Market access and individual wages: evidence from China

We consider the effect of geography on wages using individual data from 56 Chinese cities. We present a simple new economic geography model that links wages to individual characteristics and market access. The latter is calculated as a transport cost weighted sum of surrounding locations' market capacity. After controlling for individual skills and local factor endowments, we find that a significant fraction of the interindividual differences in returns to labor can be explained by the geography of market access. We further find greater wage sensitivity to market access for highly skilled workers and for workers in private and, particularly, foreign-owned firms.

The impact of economic geography on wages: Disentangling the channels of influence

This paper evaluates the role of economic geography in explaining regional wages in China. It investigates the extent to which market proximity can explain the evolution of wages, and through which channels. We construct a complete indicator of market access at the provincial level from data on domestic and international trade flows; this is introduced in a simultaneous-equations system to identify the direct and indirect effect of market access on wages. The estimation results for 29 Chinese provinces over 1995-2002 suggest that access to sources of demand is indeed an important factor shaping regionalwage dynamics in China. We investigate three channels through which market access might influence wages beside direct transport-cost savings: export performance, and human and physical capital accumulation. A fair share of benefits seems to come from enhanced export performance and greater accumulation of physical capital. The main source of influence of market access remains direct transport costs.Economic geography; Wage; Trade openness; Capital accumulation; China

Market access and individual wages: evidence from China

ED EPSInternational audienceWe consider the effect of geography on wages using individual data from 56 Chinese cities. We present a simple new economic geography model that links wages to individual characteristics and market access. The latter is calculated as a transport cost weighted sum of surrounding locations' market capacity. After controlling for individual skills and local factor endowments, we find that a significant fraction of the interindividual differences in returns to labor can be explained by the geography of market access. We further find greater wage sensitivity to market access for highly skilled workers and for workers in private and, particularly, foreign-owned firms

The impact of economic geography on wages: Disentangling the channels of influence

ED EPSInternational audienceThis paper evaluates the role of economic geography in explaining regional wages in China. It investigates the extent to which market proximity can explain the evolution of wages, and through which channels. We construct a complete indicator of market access at the provincial level from data on domestic and international trade flows; this is introduced in a simultaneous-equations system to identify the direct and indirect effect of market access on wages. The estimation results for 29 Chinese provinces over 1995-2002 suggest that access to sources of demand is indeed an important factor shaping regionalwage dynamics in China. We investigate three channels through which market access might influence wages beside direct transport-cost savings: export performance, and human and physical capital accumulation. A fair share of benefits seems to come from enhanced export performance and greater accumulation of physical capital. The main source of influence of market access remains direct transport costs

The Overseas Subsidiary Activities and Their Impact on the Performance of Japanese Parent Firms

We investigate whether previous findings of only limited effects of investing abroad on the performance of parent firms can be explained by the aggregation of heterogeneous effects depending on the motive for foreign direct investment (FDI), sector, and location. Our results suggest, in line with previous work, that on average outward Japanese FDI has limited effects (either positive or negative) on the activity of internationalizing firms at home in the initial years after investment. However, our empirical findings confirm previous insights that the effect of moving abroad is heterogeneous depending on the affiliate sector (manufacturing versus non-manufacturing) and region of location (in USA or Europe versus in Asia). For FDI in the non-manufacturing sector located in USA or Europe, we find a positive impact on parent firm productivity. Further, we find a negative impact on parent firm employment from FDI in Asia.

Incidence and prognosis of dysnatraemia in critically ill patients: Analysis of a large prevalence study

Background: The objective of this study is to assess the impact of dysnatraemia on mortality among intensive care unit (ICU) patients in a large, international cohort. Material and methods: Analysis of the Extended Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care (EPIC II) study, a 1-day (8 May 2007) worldwide multicenter, prospective point prevalence study. Hyponatraemia was categorized as mild (130-134 mM/L), moderate (125-129 mM/L) or severe ( 155 mM/L). Patients with normal serum sodium (135-145 mM/L) constituted the reference group. The main outcome was hospital mortality. Analysis was conducted separately for patients admitted on the study day (25·8%) and those already present on the ICU (74·2%). Results: Serum sodium was measured in 13 276 of the 13 796 patients (96·2%). A total of 3815 patients (28·7%) had dysnatraemia: 12·9% with hyponatraemia and 15·8% with hypernatraemia. The prevalence of dysnatraemia was significantly greater in patients already present on the ICU prior to the study day than for those just admitted (13·1% vs. 12·3% for hyponatraemia and 17·1% vs. 12·1% for hypernatraemia, both P < 0·001). Hospital mortality rates were higher in patients with dysnatraemia than in those with normal sodium levels and were directly related to the severity of hypo- and hypernatraemia. This association between dysnatraemia and mortality was similar in infected and noninfected patients (P = 0·061). Conclusions: Dysnatraemia is more frequent during the ICU stay than on the day of admission. Dysnatraemia in the ICU - even mild - is an independent predictor of increased hospital mortality

GPR55 in B cells limits atherosclerosis development and regulates plasma cell maturation

