International Real Business Cycles in the Developed and Emerging Economies of NAFTA and the EU

This study empirically and theoretically evaluates economic interdependence of emerging and developed economies in terms of business cycles. In addition to evaluating Mexico�s business cycles relative to the developed NAFTA economies, it considers the business cycles of some of the Eastern European emerging economies in the EU relative to developed EU economies. By evaluating intra- and cross-country statistics, the study finds that there are empirical regularities (stylized facts) for emerging economies -just as there are for developed ones. A key empirical finding is that developed economies belonging to the same trade agreement tend to have highly synchronized business cycles and hence positive output and consumption correlations, but that this relationship does not necessarily hold with respect to emerging economies. In fact, the correlations are virtually absent and sometimes even negative when comparing the emerging economies� business cycles with those of their developed trading partners. It is shown that the intra-country statistics for both types of economies can successfully be reproduced using a one-country international real business cycle model with an endogenous interest rate. In addition, the non-existent or negative output and consumption correlations between the two economy types can be captured by a two-country international real business cycle model using portfolio adjustment costs and applying negative spillover effects in the productivity process of the emerging economy. The negative spillover effect also allows for a reversal of the usual theoretical implication of theses model types that there should be more consumption- than output smoothing (while data shows the opposite to be true). The study additionally gives a comprehensive overview of contemporary solution mechanisms used to solve this class of models

Introduction to Robust Power Domination

Sensors called phasor measurement units (PMUs) are used to monitor the electric power network. The power domination problem seeks to minimize the number of PMUs needed to monitor the network. We extend the power domination problem and consider the minimum number of sensors and appropriate placement to ensure monitoring when $k$ sensors are allowed to fail with multiple sensors allowed to be placed in one location. That is, what is the minimum multiset of the vertices, $S$, such that for every $F\subseteq S$ with $|F|=k$, $S\setminus F$ is a power dominating set. Such a set of PMUs is called a $k$-robust power domination set. This paper generalizes the work done by Pai, Chang and Wang in 2010 on vertex-fault-tolerant power domination, which did not allow for multiple sensors to be placed at the same vertex. We provide general bounds and determine the $k$-robust power domination number of some graph families.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figure

Climate Variability and the Millennium Development Goal Hunger Target

Climate variability contributes significantly to poverty and food insecurity. Proactive approaches to managing climate variability within vulnerable rural communities and among institutions operating at community, sub-national, and national levels is a crucial step toward achieving the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. Climate variability can impact a household's access to food by affecting subsistence production, income from primary production, local food prices, and sometimes the economy of an entire region. The risk of household food insecurity is determined by the success of livelihood strategies in the face of climate and other shocks. Across the economy, climate variability affects food security through its influence on investment, adoption of agricultural technology, aggregate production, market prices and economic development, and hence the ability of individuals, communities and nations to produce and purchase food. The impacts of climate variability are both ex post – losses that follow a climate shock — and ex ante — opportunity costs of conservative risk management responses to climatic uncertainty. The report summarizes the scientific basis, current methodology, and prospects for improving climate prediction at a seasonal time scale. Current forecast methods give modest to moderately-high prediction skill in "hunger hotspots" in East, West and Southern Africa, and other regions in the tropics and subtropics. Applications of climate information contribute to a comprehensive strategy to combat hunger. First is the use of seasonal climate prediction in early warning systems to guide interventions to avert food crises. Second is the use of climate information to manage risk in agricultural systems within vulnerable rural communities and among a range of institutions. This includes smallholder farmers who comprise the largest group of poor and food-insecure; intermediary institutions that interface with farmers, and can provide the information, technical guidance and production inputs required for effective climate risk management; and institutions that make climate-sensitive decisions at a broader scale that influence food security. We also discuss measures to strengthen institutional capacity and coordination to improve management of climate variability. Improved management of climate variability has appealing synergies with other interventions that target hunger, including soil fertility management, small-scale water management, markets, and extension and communication systems

Establishment of agencies for local groundwater governance under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

