The Impact of Education on Economic Growth in Guatemala: A Time- Series Analysis Applying an Error-Correction Methodology

This paper investigates the impact of human capital on economic growth in Guatemala through the application of an error-correction methodology. Two channels are analyzed, by which human capital is expected to influence growth. A better-educated labor force appears to have a positive and significant impact on economic growth both via factor accumulation as well as on the evolution of total factor productivity. The results have been found robust concerning data issues and parameter stability.Education, Growth, Econometrics, Guatemala

Pobreza, Deforestación y Pérdida de la Biodiversidad en Guatemala

Poverty, Deforestation and Biodiversity Loss in Guatemala This paper explores the causes of deforestation and biodiversity loss in Guatemala and is organized into 4 parts. First, an overview about deforestation in Guatemala from 1950-2000 is provided, and the relationship between deforestation and biodiversity loss is explored. Secondly, some underlying causes of deforestation are examined. While caution is needed about many conventional hypotheses, there are strong reasons to believe that higher rural wages generated by greater off-farm employment opportunities reduce deforestation. Thirdly, an empirical analysis indicates that agricultural activities in rural areas remain closely tied to deforestation because of the virtual absence of non-environmental assets of the poor. And finally, some doubts are placed on the excessive establishment of Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) within the countryside. In particular, the paper concludes that for the case of Guatemala strengthening the rural non-farm sector and human capital formation should be regarded as a key elements of a development strategy that tries to combine biodiversity conservation within a framework of sustainable economic growth and poverty alleviation.Biodiversity, Deforestation, Econometrics, Education,Integrated Conservation and Development Projects,Poverty, Rural Non-farm Employment, Guatemala.

Pobreza, Deforestación y Pérdida de la Biodiversidad en Guatemala

This paper explores the causes of deforestation and biodiversity loss in Guatemala and is organized into 4 parts. First, an overview about deforestation in Guatemala from 1950-2000 is provided, and the relationship between deforestation and biodiversity loss is explored. Secondly, some underlying causes of deforestation are examined. While caution is needed about many conventional hypotheses, there are strong reasons to believe that higher rural wages generated by greater off-farm employment opportunities reduce deforestation. Thirdly, an empirical analysis indicates that agricultural activities in rural areas remain closely tied to deforestation because of the virtual absence of non- environmental assets of the poor. And finally, some doubts are placed on the excessive establishment of Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) within the countryside. In particular, the paper concludes that for the case of Guatemala strengthening the rural non- farm sector and human capital formation should be regarded as a key elements of a development strategy that tries to combine biodiversity conservation within a framework of sustainable economic growth and poverty alleviation. El presente trabajo explora las causas de la deforestación y la pérdida de la biodiversidad en Guatemala. El documento se divide en cuatro partes. En la primera parte, se presenta una generalización sobre la deforestación en Guatemala entre 1950-2000. Así mismo, se explora la relación entre la deforestación y la pérdida de la biodiversidad. En la segunda parte, se examinan algunas de las causas de la deforestación. Aunque es necesario analizar con cuidado algunas de las hipótesis convencionales, hay razones sólidas para creer que mayores salarios rurales generados por mejores opciones de empleo no agrícola reducen la deforestación. En la tercera parte, se realiza un análisis empírico, el cual indica que las actividades agrícolas en las áreas rurales están fuertemente relacionadas a la deforestación debido a la ausencia de activos no ambientales de los pobres, como por ejemplo la educación. Finalmente, se plantean algunas dudas sobre el establecimiento excesivo de áreas protegidas dentro del país. En particular, el trabajo concluye que el fortalecimiento del sector rural no agrícola y la formación de capital humano deberían tomarse como elementos claves para una estrategia de desarrollo que intente combinar conservación de la biodiversidad con crecimiento económico sostenible y reducción de la pobreza.Biodiversity, Deforestation, Econometrics, Education, Integrated Conservation and Development Projects, Poverty, Rural Non- farm Employment, Guatemala, Biodiversidad, Deforestación, Econometría, Educación, Areas protegidas, Pobreza, Empleo rural no agrícola

