INCOME INEQUALITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH AT THE EUROPEAN UNION

Economic growth has several determinants, however, there is little research on the effect of income inequality on economic growth. In the case of the European Union, there are countries with different varieties of capitalism, which leads a significant variation in the levels of inequality between countries. The paper aims to estimate the effect of income inequality on the economic growth of the Member States of the European Union, considering different types of income inequality: Gini index, top 1% share and top 10% share. We used a dynamic and static panel that models which measure the effect of inequality on the economic growth of the Member States of the European Union. The results show that the type of inequality variable affects the relationship between the income inequality and economic growth, in addition to the fact that the indicators that measure income inequality have a negative and positive impact on the economic growth on the Member States of the European Union

Chewing the Fat Regulating Autophagy in Drosophila

AbstractAutophagy is the major cellular process responsible for bulk cytoplasmic degradation. Two reports in this issue of Developmental Cell describe how both PI3 kinase and TOR signaling in Drosophila are critical for controlling autophagy in response to developmental and environmental cues

INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN LATIN AMERICAN EMERGING COUNTRIES: THE CASE OF MEXICO, BRAZIL AND CHILE

Over recent years several theoretical and empirical research (from developed countries) have studied the innovation as a complex process involving participation, interaction and interrelationship of actors (organizations, individuals, businesses) and institutions (government, education, research centres) as elements of a collective system that contribute and influence the innovation process. In addition, such research shows how that innovation has impacted positively on economic growth of nations. In order to understand the functioning of the National Systems of Innovation in emerging countries (Mexico, Brazil and Chile), we perform a critical analysis of the approach, examining their application limitations and recognizing the characteristics and interests of Latin American countries. Furthermore, we analyse the impact of innovation on economic growth in these countries. The aim of this paper is to analyse whether the differences in economic growth among Mexico, Chile and Brazil, are explained by gaps in levels of innovation

MAIN ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE EUROPEAN CRISIS IN PERIPHERAL COUNTRIES

The European crisis has triggered a series of economic, political and social consequences in the European Union, particularly for the euro zone member states and this has generated a public discussion about the pertinence of a single currency. This paper presents some of the social, political and economic consequences. One of the main consequences of the crisis in peripheral countries is higher unemployment. The political reconfiguration at the national-level in some European countries is presented. The pressures on labor markets are high and there is a reconfiguration in the immigration and emigration in Europe

Fuels treatment and wildfire effects on runoff from Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forests

We applied an eco-hydrologic model (Regional Hydro-Ecologic Simulation System [RHESSys]), constrained with spatially distributed field measurements, to assess the impacts of forest-fuel treatments and wildfire on hydrologic fluxes in two Sierra Nevada firesheds. Strategically placed fuels treatments were implemented during 2011–2012 in the upper American River in the central Sierra Nevada (43 km2) and in the upper Fresno River in the southern Sierra Nevada (24 km2). This study used the measured vegetation changes from mechanical treatments and modelled vegetation change from wildfire to determine impacts on the water balance. The well-constrained headwater model was transferred to larger catchments based on geologic and hydrologic similarities. Fuels treatments covered 18% of the American and 29% of the Lewis catchment. Averaged over the entire catchment, treatments in the wetter central Sierra Nevada resulted in a relatively light vegetation decrease (8%), leading to a 12% runoff increase, averaged over wet and dry years. Wildfire with and without forest treatments reduced vegetation by 38% and 50% and increased runoff by 55% and 67%, respectively. Treatments in the drier southern Sierra Nevada also reduced the spatially averaged vegetation by 8%, but the runoff response was limited to an increase of less than 3% compared with no treatment. Wildfire following treatments reduced vegetation by 40%, increasing runoff by 13%. Changes to catchment-scale water-balance simulations were more sensitive to canopy cover than to leaf area index, indicating that the pattern as well as amount of vegetation treatment is important to hydrologic response

REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE PACIFIC ALLIANCE COUNTRIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCOME INEQUALITY AND SOCIAL CAPITAL

Social capital is considered a productive resource for societies. The increase in social trust is usually related to both economic growth and a reduction in inequality. In Latin American countries, and particularly the economies that belong to the Pacific Alliance, the relationship between social capital and income inequalities has not been studied at regional level. The paper aims to analyze whether social capital impacts income inequality in the case of the Pacific Alliance regions. Dynamic panel data models were used, covering 72 regions during the period 2002-2011. The results show that the decline in generalized trust and congress trust impacts negatively income inequality, while government trust, police trust and company trust have not effect

Complete genome sequence of Frog virus 3, isolated from a strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) imported from Nicaragua into the Netherlands

Frog virus 3 was isolated from a strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) imported from Nicaragua via Germany to the Netherlands, and its complete genome sequence was determined. Frog virus 3 isolate Op/2015/Netherlands/UU3150324001 is 107,183 bp long and has a nucleotide similarity of 98.26% to the reference Frog virus 3 isolate

INSTITUTIONAL GEARING, INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: EMPIRICAL ESTIMATION FOR 32 ECONOMIES

The objective of the paper is to estimate the relationship between institutional gearing and economic growth for 32 economies of the world. For this it is considered that institutional gearing is the positive effect that one institution has over another, but also above all the system that generates innovation. In addition, other variables were included that affect innovation. To do this, we estimate a data model panel with fixed effects for the period 2011-2015. The results show that institutional gearing, high technology exports and capital stock have a positive effect on economic growth. We conclude that the positive effect of the existence of an institution on another institution and on the system of innovation (institutional gearing) has a positive effect on the economic growth of the countries used