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Financial development, international financial integration, and income inequality: an emerging markets perspective
No full textThis study examines the effect of financial development and financial integration on income inequality in 31 emerging and developing countries over the period 2000–2019. The empirical analysis in this study employs the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) approach. Our findings show that banking sector development is associated with increased income inequality, whereas stock market development is associated with reduced inequality, particularly when both banking and stock market indicators are simultaneously included in the regressions. This study contributes to the literature by providing evidence on the critical role of both bank-based and market-based development measures in addressing the financial sector's influence on income inequality. We further show that financial openness mitigates income inequality, contributing to a relatively understudied area of literature
Nanobiosensors to detect environmental pollution
No full textThe presence of nanoparticles in nature is not recent since they naturally exist in great diversity from those produced by human activity to those of natural origin. This chapter discusses the use of nano-technology-based sensors for the detection of environmental pollution. The chapter focuses on the use of nano-biosensors, which combine nanotechnology with biological components, as promising tools for the detection and monitoring of environmental pollutants. The chapter highlights the dependence between nanoparticle synthesis and application design, as well as the importance of considering environmental considerations in the generation of nanoparticles. The use of nanotechnology is seen as a possible solution to problems that have influenced humanity for centuries, such as pollution, and the rise of the internet is intended to contribute to a model of analysis and follow-up of contaminant particles in an effective and reliable way
Recent advances in the use of bionanotechnology for bioremediation
No full textEnvironmental problems are the major reason for the destruction of agricultural land, animals, and human diseases on earth. It causes pollution in the air, water, and soil that is difficult to control. Bio-nanotechnologies play a significant role in environmental protection and sustainability by adopting novel techniques to clear, mitigate, and monitor environmental pollutants. Nanotechnology helps to reduce energy consumption, cost, and resource consumption through more efficient methods. So, nanomaterials with large surface area and small size have the unique capacity to solve complex problems. They require less activation energy and have high reactivity; these additional benefits make them ideal candidates for sustained bioremediation. Bio-nano-technology techniques have a positive impact on the environment and its sustainability by reducing environmental contaminants. The present chapter discusses the role of bio-nanotechnology in solving the persisting urgent environmental issues such as soil contamination, air, and water pollution, and climate change and also focuses on the effectiveness, safety, and scalability issues as well as any potential advantages and difficulties
Hybrid pectin/polydopamine hydrogels with photothermal properties
No full textPhotothermal hydrogels have emerged as versatile materials for applications in biomedicine, environmental remediation, and soft robotics due to their ability to convert light energy into heat. In this study, we developed hybrid pectin/polydopamine (PDA) hydrogels with intrinsic photothermal properties through a simple, scalable approach. Pectin, a naturally occurring and biodegradable polysaccharide, was functionalized with PDA via dopamine self-polymerization under alkaline conditions, followed by Ca2+-induced cross-linking to form a hydrogel network. The structural and chemical interactions between pectin and PDA were analyzed by using FTIR and UV-vis spectroscopy, confirming successful functionalization and formation of a hybrid structure. The mechanical and viscoelastic properties of the hydrogels were investigated, revealing that PDA acts as a secondary cross-linker with pectin due to its ability to form hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions, resulting in a more flexible but mechanically weaker cross-linked network. SEM and swelling ratio analysis demonstrated that PDA incorporation resulted in a denser hydrogel network compared with neat pectin hydrogels while retaining their swelling behavior. DSC analyses supported this trend, indicating microstructural disruption and reduced thermal stability at higher PDA levels. The photothermal performance of the pectin/PDA hydrogels was assessed under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, showing a significant temperature elevation proportional to PDA content. Furthermore, light-activated antibacterial tests using Staphylococcus aureus confirmed that NIR-triggered heating effectively reduced bacterial viability, achieving a 3-log reduction in the bacterial count for the highest PDA concentration. These findings demonstrate that pectin has been successfully transformed into a photothermal hydrogel matrix through a simple approach and highlight the potential of pectin/PDA hydrogels as biocompatible, light-responsive materials
Decomposing supply- and demand-driven inflation in Turkey
Get PDFWe document the demand- and supply-driven components of inflation in Türkiye by following the decomposition method of Shapiro (J Money Credit Bank, 2024). The results suggest that the recent surge in inflation, which began with the COVID-19 pandemic and deviated significantly from global inflation rates, reaching as high as 80%, was initially driven by supply factors. As monetary policy loosened, demand-driven inflation also increased; however, throughout the post-COVID period, supply-driven inflation consistently exceeded the demand-driven component in this high-inflation environment. Consistent with theory, oil supply and exchange-rate shocks increased the supply-driven inflation, while monetary policy tightening reduced the demand-driven inflation. This decomposition can potentially serve as a useful real-time tracker for policymakers
A novel TLSPH approach for modeling damage in elastic solids