Pobreza, Deforestación y Pérdida de la Biodiversidad en

This paper explores the causes of deforestation and biodiversity loss in Guatemala and is organized into 4 parts. First, an overview about deforestation in Guatemala from 1950-2000 is provided, and the relationship between deforestation and biodiversity loss is explored. Secondly, some underlying causes of deforestation are examined. While caution is needed about many conventional hypotheses, there are strong reasons to believe that higher rural wages generated by greater off-farm employment opportunities reduce deforestation. Thirdly, an empirical analysis indicates that agricultural activities in rural areas remain closely tied to deforestation because of the virtual absence of non- environmental assets of the poor. And finally, some doubts are placed on the excessive establishment of Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) within the countryside. In particular, the paper concludes that for the case of Guatemala strengthening the rural non- farm sector and human capital formation should be regarded as a key elements of a development strategy that tries to combine biodiversity conservation within a framework of sustainable economic growth and poverty alleviation.Biodiversity, Deforestation, Econometrics, Education, Integrated Conservation and Development Projects, Poverty, Rural Non- farm Employment, Guatemala, biodiversidad, deforestación, econometría, educación, áreas protegidas, pobreza, empleo rural no agrícola

Pobreza, Deforestación y Pérdida de la Biodiversidad en

This paper explores the causes of deforestation and biodiversity loss in Guatemala and is organized into 4 parts. First, an overview about deforestation in Guatemala from 1950-2000 is provided, and the relationship between deforestation and biodiversity loss is explored. Secondly, some underlying causes of deforestation are examined. While caution is needed about many conventional hypotheses, there are strong reasons to believe that higher rural wages generated by greater off-farm employment opportunities reduce deforestation. Thirdly, an empirical analysis indicates that agricultural activities in rural areas remain closely tied to deforestation because of the virtual absence of non- environmental assets of the poor. And finally, some doubts are placed on the excessive establishment of Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) within the countryside. In particular, the paper concludes that for the case of Guatemala strengthening the rural non- farm sector and human capital formation should be regarded as a key elements of a development strategy that tries to combine biodiversity conservation within a framework of sustainable economic growth and poverty alleviation. - El presente trabajo explora las causas de la deforestación y la pérdida de la biodiversidad en Guatemala. El documento se divide en cuatro partes. En la primera parte, se presenta una generalización sobre la deforestación en Guatemala entre 1950-2000. Así mismo, se explora la relación entre la deforestación y la pérdida de la biodiversidad. En la segunda parte, se examinan algunas de las causas de la deforestación. Aunque es necesario analizar con cuidado algunas de las hipótesis convencionales, hay razones sólidas para creer que mayores salarios rurales generados por mejores opciones de empleo no agrícola reducen la deforestación. En la tercera parte, se realiza un análisis empírico, el cual indica que las actividades agrícolas en las áreas rurales están fuertemente relacionadas a la deforestación debido a la ausencia de activos no ambientales de los pobres, como por ejemplo la educación. Finalmente, se plantean algunas dudas sobre el establecimiento excesivo de áreas protegidas dentro del país. En particular, el trabajo concluye que el fortalecimiento del sector rural no agrícola y la formación de capital humano deberían tomarse como elementos claves para una estrategia de desarrollo que intente combinar conservación de la biodiversidad con crecimiento económico sostenible y reducción de la pobreza.Biodiversity, Deforestation, Econometrics, Education, Integrated Conservation and Development Projects, Poverty, Rural Non- farm Employment, Guatemala, biodiversidad, deforestación, econometría, educación, áreas protegidas, pobreza, empleo rural no agrícola

