Antonio Andrés

Income inequality, unemployment, and suicide: a panel data analysis of 15 European countries

Most panel data studies have employed overall suicide rates (male and female) to identify the determinants of suicide. This research has also neglected the use of country specific linear time trends. Neglecting these factors may confound the empirical estimates of socio-economic variables due to the impact of unobserved country specific determinants of suicide that are time-varying. Empirical results from 15 European countries between 1970 and 1998 support this hypothesis. Specifically, economic growth, fertility rate, and alcohol consumption seem to have a significant impact on male and female suicide rates after the inclusion of country specific linear trends. Contrary to prior studies, suicide rates were not sensitive to income levels, female labour participation rates and unemployment. In addition, the effect of divorce rate is specific to gender. Finally, the results also illustrate the importance of employing age-specific suicide rates compared to what has been traditionally used, in trying to evaluate the factors responsible for suicide mortality. In particular, the impact of socio-economic factors is not equal across age groups, and policies aimed at the prevention of suicide should take this into account.

In Vivo insulin-dependent glucose uptake of specific tissues is decreased during aging of mature wistar rats

Aging has been associated with peripheral insulin resistance in both humans and rats. However, the specific tissues that become insensitive to insulin before glucose homeostasis is altered remain to be elucidated. In the present work we studied the glucose metabolic index of a number of tissues known to be insulin sensitive in 3- and 24-month-old Wistar rats by measuring 2-deoxy-d-[1-3H]glucose uptake both under euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic conditions and in the basal state. Analysis of the glucose infusion rate to maintain normoglycemia during the clamp confirmed that the old rats show overall insulin resistance at both saturating and subsaturating insulin concentrations. The maximal response of glucose uptake to insulin as well as insulin sensitivity in red and white quadriceps were unaltered in old rats. In contrast, glucose uptake by soleus and diaphragm was poorly stimulated in old animals, and a marked decrease in insulin sensitivity was observed in both tissues. In heart, only the sensitivity to the...

Software piracy and income inequality

We investigate the extent to which income inequality influences national piracy rates across a sample of 34 countries. Economic inequality seems to have a negative significant effect on national rates of piracy. Consistent with previous studies, we also find that judicial efficiency affects piracy rates. Additionally, research results show that income and education are not important determinants of piracy rates.

Gun control and suicide: the impact of state firearm regulations in the United States, 1995-2004.

OBJECTIVE To empirically assess the impact of firearm regulation on male suicides. METHOD A negative binomial regression model was applied by using a panel of state level data for the years 1995-2004. The model was used to identify the association between several firearm regulations and male suicide rates. RESULTS Our empirical analysis suggest that firearms regulations which function to reduce overall gun availability have a significant deterrent effect on male suicide, while regulations that seek to prohibit high risk individuals from owning firearms have a lesser effect. CONCLUSIONS Restricting access to lethal means has been identified as an effective approach to suicide prevention, and firearms regulations are one way to reduce gun availability. The analysis suggests that gun control measures such as permit and licensing requirements have a negative effect on suicide rates among males. Since there is considerable heterogeneity among states with regard to gun control, these results suggest that there are opportunities for many states to reduce suicide by expanding their firearms regulations.

Fighting Software Piracy: Which Governance Tools Matter in Africa?

This article integrates previously missing components of government quality into the governance-piracy nexus in exploring governance mechanisms by which global obligations for the treatment of IPRs are effectively transmitted from international to the national level in the battle against piracy. It assesses the best governance tools in the fight against piracy and upholding of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). The instrumentality of IPR laws (treaties) in tackling piracy through good governance mechanisms is also examined. Findings demonstrate that: (1) while all governance tools under consideration significantly decrease the incidence of piracy, corruption-control is the most effective weapon; (2) but for voice and accountability, political stability and democracy, IPR laws (treaties) are instrumental in tackling piracy through government quality dynamics of rule of law, regulation quality, government effectiveness, corruption-control, and press freedom. Hence, the need for a policy approach most conducive to expanding development is to implement an integrated system of both IPRs and corollary good governance policies. Moreover, our findings support the relevance of good governance measures in developing countries wishing to complement their emerging IPR regimes.

The Impact of Formal Institutions on Knowledge Economy

Using Kauffman, Kraay, and Mastruzzi governance indicators, this article analyzes the impact of formal institutions on the knowledge economy- by assessing how the enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) through good governance mechanisms affects the knowledge economy. The article also employs the World Bank’s four components of the knowledge economy index characteristic of its knowledge for development (K4D) framework. We estimate panel data models for 22 Middle East & North African and Sub-Sahara African countries over the period 1996-2010. The results show that for this group of countries the enforcement of IPR laws (treaties), although necessary, is not a sufficient condition for a knowledge economy. The results also suggest that other factors are more likely to determine the knowledge economies of these nations. Overall these findings have important implications for both policy and further research.

Adenosine A1 receptor in cultured neurons from rat cerebral cortex : Colocalization with Adenosine deaminase

Adenosine A1 receptors (A1Rs) have been characterized in primary cultures of neurons from cerebral cortex. The specific adenosine A1 antagonist 8‐cyclopentyl‐1,3‐[3H]dipropylxanthine bound to both membranes and intact cells. When saturation experiments were performed in membranes, a KD value of 0.76 nM and a Bmax of 57 fmol/mg of protein were obtained. Competition assays revealed a pharmacological profile characteristic of A1Rs. The presence of this receptor was further confirmed by RT‐PCR analysis. The expression of the receptor showed no significant changes during the period of culture studied, up to 12 days in vitro. A1R agonist inhibited forskolin‐stimulated adenylyl cyclase, showing the functional coupling of these receptors with the effector. αGi1,2 protein level, detected by immunoblot, presented an increase during the period of culture. This increase correlated with an increase in the mRNA level of αGi1 but not αGi2. By immunochemical assays, it is shown that these receptors are expressed in both the neuronal cell body and the proximal dendrites. Colocalization of A1Rs with microtubule‐associated protein 2 and cell surface adenosine deaminase was shown by confocal microscopy. The high degree of colocalization observed between A1Rs and ectoadenosine deaminase in neurons could suggest an important role of the enzyme in adenosine‐mediated neuromodulation.

Vanadate fully stimulates insulin receptor substrate-1 associated phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase activity in adipocytes from young and old rats

Vanadate stimulates adipocyte 2‐deoxyglucose transport and GLUT‐4 translocation to the membrane through an insulin receptor‐independent but wortmannin‐inhibitable pathway. Vanadate stimulates PI 3‐kinase in anti‐IRS‐1 immunoprecipitates and the binding between IRS‐1 and the p85α subunit of PI 3‐kinase. In insulin‐resistant adipocytes from old rats vanadate fully stimulates IRS‐1‐associated PI 3‐kinase, but partially activates glucose uptake. We conclude that: (a) vanadate stimulates 2‐deoxyglucose uptake using a pathway that converges with that of insulin at the level of PI 3‐kinase; and (b) adipocytes from old rats are defective in the insulin pathway at steps located both upstream and downstream of PI 3‐kinase.

Is Corruption Really Bad for Inequality? Evidence from Latin America

Abstract This article presents new evidence on the relationship between corruption and income inequality. Using a panel data methodology, we find that lower corruption is associated with higher income inequality in Latin America. This result is in contrast to other empirical studies but it makes sense in Latin America for a number of reasons. The finding of an inverse relationship between inequality and corruption suggests that institutional reform policies by themselves may be misguided.

Desensitization of adenosine A1 receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase in cerebellar granule cells.

Agonist-induced desensitization of adenosine A1 receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase has been studied in cerebellar granule cells. Exposure of cells to the adenosine A1 receptor agonist R-phenylisopropyl adenosine (R-PIA) from 2 to 48 h brings about desensitization of this signal transduction pathway. Associated with the desensitization process, a decrease in radioligand binding performed in intact cells with the adenosine A1 receptor agonist [3H]cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) has been detected. Simultaneously, an increase of adenosine A1 radioligand binding has also been detected in microsomes. A decrease in the steady-state level of α-Gi in both, plasma membrane and microsomes also has been detected during the desensitization process. These data may account for the desensitization of the inhibitory pathway of the adenylyl cyclase in cerebellar granule cells described herein. After a transient increase in adenosine A1 receptor mRNA, no changes were observed in this parameter after 12 hr of treatment with the adenosine A1 agonist R-PIA, suggesting a post-transcriptional regulation of this receptor during long-term desensitization.