Inequality and Growth: Uncovering the main conclusions from the empirics

The theme of the relationship between inequality and economic growth has gained considerable attention among economists over the last two decades. In this paper, we analyse the effect of inequality on growth, whose related literature has been producing inconclusive results. After an exhaustive study of the major empirical works in this specific research area, we are able not only to advance with some potential explanations for the apparent lack of consensus on the empirical assessment of the inequality-growth relationship, but also to achieve a better understanding of the nature of this relationship and the forces underlying it. We conclude that the disparities found in the results of the estimation of the reduced-form relationship are most likely due to three dimensions: differences in the estimation techniques, the countries and the periods included in the sample, and the variable used to measure inequality. The last two aspects have particularly important implications. First, country/region specificities play a crucial role in the relationship between inequality and growth, so more emphasis should be put on the estimation of such a relationship on a national/regional basis, rather than trying to establish universal patterns. Second, the time horizon of the analysis should be carefully chosen, as different transmission channels from inequality to growth tend to operate differently in the short and in the long-run. Third, the fact that inequality in wealth distribution has a stronger negative effect on growth than inequality in income distribution may indicate that the channels through which inequality affects growth are not the same in both distributions. Therefore, we argue that in order to produce an accurate assessment of both the reduced-form relationship and the underlying transmission channels these aspects should be accordingly considered, which has not been the case in most of the empirical literature.inequality, economic growth, transmission channels, income distribution, wealth distribution, taxation

Desenvolvimento de uma bebida probiótica produzida com soro de leite de vaca

Dissertação de Mestrado, Tecnologia e Segurança Alimentar, 16 maio de 2019, Universidade dos Açores.A alimentação saudável e a proteção do ambiente são dois temas muito atuais. Cada vez mais, o consumidor procura alternativas benéficas para a saúde e que sejam, ao mesmo tempo, sustentáveis. Vários investigadores têm-se dedicado ao estudo do ácido gama-aminobutírico (GABA), um dos principais neurotransmissores inibidores do sistema nervoso central com funções fisiológicas e efeitos positivos em múltiplos distúrbios metabólicos, nomeadamente no controlo da hipertensão. A procura por produtos naturalmente enriquecidos em GABA tem aumentado, havendo uma preocupação crescente em evitar o recurso a produtos sintéticos. Por outro lado, o excedente de soro é um dos maiores problemas enfrentados pelas indústrias de laticínios, principalmente as de pequena e média dimensão, dado ao elevado custo do seu tratamento. O presente trabalho teve como principal objetivo o desenvolvimento de uma bebida probiótica com soro de leite de vaca, utilizando uma cultura de bactérias do ácido lático (BAL) com potencial de produção de GABA, contribuindo com benefícios para a saúde do consumidor, e em simultâneo, para a redução dos desperdícios da indústria de laticínios. Foi realizado um screening das BAL produtoras de GABA através de cromatografia em camada fina (TLC) e a confirmação da capacidade produtora de GABA através de cromatografia de alta eficiência (HPLC). Foram identificados 3 isolados Enterococcus maladoratus com uma percentagem elevada de conversão do ácido glutâmico em GABA. Procedeu-se então à preparação de uma bebida utilizando o soro pasteurizado como principal matéria-prima para a fermentação com um isolado produtor de GABA. Ao produto final foi adicionado preparado de fruta, tendo em vista a melhoria do ponto de vista sensorial. As bebidas foram ainda submetidas a análises químicas e microbiológicas. Do nosso conhecimento, este foi o primeiro trabalho a relatar a espécie Enterococcus maladoratus como potencial produtor de GABA, com elevadas percentagens de conversão do ácido glutâmico em GABA. Foram obtidas percentagens de conversão entre 50% a 71% nas bebidas produzidas com sabor a ananás e maracujá. A bebida com sabor a ananás obteve concentrações de GABA entre 2,319 g L-1 e 3,117 g L-1 e a bebida com sabor a maracujá entre 2,636 g L-1 e 3,272 g L-1. A ingestão diária de 100ml de uma das bebidas produzidas corresponde a uma ingestão aproximada de 250 mg a 300 mg de GABA, podendo o seu consumo exercer efeitos benéficos para o consumidor, nomeadamente a nível do controlo da pressão arterial.ABSTRACT: Healthy eating and environmental protection are two very current issues. Increasingly, consumers are looking for alternative foods with benefits to health and, at the same time, sustainable. Several researchers have focused on the study of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major neurotransmitter inhibitor of the central nervous system with physiological functions and positive effects on multiple metabolic disorders, such as the hypertension control. The demand for naturally enriched products in GABA has increased and there is a growing concern about avoiding the use of synthetic products. On the other hand, the surplus of whey is one of the biggest problems faced by the dairy industries, especially the small and medium-sized ones, given the high cost of its treatment. The main objective of the present work is the development of a probiotic drink made with cow's milk whey and the use of a culture of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with potential for GABA production. This probiotic drink will have benefits for the consumer’s health, and at the same time, for the reduction of waste from the dairy industry. LAB was screened for the production of GABA by thin layer chromatography (TLC). The confirmation of the GABA production capacity was done by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Three isolates were identified as Enterococcus maladoratus with a high percentage of conversion of glutamic acid to GABA. The beverage was prepared using the pasteurized whey as the main raw material for fermentation with a GABA-producer. A fruit preparation was added to the final product, in order to improve the sensorial features. The beverages were also subjected to chemical and microbiological analysis. To our knowledge, this was the first study to report the species Enterococcus maladoratus as a potential producer of GABA, with high percentages of conversion of glutamic acid to GABA. Conversion percentages between 50% and 71% were obtained in beverages produced with pineapple and passion fruit flavor. The pineapple-flavored drink achieved GABA concentrations between 2,319 g L-1 and 3,117 g L-1, and the passion fruit-flavored beverage between 2,636 g L-1 and 3,272 g L-1. The daily intake of 100 ml of one of the beverages produced corresponds to an approximate intake of 250 mg to 300 mg of GABA. Therefore, the consumption of these beverages may have beneficial effects for the consumer, namely in the control of blood pressure

