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Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate how much variation in adult stature and body mass can be explained by growth disruption among soldiers who served in Napoleon's Grand Army during the Russian Campaign of 1812., Methods: Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) were recorded as representations of early life growth disruption, while the impact on future growth was assessed using maximum femur length (n = 73) as a proxy for stature and maximum femoral head diameter (n = 25) as a proxy for body mass. LEH frequency, severity, age at first formation, and age at last formation served as explanatory variables in a multiple regression analysis to test the effect of these variables on maximum femur length and maximum femoral head diameter., Results: The multiple regression model produced statistically significant results for maximum femur length (F-statistic = 3.05, df = 5 and 67, P = .02), with some variation in stature (adjusted r 2 = 0.13) attributable to variation in growth disruption. The multiple regression model for maximum femoral head diameter was not statistically significant (F-statistic = 1.87, df = 5 and 19, P = .15)., Conclusions: We hypothesized stress events during early life growth and development would have significant, negative, and cumulative effects on growth outcomes in adulthood. The results did not support our hypothesis. Instead, some variables and interactions had negative effects on stature, whereas others had positive effects. This is likely due to catch-up growth, the relationship between acute and chronic stress and growth, resilience, and plasticity in human growth over the life course., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: This study's purpose was to compare physical growth (PG) patterns of children and adolescents living at high elevations with those of other geographic regions, relate body adiposity indicators, and develop percentile reference tables for assessing physical growth and body adiposity., Methods: The sample included 1536 children and adolescents ages 5.0 to 17.9 years from Puno (Peru) located between 3821 and 4349 m above sea level. Weight, height, arm and waist circumferences (WC), and three skinfolds measurements were recorded. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-height Index (WHI) were calculated., Results: PG patterns for children living at a high altitude reflected similar values for weight, height, and arm circumference (AC) to those of their counterparts living in Puno (Peru) and La Paz (Bolivia). When compared with children living at moderate altitudes in Peru, they showed slightly lower PG values. BMI explained between 41% and 64% of the variance in sum of the skinfolds, while WC explained between 47% and 66%. HWI was not a strong predictor of variation in sum of skinfolds. Percentiles were generated for WC and the sum of skinfolds., Conclusion: Weight, height, and, arm and waist circumference patterns for children and adolescents living at high altitudes were similar to those of La Paz (Bolivia). WC and the sum of the skinfolds were better indicators for analyzing abdominal obesity compared to BMI and WHI. The percentiles proposed may be a useful tool for identifying high risk of developing overweight disorders in pediatric populations living at high altitudes., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Maternal ratings of overt and covert forms of aggression were collected for two samples of children ranging in age from 2 through 12 years. It was hypothesized that longitudinal analyses would show the slope scores for these two forms of aggression to be quite different from each other. The data were consistent with this hypothesis. An effort was made to find alternative explanations for the negative slope for overt antisocial behavior. Alternatively, it was hypothesized that the more extreme cases would not show this negative slope. It was also hypothesized that careful examination of intraindividual curves would identify a significant number of individuals growing from normal to clinical levels of overt antisocial behavior. The findings led to the rejection of both alternative hypotheses. It was hypothesized that overt and covert scores would correlate significantly for first grade boys. It was also assumed that both covert and overt scores would show moderate stability over the 5-year interval. The findings were consistent with both of these hypotheses. Aggr. Behav. 00:1–12, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the paper disc-agar plate method, a number of farty and related acids bare been tested for their activity in inhibiting the growth of Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick. of the saturated acids, a peak in growth inhibiting activity was observed in the C[SUB7]-C[SUP12], range, where inhibition was observed wheat solutions down to 0.02 M were applied to the discs. Most of the unsaturated acids tested showed o greater inhibition than did the corresponding saturated acids. Acrylic acid showed detectable inhibition at 0.001 M concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a Schumpeterian growth model with considering consumption and leisure externalities. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of patent protection policy on growth and inequality, as well as the interaction between policy effect and externalities. According to the log form utility function specification, this means that the elasticity of intertemporal substitution is unity. The following are the key findings of this paper. Patent protection policy encourages innovation and increases employment in the R&D industry, which enhances economic growth while increasing income inequality. In regard to externalities, an increase in the degree of consumption (leisure) externalities results in a higher (lower) growth rate and more (smaller) income inequality. When consumption (leisure) externality is greater intensity, the growth effect of patent protection policy becomes stronger (weaker), while its influence on expanding income inequality lessens (enhances). Finally, both the Pareto optimal patent protection policy and the optimal patent policy under the maximization of social welfare positively correlate with consumption externalities, but negatively correlate with leisure externalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little documented information on how Systems Engineering (SE) teams are structured with respect to the various SE subdisciplines. This