Economic contribution of hunting expenditure to the southern United States of America

Millions of people in United States of America (U.S.) participate in hunting activities which benefit the U.S. economy and help promote conservation and environmental goals. The 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated RecreationSurvey reported that 13.7 million people aged 16 and above participated in recreational hunting activities, spending $33.7 billion on trips and equipment. This paper reports quantified economic contributions of hunting and its sub-activity expenditure for the thirteen states in the U.S. South by calculating total gross output, employment, total income, personal income and value-added. Input–output models were developed for each State, to determine the direct, indirect, and induced impacts of expenditure derived from hunting. Comparison at broad activity (hunting) and sub-activity (type of game etc.) levels revealed that there were differences in the individual states’ economies, and that levels of expenditure affected the total economic contribution of hunting activities. Generally, states with larger economies benefited from greater multiplier effects while the total economic contribution, when expressed as a percentage of the economy, was greater for states with smaller economies.     

河北沧县深部盐矿勘探孔盐水泥浆技术

在沧县石盐矿普查的施工中,ZK001勘探孔终孔深度3451m,裸眼段长度达2950m,由于大段连续取心钻进,施工时间大幅增加,对泥浆护壁技术提出挑战。根据地层特征在节约成本的前提下,施工中分别使用了淡水泥浆与盐水泥浆,特别是取心过程中,盐水泥浆护壁起到很好的效果。本文主要介绍了淡水泥浆—盐水泥浆转换需要注意的问题和盐水泥浆的特点与应用。通过施工检验,盐水泥浆性能稳定,易于维护,有效控制了地层坍塌、缩径等复杂问题,保证了钻进安全,适合工区应用。     

Meeting the demand for affordable housing: State intervention in Massachusetts

This paper examines the response of Massachusetts to problems of housing affordability during the 1980s. State and local government historically has not played a major role in housing provision within the United States of America, constrained by fiscal dependence upon the federal government and by a lack of control over the more significant determinants of housing market performance. In the face of intensified problems of housing affordability and cutbacks in federal expenditures on low income housing programmes, the majority of US states increased their intervention in housing markets during the 1980s. Massachusetts more than doubled in real terms expenditures on housing and community development over the decade, initiating a variety of innovative programmes aimed at alleviating housing stress and stimulating the construction of affordable housing. The paper examines the impacts of these housing programmes upon problems of housing affordability, and assesses their likely durability in the context of the slow‐down in the Massachusetts economy in the 1990s. The increase in Massachusetts housing expenditures was a response to a local political economy of growth, rather than any fundamental dilution of the political and economic relations that limit the ability of states to shape housing market dynamics in the United States.     

Infrastructure and regional growth,growth dynamics and policy relevance for India

The role of infrastructure in economic growth has been the subject of considerable research in the fields of public policy, economics, and planning. In this paper, I examine the contribution of publicly supplied infrastructure to sub national regional growth in India. I first develop and numerically examine a regionally disaggregated model of economic growth to understand the dynamics of private capital and public infrastructure. For the empirical analysis, I use a pooled data set for Indian states to examine if publicly supplied infrastructure is a significant determinant of regional growth and whether there are spatial variations in the productivity effects of infrastructure. The main findings are that transport and communications infrastructure expenditures are significant determinants of regional growth, and the positive benefits accruing from these expenditures come not only from investments made by individual states, but there are positive externalities from network expenditures made by neighboring states. Finally, the out of sample simulated regional growth predictions show divergence in private capital formation between lagging and leading states. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions are entirely those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the World Bank, its executive directors, or the countries they represent.     

Influence of sampling depth on Escherichia coli concentrations in beach monitoring

While the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act requires coastal and Great Lakes’ states to implement plans for monitoring bacterial contamination of recreational beach water, exactly how this monitoring should occur has not been regulated. This study examined differences in concentration of Escherichia coli in water collected from different depths and from different horizontal locations across the beach. E. coli concentrations were significantly different (p<0.05), when water from different depths was compared. Sampling water at depths of 30, 60, and 120 cm resulted in significantly lower E. coli concentrations as depth increased. Had the State of Wisconsin chosen to collect beach water monitoring samples at a shallower or deeper depth, numbers of beach closures and the potential risk to public health would have changed substantially. These data imply that a revised and standardized protocol for monitoring beach water should be adopted by all states of a monitoring region to better compare microbial contamination of beaches and protect public health.     

Policy Review: Reforming Private Housing Finance: Evaluating the Achievements of the Clinton Administration

The financial infrastructure of guarantees, insurance and regulation that underpins US housing markets is an important federal policy tool. Historically, housing policy in the US has relied much more heavily on regulating private market actors to achieve public goals, than it has on direct expenditures. But the commonalities between the US and restructured welfare states such as the UK and Canada have become more striking in recent decades. Similar dilemmas face policy makers in many settings: if homeownership is to be the centerpiece of housing policy, how do we ensure it is affordable and sustainable for those once served by a larger social housing sector? If direct expenditures are to be cut back, with what do we replace them? The story of the Clinton administration's efforts to reform the US financial infrastructure illustrates how these dilemmas have been addressed (although obviously not resolved) in a specific instance.     

Surveillance of adenoviruses and noroviruses in European recreational waters

Exposure to human pathogenic viruses in recreational waters has been shown to cause disease outbreaks. In the context of Article 14 of the revised European Bathing Waters Directive 2006/7/EC (rBWD, CEU, 2006) a Europe-wide surveillance study was carried out to determine the frequency of occurrence of two human enteric viruses in recreational waters. Adenoviruses were selected based on their near-universal shedding and environmental survival, and noroviruses (NoV) selected as being the most prevalent gastroenteritis agent worldwide. Concentration of marine and freshwater samples was done by adsorption/elution followed by molecular detection by (RT)-PCR. Out of 1410 samples, 553 (39.2%) were positive for one or more of the target viruses. Adenoviruses, detected in 36.4% of samples, were more prevalent than noroviruses (9.4%), with 3.5% GI and 6.2% GII, some samples being positive for both GI and GII. Of 513 human adenovirus-positive samples, 63 (12.3%) were also norovirus-positive, whereas 69 (7.7%) norovirus-positive samples were adenovirus-negative. More freshwater samples than marine water samples were virus-positive. Out of a small selection of samples tested for adenovirus infectivity, approximately one-quarter were positive. Sixty percent of 132 nested-PCR adenovirus-positive samples analysed by quantitative PCR gave a mean value of over 3000 genome copies per L of water. The simultaneous detection of infectious adenovirus and of adenovirus and NoV by (RT)PCR suggests that the presence of infectious viruses in recreational waters may constitute a public health risk upon exposure. These studies support the case for considering adenoviruses as an indicator of bathing water quality.     

The Global House Price Boom and its Unwinding: An Analysis and a Commentary

The unprecedented rises in house prices across much of the industrialized world during the period 1997–2006 have been closely linked to the massive global credit expansion of the past decade. They have also coincided with the highest rates of growth of the global economy on record. The downturn of house prices in the US that began in late 2006 has been the trigger for the US sub-prime crisis, itself the catalyst for the broad financial crisis that began in August 2007 which by September 2008 had become the worst US financial crisis since 1929. As a result, the structure of the highly influential US mortgage finance system has already changed fundamentally. These US problems will lead to a thorough review of mortgage securitization processes and of the wholesale funding of mortgage finance across the world. However, housing markets and housing finance systems differ significantly between countries and will channel the shocks originating from the US with varying intensity. Given the interdependence of the global economy, the quality of the US policy response and its impact on the depth and duration of the US recession will influence house price downturns in all other countries. This paper, written in the midst of the US crisis, looks to our understanding of fundamental economic and financial relationships: first, to describe the key features of the house price boom; second, to examine the likely impacts of the unwinding of that boom; and, finally, to bring out implications for affordability, the provision of housing credit and the most appropriate forms of tenure for higher risk households.     

Benefits arising from sustainable use of North America’s fishery resources: economic and conservation impacts of recreational angling

Fish are one of North America’s most valuable renewable resources. Although recreational anglers harvest a portion of their catch, modern recreational fisheries are based on the principle of sustainable use, and most are highly regulated using the best available science, fisheries data and risk assessments. Recent surveys indicate that approximately 10–20% of the North American population participates in angling, and the resulting economic impact is greater than that from commercial fishing and aquaculture; it even exceeds the combined annual revenue from several of the top major league sports in North America. The relationship between man and certain fish species that arises through activities such as recreational angling is an important driver of the science on aquatic species and their ecosystems. There are many other ways that recreational anglers contribute to conservation, with benefits for sportfish and non-sportfish species alike, as well as for North America’s aquatic ecosystems.     

Metropolitan growth and community disparities: Insights from the state of New Jersey in the US

An increasing concern among regional growth policymakers who aim to promote balanced growth is the widening economic disparity among the communities in metropolitan areas. But the causes and consequences of such disparities have not been fully addressed in planning and public policy literature. Using the longitudinal data (1970–2009) for 566 municipalities in the State of New Jersey in US, this study shows that overall metropolitan economic disparity is attributable to interjurisdictional economic disparity. The inter-jurisdictional economic disparity arises from the disproportionate distribution of human capital and minority populations across municipalities. Our study also confirms that housing market constraints, municipal taxes, and public expenditures play a significant role in inter-jurisdictional economic disparity and polarization. Since narrowing interjurisdictional disparity is imperative for community stability and regional economic competitiveness, we discuss the policy implications for reducing inter-jurisdictional disparity within metropolitan areas.     