Development of electrochemical biosensors and sensors for the determination of interest analytes

Se han puesto a punto varios métodos electroquímicos para la determinación de varios analitos de interés, como lactato, cloruro, bromuro y yoduro utilizando sistemas electródicos serigrafiados (SPEs). Su bajo costo, tamaño pequeño, portabilidad para aplicaciones in situ, así como su facilidad de modificación, les confiere gran versatilidad, para ser usados como transductores en sensores y biosensores electroquímicos con gran precisión y sensibilidad en distintas matrices. Concretamente, se ha desarrollado un biosensor amperométrico para la determinación de lactato, basado en la utilización de la enzima lactato oxidasa. El biosensor ha permitido la determinación de este ácido orgánico en líquidos biológicos como saliva y sudor y en productos alimentarios como vinos. Se incluyen también estudios de los mecanismos de inhibición de las enzimas utilizadas en los biosensores. También se han puesto a punto sensores para la determinación de haluros, que han mostrado su aplicabilidad para su cuantificación en varios tipos de muestras

Farmers' Demand for Information about Agribusiness

This study is focused on the habits of the Brazilian farmers that access the Internet for searching information to their economical activities. The main goal is to understand how come those agents of the agribusiness use the formal and informal (personal contact) means of communication, as well as the functions that each of those means accomplish to this public. In other words, it intends to identify the channels of communication of major importance to farmers (used more often, considered the ones of more credibility and preferred among them). That is possible by means of a questionnaire sent exclusively by e-mail, answered by Brazilian farmers. The motivation of the study is to contribute to make the communication more efficient to those who work on farms. That can produce benefits to the communication companies and to the public. The results show that the Internet is the mean of communication more often used and preferred on the process of searching information about the agribusiness among Brazilian farmers. The personal contact, not considered in the valuation about preference, appears in second position in the ranking for intensity of use. On the other hand, the radio, regional press newspapers and newsletters of class entities were the less consulted and the last ones in the ranking of preference.Agribusiness, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Stock selection based on cluster analysis

We put forward a technique based on cluster analysis to group stocks in spot markets according to a risk-return criterion. We show how an informed investor will make money using the cluster analysis to select stocks of major companies from North and South America.

Solar type II radio bursts associated with CME expansions as shown by EUV waves

We investigate the physical conditions of the sources of two metric Type-II bursts associated with CME expansions with the aim of verifying the relationship between the shocks and the CMEs, comparing the heights of the radio sources and the heights of the EUV waves associated with the CMEs. The heights of the EUV waves associated with the events were determined in relation to the wave fronts. The heights of the shocks were estimated by applying two different density models to the frequencies of the Type-II emissions and compared with the heights of the EUV waves. For the 13 June 2010 event, with band-splitting, the shock speed was estimated from the frequency drifts of the upper and lower branches of the harmonic lane, taking into account the H/F frequency ratio fH/fF = 2. Exponential fits on the intensity maxima of the branches revealed to be more consistent with the morphology of the spectrum of this event. For the 6 June 2012 event, with no band-splitting and with a clear fundamental lane on the spectrum, the shock speed was estimated directly from the frequency drift of the fundamental emission, determined by linear fit on the intensity maxima of the lane. For each event, the most appropriate density model was adopted to estimate the physical parameters of the radio source. The 13 June 2010 event presented a shock speed of 664-719 km/s, consistent with the average speed of the EUV wave fronts of 609 km/s. The 6 June 2012 event was related to a shock of speed of 211-461 km/s, also consistent with the average speed of the EUV wave fronts of 418 km/s. For both events, the heights of the EUV wave revealed to be compatible with the heights of the radio source, assuming a radial propagation of the shock.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic