Intergenerational effects of birth weight on glucose tolerance and reproductive performance

Women who were themselves small-for-gestational age (SGA) are at a greater risk of adulthood diseases such as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and twice at risk of having an SGA baby themselves. The aim of this study was to examine the intergenerational pig. Low (L) and normal (N) birth weight female piglets were followed throughout their first pregnancy (generation 1 (0)). After they had given birth, the growth and development of the lightest (I) and heaviest (n) female piglet from each litter were monitored until approximately 5 months of age (generation 2 (G2)). A glucose tolerance test (GTT) was conducted on G1 pig at similar to 6 months of age and again during late pregnancy; a GTT was also conducted on G2 pigs at similar to 4 months of age. G1 L offspring exhibited impaired glucose metabolism in later life compared to their G1 N sibling but in the next generation a similar scenario was only observed between I and n offspring born to G1 L mothers. Despite G1 L mothers showing greater glucose intolerance in late pregnancy and a decreased litter size, average piglet birth weight was reduced and there was also a large variation in litter weight; this suggests that they were, to some extent, prioritising their nutrient intake towards themselves rather than promoting their reproductive performance. There were numerous relationships between body shape at birth and glucose curve characteristics in later life, which can, to some extent, be used to predict neonatal outcome. In conclusion, intergenerational effects are partly seen in the pig. It is likely that some of the intergenerational influences may be masked due to the pig being a litter-bearing species.

The placenta is simply a neuroendocrine parasite

This paper will document the early scientific observations that kindled my neuroendocrinological interest in pre-eclampsia, a life-threatening disease that affects both mother and baby. My interest in this subject started with the placental origin of melanotrophin activity, moving on, through corticotrophin-releasing factor and its binding protein, to a tachykinin modified specifically in the placenta by phosphocholine, a post-translational moiety normally used by parasites to avoid immune surveillance and rejection. This work may finally have led to an understanding of the identity of the elusive placental factor that, whilst attempting to compensate for the poor implantation of the placenta, causes the many symptoms seen in the mother during pre-eclampsia.

Proof of concept of automated mapping of weeds in arable fields

The project investigated whether it would be possible to remove the main technical hindrance to precision application of herbicides to arable crops in the UK, namely creating geo-referenced weed maps for each field. The ultimate goal is an information system so that agronomists and farmers can plan precision weed control and create spraying maps. The project focussed on black-grass in wheat, but research was also carried out on barley and beans and on wild-oats, barren brome, rye-grass, cleavers and thistles which form stable patches in arable fields. Farmers may also make special efforts to control them. Using cameras mounted on farm machinery, the project explored the feasibility of automating the process of mapping black-grass in fields. Geo-referenced images were captured from June to December 2009, using sprayers, a tractor, combine harvesters and on foot. Cameras were mounted on the sprayer boom, on windows or on top of tractor and combine cabs and images were captured with a range of vibration levels and at speeds up to 20 km h-1. For acceptability to farmers, it was important that every image containing black-grass was classified as containing black-grass; false negatives are highly undesirable. The software algorithms recorded no false negatives in sample images analysed to date, although some black-grass heads were unclassified and there were also false positives. The density of black-grass heads per unit area estimated by machine vision increased as a linear function of the actual density with a mean detection rate of 47% of black-grass heads in sample images at T3 within a density range of 13 to 1230 heads m-2. A final part of the project was to create geo-referenced weed maps using software written in previous HGCA-funded projects and two examples show that geo-location by machine vision compares well with manually-mapped weed patches. The consortium therefore demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of using a GPS-linked computer-controlled camera system mounted on farm machinery (tractor, sprayer or combine) to geo-reference black-grass in winter wheat between black-grass head emergence and seed shedding.

Globalisation and the evolution of international retailing: a comment on Alexander's 'British overseas retailing, 1900-1960'

Nicholas Alexander's (2011. British overseas retailing, 1900–60: International firm characteristics, market selections and entry modes. Business History, 53, 530–556) survey of British overseas retailers from 1900 to 1960 provides pathbreaking new evidence of international retailing activity during the first globalisation boom. The article surveys this and other recent evidence, and confirms that international retailing was far more significant up to 1929 than previously thought. This activity was overwhelmingly undertaken by non-retailers, however, and hence by multinationals whose advantages in retailing were fundamentally unsustainable over the long run. Even the department store format, the principal retail innovation of the period, was not internationalised primarily by multinationals. Rather it was diffused via indigenous entrepreneurs, driven by a rapidly growing global demand for western style fashion and dress.

Contributory negligence involving overseas European banks in property valuation negligence cases in the UK

This paper examines the phenomenon of cross-border property lending and examines a number of issues regarding lending procedures and decision making processes in the context of the relationship between lender and professional advisor. It commences by placing these procedures and processes in the context of the development of cross border European property investment and finance. The UK has been a popular destination for overseas investors and lenders over the last decade and is therefore used as a case study to examine the additional institutional risk that overseas lenders may face when operating outside of their own country and obtaining advice from home professionals. The UK market was the subject of a boom period during the late 1980s, followed by a recession in the early 1990s. The losses triggered a number of professional negligence actions by lenders against valuers. These include a number of overseas lenders mainly from Europe and these cases have been examined for any particular features which, coupled with other data gained from overseas lenders as part of an interview survey, could be used to isolate any significant problems for European lenders in overseas markets. The research identified a lack of clarity in roles and relationships between lender and advisor, difficulties in communications both internally and between overseas branches and headquarters and failures in provision and interpretation of advice. The paper concludes by identifying the issues which may need to be addressed generally by lenders and their advisors, when the lenders are operating in overseas markets.

