The Impact of Free Trade Agreements in Asia

This paper discusses a quantitative simulation analysis on the impact of Japan's FTAs in Asia using a CGE model of global trade. It has been argued that a regional FTA would be a step toward global trade liberalization rather than a final goal. In fact, it is shown that changes in sectoral trade balance and production would vary according to the partners in Japan's FTAs in Asia deviating from those expected in global trade liberalization. Moreover, the terms of trade effects would be relatively significant in determining the overall welfare impacts in partial trade liberalization. On the other hand, capital formation mechanisms, one through dynamic capital accumulation and another through international capital movements, are shown to be particularly important for macroeconomic gains in several ASEAN countries. It is suggested that liberalization and facilitation of not just the trade of goods but also investment would be essential for economic partnerships in Asia.

Review of Economic Impact of CPTPP

In the Asia-Pacific, free trade agreements (FTAs) and economic partnership agreements (EPAs) have been implemented intensively. However, a few major economies have been lagging behind that trend, and recent agreements have not always agreed on 100% tariff removals. This paper presents an overview of the development of EPAs in the Asia-Pacific and investigates quantitatively the relative significance of the impact of the expansion of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), using a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model based on the most recent trade database and tariff data. The results of model simulations suggest that the impact of China joining CPTPP would be larger than that of the United States (US) joining, in terms of macroeconomic benefits to the CPTPP economies on average. That said, the macroeconomic effects of the US and/or China joining CPTPP vary in terms of both magnitude and direction among the CPTPP economies. Meanwhile, the impact at the sector level would also vary among those scenarios. The impact estimated by model simulations would also be dependent on the structure of the CGE model used. The impacts of EPAs in alternative scenarios are worth simulating (using the same model version) and comparing.JEL classification Codes: C68, F13, F15, F17technical repor

Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Treatment on Multipotential Stromal Cells (MSCs). Possible Enhancement of Therapeutic Potential of MSC

Adult bone marrow multipotential stromal cells (MSCs) hold great promise in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. However, due to their low numbers upon harvesting, MSCs need to be expanded in vitro without biasing future differentiation for optimal utility. In this concept paper, we focus on the potential use of epidermal growth factor (EGF), prototypal growth factor for enhancing the harvesting and/or differentiation of MSCs. Soluble EGF was shown to augment MSC proliferation while preserving early progenitors within MSC population, and thus did not induce differentiation. However, tethered form of EGF was shown to promote osteogenic differentiation. Soluble EGF was also shown to increase paracrine secretions including VEGF and HGF from MSC. Thus, soluble EGF can be used not only to expand MSC in vitro, but also to enhance paracrine secretion through drug-releasing MSC-encapsulated scaffolds in vivo. Tethered EGF can also be utilized to direct MSC towards osteogenic lineage both in vitro and in vivo

Histo-chemical and cytochemical studies on the succinic dehydroge-nase system with three ditetrazolium salts, NT, Nitro-NT, and Nitro-Bt

1. Histochemical and cytochemical studies with respect to the sites of reaction were made on the succinic dehydrogenase system activity of human and animal tissues using ditetrazolium salts, namely, neotetrazolium chloride, nitro-neotetrazolium chloride, and nitra-blue tetrazolium chloride. 2. The advantages and disadvantages of each ditetrazolium salt for histochemical and cytochemical purposes and the reaction taking place in frozen tissue sections and that in fresh tissue blocks were compared, and the method of procedure suitable for each condition was established with some modification. 3. Selecting conditions suitable for cytochemical purpose, it was shown that the reaction took place at the sites coinciding with mitochondria, and the distribution of the enzyme reaction was also examined. In addition, several new findings in the brains and other tissues cytochemically made clear were pointed out.</p

Antena solution for future communication devices in mm-wave range

Different type of printed antennas for millimeter ranges like: high gain (narrow beam) with linear and circular polarization, sector antennas with azimuth angle of 600, 900 and 1800, omnidirectional antennas are proposed. All type suitable for integration with active microwave and millimeter wave like amplifiers, down and up convectors. Also, proposed sector and omnidirectional antennas are practically applicable for lower microwave range of 5 GHz that is included in new generation of communication systems for 60 GHz range

Combining Binary Decision Diagrams and Backtracking Search for Scalable Backtrack-Free Interactive Product Configuration

The impact of the formation of HO2-H2O adducts following reaction between H2O and HO2 and subsequent reaction of this adduct on HOx, H2O2 and O3 as a function of relative humidity in the marine boundary layer has been investigated using a zero-dimensional box model. The results of simulations with different product yields for the reaction of HO2-H2O with HO2 were compared with base case data derived from current recommendations for tropospheric modelling. It is suggested that inclusion of reactions of the HO2-H2O adduct may provide a significant sink for HO2 which has so far not been considered in models of tropospheric chemistry and depending on reaction products may have a significant impact on H2O2 and O3