Financing rural development for a harmonious society in China : recent reforms in public finance and their prospects

The Government of China has placed strong emphasis on addressing problems related to agriculture, farmers, and rural society, with the development of a"new socialist countryside"designated as a top priority for the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2006-2010). The financing of public services in rural areas will be a key determinant of the Plan's success. This report analyzes the performance of the intergovernmental fiscal system - the financing of rural development through counties, townships, and villages - and the impact of recent reforms. The authors show that achieving the government's objectives will require channeling substantial new resources to rural areas. In addition, ensuring the effective transfer of resources and their efficient utilization will require fundamental reforms to a wide range of public institutions, including budget and planning processes, personnel management systems, and the organization of government agencies. The authors argue that a comprehensive reform strategy is needed to address fundamental vertical and horizontal imbalances in the intergovernmental fiscal system The reforms must reach beyond the fiscal system to build improved accountability mechanisms to improve public service delivery at the grassroots level. And, given China's size and diversity, reform efforts must focus on improving incentive structures at the county, township, and village levels.Public Sector Economics&Finance,Access to Finance,Banks&Banking Reform,Debt Markets,

Neurobiology of Lipid Signalling in the Developing Brain: Link to Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental conditions diagnosed by atypical behaviours in social interaction and communication, along with stereotyped, restricted and repetitive behaviours. The exact cause of ASDs is unclear but is likely from a combination of genetic and environmental influences. Various clinical studies have identified an association between irregular lipid signalling and ASDs. Lipids are major components of brain cells and serve as a supply for signalling molecules such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is the key enzyme responsible for PGE2 production in the brain. The COX-2/PGE2 signalling pathway is essential for development and maintenance of healthy neural functions. Genetic defects or exposure to various environmental agentssuch as infections or drugscan disrupt the levels of PGE2. However, investigation into the molecular mechanisms by which disrupted COX-2/PGE2 signalling or irregular PGE2 levels might affect the development of the nervous system and contribute to the pathogenesis of ASDs is sparse. Addressing this gap in knowledge was the main purpose of this dissertation. We found that PGE2 interacts with the key developmental Wnt signalling pathway in vitro by affecting neuroectodermal stem cell motility and proliferation (Study 1) and by promoting their differentiation into neurons (Study 2). In addition, prenatal PGE2 exposure disrupted cell density and increased migration in ASD-implicated areas of the mouse brain (Study 3). Decreased PGE2 (via COX-2-deficiency) or increased PGE2 in mice also led to abnormal microglial density and morphology (Study 4). Lastly, behavioural outcomes related to ASDs were quantified in COX-2-deficient and PGE2-exposed mice (Study 5 and 6). Our findings support epidemiological and clinical reports implicating the COX-2/PGE2 pathway in ASDs. We provide novel evidence that disturbances in the COX-2/PGE2 pathway results in aberrant neurodevelopment, including molecular, cellular, and behavioural differences analogous to those described in ASDs. Importantly, this array of research studies is one of the first to investigate mechanisms related to ASDs in both males and females and at various developmental stages, which is greatly underrepresented in the current literature. Altogether, this dissertation exposes the COX-2/PGE2 pathway as an autism candidate pathway and offers important insight into the complex, unknown etiology of ASDs

Insights on motivation of TikTok users over 18-years-old post-completion of dangerous challenges

TikTok is known for 15 second to 10-minute videos instead of text posts with limited characters, characteristic of Twitter, and users have used the platform to share dangerous challenges or their attempts. Much research has been done on why children and adolescents participate in these challenges with few studies focusing on young adults. Here, a survey was created and advertised on well-known social media sites, seeking TikTok users over 18-years-old who participated in one or more dangerous challenge. The goal was to gain insight into the motivations for participating, so the questions regarded their experience in attempting the challenge(s). While the survey was active and advertised, no responses were submitted, though according to Twitter’s analytics, a few people had clicked on the survey link. It was theorized that the target group simply did not see the advertisements or did not want to fill out the survey

Plutonium in the Presence of Natural Organic Ligands: Sorption Kinetics, Surface Complex Stability, and Subsurface Transport

