House Market in Chinese Cities: Dynamic Modeling, In-Sampling Fitting and Out-of-Sample Forecasting

This paper attempts to contribute in several ways. Theoretically, it proposes simple models of house price dynamics and construction dynamics, all based on forward-looking agents’ maximization problems, which may carry independent interests. Simplified version of the model implications are estimated with the data from four major cities in China. Both price and construction dynamics exhibit strong persistence in al cities. Significant heterogeneity across cities is found. Our models out-perform widely used alternatives in in-sample-fitting for all cities, although similar success only limited to highly developed cities in out-of-sample forecasting. Policy implications and future research directions are also discussed.pre-sale, production constraint, collateral constraint, cross-city heterogeneity, fundamental versus policy

The Financial Implications of the Chinese Healthcare System

In 1949 one of the world’s most powerful and influential countries was born: The People’s Republic of China. Perhaps the greatest challenge the country has consistently faced since its inception has been ensuring a fiscally sound healthcare system. Today, China has the world’s largest population and a rapidly aging society with 330 million citizens over the age of 65 projected by 2050- nearly the same size as the total U.S. population. Living standards across China have been drastically increasing in recent decades and the Chinese people are desiring better, higher quality healthcare to complement their new lifestyles. With this desire comes China’s unique challenge of scale - operating the world’s largest healthcare system for 1.4 billion people. This paper introduces the historical perspective and background of China’s healthcare system, the major phases of reforms, how successful those reforms have been, and finally explores the financial impact China’s healthcare system has had around the globe

Toward Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for Asia

Environmental and human health challenges are pronounced in Asia, an exceptionally diverse and complex region where influences of global megatrends are extensive and numerous stresses to environmental quality exist. Identifying priorities necessary to engage grand challenges can be facilitated through horizon scanning exercises, and to this end we identified and examined 23 priority research questions needed to advance toward more sustainable environmental quality in Asia, as part of the Global Horizon Scanning Project. Advances in environmental toxicology, environmental chemistry, biological monitoring, and risk‐assessment methodologies are necessary to address the adverse impacts of environmental stressors on ecosystem services and biodiversity, with Asia being home to numerous biodiversity hotspots. Intersections of the food–energy–water nexus are profound in Asia; innovative and aggressive technologies are necessary to provide clean water, ensure food safety, and stimulate energy efficiency, while improving ecological integrity and addressing legacy and emerging threats to public health and the environment, particularly with increased aquaculture production. Asia is the largest chemical‐producing continent globally. Accordingly, sustainable and green chemistry and engineering present decided opportunities to stimulate innovation and realize a number of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Engaging the priority research questions identified herein will require transdisciplinary coordination through existing and nontraditional partnerships within and among countries and sectors. Answering these questions will not be easy but is necessary to achieve more sustainable environmental quality in Asia. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1485–1505. © 2020 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC

House Market in Chinese Cities: Dynamic Modeling, In0 Sample Fitting and Out-of- Sample Forecasting

This paper attempts to contribute in several ways. Theoretically, it proposes simple models of house price dynamics and construction dynamics, all based on the maximization problems of forward-looking agents, which may carry independent interests. Simplified versions of the model implications are estimated with the data from four major cities in China. Both price and construction dynamics exhibit strong persistence in all cities. Significant heterogeneity across cities is found. Our models out-perform widely used alternatives in in-sample-fitting for all cities, although similar success is only limited to highly developed cities in out-of-sample forecasting. Policy implications and future research directions are also discussed.

Evaluation of metallothionein as an ecotoxicological biomarker in Nucella lapillus and Littorina littorea