paper provides five possible role‐based structures to aid in filling this knowledge gap and in helping projects structure their own SE teams for success. The five structures range from a simple, single‐role structure to an advanced embedded SE with lead. The paper defines, illustrates, and presents key advantages and disadvantages for the structures. It also presents two real‐world examples to show the value of organizing or reorganizing SE teams to these structures. One focuses on large‐sized and complex waterfall project with a separate SE team restructuring for efficiency and growth opportunities and the other focuses on a medium‐sized and complex Agile project where the SE team restructures for better design definition and schedule efficiencies. Both show how a restructuring helped improve the overall quality of work, the integration with others in the project, and the overall understanding of the systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors constraining the geographic ranges of broadleaf tree species in eastern North America were examined in common gardens along a ~1500 km latitudinal transect travers in grange boundaries of four target species: trembling aspen ( Populus tremuloides) and paper birch ( Betula papyrifera) to the north vs. eastern cottonwood ( Populus deltoides) and sweet gum ( Liquidambar styraciflua) to the south. In 2006 and 2007, carbon-use efficiency ( CUE), the proportion of assimilated carbon retained in biomass, was estimated for seedlings of the four species as the quotient of relative growth rate ( RGR) and photosynthesis per unit tree mass ( Atree). In aspen and birch, CUE and RGR declined significantly with increasing growth temperature, which spanned 9 °C across gardens and years. The 37% (relative) CUE decrease from coolest to warmest garden correlated with increases in leaf nighttime respiration ( Rleaf) and the ratio of Rleaf to leaf photosynthesis ( R%A). For cottonwood and sweet gum, however, similar increases in Rleaf and R%A accompanied modest CUE declines, implying that processes other than Rleaf were responsible for species differences in CUE's temperature response. Our findings illustrate marked taxonomic variation, at least among young trees, in the thermal sensitivity of CUE, and point to potentially negative consequences of climate warming for the carbon balance, competitive ability, and persistence of two foundation species in northern temperate and boreal forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the first in a special section of the European Management Review dedicated to the growth of family businesses. We provide a literature review of 54 articles written in this research field, based on a framework that highlights the antecedents and the outcomes of growth at the family and the business levels. We also offer a brief overview of the contributions of each of the papers in this special section and conclude by identifying relevant research gaps to propose a number of future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper describes changes in poverty reduction in recent decades and the effects of income growth and inequality on poverty reduction in rural China. The paper also examines the main poverty alleviation policies implemented in rural areas over the past 10 years and assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of these policies from the perspective of targeting accuracy. It is found that China has achieved significant progress in rural poverty reduction in recent decades, although the speed of poverty reduction has varied from one period to another. The largest contribution to rural poverty reduction has been economic growth, which has been increasingly offset by the inequality effect on poverty reduction. In addition, poverty alleviation policies are effective, but not efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical Key Message: We present a case of recurring ameloblastoma in soft tissue, for which we have estimated the growth rate of the lesion. This information could help clinicians to establish follow‐up protocols for the early diagnosis of recurrent ameloblastomas. In the present paper, we present a case of recurring ameloblastoma in soft tissue, for which we have estimated the growth rate of the lesion. The area of the whole resected specimen was measured using the ImageJ guide for complex object area. After dividing the area of the recurrent tumor by the number of years during the follow‐up, we found that the lesion growth rate was 5.3 cm2 per year. Although further studies are still necessary in the literature to assess the growth rate of ameloblastoma, the present report shows a different methodology to estimate it. This information could help clinicians to establish follow‐up protocols for the early diagnosis of recurrent ameloblastomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is unclear in which periods of life lung function deficits develop, and whether these are affected by risk factors such as asthma, bronchial hyper‐responsiveness (BHR) and allergic comorbidity. The goal of this systematic review was to identify temporal associations of asthma, BHR and allergic comorbidity with large and small lung function development from birth until peak function in early adulthood. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and CINAHL for papers published before 01.01.2020 on risk factors and lung function measurements of large and small airways. Studies were required to report lung function at any time point or interval from birth until peak lung function (age 21‐26) and include at least one candidate risk factor. Results: Of the 45 papers identified, 44 investigated cohorts and one was a clinical trial with follow‐up. Asthma, wheezing, BHR and allergic sensitization early in life and to multiple allergens were associated with a lower lung function growth of large and small airways during early childhood compared with the control populations. Lung function development after childhood in subjects with asthma or persistent wheeze, although continuing to grow at a lower level, largely tracked parallel to non‐affected individuals until peak function was attained. Clinical implications and future research: Deficits in lung function growth develop in early childhood, and children with asthma, BHR and early‐life IgE (poly)sensitization are at risk. This period is possibly a critical window of opportunity to identify at‐risk subjects and provide treatment aimed at preventing long‐term sequelae of lung function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes how economic growth can be caused by changes in the income distribution. Persson and Tabellini (1994, The American Economic Review, 84, 600‐621) argue that productivity‐induced income inequality leads to lower growth since distortionary taxes increase and harm capital accumulation. However, this prediction is often challenged empirically. This paper distinguishes between capital income inequality and inequality induced by differences in labor productivity. Greater capital income inequality leads to lower labor tax rates, leading to higher growth. Using data for OECD countries, subsequent growth is found to be positively related to capital income inequality, and negatively related to labor income inequality, as originally conjectured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the basic structural mechanisms and improvement methods of solid electrolyte interfaces (SEIs) are still in the research stage. Although many researchers have observed the problems of SEIs by various characterization methods, they still cannot analyze the subtle mechanisms. In this paper, we summarize the formation of SEIs, surface morphology, carrier transport, factors leading to interface challenges, and the progress of research to build better interfaces. Among them, strategies to inhibit the formation and growth of lithium dendrites are one of the focuses of this paper. In addition, another research focus of this paper is to reduce the interfacial resistance by constructing interfacial layers, electrolyte additives, and solid electrolytes. From the current development of battery interface improvement, the inhibition of lithium dendrites and the reduction of interfacial resistance are the most effective methods to improve the interfacial stability. Finally, the article also summarizes the research progress in solving the SEI, analyzes the future research trends for improving the SEI, and gives the research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates Okun's law in the EU15 countries between 1980 and 2018. It employs different versions with a focus on the dynamic part of the short‐run relationship. We find that the negative relationship between unemployment and output generally holds over time. However, Okun's coefficient varies substantially across countries. The dynamic version can shed light on different country estimates found in the literature. The paper argues that lag effects need to be considered to avoid possible misspecification. A mixed‐lag structure indirectly controls for potential missing explanatory variables such as the role of labour market institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses some issues related to the triangle between capital accumulation, distribution, and capacity utilization. First, it explains why utilization is a crucial variable for the various theories of growth and distribution, and, more precisely, with regards to their ability to combine an autonomous role for demand (along Keynesian lines) and an institutionally determined distribution (along classical lines). Second, it responds to some recent criticism by Girardi and Pariboni (2019) and I explain that their interpretation of the model in Nikiforos (2013) is misguided, and that the results of the model can be extended to the case of a monopolist. Third, it provides some concrete examples on why demand is a determinant for the long‐run rate of utilization of capital. Finally, it argues that when it comes to the normal rate of utilization it is the expected growth rate of demand that matters, and not the level of demand. This insight provides a more straightforward way to link the adjustment at the micro and the macro level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper makes three contributions. First, it provides an in‐depth examination of the Federal Reserve measure of capacity utilization and shows that it is closer to a cyclical indicator than a measure of long‐run variations of normal utilization. Other measures, such as the Average Workweek of Capital or the National Emergency Utilization Rate are more appropriate for examining long‐run changes in utilization. Second, and related to that, it argues that a relatively stationary measure of utilization is not consistent with any theory of the determination of utilization. Third, based on data on the lifetime of fixed assets it shows that for the issues around the "utilization controversy" the long run is a period after thirty years or more. This makes it a platonic idea for some economic problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents the existence of a "middle‐income trap" for the Middle East and North Africa region and contrasts the evidence with that of the East Asia and Pacific region. The results are twofold. First, nonparametric regressions show that the average rate of economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa has not only been significantly lower than that in the East Asia and Pacific region, but has also tended to drop at an earlier level of income. Second, econometric results point to the Middle East and North Africa having experienced a relatively slow pace of technology adoption in general‐purpose technologies and that a slower adoption pace of technology is associated with significantly lower economic growth. The paper concludes that barriers to the adoption of general‐purpose technologies related to the lack of contestability in key sectors constitute an important channel of transmission for the middle‐income trap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Post‐Keynesian analysis has been characterized by a renewed interest in long‐run theories of growth and distribution. While many authors have focused on the convergence of demand‐led growth models to a fully adjusted equilibrium, relatively little attention has been given to the time required to reach this long‐run position. In order to fill the gap, this paper seeks to answer the question of when is the long run in demand‐led growth models. By making use of numerical integration, it analyses the time of adjustment from one steady‐state to the other in two well‐known demand‐led growth models: the Sraffian Supermultiplier and the fully adjusted version of the neo‐Kaleckian model. The results show that the adjustment period is generally beyond an economically meaningful time span, suggesting that researchers and policy makers ought to pay more attention to the models' predictions during the traverse rather than focusing on steady‐state positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweeds are widely assumed to be phenotypically plastic across hydrodynamic gradients, yet while many marine macroalgae exhibit intraspecific phenotypic variation that correlates with flow, researchers often fail to test whether such variation is due to plasticity or another mechanism, such as local adaptation. In this minireview, we considered mechanisms for sensing flow in seaweeds that could facilitate adaptive phenotypic plasticity across hydrodynamic gradients. We then reviewed the literature from 1900 to 2024 to see how often phenotypic variation and plasticity across hydrodynamic gradients had been observed and demonstrated in different groups of seaweeds. In the last 124 years, phenotypic variation and plasticity in response to flow have been well documented in brown algae but scarcely documented in red and green algae. This could suggest that brown algae are better able to sense and respond to flow than red and green algae, perhaps due to the intercalary meristem of many brown algae, including most kelps. However, this skewed distribution could also be the result of publication bias, as most studies involving flow have been conducted on brown algae. Only 30% of 141 papers specifically investigated if observations of phenotypic variation along hydrodynamic gradients were due to plasticity. To date, phenotypic plasticity in response to flow has been demonstrated in 20 brown algal species, five red algal species, and two green algal species. Thus, the assumption that phenotypic plasticity to flow is common across seaweeds is not particularly well supported by the literature. Mechanisms underlying plasticity to flow are poorly understood and remain a critical avenue for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riverine fishes face many challenges including habitat degradation and climate change, which alter the productivity of the riverscapes in which fish live, reproduce, and feed. Understanding the watershed portfolio of foraging and growth opportunities that sustain productive and resilient fish populations is important for prioritizing conservation and restoration. However, the spatiotemporal distribution and availability of fish food are poorly understood relative to other factors such as abiotic habitat quantity and quality (e.g., water temperature). In this paper, we build on the concept of “foodscapes,” and describe three components of food for fish, including abundance, accessibility, and quality. We then discuss methodological advances to help address three key questions: (1) Why is food availability hard to estimate? (2) What are the consequences of uncertainty in food availability estimates? and (3) What approaches are available or emerging for quantifying food available to fish? To address the first question, we characterize data acquisition and analytical challenges; for the second, we demonstrate the importance of evaluating and communicating potential consequences of uncertainty; and for the third, we posit opportunities for future work. Collectively, we highlight the need for greater appreciation of the role food plays in stream fish conservation, especially given its critical influence on responses to warming temperatures.This article is categorized under: Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness Water and Life > Methods [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reef restoration has gained attention as it has strategic actions and powerful means in sustaining and maintaining coastal ecosystem services. This scientometric study systematically analyzes the current trends and research hotspot in coral restoration across the last five decades (1971–2022). The metadata (12,667 articles with 652,860 cited references) were obtained from the Clarivate Web of Science platform through the Core Collection database, associated with the CiteSpace and R‐software for further analysis. The results indicated that the trend of coral restoration is increasing in paper/year, with the United States, Australia, and China as major contributors to the related research. Furthermore, James Cook University, Australia had the largest number of articles, and the Consortium of Research Libraries of the United Kingdom was the most influential institution on coral restoration. The highly cited keywords are "Great Barrier Reef," "climate change," and "coral reef," while the most influential keywords are "coral," "model," and "Atlantic." A total of 23 clusters in the field with "coral reef," "phase shift," "bacterial communities," "coral restoration," "symbiotic dinoflagellate," "stony coral tissue loss disease," "bleaching event," "ocean acidification," "oyster reef," and "quantitative reconstruction" are among the top cluster size labeled. Early‐stage researcher may use both keywords and cluster analysis to find topics attractive to their future research projects. In addition, this study contributes toward evaluating recent scientific productivity about coral restoration as well as informing researchers and policymakers regarding funding, future strategic planning, and potential collaboration opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides an account of the way shame, intrusion or other adverse experiences in early childhood can prevent genuine identification with an ego‐ideal, which is felt to be a burden. I argue that the ego‐ideal is necessary to impel the individual towards continual growth and that its absence vitiates the formation of a durable ego. The paper points out the consequences for the subject, which include incapacitation of the ego and the desire to circumvent life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Despite clear benefits in the management of children with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS), the role of growth hormone (GH) in adults is unclear. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to evaluate the effects of GH on body composition, bone health and cardiovascular health in adults with PWS. Design: A systematic computerized literature search of the PubMed database was conducted by two independent reviewers. Inclusion criteria were individuals over the age of 16 years with a genetic diagnosis of PWS who had received GH therapy, together with assessment of body composition, bone health or cardiovascular health. Results: Twenty full‐text papers met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 364 unique patients. No differences in body mass index (BMI) were noted, although 2 studies reported increased BMI after GH cessation. Data demonstrated statistically significant increases in lean body mass and reductions in percentage fat mass. Studies reported inconsistent effects of GH on cholesterol and echocardiography parameters. No studies reported differences in bone mineral density, although one reported improved bone geometry. Minor adverse events including pretibial oedema, headache and transient impaired glucose tolerance were reported in 7 studies. Conclusions: These data suggest that GH is safe and well tolerated in adults with PWS, with evidence of improvement in body composition. Further longitudinal studies are still required to investigate the effects of GH on bone and cardiovascular health. Where GH is used in adults with PWS, this should be managed by a specialist multidisciplinary team with regular monitoring initiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs and uses a recursive dynamic general equilibrium model for South Africa to examine the economywide consequences of a continued deterioration in performance of state‐owned enterprises and rise in foreign interest rates. A decline in state‐owned enterprisesproductivity has substantial negative ramifications on the rest of the economy. Government would increase its domestic borrowing and therefore hamper private investment, leading to a decrease in gross domestic product and rising unemployment, particularly the unskilled. The model shows that the effects get worse in the long run compared to the short run and when foreign interest rates increase. Preparedness and awareness of these economywide consequences point to the importance of addressing the problems of competitiveness in the state‐owned entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs a simple but general representation of an economy, in order to derive mutually consistent estimates of steady‐state growth and inflation for South Africa over the period from 1960Q1 through to 2020Q2, as well as the implied "gaps" between actual growth and inflation and their steady‐state values. Analysis is under both closed and open economy frameworks. Moreover, the full sample is partitioned in subsamples either ex ante by decade or endogenously from structural breaks implied by the univariate time series characteristics of the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we reassess the impact of inequality on growth. The majority of previous papers have employed (system) GMM estimation. However, recent simulation studies indicate that the problems of GMM when using non‐stationary data such as GDP have been grossly underestimated in applied research. Concerning predetermined regressors such as inequality, GMM is outperformed by a simple least‐squares dummy variable estimator. Additionally, new data have recently become available that not only double the sample size compared to most previous studies, but also address the substantial measurement issues that have plagued past research. Using these new data and an LSDV estimator, we provide an analysis that both accounts for the conditions where inequality is beneficial or detrimental to growth and distinguishes between market‐driven inequality and redistribution. We show that there are situations where market inequality affects growth positively while redistribution is simultaneously beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper combines reference point techniques and econometric analyses to provide the profile of non‐life insurers that simultaneously optimize the strategic growth, profitability, and risk goals. The econometric analyses provide the relevant relations among the variables. Non‐life insurers from 33 Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development countries over a six‐year period are analyzed. A cluster analysis allows forming groups of countries according to the non‐life insurance penetration ratio. Several scenarios, which are characterized by the maturity of the market and the crisis/non‐crisis situation, are studied. The results indicate that the highest level of profitability (growth) is linked to scenarios with a medium (low) level of maturity and booming times. They also show that the lowest level of risk that is representative of good performance is associated with scenarios where markets have a high level of maturity and crisis times. We find that a higher recommendable size is associated with more mature markets. The results also indicate that reinsurance utilization is linked to a crisis time. We additionally find that the recommendable level of capitalization differs significantly among scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the Introduction to the special issue on "Analytical Political Economy: complexity, growth, international trade." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the threshold conditions in financial integration and growth relationship for a large set of threshold variables and different income group of countries employing Panel Smooth Transition Regression Models. Except developing countries, our findings strongly indicate nonlinear dynamics and imply that the impact of financial integration on growth is asymmetric depending on a number of indicators such as countries' degree of institutional quality, financial sector development, trade openness, budget deficit, inflation volatility and the level of financial integration. Our results show that these threshold effects substantially differ for emerging and industrial countries. As far as whole set of countries is concerned, our findings imply that countries having developed financial systems, qualified institutions and stable macroeconomic environment benefit from financial integration. Moreover, threshold effects are stronger and different for emerging countries compared to the industrial countries. Unlike emerging economies, higher levels of financial integration and trade openness decrease benefits from financial openness for the industrial countries. Besides, high fiscal deficit has more pronounced negative effect on the growth of the industrialized countries compared to emerging economies and other indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groups of wild animals can vary considerably in their composition, including in the proportion of group members who are male or female, that is the within‐group sex ratio. Variation in within‐group sex ratios can arise from active adjustment of litter sex ratios by mothers, from sex differences in mortality, dispersal and immigration, or from stochastic variation in recruitment. Variation in the within‐group sex