This work investigated aging of plutonium (Pu) on the surface of goethite, the effect of natural organic ligands on the enhancement of Pu desorption and mobility, and Pu transport in a natural soil. Because adsorption of Pu is frequently observed to be initially rapid followed by slower adsorption over days to weeks, Pu may undergo aging, where a surface process following initial adsorption causes a change in Pu state over time. Pu uptake which exhibits fast and slow sorption phases has been successfully modeled using a multisite model where sorbed Pu is represented as two compartments with different rates of exchange with solution, and I propose in this work that it may be modeled using consecutive compartments representing Pu states with different accessibility to the solution. Additionally, the fate and transport of Pu can be affected by the presence of natural organic ligands which may diminish Pu sorption to mineral surfaces by forming Pu–aqueous complexes or enhance Pu sorption by forming ternary surface complexes. Numerous previous studies have examined the extent of Pu sorption to pure minerals in batch experiments. However, the effect of natural organic ligands on Pu sorption kinetics and transport in natural soils requires further investigation. The aging of Pu on goethite was observed by using batch experiments with adsorption times of 1–116 days. To assess the stability of Pu(IV) on the goethite surface, desorption was performed in the presence of desferrioxamine B (DFOB) which acted as a competing complexant and also thermodynamically drove aqueous Pu(V) to form Pu(IV)–DFOB aqueous complexes. Thus, the surface stability of Pu(IV) was measured in a system with pure oxidation state. Pu was observed to become less desorbable with increasing adsorption times, and the effect of Pu aging was greater at lower pH values. The results were not consistent with surface mediated reduction as a process of aging, but demonstrated that Pu aging could be sensitive to pH. The kinetics of Pu (de)sorption from goethite in the presence of DFOB, fulvic acid (Suwanee River I), and citric acid were investigated using a flow-cell design which minimized readsorption of Pu by constant dilution. Additional kinetic information was obtained by conducting stop events to vary the fluid residence time. Pu became less desorbable over three days, indicating Pu underwent aging on goethite. The Pu data was modeled using a kinetic sorption model which considered two consecutive linear sorption components. In this theoretical conceptual model, the transition to a second surface state represented aging, but the specific process was unknown. The presence of DFOB had a greater effect on Pu desorption than either citric acid or fulvic acid. Although further study is required to determine Pu–(fulvic acid) stability constants, the results are consistent with the relative stability constants for Pu–ligand aqueous complexes. The effect of DFOB and citrate on Pu mobility was examined in column transport experiments with natural soil from the Savannah River Site. Pu was loaded onto the columns in organic-free solution, followed by a continuous input of organic ligand solution to mobilize the Pu. Due to the strong sorption of DFOB and citrate to the soil, their presence was estimated to be limited to the first 1.32 and 0.68 cm of the columns, respectively. The formation of aqueous Pu–ligand complexes did not appear to affect the Pu soil distribution, However, in each of the columns, including the ligand-free control, 9–20 % of Pu was observed to elute with retardation factors of 24–29, suggesting that Pu was mobilized by a process the columns had in common. Multiple working hypotheses to explain these data are (1) oxidation of Pu(IV) to Pu(V) within the loading solution during pH adjustment, (2) mobilization by of Pu–ligand complexes with native soil organic matter, and (3) colloid-facilitated transport. With increased aging, Pu mobility in the subsurface may decrease if Pu is sorbed to an immobile matrix, or Pu mobility may increase if Pu is sorbed to mobile colloids. Because this work used indirect measurements of aqueous Pu to observe the effects of aging, further research is required to determine the process behind Pu aging. Flow-cell experiments demonstrated that the presence of natural organic ligands has the potential to mobilize Pu in the subsurface; however, in natural soils, further research is required to understand the enhancement of Pu mobility in the presence of natural organic ligands. Pu mobility in the subsurface environment depends on many complex interactions potentially involving contact time, soil composition, Pu redox reactions, ligand sorption, soil organic matter, and mineral colloids

An Estimation of U.S. Industry-Level Capital-Labor Substitution

A key parameter that determines the distributional impacts of a policy shift in general equilibrium models is the elasticity of substitution between capital and labor. Despite the importance of this parameter in applied modeling, its identification continues to pose a challenge. Given the structure of most growth models, we posit that the true relationship between capital and labor is likely to be close to Cobb- Douglas. Using a rich new data set from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, we estimate substitution elasticities for 28 industries, which cover the entire economy, and provide an indication of the long- and short-run estimates. We fail to reject the Cobb-Douglas specification in 20 of the 28 industries. These findings lend support to the Cobb-Douglas specification as a transparent starting point in simulation analysis.Econometric Methods; Time Series Models; Computable General Equilibrium Models

Cognitive metaphor in the West and the East : A comparison of metaphors in the speeches of Barack Obama and Wen Jiabao

