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Terms modified by Billion Selected AbstractsBiotech Can Feed 8 BillionNEW PERSPECTIVES QUARTERLY, Issue 4 2004NORMAN BORLAUG First page of article [source] BENEFITS AND COSTS OF INTENSIVE FOSTER CARE SERVICES: THE CASEY FAMILY PROGRAMS COMPARED TO STATE SERVICESCONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 3 2009RICHARD O. ZERBE The foster care system attempts to prepare children and youth who have suffered child maltreatment for successful adult lives. This study documents the economic advantages of a privately funded foster care program that provided longer term, more intensive, and more expensive services compared to public programs. The study found significant differences in major adult educational, health, and social outcomes between children placed in the private program and those placed in public programs operated by Oregon and Washington. For the outcomes for which we could find financial data, the estimated present value of the enhanced foster care services exceeded their extra costs. Generalizing to the roughly 100,000 adolescents age 12-17 entering foster care each year, if all of them were to receive the private model of services, the savings for a single cohort of these children could be about $6.3 billion in 2007 dollars. (JEL D61, H75) [source] THE MOLECULAR FUTURE IN CYTOLOGYCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2006M. Salto-Tellez Molecular diagnosis is the application of molecular biology techniques and knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of disease to diagnosis, prognostication and treatment of diseases. Molecular Diagnosis is, arguably, the fastest growing area of diagnostic medicine. The US market for molecular testing generated $1.3 billion in 2000, which was predicted to increase to about $4.2 billion by 2007.1 We proposed the term Diagnostic Molecular Cytopathology to define the application of molecular diagnosis to cytopathology2. Diagnostic Molecular Cytopathology is essential for the following reasons: (i) Molecular testing is sometimes indispensable to establish an unequivocal diagnosis on cell preparations; (ii) Molecular testing provides extra information on the prognosis or therapy of diseases diagnosed by conventional cytology; (iii) Molecular testing provides genetic information on the inherited nature of diseases that can be directly investigated in cytology samples, by either exfoliation or by fine needle aspiration; (iv) Sometimes the cytopathology sample is the most convenient (or the only available) source of material for molecular testing; (v). Direct molecular interrogation of cells allows for a diagnostic correlation that would otherwise not be possible. Parallel to this direct diagnostic implication, cytopathology is increasing important in the validation of biomarkers for specific diseases, and in therefore of significant importance in the overall translational research strategies. We illustrate its application in some of the main areas of oncology molecular testing, such as molecular fingerprinting of neoplasms,3 lymphoreticular diseases,2 sarcomas4 and lung cancer,5 as well as translational research using diagnostic cytopathology techniques. The next years will see the consolidation of Diagnostic Molecular Cytopathology, a process that will lead to a change of many paradigms. In general, diagnostic pathology departments will have to reorganize molecular testing to pursue a cost-efficient operation. Sample preparation will have to take into account optimal preservation of nuclear acids. The training of technical staff and the level of laboratory quality control and quality assurance would have to follow strict clinical (not research) laboratory parameters. And, most importantly, those pathologists undertaking molecular diagnosis as a discipline would have to develop their professional expertise within the same framework of fellowships and professional credentials that is offered in other sub-specialties. The price to pay if this effort is not undertaken is too important for the future of diagnostic pathology in general. The increasing characterization of molecular biomarkers with diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic value is making the analysis of tissue and cell samples prior to treatment a more complex exercise. If cytopathologists and histopathologists allow others to take charge of molecular diagnosis, our overall contribution to the diagnostic process will be diminished. We may not become less important, but we may become less relevant. However, those within the discipline of diagnostic pathology who can combine the clinical background of diseases with the morphological, immunocytochemical and molecular diagnostic interpretation will represent bona fide diagnostic specialists. Such ,molecular cytopathologists' would place themselves at the centre of clinical decision-making. Reference:, 1. Liz Fletcher. Roche leads molecular diagnostics charge. Nature Biotechnol 20, 6,7; 2002 2. Salto-Tellez M and Koay ESC. Molecular Diagnostic Cytopathology - Definitions, Scope and Clinical Utility. Cytopathology 2004; 15:252,255 3. Salto-Tellez M, Zhang D, Chiu LL, Wang SC, Nilsson B, and Koay ESC. Immunocytochemistry Versus Molecular Fingerprinting of Metastases. Cytopathology, 2003 Aug; 14(4):186,90. 4. Chiu LL, Koay SCE, Chan NL and Salto-Tellez M. Molecular Cytopathology: Sequencing of the EWS-WT1 Gene Fusion Transcript in the Peritoneal Effusion of a Patient with Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour. Diagnostic Cytopathology, 2003 Dec; 29(6): 341,3. 5. TM Chin, D Anuar, R Soo, M Salto-Tellez, WQ Li, B Ahmad, SC Lee, BC Goh, K Kawakami, A Segal, B Iacopetta, R Soong. Sensitive and Cost-Effective deptection of epidermal growth factor Receptor Mutations in Small Biopsies by denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography. (In press). [source] Employer burden of mild, moderate, and severe major depressive disorder: mental health services utilization and costs, and work performance,DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 1 2010Howard G. Birnbaum Ph.D. Abstract Background: Treatment utilization/costs and work performance for persons with major depressive disorder (MDD) by severity of illness is not well documented. Methods: Using National Comorbidity Survey-Replication (2001,2002) data, US workforce respondents (n=4,465) were classified by clinical severity (not clinically depressed, mild, moderate, severe) using a standard self-rating scale [Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (QIDS-SR)]. Outcomes included 12-month prevalence of medical services/medications use/costs and workplace performance. Treatment costs (employer's perspective) were estimated by weighing utilization measures by unit costs obtained for similar services used by MDD patients in claims data. Descriptive analysis across three severity groups generated ,2 results. Results: Using a sample of 539 US workforce respondents with MDD, 13.8% were classified mild, 38.5% moderate, and 47.7% severe cases. Mental health services usage, including antidepressants, increased significantly with severity, with average treatment costs substantially higher for severe than for mild cases both regarding mental health services ($697 vs. $388, ,2=4.4, P=.019) and antidepressants ($256 vs. $88, ,2=9.0, P=.001). Prevalence rates of unemployment/disability increased significantly (,2=11.7, P=.003) with MDD severity (15.7, 23.3, and 31.3% for mild, moderate, and severe cases). Severely and moderately depressed workers missed more work than nondepressed workers; the monthly salary-equivalent lost performance of $199 (severely depressed) and $188 (moderately depressed) was significantly higher than for nondepressed workers (,2=10.3, P<.001). Projected to the US workforce, monthly depression-related worker productivity losses had human capital costs of nearly $2 billion. Conclusions: MDD severity is significantly associated with increased treatment usage/costs, treatment adequacy, unemployment, and disability and with reduced work performance. Depression and Anxiety, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Education for All: How Much Will It Cost?DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 1 2004Enrique Delamonica In 1990, a target of universal access to basic education by the year 2000 was set by two global conferences. Ten years later, however, it was clear that the target had not been met. Too many countries had made insufficient progress, and although many of the reasons for this inadequate progress were country-specific, one factor stood out in virtually all countries: inadequate public finance for primary education. In 2000, the Millennium Summit set a new target date for achieving ,education for all' of 2015. This article updates the global and regional cost estimates for reaching that target. The estimates are based on the most recent country-by-country data on budgetary expenditure, population and enrolment trends, and unit cost. The annual additional cost of achieving ,education for all' in developing countries by 2015 is estimated at US$ 9.1 billion. Although this is affordable at the global level, individual countries will need considerably more resources than are currently available. However, official development assistance (ODA) has been declining, and the share of ODA allocated to basic education has changed little over the past decade. Therefore, although affordable, the target of universal basic education by 2015 is likely to be missed, just as it was in 2000, without a major change both in ODA and national budgets. [source] The Distribution of Subsidized Agricultural Credit in Brazil: Do Interest Groups Matter?DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 3 2001Steven M. Helfand This article examines the unequal distribution of credit and credit subsidies in the Brazilian agricultural sector from 1969 to 1990. Total credit subsidies exceeded US$ 40 billion in this period. The distribution across crops is studied econometrically. After controlling for area, the crops that benefited most had superior access to credit institutions, were tradeable, had high prices, and were not perennials. Proxies for collective action by crop were an unimportant determinant of credit policy, while a bias in favour of large producers was evident. Alternative explanations for this bias are discussed, including collective action by farm size and transaction costs in lending. [source] IMF Gold and the World Bank's Unfunded HIPC DeficitDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 1 2004Jonathan E. Sanford The World Bank is to forgive $12.24 billion in IDA debt payments from HIPC borrowers. It has received $1 billion from the HIPC Trust Fund to help offset these losses, but still has a $11.6 billion unfunded liability. The IMF has gold worth $38 billion on hand for which it has no actual use. This article proposes that a small portion of IMF gold be sold annually, just enough to offset IDA's annual HIPC deficit, over the next twenty years. The new money would be additional and predictable, and would eliminate the prospect that IDA would have to cut back its future flow of aid because the HIPC programme had drained its resources. [source] Role of histone and transcription factor acetylation in diabetes pathogenesisDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 5 2005Steven G. Gray Abstract Globally, diabetes (and, in particular, type 2 diabetes) represents a major challenge to world health. Currently in the United States, the costs of treating diabetes and its associated complications exceed $100 billion annually, and this figure is expected to soar in the near future. Despite decades of intense research efforts, the genetic basis of the events involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes is still poorly understood. Diabetes is a complex multigenic syndrome primarily due to beta-cell dysfunction associated with a variable degree of insulin resistance. Recent advances have led to exciting new developments with regard to our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate insulin transcription. These include data that implicate chromatin as a critical regulator of this event. The ,Histone Code' is a widely accepted hypothesis, whereby sequential modifications to the histones in chromatin lead to regulated transcription of genes. One of the modifications used in the histone code is acetylation. This is probably the best characterized modification of histones, which is carried out under the control of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). These enzymes also regulate the activity of a number of transcription factors through acetylation. Increasing evidence links possible dysregulation of these mechanisms in the pathogenesis of diabetes, with important therapeutic implications. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pathological gambling: an increasing public health problemACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 4 2001Article first published online: 7 JUL 200 Gambling has always existed, but only recently has it taken on the endlessly variable and accessible forms we know today. Gambling takes place when something valuable , usually money , is staked on the outcome of an event that is entirely unpredictable. It was only two decades ago that pathological gambling was formally recognized as a mental disorder, when it was included in the DSM-III in 1980. For most people, gambling is a relaxing activity with no negative consequences. For others, however, gambling becomes excessive. Pathological gambling is a disorder that manifests itself through the irrepressible urge to wager money. This disorder ultimately dominates the gambler's life, and has a multitude of negative consequences for both the gambler and the people they interact with, i.e. friends, family members, employers. In many ways, gambling might seem a harmless activity. In fact, it is not the act of gambling itself that is harmful, but the vicious cycle that can begin when a gambler wagers money they cannot afford to lose, and then continues to gamble in order to recuperate their losses. The gambler's ,tragic flaw' of logic lies in their failure to understand that gambling is governed solely by random, chance events. Gamblers fail to recognize this and continue to gamble, attempting to control outcomes by concocting strategies to ,beat the game'. Most, if not all, gamblers try in some way to predict the outcome of a game when they are gambling. A detailed analysis of gamblers' selfverbalizations reveals that most of them behave as though the outcome of the game relied on their personal ,skills'. From the gambler's perspective, skill can influence chance , but in reality, the random nature of chance events is the only determinant of the outcome of the game. The gambler, however, either ignores or simply denies this fundamental rule (1). Experts agree that the social costs of pathological gambling are enormous. Changes in gaming legislation have led to a substantial expansion of gambling opportunities in most industrialized countries around the world, mainly in Europe, America and Australia. Figures for the United States' leisure economy in 1996 show gross gambling revenues of $47.6 billion, which was greater than the combined revenue of $40.8 billion from film box offices, recorded music, cruise ships, spectator sports and live entertainment (2). Several factors appear to be motivating this growth: the desire of governments to identify new sources of revenue without invoking new or higher taxes; tourism entrepreneurs developing new destinations for entertainment and leisure; and the rise of new technologies and forms of gambling (3). As a consequence, prevalence studies have shown increased gambling rates among adults. It is currently estimated that 1,2% of the adult population gambles excessively (4, 5). Given that the prevalence of gambling is related to the accessibility of gambling activities, and that new forms of gambling are constantly being legalized throughout most western countries, this figure is expected to rise. Consequently, physicians and mental health professionals will need to know more about the diagnosis and treatment of pathological gamblers. This disorder may be under-diagnosed because, clinically, pathological gamblers usually seek help for the problems associated with gambling such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse, rather than for the excessive gambling itself. This issue of Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica includes the first national survey of problem gambling completed in Sweden, conducted by Volberg et al. (6). This paper is based on a large sample (N=9917) with an impressively high response rate (89%). Two instruments were used to assess gambling activities: the South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised (SOGS-R) and an instrument derived from the DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling. Current (1 year) and lifetime prevalence rates were collected. Results show that 0.6% of the respondents were classified as probable pathological gamblers, and 1.4% as problem gamblers. These data reveal that the prevalence of pathological gamblers in Sweden is significantly less than what has been observed in many western countries. The authors have pooled the rates of problem (1.4%) and probable pathological gamblers (0.6%), to provide a total of 2.0% for the current prevalence. This 2% should be interpreted with caution, however, as we do not have information on the long-term evolution of these subgroups of gamblers; for example, we do not know how many of each subgroup will become pathological gamblers, and how many will decrease their gambling or stop gambling altogether. Until this information is known, it would be preferable to keep in mind that only 0.6% of the Swedish population has been identified as pathological gamblers. In addition, recent studies show that the SOGS-R may be producing inflated estimates of pathological gambling (7). Thus, future research in this area might benefit from the use of an instrument based on DSM criteria for pathological gambling, rather than the SOGS-R only. Finally, the authors suggest in their discussion that the lower rate of pathological gamblers obtained in Sweden compared to many other jurisdictions may be explained by the greater availability of games based on chance rather than games based on skill or a mix of skill and luck. Before accepting this interpretation, researchers will need to demonstrate that the outcomes of all games are determined by other factor than chance and randomness. Many studies have shown that the notion of randomness is the only determinant of gambling (1). Inferring that skill is an important issue in gambling may be misleading. While these are important issues to consider, the Volberg et al. survey nevertheless provides crucial information about gambling in a Scandinavian country. Gambling will be an important issue over the next few years in Sweden, and the publication of the Volberg et al. study is a landmark for the Swedish community (scientists, industry, policy makers, etc.). This paper should stimulate interesting discussions and inspire new, much-needed scientific investigations of pathological gambling. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Guido Bondolfi and Robert Ladouceur Invited Guest Editors References 1.,LadouceurR & WalkerM. The cognitive approach to understanding and treating pathological gambling. In: BellackAS, HersenM, eds. Comprehensive clinical psychology. New York: Pergamon, 1998:588 , 601. 2.,ChristiansenEM. Gambling and the American economy. In: FreyJH, ed. Gambling: socioeconomic impacts and public policy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1998:556:36 , 52. 3.,KornDA & ShafferHJ. Gambling and the health of the public: adopting a public health perspective. J Gambling Stud2000;15:289 , 365. 4.,VolbergRA. Problem gambling in the United States. J Gambling Stud1996;12:111 , 128. 5.,BondolfiG, OsiekC, FerreroF. Prevalence estimates of pathological gambling in Switzerland. Acta Psychiatr Scand2000;101:473 , 475. 6.,VolbergRA, AbbottMW, RönnbergS, MunckIM. Prev-alence and risks of pathological gambling in Sweden. Acta Psychiatr Scand2001;104:250 , 256. 