With the passage of its 'Sustainable Groundwater Management Act' (SGMA), California devolved both authority and responsibility for achieving sustainable groundwater management to the local level, with state-level oversight. The passage of SGMA created a new political situation within each groundwater basin covered by the law, as public agencies were tasked with self-organizing to establish local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs). This research examines GSA formation decisions to determine where GSAs formed, whether they were formed by a single agency or a partnership, and whether agencies chose to pursue sustainable groundwater management by way of a single basin-wide organization or by coordinating across multiple organizational structures. The research then tests hypotheses regarding the relative influence of control over the resource, control over decision making, transaction costs, heterogeneity and institutional bricolage on GSA formation decisions. Results indicate mixed preferences for GSA structure, though a majority of public water agencies preferred to independently form a GSA rather than to partner in forming a GSA. Results also suggest GSA formation decisions are the result of overlapping and interacting concerns about control, heterogeneity, and transaction costs. Future research should examine how GSA formation choices serve to influence achievement of groundwater sustainability at the basin scale

A Flexible Framework or Rigid Doctrine? Assessing the Legacy of the 2000 Mojave Decision for Resolving Disputes Over Groundwater in California

The string of California Supreme Court cases establishing and elucidating groundwater pumping rights and rules for adjudicating them, culminating in the court's 2000 decision in City of Barstow v. Mojave Water Agency, has produced a framework that is frustratingly rigid and unclear at the same time. Fully litigating the relevant issues under that framework is a potentially time consuming and expensive slog. The rigidity drives up the cost of proving rights and the appropriate formula for allocating water, while the uncertainty creates room for litigious mischief. However, a close look at seven adjudications that have gone to judgment since Mojave shows a more complex and interesting story. In five of those cases, the parties and the courts effectively finessed the property rights rules to reach relatively quick settlements that included creative groundwater management solutions. In two of the seven, however, the Mojave framework produced over a decade of litigation. Both lines of cases hold important lessons for groundwater management generally, and for California as it moves forward in implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014

Perceived barriers and facilitators to antiretroviral therapy adherence among youth aged 15-24 years at a regional HIV clinic in South-Western Uganda: a qualitative study

Introduction: South-Western region has the second highest HIV prevalence in Uganda. Youth aged 15-24 have shown poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy compared to the older cohorts. Previous studies from other regions have shown various barriers and facilitators. Our study was designed to describe specific barriers and facilitators to treatment adherence among youths in a large regional HIV clinic in southwestern Uganda. Methods: We used a phenomenological qualitative study design conducted amongst 30 purposively selected HIV positive youth aged 15-24 years enrolled at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital HIV clinic on ART for a period of at least one year and 6 key informants using in-depth interviews. The data was collected in an inductive manner during the period between 21st July and 17th August 2020. The recordings were backed up, transcribed verbatim and then analyzed manually using thematic content analysis. Results: The barriers to ART adherence were described in three descending categories as perceived treatment burden, perceived resultant stigma and discrimination, whereas the main facilitators were; perceived usefulness of HIV medications, availability of free services and Social support. Conclusion: Youths aged 15-24 have challenges with ART associated treatment burden and fear to disclose their HIV status because of the resultant stigma from their communities. Many have however accepted the fact that HIV medications are lifesaving and are strongly motivated to adhere to their medications despite the circumstances. Keywords: Barriers; Facilitators; Adherence; HIV/AIDS; Young Adults

Knowledge, attitude, and preferred strategies towards HIV/AIDS prevention among adolescents attending secondary schools in South Western Uganda

Background: Globally, HIV/AIDS continues to rise among adolescents. Ugandan studies have examined knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS among adult populations. This study specifically paid attention to this particular age group of adolescents 12-19 years. Aim: To explore HIV knowledge and attitudes among adolescents attending secondary schools Mbarara Uganda. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in three secondary schools in South Western Uganda. Forty eight (48) adolescents with age range between 12-19 years were purposively recruited in the study. Data were collected from six focus groups and analyzed thematically. Ethical approval received from MUST (#05/10-17) and UNSCT (#SS4535) review committees. Results: Four themes emerged: Knowledge about HIV, sources of information, attitudes towards persons with HIV and prevention strategies. Most adolescents had the basic knowledge of HIV from multiple sources like social media, health workers, peers, and parents. Their attitudes toward individuals with HIV included compassion, shock, and uneasiness. Participants suggested prevention programs to be implemented in the schools emphasizing HIV education, life skills, sex education and the formation of peer groups. Conclusions: The findings showed that most participants had knowledge about HIV and how it can be prevented however few had knowledge gap thinking that HIV does not exist

Putting Adaptive Management into Practice: Incorporating Quantitative Metrics into Sustainable Groundwater Management

This report uses four cases to examine how agencies have used adaptive mangement and quantitative metrics to set minimum thresholds, measurable objectives and interim milestones to measure groundwater in California. The report offers recommendations for Groundwater Sustainability Agencies as they write their sustainability plans