Research on the Impact of Rural Labour Forces Transfer on the Urban-rural Income Based on Economics of Discrimination

On the basis of the analytical frame of discrimination, the thesis establishes a model of transfer of rural labour forces into city, and researches the impact of rural labour forces transfer on urban-rural income. The results show that the transfer of rural labour forces into city can increase urban-rural income and bridge the income gap between city and village to a certain extent. However, the capital stock of city in China is greatly more than that of the village, so the rural labour forces transfer cannot eliminate the urban-rural income gap completely. In order to elevate the rural income level in China and narrow urban-rural income gap, the government should paint a picture with two brushes at the same time: on one hand, the government should promote the transfer of rural labour forces into city, and change the status quo of dual urban-rural labour forces market structure; on the other hand, the government should increase the input in rural areas and promote the increase of rural capital stock so as to further increase rural residents' income in the process of labour forces transfer.

The heterogeneous influence of economic growth on environmental pollution: evidence from municipal data of China

This study aims to investigate the influence of rapid economic development on pollution at the municipal level in China.It constructs a Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population,Affluence and Technology model(STIRPAT model) and uses comprehensive municipal data on industrial pollution and economic performance.The dataset contains 290 cities from2003 to 2016 as a sample for the panel data analysis.The study further separates the cities into two groups by their levels of economic development for heterogeneity analysis.It reveals that a low level of economic development would aggravate environmental pollution,and when the economy reaches a high level,this economic development will improve environmental quality.We also find that the relationships between foreign direct investment and industrial dust and sulfur dioxide(SO_2) discharge are significant,while the relationship between economic growth and effluent emission is not.The more developed subsample cities present an inverted U-shaped curve between industrial pollutant emission,GDP per capita,and foreign direct investment,while the less developed subsamples show no such relationship.Since the shape of these curves differs among regions,their turning points vary accordingly.Based on this finding,this study suggests that the governments of more developed cities should balance environmental pollution and economic development by enhancing environmental regulations and adjusting industrial structure.

Macroeconomic effects of Mobile money:evidence from Uganda

This study examined the effects of mobile money-a recent innovation in Uganda’s financial-sector landscape-on aggregate economic activity and other macroeconomic variables.We first estimated the long-run mobile-money demand function using vector error correction(VEC)techniques,distinguishing between balances and transfers/transactions.We then estimated the short-run effects of mobile money on selected macroeconomic variables using structural vector autoregressive(SVAR)methods.The results showed that mobile money had moderate positive effects on monetary aggregates,consumer price index,private-sector credit,and aggregate economic activity.Mobile money balances responded to changes in monetary policy instruments,signaling possible ameliorating effects for the conduct of monetary policy.Finally,the results showed that transactional motives related to mobile money had stronger macroeconomic effects than savings motives.

The Geo-economic Effects of the Expansion of the Panama Canal on World Maritime Trade

This paper originates from a wider research project launched by SRM-an Italian Research Centre related to Intesa Sanpaolo Banking Group and named ＂Observatory on Maritime Transport and Logistics＂. The aim is to contribute to the analysis of the economic impact that strategic maritime infrastructures-like ports and canals-produce on trade and global maritime routes; with a special focus to the effects directed and originating in the Mediterranean. This paper-focused on the New Panama Canal-also offers a perspective view of the new scenarios connected to the fact that thisinfrastructure-opened last June-can accommodate larger ships and new types of vessels including those transporting LNG and LPG （liquefied natural gas and petroleum gas）. The expansion of the Canal will help broaden the strategic dimension of Panama allowing it to become a more important maritime hub, especially for the American Continent and the US. To complete the analysis it has been provided a comparison with the Suez Canal on some world routes involving the Americas, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, since these two canals are proposing a massive competition inthe quality of logistics andalso in the pricing policy for the transit fee.

Geochronology and Petrogenesis of Late Carboniferous to Early Permian Basalts in the Central Lhasa Subterrane, Southern Tibet: Implications for the Evolution of the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Ocean