7.,LadouceurR, BouchardC, RhéaumeNet al. Is the SOGS an accurate measure of pathological gambling among children, adolescents and adults?J Gambling Stud2000;16:1 , 24. [source] The size and mix of government spending on illicit drug policy in AustraliaDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 4 2008TIMOTHY J. MOORE Abstract Aim. To estimate how much governments in Australia spend on reducing and dealing with illicit drug problems. Methods. Government documents and supplementary information sources were used to estimate drug-related expenditure for the financial year 2002,03, in Australian dollars. Public sector expenditure on reducing drug problems (,proactive expenditure') was classified into four policy functions: prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement. Expenditure related to the consequences of drug use (,reactive expenditure') was included as a separate category. Results. Spending by Australian governments in financial year 2002,03 on all drug-related activities was estimated to be $3.2 billion. Proactive expenditure was estimated to be $1.3 billion, comprising 55% on enforcement, 23% on prevention, 17% on treatment, 3% on harm reduction and 1% on activities that span several of these functions. Expenditure on dealing with the consequences of drug use was estimated to be $1.9 billion, with the majority the result of crime-related consequences. Conclusion. Several insights result from estimating these expenditures. First, law enforcement is the largest drug policy component, with Australian governments also spending significant amounts on treatment and prevention programmes. Secondly, apart from the prevention component, Australia's drug policy mix is strikingly similar to recent international estimates. Finally, expenditures associated with dealing with the consequences of illicit drugs are large and important for assessing drug-related public sector expenditure. [source] Prioritizing migraine biomarkers researchDRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 6 2007David Gurwitz Abstract Migraine is among the most common chronic disorders in the developed countries, affecting up to 17% of adult women and 6% of adult men. It is also among the chronic disorders most commonly associated with recurring absence from work. It has been estimated that in the United States the indirect annual societal cost of migraine, mostly as lost work, is US$12 billion. Migraine diagnosis and treatment is hindered by the lack of reliable serum or genetic biomarkers that could potentially improve treatment choices. Research programs focused on identifying and developing migraine biomarkers for both prevention and treatment must be included in the national biomedical research agenda. Drug Dev Res 68:267,269, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The impact of eliminating the global illicit cigarette trade on health and revenueADDICTION, Issue 9 2010Luk Joossens ABSTRACT Aims The purpose of this study was to update global estimates of the illicit cigarette trade, based on recent data, and estimate how many lives could be saved by eliminating it and how much revenue governments would gain. Data sources and methods Our estimates of illicit market share are based on formal and informal sources. Our method for estimating the effect of eliminating the illicit trade on tobacco related deaths is based on West et al. with some minor modifications, and involves calculating the size of the illicit cigarette trade; the effect of eliminating it on the price of cigarettes and thus on consumption; the revenue governments are losing because of it; and the number of tobacco-related premature deaths that would be avoided if this illicit trade were eliminated. Results According to available estimates, the size of the illicit trade varies between countries from 1% to about 40,50% of the market, 11.6% globally, 16.8% in low-income and 9.8% in high-income countries. The total lost revenue is about $40.5 billion a year. If this illicit trade were eliminated governments would gain at least $31.3 billion a year, and from 2030 onwards more than 164 000 premature deaths a year would be avoided, the vast majority in middle- and low-income countries. Conclusions The burden of deaths and lost revenue caused by the illicit cigarette trade falls disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries. Eliminating this trade would avoid millions of premature deaths, and recover billions of dollars for governments. [source] Bad Politics Makes Bad Policy: The Case of Queensland's Asset Sales Programme,ECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 1 2010John Quiggin L33 On 2 June 2009, the Queensland Government announced a programme of asset sales projected to realise $15 billion. In this article, the public case for privatisation put forward by the Queensland Government is shown to be wrong and, in important respects, deliberately misleading. It is argued that the presentation of a spurious case for privatisation has contributed to poor policy decisions regarding the choice of assets to be sold, the failure to restructure the rail industry to promote competition, and the adoption of inferior methods for sale. [source] The Proposed Privatisation of Queensland MotorwaysECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 1 2010Ross Guest L51; R42; R48 This article evaluates the proposed sale of the tolling rights on Queensland Motorways from an economic welfare perspective. Weighing against the sale are arguments about optimal risk allocation and network externalities. In contrast, there is a productive efficiency case in favour of the sale. Privatisation also raises questions about private monopoly power and the delivery of community service obligations, although these could be handled through contract specifications. The sale price is essentially a distributional issue. The back-of-the-envelope financial analysis here suggests that the mooted sale price of $3 billion would undervalue the asset and therefore transfer net worth from Queensland taxpayers to private investors. [source] PRICE AND EFFICIENCY EFFECTS OF TAXES AND SUBSIDIES FOR AUSTRALIAN HOUSINGECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 2 2007PETER ABELSON This paper quantifies the major subsidies and taxes that affect housing, the impacts on house prices and housing consumption, and the efficiency effects. Private housing receives an estimated net subsidy of $6.3 billion per annum. Most of this subsidy accrues to homeowners, who as a group receive about an 8% subsidy on imputed gross rentals. The rental sector receives a subsidy of approximately 0.4% of rents. On plausible (unitary elasticity) demand and supply assumptions, the homeowner subsidy increases all housing prices by about 2% and total housing consumption by about 2%, with the rise in consumption by home owners more than offsetting the fall in consumption