and income or changes in the supply of housing by tenure and price. Britain has witnessed major changes in both occupational composition and the tenure structure of the housing market over the last 20 years and this research examines the interrelations between these changes in London from 1971 to 1981 using data from the OPCS Longitudinal Study.
People, Parks and the Urban Green: A Study of Popular Meanings and Values for Open Spaces in the City
Authors: Burgess Jacquelin , Harrison Carolyn M. , Limb Melanie
Published: October 2006

Contemporary provision of open spaces within cities rests largely on professional assumptions about its significance in the lives of residents. This paper presents results from the Greenwich Open Space Project which used qualitative research with four, in-depth discussion groups to determine the design of a questionnaire survey of households in the borough. The research shows that the most highly valued open spaces are those which enhance the positive qualities of urban life : variety of opportunities and physical settings; sociability and cultural diversity. The findings lend some support to the approach of the urban conservation movement but present a fundamental challenge to the open-space hierarchy embodied in the Greater London Development Plan. The Project identifies a great need for diversity of both natural settings and social facilities within local areas and highlights the potential of urban green space to improve the quality of life of all citizens.
Politics, Unemployment and Local Economic Policies
Authors: Boyne George A.
Published: October 2006

This paper develops and tests a model of variations in local economic policies. The influence of unemployment, financial resources and party politics on economic development expenditures is estimated empirically in the London Boroughs. The statistical evidence indicates that the model provides a satisfactory explanation of inter-borough differences in economic policies and that the impact of party political and local tax-base variables is particularly important. The implications of the results for central policies towards local economic development and for analyses of local policy variation are discussed.
The Urban Distribution of Lung Cancer Mortality in England and Wales 1980-1983
Authors: Haynes Robin
Published: October 2006

Lung cancer area mortality rates for the period 1980-1983 in England and Wales followed the pattern observed for previous years, with high rates concentrated in urban districts and low rates in remote rural districts. Using data for 401 local government districts, estimates of smoking prevalence were made from socio-economic distributions and regional smoking variations. Confounding effects of migration and errors in mortality records were investigated by comparing the pattern of recorded lung cancer mortality with that of all other cancers. Holding these variables constant by statistical means reduced the correlation between lung cancer SMRs and population density from 0.65 to 0.53 for males and from 0.54 to 0.46 for females, so a large proportion of the urban-rural gradient remained unexplained. It is likely that a combination of several effects rather than a single urban risk factor is responsible for the urban concentration of lung cancer mortality.
Hedged Real Estate Portfolios and the Wealth Redistribution Effect of Real Estate Option
Authors: Farrell L.M.
Published: October 2006

The realization that risky assets can be replicated by some combination of the asset, riskless bonds and put and call options has motivated the application of option pricing theory to the valuation of real estate assets. Conceptual and empirical problems arising from the unique nature of real estate may necessitate the development of new models different from the Black Scholes formulation currently used in many studies. The Binominal Option Pricing (BOP) model may be more practical in real estate markets for which objective price data is not available: not only is it easier to estimate but it is not critically dependent on an accurate estimate of the instantaneous price variance. The option pricing framework provides an unexpected insight into the redistribution of wealth which can occur as a result of the financial policies pursued by the owner of a levered real estate investment.
The Problem of Sparsity in Education Provision
Authors: O'Brien Thomas S. , Taylor Stuart R.
Published: October 2006

Central government contributes around one-half of the cost incurred by local authorities in financing and managing state schools in England. The Block Grant system, dating from the 1980 Rate Support Grant settlement, introduced the concept of the payment of grant in relation to the number of clients rather than, as previously, actual expenditures. Within that framework, adjustments are made to compensate for certain unavoidable, non-discretionary factors which serve to increase unit costs in particular authorities. This paper is concerned with the problems caused by 'sparsity', a term used to refer to the sparse nature of population distribution. Several pieces of research have identified sparsity as a cause of increased unit costs of provision: by necessitating schools of smaller size (in which overhead costs cause diseconomies) and/or higher costs for the transportation of pupils. The way in which these factors operate was found to differ between the primary and secondary sectors. A method was devised which sought to evaluate the additional costs attributable to sparsity, independently of local authority policy preferences and the other factors affecting variation in unit costs. A 'standardised unit cost' was derived which related costs to the 'norm' of the average national unit cost. The cost measure was then regressed against a measure of the incidence of sparsity to derive a 'fitted' unit cost, such that compensation would only be paid where actual sparsity was observed. The resulting Grants Related Expenditure Assessment (GREA) has been subjected to continuing refinement and adjustment via a process of negotiation with the local authority associations; the paper describes some of the resulting changes.
Interurban Variation in Venture Capital Investment Characteristics
Authors: Green Milford B. , McNaughton Rod B.
Published: October 2006