No full textCrack initiation and propagation present significant challenges in solid mechanics, necessitating reliable and efficient computational methods for accurate simulations. Traditional mesh-based approaches face limitations such as computational inefficiency and mesh dependence. Meshless methods, particularly smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), offer an alternative by eliminating mesh-related issues and simplifying the simulation of discontinuities. SPH, originally developed for astrophysical applications, has been successfully adapted for fluid and solid mechanics, including fracture mechanics. This article introduces a total Lagrangian smoothed particle hydrodynamics (TLSPH) model for crack modeling, addressing the limitations of existing SPH and other methods. In proposed method, interactions between particle pairs are characterized by “stretch” and an interaction is eliminated when the stretch exceeds a threshold value. The mitigation of damage-induced instabilities is performed via enhancing the numerical diffusion and applying velocity filtering in damaged area. The capability of in-house TLSPH code is first demonstrated through simulations of 2D and 3D undamaged cantilever beams under large deformations. The accuracy of the novel damage model is validated by modeling Kalthoff-Winkler experiment in 2D and 3D and dynamic crack branching case in 2D. The results highlight the effectiveness and computational efficiency of the proposed TLSPH damage model
Performance and failure mechanisms of interleaved e-glass/epoxy composites using knitted fiber-reinforced adhesive films
No full textIn this study, an adhesive film with embedded knitted fibers is utilized as the interleaved layer to evaluate the effect of carrier fibers on delamination resistance, crack migration, and R-curve behavior in glass fiber/epoxy composites. The interaction between the knitted fibers within the adhesive layer and their integration with the main laminate matrix is examined. Mode-I and mode-II R-curves are determined using double cantilever beam (DCB) and end-notch-flexure (ENF) samples, respectively, with fractography used to characterize damage mechanisms and crack paths. The low viscosity of the epoxy matrix during pressurized curing causes redistribution of the knitted fibers and variations in the adhesive layer thickness along and across fiber orientations. This results in localized shifts in fracture mechanisms, leading to variations in toughness values. The weak interface between knit fibers and the adhesive layer matrix induces crack paths that cause significant fluctuations in GIC values in Mode-I. The adhesive layer enhances fracture toughness by promoting a tortuous crack path, resulting in a 175.47% increase in GIC during propagation and a 171.56% increase in GIIC values during the initiation phase, respectively. The adhesive layer's thickness and fiber distribution, influenced by resin flow during manufacturing, played a critical role in fracture behavior. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms driving interlaminar toughening and highlight the potential of knitted fiber-reinforced adhesive films for improving delamination resistance in composite structures
The effect of PA66 nanofibrous interlayers on mode II delamination behavior of filament-wound CFRP laminates at room and cryogenic temperatures
No full textThis work aims to assess the potential of commercially available PA 6,6 nanofibrous mats when incorporated to large scale filament winding process. The conventional wet winding process was employed on a specially designed flat mandrel to manufacture uni-directional composite laminates. A49-12 K carbon fibers and cryogenic-compatible CTD 7.1 epoxy resin was employed. The winding process was temporarily paused at the mid-plane thickness to introduce a pre-crack using a 12 μm non-adherent film and to place PA66 nanofibers with an aerial weight of 3 g/m². The winding process then resumed. Laminate curing was performed in an autoclave oven for 3 h at 80oC under nitrogen environment. Flat wound laminates were then cut into end notched flexure (ENF) test samples in accordance with ASTM D7905/D7905M-19. ENF tests were performed at room temperature (RT) and cryogenic conditions in a liquid nitrogen bath. Test results suggested that mode II strain energy (GIIc) of interlayered laminates were 35% higher than the one of neat laminates when tested at room temperature. On the contrary, addition of polymeric nanofibrous interlayers reduced GIIc by 40% in cryogenic conditions. Fractographic analysis suggested that the improvement at RT was primarily due to (i) toughening at the resin rich pockets inherent by the tow-undulation effect in wet winding (ii) crack deflection in irregular tow-tow interfaces. The reduction in GIIc was attributed to synchrony of several factors, namely dominance of fiber/matrix debonding due to thermal contraction at fiber/resin interfaces, elevated brittleness of the polymeric nanofibers and pre-mature cracking due to nanofiber/resin debonding
A comparative study on phase noise model in ultra-high data-rate sub-THz communications
No full textPN and high Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR) are significant challenges for 6G communications over the subterahertz (sub-THz) band, affecting signal integrity and system reliability. While standardized phase noise (PN) models, such as those from Hexa-X and 3GPP, provide theoretical frameworks, their accuracy in real-world conditions remains uncertain, requiring hardware-specific tuning. This paper presents a comparative analysis of two PN models: a standardized Hexa-X model and a hardware-tuned 3GPP approach. The impact of PN on high-order modulation schemes is examined, revealing its influence on optimal subcarrier spacing and necessitating adjustments for high-order modulation, specifically in OFDM systems. The feasibility of DFT-s-OFDM for PAPR reduction under PN constraints is also investigated. Furthermore, PN mitigation via common phase error (CPE) estimation is evaluated, demonstrating distinct model-dependent performance variations. The findings provide critical insights into PN model selection and waveform optimization for robust 6G system design
A difficult change: norm contestation in multiple veto player settings
No full textHow do international norms diffuse into a domestic setting with multiple veto players? The extant scholarship has moved beyond system-centric explanations by recognizing the central role played by agency in mitigating norm diffusion. This article links the scholarly work on norm contestation to economic reform literature to evince how veto players with divergent preferences can become the main drivers of norm contestation. While privatization arose as an international norm in the 1980s under the Washington Consensus, the current article investigates how it encountered staunch contestation in Turkey during the 1990s and early 2000s. In this period, norm-conforming ruling parties strategically modified their behaviour to confront multiple norm-contesting veto players, ultimately culminating in privatization after a prolonged process. Accordingly, the Turkish case shows that norm adoption is not necessarily a one-time occurrence and can come after a rational-choice-informed bargaining process in the domestic realm