The economic impact of one to two-way street conversions: advancing a context-sensitive framework

As many communities across the US convert one-way streets to two-way traffic flow, a growing body of work seeks to understand the implications. While some work indicates that there can be road safety and performance benefits to these conversions, only a small number of papers deal with the economic implications. This paper examines the economic impact of one to two-way street conversions, using six case studies between 2004 and 2011. Researchers analyzed these cases, looking at relative job growth in conversion areas as compared to the local economy on both an aggregate and job sector basis. These data are then compared with relative income growth and an evaluation of qualitative outcomes. The results illustrate that investment streetscape improvements may have benefit particularly for arts and entertainment sectors, but also need to connect to larger economic development and livability strategy.     

Are we reaching the target audience? Evaluation of a fish fact sheet

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, over 16% of freshwater lakes and 7% of the rivers are under some sort of fish consumption advisory because of the presence of toxic chemicals. There is considerable interest in the issuing of information, advisories, and fact sheets concerning the consumption of wild-caught fish from contaminated waters, and in the actual consumption patterns of subsistence and recreational anglers. Despite the large number of consumption advisories issued by state agencies, there is little information on how these advisories, or other forms of risk communication, are perceived by target audiences, notably fishermen and women of child-bearing age. The states of South Carolina and Georgia issue consumption advisories for fish from the Savannah River, among other sites. To gain a greater insight into the perception of anglers about a supplemental fish fact sheet jointly developed by South Carolina, Georgia, federal agencies, and the Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation, we interviewed fisherman along the Savannah River. The objectives were to determine: (1) whether they had previously read the Fish Fact Sheet or had heard about the consumption advisories; (2) what major message they obtained from the sheet; (3) who they felt the fact sheet was aimed at, and who should get the Fish Fact Sheet; (4) who should be concerned about health risks from consuming the fish; and (5) the best method of disseminating such information. We interviewed 92 fishermen (37% black, 62% white) during the fishing season of 1999. Half had heard some information about consumption advisories, mainly from the media (64%). The study concluded that there were no ethnic differences in whether they had heard about the advisories, understood the major message of the fact sheet, felt they could reduce their risk from consuming the fish, or felt that it made a difference which agency issued the fact sheet. There were significant ethnic differences in the ways people thought the risk from eating fish could be reduced, sources of information about the risks from consuming fish, and what other information they would like about the risks associated with contaminated fish.     

Acute toxicity of 12 industrial chemicals to freshwater and saltwater organisms

Aquatic animal toxicity is a major criterion used by the U.S. EPA to designate and classify hazardous substances other than oil. This research developed basic toxicity data for twelve industrial chemicals with which little or no previous testing had been done. Static 96h toxicity tests were performed with one freshwater species (fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas) and one saltwater species (grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio or white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus) on the following chemicals: ammonium fluoride, arsenic trisulfide, benzoyl chloride, benzyl chloride, cupric acetate, o-dichlorobenzene, p-dichlorobenzene, mercuric acetate, mercuric thiocyanate, resorcinol, sodium hypochlorite and toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI). As defined by 96 h LC50's ≤ 500 mg l⁻¹, all 12 chemicals were hazardous to freshwater minnows, and all but TDI were hazardous to saltwater shrimp. The physicochemical behaviors of the compounds greatly influenced their aquatic toxicities.     

Financial and Housing Wealth and Consumption Spending: Cross-Country and Age Group Comparisons

In this study we explore the link between household expenditures and wealth across the age distribution by examining the elasticity of consumption spending from different types of wealth. We use a new source of harmonized wealth micro data for five countries: Canada, Finland, Italy, Germany and the US. Our results indicate that the effect of housing wealth dominates the effect of financial wealth in Finland, Italy, Germany, the US, and also in Canada for certain age groups. We find consumption responsiveness to housing wealth to be statistically significantly lower for younger households. The analysis also confirms the existence of between-country differences.     

The acute effect of bunker C oil and an oil dispersant on: 1 Serum glucose, serum sodium and gill morphology in both freshwater and seawater acclimated rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Bunker C oil and an oil dispersant were tested for physiological stress on both freshwater and saltwater acclimated rainbow trout. Both compounds tended to reduce serum glucose levels with Bunker C causing the more significant decrease (P < 0.08), indicating a possible dysfunction of the kidney. The freshwater treatment group showed a significant decrease in sodium levels (P < 0.01) when treated with a dispersant, while under similar conditions, saltwater acclimated fish show a very marked increase in serum sodium concentrations (P < 0.025). Those fluctuations in sodium levels are resultant from direct interference with the energy activated sodium transport systems of the gills. Microphotographs of gill filaments and lamellae show severe damage caused by the dispersant and dispersant/oil mixture with less impairment resultant from Bunker C exposure.     