Dissecting the pathways regulating the adaptive immune response in atherosclerosis is of particular therapeutic interest. Here we report that the lipid G-protein-coupled receptor GPR55 is highly expressed by splenic plasma cells (PCs), upregulated in mouse spleens during atherogenesis and human unstable or ruptured compared to stable plaques. Gpr55-deficient mice developed larger atherosclerotic plaques with increased necrotic core size compared to their corresponding controls. Lack of GPR55 hyperactivated B cells, disturbed PC maturation and resulted in IgG overproduction. B-cell-specific Gpr55 depletion or adoptive transfer of Gpr55-deficient B cells was sufficient to promote plaque development and elevated IgG titers. In vitro, the endogenous GPR55 ligand lysophsophatidylinositol (LPI) enhanced PC proliferation, whereas GPR55 antagonism blocked PC maturation and increased their mitochondrial content. Collectively, these discoveries provide previously undefined evidence for GPR55 in B cells as a key modulator of the adaptive immune response in atherosclerosis. Using various mouse models, human plaque data and isolated B cells combined with state-of-the-art imaging and transcriptomic analysis, the authors show that the G-protein-coupled orphan receptor GPR55 regulates B cell activation and plasma cell differentiation during hypercholesterolemia, which crucially affects atherosclerosis

Unilateral Carotid Body Resection in Resistant Hypertension:A Safety and Feasibility Trial

SummaryAnimal and human data indicate pathological afferent signaling emanating from the carotid body that drives sympathetically mediated elevations in blood pressure in conditions of hypertension. This first-in-man, proof-of-principle study tested the safety and feasibility of unilateral carotid body resection in 15 patients with drug-resistant hypertension. The procedure proved to be safe and feasible. Overall, no change in blood pressure was found. However, 8 patients showed significant reductions in ambulatory blood pressure coinciding with decreases in sympathetic activity. The carotid body may be a novel target for treating an identifiable subpopulation of humans with hypertension

Focus: Implementing participation - Advancement of social services in analog and digital spaces

Digitale Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien gewinnen als fester Bestandteil zunehmend Bedeutung in den alltäglichen Lebenswelten einer wachsenden Zahl von Menschen. Ihre Entwicklung und selbstverständliche Nutzung schreiten in einem immer rasanteren Tempo voran; die vielfältigen Anwendungsmöglichkeiten adressieren längst alle Lebensbereiche. Während der Digitalisierung von Kommunikationsprozessen zuweilen demokratisierende Kräfte zugesprochen werden, scheint eine kritische Reflexion möglicher Potentiale und Auswirkungen digitaler Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien auf Teilhabedynamiken in unterschiedlichen Lebensbereichen dringend erforderlich. Die Autorinnen und Autoren möchten mit dieser SI:SO-Schwerpunktausgabe einen Beitrag zu einer kritischen Reflexion digitaler Innovationen und ihrer Auswirkungen auf die zukünftige Gestaltung sozialer Dienste leisten. Mit der zweisprachigen Ausgabe ist zudem die Hoffnung verbunden, diesen Beitrag auch einem europäischen und weltweiten Publikum zugänglich zu machen.Digital information and communications technologies are becoming an increasingly important part in everyday life of a growing number of people. Their development and natural use are progressing even faster with a wide range of possible applications addressing all areas of life. While the digitization of communication processes is sometimes said to have democratizing forces, critical reflection on the potential and impact of digital information and communication technologies on participation dynamics in different areas of life seems urgently needed. The Authors would like to contribute to a critical reflection on digital innovations and their impact on the future design of social services. The bilingual edition further aims to make this contribution accessible to a European and global audience

Life history, seasonal variation and production of Andesiops torrens (Lugo-Ortiz and McCafferty) and Andesiops peruvianus (Ulmer) (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) in a headwater Patagonian stream

Life history descriptors of mayfly species are increasingly used in ecological assessment studies as indicator of environmental stress and also to evaluate the potential effects of climate change. We investigated the life history, annual production and competition of two congeneric mayflies: Andesiops torrens and Andesiops peruvianus in a Patagonian mountain headwater stream (La Hoya). From July 2004 to June 2005 a monthly sampling was conducted at riffle areas using a Surber net. Mean density of A. torrens ranged from 26 to 1080indm-2 whereas that of A. peruvianus ranged from 7 to 629indm-2. The annual production and P/B ratios of A. torrens (0.18gm-2, 3.90) and A. peruvianus (0.11gm-2, 3.35) at La Hoya stream were low, but within the expected values for cold water environments at high elevations. The two species had a similar larval life history with small larvae predominating in late summer and early autumn, middle size larvae being represented throughout winter, and mature larvae and emergence occurring in summer. As a result A. torrens and A. peruvianus showed moderately synchronized univoltine life cycles. The temporal interspecific overlap on both density and biomass was very low. This suggests that these two species of grazers reduce the competition for resources by having a marked temporal segregation.Fil: Epele, Luis Beltran. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Miserendino, Maria Laura. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pessacq, Pablo. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin