The impact of climate change on cultural heritage: evidence and response

This paper presents the first broadbased research on the impact of climate change on historic buildings, buried archaeology, parks and gardens. Research coincided with the publication of the UKCIP02 climate change scenarios and other studies assessing regional climate change and the impact on nature conservation and gardens. The methodology consisted of an assessment of climate change and adaptation literature, a questionnaire, site visits, regional and policy workshops. It conflated evidence from climate and heritage specialists, pointing to physical changes in cultural heritage and concluding with several policy recommendations

Do In-State Tuition Benefits Affect the Enrollment of Non-Citizens? Evidence from Universities in Texas

In 2001, the Texas state legislature passed House Bill 1403 and became the first state to offer in-state tuition rates at public universities for non-citizens who attended high school in the state for three years. As a result of the policy change, the cost of attending college at public universities in Texas fell dramatically for non-citizens. Using administrative data from six universities in Texas, we employ a quasi-experimental design to identify the effects of the policy change on the probability of enrollment. The results demonstrate a large and significant positive effect of lowering tuition on the enrollment of non-citizens at the University of Texas at Pan American and a positive and marginally significant effect on the probability of enrollment at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The results also suggest that the policy had a negative effect on enrollment at Southern Methodist University, a private university whose tuition was unchanged by the policy.financial aid; non-citizens; in-state tuition benefits.

Disaster Relief through the Tax Code: Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf Opportunity Zone

This project investigates the impact of geo-graphically targeted Federal tax relief enacted in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. To facilitate administration of relief efforts and define eligibility for the temporary tax law changes, the Gulf Opportunity Zone (GO Zone) was created. We estimate the initial impacts of these tax incentives using propensity score matching (PSM) and Mahalanobis metric matching (MM) methods, combined with difference-in-difference (DD) estimation, to limit the confounding influences of observable and fixed unobservable differences between counties affected by these incentives and similarly storm-damaged counties in the region that were not included in the GO Zone. Results show that per capita personal income and net earnings increased more rapidly in GO Zone counties that experienced minimal storm damage than in similar non-GO Zone counties in the GO Zone States and neighboring States., Public Economics, H2, H24, H25,

Cyclosporine and Multiple Sclerosis

Recent studies have shown that the administration of low-dose cyclosporine can convert acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis into chronic relapsing EAE with large plaques of spinal cord demyelination

Recovery from Acute Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis in the Lewis Rat: Early Restoration of Nerve Conduction and Repair by Schwann Cells and Oligodendrocytes

Light and electron microscopic histological studies and electrophysiological studies were performed on Lewis rats with acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by whole spinal cord or myelin basic protein to determine the mechanism of clinical recovery. In these animals, total clinical recovery from complete paraplegia may occur as early as 4 days after the onset of hindlimb weakness. These studies indicate that this recovery occurs at a time when there is restoration of nerve conduction in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) and when most demyelinated fibres have been invested, and some partially remyelinated, by Schwann cells or oligodendrocytes in the PNS and CNS, respectively. These findings support the hypothesis that the neurological signs of acute EAE are due to demyelination in the PNS and CNS

The Influence of Asset and Access Poverty on Crop Production and Land Degradation in Uganda

This study investigated the linkages between poverty, agricultural productivity and land degradation in Uganda. Results show that farmers in the study region of Uganda deplete about 1.2% of the nutrient stock stored in the topsoil per year, leading to a predicted 0.2% annual reduction in crop productivity. Replacing the depleted nutrients using the cheapest inorganic fertilizers would cost about 20% of farm income on average. Land investments such as soil and water conservation structures and agroforestry trees were found to increase agricultural productivity and reduce land degradation. We observed an inverse farm size crop productivity relationship. Larger families are more productive but use more erosive practices in crop production. Participation in agricultural extension, especially the new National Agricultural Advisory Services program, and access to credit and markets are associated with increased productivity but have insignificant impacts on land degradation. Education is associated with greater productivity, but also with more soil nutrient depletion. Access to roads is associated with less soil nutrient depletion. We find no significant differences in crop productivity associated with differences in land tenure systems, though land degradation is greater on mailo than freehold land. Our results show that promotion of agricultural modernization through technical assistance and credit programs, investments in infrastructure and education can improve agricultural productivity. However, they also show that many of these investments do not necessarily reduce land degradation, and some may contribute to it. Thus, investing in agricultural modernization should be complemented by greater efforts to address land degradation.Crop Production/Industries, Land Economics/Use, Q24,

Impacts of the Hutan Kamasyarakatan (HKm) Social Forestry Program in the Sumberjaya Watershed, West Lampung District of Sumatra

This paper assesses the economic impacts of the Hutan Kamasyarakatan (HKm) social forestry program in the Sumberjaya watershed in West Lampung District of Sumatra, Indonesia, which began in 2001 to provide farmer groups permits to use already deforested state Protection Forest (PF) land in exchange for protecting remaining forests, planting timber and agro-forestry trees in their coffee plantations, and using soil and water conservation measures. The study is based on analysis of a survey conducted in 2005 for 640 plots in the watershed, selected using a stratified random sample of land of different tenure categories, and their operator households, and surveys of communities with PF land and HKm groups in the watershed. We find that HKm permit holders are poorer on average than owners of private land, but have comparable wealth to users of other eligible PF land who have not applied or received HKm permits, and users of National Park (NP) land, which is not eligible for HKm. Compared to eligible non-participants, households with a HKm permit by 2005 have greater education, are more involved in producer organizations, and have better access to markets, roads and technical assistance. Many communities and households are not aware of the program or its requirements, including some of those in HKm groups. Program participants and applicants perceive that it substantially increases tenure security, land values, land investments and incomes. Econometric analysis and propensity score matching methods using the survey data provide only limited support for these perceptions, showing that the program had statistically insignificant impacts on land purchase values, soil and water conservation investments, soil fertility management practices, and profits. The program did significantly increase planting of timber and multi-purpose agroforestry trees, but these have offsetting impacts on profits, with multi-purpose trees contributing to higher profits and timber trees causing lower profits because timber harvesting is not allowed. These findings indicate that the program has potentially important pro-poor benefits, though realization of these benefits is limited by potential beneficiaries lack of access to necessary human and social capital, markets and technical assistance; lack of awareness about the program; and program restrictions that require planting of timber trees but prohibit timber harvesting.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

DETERMINANTS OF SOIL NUTRIENT BALANCES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ADDRESSING LAND DEGRADATION AND POVERTY IN UGANDA

A regression model was used to investigate the determinants of soil nutrient depletion in Uganda. The major determinants of soil nutrient balances are household endowments, access to markets, and extension services, non-farm activities and agricultural potential. The results suggest the need to address soil nutrient depletion using multi-sectoral approaches.Farm Management,