Inequality, Environmental Protection and Growth

Why do Scandinavian countries perform better in terms of environmental protection than other European Union countries? In this paper, we explore the hypothesis that societies characterised by low income inequality (such as the nordic European countries) generate political-economic equilibria where environmental policy is more stringent. We model an overlapping-generations economy in which individuals differ in skills to address the question to what extent in modern democracies, income distribution influences the stringency of environmental policy and consequently the growth of a country. Individuals work when they are young and own capital when they are old. Pollution externalities are present due to the use of a polluting factor. The government uses the revenue from a capital-income tax and a pollution tax for a lump-sum transfer to the old generation. The fiscal decision at each point in time is taken by a majority elected representative. In politico-economic equilibrium, the lower the skill of the median individual is relative to the average, the smaller the pollution tax and the capital stock are, and the greater the capital income-tax and the relative use of the polluting factor. We perform both steady-state analysis and examine the transition path. Subsequently, we present an empirical analysis for two panels of seven and ten industrialised countries from the late seventies to late nineties. Our framework is able to explain the stylised facts regarding inequality, environmental protection, and growth.Environmental policy;majority voting;endogenous fiscal structure;income distribution;overlapping generations;growth

The Case of Waste to Energy in Bangladesh

Abstract not availabl

Decarbonisation policies and energy price reforms in Bangladesh

Bangladesh electricity sector suffers from heavy subsidization of fossil fuels and regulated electricity prices. These interventions distort the fuel mix in electricity production, promote overconsumption of fossil fuels and slow down the low-carbon transition. As a signatory of the 2015 UNFCCC Paris Agreement, Bangladesh has pledged to reduce GHG emissions by 15% (of which 5% is unconditional) with respect to Business as Usual by 2030, yet its overall CO2 emissions are increasing. Urgent actions are needed for Bangladesh to fulfil its climate pledge. We use a fit-for-purpose Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) model to evaluate the effects of several decarbonisation policies, namely the implementation of carbon taxes and the removal of fossil fuel subsidies and intra-sectoral electricity price distortions. We find that all policies can deliver a win-win situation in terms of macroeconomic variables and CO2 emissions with respect to a benchmark scenario that includes existing price distortions and no carbon taxes. The reduction of 4.6% in CO2 emissions achieved in the price reform policy experiment indicates that liberalised energy markets can help achieve its Paris Agreement target. Thus, we recommend that the government considers reforming electricity and fossil fuel price structure to foster economic development and environmental sustainability

A circular RNA generated from an intron of the insulin gene controls insulin secretion

Fine-tuning of insulin release from pancreatic β-cells is essential to maintain blood glucose homeostasis. Here, we report that insulin secretion is regulated by a circular RNA containing the lariat sequence of the second intron of the insulin gene. Silencing of this intronic circular RNA in pancreatic islets leads to a decrease in the expression of key components of the secretory machinery of β-cells, resulting in impaired glucose- or KCl-induced insulin release and calcium signaling. The effect of the circular RNA is exerted at the transcriptional level and involves an interaction with the RNA-binding protein TAR DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43). The level of this circularized intron is reduced in the islets of rodent diabetes models and of type 2 diabetic patients, possibly explaining their impaired secretory capacity. The study of this and other circular RNAs helps understanding β-cell dysfunction under diabetes conditions, and the etiology of this common metabolic disorder

Genome-wide association scan meta-analysis identifies three Loci influencing adiposity and fat distribution.

To identify genetic loci influencing central obesity and fat distribution, we performed a meta-analysis of 16 genome-wide association studies (GWAS, N = 38,580) informative for adult waist circumference (WC) and waist-hip ratio (WHR). We selected 26 SNPs for follow-up, for which the evidence of association with measures of central adiposity (WC and/or WHR) was strong and disproportionate to that for overall adiposity or height. Follow-up studies in a maximum of 70,689 individuals identified two loci strongly associated with measures of central adiposity; these map near TFAP2B (WC, P = 1.9x10(-11)) and MSRA (WC, P = 8.9x10(-9)). A third locus, near LYPLAL1, was associated with WHR in women only (P = 2.6x10(-8)). The variants near TFAP2B appear to influence central adiposity through an effect on overall obesity/fat-mass, whereas LYPLAL1 displays a strong female-only association with fat distribution. By focusing on anthropometric measures of central obesity and fat distribution, we have identified three loci implicated in the regulation of human adiposity

HGF Mediates the Anti-inflammatory Effects of PRP on Injured Tendons

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) containing hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and other growth factors are widely used in orthopaedic/sports medicine to repair injured tendons. While PRP treatment is reported to decrease pain in patients with tendon injury, the mechanism of this effect is not clear. Tendon pain is often associated with tendon inflammation, and HGF is known to protect tissues from inflammatory damages. Therefore, we hypothesized that HGF in PRP causes the anti-inflammatory effects. To test this hypothesis, we performed in vitro experiments on rabbit tendon cells and in vivo experiments on a mouse Achilles tendon injury model. We found that addition of PRP or HGF decreased gene expression of COX-1, COX-2, and mPGES-1, induced by the treatment of tendon cells in vitro with IL-1β. Further, the treatment of tendon cell cultures with HGF antibodies reduced the suppressive effects of PRP or HGF on IL-1β-induced COX-1, COX-2, and mPGES-1 gene expressions. Treatment with PRP or HGF almost completely blocked the cellular production of PGE2 and the expression of COX proteins. Finally, injection of PRP or HGF into wounded mouse Achilles tendons in vivo decreased PGE2 production in the tendinous tissues. Injection of platelet-poor plasma (PPP) however, did not reduce PGE2 levels in the wounded tendons, but the injection of HGF antibody inhibited the effects of PRP and HGF. Further, injection of PRP or HGF also decreased COX-1 and COX-2 proteins. These results indicate that PRP exerts anti-inflammatory effects on injured tendons through HGF. This study provides basic scientific evidence to support the use of PRP to treat injured tendons because PRP can reduce inflammation and thereby reduce the associated pain caused by high levels of PGE2. © 2013 Zhang et al

The ATLAS SCT grounding and shielding concept and implementation

This paper presents a complete description of Virgo, the French-Italian gravitational wave detector. The detector, built at Cascina, near Pisa (Italy), is a very large Michelson interferometer, with 3 km-long arms. In this paper, following a presentation of the physics requirements, leading to the specifications for the construction of the detector, a detailed description of all its different elements is given. These include civil engineering infrastructures, a huge ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber (about 6000 cubic metres), all of the optical components, including high quality mirrors and their seismic isolating suspensions, all of the electronics required to control the interferometer and for signal detection. The expected performances of these different elements are given, leading to an overall sensitivity curve as a function of the incoming gravitational wave frequency. This description represents the detector as built and used in the first data-taking runs. Improvements in different parts have been and continue to be performed, leading to better sensitivities. These will be detailed in a forthcoming paper