Remittances and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh India and Sri Lanka

In many developing countries, remittance payments from migrant workers are increasingly becoming a significant source of export income. This paper investigates the causal link between remittances and economic growth in three countries, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, by employing the Granger causality test under a VAR framework (Granger 1988). Using time series data over a 25 year period, we found that growth in remittances does lead to economic growth in Bangladesh. In India, there seems to be no causal relationship between growth in remittances and economic growth; but in Sri Lanka, a two-way directional causality is found; namely economic growth influences growth in remittences and vice-versa. The paper also discusses a number of policy issues arising from the results of the analysis in relation to remittances in association with liberalisation of financial institutions, gender issues, regulation and enforcement, investment and savings schemes, and promotion and education.

The comparison of solar-powered hydrogen closed-cycle system capacities for selected locations

The exhaustion of fossil fuels causes decarbonized industries to be powered by renewable energy sources and, owing to their intermittent nature, it is important to devise an efficient energy storage method. To make them more sustainable, a storage system is required. Modern electricity storage systems are based on different types of chemical batteries, electromechanical devices, and hydrogen power plants. However, the parameters of power plant components vary from one geographical location to another. The idea of the present research is to compare the composition of a solar-powered hydrogen processing closed-cycle power plant among the selected geographical locations (Russia, India, and Australia), assuming the same power consumption conditions, but different insolation conditions, and thus the hydrogen equipment capacity accordingly. The number of solar modules in an array is different, thus the required hydrogen tank capacity is also different. The comparison of equipment requires building an uninterrupted power supply for the selected geographical locations, which shows that the capacity of the equipment components would be significantly different. These numbers may serve as the base for further economic calculations of energy cost

Microdeletion del(22)(q12.2) encompassing the facial development-associated gene, MN1 (meningioma 1) in a child with Pierre-Robin sequence (including cleft palate) and neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2): a case report and review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pierre-Robin sequence (PRS) is defined by micro- and/or retrognathia, glossoptosis and cleft soft palate, either caused by deformational defect or part of a malformation syndrome. Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is an autosomal dominant syndrome caused by mutations in the <it>NF2 </it>gene on chromosome 22q12.2. NF2 is characterized by bilateral vestibular schwannomas, spinal cord schwannomas, meningiomas and ependymomas, and juvenile cataracts. To date, NF2 and PRS have not been described together in the same patient.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a female with PRS (micrognathia, cleft palate), microcephaly, ocular hypertelorism, mental retardation and bilateral hearing loss, who at age 15 was also diagnosed with severe NF2 (bilateral cerebellopontine schwannomas and multiple extramedullary/intradural spine tumors). This is the first published report of an individual with both diagnosed PRS and NF2. High resolution karyotype revealed 46, XX, del(22)(q12.1q12.3), FISH confirmed a deletion encompassing <it>NF2</it>, and chromosomal microarray identified a 3,693 kb deletion encompassing multiple genes including <it>NF2 </it>and <it>MN1 </it>(meningioma 1).</p> <p>Five additional patients with craniofacial dysmorphism and deletion in chromosome 22-adjacent-to or containing <it>NF2 </it>were identified in PubMed and the DECIPHER clinical chromosomal database. Their shared chromosomal deletion encompassed <it>MN1</it>, <it>PITPNB </it>and <it>TTC28</it>. <it>MN1</it>, initially cloned from a patient with meningioma, is an oncogene in murine hematopoiesis and participates as a fusion gene (<it>TEL</it>/<it>MN1</it>) in human myeloid leukemias. Interestingly, <it>Mn1</it>-haploinsufficient mice have abnormal skull development and secondary cleft palate. Additionally, <it>Mn1 </it>regulates maturation and function of calvarial osteoblasts and is an upstream regulator of <it>Tbx22</it>, a gene associated with murine and human cleft palate. This suggests that deletion of <it>MN1 </it>in the six patients we describe may be causally linked to their cleft palates and/or craniofacial abnormalities.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Thus, our report describes a <it>NF2</it>-adjacent chromosome 22q12.2 deletion syndrome and is the first to report association of <it>MN1 </it>deletion with abnormal craniofacial development and/or cleft palate in humans.</p

Mapping Connectivity Damage in the Case of Phineas Gage

White matter (WM) mapping of the human brain using neuroimaging techniques has gained considerable interest in the neuroscience community. Using diffusion weighted (DWI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), WM fiber pathways between brain regions may be systematically assessed to make inferences concerning their role in normal brain function, influence on behavior, as well as concerning the consequences of network-level brain damage. In this paper, we investigate the detailed connectomics in a noted example of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) which has proved important to and controversial in the history of neuroscience. We model the WM damage in the notable case of Phineas P. Gage, in whom a “tamping iron” was accidentally shot through his skull and brain, resulting in profound behavioral changes. The specific effects of this injury on Mr. Gage's WM connectivity have not previously been considered in detail. Using computed tomography (CT) image data of the Gage skull in conjunction with modern anatomical MRI and diffusion imaging data obtained in contemporary right handed male subjects (aged 25–36), we computationally simulate the passage of the iron through the skull on the basis of reported and observed skull fiducial landmarks and assess the extent of cortical gray matter (GM) and WM damage. Specifically, we find that while considerable damage was, indeed, localized to the left frontal cortex, the impact on measures of network connectedness between directly affected and other brain areas was profound, widespread, and a probable contributor to both the reported acute as well as long-term behavioral changes. Yet, while significantly affecting several likely network hubs, damage to Mr. Gage's WM network may not have been more severe than expected from that of a similarly sized “average” brain lesion. These results provide new insight into the remarkable brain injury experienced by this noteworthy patient

Is utility additive? Further evidence

This paper investigates the question of additive structure of the utility function using the data for nine broad commodity groups from 45 countries. Further evidence is presented in support of the preference independent utility structure.

Empirical regularities in South African consumption patterns

This article investigates a number of empirical regularities in the South African consumption patterns. The data support the following empirical regularities: (1) variability in consumption systematically exceeds the variability in prices; (2) law of demand; (3) income flexibility is about -0.5; (4) Engel's law; and (5) the demand hypotheses, demand homogeneity and Slutsky symmetry are acceptable. In contrast to the findings for a number of other countries, another important empirical regularity that consumer's utility function is additive is rejected for the South African consumers. Based on the implied demand elasticity estimates from the preferred model, it is found that food, housing and medical care are necessities, and clothing, furniture, transport and recreation are luxuries and demand for all the commodities are price inelastic.

THE DEMAND FOR TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND AUSTRALIA

This paper investigates the substitution/complementarity relationship among the demands for private transport, public transport and communication in the United Kingdom and Australia for the period 1960-1986. The authors use the Rotterdam Demand System for the analysis. The results identify major similarities and some important differences in consumption of these goods in the two countries. Further, they show that in both countries (a) private transport is a luxury and public transport is a necessity; (b) the demand for all three goods are price inelastic and (c) public transport, private transport and communications are pair-wise substitutes