by renters. The housing subsidy produces an estimated deadweight loss from expenditure on renovations of about $100 million per annum. However, contrary to previous work, the paper finds that the housing subsidy produces welfare gains from expenditure on new housing in the order of $187 million a year. This arises because the subsidy offsets the over-regulated supply of new housing. Transaction taxes on housing have a separate deadweight loss of $375 million per annum. Also, the unequal treatment of homeowners and renters creates a small annual deadweight loss. [source] REFORM OF THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIAECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 4 2005Jeff Pope This paper examines the case for reform of Australia's Personal Income Tax (PIT), argues that it is outdated, and demonstrates a growing consensus for reform. The importance of tax avoidance, particularly the use of trusts, in the Australian PIT system, and arguably its abrogation of modern-day criteria of what constitutes a ,good tax', is emphasised. Three possible ,reform' options are identified: the ,tinkering and tokenism' approach of current Government policy; moderate reform and a proposed ,significant reform option' costing around $22 billion. Essentially this comprises company and top PIT rate equalisation and a doubling of the tax-free threshold. But funding this is problematical. Two key arguments of the paper are that: (real) simplification i.e. lower compliance costs, is an important yet usually down-played objective in reform proposals; savings from reform denying PIT deductions such as work expenses are insufficient to achieve significant PIT reform. An increase in the rate of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from 10% to 15% (with a compensation package) is therefore advocated in a revenue-neutral analysis ignoring current Government budget surpluses. The overall outcome would be a simplified, more equitable and incentive-driven PIT system that would move Australia closer to the PIT and GST policies of other OECD countries. But the political difficulties of reform mean that the Government's ,tinkering' approach is likely to continue. [source] Mass car ownership in the emerging market giantsECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 54 2008Marcos Chamon SUMMARY Cars The typical urban household in China owns a TV, a refrigerator, a washing machine, and a computer, but does not yet own a car. In this paper, we draw on data for a panel of countries and detailed household level surveys for the largest emerging markets to document a remarkably stable relationship between GDP per capita and car ownership, highlighting the importance of within-country income distribution factors: we find that car ownership is low up to per capita incomes of about US$5000 and then takes off very rapidly. Several emerging markets, including India and China, the most populous countries in the world, are currently at the stage of development when such takeoff is expected to take place. We project that the number of cars will increase by 2.3 billion between 2005 and 2050, with an increase by 1.9 billion in emerging market and developing countries. We outline a number of possible policy options to deal with the implications for the countries affected and the world as a whole. , Marcos Chamon, Paolo Mauro and Yohei Okawa [source] Campaign Contributions and Agricultural SubsidiesECONOMICS & POLITICS, Issue 3 2001Rigoberto A. Lopez This article examines the influence of campaign contributions on agricultural subsidies. Empirical results revealed that rent-seeking works, i.e. contributions, influence agricultural subsidies in the manner they best serve contributors' economic interests. Eliminating campaign contributions would significantly decrease agricultural subsidies, hurt farm groups, benefit consumers and taxpayers, and increase social welfare by approximately $5.5 billion. Although contributions are not the only determinants of agricultural subsidies, investment returns to farm PAC contributors are quite high ($1 in contributions brings about $2,000 in policy transfers). In fact, the results are in sharp contrast to the "truthful contributions" assumption of the Grossman,Helpman model. [source] Interference from Trace Copper in Electrochemical Investigations Employing Carboxylic Acid Terminated Thiol Modified Gold ElectrodesELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 6 2009Xiaohu Qu Abstract Unexpectedly, electrochemistry at variable chain length carboxylic acid terminated alkylthiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold electrodes gives rise to a Faradaic process in buffered aqueous electrolyte solution. In particular, the three-carbon chain length, 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), exhibits a chemically reversible process with a mid-point potential of 175,mV vs. Ag/AgCl under conditions of cyclic voltammetry. This process is associated with the presence of trace (parts per billion) amounts of copper(II) ions present in the chemical reagents used to prepare the aqueous electrolyte and also from the gold electrode itself. The carboxylic acid moiety on the SAM concentrates Cu2+ ions by coordination and this surface confined layer is then reduced. Methods to minimize the interference of Cu2+ ions at carboxylic acid terminated SAM are discussed and caution with respect to the interpretation of protein electrochemistry is recommended when using carboxylic acid functionalized SAMs to provide biocompatible electrochemical transduction surfaces, unless a metal free environment can be obtained. [source] Adsorbing colloid flotation for removal of metal ions in waters from base metal minesENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 1 2002H. Sabti Adsorbing Colloid Flotation (ACF) has been shown in laboratory experiments to be effective for the removal of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb) from dilute solutions. Sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and sodium oleate (NaOl) were used as surfactants in single or mixed form, with Fe(OH)3 as a flocculant for colloid formation. These reagents worked best for zinc and copper ions for a feed concentration of 50 parts per million (ppm). The removal of lead improved significantly by the use of Fe(OH)3 and NaLS (Sodium lauryl sulphate), while the best removal of cadmium was achieved by the use of Al(OH)3 and HTMABr (hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide). Flotation experiments were conducted with feed concentrations of 50 and 500 parts per billion (ppb) and 50 ppm (parts per million). The experimental results showed that the residual concentration of metal ions decreased significantly with the decrease in the feed concentration. This could be the effect of