1) Metallothioneins (MTs) are frequently proposed as biomarkers for metal exposure and toxicity in molluscs. However, various biotic and abiotic factors influencing the rate of MT synthesis, are not well understood. The objectives of this study are to investigate the effects of biotic factors (size, sex, growth rate, nutritional state, prey type) and abiotic factors (temperature, Cd or oxidative exposure) on MT induction in Nucella lapillus and Littorina littorea, and to evaluate the usefulness of applying MT as a monitoring tool. In this study, total MTs in tissue samples were quantified using the silver saturation method. 2) Induction of MT was monitored in N. lapillus during and after exposure to Cd. N. lapillus were exposed to 500 μg Cd 1-1 (2.2% of 96h LC50) for 60 d and then placed into clean seawater for 110 d. The concentration of MT in the whole animal increased during the exposure period, peaked at Day 70, and then declined gradually. The half-life of MT was ca. 40 d. Cd concentration increased throughout the period of exposure and while in clean seawater, levelling off only after Day 120, indicating that Cd concentration could not be regulated by N. lapillus. Highest MT induction and Cd accumulation were found in the Leiblein gland of N. lapillus, suggesting that measurement of MT induction in this tissue may prove useful as a sublethal biological response to Cd contamination. 3) The combined effects of Cd and water temperature on the oxygen consumption rate (MO2) and biochemistry of fasted N. lapillus were investigated. Inhibition of MO2 by Cd increased with increasing temperature and decreasing animal size. Cd exposure caused significant reductions in glycogen concentrations in N. lapillus at both temperatures (5 & 10°C). Cd-exposed N. lapillus showed significantly higher MT concentrations in the Leiblein gland at 10°C but not at 5°C, indicating that MT synthesis is temperature dependent. Reduction in MO2 may be directly linked to Cd-induced mucus production, structural damage to gills and reduction in oxygen carrying capacity of haemocyanin. However, metabolic depression, including low MO2, glycogen stores and activity in Cd-exposed N. lapillus, may be a strategy to minimise the uptake and toxicity of Cd, and energy expenditure to spare energy reserves for detoxification and maintenance. 4) The influences of nutritional state and prey type on the survival, growth, Cd accumulation, MT induction and glycogen stores in N. lapillus were studied. Prolonged starvation and Cd exposure synergistically reduced the survivorship of N. lapillus, but feeding could help N. lapillus to combat Cd toxicity and minimise mortality. Extended fasting also caused tissue wastage, leading to higher concentrations of Cd and MT in tissues, whereas fed animals increased in weight and had lower Cd and MT concentrations because of the tissue dilution effect. Prey type significantly affected growth rate of N. lapillus and indirectly influenced Cd accumulation, MT induction and glycogen stores. Eating mussels promoted better growth and higher glycogen reserves them eating barnacles. Individual growth rate decreased with increasing Cd accumulation. Cd-exposed survivors grew faster and consumed more than control animals, implying that these survivors may have better fitness and greater tolerance to Cd toxicity. 5) Investigation of the effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and the combined effect of H2O2 and Cd on MT induction and condition index (CI) in N. lapillus was conducted. Exposure to either Cd or H2O2 alone induced synthesis of MT or MT-like proteins in N. lapillus. Exposure to high H2O2 (1000 ppm) alone or combined with Cd, and exposure to Cd (0.50 ppm) or H2O2 (2.0 ppm), resulted in significant weight loss, indicated by a reduction of CL However, CIs of N. lapillus exposed to 0.5 ppm Cd + 2.0 ppm H2O2 or 0.25 ppm Cd + 2.0 ppm H2O2, were similar to that of the control suggesting that Cd antagonistically reduces toxicity caused by H2O2 since Cd-induced MT may have a protective function against hydroxyl radicals

Characterizing genetic diversity and creating novel gene pools in rice for trait dissection and gene function discovery

Rice diversity is the foundation for rice improvement programs. At IRRI, over 100,000 rice accessions are deposited, and intelligent use of this diversity can not only help solve current production problems but also create future production opportunities and tackle climate change challenges. To fully explore and utilize rice diversity, two ingredients are needed: 1 - the genetic blueprints of diverse rice accessions in use, 2 - plant populations with recombined genotypes allowing expression of phenotypic variation and discovery of new genes/QTLs for use in breeding programs. Sequencing of the genomes & obtaining SNP genotypes of many rice accessions is feasible due to decreasing cost of advanced DNA sequencing technologies. Coupled with the creation of populations suitable for trait dissection / phenotyping, discovery of gene functions and allelic variations causal to important agronomic traits becomes possible. This in turn will provide rich biological evidences to the rice/cereal crop genome annotation community