Basalts from the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian are extensively developed in the central Lhasa subterrane, southern Tibet. Studying the petrogenesis of these rocks may have implications for the late Paleozoic arc magmatism along the central Lhasa subterrane uncovering more of the evolution of the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Ocean and its dynamic mechanism. Basalt samples from the Luobadui Formation in the Leqingla area, NW of Linzhou City in the central Lhasa subterrane, southern Tibet exhibit arc-like geochemical signatures in a subduction-zone tectonic setting characterized by high Al_(2)O_(3) and low TiO_(2) contents, fractionated REE patterns with low Nb/La ratios and high LREE concentrations, and negative HFSE anomalies. Based on their higher Th/Ce, Nb/Zr, and lower Ba/Th, Pb/Nd ratios, slightly negative to positive ε_(Nd)(t) values, and the relatively high Sr-Pb isotopic compositions, these samples were probably derived from partial melting of a depleted mantle source of garnet + spinel lherzolite, metasomatized by subducted sediments around 297 Ma. Modeling of the trace elements indicates that these basalts experienced fractional crystallization of olivine, clinopyroxene and minor plagioclase during magma ascent and eruption. It is proposed that these Late Carboniferous–Early Permian basalts are associated with the northward subduction of the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Ocean seafloor along the southern margin of the central Lhasa subterrane.

Transformed by Technology China is striving to meet global challenges by promoting international cooperation in sci-tech innovation

In recent years,China has made remarkable technological progress in a number of areas.Given this progress,it is crucial to rapidly transform technological results into productivity gains.

Loan growth and bank solvency:evidence from the Pakistani banking sector

Background:The dramatic loan growth and changes in the Pakistani banking system in mid-2000s have led to significant research attention on borrowers and lenders.This expansion and diversification in financial sector was driven by structural reforms,political stability and significant economic growth.Against this background,this study investigates the loan growth and risk-taking behavior of the banks during the expansionary periods of lending.Method:This study used dynamic two-step system generalized method of moment’s estimation technique,based on data taken from 32 banks in Pakistan over 2006-2014.Result:Loan growth has a significant effect on bank-specific and macroeconomicspecific variables.Loan growth in the previous year raises non-performing loans and decreases the solvency of banks with a time lag of many years.The driving force behind this phenomenon is weak prudential regulation among competitors,the asymmetric information of the borrowers,and,most importantly,that banks underestimate the risk of lending during credit booms.Conclusion:More regulatory measures are required to ensure a strong financial system when the volume of non-performing loan grows significantly.An increase in the capital requirement policy for rapidly growing banks is also needed because the problem of abnormal loan growth cannot be detected at the current time.At the same time,strong supervision is necessary to avoid the adverse consequences of borrower selection.

Phytochemical and antioxidant activities of Rumex crispus L. in treatment of gastrointestinal helminths in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant activities and phytochemical content of the leaf and root extracts of Rumex crispus using the solvents extraction; methanol extract,ethanol extract, acetone extract(ACE), and water extract.Methods: Total flavonoids content, total phenolic content, and total proanthocyanidin were evaluated using spectrophotometric equivalents of the standards, quercetin, gallic acid and catechin respectively. The antioxidant activities of the plant extracts were determined using ABTS, DPPH, ferric reducing antioxidant power, total antioxidant capacity and nitric oxide scavenging assays.Results: The flavonoids and phenols contents of the extracts were in the range of(19.39 ± 4.08) to(526.23 ± 17.52) mg QE/g and(16.95 ± 12.03) to(240.68 ± 3.50) mg GAE/g, respectively. ACE of the leaf has the highest value of total flavonoids content(526.23 ± 17.52) mg QE/g while ACE of the root has the highest value of total phenolic content(240.68 ± 3.50) mg GAE/g. The highest content of total proanthocyanidin(645.38 ± 1.33) mg CE/g was in ACE of the root. Significant amounts of saponin and alkaloid were also present in the root and leaf extracts. All solvent fractions showed significant antioxidant activities(P < 0.05) with ACE of the root having the highest scavenging value as shown in DPPH, ABTS, total antioxidant capacity, nitric oxide and ferric reducing antioxidant power(IC50= 0.014 mg/m L, <0.005 mg/m L, 0.048 mg/m L,0.067 mg/m L, and 0.075 mg/m L, respectively).Conclusions: In this study, the mean phytochemical content of the root of Rumex crispus is higher than that of the leaf and this may have contributed to its high antioxidant activities. This may also justify the frequent use of the root more than the leaves in traditional medicine for the cure of helminthic infections.

A primitive mantle source for the Neoarchean mafic rocks from the Tanzania Craton

Mafic rocks comprising tholeiitic pillow basalt, dolerite and minor gabbro form the basal stratigraphic unit in the ca. 2.8 to 2.6 Ga Geita Greenstone Belt situated in the NW Tanzania Craton. They outcrop mainly along the southern margin of the belt, and are at least 50 million years older than the supracrustal assemblages against which they have been juxtaposed. Geochemical analyses indicate that parts of the assemblage approach high Mg-tholeiite （more than 8 wt.% MgO）. This suite of samples has a restricted compositional range suggesting derivation from a chemically homogenous reservoir. Trace element modeling suggests that the mafic rocks were derived by partial melting within the spinel peridotite field from a source rock with a primitive mantle composition. That is, trace elements maintain primitive mantle ratios （Zr/Hf = 32-35, Ti/Zr - 107-147）, producing flat REE and HFSE profles [（La/Yb）pm = 0.9 -1.3], with abundances of 3-10 times primitive mantle and with minor negative anomalies of Nb [（Nb/ La）pm - 0.6-0.8] and Th [（Th/La）pm = 0.6-0.9]. Initial isotope compositions （εNd） range from 1.6 to 2.9 at 2.8 Ga and plot below the depleted mantle line suggesting derivation from a more enriched source compared to present day MORB mantle. The trace element composition and Nd isotopic ratios are similar to the mafic rocks outcropping -50 km south. The mafic rocks outcropping in the Geita area were erupted through oceanic crust over a short time period, between -2830 and-2820 Ma; are compositionally homogenous, contain little to no associated terrigenous sediments, and their trace element composition and short emplacement time resemble oceanic plateau basalts. They have been interpreted to be derived from a plume head with a primitive mantle composition.

Effects of green energy development on population growth and employment:Evidence from shale gas exploitation in Chongqing,China

With the maturity of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies,countries rich in shale gas have begun to promote the development of the shale gas industry.The impact of the booming shale gas industry on the regional economy has also become a main focus.Shale gas’exploration and extraction may have positive spillover effects on other sectors,resulting in population growth and job creation.However,negative spillover effects can occur through rising local goods prices and its adverse effects on the local quality of life,which in turn could harm population growth and employment.By using the synthetic control method,we investigates the shale gas fields in Chongqing to reveal the relationship between population growth,employment and shale gas development in Fuling,Nanchuan and Wulong districts.Our results indicate that due to the development of the shale gas industry,the number of urban non-private sector employees in three districts and counties has decreased.From 2017 to 2018,this decline had gradually weakened and the population growth had been negatively affected.

AREAL DIFFERENTIATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF OASIS AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEM IN THE SHIYANG RIVER BASIN

On the basis of the study on areal differentiation of the natural environment of oasis agriculture ecosystems in the Shiyang River Basin, this paper comparatively analyzes the natural productivities, water economic benefits, production efficiency, ecological stabilities and developmental conditions of the Wuwei Oasis agricultural ecosystem in the middle reaches of the river basin and the Minqin Oasis agricultural ecosystem in the lower reaches. Under a same management level and investment of . material and energy, primary productiveness and economic benefits of the former are higher than those of the latter. Construction directions of Wuwei and Minqin oases should be different in order to alleviate the water- use contradiction between the middle and lower reaches. The construction objective of Wuwei Oasis should be efficient irrigated farming production system and Minqin Oasis should become a mixed forestry-pastoral-farming ecosystem taking ecological protection as its major function.

Diospyros lycioides Desf:Review of its botany, medicinal uses,pharmacological activities and phytochemistry

Diospyros lycioides Desf.(D. lycioides) is traditionally used as herbal medicine against various human and animal ailments in tropical Africa. The present paper reviewed information on botany, medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of D. lycioides. This review was compiled using scientific literature from electronic search engine such as PubMed,Scopus, ScienceDirect, Springerlink, BioMed Central, Scielo, Medline and Science domain.Additional literatures were obtained from book chapters, books, dissertations, websites and other scientific publications. D. lycioides is used as traditional medicine in 50% of the countries where the species is native in tropical Africa. This study recorded 22 medicinal uses of D.lycioides which included abdominal pains, infertility in women, sexually transmitted infections,and used as chewing sticks(or mouthwash), toothbrushes and ethnoveterinary medicine. D.lycioides extracts demonstrated anti-adhesive, anti-inflammatory, antimetastatic, antioxidant,antifungal, antiproliferative, mutagenicity and antibacterial activities. Future research should focus on the pharmacological properties, phytochemistry, clinical trials and pharmacokinetics of D. lycioides which will enhance the therapeutic potential of the species.

