Income Inequality and Health: A Multi-Country Analysis

This paper investigates the effect of income inequality on health status. A model of health status was specified in which the main variables were income level, income inequality, the level of savings and the level of education. The model was estimated using a panel data set for 44 countries covering six time periods. The results indicate that income inequality (measured by the Gini coefficient) has a significant effect on health status when we control for the levels of income, savings and education. The relationship is consistent regardless of the specification of health status and income. Thus, the study results provide some empirical support for the income inequality hypothesis

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Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

How Useful Is The Genuine Savings Rate As A Macroeconomic Sustainability Indicator For Countries And Regions? Australia And Queensland Compared

This paper demonstrates how macroeconomic indicators of sustainable development can be applied to the Queensland economy. We derive a Genuine Savings Rate (GSR) for Queensland for the period 1989 to 1999, which is then compared with the World Bank estimate of Australia's GSR for the same period. Specifically, we examine how well a single "headline" indicator based on the World Bank's GSR performs as a measure of overall sustainability. In doing so, we review criticisms of the GSR and compare its potential policy directives with those emerging from the use of net state savings and then the GSR as part of a suite of indicators.

Factors affecting the adoption of soil conservation measures: A case study of Fijian cane farmers

This study explores the extent to which various factors affect Fijian cane farmers' adoption of soil conservation measures. The significant factors affecting perception of the soil erosion problem include age, education, ethnicity, and extension services. On the other hand, the significant factors affecting soil conservation effort include perception of the erosion problem, net farm income, farm size, land type, and extension services. In general, personal characteristics appear to affect perceptions of soil erosion while the extent of conservation effort is affected by economic and physical factors. The resulting implications for soil conservation policy are discussed

An Optimal Control Model of Illegal Logging by Commercial Logging Contractors in Laos PDR

Laos is an income-poor but resource-rich country heavily dependent upon its natural forest resources. This paper uses an optimal control model to analyse deforestation in Laos. Specifically, this paper analyses illegal logging by a sole commercial logging contractor within a single region in Laos. The commercial contractor aims to maximise discounted profits from commercial contracts to log government quotas and from illegal logging. Policy implications for a government wishing to sustain a target level of forest stock are derived from the model. Results show that it is likely that the steady state level of the forest stock will be lower than the government's target. In order to minimise the difference between the target and actual levels of remnant native forest, the government can consider increasing the value of contracts awarded, the duration of contracts awarded or the level of fines imposed on detected illegal loggers. The model, however, simplified what is an extremely complex problem. Game-theoretic extensions to the modelling framework are suggested as avenues that may help the model better reflect the complexity of illegal logging and deforestation in Laos

Economic growth, fossil fuel and non-fossil consumption: a Pooled Mean Group analysis using proxies for capital

This study employs a Pooled Mean Group estimator to examine the nexus between economic growth and fossil and non-fossil fuel consumption for 53 countries between 1990 and 2012. The global sample was divided into four categories: developed exporters, developed importers, developing exporters and developing importers. The purpose of these categories was to observe whether factors unique to these countries influence the relationship between energy consumption and economic growth. With the exception of developing importers, evidence of bi-directional causality between fossil fuel consumption and real GDP across all subsamples is observed. This leads to the conclusion that efforts to directly conserve fossil fuels may harm economic growth. In terms of non-fossil fuel use, the results are more diverse. Bi-directional causality between non-fossil fuel use and real GDP is found in the long and short run for developed importers; bi-directional causality only in the long run for developed exporters; negative long-run causality from real GDP to non-fossil fuels for developing exporters; and long-run causality from non-fossil fuel use to real GDP for developing importers. These results lead to the conclusion that other factors have been responsible for the progress seen in non-fossil fuel use. Thus it is concluded that economic growth on its own is insufficient to promote clean energy development. There is a need for policy makers to create an environment conducive to renewable energy investment

Policy options for food system transformation in Africa and the role of science, technology and innovation

As recognized by the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa – 2024 (STISA-2024), science, technology and innovation (STI) offer many opportunities for addressing the main constraints to embracing transformation in Africa, while important lessons can be learned from successful interventions, including policy and institutional innovations, from those African countries that have already made significant progress towards food system transformation. This chapter identifies opportunities for African countries and the region to take proactive steps to harness the potential of the food and agriculture sector so as to ensure future food and nutrition security by applying STI solutions and by drawing on transformational policy and institutional innovations across the continent. Potential game-changing solutions and innovations for food system transformation serving people and ecology apply to (a) raising production efficiency and restoring and sustainably managing degraded resources; (b) finding innovation in the storage, processing and packaging of foods; (c) improving human nutrition and health; (d) addressing equity and vulnerability at the community and ecosystem levels; and (e) establishing preparedness and accountability systems. To be effective in these areas will require institutional coordination; clear, food safety and health-conscious regulatory environments; greater and timely access to information; and transparent monitoring and accountability systems

