A Dynamic Equalisation Model for Economic and Social Capital Grants with a South African Example

A capital grant model has been developed which can be used in developing economies to allocate grants to sub-national governments for economic or social capital. The model allows these allocations to happen in a way that increases the value of the capital stock whilst at the same time addresses any inter regional inequities, or economic inefficiencies. The model is also applied to South Africa as an illustrative example and the results of three model simulations for that country are presented. There is a discussion of the data requirements for the model and how it might be replicated by researchers for other economies.     

Looking Past the Indian Calorie Debate: What is Happening to Nutrition Transition in India

We utilise large national household datasets for 1993–1994, 2004–2005 and 2011–2012 to analyse factors influencing changing patterns in per capita calorie consumption in India. Our study findings demonstrate the significance of the disease environment in which people live, with those living in healthy areas having lower calorie consumption than those living in less healthy ones. Calorie intake has been falling in India, but the study findings reveal that fat calorie intake has been rising successively over time among the rural and poorer urban sub-populations raising concerns for policy-makers that non-communicable diseases are expected to rise for these vulnerable population groups.     

STR data for the AmpFlSTR Profiler loci from the three main ethnic population groups (Malay, Chinese and Indian) in Malaysia

Allele frequencies for the nine STRs genetic loci included in the AmpFlSTR Profiler kit were obtained from samples of unrelated individuals comprising 139-156 Malays, 149-153 Chinese and 132-135 Indians, residing in Malaysia.     

Labour's Modernization of Local Government

The modernization of local government is central to the government's plans to revitalize the UK's constitutional arrangements. Implicitly managerialist, the modernizing local government project also contains centralist and localist themes. Translated into policy, these themes are articulated as leadership, community, democracy and regulation. However, these elements are potentially contradictory and may produce tensions in the project that may be difficult to resolve. By reviewing the government's aims to promote leadership, community and democracy in local government, it is also argued that the planned modernization of local government will extend further and into new areas the regulation of local authorities.