Although a large literature analyzes the determinants of retirement decisions, relatively few papers explicitly analyzed the decision of when to claim social security benefits (Coile, Diamond, Gruber, Jousten 2002). Moreover, typical analyses of the decision to claim tend to focus on financial incentive deriving from the lifetime value of benefits. The current literature on claiming places little focus on incentives to claim benefits coming from the labor market.
Glucosamine, 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose, is an amino monosaccharide that is an essential component of mucopolysaccharides and chitin. Glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharides) are large complexes of negatively-charged carbohydrate chains that are incorporated into mucous secretions, connective tissue, skin, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Glucosamine and its acetylated derivative, N-acetylglucosamine, are readily synthesized in the body from glucose. Because of its high concentration in joint tissues, the hypothesis that glucosamine supplements would provide symptomatic relief for osteoarthritis was developed more than 30 years ago (D’Ambrosio et al., 1981). Many clinical trials have tested this hypothesis (Institute of Medicine, 2004) and glucosamine supplements are widely used to relieve arthritic complaints (Houpt et al., 1999).
To meet the demand for glucosamine nutritional supplements, three forms of glucosamine are commonly available: glucosamine hydrochloride, glucosamine sulfate, and N-acetyl-glucosamine. These glucosamine compounds are generally derived from chitin, a biopolymer present in the exoskeleton of marine invertebrate animals. The glucosamine derived from chitin in the cell walls of many fungi appears to be chemically identical to that found in marine invertebrates (Institute of Medicine, 2004).
This dissertation is comprised of three essays in the areas of commodity markets and financial economics. Commodities play an important role in the production process, as well in risk management and financial strategies of firms and investors.
Further, commodities make up a large part of exports earnings in developing countries and lead the supply side of the market (Cashin, Liang, and Mcdermott, 1999). In industiial countries, commodities lead the demand side as inputs of production, and are believed to have an effect on inflation and business cycle disturbances (Beckerman and Jenkinson, 1986).