This paper describes interurban variations in venture capital investment characteristics. Regional, funding, and industrial sector preferences are characterised for ten of the most active venture capital centres. Investment data document the importance of these centres as importers and exporters of venture capital and shows interurban market linkages. An attempt is made to describe these linkages by a traditional gravity model. Poor fits result in the adoption of an alternative technique; the median polish that provides a more detailed description of venture capital spatial investment behaviour.
Finance for Urban Public Infrastructure
Authors: Kirwan R.M.
Published: October 2006

The financing of urban public infrastructure is becoming increasingly problematical in a world of high real interest rates and stringent fiscal constraints. In many countries public authorities are turning (or returning) to different ways of financing local needs. These include extensions of user-pricing and widespread reliance on earmarked taxes and up-front capital contributions by land developers, as well as joint capital participation with private interests. Issues of equity and legality are of increasing concern. While the earmarking of funds can improve efficiency, flexibility is reduced; and there are risks of intergenerational and horizontal inequity. But the need for innovative approaches to finance has one major advantage, that it is encouraging public authorities to demonstrate more clearly the nexus between the benefits that How from new infrastructure and the incidence of cost.
Urban Unemployment; A Causal Modelling Approach
Authors: Mair Douglas , Miller Anne G.
Published: October 2006

Intra-urban variations in male unemployment are hypothesised to depend on residential variations in the personal characteristics of adult males, (age, marital status, family size, skill level, housing tenure), and local characteristics, (manufacturing employment, the number of married working women, and unemployment in previous years). A causal modelling approach is adopted, in which the nature and direction of the causal relationships between the highly correlated personal and local characteristics are carefully specified a priori. The hypothesised linkages between the standardised variables are tested in a systematic manner, using step-wise regression, yielding beta-coefficients. Post-code Sector data, for 29 Scottish cities and towns, from the Small Areas Statistics of the 1971 and 1981 Censuses of Population, were analysed as a whole, and in seven subsets: 4 cities, Strathclyde excluding Glasgow, new towns, and the rest of Scotland. The typical pattern suggests that unemployment is related to lack of skill, number of dependents, and manufacturing employment, but not to youthfulness, council housing tenure, nor to previous unemployment. However, the disaggregated analyses show considerable variation, confirming that relationships are highly specific to location. Thus policy recommendations should be tailored to the local situation.
Public Opinion and Decision Making in the Community. Evaluation of Residents' Attitudes Towards Town Planning Measures
Authors: Lalli Marco , Thomas Christina
Published: October 2006

The relationship between political decision-making in the community, local public opinion and residents' attitudes are examined with reference to a concrete local political issue in Mannheim (Federal Republic of Germany). This involved town planning measures which were aimed at enhancing urban quality. The focus of interests were controversial plans for an undeveloped area of the inner city. The aim of the study was to investigate the attitudes of residents towards this problem and their psychological background. A quasi-experimental field study in form of a telephone survey was carried out. In total, 200 people were interviewed. In evaluating the development plans, perceived urban quality and identification with the town are important psychological variables. Further results concerning the degree of acceptance and social impact of the plans are reported. Finally, the relevance of social scientific examination for local politics is emphasised which could be used to improve the basis of decision-making in the community.
British Planning Policy and Access to Housing: Some Empirical Estimates
Authors: Cheshire Paul , Sheppard Stephen
Published: October 2006

There is evidence that the implementation of the planning system creates 'scarcity rents' for land in different uses by acting as a constraint on land supply. This paper provides, for 1984, estimates of the effects this has on house prices, on residential densities and on access to owner occupation. In turn these generate estimates of the extent to which urban development would spread in the South East if the planning system were operated in a way which had no restrictive effect on the built-up area. We draw on the results of a wider study of the economic consequences of the planning system. Our estimates are derived from a detailed analysis of the land and property markets in two English cities, selected to be at the polar extremes of planning restrictiveness but as similar as possible in other respects. Household surveys were used to generate the data necessary to standardise for factors conventional urban economic theory suggests would lead to demand differences between them, to provide quantitative estimates of the effects of the supply restrictions produced by the operation of the planning system.
A Behavioural Model of the Supply of Re-Lets of Council Housing in England
Authors: Eastall Richard , Kleinman Mark
Published: October 2006

