Hedonic analysis in a spatial context: theoretical problems in valuing location-specific amenities

Hedonic analysis is frequently implemented to generate implicit prices for location-specific amenities within single markets, either in cross-city wage differentials or within-city rent gradients. Amenities are shown to be generally priced in both land and labor markets, with single market valuations tending to understate true amenity values. Establishing a correct multi-market amenity valuation model is seen to depend on the resolution of a host of additional issues.Amenities; hedonic models; wage differentials; property value differentials; spatial modeling

On the role of amenities in models of migration and regional development

While unable to copy/paste the abstract, the paper discusses the importance of regionally-varying amenities to migration and regional development

Hedonic analysis in a spatial context: theoretical problems in valuing location-specific amenities

Hedonic analysis is frequently implemented to generate implicit prices for location-specific amenities within single markets, either in cross-city wage differentials or within-city rent gradients. Amenities are shown to be generally priced in both land and labor markets, with single market valuations tending to understate true amenity values. Establishing a correct multi-market amenity valuation model is seen to depend on the resolution of a host of additional issues

On the role of amenities in models of migration and regional development

While unable to copy/paste the abstract, the paper discusses the importance of regionally-varying amenities to migration and regional development

Extreme Differences in Forest Degradation in Borneo: Comparing Practices in Sarawak, Sabah, and Brunei

The Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak are global hotspots of forest loss and degradation due to timber and oil palm industries; however, the rates and patterns of change have remained poorly measured by conventional field or satellite approaches. Using 30 m resolution optical imagery acquired since 1990, forest cover and logging roads were mapped throughout Malaysian Borneo and Brunei using the Carnegie Landsat Analysis System. We uncovered ∼364,000 km of roads constructed through the forests of this region. We estimated that in 2009 there were at most 45,400 km(2) of intact forest ecosystems in Malaysian Borneo and Brunei. Critically, we found that nearly 80% of the land surface of Sabah and Sarawak was impacted by previously undocumented, high-impact logging or clearing operations from 1990 to 2009. This contrasted strongly with neighbouring Brunei, where 54% of the land area remained covered by unlogged forest. Overall, only 8% and 3% of land area in Sabah and Sarawak, respectively, was covered by intact forests under designated protected areas. Our assessment shows that very few forest ecosystems remain intact in Sabah or Sarawak, but that Brunei, by largely excluding industrial logging from its borders, has been comparatively successful in protecting its forests.CLASlite is made possible by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

On the role of amenities in models of migration and regional development

While unable to copy/paste the abstract, the paper discusses the importance of regionally-varying amenities to migration and regional development.migration; location; amenities; climate; regional development; regional growth and decline

Clinical Trial Results Summary for Laypersons: A User Testing Study

Objective: To apply “user testing” to maximize readability and acceptability of a Clinical Trial Results Laypersons Summary—a new European requirement. Methods: “User testing” (using questionnaire and semistructured interview) assessed whether people could find and understand key points. Findings were used to improve content and design, prior to retesting. Participants had a range of levels of health literacy and there was a higher education group. Participants accessed the summary on screen. In round 1 we tested 12 points of information. In round 2 a revised summary addressing round 1 findings was tested, leading to a third final version. Results: In round 1, 2 of 12 points of information did not reach the target and interviews raised further format and content issues (some distracting technical explanations and inability to find or understand the 2 main study purposes). These findings informed revisions for the version tested in round 2, with 2 different points not reaching the target (inclusion criteria relating to duration of seasonal allergies and how researchers found out about participants’ symptoms). Identified problems in both rounds were addressed and reflected in the final version. Despite improvements, participants did not consistently understand that summaries were intended for the public, or to only interpret results of single trials in the context of additional trials. All readers, including those with higher education, found the clear and straightforward language acceptable. Conclusions: Applying “user testing” resulted in a largely health-literate summary suitable for people across a range of backgrounds

The International Surface Pressure Databank version 2

The International Surface Pressure Databank (ISPD) is the world's largest collection of global surface and sea-level pressure observations. It was developed by extracting observations from established international archives, through international cooperation with data recovery facilitated by the Atmospheric Circulation Reconstructions over the Earth (ACRE) initiative, and directly by contributing universities, organizations, and countries. The dataset period is currently 1768–2012 and consists of three data components: observations from land stations, marine observing systems, and tropical cyclone best track pressure reports. Version 2 of the ISPD (ISPDv2) was created to be observational input for the Twentieth Century Reanalysis Project (20CR) and contains the quality control and assimilation feedback metadata from the 20CR. Since then, it has been used for various general climate and weather studies, and an updated version 3 (ISPDv3) has been used in the ERA-20C reanalysis in connection with the European Reanalysis of Global Climate Observations project (ERA-CLIM). The focus of this paper is on the ISPDv2 and the inclusion of the 20CR feedback metadata. The Research Data Archive at the National Center for Atmospheric Research provides data collection and access for the ISPDv2, and will provide access to future versions

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 regulates hepatic fuel metabolism

Objective The liver is the primary internal metabolic organ that coordinates whole body energy homeostasis in response to feeding and fasting. Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) has been shown to significantly improve hepatic health and peripheral insulin sensitivity upon overnutrition with high fat diet. However, the precise molecular underpinnings that explain this metabolic protection have remained largely undefined. Methods To characterize the role of CaMKK2 in hepatic metabolism, we developed and challenged liver-specific CaMKK2 knockout (CaMKK2LKO) mice with high fat diet and performed glucose and insulin tolerance tests to evaluate peripheral insulin sensitivity. We used a combination of RNA-Sequencing, glucose and fatty acid istotopic tracer studies, a newly developed Seahorse assay for measuring the oxidative capacity of purified peroxisomes, and a degenerate peptide libarary to identify putative CaMKK2 substrates that mechanistically explain the protective effects of hepatic CaMKK2 ablation. Results Consistent with previous findings, we show that hepatic CaMKK2 ablation significantly improves indices of peripheral insulin sensitivity. Mechanistically, we found that CaMKK2 phosphorylates and regulates GAPDH to promote glucose metabolism and PEX3 to blunt peroxisomal fatty acid catabolism in the liver. Conclusion CaMKK2 is a central metabolic fuel sensor in the liver that significantly contributes to whole body systems metabolism

The role of equilibrium and disequilibrium in modeling regional growth and decline: a critical reassessment

While unable to copy/paste the abstract, the paper argues that regional differentials in wages and rents are overwhelmingly of an equilibrium nature, with disequilibrium forces having little systematic influenc