The paper examines the determinants and interrelationship of components of government spending using data for up to 142 countries over the period 1990–2017. We make use of two‐way fixed effect ...estimator with Driscoll‐Kraay standard errors, which accounts for cross‐sectional dependence and a system generalized method of moments estimator to examine the determinants of components of spending. We then adopt the seemingly unrelated regression estimation technique to examine the interrelationship between government spending types. From our results, there is little evidence of Wagner's Law as the coefficient of income is negative and statistically significant for most measures of spending. Further, we find that a reduction in overall government spending tends to reduce the share of almost all components of government spending except spending on economic services, non‐productive spending, and spending on transfers. In examining the interrelationship between government spending types, we find that government spending types under the Classification of Functions of Government (COFOG) classification, which may be described as “pure public goods” and “merit public good provision,” have complementary relationships. However, government spending on pure public good vs merit public goods, pure public goods vs economic services, and pure public goods vs transfers could be considered substitutes.
This paper examines the mediating effect of democracy in explaining the relationship between decentralization and government size for the period 1970–2013. We proxy decentralization by fiscal ...decentralization, use total spending as our primary measure of government size and adopt the V‐Dem high‐level democracy indices as measures of democracy. Our main finding is that the relationship between fiscal decentralization and government spending differs under different types of democracy. From the interaction term, the negative effect of fiscal decentralization diminishes as the democracy level gets higher, particularly for participatory democracy irrespective of whether government size is measured by spending‐to‐GDP or employment.
Selected indole-based kratom alkaloids were evaluated for their opioid and adrenergic receptor binding and functional effects, in vivo antinociceptive effects, plasma protein binding, and metabolic ...stability. Mitragynine, the major alkaloid in
(kratom), had higher affinity at opioid receptors than at adrenergic receptors while the vice versa was observed for corynantheidine. The observed polypharmacology of kratom alkaloids may support its utilization to treat opioid use disorder and withdrawal.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine macroeconomic determinants of interest rate spreads in Ghana for the period 1980-2013.
Design/methodology/approach
The autoregressive distributed lag ...bounds test approach to cointegration and the error correction model were used for the estimation.
Findings
The results indicate that exchange rate volatility, fiscal deficit, economic growth, and public sector borrowing from commercial banks, increase interest rate spreads in Ghana in both the long and short run. Institutional quality reduces interest rate spreads in the long run while lending interest rate volatility and monetary policy rate reduce interest rate spreads in the short run.
Research limitations/implications
The depreciation of the Ghana cedi must be controlled since its volatility increases spreads. There is a need for fiscal discipline since fiscal deficits increase interest rate spreads. Government must reduce its domestic borrowing because the associated crowding-out effect increases interest rate spreads. The central bank must improve its monitoring and regulation of the financial sector in order to reduce spreads.
Originality/value
The main novelty of the paper (compared to other studies on Ghana) lies on the one hand; analysing macroeconomic determinants of interest rate spreads and, on the other hand, controlling for the impact of institutional quality on interest rate spreads in Ghana.
Management of degraded soils using biochar combined with inorganic and organic resources has been reported to improve the productivity of the soils. However, the contribution of this integrated ...nutrient management strategy to improve the chemical properties of ferralsol has not received adequate research attention. Hence, this study examined the effects of biochar, NPK, and compost application on soil chemical properties of ferralsol. A field experiment was conducted on haplic ferralsol with two rates of biochar (10 t/ha and 20 t/ha) solely applied and co-applied with compost and NPK using
Brassica oleracea var. viridis
as a test crop
.
Co-applied biochar with compost and NPK significantly increased soil pH, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, soil organic carbon, cation exchangeable capacity, potassium, and calcium than the solely applied compost and NPK. Also, co-applied biochar with compost increased cation exchange capacity, soil organic carbon, calcium, magnesium, and potassium than the co-applied biochar with NPK. These findings are a clear indication that combing biochar with organic or inorganic resources appears to be an effective or promising reclamation strategy for improving the chemical properties of ferralsol.
The present study employs a data review on the presence and aggregation of oxytetracycline (OTC) and resistance (AMR) bacteria in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and the distribution of the ...contaminated effluent with the aid of shallow and deep ocean currents. The study aims to determine the fate of OTC and AMR bacteria in seafood, and demonstrate a relationship between AMR levels and human health. This review includes (1) OTC, (2) AMR bacteria, (3) heavy metals in aquatic environments, and their relationship. Few publications describe OCT in surface waters. Although OTC and other tetracyclines were found in 10 countries in relatively low concentrations, the continuous water mass movement poses a contamination risk for mariculture and aquaculture. There are 10 locations showing AMR bacteria in treated and untreated hospital effluent. Special effort was made to define the geography distribution of OTC, AMR bacteria, and heavy metals detected in WWTPs to show the likely dissemination in an aquatic environment. The presence of OTC in surface waters in Asia, USA, and Europe can potentially impact seafood globally with the aid of ocean currents. Moreover, low concentrations of heavy metals exert environmental pressure and contribute to AMR dissemination. Recommended solutions are (1) quantitative analysis of OTC, heavy metals, and AMR bacteria to define their main sources; (2) employing effective technologies in urban and industrial wastewater treatment; and (3) selecting appropriate modelling from Global Ocean Observing System to predict the OTC, heavy metals, and AMR bacteria distribution.