Policy options for food system transformation in Africa and the role of science, technology and innovation

As recognized by the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa – 2024 (STISA-2024), science, technology and innovation (STI) offer many opportunities for addressing the main constraints to embracing transformation in Africa, while important lessons can be learned from successful interventions, including policy and institutional innovations, from those African countries that have already made significant progress towards food system transformation. This chapter identifies opportunities for African countries and the region to take proactive steps to harness the potential of the food and agriculture sector so as to ensure future food and nutrition security by applying STI solutions and by drawing on transformational policy and institutional innovations across the continent. Potential game-changing solutions and innovations for food system transformation serving people and ecology apply to (a) raising production efficiency and restoring and sustainably managing degraded resources; (b) finding innovation in the storage, processing and packaging of foods; (c) improving human nutrition and health; (d) addressing equity and vulnerability at the community and ecosystem levels; and (e) establishing preparedness and accountability systems. To be effective in these areas will require institutional coordination; clear, food safety and health-conscious regulatory environments; greater and timely access to information; and transparent monitoring and accountability systems.https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-15703-5hj2024Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural DevelopmentSDG-02:Zero Hunge

Dissecting the First Transcriptional Divergence During Human Embryonic Development

The trophoblast cell lineage is specified early at the blastocyst stage, leading to the emergence of the trophectoderm and the pluripotent cells of the inner cell mass. Using a double mRNA amplification technique and a comparison with transcriptome data on pluripotent stem cells, placenta, germinal and adult tissues, we report here some essential molecular features of the human mural trophectoderm. In addition to genes known for their role in placenta (CGA, PGF, ALPPL2 and ABCG2), human trophectoderm also strongly expressed Laminins, such as LAMA1, and the GAGE Cancer/Testis genes. The very high level of ABCG2 expression in trophectoderm, 7.9-fold higher than in placenta, suggests a major role of this gene in shielding the very early embryo from xenobiotics. Several genes, including CCKBR and DNMT3L, were specifically up-regulated only in trophectoderm, indicating that the trophoblast cell lineage shares with the germinal lineage a transient burst of DNMT3L expression. A trophectoderm core transcriptional regulatory circuitry formed by 13 tightly interconnected transcription factors (CEBPA, GATA2, GATA3, GCM1, KLF5, MAFK, MSX2, MXD1, PPARD, PPARG, PPP1R13L, TFAP2C and TP63), was found to be induced in trophectoderm and maintained in placenta. The induction of this network could be recapitulated in an in vitro trophoblast differentiation model

Isolation and Characterization of Human Trophoblast Side-Population (SP) Cells in Primary Villous Cytotrophoblasts and HTR-8/SVneo Cell Line

Recently, numerous studies have identified that immature cell populations including stem cells and progenitor cells can be found among “side-population” (SP) cells. Although SP cells isolated from some adult tissues have been reported elsewhere, isolation and characterization of human trophoblast SP remained to be reported. In this study, HTR-8/SVneo cells and human primary villous cytotrophoblasts (vCTBs) were stained with Hoechst 33342 and SP and non-SP (NSP) fractions were isolated using a cell sorter. A small population of SP cells was identified in HTR-8/SVneo cells and in vCTBs. SP cells expressed several vCTB-specific markers and failed to express syncytiotrophoblast (STB) or extravillous cytotrophopblast (EVT)-specific differentiation markers. SP cells formed colonies and proliferated on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder cells or in MEF conditioned medium supplemented with heparin/FGF2, and they also showed long-term repopulating property. SP cells could differentiate into both STB and EVT cell lineages and expressed several differentiation markers. Microarray analysis revealed that IL7R and IL1R2 were exclusively expressed in SP cells and not in NSP cells. vCTB cells sorted as positive for both IL7R and IL1R2 failed to express trophoblast differentiation markers and spontaneously differentiated into both STB and EVT in basal medium. These features shown by the SP cells suggested that IL7R and IL1R2 are available as markers to detect the SP cells and that vCTB progenitor cells and trophoblast stem cells were involved in the SP cell population