A framework for the analysis of mineral tax policy in sub-Saharan Africa

Given the dual role played by the Government as resource owner and tax collector in many sub - Saharan economies, it is important to separate"resource factor payments"from taxes through the use of different instruments. The instruments to be considered are: (1) a factor payment system that includes"ad rem"or"ad valorem"royalties. Production sharing, resource rent schemes, and fixed fees could also be used, but some form of unit payment is necessary and justified, because natural resources in the ground are inputs into the production process; (2) a cash flow and withholding tax system initially for the mineral sectors and eventually for other sectors of the economy. The cash flow tax would capture a share of the"economic rent"from each sector and be neutral across sectors; and (3) a depletion account to preserve the nations capital stock. Natural resources are part of an economy's capital stock, which will fall unless"replacement investment"is made as the resource is depleted.Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Banks&Banking Reform,Public Sector Economics&Finance,Health Economics&Finance

The Importance of Maine for Ecoregional Conservation Planning

Ecoregional conservation planning aims at protecting biodiversity within a realistic social and economic framework. The authors of this article suggest that Maine’s forests are the ecological core of the entire Northern Appalachian/Acadian ecoregion, which spans four states and five Canadian provinces. Using mapping and mathematical models of the “human footprint,” they note that Maine has a large, contiguous, undeveloped and unfragmented forest compared with neighboring states and provinces. However, compared with its neighbors Maine also has the largest proportion of unprotected forest. The authors conclude with the hope that land use policy and planning can be better informed through the active integration of recent ecoregional conservation mapping model

Aircraft design at the Naval Postgraduate School - Tactical waverider/long-range cargo aircraft

Aircraft Design, Systems, and Operations Meeting, 09 August 1993 - 11 August 1993The article of record as published may be located at https://doi.org/10.2514/6.1993-4007The graduate program of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Naval Postgraduate School uniquely supports a comprehensive design program in aircraft, spacecraft, missile, helicopter, and engine design. This paper is focused on four aircraft configuration designs proposed by AA 4273 Military Aircraft Design course team members. The AA 4273 course is, in turn, supported by a growing research program to enhance and further develop the methodology of aircraft design. This design effort has received considerable support from the NASA/USRA Advanced Design Program in Aeronautics. Specifically, two design solutions for a long-range,carrier based, tactical, wave-rider configured fighter/interceptor aircraft are reviewed herein, as are two solutions for a global range military transport. Both types of aircraft were developed as a graduate student team response to specific design RFPs

Long-term outcomes of patients undergoing endovascular infrainguinal interventions with single-vessel peroneal artery runoff

ObjectivesRecent reports have shown promising early results after endovascular revascularization (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty [PTA]/stent) of patients with peroneal artery-only runoff (PAOR), although the long-term durability is unclear. This study evaluated long-term primary patency and limb salvage of PTA/stent in patients with single-vessel runoff and critical limb ischemia to determine if the peroneal artery yields inferior results.MethodsFrom January 2002 to December 2007, 1075 infrainguinal PTA/stent procedures were performed in 920 patients. The study cohort comprised 201 limbs in 187 patients with single-vessel runoff and critical limb ischemia. End points included primary patency, assisted patency, limb salvage, and survival. Long-term outcomes were determined by Kaplan-Meier life-table and multivariate Cox regression analyses.ResultsThere were 104 PAOR and 97 limbs with single-vessel posterior or anterior tibial artery runoff (non-PAOR). Median follow-up was 25 months (range, 0-75 months). PAOR patients tended to be older (77.36 ± 0.92 vs 72.65 ± 1.18 years, P = .002) and were more likely to be taking clopidogrel at presentation (88% vs 76%; P = .04). There were no statistically significant differences in 5-year primary patency (26% ± 6.8% vs 30% ± 7.6%; P = .79), assisted patency (75% ± 8.8% vs 81% ± 7.0%; P = .77), limb salvage (74% ± 8.0% vs 75% ± 7.1%; P = .47), and survival (38% ± 7.7% vs 47% ± 6.6%; P = .99) between the PAOR and the non-PAOR groups, respectively. On Cox regression multivariate analysis, total occlusions predicted decreased assisted patency (hazard ratio, 2.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-7.41; P = .02), whereas younger age predicted poor limb salvage (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.94-0.99; P = .04). PAOR was not an independent predictor of any outcome on multivariate analysis.ConclusionsPatients with PAOR have similar long-term outcomes to patients with non-PAOR. Thus, infrainguinal endovascular revascularization can be considered a first-line therapy for patients with PAOR and critical limb ischemia

Outcomes from a 12-Week, Open-Label, Multicenter Clinical Trial of Teduglutide in Pediatric Short Bowel Syndrome

Objective To determine safety and pharmacodynamics/efficacy of teduglutide in children with intestinal failure associated with short bowel syndrome (SBS-IF). Study design This 12-week, open-label study enrolled patients aged 1-17 years with SBS-IF who required parenteral nutrition (PN) and showed minimal or no advance in enteral nutrition (EN) feeds. Patients enrolled sequentially into 3 teduglutide cohorts (0.0125 mg/kg/d [n = 8], 0.025 mg/kg/d [n = 14], 0.05 mg/kg/d [n = 15]) or received standard of care (SOC, n = 5). Descriptive summary statistics were used. Results All patients experienced ≥1 treatment-emergent adverse event; most were mild or moderate. No serious teduglutide-related treatment-emergent adverse events occurred. Between baseline and week 12, prescribed PN volume and calories (kcal/kg/d) changed by a median of −41% and −45%, respectively, with 0.025 mg/kg/d teduglutide and by −25% and −52% with 0.05 mg/kg/d teduglutide. In contrast, PN volume and calories changed by 0% and −6%, respectively, with 0.0125 mg/kg/d teduglutide and by 0% and −1% with SOC. Per patient diary data, EN volume increased by a median of 22%, 32%, and 40% in the 0.0125, 0.025, and 0.05 mg/kg/d cohorts, respectively, and by 11% with SOC. Four patients achieved independence from PN, 3 in the 0.05 mg/kg/d cohort and 1 in the 0.025 mg/kg/d cohort. Study limitations included its short-term, open-label design, and small sample size. Conclusions Teduglutide was well tolerated in pediatric patients with SBS-IF. Teduglutide 0.025 or 0.05 mg/kg/d was associated with trends toward reductions in PN requirements and advancements in EN feeding in children with SBS-IF