The thesis discusses the metaphors used in the speeches of US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The framework is Cognitive Metaphor Theory, which introduces the idea that cognitive metaphors are conceptualizations or patterns of thought, not lingusitic phenomena, although these metaphors give rise to linguistic metaphors. The metaphorical mapping, the relations between conceptual metaphors and our experience, the differences between conceptual metaphors and poetic metaphors, as well as the functions of metaphors are also discussed. It is the purpose of the thesis to show the ubiquity of metaphor by analyzing the metaphors used in the West (represented by Obama) and the East (represented by Wen). A comparison of the similarities and differences of the conceptual metaphors used by the two politicians is made. The topics of speeches vary, from internal affairs (such as economy and domestic politics) to international affairs. The findings show that the conceptual metaphors TO PURSUE WELL-BEING IS A JOURNEY, PERSONIFICATION and POLITICS IS WAR are found to be the most dominant in both the English and the Chinese corpus, but some details or linguistic expressions in the same conceptual metaphors differ. Some specific American and Chinese metaphors are also highlighted, for instance, the American Dream and the Chinese flag. Metaphors are extensively used in both Obama and Wen’s speeches, and in fact among politicians as well, since metaphors not only have rhetoric functions, but also the power function of legitimization and delegitimization

The role of stories in informed learning

Current practices in the information profession need to better address individuals as whole persons. Individuals are imbued with an historical past, a current situation, future aspirations, their own beliefs, values, and the stories that have shaped them. Our profession needs to recognise that individuals are unique, living in and amongst other processes in the world. The 'cookie cutter' approach often deployed in teaching our users has limited the great capacity libraries have to stimulate learners' innate creativity in enabling their lives to flourish. Lacking a holistic perspective of individuals as complex evolving beings, has limited our approach to teaching information literacy (IL) to a mere process of finding information, rather than encouraging learners to reflect on their information experiences as it applies to their own unique situations. Individuals are agents of their own becoming through time. Through reflection and examination we develop a greater awareness of agendas important to us as individuals, and we can enact that knowledge through ethical and wise decisions. Current practices do not fully nurture the development of reflective and sound use of information, which is crucial for the individual's own growth and development. This paper aims to provide an alternative way of understanding the learning process by reframing Christine Bruce's(2008) seven faces of Informed learning as relational to the creative process of narrative construction which Paul Ricoeur (1984, 1986, 1988) identifies as essential to human life. Stories have a vital role in IL as a process of human self-creation affecting all people across their entire lives. Narrative is the process through which learners make sense of themselves and the world by processing information to construct a story as an intelligent whole. Ricoeur refers to the process as a mimesis. It is important to acknowledge narrative as the process by which humans make meaning, as this empowers us to author our own lives as creative agents. Awareness of narrative as the structure by which people learn, opens up a new perspective of our understanding of Informed learning. Thinking of learners as story makers, and as a character in an unfolding story will inform libraries how to best support and encourage learners to re-author their narratives. The mimesis of narrative highlights the holistic nature of narrative structure as a creative process of becoming. A pedagogical approach such as Problem-based learning (PBL) offers a suitable method for the effective integration of narrative and learning. PBL encourages the forms of self-reflection that enables awareness of the narratives relevant to the individual learner. Libraries can adjust the delivery of their learning programs to include the use of PBL to teach informed learning – a process of using information to solve problems guided by reasoning. The PBL technique replicates the mimetic process. Drawing from Narrative and Informed learning allows learners to use information to assess the problem as a whole, enabling the practice and exercise of wise solutions

Using the Five Ps: Conceptualizing COVID-19-Related Mental Health Concerns

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in rising mental health concerns. As individuals experience loneliness, anxiety, and depression related to the pandemic, counselors-in-training navigate their treatment of clients while also living through the pandemic and its polarization. The authors present the Five Ps, a case conceptualization model that supervisors can use to help beginning counselors consider the history and context of the presenting concerns of clients, in addition to utilizing clients’ strengths in treatment. The authors provide a case illustration using the Five Ps in a supervision setting and discuss implications for supervision and future research

Using an Idiographic Approach to Clients with Health Anxiety

Worries about one’s health, while ubiquitous, can for some become quite distressing. Health anxiety occurs when one becomes focused on symptoms and fears they may become ill or die. This often overtakes their life due to continued worry. They often spend an inordinate amount of time and effort to seek answers. Other aspects of their life are placed in the periphery or abandoned. Traditional approaches are aimed at symptom relief. While effective for some, others continue to struggle. A more novel approach that aims to look at the client both holistically and individualistically can address much more than symptom amelioration