excessive (much more than stoichiometric ratio) amounts of surfactant and flocculant, compared to the feed concentrations, required in the effective flotation of dilute feed solutions. The surfactant concentration and feed pH had the largest effects on the process, as observed in the case of cadmium removal. This can be attributed to the flocformation and flotation tendencies of the colloid-metal complexes at various solution pH and surfactant concentrations. The ACF method was applied to a number of natural drainage solutions from the metal mines at Te Aroha, New Zealand, and the experimental results demonstrate that significant removal is achieved for most of the heavy metals. [source] Agricultural and Rural Development in China: Achievements and Challenges Entwicklung der Landwirtschaft und des ländlichen Raums in China: Erfolge und Herausforderungen Le développement agricole et rural en Chine : résultats et défisEUROCHOICES, Issue 2 2009Chen Xiaohua Summary Agricultural and Rural Development in China: Achievements and Challenges China has made great advances in its agricultural and rural development since the reforms and opening-up that began in 1978. It has not only fed its population of 1.3 billion, but has also contributed to international agricultural development and food security. Agricultural production registered great development, providing sufficient food and clothes for 21 per cent of the world's population with 9 per cent of the arable land. In the process farmers' living standards improved remarkably and rural public utilities and services were greatly enhanced. China is now in a key transition period of accelerating the transformation and modernisation of traditional agriculture and rural society. It is facing significant challenges. Agriculture is still one of the weakest industries in China and it is proving difficult to sustain increases in grain output and farmers' incomes. The problems of uneven development in rural areas have become increasingly prominent and the gap between urban and rural development is tending to widen. The Chinese government will respond strategically to these challenges and will firmly pursue the construction of a new efficient and sustainable socialist countryside, along the path of modernisation with Chinese characteristics. It will also make greater contributions to world agriculture and rural development. Les progrès de la Chine en termes de développement agricole et rural depuis le début des réformes et l'ouverture en 1978 ont été considérables. Non seulement le pays a nourrit une population de 1.3 millions d'habitants mais il a contribué au développement et à la sécurité alimentaire au niveau international. La production agricole a fortement augmenté et a fournit suffisamment de nourriture et de vêtements à 21 pour cent de la population du monde avec 9 pour cent des terres cultivables. Ce processus s'est accompagné d'une hausse considérable du niveau de vie des agriculteurs et d'une grande amélioration des services publics dans les zones rurales. La Chine est maintenant à un moment clé de sa période de transition, caractérisé par une accélération de la transformation et de la modernisation de l'agriculture et de la société rurale traditionnelles. Des défis importants se présentent à elle. L'agriculture reste une des industries chinoises les plus fragiles et il se révèle difficile de continuer à augmenter la production céréalière et les revenus des agriculteurs. Les problèmes d'inégalité de développement dans les zones rurales deviennent de plus en plus visibles et l'écart de développement entre les zones urbaines et les zones rurale tend à s'accroître. Les pouvoirs publics chinois vont apporter une réponse stratégique à ces défis et vont poursuivre fermement la construction d'une nouvelle campagne socialiste efficace et durable, en suivant une voie de modernisation typiquement chinoise. Ils vont aussi accroître les contributions de la Chine au développement agricole et rural mondial. Seit Beginn der Reformen und der Öffnungspolitik 1978 hat sich Chinas Landwirtschaft und ländlicher Raum enorm weiterentwickelt. China hat seitdem nicht nur seine 1.3 Milliarden Einwohner ernährt, sondern auch zur internationalen Agrarentwicklung und Ernährungssicherung beigetragen. Die Agrarproduktion wurde erheblich ausgeweitet und deckt nun 21 Prozent des weltweiten Bedarfs an Lebensmitteln und Kleidung bei gerade einmal 9 Prozent der Weltackerfläche. Dabei haben sich die Lebensbedingungen für die Landwirte sowie das Angebot an öffentlichen Einrichtungen und Dienstleistungen im ländlichen Raum deutlich verbessert. China durchläuft gerade eine wichtige Übergangsphase, in der sich der Wandel und die Modernisierung der traditionellen Landwirtschaft und der Landbevölkerung noch schneller vollziehen, und steht großen Herausforderungen gegenüber. Die Landwirtschaft ist nach wie vor einer der schwächsten Sektoren in China, und es erweist sich als schwierig, die Steigerungsraten bei der Getreideerzeugung und den Einkommen in der Landwirtschaft aufrecht zu erhalten. Die Probleme der ungleichmäßigen Entwicklung in ländlichen Gebieten werden immer offensichtlicher, und die Kluft zwischen städtischer und ländlicher Entwicklung droht sich auszuweiten. Die chinesische Regierung wird diesen Herausforderungen strategisch begegnen und , ganz im Sinne einer Modernisierung mit chinesischen Merkmalen , daran festhalten, einen neuen sozialistischen ländlichen Raum effizient und nachhaltig zu gestalten. Sie wird ebenfalls einen noch größeren Beitrag zur Weltlandwirtschaft und zur Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums leisten. [source] The CAP for Turkey?EUROCHOICES, Issue 2 2005Budgetary Implications, Potential Market Effects EU accession negotiations with Turkey are scheduled to start in October 2005. The period of accession negotiations will probably last for ten years or longer, but the effects of applying the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to Turkey are currently a controversial discussion in the EU. Effects of Turkish accession on EU agricultural markets are likely to be small. The EU would gain additional export opportunities for cereals and animal products. On the other hand, Turkish agricultural exports to the EU are projected to increase for only a few fruit and vegetable products. EU budgetary outlays for the application of the CAP to Turkey could total between £3.5 and £6.3 billion in 2015 , depending on whether direct payments are phased in or not , and £5.4 billion in 2025. Most of these outlays would be for direct payments to agricultural producers and that may not be in Turkey's best interest. This is because direct payments tend to be capitalized in land prices and may thus inhibit the necessary process of improving the Turkish agricultural structure. Transfers