Do institutions matter for FDI spillovers ? the implications of China's"special characteristics"

The authors investigate how institutions affect productivity spillovers from foreign direct investment (FDI) to China's domestic industrial enterprises during 1998-2007. They examine three institutional features that comprise aspects of China's"special characteristics": (1) the different sources of FDI, where FDI is nearly evenly divided between mostly Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries and Hong Kong (SAR of China), Taiwan (China), and Macau (SAR of China); (2) China's heterogeneous ownership structure, involving state- (SOEs) and non-state owned (non-SOEs) enterprises, firms with foreign equity participation, and non-SOE, domestic firms; and (3) industrial promotion via tariffs or through tax holidays to foreign direct investment. The authors also explore how productivity spillovers from FDI changed with China's entry into the WTO in late 2001. They find robust positive and significant spillovers to domestic firms via backward linkages (the contacts between foreign buyers and local suppliers). The results suggest varied success with industrial promotion policies. Final goods tariffs as well as input tariffs are negatively associated with firm-level productivity. However, they find that productivity spillovers were higher from foreign firms that paid less than the statutory corporate tax rate.Emerging Markets,Debt Markets,Economic Theory&Research,Investment and Investment Climate,Labor Policies

FDI Spillovers and Industrial Policy: The Role of Tariffs and Tax Holidays

This paper examines how industrial policy – specifically tariff liberalization and tax subsidies – affects the magnitude and direction of FDI spillovers. We examine these spillover effects across the diverse ownership structure of China’s manufacturing sector for 1998 through 2007. We find that tariff reforms, particularly tariff reductions associated with China’s WTO ascension, increased the productivity impacts of FDI’s backward spillovers. Tax policy – both corporate income and VAT subsidies – has seemingly drawn FDI into strategic industries that spawn significant vertical spillovers. We conclude that liberalization measures during the critical 1998–2007 period on balance served to enhance productivity growth in Chinese industry

FDI Spillovers and Industrial Policy: The Role of Tariffs and Tax Holidays

This paper examines how industrial policy – specifically tariff liberalization and tax subsidies – affects the magnitude and direction of FDI spillovers. We examine these spillover effects across the diverse ownership structure of China’s manufacturing sector. Using this approach, we control for policies that are likely to be correlated with both firm-level productivity and industry FDI, thereby limiting the problem of omitted variables and bias associated with estimating the impacts of FDI spillovers. During 1998-2007, the span of our Chinese firm-level data set, both tariffs and FDI tax holidays changed dramatically. Our results highlight the efficacy of vertical FDI spillovers. We find that tariff reforms, particularly tariff reductions associated with China’s WTO ascension, increased the productivity impacts of FDI’s backward spillovers. Tax policy – both corporate income and VAT subsidies – has seemingly drawn FDI into strategic industries that spawn significant vertical spillovers. We conclude that liberalization measures during the critical 1998-2007 period on balance served to enhance productivity growth in Chinese industry.

Mechanistic Indicators of Childhood Asthma (MICA) Study: piloting an integrative design for evaluating environmental health

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common complex disease responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality, particularly in urban minority populations. The Mechanistic Indicators of Childhood Asthma study was designed to pilot an integrative approach in children's health research. The study incorporates exposure metrics, internal dose measures, and clinical indicators to decipher the biological complexity inherent in diseases such as asthma and cardiovascular disease with etiology related to gene-environment interactions. METHODS/DESIGN: 205 non-asthmatic and asthmatic children, (9-12 years of age) from Detroit, Michigan were recruited. The study includes environmental measures (indoor and outdoor air, vacuum dust), biomarkers of exposure (cotinine, metals, total and allergen specific Immunoglobulin E, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic carbon metabolites) and clinical indicators of health outcome (immunological, cardiovascular and respiratory). In addition, blood gene expression and candidate SNP analyses were conducted. DISCUSSION: Based on an integrative design, the MICA study provides an opportunity to evaluate complex relationships between environmental factors, physiological biomarkers, genetic susceptibility and health outcomes. PROJECT APPROVAL: IRB Number 05-EPA-2637: The human subjects' research protocol was reviewed by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the University of North Carolina; the IRB of Westat, Inc., the IRB of the Henry Ford Health System; and EPA's Human Subjects' Research Review Official

Floodplain meadow partnership: A working model of effective communication between practitioners, academics and policymakers

