Beyond the Overall Economic Downturn: Evidence on Sector-specific Effects of Violent Conflict From Indonesia

This paper analyzes the impact of violent conflict on economic activity using micro level data sources from Indonesia. the study compiled a panel dataset at the kabupaten level for the period 2002-2008, and attempted to disentangle the overall negative effect of violent conflict on economic growth into its sectoral components. we find substantial differences across sectors, with the most detrimental impact evident in manufacturing industries and the service sector. furthermore, the short-run impacts on growth appear to be only temporal and some evidence of the "phoenix effect" in the ready post-conflict period is found. the construction sector, in particular, recovers quickly once the conflict ends, while manufacturing industries and the finance sector appear especially reliant on a lasting peace. the results therefore reveal the substantial effects of violent conflict on the structure of the economy and hence its longer-term growth trajectory. a series of alternative specifications confirm the main findings of the analysis. keywords: violent conflict, economic growth, Indonesia jel codes: 011, f5

Explaining the Regional Heterogeneity of Poverty: Evidence From Decentralized Indonesia

This study presents evidence from Indonesia on how the country\u27s recent periods of economic growth have contributed to poverty reduction at the regional level, with a particular emphasis on the role of decentralization. over the past decade Indonesia has made significant progress in reducing poverty, from 23% of the population in 1999 to less than 12% in 2013. however, substantial differences in regional poverty are observed. in this paper, we discuss the factors that drive the evolution of poverty in a decentralized Indonesia, and relate kabupaten (district) performance in poverty reduction to a wide range of social, economic, and political characteristics within the area. the study finds gross domestic product (gdp) per capita to be one of the major driving forces behind the decline in regional poverty. additionally, results from a panel data analysis covering the period of 2005 to 2010 show that poverty has decreased in particular in those kabupaten with (i) a larger share of local leaders with secondary education; (ii) a higher average educational attainment; (iii) an established local office for the coordination of poverty reduction initiatives (tkpkd); (iv) a higher share of fiscal revenues; and (v) a higher share of urban population. furthermore, there appears to be a positive link between regional inequality and poverty, suggesting that a successful poverty reduction strategy requires both economic growth and sound social policies. keywords: poverty, decentralization, economic growth, Indonesia

3-D Ultrastructure of O. tauri: Electron Cryotomography of an Entire Eukaryotic Cell

The hallmark of eukaryotic cells is their segregation of key biological functions into discrete, membrane-bound organelles. Creating accurate models of their ultrastructural complexity has been difficult in part because of the limited resolution of light microscopy and the artifact-prone nature of conventional electron microscopy. Here we explored the potential of the emerging technology electron cryotomography to produce three-dimensional images of an entire eukaryotic cell in a near-native state. Ostreococcus tauri was chosen as the specimen because as a unicellular picoplankton with just one copy of each organelle, it is the smallest known eukaryote and was therefore likely to yield the highest resolution images. Whole cells were imaged at various stages of the cell cycle, yielding 3-D reconstructions of complete chloroplasts, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticula, Golgi bodies, peroxisomes, microtubules, and putative ribosome distributions in-situ. Surprisingly, the nucleus was seen to open long before mitosis, and while one microtubule (or two in some predivisional cells) was consistently present, no mitotic spindle was ever observed, prompting speculation that a single microtubule might be sufficient to segregate multiple chromosomes

Chlorophylls, ligands and assembly of light-harvesting complexes in chloroplasts

Chlorophyll (Chl) b serves an essential function in accumulation of light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) in plants. In this article, this role of Chl b is explored by considering the properties of Chls and the ligands with which they interact in the complexes. The overall properties of the Chls, not only their spectral features, are altered as consequences of chemical modifications on the periphery of the molecules. Important modifications are introduction of oxygen atoms at specific locations and reduction or desaturation of sidechains. These modifications influence formation of coordination bonds by which the central Mg atom, the Lewis acid, of Chl molecules interacts with amino acid sidechains, as the Lewis base, in proteins. Chl a is a versatile Lewis acid and interacts principally with imidazole groups but also with sidechain amides and water. The 7-formyl group on Chl b withdraws electron density toward the periphery of the molecule and consequently the positive Mg is less shielded by the molecular electron cloud than in Chl a. Chl b thus tends to form electrostatic bonds with Lewis bases with a fixed dipole, such as water and, in particular, peptide backbone carbonyl groups. The coordination bonds are enhanced by H-bonds between the protein and the 7-formyl group. These additional strong interactions with Chl b are necessary to achieve assembly of stable LHCs

Ion homeostasis in the Chloroplast

peer reviewedThe chloroplast is an organelle of high demand for macro- and micro-nutrient ions, which are required for the maintenance of the photosynthetic process. To avoid deficiency while preventing excess, homeostasis mechanisms must be tightly regulated. Here, we describe the needs for nutrient ions in the chloroplast and briefly highlight their functions in the chloroplastidial metabolism. We further discuss the impact of nutrient deficiency on chloroplasts and the acclimation mechanisms that evolved to preserve the photosynthetic apparatus. We finally present what is known about import and export mechanisms for these ions. Whenever possible, a comparison between cyanobacteria, algae and plants is provided to add an evolutionary perspective to the description of ion homeostasis mechanisms in photosynthesis