Trade liberalisation and greenhouse gas emissions: the case of dairying in the European Union and New Zealand

International Relations/Trade,

Lincoln Trade and Environment Model (LTEM) : an agricultural multi-country, multi-commodity partial equilibrium framework

This research report introduces the Lincoln Trade and Environmental Model (LTEM). The report defines the model as well as comparing it to other trade modelling frameworks. The theoretical and technical specification of LTEM are detailed. The report then identifies the policies which can be incorporated into the LTEM. These policies are distinguished into unilateral policies and bilateral policies, and illustrate the capability of the model to simulate the impact of various complex policies on trade. The unilateral policies include the more traditional policies such as import tariffs and export subsidies, as well as market and input subsidies. However, the LTEM also includes the ability to model direct payments, production quotas and minimum prices. The bilateral policies in the LTEM include preferential access quotas with and without in-quota tariffs. In addition the LTEM can include more general trade access quotas, again with or without in- or out-quota tariffs, thus enabling the impact of more complex policies to be assessed. The research report then outlines the model interactions, and how the policy changes or other shocks to the LTEM are simulated

Designing Progressive and Interactive Analytics Processes for High-Dimensional Data Analysis

In interactive data analysis processes, the dialogue between the human and the computer is the enabling mechanism that can lead to actionable observations about the phenomena being investigated. It is of paramount importance that this dialogue is not interrupted by slow computational mechanisms that do not consider any known temporal human-computer interaction characteristics that prioritize the perceptual and cognitive capabilities of the users. In cases where the analysis involves an integrated computational method, for instance to reduce the dimensionality of the data or to perform clustering, such non-optimal processes are often likely. To remedy this, progressive computations, where results are iteratively improved, are getting increasing interest in visual analytics. In this paper, we present techniques and design considerations to incorporate progressive methods within interactive analysis processes that involve high-dimensional data. We define methodologies to facilitate processes that adhere to the perceptual characteristics of users and describe how online algorithms can be incorporated within these. A set of design recommendations and according methods to support analysts in accomplishing high-dimensional data analysis tasks are then presented. Our arguments and decisions here are informed by observations gathered over a series of analysis sessions with analysts from finance. We document observations and recommendations from this study and present evidence on how our approach contribute to the efficiency and productivity of interactive visual analysis sessions involving high-dimensional data

International Migration, Remittances, and the Human Capital Formation of Egyptian Children

We study the roles that migration and remittances play in the human capital formation of children in Egypt. Our estimations reveal a significant association between remittances and human capital formation: the higher the probability of receipt of remittances, the higher the probability of school enrollment, and the older the age at which children enter the labor force. Although, with regard to the likelihood of school enrollment and the age of the first participation in the labor force, the family disruption effect of migration dominates the income effect of remittances, the likelihood of labor force participation decreases even in households from which both parents migrated

International Migration, Remittances, and the Human Capital Formation of Egyptian Children

We study the roles that migration and remittances play in the human capital formation of children in Egypt. Our estimations reveal a significant association between remittances and human capital formation: the higher the probability of receipt of remittances, the higher the probability of school enrollment, and the older the age at which children enter the labor force. Although, with regard to the likelihood of school enrollment and the age of the first participation in the labor force, the family disruption effect of migration dominates the income effect of remittances, the likelihood of labor force participation decreases even in households from which both parents migrated

Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome following Phacoemulsification Secondary to Overdose of Intracameral Gentamicin

Objective. To report a case of toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS) that was caused by inadvertent anterior chamber and cornea stromal injection with high dose gentamicin following cataract surgery. Methods. Case report. Results. We report a 72-year-old female patient who developed TASS that was caused by high dose gentamicin (20 mg/0.5 mL), which was inadvertently used during the formation of the anterior chamber and hydration of the corneal incision. Unlike previous cases, hyphema and hemorrhagic fibrinous reaction were seen in the anterior chamber. Despite treatment, bullous keratopathy developed and penetrating keratoplasty was performed. The excised corneal button was sent for histopathological examination. Conclusions. Subconjunctival gentamicin is highly toxic to the corneal endothelium and anterior chamber structures. Including it on the surgical table carries a potentially serious risk for contamination of the anterior chamber