The supply of council housing over recent years has become increasingly dependent on re-lets of the existing stock, due to sharp reductions in new building by local authorities. This paper sets out a hypothesis for the determinants of re-let supply in terms of the characteristics of council tenants and local market factors. This hypothesis is tested for English local authorities between 1980 and 1987 using correlation and regression analyses. The behavioural model thus developed can explain 60 per cent of the variation in re-let rates between districts outside London. The most important factors are shown to be the household structure of existing council tenants and the level of house prices in the local private housing market.
Cities, Scale Economies, Local Goods and Local Governments
Authors: Hochman Oded
Published: October 2006

This study utilises a precise diagrammatic exposition to analyse issues involving the existence and stability of cities, land rents, and private and public local finance. In spite of the limitations of the exposition (such as having only two dimensions) the model is very general, primarily due to the use of cost curves in the analysis. The main new results of this study are: (1) A generalisation of the Henry George law. In its extended form, this law expresses the sufficiency of land rents for the financing of efficient local government investments in local public goods (pure or not), Piguvian subsidies and taxes, and in the internalisation of external economies of scale (except for the case of natural monopoly cities). For this study, a further extension has been made to apply to an economy with many different population groups, industries, cities, and production factors. (2) That when the basic industry of a city has scale economies internal to the individual firm, the optimal local government policy is the subsidisation of a single firm in the industry and deterrence from entry of all other firms of the same industry. In this case and, unlike that of the natural monopoly city, there may exist many such cities. (3) The identification and characterisation of internal and external scale economies in real life, and the type of city evolving from each and actual actions and procedures used by local governments which can be (and often are) used to increase efficiency. (4) The study of a natural monopoly city and the actions to be taken by both federal and local governments that are needed to achieve efficiency. (5) The existence of a criterion for the (Pareto) desirability of marginal local government investments. The criterion is based on changes in net land values. (6) The possible existence of local optimum solutions to the problem of an efficient city, which indicate the possible efficiency of major changes in the use of land in an already existing city. When the investment in such a major project is broken into stages, the initial steps in the series of investments may appear to be inefficient according to the above criterion (5), although the investment as a whole is altogether desirable.
The Redistributive Effects of Hong Kong's Public Housing Programme 1976-86
Authors: Li Si-Ming , Yu Fu-Lai
Published: October 2006

The paper seeks to address the question of the distributive equity of Hong Kong's public housing programme. While the rather complicated requirements for admission and the multitude of purposes the programme serves result to a certain extent in an inequitable distribution of housing benefits, the programme's overall impact on the distribution of income appears favourable. Computation of the Gini coefficient based on the 1976, 1981 and 1986 censuses shows that this favourable effect is becoming more apparent over time. The provision of housing benefits may not be the most efficient method of redistributing income, but this must be weighed against such considerations as social stability, neighbourhood viability and the desirability of spatial segregation.
Multicriteria Evaluation Approaches to Urban Transportation Projects
Authors: Won Jaimu
Published: October 2006

The major objective of this paper is to examine the applicability of multicriteria evaluation methods to automobile restraint types of transportation projects. The examination was performed through applying the three multicriteria evaluation methods—concordance analysis, the goals-achievement matrix and the compromise solution—to automobile restraint policies in the context of Seoul, Korea. The results of the research show that the methods employed have, despite certain drawbacks, considerable potential for assisting the decision-maker and others concerned with the transportation decision-making process. Their major advantage over traditional transportation evaluation methods is that they allow the consideration of a wider range of costs and benefits. The empirical analysis also illustrates the usefulness of including qualitative criteria into the evaluation framework without transforming them to a monetary dimension.
An Econometric and Cultural Analysis of Rent Control in Kumasi, Ghana
Authors: Willis Kenneth G. , Malpezzi Stephen , Tipple A. Graham
Published: October 2006

An empirical analysis of rent control in Kumasi, Ghana, is presented based upon a consumer demand model for housing. Controlled rent-to-income ratios are exceptionally low for a developing country. Moreover, the Asante housing market exhibits unusual cultural attributes and problems in estimating the 'without' rent control situation. Benefits and costs of rent control are presented by housing types and income levels, and distributional impacts assessed.
Mid Wales: Missing the Point
Authors: Day Graham , Hedger Merylyn
Published: October 2006

