5 research outputs found
Estimating the optimal growth-maximising public debt threshold for Zimbabwe
This paper attempts to estimate an optimal growth-maximising public debt threshold for Zimbabwe. The public debt threshold is estimated by assessing the relationship between public debt and economic growth. The analysis is undertaken to determine the tipping point beyond which increases in public debt adversely affect economic growth. The paper contributes to the debate on the link between public debt and growth by testing the presence of a Laffer-curve type relationship, where the contribution of public debt to growth is theorised to be positive at lower levels and negative at higher levels of public debt. The analysis confi rms the existence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between public debt and economic growth in Zimbabwe. The optimal growth-maximising public debt threshold was estimated at a public debt-to-GDP ratio of between 45 and 50 per cent. The policy implication of the analysis is the need to ensure that public debt management policies are in line with the growth-maximising public debt threshold. This will ensure sustained economic growth and employment rates, which are key tenets for sustainable economic development.Key words: public debt threshold, growth maximising, Laffer curv
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Analysis of aflatoxin biomarkers in the hair of experimental animals
Data Availability Statement:
Not applicable.Copyright © 2021 by the authors. Analysis of body fluids and tissues of aflatoxin exposed individuals for the presence of aflatoxins and aflatoxin metabolites has emerged as a reliable indicator of exposure and metabolism of aflatoxins. However, current aflatoxin biomarkers are not appropriate for investigating the long-term effects of aflatoxin exposure. In this explorative study, we investigated the analysis of hair as a complementary or alternative matrix for the assessment of biomarkers of long-term aflatoxin exposure. Three groups of guinea pigs were orally dosed with 5 ugkg−1bw−1, 50 ugkg−1bw−1, and 100 ugkg−1bw−1 of AFB1. Urine and hair samples were collected on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 30, 60, and 90 and analysed for AFB1 and AFM1 using UHPLC-MS/MS. AFB1 and AFM1 were detected in 75% and 13.6%, respectively, of the day 1 to day 7 urine samples. AFB1 was detected in hair samples collected from day 3 up to day 60. This is the first report to confirm the deposition of AFB1 in the hair of experimental animals. These findings indicate that hair analysis has the potential to provide an accurate long-term historical record of aflatoxin exposure with potentially important implications for the field of aflatoxin biomarkers.This research received no external funding