IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS ON INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT: EVIDENCE FROM VEGETABLE SECTOR IN KOSOVO

The paper aims to analyse the feasibility of the vegetable crop production in Kosovo by developing a model used to measure the impact of agricultural intervention programs. For this purpose, we have used combination of direct costing (DC) and activity based costing (ABC) to assess the production costs schemes comparing the two crop modalities extended in the two different regions using different cultivars and different production technologies. This study uses a DC and ABC approach in calculating costs in the pepper and tomatoes’ production sectors and in the related agro-processing industries based on five case studies. The results derived from the adopted DC and ABC model in the vegetable sector provide more details and precise cost information that assist various managerial decisions, but are primarily used here to evaluate the impact of agricultural programmes on employment and income generation. It helps government and donors to decide between types of funding intervention programs and to see their impact on agricultural development and employment. Results, which referred to one-hectare area, showed both a higher economic and financial sustainability of good agricultural practice with respect to conventional farming, while the opposite was true in terms of employment effects of intervention programs. The study provides policy implications for both, policy makers and donors when estimating impact of interventions on employment and income levels

Engineered neurogenesis in naïve adult rat cortex by Ngn2-mediated neuronal reprogramming of resident oligodendrocyte progenitor cells

Adult tissue stem cells contribute to tissue homeostasis and repair but the long-lived neurons in the human adult cerebral cortex are not replaced, despite evidence for a limited regenerative response. However, the adult cortex contains a population of proliferating oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). We examined the capacity of rat cortical OPCs to be re-specified to a neuronal lineage both in vitro and in vivo. Expressing the developmental transcription factor Neurogenin2 (Ngn2) in OPCs isolated from adult rat cortex resulted in their expression of early neuronal lineage markers and genes while downregulating expression of OPC markers and genes. Ngn2 induced progression through a neuronal lineage to express mature neuronal markers and functional activity as glutamatergic neurons. In vivo retroviral gene delivery of Ngn2 to naive adult rat cortex ensured restricted targeting to proliferating OPCs. Ngn2 expression in OPCs resulted in their lineage re-specification and transition through an immature neuronal morphology into mature pyramidal cortical neurons with spiny dendrites, axons, synaptic contacts, and subtype specification matching local cytoarchitecture. Lineage re-specification of rat cortical OPCs occurred without prior injury, demonstrating these glial progenitor cells need not be put into a reactive state to achieve lineage reprogramming. These results show it may be feasible to precisely engineer additional neurons directly in adult cerebral cortex for experimental study or potentially for therapeutic use to modify dysfunctional or damaged circuitry

IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS ON INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT: EVIDENCE FROM VEGETABLE SECTOR IN KOSOVO

The paper aims to analyse the feasibility of the vegetable crop production in Kosovo by developing a model used to measure the impact of agricultural intervention programs. For this purpose, we have used combination of direct costing (DC) and activity based costing (ABC) to assess the production costs schemes comparing the two crop modalities extended in the two different regions using different cultivars and different production technologies. This study uses a DC and ABC approach in calculating costs in the pepper and tomatoes’ production sectors and in the related agro-processing industries based on five case studies. The results derived from the adopted DC and ABC model in the vegetable sector provide more details and precise cost information that assist various managerial decisions, but are primarily used here to evaluate the impact of agricultural programmes on employment and income generation. It helps government and donors to decide between types of funding intervention programs and to see their impact on agricultural development and employment. Results, which referred to one-hectare area, showed both a higher economic and financial sustainability of good agricultural practice with respect to conventional farming, while the opposite was true in terms of employment effects of intervention programs. The study provides policy implications for both, policy makers and donors when estimating impact of interventions on employment and income levels

Table_2_Engineered neurogenesis in naïve adult rat cortex by Ngn2-mediated neuronal reprogramming of resident oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.pdf

Adult tissue stem cells contribute to tissue homeostasis and repair but the long-lived neurons in the human adult cerebral cortex are not replaced, despite evidence for a limited regenerative response. However, the adult cortex contains a population of proliferating oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). We examined the capacity of rat cortical OPCs to be re-specified to a neuronal lineage both in vitro and in vivo. Expressing the developmental transcription factor Neurogenin2 (Ngn2) in OPCs isolated from adult rat cortex resulted in their expression of early neuronal lineage markers and genes while downregulating expression of OPC markers and genes. Ngn2 induced progression through a neuronal lineage to express mature neuronal markers and functional activity as glutamatergic neurons. In vivo retroviral gene delivery of Ngn2 to naive adult rat cortex ensured restricted targeting to proliferating OPCs. Ngn2 expression in OPCs resulted in their lineage re-specification and transition through an immature neuronal morphology into mature pyramidal cortical neurons with spiny dendrites, axons, synaptic contacts, and subtype specification matching local cytoarchitecture. Lineage re-specification of rat cortical OPCs occurred without prior injury, demonstrating these glial progenitor cells need not be put into a reactive state to achieve lineage reprogramming. These results show it may be feasible to precisely engineer additional neurons directly in adult cerebral cortex for experimental study or potentially for therapeutic use to modify dysfunctional or damaged circuitry.</p

Data_Sheet_1_Engineered neurogenesis in naïve adult rat cortex by Ngn2-mediated neuronal reprogramming of resident oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.pdf

Adult tissue stem cells contribute to tissue homeostasis and repair but the long-lived neurons in the human adult cerebral cortex are not replaced, despite evidence for a limited regenerative response. However, the adult cortex contains a population of proliferating oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). We examined the capacity of rat cortical OPCs to be re-specified to a neuronal lineage both in vitro and in vivo. Expressing the developmental transcription factor Neurogenin2 (Ngn2) in OPCs isolated from adult rat cortex resulted in their expression of early neuronal lineage markers and genes while downregulating expression of OPC markers and genes. Ngn2 induced progression through a neuronal lineage to express mature neuronal markers and functional activity as glutamatergic neurons. In vivo retroviral gene delivery of Ngn2 to naive adult rat cortex ensured restricted targeting to proliferating OPCs. Ngn2 expression in OPCs resulted in their lineage re-specification and transition through an immature neuronal morphology into mature pyramidal cortical neurons with spiny dendrites, axons, synaptic contacts, and subtype specification matching local cytoarchitecture. Lineage re-specification of rat cortical OPCs occurred without prior injury, demonstrating these glial progenitor cells need not be put into a reactive state to achieve lineage reprogramming. These results show it may be feasible to precisely engineer additional neurons directly in adult cerebral cortex for experimental study or potentially for therapeutic use to modify dysfunctional or damaged circuitry.</p

Table_1_Engineered neurogenesis in naïve adult rat cortex by Ngn2-mediated neuronal reprogramming of resident oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.pdf

Adult tissue stem cells contribute to tissue homeostasis and repair but the long-lived neurons in the human adult cerebral cortex are not replaced, despite evidence for a limited regenerative response. However, the adult cortex contains a population of proliferating oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). We examined the capacity of rat cortical OPCs to be re-specified to a neuronal lineage both in vitro and in vivo. Expressing the developmental transcription factor Neurogenin2 (Ngn2) in OPCs isolated from adult rat cortex resulted in their expression of early neuronal lineage markers and genes while downregulating expression of OPC markers and genes. Ngn2 induced progression through a neuronal lineage to express mature neuronal markers and functional activity as glutamatergic neurons. In vivo retroviral gene delivery of Ngn2 to naive adult rat cortex ensured restricted targeting to proliferating OPCs. Ngn2 expression in OPCs resulted in their lineage re-specification and transition through an immature neuronal morphology into mature pyramidal cortical neurons with spiny dendrites, axons, synaptic contacts, and subtype specification matching local cytoarchitecture. Lineage re-specification of rat cortical OPCs occurred without prior injury, demonstrating these glial progenitor cells need not be put into a reactive state to achieve lineage reprogramming. These results show it may be feasible to precisely engineer additional neurons directly in adult cerebral cortex for experimental study or potentially for therapeutic use to modify dysfunctional or damaged circuitry.</p