This paper responds to previous contributions to Urban Studies dealing with the achievements of the Development Board for Rural Wales. It questions the preoccupation with the number of manufacturing jobs which the Board has helped to create, and draws attention to the issue of their quality, and to the uneven spatial impact of the Board's policies. It also notes how the original conditions which led to the Board's establishment may no longer apply.
Analysing the Risk of Income-producing Real Estate
Authors: Gyourko Joseph , Linneman Peter
Published: October 2006

Institutional investors typically allocate under 5 per cent of their portfolios to income-producing real estate, yet the results of most academic studies imply that far larger allocations are optimal. One widespread argument is that the conflict between observed behaviour and scholarly prediction is spurious in the sense that it arises due to the use of faulty appraisal-based data. While lagged appraisals undoubtedly do smooth real estate return data, we argue that two other factors help explain the low measured variance of income-producing property returns and the low covariances of appraisal-based index returns with the stock market. The first is that most appraisal-based series are unlevered while the Standard and Poor 500 firms are approximately 50 per cent levered. A synthetic leveraging (i.e. gearing) of the Frank Russell Company real property series almost doubles the variance in its returns. The second factor flows from real estate market fundamentals. Because rents basically are a fixed cost to tenant firms, rental flows on existing buildings should be more stable than are the firms' cash flows. This implies that real property returns would not co-vary strongly with the stock market.
Issues in the Analysis of Small Area Mortality
Authors: Congdon Peter
Published: October 2006

This paper considers mortality variation between small areas in London during the 1980s in both a cross-sectional and a temporal perspective. The analysis takes account of the special nature of small area mortality data and incorporates sampling variation in addition to extraneous variation, as well as investigating the extent of autocorrelation, both spatial and temporal. The strongest association between socio-economic structure and mortality is apparent in the cross-sectional analysis and remains when spatial autocorrelation is allowed for. However, socio-economic concomitants of mortality are also significant in the temporal analysis based on conditional (two subperiod) and panel (time series) analyses.
Public Capital and the Factor Intensity of the Manufacturing Sector
Authors: Duffy-Deno Kevin T.
Published: October 2006

Numerous studies have examined the effect of local fiscal policy on business activity. Few have emphasised local public services and fewer still have examined the effect of local fiscal policy on the composition of business activity. Using newly derived estimates of regional public infrastructure, the effect of public capital on the factor intensity of the manufacturing sector of 36 SMSAs during the 1970-78 period is examined. The findings of this study indicate that public investment can play an important role in determining the composition of a region's industrial sector.
The Italian Housing Market: Its Failures and Their Causes
Authors: van Hees Ireneus L. M.
Published: October 2006

In this paper an economic housing-market model has been developed which is suitable for regional housing-market analysis. On the basis of this model a descriptive and explanatory analysis of the Italian housing market is given. The social problems connected with this are related to and confronted with the theory selected on the basis of this model and have been related to the political/social framework within which they were shaped. In the course of this process, four failures in the Italian housing market can be inferred. These prove to be the foundations of the social problems mentioned.
Geographic Variations in Moves into Institutions among the Elderly in England and Wales
Authors: Harrop Anne , Grundy Emily M. D.
Published: October 2006

Data from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) Longitudinal Study have been used to examine geographic variations in the proportions of elderly people in private households in 1971 but resident in institutions 10 years later. Regional differences in this indicator of institutionalisation were generally small, as was the effect of net inter-regional migration among those in a private household in 1971 but in an institution in 1981. Institutionalisation rates were slightly raised in counties with large proportions of retirement migrants and in wards previously identified as 'residential retirement' areas. Areas with high densities of elderly people tended to have high institutionalisation rates, suggesting that effective community services may be harder to provide in areas with high proportions of elderly people.
Reflections on the Absence of Squatter Settlements in West African Cities: The Case of Kumasi, Ghana
Authors: Konadu-Agyemang Kwadwo O.
Published: October 2006