under the second pillar of the CAP may hold more interest for Turkey, because they can be targeted at improving productivity and thereby income. Projected outlays for the CAP take a backseat to projected transfers to Turkey under the structural policy of the EU. Les négociations sur l'adhésion de la Turquie à l'UE doivent commencer en octobre 2005. Les préliminaires vont sans doute durer au moins une dizaine d'années, mais les effets de l'application de la Politique Agricole Commune (PAC) à la Turquie font déjà l'objet de controverses au sein de l'UE. Sur les marchés, on s'attend à des effets plutôt faibles. L'UE gagnerait certaines possibilités d'exportation de céréales et de produits animaux. Par ailleurs, les exportations de la Turquie vers l'UE ne s'accroîtraient que pour quelques fruits et légumes. Les dépenses budgétaires totales qui résulteraient pour l'UE de l'application de la PAC à la Turquie se situeraient en 2015 entre 3,5 et 6,3 milliards d'Euros, selon que les paiements directs seront ou ne seront pas progressivement éliminés. Elles atteindraient 5,4 milliards en 2025. Il s'agirait pour l'essentiel de paiements directs aux producteurs agricoles, ce qui ne correspondrait pas forcément à l'intérêt bien compris de la Turquie. De fait, les paiements directs tendent àêtre capitalisés en valeurs foncières. Ils pourraient par conséquent inhiber le processus d'amélioration des structures, pourtant bien nécessaire. Les transferts liés au second pilier de la PAC pourraient être plus utiles, parce qu'ils peuvent être ciblés sur les accroissements de productivité et donc de revenus. C'est pourquoi il y a lieu d'envisager des transferts à la Turquie au titre des politiques d'amélioration de structures en arrière plan des budgets prévisionnels pour la PAC. Im Oktober 2005 sollen die EU-Beitrittsverhandlungen mit der Türkei beginnen. Diese Verhandlungen werden wahrscheinlich über einen Zeitraum von zehn Jahren oder länger geführt werden, die Auswirkungen der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik (GAP) auf die Türkei werden im Moment in der EU jedoch kontrovers diskutiert. Der EU-Beitritt der Türkei wird sich wahrscheinlich nur geringfügig auf die EU-Agrarmärkte auswirken. Die EU erhielte zusätzliche Exportmöglichkeiten für Getreide und tierische Erzeugnisse. Die Agrarexporte der Türkei in die EU hingegen würden vermutlich nur bei einigen wenigen Obstund Gemüseprodukten zunehmen. Durch die Anwendung der GAP auf die Türkei würde der EU-Haushalt im Jahr 2015 mit 3,5 bis 6,3 Milliarden Euro (je nachdem, ob die Direktzahlungen schrittweise eingeführt werden oder nicht) und im Jahr 2025 mit 5,4 Milliarden Euro belastet. Der grö,te Teil dieser Kosten entstünde aufgrund von Direktzahlungen an landwirtschaftliche Erzeuger. Dies dürfte für die Türkei nicht die bestmögliche Alternative darstellen, da Direktzahlungen zumeist in den Bodenpreisen kapitalisiert werden, wodurch der notwendige Prozess zur Verbesserung der türkischen Agrarstruktur ins Stocken geraten könnte. Transferleistungen im Rahmen der zweiten Säule der GAP dürften für die Türkei interessanter sein, da sie auf eine Produktivitätssteigerung ausgerichtet werden könnten, um so die Einkommenssituation zu verbessern. Die zu erwartenden Ausgaben für die GAP im Rahmen der Strukturpolitik der EU spielen im Vergleich zu den zu erwartenden Transferleistungen an die Türkei eine untergeordnete Rolle. [source] Why Study Large Projects?EUROPEAN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2004An Introduction to Research on Project Finance G32; G34; L22; G31 Abstract Despite the fact that more than $200 billion of capital investment was financed through project companies in 2001, an amount that grew at a compound annual rate of almost 20% during the 1990s, there has been very little academic research on project finance. The purpose of this article is to explain why project finance in general and why large projects in particular merit separate academic research and instruction. In short, there are significant opportunities to study the relationship among structural attributes (i.e., high leverage, contractual details, and concentrated equity ownership), managerial incentives, and asset values, as well as improve current practice in this rapidly growing field of finance. [source] Preferential flow and transport in soil: progress and prognosisEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008B. E. Clothier Summary Soil is the first filter of the world's water; its buffering and filtering determine the quality and quantity of our reserves of subterranean and surface water. Preferential flow can either enhance, or curtail, the capacity of the soil to buffer and filter, and it can compromise, or boost, other ecosystem services. We ask ,when do preferential flow and transport matter?' We identify 12 of 17 ecosystem services that benefit from preferential flow and three that are affected detrimentally. We estimate by simple arithmetic the value of preferential flow to ecosystem services to be globally some US$304 billion (109) per year. We review the 1989 Monte Verità meeting on preferential flow processes and summarize the 2006 presentations, some of which are published in this issue of the Journal. New technologies and innovative experiments have increased our understanding of the conditions that initiate and sustain preferential flows. We identify contemporary exigencies, and suggest avenues for their resolution. We are progressing through observation-led discovery. Our prognosis is that new data will enable us to develop better models, and more aptly to parameterize existing models, and thereby predict the impact, benefits and detriments of preferential flow in soil. [source] African American Women's Satisfaction with the Design and Marketing of Ready-to-Wear ClothingFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009Nora M. MacDonald The African American market has increased in terms of percentage of the United States population and income, with purchasing power estimated at more than $800 billion. This pilot study assessed older African American women's perception of how well their clothing needs were being met using focus group discussion methodology. The primary objective was to determine African American women's satisfaction with marketing clothing, clothing fit, cultural dress, and accessories. The dress-body clothing purchase decision-making factors model was used as the theoretical framework. Thirty-two African American women from the Charleston, West Virginia, area participated in the study. Results indicated dissatisfaction with the portrayal of African American females in targeted advertisements and the fit of clothing. Suggestions are provided to overcome these reservations. [source] Commercialization of Nanostructured Metals Produced by