Phytochemical screening and in vitro evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Kedrostis africana(L.)Cogn

Objective: To investigate phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Kedrostis africana(K. africana).Methods: Dried tubers of K. africana were extracted in acetone, water and ethanol. The total phenol, flavonoid, proanthocyanidin and tannin contents were determined spectrometrically. The antioxidant activity was examined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl,2,2’-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide assays. The antimicrobial activity was determined by agar dilution method using minimum inhibitory concentration against 3 g positive and three gram negative strains while four fungal strains were also investigated.Results: Total phenol, flavonoids, proanthocyanidin and tannin contents ranged from(5.32 ± 0.01) to(10.51 ± 0.01) mg GAE/g;(42.58 ± 0.02) to(529.23 ± 0.01) mg QE/g;(15.05 ± 0.00) to(585.64 ± 0.00) mg CE/g and(0.301 ± 0.010) to(0.937 ± 0.000) mg TAE/g, respectively. The IC_(50) values of the ethanol extract for 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and hydrogen peroxide were 0.054 and 0.057 mg/mL,respectively, aqueous extract had an IC_(50) value of 0.135 7 mg/mL for nitric oxide while the acetone extract had an IC_(50) value of 0.300 mg/mL for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl.The ethanol extract demonstrated effective antimicrobial activity against the tested pathogenic species with minimum inhibitory concentrations values ranging from 2.5–5.0 mg/mL for bacteria and(0.312 5–5.000 0) mg/mL for fungi, respectively.Conclusions: The tuber of K. africana showed potent free radical scavenging property and antimicrobial activity.

Changing Land Use Pattern in India and Its Impact on Supply of Fresh Vegetables

The investment opportunities created by economic policies and increasing urbanization have enhanced demand for urban and peri-urban land. Fertile agricultural land is being converted to other uses. Around 1/3 more of the existing area under forests is needed to meet the targets of national forest policy. In the last two decades, 9% pastures have disappeared. The hills being removed cause threat to environment. The farmers seem to overuse land and other inputs. In the peri-urban areas agricultural fertile lands are many times forcefully acquired for non-agricultural uses, which result in violent protests and judicial interventions. A few cases of vast land use change, motive forces for such change, effect of change in land use on livelihood and on quality and costs of fresh vegetable supply are discussed in this paper. The partially used and unused data collected for earlier studies and some data collected for this paper have been used. The increase in land prices due to enhanced income of some sections, future need of prime land and returns from other than agricultural uses seem to be the driving force for change in land use, affecting the livelihood of people dependent upon farming who are migrating to nearby areas. Each shift of peri-urban agriculture will result in loss of quality, increase wastage by 6% and enhance costs of leafy vegetables by more than 5.5%. For an ideal urban land use, a balanced multi land use policy emphasizing peri-urban agriculture and forestry is suggested.

Analysis on the Design of Japan FIT after Fukushima Disaster Using GIS and TIMES Integrated Model

This study aims to illustrate the Japanese electricity supply system after the earthquake with consideration of Japanese uniqueness including its 10 separate grids with weak connections between them and the geographical gap between renewable potential and electricity consumptions using GIS data for a TIMES model. We take FIT （feed-in-tariff） as a policy measure to promote renewables. To consider policies to promote renewables, we need a modelling approach where the electricity system of the entire country is represented with extremely disaggregated information on existing stock and future potentials of renewables. By building up technology models based on detailed disaggregate information on existing stocks and future potentials of renewables at the sub-regional level, we can develop renewables-related policies which reflect more realistic conditions. According to the simulation results, high FIT prices do not guarantee more introductions of renewables. High FIT prices make the huge potential of renewables commercially viable, but at the same time, they limit the maximum introduction of renewables. In addition, a high FIT budget does not guarantee more renewable introduction.

Woman Empowerment and Household Income in Kira Municipality, Uganda

The empowerment of women is crucial for the development of a nation.This study is about women empowerment and household income in Kira Municipality of Uganda.The objectives were to establish the strategies of women empowerment,the effect of women empowerment on household income and the challenges to women empowerment.We adopted a cross-sectional survey design,considering a sample size of 72 respondents who were randomly sampled.Findings revealed that strategies for women empowerment included women being encouraged to join group saving groups.It was revealed that women were not adequately trained as dispute settlers,linkers,motivators,facilitators,and negotiators to help implement women empowerment projects in as far as empowering them was concerned.Regarding the impact of women empowerment,findings revealed that skills have been enhanced through training received from women empowerment implementers and programs have reduced employment among these women through skills attained.However,key challenges to women empowerment emerged including but not limited to There is inadequate finance and inappropriate funding of activities,limited access to credit sources to expand our activities,poorly trained community projects facilitators and unnecessary hinder project activities and political interests which affect women group leadership such as interference from community political forces.It is recommended that more efforts should be put to economic empowerment as a process of increasing women’s access to economic resources and opportunities including jobs,financial services,property and other productive assets,skills development and market information.Lastly women should be encouraged to participate in enterprise activities to gain a greater economic role in decision-making.Exercising control over these financial matters enables women to optimize their own and the household’s welfare.