Knowledge exchange with Sistema Scotland

This paper reports on a knowledge exchange project, funded by the Scottish Funding Council and with the aim of improving the ‘two-way flow of people and ideas between the research environment and wider economy, thereby contributing to national prosperity, the quality of life of citizens, and cultural enrichment of our society’ (Scottish Funding Council, n.d). The project was undertaken by a group of researchers from three higher education institutions with a combined knowledge of education, music and psychology which has guided their knowledge exchange activities with the project partner and among themselves. The project partner was Sistema Scotland, a charity which is attempting to implement a major programme of social change, originating in Venezuela, within a disadvantaged area of Scotland, and therefore a highly appropriate focus for knowledge exchange. The paper outlines the development of Sistema Scotland and the programme, El Sistema, on which it is based. It details the knowledge exchange activities undertaken, which used Derrida’s (1993) notion of aporia to try to engage Sistema Scotland with different perspectives and understandings, and a practical method for conducting meetings based on Open Space Technology. The various ‘encounters’ with children, service providers and stakeholders are reported and this is followed by a critique of the processes of knowledge exchange which were both permitted and prohibited. The paper ends with a discussion of the conditions that are necessary for knowledge exchange to be successful

Pharmacokinetics and tumor dynamics of the nanoparticle IT-101 from PET imaging and tumor histological measurements

IT-101, a cyclodextrin polymer-based nanoparticle containing camptothecin, is in clinical development for the treatment of cancer. Multiorgan pharmacokinetics and accumulation in tumor tissue of IT-101 is investigated by using PET. IT-101 is modified through the attachment of a 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-Tris-acetic acid ligand to bind ^(64)Cu^(2+). This modification does not affect the particle size and minimally affects the surface charge of the resulting nanoparticles. PET data from ^(64)Cu-labeled IT-101 are used to quantify the in vivo biodistribution in mice bearing Neuro2A s.c. tumors. The ^(64)Cu-labeled IT-101 displays a biphasic plasma elimination. Approximately 8% of the injected dose is rapidly cleared as a low-molecular-weight fraction through the kidneys. The remaining material circulates in plasma with a terminal half-life of 13.3 h. Steadily increasing concentrations, up to 11% injected dose per cm^3, are observed in the tumor over 24 h, higher than any other tissue at that time. A 3-compartment model is used to determine vascular permeability and nanoparticle retention in tumors, and is able to accurately represent the experimental data. The calculated tumor vascular permeability indicates that the majority of nanoparticles stay intact in circulation and do not disassemble into individual polymer strands. A key assumption to modeling the tumor dynamics is that there is a “sink” for the nanoparticles within the tumor. Histological measurements using confocal microscopy show that IT-101 localizes within tumor cells and provides the sink in the tumor for the nanoparticles

Rubin H. Flocks and Colloidal Gold Treatments for Prostate Cancer

In the early 1950s, Rubin H. Flocks of the University of Iowa began to treat prostate cancer patients with colloidal gold (Au198) therapy, evolving his technique over nearly 25 years in 1515 patients. We reviewed the long-term outcomes of Flocks' prostate cancer patients as compared to those patients treated by other methods at the University of Iowa before Flocks' chairmanship. We reviewed archived patient records, Flocks' published data, and long-term survival data from the Iowa Tumor Registry to determine short- and long-term outcomes of Flocks' work with colloidal gold. We also reviewed the literature of Flocks’ time to compare his outcomes against those of his contemporaries. The use of colloidal gold, either as primary or adjunctive therapy, provided short- and long-term survival benefit for the majority of Flocks' patients as compared to historical treatment options (p < 0.001). Flocks' use of colloidal gold for the treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer offered short- and long-term survival benefits compared to other contemporary treatments

Substrate Cooperativity in Marine Luciferases

Marine luciferases are increasingly used as reporters to study gene regulation. These luciferases have utility in bioluminescent assay development, although little has been reported on their catalytic properties in response to substrate concentration. Here, we report that the two marine luciferases from the copepods, Gaussia princeps (GLuc) and Metridia longa (MLuc) were found, surprisingly, to produce light in a cooperative manner with respect to their luciferin substrate concentration; as the substrate concentration was decreased 10 fold the rate of light production decreased 1000 fold. This positive cooperative effect is likely a result of allostery between the two proposed catalytic domains found in Gaussia and Metridia. In contrast, the marine luciferases from Renilla reniformis (RLuc) and Cypridina noctiluca (CLuc) demonstrate a linear relationship between the concentration of their respective luciferin and the rate of light produced. The consequences of these enzyme responses are discussed