The Importance of Revenue Sharing for the Local Economic Impacts of a Renewable Energy Project: A Social Accounting Matrix Approach

As demand for electricity from renewable energy sources grows, there is increasing interest, and public and financial support, for local communities to become involved in the development of renewable energy projects. In the UK, “Community Benefit” payments are the most common financial link between renewable energy projects and local communities. These are “goodwill” payments from the project developer for the community to spend as it wishes. However, if an ownership stake in the renewable energy project were possible, receipts to the local community would potentially be considerably higher. The local economic impacts of these receipts are difficult to quantify using traditional Input-Output techniques, but can be more appropriately handled within a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) framework where income flows between agents can be traced in detail. We use a SAM for the Shetland Islands to evaluate the potential local economic and employment impact of a large onshore wind energy project proposed for the Islands. Sensitivity analysis is used to show how the local impact varies with: the level of Community Benefit payments; the portion of intermediate inputs being sourced from within the local economy; and the level of any local community ownership of the project. By a substantial margin, local ownership confers the greatest economic impacts for the local community.

Constructing a Social Accounting Matrix for Libya

In this paper a Social Accounting Matrix is constructed for Libya for the year 2000. The procedure was divided into three steps. First, a macro SAM was constructed to consistently capture and represent the macroeconomic framework of the Libyan economy in 2000. Second, that macro SAM was disaggregated into a micro SAM incorporating the accounts for individual activities, primary factors and the main economic institutions. But the SAM obtained in this way was not balanced. So in thE final step we balanced the SAM using a cross-entropy procedure in General Algebraic Modelling System (GAMS). This SAM integrates national income, inputoutput, flow-of-funds, and foreign trade statistics into a comprehensive and consistent dataset. The lack of coherent time series data for Libya is a serious obstacle for applied research that uses econometric analysis. Our main intension in constructing this SAM has been one of providing benchmark data for economy-wide analysis using CGE modelling for Libya.

Association of the Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 with lipid rafts is mediated through its N-terminal region.

The latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) encoded by the Epstein-Barr virus acts like a constitutively activated receptor of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family and is enriched in lipid rafts. We showed that LMP1 is targeted to lipid rafts in transfected HEK 293 cells, and that the endogenous TNFR-associated factor 3 binds LMP1 and is recruited to lipid rafts upon LMP1 expression. An LMP1 mutant lacking the C-terminal 55 amino acids (Cdelta55) behaves like the wild-type (WT) LMP1 with respect to membrane localization. In contrast, a mutant with a deletion of the 25 N-terminal residues (Ndelta25) does not concentrate in lipid rafts but still binds TRAF3, demonstrating that cell localization of LMP1 was not crucial for TRAF3 localization. Moreover, Ndelta25 inhibited WT LMP1-mediated induction of the transcription factors NF-kappaB and AP-1. Morphological data indicate that Ndelta25 hampers WT LMP1 plasma membrane localization, thus blocking LMP1 function.

Long-term fluctuation of relative afferent pupillary defect in subjects with normal visual function.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) remains constant over time in normal subjects. METHODS: Seventeen normal subjects were tested with infrared pupillography and automated perimetry in four sessions over 3 years. The changes in RAPD and visual field asymmetry between testing sessions were compared. RESULTS: The range of RAPD was 0.0 to 0.3 log unit, and the difference in the mean deviation between the eyes on automated static perimetry was 0 to 3 dB. Eight subjects repeatedly had an RAPD in the same eye. There was no correlation between the RAPD and the visual field asymmetry at the same visit. Changes in the magnitude of the RAPD between any two sessions were typically small (median, 0.08 log unit; 25th percentile, 0.04 log unit; 75th percentile, 0.15 log unit). CONCLUSIONS: Some normal subjects may show a persistent but small RAPD in the absence of detectable pathologic disease. Therefore, an isolated RAPD in the range of 0.3 log unit that is not associated with any other significant historical or clinical finding should probably be considered benign.

Disaggregating the Household Sector in a 2004 UK Input Output Table and Social Accounting Matrix by Income Quintiles

This paper disaggregates a UK Input-Output (IO) table for 2004 based on household income quintiles from published survey data. In addition to the Input-Output disaggregation, the household components of a UK Income Expenditure (I-E) account used to inform a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM),have also been disaggregated by household income quintile. The focus of this paper is on household expenditure on the UK energy sector.

Analytic approximation of matrix functions in Lp

"Vegeu el resum a l'inici del document del fitxer adjunt."

Estimation of the Spatial Weights Matrix under Structural Constraints

While estimates of models with spatial interaction are very sensitive to the choice of spatial weights, considerable uncertainty surrounds de nition of spatial weights in most studies with cross-section dependence. We show that, in the spatial error model the spatial weights matrix is only partially identi ed, and is fully identifi ed under the structural constraint of symmetry. For the spatial error model, we propose a new methodology for estimation of spatial weights under the assumption of symmetric spatial weights, with extensions to other important spatial models. The methodology is applied to regional housing markets in the UK, providing an estimated spatial weights matrix that generates several new hypotheses about the economic and socio-cultural drivers of spatial di¤usion in housing demand.

Regulation of blood pressure and renal function by NCC and ENaC: lessons from genetically engineered mice.

The activity of the thiazide-sensitive Na(+)/Cl(-) cotransporter (NCC) and of the amiloride-sensitive epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) is pivotal for blood pressure regulation. NCC is responsible for Na(+) reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) of the nephron, while ENaC reabsorbs the filtered Na(+) in the late DCT and in the cortical collecting ducts (CCD) providing the final renal adjustment to Na(+) balance. Here, we aim to highlight the recent advances made using transgenic mouse models towards the understanding of the regulation of NCC and ENaC function relevant to the control of sodium balance and blood pressure. We thus like to pave the way for common mechanisms regulating these two sodium-transporting proteins and their potential implication in structural remodeling of the nephron segments and Na(+) and Cl(-) reabsorption.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry for direct bacterial identification from positive blood culture pellets.

An ammonium chloride erythrocyte-lysing procedure was used to prepare a bacterial pellet from positive blood cultures for direct matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry analysis. Identification was obtained for 78.7% of the pellets tested. Moreover, 99% of the MALDI-TOF identifications were congruent at the species level when considering valid scores. This fast and accurate method is promising.

Time Horizons And Smoothing In The Bank Of England’s Reaction Function: The Contrast Between The Standard GMM And Ex Ante Forecast Approaches

The monetary policy reaction function of the Bank of England is estimated by the standard GMM approach and the ex-ante forecast method developed by Goodhart (2005), with particular attention to the horizons for inflation and output at which each approach gives the best fit. The horizons for the ex-ante approach are much closer to what is implied by the Bank’s view of the transmission mechanism, while the GMM approach produces an implausibly slow adjustment of the interest rate, and suffers from a weak instruments problem. These findings suggest a strong preference for the ex-ante approach.

Time Horizons And Smoothing In The Bank Of England’s Reaction Function: The Contrast Between The Standard GMM And Ex Ante Forecast Approaches

The monetary policy reaction function of the Bank of England is estimated by the standard GMM approach and the ex-ante forecast method developed by Goodhart (2005), with particular attention to the horizons for inflation and output at which each approach gives the best fit. The horizons for the ex-ante approach are much closer to what is implied by the Bank’s view of the transmission mechanism, while the GMM approach produces an implausibly slow adjustment of the interest rate, and suffers from a weak instruments problem. These findings suggest a strong preference for the ex-ante approach.

Identification of particular groups of microRNAs that positively or negatively impact on beta cell function in obese models of type 2 diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: MicroRNAs are key regulators of gene expression involved in health and disease. The goal of our study was to investigate the global changes in beta cell microRNA expression occurring in two models of obesity-associated type 2 diabetes and to assess their potential contribution to the development of the disease. METHODS: MicroRNA profiling of pancreatic islets isolated from prediabetic and diabetic db/db mice and from mice fed a high-fat diet was performed by microarray. The functional impact of the changes in microRNA expression was assessed by reproducing them in vitro in primary rat and human beta cells. RESULTS: MicroRNAs differentially expressed in both models of obesity-associated type 2 diabetes fall into two distinct categories. A group including miR-132, miR-184 and miR-338-3p displays expression changes occurring long before the onset of diabetes. Functional studies indicate that these expression changes have positive effects on beta cell activities and mass. In contrast, modifications in the levels of miR-34a, miR-146a, miR-199a-3p, miR-203, miR-210 and miR-383 primarily occur in diabetic mice and result in increased beta cell apoptosis. These results indicate that obesity and insulin resistance trigger adaptations in the levels of particular microRNAs to allow sustained beta cell function, and that additional microRNA deregulation negatively impacting on insulin-secreting cells may cause beta cell demise and diabetes manifestation. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: We propose that maintenance of blood glucose homeostasis or progression toward glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes may be determined by the balance between expression changes of particular microRNAs.

A new look at the Heston characteristic function

A new expression for the characteristic function of log-spot in Heston model is presented. This expression more clearly exhibits its properties as an analytic characteristic function and allows us to compute the exact domain of the moment generating function. This result is then applied to the volatility smile at extreme strikes and to the control of the moments of spot. We also give a factorization of the moment generating function as product of Bessel type factors, and an approximating sequence to the law of log-spot is deduced.

Human GnRH deficiency: a unique disease model to unravel the ontogeny of GnRH neurons.

Evolutionary survival of a species is largely a function of its reproductive fitness. In mammals, a sparsely populated and widely dispersed network of hypothalamic neurons, the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons, serve as the pilot light of reproduction via coordinated secretion of GnRH. Since it first description, human GnRH deficiency has been recognized both clinically and genetically as a heterogeneous disease. A spectrum of different reproductive phenotypes comprised of congenital GnRH deficiency with anosmia (Kallmann syndrome), congenital GnRH deficiency with normal olfaction (normosmic idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism), and adult-onset hypogonadotropic hypogonadism has been described. In the last two decades, several genes and pathways which govern GnRH ontogeny have been discovered by studying humans with GnRH deficiency. More importantly, detailed study of these patients has highlighted the emerging theme of oligogenicity and genotypic synergism, and also expanded the phenotypic diversity with the documentation of reversal of GnRH deficiency later in adulthood in some patients. The underlying genetic defect has also helped understand the associated nonreproductive phenotypes seen in some of these patients. These insights now provide practicing clinicians with targeted genetic diagnostic strategies and also impact on clinical management.