Severe Plastic Deformation ProcessingADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 5 2003T.C. Lowe Abstract The promise of nanotechnology is increasingly being realized as governments, universities, public and private research laboratories, and the various industrial sectors devote resources to this emerging area. Estimates for the economic impact of nanotechnology on existing global markets exceed 700 billion by the year 2008. Nanomaterials are projected to be one of the earliest components of nanotechnology to appear in commercial applications. Amongst the emerging new nanomaterials, bulk nanostructured metals produced by severe plastic deformation (SPD) have shown promise in a wide range of application areas. In this paper, we overview developments in severe plastic deformation technology, emphasizing progress since the international workshop "Investigations and Applications of Severe Plastic Deformation" held 2,8 August 1999 in Moscow, Russia. Then, we overview some of principal areas of application for SPD metals and alloys. [source] Securitization: The Transformation of Illiquid Financial Assets into Liquid Capital Market Securities Examples from the European MarketFINANCIAL MARKETS, INSTITUTIONS & INSTRUMENTS, Issue 3-4 2000Charles Austin Stone Since the benefits a firm can derive from securitization are universal, the discussion of a market bounded by national borders is somewhat artificial unless the focus is on constraints particular to the country which promote or inhibit the use of securitization. With the exception of the United Kingdom, regulatory constraints have been an important factor in slowing the development of a European market for asset and mortgage backed securities. In addition to the regulatory hurdles, securitization in Europe has been inhibited by segmented corporate bond markets and the relatively slow development of money market savings vehicles for households. Liquidity across credit spectrums has been enhanced since the introduction of the Euro, as has been the competition for savings. European companies are developing the ability to securitize even if the technique is not yet being widely exploited. What is the European market for mortgage and asset backed securities? Does it include the U.S. credit card banks, Citicorp, Chase, MBNA, and First USA that have refinanced U.S. credit card receivables in European currencies and in Euro? Does it include GMAC which has structured Swiss Franc and Euro ABS backed by its U.S. dealer floor plan loans? Does it include Japanese banks that have refinanced Yen denominated leases with Euro and Swiss Franc ABS? Does it include Barclays' issue of $1 billion of ABS backed by sterling credit card receivables? Of course the answer is yes. Markets are defined by both the supply and demand sides. Our analysis focuses on the supply side of the domestic European market. [source] The economic costs and benefits of UK defence exportsFISCAL STUDIES, Issue 3 2002Malcolm Chalmers Abstract This study examines the economic costs and benefits to the UK of a 50 per cent cut in UK defence exports from the average level of 1998 and 1999. The net impact on the government budget is estimated to be an ongoing loss of between around £40 million and £100 million a year: around 0.2,0.4 per cent of the total UK defence budget. In addition, there is estimated to be a one-off net adjustment cost, spread over five years, of between £0.9 billion and £1.4 billion. A further more speculative adjustment cost (estimated at around £1.1 billion) could result if the loss of income associated with the ,terms-of-trade£ effect were also included. In terms of the wider debate about defence exports, the results of this study suggest first that the economic effects of the reduction in defence exports are relatively small and largely one-off, and secondly that the balance of arguments about UK defence exports should be determined mainly by non-economic factors. [source] Regional socio-economic importance of fisheries in FinlandFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 4-5 2001J. Virtanen The total value of Finnish fisheries production in 1997 was almost FIM 2 billion. The bulk of this sum was from processing and wholesaling, but in terms of value added, somewhat more than half was contributed by the primary sector, i.e. fishing and fish farming. In economic terms, fisheries accounted for 0.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 1997 and the relative job creation capacity was 0.15%. This paper examines the structure of Finnish fisheries in terms of production value and employment. It also considers the level of dependency on fisheries and of value added along the production chain. The focus is on concentration of the industry and on input to the economy at the regional level. The concentration of fisheries and regional dependence on fisheries are assessed in absolute and relative terms. Examining employment and value added in these two ways enables the regional nature of fisheries to be shown in greater detail. The input of fisheries to the regional economy is examined by the share of value added and by location quotients. The location quotient compares an area's share of a particular activity with that area's share of some basic or aggregated phenomenon. The location quotient showed that fisheries have importance not only in the coastal area but also inland. [source] China's South-to-North Water Transfer Project: Is it Needed?GEOGRAPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 9 2010Chansheng He China has started the construction of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP; its magnitude is even greater than the Three Gorges Dam Project), to deliver about 45 billion m3 of water from the Yangtze River to the water starving North China Plain. Is the project needed given the multiple socioeconomic, engineering, and environmental challenges and controversies it is facing and the effects of demand management programs China has been implementing in recent years? This article, through the analysis of the water shortage problems in the North China Plain and the Yellow River basin, demonstrates that considering China's current economic base, technological capacity, and income levels, the SNWTP, while facing multiple challenges, is still needed to relieve the water deficit problems in the North China Plain. However, the SNWTP is only a partial solution to North China's chronic water shortage problem. China should continue to actively implement and enforce its demand management programs nationwide to ensure that its limited fresh water resources are used to meet the multiple needs of human societies and ecosystems in a socially responsible, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable way. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||