Squatter and spontaneous settlements may have acquired the dubious honour of topping the litany of ills and malformations which are often listed as characterising Third World cities. Almost all the literature on Third World urbanisation and housing appears to present the view that the development of squatter settlements has become an inevitable aspect of Third World urban development and that it constitutes the poor urbanites' response to problems of accommodation shortage, high rents and land acquisition. This paper raises several issues regarding blanket statements on, and stereotyping of, Third World cities. It argues that the so-called squatter settlements which the literature often portrays as characterising Third World cities may not be true of anglophone West African cities. The case of Kumasi, Ghana has been examined with reference to the reasons adduced by Peil to explain the absence of squatter settlements in West Africa. It points out that the reasons offered by Peil may not be tenable in the case of Kumasi, but instead suggests that people's attitude to traditions, customs and beliefs regarding land ownership and the role of the spirits of dead ancestors in the affairs of the living may in effect be safeguarding the city against the development of squatter settlements.
Cross-national Urban Structure in the Era of Global Cities: The US-Mexico Transfrontier Metropolis
Authors: Herzog Lawrence A.
Published: October 2006

The growth of cities along international boundaries is symptomatic of the gradual integration of border territory into the economic circuitry of the world system. Border urbanisation represents an important regional dimension to the emerging dialogue on global cities. This article examines the US-Mexico transfrontier metropolis, a container of accelerating US-Mexico, First World-Third World integration, manifest within the physical space of a city. The transnational structure of this border metropolis is examined on two levels: social interaction (commuter workers), and economic connectivity (assembly plants).
Patterns and Trends in Local Pay in Great Britain, 1975-76 to 1987-88
Authors: Molho Ian
Published: October 2006

Whilst local pay differentials lie at the heart of most models of local labour markets, not enough is known about the size and trends of such differentials in Great Britain. This study is based on a new data set, derived from Inland Revenue and Department of Social Security statistics, for a 1 per cent sample of National Insurance records. The information was available at the detailed Local Labour Market Area level annually from 1975-76 to 1987-88, disaggregated by sex, age, industry and (for women) marital status. The data showed a marked widening of local pay differentials in the late 1980s. Much of the cross-sectional variation reflected a differential between Greater London and the rest of the country (partly reflected in house prices). The trend towards increasing local pay differentials over time was still in evidence, however, even when labour markets in the South East were excluded from the sample.
Housing Demand in Developing Countries: A Case-study of Karachi in Pakistan
Authors: Lodhi Akhtar , Pasha Hafiz A.
Published: October 2006

This paper analyses the characteristics of housing demand in the formal and informal housing markets of a large metropolitan city (Karachi) in a developing country (Pakistan) with low per capita incomes. While results of earlier research are confirmed in the case of the formal housing market, the explanatory power of the conventional housing demand specification is very limited in the informal sector. This is attributed to the impact of outward remittances by migrants, imperfections in the housing credit market, the low level of provision of public goods and differences in housing preferences.
Changing Partners: The Experience of Urban Economic Policy in West Central Scotland, 1980-90
Authors: Boyle Robin
Published: October 2006

The central argument in this paper is that the concept of partnership in urban economic policy, as it affected west central Scotland, significantly changed during the 1980s. In summary, the decade began with the public sector commonly taking the lead role, with more evidence of the rhetoric of private-sector involvement than the reality of genuine commitment from the business community. The shift that occurred as the decade progressed has been characterised as one of a simple redirection of responsibility and resources towards the private sector, in particular the transformation of the Scottish Development Agency into Scottish Enterprise and the private sector's control over the Local Enterprise Companies. Such an assessment potentially ignores the complexity of agencies and organisations that evolved during this decade; has the danger of underplaying the continuing role of different levels of government and of minimising the increasingly important part played by non-profit, community and voluntary organisations. Before documenting and analysing the shifting strands of partnership, the paper introduces the historical context that, it is argued, has played an important role in shaping the style of urban economic policy in Scotland, and in particular discusses economic policy initiatives that shaped the urban landscape of west central Scotland. The paper ends with an assessment of the critical ingredients of partnerships that emerged during the decade and a tentative evaluation of their impact on the economic, social and physical environment of west central Scotland.
Credit Unions and Low-income Communities
Authors: McArthur Andrew , McGregor Alan , Stewart Robert
Published: October 2006

Since the late 1980s the number of community-based credit unions in Britain has grown steadily. These are financial co-operatives based on low-income neighbourhoods, owned and controlled by local residents, which aim to provide savings and low-cost credit facilities to their members. Although located in economically disadvantaged communities, credit unions are not exclusively used by the poor. While better-off groups save and borrow more, a greater proportion of low-income users would not have purchased goods and services in the absence of a credit union. Credit unions are making useful but marginal contributions to the credit and debt problems of low-income families. They could probably achieve more with additional resources, but any intervention by external agencies should be sensitive and avoid damaging the strong mutual aid foundations upon which credit unions are based.
Application of the Co-plot Method in the Study of Socio-economic Differences between Cities: A Basis for a Differential Development Policy
Authors: Lipshitz Gabriel , Raveh Adi
Published: October 2006