Asymmetric response of demand-supply mismatch to investor's sentiment

We look through both the demand and supply side information to understand dynamics of price determination in the real estate market and examine how accurately investors’ attitudes predict the market returns and thereby flagging off extent of any demand-supply mismatch. Our hypothesis is based on the possibility that investors’ call for action in terms of their buy/sell decision and adjustment in reservation/offer prices may indicate impending demand-supply imbalances in the market. In the process, we study several real estate sectors to inform our analysis. The timeframe of our analysis (1995-2010) allows us to observe market dynamics over several economic cycles and in various stages of those cycles. Additionally, we also seek to understand how investors’ attitude or the sentiment affects the market activity over the cycles through asymmetric responses. We test our hypothesis variously using a number of measures of market activity and attitude indicators within several model specifications. The empirical models are estimated using Vector Error Correction framework. Our analysis suggests that investors’ attitude exert strong and statistically significant feedback effects in price determination. Moreover, these effects do reveal heterogeneous responses across the real estate sectors. Interestingly, our results indicate the asymmetric responses during boom, normal and recessionary periods. These results are consistent with the theoretical underpinnings.

Home-ownership for future generations

This paper constructs a housing market model to analyse conditions for different generations of households in the UK. Previous policy work has suggested that baby-boomers have benefitted at the expense of younger generations. The model relies on a form of financial accelerator in which existing homeowners reinvest a proportion of the capital gains on moving home. The model is extended to look at homeownership probabilities. It also explains why an increasing share of mortgages has gone to existing owners, despite market liberalisation and securitisation. In addition, the model contributes to the explanation of volatility.

Futures basis, inventory and commodity price volatility: an empirical analysis

We employ a large dataset of physical inventory data on 21 different commodities for the period 1993–2011 to empirically analyze the behavior of commodity prices and their volatility as predicted by the theory of storage. We examine two main issues. First, we analyze the relationship between inventory and the shape of the forward curve. Low (high) inventory is associated with forward curves in backwardation (contango), as the theory of storage predicts. Second, we show that price volatility is a decreasing function of inventory for the majority of commodities in our sample. This effect is more pronounced in backwardated markets. Our findings are robust with respect to alternative inventory measures and over the recent commodity price boom.

House price dynamics and their reaction to macroeconomic changes

This article applies a three-regime Markov switching model to investigate the impact of the macroeconomy on the dynamics of the residential real estate market in the US. Focusing on the period between 1960 and 2011, the methodology implemented allows for a clearer understanding of the drivers of the real estate market in “boom”, “steady-state” and “crash” regimes. Our results show that the sensitivity of the real estate market to economic changes is regime-dependent. The paper then proceeds to examine whether policymakers are able to influence a regime switch away from the crash regime. We find that a decrease in interest rate spreads could be an effective catalyst to precipitate such a change of state.

The new Brazilian cinema

In the second half of the 1990s, Brazil experienced a cinematic boom. Many of the new films were received enthusiastically by audiences and critics and released worldwide. This passionately argued and illuminating book provides the first comprehensive critical account of what is known as the 'Renaissance of Brazilian cinema' and demonstrates just how thought-provoking and inspiring Brazilian cinema has become. Contributors: José Carlos Avellar - Ivana Bentes - Stephanie Dennison - Verônica Ferreira Dias - Carlos Diegues - Amir Labaki - Maria Esther Maciel - José Álvaro Moisés - Laura Mulvey - Lúcia Nagib - Luiz Zanin Oricchio - Fernão Pessoa Ramos - Lisa Shaw - Robert Stam - João Luiz Vieira - Ismail Xavier.

Going global: the Brazilian scripted film

This article departs from the assumption that a certain section of world cinema, usually defined as ‘independent’, has been evolving on the basis of good scripts. Between the late 1980s and early 90s, there has been a boom of new cinemas in the world, such as the new Iranian, Taiwanese, Japanese, Mexican, Argentine and Brazilian cinemas. A significant part of this production shows a renewed interest in local and national peculiarities of their respective countries, going against the grain of globalisation and its typical cultural dilution. Most of these films are also engaged in reassessing narrative cinema, as a kind of reaction against the deconstructive work carried out by postmodern cinema of the 1980s.Recent new cinemas are supported by a combination of local and international resources, derived from public and private sponsors at home, and funding agencies, festivals and TV channels abroad. In most cases funds are granted after the film script has been analysed and approved by commissions of experts. The New Brazilian Cinema, or cinema da retomada as it is locally called, has been enormously affected by this scheme, which has even caused a ‘script boom’ in Brazil in the past decade. The chapter examins the results of this process.

Video surveillance : past, present, and now the future

Video surveillance is a part of our daily life, even though we may not necessarily realize it. We might be monitored on the street, on highways, at ATMs, in public transportation vehicles, inside private and public buildings, in the elevators, in front of our television screens, next to our baby?s cribs, and any spot one can set a camera.

Globalization and the evolution of international retailing: a comment on Alexander’s ‘British Overseas Retailing, 1900-1960'

Nicholas Alexander's (2011. British overseas retailing, 1900–60: International firm characteristics, market selections and entry modes. Business History, 53, 530–556) survey of British overseas retailers from 1900 to 1960 provides pathbreaking new evidence of international retailing activity during the first globalisation boom. The article surveys this and other recent evidence, and confirms that international retailing was far more significant up to 1929 than previously thought. This activity was overwhelmingly undertaken by non-retailers, however, and hence by multinationals whose advantages in retailing were fundamentally unsustainable over the long run. Even the department store format, the principal retail innovation of the period, was not internationalised primarily by multinationals. Rather it was diffused via indigenous entrepreneurs, driven by a rapidly growing global demand for western style fashion and dress.