1. The article describes a model system for facilitating the transfer of knowledge between researchers and practitioners. 2. The system described has a focus on a single habitat, floodplain meadows, and a case is made for replicating the model for other habitats. 3. Even a single habitat has a wide variety of stakeholders, but a focused partnership with representation across the stakeholder community can prove a useful vehicle for disseminating knowledge and best practice. 4. The structure of the partnership is set out from a steering group to local representatives, and the division of tasks between specialists is explained. 5. The partnership is UK-based and UK-focused, yet has an international dimension. 6. The longevity of the partnership and the intensity of interaction with stakeholders are concluded to be important and suggested as a model for others to follow

Creating a Next Generation Phenotype Library : the health data research UK Phenotype Library

Open Access via the OUP AgreementPeer reviewe

To Test or to Treat? An Analysis of Influenza Testing and Antiviral Treatment Strategies Using Economic Computer Modeling

BACKGROUND: Due to the unpredictable burden of pandemic influenza, the best strategy to manage testing, such as rapid or polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and antiviral medications for patients who present with influenza-like illness (ILI) is unknown.\ud \ud METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We developed a set of computer simulation models to evaluate the potential economic value of seven strategies under seasonal and pandemic influenza conditions: (1) using clinical judgment alone to guide antiviral use, (2) using PCR to determine whether to initiate antivirals, (3) using a rapid (point-of-care) test to determine antiviral use, (4) using a combination of a point-of-care test and clinical judgment, (5) using clinical judgment and confirming the diagnosis with PCR testing, (6) treating all with antivirals, and (7) not treating anyone with antivirals. For healthy younger adults (<65 years old) presenting with ILI in a seasonal influenza scenario, strategies were only cost-effective from the societal perspective. Clinical judgment, followed by PCR and point-of-care testing, was found to be cost-effective given a high influenza probability. Doubling hospitalization risk and mortality (representing either higher risk individuals or more virulent strains) made using clinical judgment to guide antiviral decision-making cost-effective, as well as PCR testing, point-of-care testing, and point-of-care testing used in conjunction with clinical judgment. For older adults (> or = 65 years old), in both seasonal and pandemic influenza scenarios, employing PCR was the most cost-effective option, with the closest competitor being clinical judgment (when judgment accuracy > or = 50%). Point-of-care testing plus clinical judgment was cost-effective with higher probabilities of influenza. Treating all symptomatic ILI patients with antivirals was cost-effective only in older adults.\ud \ud CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study delineated the conditions under which different testing and antiviral strategies may be cost-effective, showing the importance of accuracy, as seen with PCR or highly sensitive clinical judgment.\ud \u

Impacto do fechamento e reabertura do comércio na incidência e mortalidade pela COVID-19 em Juazeiro/BA e Petrolina/PE / Impact of the closing and reopening of trade on incidence and mortality by COVID-19 in Juazeiro/BA and Petrolina/PE

Em dezembro de 2019, foram relatados os primeiros casos da doença respiratória COVID-19, que a partir de 2020 tomou proporções enormes, se tornando uma pandemia devido à fácil disseminação do agente etiológico SARS-CoV-2. Esta pesquisa foi realizada para avaliar o impacto do fechamento e reabertura do comércio não essencial no número de casos e mortes pela COVID-19 registrados nas cidades de Petrolina/PE e Juazeiro/BA. Por meio de um estudo epidemiológico, observacional e descritivo, utilizando dados secundários de número de casos e óbitos pela COVID-19, publicados pelas Secretarias de Saúde, calculou-se a média móvel de casos entre 23/03/2020 e 21/09/2020. Além disso, foi calculado o número de casos e óbitos que ocorreram nos períodos em que o comércio não essencial funcionou ou não. Com isso, percebeu-se em Petrolina um aumento significativo do número de casos e da média móvel de casos confirmados, ocorrendo um aumento de 78,83% na média móvel, ainda no 14º dia após a 1ª abertura do comércio, e, em Juazeiro, esse aumento também foi observado, chegando a uma elevação em 56,26% na média móvel após 14 dias da 1ª reabertura. Já na segunda retomada comercial, observou-se estabilização e, até mesmo, queda no número de casos em ambos os municípios. Com este trabalho pode-se perceber que são necessários mais estudos para analisar outros fatores que podem contribuir com o aumento dos números de casos confirmados de COVID-19, bem como as taxas de mortalidade