Research on regional development devotes little attention to socio-economic distinctions within peripheral and core regions, but rather, stresses disparities between regions. The findings of the present study point to the need to reconsider regional development by placing the main emphasis on the fashioning of a differential regional development policy, together with or in preference to a homogeneous or uniform policy. The significance of this finding transcends the Israeli case (40 development towns). This finding was exposed by the application of a new method, the co-plot. Co-plot enables the simultaneous study of observations and variables for a set of data. Co-plot maps the observations (rows of a matrix) in such a way that similar observations are closely located on the map. Each variable is represented individually by an arrow.
Determinants of Household Formation in a Third World Setting
Authors: Pasha Hafiz A. , Lodhi Akhtar
Published: October 2006

This paper analyses the determinants of household formation in a large metropolitan city (Karachi) in a low-income, developing country (Pakistan) by comparing the sample characteristics of nuclear households with those of 'nuclei' within joint households. Contrary to expectations, the results indicate the lack of influence of income and education. The primary impetus to the creation of new households is provided by new migrants, by working women and by the number of dependants.
A City at the Crossroads: Social and Economic Transformation in Budapest
Authors: Kovdcs Zoltdn
Published: October 2006

East-central European cities arrived at a new phase of their development after the collapse of the former political system. This paper seeks to explore the impact of recent political and economic changes in Budapest, focusing mainly upon problems linked to the privatisation of the built environment and economic life. The rapid transformation of the economy not only reorganises the function and the role of Budapest within its wider region, but also reshapes the internal structure of the city. Due to the large-scale privatisation of housing and the very dynamic growth of the private economy, there is a functional conversion of the central part of the city. Small-scale businesses are mushrooming, and many of the newly established firms rent or buy recently privatised flats for office and business purposes. The dynamic growth of the so-called service sector and business-oriented employment also tends to generate a rapid population change and the improvement of the socio-economic status of certain neighbourhoods.
The Predictive Accuracy of Residential Vacancy Chain Models
Authors: Emmi Philip C. , Magnusson Lena
Published: October 2006

The focus of this report is on the predictive accuracy of residential vacancy chain models. There are two objectives. The first is to define the mathematical structure of a pair of multisectoral residential vacancy chain models. These models simulate the intersectoral transfer of vacant housing opportunities in response to either the creation of new opportunities or the absorption of existing ones. Residential mobility is given as an analytical by-product. The second objective is to calibrate these models and gauge the accuracy of their projections. Models with six housing sectors each are calibrated with 1975-80 data from three different Swedish municipalities (Gävle, Jönköping and Vasteras). Calibrations are used for projections into the proximate 5-year period. Projections of intersectoral residential mobility for 1980-85 are compared statistically with observed moves for the period. Coefficients of determination range between 0.93 and 0.97. Log-linear analysis shows projection error ranging from 3 to 12 per cent. The projective accuracy of these models exceeds that of any known alternative. The empirical success of these models points to their value in understanding processes affecting the formation and change of urban residential structure.
Concentration of Poverty in the Landscapes of 'Boomtown' Hamburg: The Creation of a New Urban Underclass?
Authors: Dangschat Jens S.
Published: October 2006

After a brief account of the state of the art of the German discussion on poverty, this paper criticises the lack of a theory integrating the complexity of poverty as a social configuration. Moreover, the reduction on economic aspects of poverty in empirical studies is criticised. Another bias is the lack of attention paid to spatial aspects of poverty: space as a dimension of social inequalities and therefore part of poverty in cities itself, and—particularly in bigger cities—as places where poverty is concentrated. A fourth lack is touched on in discussing urban poverty as dependent on processes of urban restructuring (economic restructuring and political regulation). Hamburg as an example of a very heterogeneous development of social polarisation is used to describe poverty trends both in its magnitude and in its composition (social assistance, unemployment, low income and housing). To analyse the role of 'Enterprise Hamburg' the concentration of poverty is seen as a model of urban development, namely local policies and urban planning. Taking social polarisation as given, the conclusion is a plea for the protection of those spatial concentrations of poverty where economic capital is missed but where a broad range of cultural and social capital is concentrated. These neighbourhoods can serve as an institution of integration and solidarity for urban society.
Upgrading and Downgrading within the Metropolitan Region of Rotterdam, 1970-90
Authors: Meulenbelt Karin
Published: October 2006