可解释性矿产预测人工智能模型

矿产资源潜力评价主要目的之一是通过整合和分析地质找矿大数据以缩小找矿区域.地质找矿大数据具有数据量大、结构复杂等特征,常常无法对其进行有效地处理和解释.人工智能算法是挖掘地质找矿大数据中潜在非线性矿化模式的有效工具,已经在矿产预测领域表现出优越性能.然而,人工智能驱动的矿产预测目前面临一些挑战,如可解释性差、泛化能力弱、预测结果与物理规律不一致等.本文在前人研究的基础上,将领域知识嵌入人工智能驱动的矿产预测全过程,建立了更加透明和可解释的矿产预测人工智能模型.该模型提供了强大的成矿知识和专家经验指导矿产预测人工智能模型训练的全过程,包括数据输入、模型设计及模型输出等环节,从而提高矿产预测人工智能模型的可解释性和预测性能.总体而言,可解释性矿产预测人工智能模型实现了整个建模过程中先验知识和专家经验的嵌入,为未来矿产预测研究提供了一个有价值和前景的方向.

Explainable artificial intelligence models for mineral prospectivity mapping

Mineral prospectivity mapping(MPM)is designed to reduce the exploration search space by combining and analyzing geological prospecting big data.Such geological big data are too large and complex for humans to effectively handle and interpret.Artificial intelligence(AI)algorithms,which are powerful tools for mining nonlinear mineralization patterns in big data obtained from mineral exploration,have demonstrated excellent performance in MPM.However,AI-driven MPM faces several challenges,including difficult interpretability,poor generalizability,and physical inconsistencies.In this study,based on previous studies,we devised a novel workflow that aims to constructing more transparent and explainable artificial intelligence(XAI)models for MPM by embedding domain knowledge throughout the AI-driven MPM,from input data to model design and model output.This newly proposed approach provides strong geological and conceptual leads that guide the entire AI-driven MPM model training process,thereby improving model interpretability and performance.Overall,the development of XAI models for MPM is capable of embedding prior and expert knowledge throughout the modeling process,presenting a valuable and promising area for future research designed to improve MPM.

Chemical Compositions and Distribution Characteristics of Cements in Longmaxi Formation Shales, Southwest China

Shale gas resources have been regarded as a viable energy source, and it is of great significance to characterize the shale composition of different cements, such as quartz and dolomite. In this research, chemical analysis and the multifractal method have been used to study the mineral compositions and petrophysical structures of cements in shale samples from the Longmaxi Formation, China. X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe, field emission scanning electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence microscopy and C-O isotope analyses confirmed that cements in the Longmaxi Formation shales are mainly composed of Fe-bearing dolomite and quartz. Fe-bearing dolomite cements concentrate around dolomite as annuli, filling micron-sized inorganic primary pores. Quartz cements in the form of nanoparicles fill primary inter-crystalline pores among clay minerals. Theoretical calculation shows that the Fe-bearing dolomite cements formed slightly earlier than the quartz cements, but both were related to diagenetic illitization of smectite. Moreover, multifractal analysis reveals that the quartz cements are more irregularly distributed in pores than the Fe-bearing dolomite cements. These results suggest that the plugging effect of the quartz cements on the primary inoraganic pore structures is the dominant factor resulting in low interconnected porosity of shales, which are unfavorable for the enrichment of shale gas.

Cytotoxicity and effect of extraction methods on the chemical composition of essential oils of Moringa oleifera seeds

Renewed interest in natural materials as food flavors and preservatives has led to the search for suitable essential oils. Moringa oleifera seed essential oil was extracted by solvent-free microwave and hydrodistillation. This study assessed its chemical constituents. Cytotoxicity of the oils was investigated using hatchability and lethality tests on brine shrimps. A total of 16 and 26 compounds were isolated from the hydrodistillation extraction （HDE） and solvent-free microwave extraction （SME） oils, respectively, which accounted for 97.515% and 97.816% of total identifiable constituents, respectively. At 24 h when the most eggs had hatched, values of the SME （56.7%） and HDIE （60.0%） oils were significantly different （P〈0.05） from those of sea water （63.3%） and chloramphenicol （15.0%）. Larva lethality was different significantly （P〈0.05） between HDE and SME oils at different concentrations and incubation periods. The median lethal concentration （LC50） of the oils was 〉 1000 mg/ml recommended as an index for non-toxicity which gives the oil advantage over some antioxidant, antimicrobial, therapeutic, and preservative chemicals.