Issues affecting utilization of the European Union’s Generalised System of Preference (GSP)

The research presents an investigation into the issues affecting UK importers when applying European Union’s Generalised System of Preference (GSP). It focuses on issues affecting UK importers applying European Union’s Generalised System Preference (GSP). GSP is used to encourage importation of goods from developing and lesser developed countries (LDC), by reducing importation tariffs when goods cross an EU border. This allows access to the EU market for lesser developed countries and thus enabling their economies to grow through trade. Krugman (1987). This thesis considers historical data to establish the main issues that influence the utilization of GSP; including application of GSP, academic theory in relation to the use of GSP and other preferential trade agreements such as Most Favoured Nations (MFNs). The data obtained from the primary source of semi-structured interviews of UK importers, trade associations and leading consultants was statistically evaluated to establish links between the data sources. The research provides an in-depth analysis of the issues in relation to the utilization of the preference with regards to UK importers. It shows, significantly, that the academic assumption of using MFNs instead of GSP not having impact on the utilization as previous academic knowledge suggested. The interviews provided data with regards to the UK business view on Brexit and UK trade policy after March 2019, when the UK leaves the European Union. The thesis supports the idea that Brexit has opened up an opportunity for UK government to review its trade agreements, including the application of GSP. GSP is a non-reciprocal trade arrangement and can be used initially until free trade agreements, which are reciprocal can be put in place. Brenton (2003). Findings from the research highlights how the UK government would benefit from making GSP simpler for UK importers to apply and expand its beneficiaries

The zero forcing polynomial of a graph

Zero forcing is an iterative graph coloring process, where given a set of initially colored vertices, a colored vertex with a single uncolored neighbor causes that neighbor to become colored. A zero forcing set is a set of initially colored vertices which causes the entire graph to eventually become colored. In this paper, we study the counting problem associated with zero forcing. We introduce the zero forcing polynomial of a graph $G$ of order $n$ as the polynomial $\mathcal{Z}(G;x)=\sum_{i=1}^n z(G;i) x^i$, where $z(G;i)$ is the number of zero forcing sets of $G$ of size $i$. We characterize the extremal coefficients of $\mathcal{Z}(G;x)$, derive closed form expressions for the zero forcing polynomials of several families of graphs, and explore various structural properties of $\mathcal{Z}(G;x)$, including multiplicativity, unimodality, and uniqueness.Comment: 23 page

East Midlands Top 500 Companies 2020

The East Midlands Top 500 Companies 2020 is a new index which celebrates the business success of the East Midlands as a region with a remarkably strong, diverse and resilient range of firms. The Top 500 is based on historic data from Companies House accounts submitted between July 2017 and June 2018. These are accessed from the Financial Analysis Made Easy FAME database supplied by Bureau Van Dijk. This is supplemented from other publicly available sources of business information. The report includes analysis of the significance, an overview of the regional business economy, and a series of company case studies. The index represents the strength and diversity of firms based in the East Midlands. The Top 500 Index provides a continuing baseline for comparison in future years, since it comprises data predating the effects of Brexit and COVID-19. This will be updated yearly. It includes companies with their registered offices located in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. All these businesses have been included in the ‘Top 200 Companies’ 2019 for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, featured in the ‘Business Live’ coverage by Reach Media

Variation in and risk factors for paediatric inpatient all-cause mortality in a low income setting: data from an emerging clinical information network.

BACKGROUND: Hospital mortality data can inform planning for health interventions and may help optimize resource allocation if they are reliable and appropriately interpreted. However such data are often not available in low income countries including Kenya. METHODS: Data from the Clinical Information Network covering 12 county hospitals' paediatric admissions aged 2-59 months for the periods September 2013 to March 2015 were used to describe mortality across differing contexts and to explore whether simple clinical characteristics used to classify severity of illness in common treatment guidelines are consistently associated with inpatient mortality. Regression models accounting for hospital identity and malaria prevalence (low or high) were used. Multiple imputation for missing data was based on a missing at random assumption with sensitivity analyses based on pattern mixture missing not at random assumptions. RESULTS: The overall cluster adjusted crude mortality rate across hospitals was 6 · 2% with an almost 5 fold variation across sites (95% CI 4 · 9 to 7 · 8; range 2 · 1% - 11 · 0%). Hospital identity was significantly associated with mortality. Clinical features included in guidelines for common diseases to assess severity of illness were consistently associated with mortality in multivariable analyses (AROC =0 · 86). CONCLUSION: All-cause mortality is highly variable across hospitals and associated with clinical risk factors identified in disease specific guidelines. A panel of these clinical features may provide a basic common data framework as part of improved health information systems to support evaluations of quality and outcomes of care at scale and inform health system strengthening efforts

Effect of vitamin D supplementation on selected inflammatory biomarkers in older adults: a secondary analysis of data from a randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Observational studies have suggested that 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are associated with inflammatory markers. Most trials reporting significant associations between vitamin D intake and inflammatory markers used specific patient groups. Thus, we aimed to determine the effect of supplementary vitamin D using secondary data from a population-based, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial (Pilot D-Health trial 2010/0423). Participants were 60- to 84-year-old residents of one of the four eastern states of Australia. They were randomly selected from the electoral roll and were randomised to one of three trial arms: placebo (n 214), 750 μg (n 215) or 1500 μg (n 215) vitamin D3, each taken once per month for 12 months. Post-intervention blood samples for the analysis of C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, IL-10, leptin and adiponectin levels were available for 613 participants. Associations between intervention group and biomarker levels were evaluated using quantile regression. There were no statistically significant differences in distributions of CRP, leptin, adiponectin, leptin:adiponectin ratio or IL-10 levels between the placebo group and either supplemented group. The 75th percentile IL-6 level was 2·8 pg/ml higher (95 % CI 0·4, 5·8 pg/ml) in the 1500 μg group than in the placebo group (75th percentiles:11·0 v. 8·2 pg/ml), with a somewhat smaller, non-significant difference in 75th percentiles between the 750 μg and placebo groups. Despite large differences in serum 25(OH)D levels between the three groups after 12 months of supplementation, we found little evidence of an effect of vitamin D supplementation on cytokine or adipokine levels, with the possible exception of IL-6

An allometric scaling relationship in the brain of preterm infants

Allometry has been used to demonstrate a power–law scaling relationship in the brain of premature born infants. Forty-nine preterm infants underwent neonatal MRI scans and neurodevelopmental testing at age 2. Measures of cortical surface area and total cerebral volume demonstrated a power–law scaling relationship (α = 1.27). No associations were identified between these measures and investigated clinical variables. Term equivalent cortical surface area and total cerebral volume measures and scaling exponents were not related to outcome. These findings confirm a previously reported allometric scaling relationship in the preterm brain, and suggest that scaling is not a sensitive indicator of aberrant cortical maturation

Comparison of alternative evidence summary and presentation formats in clinical guideline development: a mixed-method study.

BACKGROUND: Best formats for summarising and presenting evidence for use in clinical guideline development remain less well defined. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of different evidence summary formats to address this gap. METHODS: Healthcare professionals attending a one-week Kenyan, national guideline development workshop were randomly allocated to receive evidence packaged in three different formats: systematic reviews (SRs) alone, systematic reviews with summary-of-findings tables, and 'graded-entry' formats (a 'front-end' summary and a contextually framed narrative report plus the SR). The influence of format on the proportion of correct responses to key clinical questions, the primary outcome, was assessed using a written test. The secondary outcome was a composite endpoint, measured on a 5-point scale, of the clarity of presentation and ease of locating the quality of evidence for critical neonatal outcomes. Interviews conducted within two months following completion of trial data collection explored panel members' views on the evidence summary formats and experiences with appraisal and use of research information. RESULTS: 65 (93%) of 70 participants completed questions on the prespecified outcome measures. There were no differences between groups in the odds of correct responses to key clinical questions. 'Graded-entry' formats were associated with a higher mean composite score for clarity and accessibility of information about the quality of evidence for critical neonatal outcomes compared to systematic reviews alone (adjusted mean difference 0.52, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.99). There was no difference in the mean composite score between SR with SoF tables and SR alone. Findings from interviews with 16 panelists indicated that short narrative evidence reports were preferred for the improved clarity of information presentation and ease of use. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that 'graded-entry' evidence summary formats may improve clarity and accessibility of research evidence in clinical guideline development. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN05154264

Fall Concert featuring KSU Chorale, Men\u27s Ensemble and Chamber Singers

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents Fall Concert featuring University Chorale, Men\u27s Ensemble and Chamber Singers under the direction of Leslie J. Blackwell.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1665/thumbnail.jp