For a long time, the inner cities and their surrounding 19th-century neighbourhoods were minimum-choice neighbourhoods. The more prosperous people lived in the suburbs. This socio-economic pattern of residential areas in the metropolitan region has, however, been less stable during the past 10 years. Inner-city districts and rural areas have undergone a process of upgrading, while residential areas built in the 1960s and even some suburban municipalities experienced downgrading. This paper deals with upgrading and downgrading in the Rotterdam metropolitan region for the past 20 years. The processes are interpreted as a consequence of societal changes and the intervention of central and local government.
Housing and Spatial Deprivation: Relocating the Underclass and the New Urban Poor
Authors: Lee Peter
Published: October 2006

Poverty debates have recently focused upon the emergence of an underclass characterised by a detachment from society's normative behaviour and values. Alternative contributions invite us to view the growth in social assistance as the 'new poor' measured against the 'traditional' poor. In neither the accounts of 'new poverty' nor of the underclass is there any theorisation of space or the role that housing plays in contributing to these experiences of poverty. This paper argues that a multidisciplinary perspective must be used to understand new forms of poverty and, whilst dismissing the underclass thesis, analyses the role that housing plays in the creation and sustenance of deprivation. It concludes that new patterns and concentrations of poverty are better explained by an approach which incorporates the housing dynamic as it relates to structuring where the poor live.
Determinants of Canadian Headship Rates
Authors: Skaburskis Andrejs
Published: October 2006

This article shows how regional differences in household formation relate to differences in income and housing prices. It presents an assessment of the effect of housing prices and income expectations on household formation decisions. Gender differences are revealed. Differences between spatial and temporal variation in headship rate changes are illustrated, along with the inappropriateness of using coefficients obtained through cross-sectional analysis in forecasting exercises or impact assessments. Normative conclusions are developed.
A Change in the Policy Climate? Current European Perspectives on Road Pricing
Authors: Grieco Margaret , Jones Peter M.
Published: October 2006

The paper traces changes in attitudes towards road pricing in the European Community, both on the part of politicians and the general public and its representative organisations (e.g. consumer associations), across the range of member states and their geographical neighbours. It identifies the development of a European 'congestion consciousness' and considers the role of pan-European technology initiatives in shaping this consciousness. Particular attention is given to the important role played by municipalities in taking forward road-pricing initiatives, and of the need to take account of public concerns relating to the implementation of urban road pricing. The functional role played by the blurring between congestion pricing and road tolling is also discussed. The paper examines the ways in which road-pricing policy developments in one member state, and the associated technological developments, produce the conditions for the up-take of road pricing as a policy issue in another country (i.e. in line with domino theory).
The Sale of the Social Housing Stock in Slovenia: What Happened and Why
Authors: Stanovnik Tine
Published: October 2006

This paper analyses the sale of the social housing stock in Slovenia, promulgated by the Housing Act in 1991. It is shown that the large differences (between municipalities) in the percentage of sold social housing are due primarily to economic factors. While providing some short-term gains to the sellers (the state, municipalities and firms), the sale of the social housing stock has accentuated regional disparities and will seriously limit the options for housing tenure reform in the future.
Financing Housing in Developing Countries: A Review of the Pitfalls and Potentials in the Development of Formal Housing Finance Systems
Authors: Okpala Don C. I.
Published: October 2006

Effectively addressing the existing and continuously growing enormous demands and needs for shelter depends critically on the availability of long-term housing finance on a fairly large and sustainable scale. Policy approaches to realise this situation are still issues of continuing debate in professional circles. The central issues of focus are sustainable availability, affordability and accessibility of housing finance to households. Evidence currently indicates that a dominant proportion of housing in developing countries is accounted for by informal non-institutional sources but it has been increasingly strongly argued that development of a formal institutional housing finance system is indispensable for effectively addressing the quantitative and qualitative housing inadequacy problem. One of the most strongly canvassed strategies is for housing finance to be integrated into the larger national financial system and for its operation to be based on pure market pricing mechanisms, free of government interference. This paper attempts to identify, review and synthesise from available experiences and literature, the issues involved in this debate, having regard to the general state of institutional development and the prevailing macroeconomic (including financial) climate in most developing countries. Inferences from the review indicate that, all things considered, an informal housing financing system will remain a viable option and that, in the circumstances of developing countries, the long-term development of sustainable institutional housing finance systems requires continued discrete and prudent roles for government to establish and to enforce an effective system of rules, regulations, safeguards and supervisory functions to monitor and to prevent abuses. Some degree of support (subsidy) and incentives, albeit indirect, may even be necessary and advisable. While integration of housing finance into the national financial system and market sourcing and pricing may be the desired goals, these will be very much in the long term.
Precancer in Mice: Animal Models Used to Understand, Prevent, and Treat Human Precancers
Authors: Cardiff Robert D. , Anver Miriam R. , Boivin Gregory P. , Bosenberg Marcus W. , Maronpot Robert R. , Molinolo Alfredo A. , Nikitin Alexander Yu , Rehg Jerold E. , Thomas George V. , Russell Robert G. , Ward Jerrold M.
Published: October 2006