The structure and dynamics of population migration among economic areas in the United States from 1990 to 2011

This study constructs the population migration networks among economic areas in the United States for every consecutive year from 1990 to 2011, and examines their structural properties and population migration dynamics. Various aspects of the structural properties of the networks are explored, including the connectivity, clustering, assortativity and centrality. It was found that these structural properties are mediated by migration dynamics and inter‐area distance, and the patterns of varying structural properties across areas of different connectivity reveal the hub‐and‐spoke structure of the networks. It is evident that there exists tremendous complexity in migration connectivity and dynamics in the US internal migration system.     

Comparison of total coliform,fecal coliform,and enterococcus bacterial indicator response for ocean recreational water quality testing

In July 1999, California's ocean recreational bacterial water quality standards were changed from a total coliform (TC) test to a standard requiring testing for all three bacterial indicators: TC, fecal coliforms (FC), and enterococci (EC). To compare the relationship between the bacterial indicators, and the effect that changing the standards would have on recreational water regulatory actions, three regional studies were conducted along the southern California shoreline from Santa Barbara to San Diego, California. Two studies were conducted during dry weather and one following a large storm event. In each study, samples were collected at over 200 sites which were selected using a stratified random design, with strata consisting of open beach areas and rocky shoreline, and areas near freshwater outlets that drain land-based runoff. During the dry weather studies, samples were collected once per week for 5 weeks. For the storm event study, sampling occurred on a single day about 24 h following the storm. The three indicator bacteria were measured at each site and the results were compared to the single sample standards (TC > 10,000; FC > 400 and EC > 104 MPN or cfu/100 ml). EC was the indicator that failed the single sample standards most often. During the wet weather study, 99% of all standard failures were detected using EC, compared with only 56% for FC, and 40% for TC. During the Summer Study, EC was again the indicator that failed the single sample standards most often, with 60% of the failures for EC alone. The increased failure of the EC standard occurred consistently regardless of whether the sample was collected at a beach or rocky shoreline site, or at a site near a freshwater outlet. Agreement among indicators was better during wet weather than during dry weather. During dry weather, agreement among indicators was better near freshwater outlets than along open shoreline. Cumulatively, our results suggest that replacement of a TC standard with an EC standard will lead to a five-fold increase in failures during dry weather and a doubling of failures during wet weather. Replacing a TC standard with one based on all three indicators will lead to an eight-fold increase in failures. Changes in the requirements for water quality testing have strong implications for increases in beach closures and restrictions.     

Refugees in a Region: Afghans in Young, NSW

This article examines how Afghan refugees living in the NSW country town of Young between 2001 and 2003 affected the regional economy. It seeks to assess the economic contribution of the Afghan refugees, primarily through their work at the Burrangong meatworks, through their local expenditures and, more indirectly, through their impact on social capital and the dynamism of the regional economy. It also reflects, more broadly, on the social implications of this experience and some lessons about refugee policies and their relationship to regional development.     

Refugees in a Region: Afghans in Young,NSW

This article examines how Afghan refugees living in the NSW country town of Young between 2001 and 2003 affected the regional economy. It seeks to assess the economic contribution of the Afghan refugees, primarily through their work at the Burrangong meatworks, through their local expenditures and, more indirectly, through their impact on social capital and the dynamism of the regional economy. It also reflects, more broadly, on the social implications of this experience and some lessons about refugee policies and their relationship to regional development.     

Relationships between human adenoviruses and faecal indicator organisms in European recreational waters

Human adenoviruses (HAdV) may be implicated in some disease outbreaks associated with recreational water exposures, typically in swimming pools. Modern molecular methods can be used to detect HAdV in environmental water samples. During the EU FP6 Project VIROBATHE a database of over 290 HAdV analyses with corresponding faecal indicator organism (FIO) determinations was gathered and used to explore statistical associations between HAdV and FIO results. The FIOs measured were Escherichia coli, intestinal enterococci and somatic coliphage. Statistically significant trends of increasing proportions of HAdV-positive results in categories of increasing FIO concentration were found in freshwater but not seawater samples. The analysis of these trends in freshwater samples was refined, the trends remaining statistically significant when using categories of 0.5 log₁₀ intervals of FIO concentration. Logistic regression models were then developed to predict the probability of a HAdV-positive outcome from FIO concentration. Potential applications of these models to predict the probability of HAdV-positive outcomes from routine FIO determinations used to describe recreational water quality exposures and to classify recreational water quality are discussed.