ratio can have consequences for within‐group competition and can affect individual life histories throughout development. In this paper, we explore which processes may generate variation in within‐group sex ratios in wild Damaraland mole‐rats (Fukomys damarensis), a singular cooperative breeder. We investigate whether within‐group sex ratios predict the growth, body condition and philopatry of individuals. We show that although the population‐level sex ratio is balanced, skewed within‐group sex ratios are common, particularly among small groups. Our data suggests that stochastic variation in the sex of recruits explains natural variation in the sex ratio of wild groups. Non‐breeding individuals in groups with a sex ratio biased towards their own sex grow more slowly than individuals in groups biased towards the opposite sex, suggesting that intra‐sexual competition may decrease growth rates. We suggest that the costs of competition may contribute to the large variation in growth observed in social mole‐rat groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Categorical growth models describe examinee growth in terms of performance‐level category transitions, which implies that some percentage of examinees will be misclassified. This paper introduces a new procedure for estimating the classification accuracy of categorical growth models, based on Rudner's classification accuracy index for item response theory–based assessments. Results of a simulation study are presented to provide evidence for the accuracy and validity of the approach. Also, an empirical example is presented to demonstrate the approach using data from the Indiana Student Performance Readiness and Observation of Understanding Tool growth model, which classifies examinees into growth categories used by the Office of Special Education Programs to monitor the progress of preschool children who receive special education services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the contribution of intangible investment to growth is a challenging and complex task for any country. However, it has become increasingly difficult to determine both the exact magnitude of economic performance and its composition in the case of the Irish economy. This is mainly due to the impact of certain distortionary transactions by a select number of multinationals operating in the Irish jurisdiction. In this paper, we address this issue by assessing, in a detailed manner, the contribution of intangible and tangible assets to the Irish growth story. We control for distortions in the official investment data series while also incorporating intangible assets that are not currently included in the National Accounts. Our results show that the observed unprecedented increase in the official intangible investment has a relatively minor contribution to the actual Irish labor productivity growth. Once the distortions are filtered out, Irish labor productivity growth is driven by tangible capital. More interestingly, non‐national accounts intangible capital has a sizeable pro‐cyclical impact on labor productivity growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell's ability to proliferate constitutes one of the most defining features of life. The proliferation occurs through a succession of events; the cell cycle, whereby the cell grows and divides. In this paper, focus is made on the growth step and we deal specifically with Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast that reproduces by budding. For this, we develop a theoretical model to predict the growth powered by the turgor pressure. This cell is herein considered as a thin‐walled structure with almost axisymmetrical shape. Due to its soft nature, the large deformation range is a priori assumed through a finite growth modeling framework. The used kinematics is based on the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient into an elastically reversible part and a growth part. Constitutive equations are proposed where use is made of hyperelasticity together with a local evolution equation, this latter to describe the way growth takes place. In particular, two essential parameters are involved: a stress‐like threshold, and a characteristic time. The developed model is extended to a shell approach as well. In a finite element context, representative numerical simulations examining stress‐dependent growth are given and a parametric study is conducted to show the sensitivity with respect to the above mentioned parameters. Finally, a suggestion for natural contractile ring modeling closes this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model where trade has a direct and positive impact on growth rate of two trading nations beyond the level effect. We use the idea of virtual trade in intermediates induced by non-overlapping time zones and show how trade can increase the equilibrium optimal rate of growth. In this structure the trade impact goes beyond the level effect and directly causes growth. Typically standard models of trade cannot generate an automatic growth impact. Virtual trade may allow production to continue uninterrupted in separated time zones such as between the USA and India, and that can lead to higher growth for both countries. Later we extend the model to incorporate the accumulation of skills which becomes necessary for sustaining steady state growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we test whether weakening the domestic currency can help boost economic growth. To estimate this policy‐relevant but yet complex link, we apply a new mediation analysis to isolate the long‐term growth effects of currency undervaluation induced by active exchange rate management and capital control policies. Using a dataset of 182 countries in the post‐Bretton‐Woods period, we find that changes in undervaluation driven by exchange rate management and capital control policies have no significant impact on long‐term growth. In addition, the direct growth effects of these policies are typically negative and offset the small positive impact gained indirectly through increased currency undervaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diversified aid network could improve growth by reducing volatility. Alternatively, it could harm growth by encouraging waste and corruption. In this paper we test the effect of aid diversification on growth, growth acceleration, and growth duration. Using a large data set with a maximum of 126 countries over the period 1965–2010 and estimating three types of models (panel vector auto regression, binary dependent variable, and duration), we find the following. First, a diversified aid network Granger causes growth. Second, the "growth acceleration episodes" identified following the definition of Hausmann et al. (Journal of Economic Growth, 2005, 10, 303–329) do not seem to be affected by aid diversification. Third, the "growth spells" identified using Berg et al.'s definition appear to be prone to premature termination as a result of aid concentration. Our results appear to be robust to a wide array of tests and alternative measures of aid diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic downturns significantly impact on industry and firm dynamics. During a slowdown, increased competitive pressure makes less efficient firms more likely to exit (the cleansing hypothesis). However, evidence on Italian manufacturing firms during the Great Recession contrasts with this view. In fact, a not negligible subset of firms grew considerably during the crisis, increasing intra‐industry heterogeneity. In this paper, we study these swimming upstream firms (SUFs) and we obtain two results. First, SUFs exhibit a high capability accumulation profile (innovation, intangibles investments and internationalization). Second, the impact of endogenous capability accumulation does not vanish after controlling for exogenous factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the scanty and inadequate studies on Serbia's growth performance before the First World War, this paper presents production‐side GDP estimates for Serbia for six years between 1867 and 1910. It probes into the growth dynamics, assessing convergence with the more developed countries of north‐western Europe, as well as progress towards achieving modern economic growth. Although the economy showed some dynamism in terms of overall GDP, per capita GDP in pre‐First World War Serbia grew by only 0.28 per cent per annum, as much of the overall GDP growth was eroded by rapid population growth. Far from converging with north‐western Europe, Serbia continued to fall behind. Sluggish structural transformation and slow income per capita growth suggest that Serbia's transition to modern economic growth was in its infancy. Growth in the dominant agricultural sector was extensive, driven by expanding arable land and population growth. Land was affordable and easy to obtain; hence, peasants invested little in new technologies. Meanwhile, the modern industrial and service sectors were below a threshold that could sustain rapid growth. Nevertheless, this study also highlights the rapid expansion of a small modern sector and export diversification that reflected emergent 'green shoots' in 1905–10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how institutional quality and its components (quality, impartiality, and control of corruption) are associated with the economic recovery in the aftermath of the global recession (2010–2016). The evidence suggests that the postcrisis dynamism of a region depends on whether its economy is accompanied by a good governance at the local level. The results also show the heterogeneity in the effects of institutional characteristics and other traditional determinants of growth for the high‐income club (core) and the low‐income club (periphery), respectively. This evidence can provide indications to define ad hoc policies apt to mitigate the recent surge in inequality among EU regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper links the super‐multiplier to Keynesian macroeconomics, showing it to be the most Keynesian of growth perspectives. Next, the paper shows that the super‐multiplier is a micro‐economically coherent theory of investment and capital accumulation. Firms' decisions regarding capital accumulation coordinate demand and supply growth in goods markets. The paper then explores the implications of incorporating the super‐multiplier in the neo‐Kaleckian and Cambridge growth models. Lastly, it shows how labor markets and unemployment can be added into super‐multiplier models to provide a comprehensive growth model that addresses Solow's (1956, Journal of Economics, 70, 65–94) labor market knife‐edge problem. Incorporating labor markets does not change the fundamental super‐multiplier result that growth is determined by the growth of autonomous demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this paper is to provide an integrated survey of the literature devoted to identifying the drivers of structural change, broadly defined as the process of reallocation of economic activity across the three broad sectors agriculture, manufacturing and services. Using the GGDC 10‐Sector Database, this paper first presents the empirical facts associated with structural change in different regions of the world – that is Europe and the USA, Asia, Latin America, and Africa – then reviews four determinants of structural change: (i) changes in income, (ii) changes in relative (sectoral) prices, (iii) changes in input–output linkages and (iv) changes in comparative advantage(s) via globalization and trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information services (IS) industry, which facilitates industrial transformation and upgrading, has emerged as a key driving force behind China's economic growth in recent years. More evidence can be accumulated from the Pearl River Delta (PRD), one of the largest transforming economies and IS gathering region in China. Firstly, this paper investigates the spatial patterns and dynamics of IS agglomeration in the PRD from 2003 to 2018, using the spatial autocorrelation analysis and Kernel density analysis. Secondly, a dynamic panel model with a system generalized method of moments (SYS‐GMM) estimation is employed to identify the factors significantly influencing the industry agglomeration economy. Results show that: (1) Large firms continue to gather in the core area of major cities, while smaller firms show a more balanced distribution from the core to periphery regions. The spatial proximity of firms proves that micro firms benefit less from industrial agglomeration compared to larger ones. (2) The effects of agglomeration externalities on economic growth remains positive, with labor force and commuting costs playing a vital role in the expansion of the IS industry. By integrating geo‐spatial information and empirical evidence, this study contributes to China's understanding and experience as a late‐developing country in the digital economy era. Finally, policies supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), improving