We present a status report from the NCI Mouse Models of Human Cancers Consortium (MMHCC) Precancers Workshop held November 8 and 9, 2004. An expert panel, the Mouse Models Group (MMG) evaluated the status of mouse models of precancer emphasizing genetically engineered mouse models, especially of lining epithelium and their utilitarian value to human carcinogenesis. An outline of the background for the panel’s considerations is provided with examples of past and current precancerous lesions in mice. The experimental use of oncogenic viruses and chemical carcinogens in mice led to operational definitions of initiation, promotion, and preneoplasia Preneoplastic and precancerous lesions are found in these models. In this precancer concept, most preneoplastic lesions are considered as potentially precancerous or at least an earlier stage in cancer development than typical pre-invasive epithelial lesions, which are often seen in these mouse models. Genetically engineered mice, used to test the oncogenicity of individual genes, develop precancers that are initiated by defined molecular and histopathologic changes. The mouse can be used to isolate and study precancers in detail, thereby providing a level of biological understanding not readily available in clinical disease. These studies suggest that genetically engineered mice are very useful preclinical models for chemoprevention and therapy.
The Pursuit of Legal Settlements to Territorial Disputes
Authors: Allee Todd L. , Huth Paul K.
Published: October 2006

Territorial disputes are a common source of armed conflict and war, yet, during the twentieth century, governments have resolved dozens of territorial disputes through recourse to international arbitration or adjudication. In this research we consider why governments agree to international legal dispute settlement as a means of resolving territorial disputes. We put forward and test three explanations for the decision to pursue legal dispute settlement: a realist explanation, a domestic “political cover” explanation, and a legal “focal point” explanation. Results obtained from a series of generalized estimating equation (GEE) models reveal considerable support for arguments which highlight the domestic political cover function of international arbitration and adjudication.
Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Binds to TRPV1 and Mediates NGF-stimulated TRPV1 Trafficking to the Plasma Membrane
Authors: Stein Alexander T. , Ufret-Vincenty Carmen A. , Hua Li , Santana Luis F. , Gordon Sharona E.
Published: October 2006

Sensitization of the pain-transducing ion channel TRPV1 underlies thermal hyperalgesia by proalgesic agents such as nerve growth factor (NGF). The currently accepted model is that the NGF-mediated increase in TRPV1 function during hyperalgesia utilizes activation of phospholipase C (PLC) to cleave PIP2, proposed to tonically inhibit TRPV1. In this study, we tested the PLC model and found two lines of evidence that directly challenge its validity: (1) polylysine, a cationic phosphoinositide sequestering agent, inhibited TRPV1 instead of potentiating it, and (2) direct application of PIP2 to inside-out excised patches dramatically potentiated TRPV1. Furthermore, we show four types of experiments indicating that PI3K is physically and functionally coupled to TRPV1: (1) the p85β subunit of PI3K interacted with the N-terminal region of TRPV1 in yeast 2-hybrid experiments, (2) PI3K-p85β coimmunoprecipitated with TRPV1 from both HEK293 cells and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, (3) TRPV1 interacted with recombinant PI3K-p85 in vitro, and (4) wortmannin, a specific inhibitor of PI3K, completely abolished NGF-mediated sensitization in acutely dissociated DRG neurons. Finally, simultaneous electrophysiological and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy recordings demonstrate that NGF increased the number of channels in the plasma membrane. We propose a new model for NGF-mediated hyperalgesia in which physical coupling of TRPV1 and PI3K in a signal transduction complex facilitates trafficking of TRPV1 to the plasma membrane.