Peatlands play a critical role in the global carbon cycle, storing large amounts of carbon because of a net imbalance between primary production and the microbial decomposition of the organic matter. ...Nevertheless, peatlands have historically been drained for energy sources (e.g. peat briquettes), forestry, or agriculture - practices that could affect the quality of the soil organic matter (SOM) composition, hydrophobicity and humification index. This study compared the effect of land use change on the quality and composition of peatland organic material in Co-Offaly, Ireland. Specifically, drained and grazing peat (grassland), drained and forest plantation peat (forest plantation), drained and industrial cutaway peat (cutaway bog) and an undrained actively accumulating bog (as a reference for natural peatland) were studied. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to examine the organic matter quality, specifically the degree of decomposition (DDI), carbon chemistry signatures, hydrophobicity and humification index. The ratio of hydrophobic to hydrophilic group intensities was calculated as the SOM hydrophobicity. In general, there is greater variance in the carbon chemistry signature, such as aliphatic methyl and methylene, C=O stretching of amide groups, aromatic C=C, strong H-bond C=O of conjugated ketones and O–H deformation and C– O stretching of phenolics and secondary alcohols of the peat samples from industrial cutaway bog samples than in the grassland and forest plantation samples. The hydrophobicity and the aromaticity of the soil organic matter (SOM) are significantly impacted by land use changes, with a trend of order active bog > forest plantation > industrial cutaway bog > grassland. A comparison of the degree of decomposition index of the peat from active bog showed a more advanced state of peat degradation in grassland and industrial cutaway bog and, to a lesser extent, in forest plantation.
•Carbon chemistry signatures, hydrophobicity and humification index as affected by land use change in temperate peat soils were studied.•Industrial cutaway bog and grassland exhibited higher decomposition of SOM than the forest plantation.•Grassland (drained and grazing peat) exhibited the greatest humification index of SOM.•The hydrophobicity and the aromaticity of the SOM follow the order active bog > forest plantation > industrial cutaway bog > grassland.
Many of the world's soils are experiencing degradation at an alarming rate. Climate change and some agricultural management practices, such as tillage and excessive use of chemicals, have all ...contributed to the degradation of soil fertility. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMFs) contribute to the improvement of soil fertility. Here, a short review focusing on the role of AMF in improving soil fertility is presented. The aim of this review was to explore the role of AMF in improving the chemical, physical, and biological properties of the soil. We highlight some beneficial effects of AMF on soil carbon sequestration, nutrient contents, microbial activities, and soil structure. AMF has a positive impact on the soil by producing organic acids and glomalin, which protect from soil erosion, chelate heavy metals, improve carbon sequestration, and stabilize soil macro-aggregation. AMF also recruits bacteria that produce alkaline phosphatase, a mineralization soil enzyme associated with organic phosphorus availability. Moreover, AMFs influence the composition, diversity, and activity of microbial communities in the soil through mechanisms of antagonism or cooperation. All of these AMF activities contribute to improve soil fertility. Knowledge gaps are identified and discussed in the context of future research in this review. This will help us better understand AMF, stimulate further research, and help in sustaining the soil fertility.
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are embedded in phospholipids that strongly influence drug-stimulated signaling. Anionic lipids are particularly important for GPCR signaling complex formation, ...but a mechanism for this role is not understood. Using NMR spectroscopy, we explore the impact of anionic lipids on the function-related conformational equilibria of the human A
adenosine receptor (A
AR) in bilayers containing defined mixtures of zwitterionic and anionic phospholipids. Anionic lipids prime the receptor to form complexes with G proteins through a conformational selection process. Without anionic lipids, signaling complex formation proceeds through a less favorable induced fit mechanism. In computational models, anionic lipids mimic interactions between a G protein and positively charged residues in A
AR at the receptor intracellular surface, stabilizing a pre-activated receptor conformation. Replacing these residues strikingly alters the receptor response to anionic lipids in experiments. High sequence conservation of the same residues among all GPCRs supports a general role for lipid-receptor charge complementarity in signaling.
Background
The residual effects of biochar are yet to receive adequate research attention in Sub-Saharan Africa despite the assumption that the positive effect of biochar may last longer on degraded ...tropical soil. Hence a field experiment was conducted to assess the residual effects of biochar, farmyard compost and NPK fertilizer applications on a Ferralsol in central Uganda. The field used for the study was previously used to conduct experiments for two seasons to assess the contribution of corncob biochar to the chemical properties of this highly degraded tropical soil.
Result
The co-applied biochar with compost and NPK fertilizer significantly (p < 0.05) increased some soil chemical properties such as soil pH, available phosphorus, soil organic carbon, and potassium than the control. The co-applied biochar with compost also significantly (p < 0.05) increased the soil pH and effective cation exchange capacity compared to the solely applied compost and NPK fertilizer. Collard plant height, canopy, stem girth, number of leaves, leaf length, and total biomass were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the biochar amended soil than the unamended soil.
Conclusion
It was concluded that the addition of biochar with compost and NPK fertilizer had a significant residual effect on degraded tropical soils than solely applied NPK and compost.
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