Income inequality: Implications and relevant economic policies

The aim of this contribution is to discuss closely the implications of income inequality and the economic policies to tackle it, especially so in view of inequality being one of the main causes of the 2007/2008 international financial crisis and the ?great recession? that subsequently emerged. Wealth inequality is also important in this respect, but the focus is on income inequality. Ever since the financial crisis and the subsequent ?great recession?, inequality of income, and wealth, has increased and the demand for economic policy initiatives to produce a more equal distribution of income and wealth has become more urgent. Such reduction would help to increase the level of economic activity as has been demonstrated again more recently. A number of economic policy initiatives for this purpose will be the focus of this contribution.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from the Association of Economists of Vojvodina via http://dx.doi.org/10.2298/PAN1601001

House prices and current account imbalances in OECD countries

This contribution attempts to provide theoretical propositions and empirical evidence on the ‘obscure’ relationship between current account imbalances and house prices. We propose a theoretical framework, which studies the interaction between house prices and current account imbalances and also pays special attention to the role played by fiscal and monetary policies. In a second stage of this contribution, our theoretical framework is estimated empirically by using data from 17 OECD economies, which spans the period 1970-2013. In doing so, the least squares technique with breakpoints is employed.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ijfe.152

Revisiting the accelerator principle in a world of uncertainty: Some empirical evidence

This contribution builds on the accelerator model to produce an investment function in which employment and households’ investment are used as proxies for economic activity. This analysis identifies a positive correlation between corporate investment in fixed assets and households’ investment in dwellings. Using a panel of 11 OECD countries for the period 1970-2010, the results also confirm that oil prices and interest rates may dampen firms’ investment in fixed assets. An interesting feature of this investment function is that it accounts for uncertainty.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2016.03.01

House price overvaluation in Hong Kong: Identifying the market fundamentals and understanding the “Bubble”

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the authors investigate the main drivers of house prices in the Hong Kong housing market. Second, further research is undertaken to confirm the existence of house price overvaluation, which has driven the market into a bubble episode. Design/methodology/approach First, the authors propose a theoretical framework to identify the fundamentals of the market. In the second step, they decompose house prices into fundamentals, frictions and bubble episodes for a better understanding of the evolution of house prices during the period 1996(Q3)-2013(Q3). Findings The results of this paper suggest an eventual possible correction of up to 46 per cent of house prices with respect to their 2013(Q3) level. Originality/value The originality of this paper is to use the procedure developed by Glindro and Delloro (2010) to analyse the Hong Kong housing market. The contribution of this paper also modifies the original Glindro and Delloro’s (2010) approach by including the Christiano and Fitzgerald (2003) filter to decompose house prices. This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Emerald via http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJHMA-01-2016-000

IMPORTANCE OF DEMOGRAPHICS FOR HOUSING IN THE OECD ECONOMIES

The aim of this contribution is to study the role of demographics in the explanation of house prices in the last few decades. Special attention is paid to the role, which has been played by three groups of population that have different necessities in terms of the amount of housing services that they wish to consume: (a) population aged between 25 and 44 years old; (b) population aged between 45 and 64 years old; and (c) retirees. Following our discussion of recent trends in demographics and relevant stylised facts, the construction of a theoretical framework ensues; finally we provide empirical evidence in the case of 17 OECD economies over the period 1970-2013, discuss it in relation to our theoretical framework before we summarise and conclude.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/boer.1207

Housing market in Israel: Is there a bubble?

House prices in Israel have registered unprecedented growth rates in the last few years. At first glance, these hikes could be explained by the evolution of fundamentals such strong population growth and favourable macroeconomic conditions, i.e. low interest rates. However, further investigation is needed in order to explore whether there is a misalignment between house prices and their fundamentals. Firstly, this paper investigates the role of construction costs in the evolution of house prices. Secondly, this contribution decomposes the “price-to-rent” ratio into fundamentals, frictions and bubble episodes for a better understanding of the recent trends of the market

Housing market in Israel: Is there a bubble?

House prices in Israel have registered unprecedented growth rates in the last few years. At first glance, these hikes could be explained by the evolution of fundamentals such strong population growth and favourable macroeconomic conditions, i.e. low interest rates. However, further investigation is needed in order to explore whether there is a misalignment between house prices and their fundamentals. Firstly, this paper investigates the role of construction costs in the evolution of house prices. Secondly, this contribution decomposes the “price-to-rent” ratio into fundamentals, frictions and bubble episodes for a better understanding of the recent trends of the market

Effects of senescence on the tumour microenvironment and response to therapy

Cellular senescence is a state of durable cell arrest that has been identified both in vitro and in vivo. It is associated with profound changes in gene expression and a specific secretory profile that includes pro-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors and matrix-remodelling enzymes, referred to as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). In cancer, senescence can have anti- or pro-tumour effects. On one hand, it can inhibit tumour progression in a cell autonomous manner. On the other hand, senescence can also promote tumour initiation, progression, metastatic dissemination and resistance to therapy in a paracrine manner. Therefore, despite efforts to target senescence as a potential strategy to inhibit tumour growth, senescent cancer and microenvironmental cells can eventually lead to uncontrolled proliferation and aggressive tumour phenotypes. This can happen either through overcoming senescence growth arrest or through SASP-mediated effects in adjacent tumour cells. This review will discuss how senescence affects the tumour microenvironment, including extracellular matrix remodelling, the immune system and the vascular compartment, to promote tumourigenesis, metastasis and resistance to DNA-damaging therapies. It will also discuss current approaches used in the field to target senescence: senolytics, improving the immune clearance of senescent cells and targeting the SASP

Meningite Crônica, Hidrocefalia E Paraplegia Medular Em Histoplasmose Não-sistêmica

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Adaptation and Validation of the MapMe Body Image Scales in Spanish Parents of Schoolchildren

\ua9 2024 by the authors.Childhood overweight and obesity is a worldwide problem and to treat it parents’ detection has to be improved. The MapMe Body Image Scales (BIS) are a visual tool developed to improve parental perception of child weight in the United Kingdon (UK) based on British growth reference criteria. The aim of this study was to make a transcultural adaptation and validation of the MapMe BIS in Spain based on International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut offs A descriptive cross-sectional study was done. First, a translation and cultural adaptation was carried out. A total of 155 10–11-year-old children and their parents participated in this study. Children were measured to calculate their weight status, Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Fat Percentage (BFP) and Waist Circumference (WC), and their parents completed a purpose designed questionnaire about their perception and satisfaction of child’s body weight status using the adapted BIS. Test-retest reliability, criterion validity and concurrent validity of the adapted BIS were analyzed. This study shows that the adapted MapMe BIS has good psychometric properties and is a suitable visual scale to assess parental perception of weight status in 10 and 11-year-old children in Spain