Modulation of Immune Functions by Foods

Evidence is rapidly accumulating as to the beneficial effects of foods. However, it is not always clear whether the information is based on data evaluated impartially in a scientific fashion. Human research into whether foods modulate immune functions in either intervention studies or randomized controlled trials can be classified into three categories according to the physical state of subjects enrolled for investigation: (i) studies examining the effect of foods in healthy individuals; (ii) studies analyzing the effect of foods on patients with hypersensitivity; and (iii) studies checking the effect of foods on immunocompromized subjects, including patients who had undergone surgical resection of cancer and newborns. The systematization of reported studies has made it reasonable to conclude that foods are able to modulate immune functions manifesting as either innate immunity (phagocytic activity, NK cell activity) or acquired immunity (T cell response, antibody production). Moreover, improvement of immune functions by foods can normalize the physical state of allergic patients or cancer patients, and may reduce the risk of diseases in healthy individuals. Therefore, it is valuable to assess the immune-modulating abilities of foods by measuring at least one parameter of either innate or acquired immunity

The Impact of Exchange Rate Regimes on Real Exchange Rates: ABC and Mexico in the 1990s

This paper analyses the impact of exchange rate regimes on real exchange rates, as defined by the relative price of nontradables to tradables in Argentina, Brazil, Chile (ABC) and Mexico from 1990 to 2002. As identified by the empirical literature, the real exchange rate is determined in the long-run by the well-known Balassa-Samuelson effect, and in the medium and short run by government expenditure and terms of trade. Another, little discussed, explanatory factor that may cause real exchange rates to deviate from their trend is fixed exchange rate regimes. In countries that are international price-takers and adopt such a regime, exporters are forced to adjust their local price of tradables. This regime also affects the price of nontradables in countries with liberalised capital accounts, via portfolio inflows that increase demand for a “given†supply of nontradables in the short run. The econometric results of the paper confirm the impact of exchange rate regimes on relative prices in all countries except Chile which managed with flexibility the exchange rate and adopted capital controls. In the other three countries, relative prices deviated strongly from their trends due to the fixed regimes. In turn this caused the share of the nontradable sector to increase disproportionally relative to the tradable sector.Real exchange rates, determinants, Exchange rate regimes, Latin America

Productivity growth in Latin American manufacturing: what role for international trade intensities?

This paper analyzes the relationship between the intensity of international trade flows and labor productivity for 28 industries in the five main economies in the region (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico)using the Arellano-Bond generalized method of moments (GMM)estimator. The results show that international trade flows contributed through various channels to labor productivity growth in the period 1990 to 2008. These channels, which have been developed in the theoretical literature, are export intensity (share of production exported), import penetration (share of domestic demand covered by imports), the diversification of the export basket and intra-industry trade. The estimation also includes several control variables, of which several turn out significant. In addition to estimates for the total manufacturing sector, we also show results for three different groups of manufacturing industries characterized by different factor endowments: natural resource intensive,labor and capital intensive ones.productivity, international trade, manufacturing, Latin America, labour

New Perspectives on Service Output and Productivity:A Comparison of French and US Productivity in Transport, Communications Wholesale and Retail Trade

Abstract not available

A Note on the Theiasmos of Nicias in Thucydides

Thucydides criticises Nicias for being too partial to divination (7.50.4). It is suggested here through the examination of the linguistic nuances of θειασμός and the verb προσκείμενος, that Thucydides assessed him negatively primarily because he took the side of the army-seers. Yet, this criticism ought not to be blown out of proportion. Thucydides’ portrait differs significantly from Plutarch’s who describes Nicias as a diffident man easily gripped by fear and addicted to prophecies. Consequently, Thucydides’ criticism is a small parenthesis in his overall presentation of the Athenian general’s career whose decisions were based on skill, rational criteria and experience (5.16.1)