Optimal fiscal decentralization: Redistribution and welfare implications

The literature has been inconclusive regarding the welfare effects of fiscal decentralization (FD), defined here as the extent to which local governments collect and spend local tax revenues. We present an original model to investigate formally the distributional and welfare implications of FD. In contrast to the standard approach that compares the implications of full FD with that of centralization, we consider that the central government chooses the level of FD to maximize welfare in a heterogeneous country. Noncooperatively, local governments choose their tax collection effort to maximize local utility. We show that an increase in the tax rate leads optimal FD to increase so as to compensate for the welfare loss from decreasing optimal local tax effort. Hence, welfare and income distribution improve in FD at its intermediate, rather than extreme, levels. We coin this result as the decentralization-Laffer curve. As regional spillovers increase, FD is less desirable as it deteriorates welfare and income distribution. This finding provides a novel support for the decentralization theorem and contributes to the fiscal policy debate. © 2016 Elsevier Lt

Determination of antimicrobial activity and production of some metabolites by Pseudomonas aeruginosa B1 and B2 in sugar beet molasses

In the present study, exopolysaccharide (EPS), pyocyanin, rhamnolipid productions, total cell proteins and antimicrobial activities were investigated in two strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (B1 and B2).Exopolysaccharide, pyocyanin and rhamnolipid production of strains were determined in nutrient broth medium (NB) as control and different sugar beet molasses concentrations (1-5 % w/v) at differentperiods (24, 48 and 72 h) by a spectrophotometric method. The exopolysaccharide, pyocyanin and rhamnolipid productions of both strains increased after incubation when 5% (w/v) of molasses wereused. Therefore the results disclose the correlations between the increasing molasses concentrations and EPS, pyocyanin and rhamnolipid productions of P. aeruginosa B1 and B2 strains (P≤ 0.01). Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 was more sensitive than Escherichia coli 11230 to the inhibitory effect of P. aeruginosa B1 and B2. Moreover, these strains exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against bothtest bacteria in sugar beet molasses (5% w/v) at 72 h. Significant increases in total cell protein and antimicrobial activity of P. aeruginosa B1 and B2 were observed with increasing the molasses concentrations (P≤ 0.01). The results also indicated that strains having high total cell protein were higher antimicrobial activity, EPS, pyocyanin and rhamnolipid productions

Fabrication and modification of composite silica nano test tubes for targeted drug delivery

This work describes the use of template synthesis to fabricate multifunctional composite silica nano test tubes for targeted drug delivery. The tubular nanostructures were formed within nanoporous anodized alumina templates and their inner voids were filled with a drug-bearing gel matrix while the test tubes were embedded within the template. Upon template removal, the composite nanocarriers were bio-functionalized with a targeting moiety towards breast cancer cells. The results show that targeting is critical in inducing cell death and the targeted nanocarriers are extensively more cytotoxic towards cancer cells compared with healthy controls