Mehdi Nemati

Bio: Mehdi Nemati is an academic researcher from Isfahan University of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Fourier algebra & Locally compact space. The author has an hindex of 10, co-authored 70 publications receiving 386 citations. Previous affiliations of Mehdi Nemati include University of California, Riverside & University of California, Berkeley.

A Systematic Review of Consumer Preference for E-Cigarette Attributes: Flavor, Nicotine Strength, and Type

Abstract: Objective Systematic review of research examining consumer preference for the main electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) attributes namely flavor, nicotine strength, and type. Method A systematic search of peer-reviewed articles resulted in a pool of 12,933 articles. We included only articles that meet all the selection criteria: (1) peer-reviewed, (2) written in English, and (3) addressed consumer preference for one or more of the e-cigarette attributes including flavor, strength, and type. Results 66 articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. Consumers preferred flavored e-cigarettes, and such preference varied with age groups and smoking status. We also found that several flavors were associated with decreased harm perception while tobacco flavor was associated with increased harm perception. In addition, some flavor chemicals and sweeteners used in e-cigarettes could be of toxicological concern. Finally, consumer preference for nicotine strength and types depended on smoking status, e-cigarette use history, and gender. Conclusion Adolescents could consider flavor the most important factor trying e-cigarettes and were more likely to initiate vaping through flavored e-cigarettes. Young adults overall preferred sweet, menthol, and cherry flavors, while non-smokers in particular preferred coffee and menthol flavors. Adults in general also preferred sweet flavors (though smokers like tobacco flavor the most) and disliked flavors that elicit bitterness or harshness. In terms of whether flavored e-cigarettes assisted quitting smoking, we found inconclusive evidence. E-cigarette users likely initiated use with a cigarette like product and transitioned to an advanced system with more features. Non-smokers and inexperienced e-cigarettes users tended to prefer no nicotine or low nicotine e-cigarettes while smokers and experienced e-cigarettes users preferred medium and high nicotine e-cigarettes. Weak evidence exists regarding a positive interaction between menthol flavor and nicotine strength.

Asymmetric Price Volatility Transmission between U.S. Biofuel, Corn, and Oil Markets

Abstract: Linkages between agricultural commodity and energy prices have become more complex with increased ethanol production. The concern is whether the new corn–ethanol links lead to volatilityspillover transmission between food and energy prices. We investigate asymmetric volatility spillovers between oil, corn, and ethanol prices using a BEKK-multivariate-GARCH approach. Additionally, we use daily, weekly, and monthly futures prices to examine whether the use of different-frequency data leads to inconsistent results. The results support the existence of asymmetric volatility transmission between corn and ethanol prices. Furthermore, the volatilityspillover effects are different for the different-frequency prices, and positive and negative price changes generate inconsistent results.

Character amenability and contractibility of abstract segal algebras

Abstract: Let ℬ be an abstract Segal algebra with respect to 𝒜. For a nonzero character ϕ on 𝒜, we study ϕ-amenability, and ϕ-contractibility of 𝒜 and ℬ. We then apply these results to abstract Segal algebras related to locally compact groups.

Water Markets in the Western United States: Trends and Opportunities

Abstract: Efforts to address water scarcity have traditionally relied on changing the spatial and temporal availability of water through water importation, storage, and conveyance. More recently, water managers have invested heavily in improving water use efficiency and conservation. Yet as new supply options become harder to find and/or appropriate, and demand hardens, society must consider other options to, if not reduce scarcity, minimize the impacts of such scarcity. This paper explores the role water markets are playing in addressing water scarcity in the American southwest: a water-limited arid and semi-arid region characterized by significant population growth rates relative to the rest of the US. Focusing on three representative southwestern states—Arizona, California, and Texas—we begin by highlighting how trends in water supply allocations from different water sources (e.g., surface water, groundwater, and wastewater) and water demand by different water users (e.g., agricultural, municipal, and environmental) have changed over time within each state. We then present recent data that shows how water trading has changed over time—in terms of value and volume—both at state level and sector level aggregates. We end with a discussion regarding some institutional adjustments that are necessary for water markets to achieve their potential in helping society address water scarcity.

Are Free Trade Agreements Good for the Environment? A Panel Data Analysis

Abstract: This study attempts to empirically re-examine the relationship between free trade agreements (FTAs) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For this aim, we chose three different free trade agreements: Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA). These FTAs are between developing countries, developed and developing countries, and only developed countries, respectively. Panel unit root, panel cointegration, and fully modified OLS (FMOLS) estimators are employed to find the longrun relationship between GHG emission, trade liberalization, and other economic factors. The results indicate that the environmental effect of a free trade agreement depends on the agreement type. When the agreement is among only developed or only developing countries, there is no environmental damage to the world and these types of FTAs can be beneficial for the world environment. However, when developing and developed countries are in the agreement, world GHG emissions increase.

Locally compact quantum groups

Abstract: Quantum groups can be viewed as deformations/liberations of classical locally compact groups. Around the year 2000 a thorough definition of a locally compact quantum group was given by Kustermans and Vaes. In these lecture notes (which were used at the Będlewo summer school in 2015) we give an introduction to this Kustermans–Vaes definition and we discuss the example of SUq(1, 1) established by Koelink and Kustermans.

Volatility Spillover Between Oil And Agricultural Commodity Markets

Abstract: Globally, instability in the energy market is quickly reflected in the food market. Therefore, there exists a direct relationship between oil and food. This study adopts variance in causality tests on daily data from 01 January 1986 to 7 June 2012 in order to identify the causality of the food price crisis. The data is divided into three sub-periods: the pre-crisis period (01 January 1986 to 31 December 2005), the crisis period (01 January 2006-31 December 2008) and the post crises period (01 January 2009 - 7 June 2012). See figure1 The first part of the causality in variance analysis adopts the newly developed Hafner and Herwartz (2006) approach. It uses both univariate GARCH and the multivariate GARCH-BEKK model introduced by Engle and Kroner (1995) to analyse volatility spillover effects of the food crisis on the selected agricultural commodity markets (wheat, corn, soybeans, and sugar). In the multivariate analysis volatility spillovers have been taken into account by including a dummy variable in the conditional variance specification. The results show that the persistence of the volatility doesn't change significantly during and following the food price crisis. The second part of the causality in variance analysis uses a Granger test to determine whether the oil market influences the agriculture market, or vice versa. The test results show that while there is no risk of transmission between oil and the selected agricultural commodity markets (wheat, corn, soybeans, and sugar) in the pre-crisis period, during the crises the agriculture market's volatility - with the exception of wheat - spills into the oil market. After the crises, only the soybean market spills over to the oil market, while there is no effect in the other markets. This paper aims to foster an awareness and understanding of national food security issues. This understanding builds a knowledge-based society and helps policymakers make strategic plans that can be tailored to the unique challenges and resources of the region. It promotes innovation, discovery and economic diversification by using the newly developed multivariate garch model thereby showing that the dynamics of volatility transmission change significantly before, during, and after a food price crisis. During the crisis, risk transmission emerged as another dimension of the dynamic interrelationships between energy and agricultural markets.