the effectiveness of government subsidies, and strengthening industry‐university research cooperation are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the impact of status seeking behavior on the growth of income. Conventional wisdom suggests that such behavior should stimulate the growth rate. We introduce a general status indicator as an average of relative income and another that reflects relative expenditure on a status good in a simple dynamic model. We show that the conventional approach, which includes only concern for relative income, matters for growth. Otherwise, higher relative expenditure on a status good does not have any additional impact on optimal growth beyond the golden rule. Thus, the accepted wisdom that relative status concern always stimulates incentive for growth is called into question and provides fresh policy perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper revisits Acemoglu‐Johnson the predicted mortality instrument. Drawing on a unique historical data set of disease‐specific mortality rates, we reconstruct several versions of the instrument that differ in terms of data usage and instrument relevance. Our findings confirm its predictive power on life expectancy. The replication analysis reveals a significant positive second‐stage effect of life expectancy on population and total birth rates and a negative effect on GDP per capita for a subset of the revised instruments. Overall, data coverage and empirical tests suggest the superiority of our country‐level instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we build a simple endogenous growth model with labour and corporate taxes to investigate the asymmetric effects of tax policy over the growth trajectory. We employ a newly developed panel smooth transition model to empirically analyse a sample of 19 advanced economies over the 1961–2017 period. We find that both the asymmetric effects and the tax measures used are essential. We also find that the effects of corporate and personal taxes on long‐run growth are non‐linear, while the detrimental effects of personal taxes are empirically larger compared to those of corporate taxes once non‐linearities are controlled for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of resource use and the management of public finances are both long‐run issues that are linked to each other through savings decisions. To study them conjointly, this paper introduces a public debt stabilization constraint in an overlapping generation model in which nonrenewable resources constitute a necessary input in the production function and belong to agents. It shows that stabilization of public debt at a high level (as share of capital) may prevent the existence of a sustainable development path, that is, a path on which per capita consumption is not decreasing. Public debt thus appears as a threat to sustainable development. It also shows that higher public debt‐to‐capital ratios (and public expenditures‐to‐capital ones) are associated with lower growth. Two transmission channels are identified. As usual, public debt crowds out capital accumulation. In addition, public debt tends to increase resource use which reduces the rate of growth. We also provide a numerical analysis of the dynamics that shows that the economy is characterized by saddle path stability. Finally, we show that the public debt‐to‐capital ratio may be calibrated to implement the social planner optimal allocation according to which the growth rate is increasing in the degree of patience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating the contribution of enslaved workers to output and growth in the United States during the first half of the nineteenth century is a crucial building block to better understand the contours of nineteenth‐century US economic history, and more generally, the connection between slavery and capitalism. Existing estimates only present a partial picture and are potentially problematic. In this paper, we use data on enslaved person valuations to calculate the contribution made by enslaved workers to regional and national gross national product (GNP) in 1839 and 1859 and to the growth in per capita output in the 20 years before the Civil War. We find that in the United States, enslaved workers were responsible for somewhere between 12.49 per cent and 18.0 per cent of the increase in output per capita between 1839 and 1859. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sheds light on regional recovery prospects from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis by examining the link between gross rates of establishment openings and closures and local economic growth spanning the 2001 recession and the 2007-2009 global financial crisis (GFC). Consistent with existing literature, our results show that US counties with historically higher rates of dynamism - measured here as rates of establishment openings and closures, or churn - experience faster medium-run employment growth rates. Our novel finding relates to the time-varying effects of churn. Using a fixed-effects panel model of US counties from 1998 to 2018, we find higher pre-recession churn to be associated with larger employment losses during the GFC, and slightly faster employment gains during the subsequent recovery. High-churn counties experienced slower gains in median household incomes during both the 2001 recession and the GFC, but more rapid decreases in poverty rates during macroeconomic expansions. We conclude by identifying regions with historically low establishment churn that have suffered high employment losses during the COVID-19 crisis and may be in need of support to aid recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is interested in explaining the causes of the simultaneous evolution between economic and informality growth. Using a large annual panel of African countries with a time series of 25 years, our results are paradoxical: the effect of growth on the informal sector becomes contradictory in the presence of high corruption rates. When the corruption rate is low (>1.3577), growth is indirectly related to the informal sector and vice versa when it is high (<1.3577). The results, which highlight a previously unknown paradox, contribute significantly to the existing literature on the subject and are robust to alternative specifications. It is therefore desirable for policymakers to improve the transparency of interactions between firms, public and private agents to fight corruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]