Monitoring the damage state of fiber reinforced composites using an FBG network for failure prediction

A structural health monitoring (SHM) study of biaxial glass fibre-reinforced epoxy matrix composites under a constant, high strain uniaxial fatigue loading is performed using fibre Bragg grating (FBG) optical sensors embedded in composites at various locations to monitor the evolution of local strains, thereby understanding the damage mechanisms. Concurrently, the temperature changes of the samples during the fatigue test have also been monitored at the same locations. Close to fracture, significant variations in local temperatures and strains are observed, and it is shown that the variations in temperature and strain can be used to predict imminent fracture. It is noted that the latter information cannot be obtained using external strain gages, which underlines the importance of the tracking of local strains internally

A review of the national and international agro-food policies and institutions in the Mediterranean Region

This synthesized report aims at providing a comparative view of agricultural sectors and policies in the MPC, based on the individual country reports and expanding the gathered information. It offers an overall depiction of the whole MPC region under investigation and a comparative perspective, along with a summary of the key country characteristics. More in-depth, country-specific information should be sought within the country reports. In this sense, this report should be examined together with the individual country reports from which, country-related information have been extracted. References to the country reports are omitted for simplicity reasons, as it is defined that they constitute the basis of this report. In addition, and for the same reason, all references made within the country reports have been also omitted. Detailed reference sources can be found within the country reports. Any reference to additional sources, not referred to in the country reports, is explicitly mentioned. In Annex II, following the Mediterranean Partner Countries’ reports, a report entitled “Euro- Mediterranean policy and other ongoing processes and their main impact on Mediterranean Partner Countries” is given, in which the relations between the EU and the MPC under the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership (i.e. Barcelona process) are analysed

Trade and wages in Australia

The trade and wages debate worldwide, over the last decade has focused attention on the possible relationships between trade liberalisation and the factor distribution of income. In Australia real wages in manufacturing have remained about the same since 1977 while real GDP, Gross Domestic Product has doubled. At the same time Australia has reduced import protection. This pattern is observed in a range of developed countries, Slaughter (1998). There is a tendency to attempt to link these two trends causally in the trade and wages debate. Standard trade theory provides a framework to analyse this hypothesis by drawing the links between trade liberalisation and factor returns. This nexus is examined here by examining the factor content of Australian trade in a framework that enables us to draw some conclusions about the changes in factor returns that can be expected from trade liberalisation. In other words, the question posed by this paper is what are the characteristics of workers who benefit and what are the characteristics of the workers who lose from trade liberalisation in Australia given the structure of factor intensities in the tradeable sector of the economy. Finally, the paper closes with some discussion of what might be done about the problem of real wage stagnation

New Zealand trade liberalisation, unemployment and real wages

New Zealand embarked on major unilateral trade policy changes as part of the economic reform packages from 1984. Since that time there has been some evidence that unskilled wages have fallen relative to skilled workers wages. Popular criticism links the two causally by arguing that increased trade liberalisation has lead to this widening margin and affected the distribution of income. This study examines this hypothesis from two perspectives: the contribution that trade liberalisation after 1984 had on the appreciation of the real exchange rate reducing tradable sector profitability and employment and secondly, the effect trade liberalisation had on real wages of various skill groups given the factor intensities that prevail in the New Zealand economy. The results do not support the hypothesis. Trade liberalisation appears to have caused a depreciation of the real exchange rate as theory predicts, increasing employment in the tradeable sector. Furthermore, given that the exportable sector is more intensive in its use of unskilled labour, trade liberalisation appears to have increased the real wages of unskilled workers relative to skilled workers in New Zealand