Indonesia\u27s New Block Grant Transfer : Its Equalization Performance and Remaining Challenges

A key principle in successful fiscal decentralization is to guarantee a reasonable balance between expenditure needs and revenue capacities at lower levels of government. This paper reviews the allocation methods of Indonesia\u27s new block grant transfer scheme, a mainstay of intergovernmental fiscal relations after decentralization, and assesses its equalization performance by conducting simple simulation exercises. Before all else, equalization function of the block grant needs to be more clearly defined. Major challenges raised are: 1) conceptual and design weaknesses of fiscal capacity and expenditure needs specifications in the allocation formula; 2) unequalizing effects of non-formula allocations, in particular balancing factor allocations; 3) inappropriate sharing arrangement between provinces and local governments; and 4) prohibition of non-negative transfers

Local Development Planning and Budgeting in Decentralized Indonesia : Missing Links in the Bottom-up Approach

This paper focuses on the workings of Indonesia\u27s local development planning and budgeting mechanisms after decentralization, where citizen participation becomes a central theme for all stakeholders including policy makers. If real local needs are to be articulated, bottom-up mechanisms needs to be strengthened through its institutionalization in local government structures. At the same time, it can not be overlooked that effective and efficient local planning and budgeting in decentralized administration structure much requires good coordination between higher and lower levels of government (vertical linkages), and between neighboring local governments (horizontal linkages). Indonesia needs to make the best strategic use of matching or earmarked grant to link development plans and budgets at all levels of government. For horizontal linkage, role of provincial governments need to be enhanced to set up a formal coordination system

"Why Has China Succeeded-And Why It Will Continue To Do So"

The key factor underlying China’s fast development during the last 50 years is its ability to master and accumulate new and more complex capabilities, reflected in the increase in diversification and sophistication of its export basket. This accumulation was policy induced and not the result of the market, and began before 1979. Despite its many policy mistakes, if China had not proceeded this way, in all likelihood it would be a much poorer country today. During the last 50 years, China has acquired revealed comparative advantage in the export of both labor-intensive products (following its factor abundance) and sophisticated products, although the latter does not indicate that there was leapfrogging. Analysis of China’s current export opportunity set indicates that it is exceptionally well positioned (especially taking into account its income per capita) to continue learning and gaining revealed comparative advantage in the export of more sophisticated products. Given adequate policies, carefully thought-out and implemented reforms, and skillful management of constraints and risks, China has the potential to continue thriving. This does not mean, however, that high growth will continue indefinitely.China; Capabilities; Diversification; Export-led Growth; Leapfrogging; Open Forest; Product Space; Sophistication

INDONESIA’S DECENTRALIZATION POLICY FROM A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE: LESSONS FROM LOMBOK TENGAH

Setelah beberapa dekade menganut system pemerintahan tersentralisasi, Indonesia merubah system pemerintahan menjadi desentralisasi tahun 2001. Untuk mengidentifikasi berbagai kelemahan dalam kebijakan tersebut, paper ini menganalisis pengalaman 3 tahun pertama era desentralisasi di Lombok tengah, NTB. Lombok Tengah termasuk daerah yang miskin. Fokus analisis pada perencanaan pembangunan, anggaran, dan perubahan organisasi pemerintah daerah. Disamping banyaknya inovasi didaerah, praktek-praktek seperti masa sebelum desentralisasi masih ditemukan. Ketiadaan koordinasi dan keterkatian perencanaan pembangunan secara vertical dan horizontal merupakan masalah besar. Disamping itu, beberapa kegiatan pusat di daerah menyebakan berkurangnya inisiatif daerah. Pemerintah, pembuat kebijakan, harus memahami bahwa desentralisasi yang efektif memerlukan institusi yang secara aktif mengkoordinasi dan memberi peluang konsultasi antara berbagai level pemerintahan

Toxicoproteomic evaluation of carbon nanomaterials in vitro

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have already been successfully implemented in various fields, and they are anticipated to have innovative applications in medical science. However, CNTs have asbestos-like properties, such as their nanoscale size and high aspect ratio (> 100). Moreover, CNTs may persist in the body for a long time. These properties are thought to cause malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer. However, based on conventional toxicity assessment systems, the carcinogenicity of asbestos and CNTs is unclear. The reason for late countermeasures against asbestos is that reliable, long-term safety assessments have not yet been developed by toxicologists. Therefore, a new type of long-term safety assessment, different from the existing methods, is needed for carbon nanomaterials. Recently, we applied a proteomic approach to the safety assessment of carbon nanomaterials. In this review, we discuss the basic concept of our approach, the results, the problems, and the possibility of a long-term safety assessment for carbon nanomaterials using the toxicoproteomic approach.ArticleJournal of Proteomics. 74(12):2703-2712 (2011)journal articl

DJ-1 as a potential biomarker for the development of biocompatible multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Hisao Haniu1, Tamotsu Tsukahara2, Yoshikazu Matsuda3, Yuki Usui4, Kaoru Aoki5, Masayuki Shimizu5, Nobuhide Ogihara5, Kazuo Hara5, Seiji Takanashi5, Masanori Okamoto5, Norio Ishigaki5, Koichi Nakamura5, Hiroyuki Kato5, Naoto Saito6 1Institute of Carbon Science and Technology, 2Department of Integrative Physiology and Bio-System Control, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Nagano, 3Clinical Pharmacology Educational Center, Nihon Pharmaceutical University, Ina-machi, Saitama, 4Research Center for Exotic Nanocarbons, 5Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 6Department of Applied Physical Therapy, Shinshu University School of Health Sciences, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan Background: In the present study, we investigated whether DJ-1 could serve as a biomarker for assessing the biocompatibility of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), using the highly purified carbon nanotube, HTT2800. Methods: Using Western blot analysis, we determined DJ-1 protein levels in two different types of cells (one capable and the other incapable of HTT2800 endocytosis). Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we also investigated the ability of purified nanotubes to alter DJ-1 mRNA levels. Results: We demonstrated that the DJ-1 protein concentration was reduced, regardless of the cytotoxic activity of intracellular HTT2800. Furthermore, HTT2800 decreased the DJ-1 mRNA levels in a dose-dependent manner. This decrease in DJ-1 mRNA levels was not observed in the case of Sumi black or cup-stacked carbon nanotubes. Conclusion: These data indicate that modification of DJ-1 expression is caused by the cell response to MWCNTs. We conclude that DJ-1 is a promising candidate biomarker for the development of biocompatible MWCNTs. Keywords: multiwalled carbon nanotubes, DJ-1 protein, Western blot, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactio

Evaluation of CNT toxicity by comparison to tattoo ink

ArticleMaterials Today. 14(9): 434-440 (2011)journal articl