Energy market integration and regional institutions in east Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aalto, Pami

2014-01-01

This article assesses the case made for energy market integration in East Asia by comparing the role of institutions in South East Asia and North East Asia. The types and functions of institutions and their overall structure are examined in light of global energy market trends. In South East Asia, the shift attempted by ASEAN towards more competitive markets is hampered by the remaining statist variants of the trade institution and bilateral energy diplomacy, which, as regards transaction cost functions, are sub-optimal. As for institutions with order-creating functions, the unresolved status of sovereignty within ASEAN hampers regulatory harmonisation; the great power management institution has since ASEAN's establishment reduced conflicts without providing decisive leadership conducive to integration. North East Asia's dependence on global energy markets overshadows the regional integration potential of the diverse liberalisation efforts and interconnection projects. Bilateral energy diplomacies, new trilateral institutions combined with ‘Track Two’ institutions and remaining great power competition co-exist. In both regions the institutional structure allows for step-wise, technical infrastructure integration. The environmental stewardship institution co-exists with statist energy security and development objectives while it supports cooperation on green energy. The overall structure of informal institutions constrains deeper energy market integration in several ways. - Highlights: • The structures of institutions explain East Asian energy market integration. • Transaction costs are increased by statist trade institutions and bilateralism. • Order-creating institutions are sub-optimal for energy market integration. • Multi-level great power management offers limited leadership for integration. • The environmental stewardship institution supports cooperation on green energy

Biothreat Reduction and Economic Development: The Case of Animal Husbandry in Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Robert; Blackburn, Jason

2015-01-01

Improving human welfare is a critical global concern, but not always easy to achieve. Complications in this regard have been faced by the states of the Former Soviet Union, where socialist-style economic institutions have disappeared, and the transition to a market economy has been slow in coming. Lack of capital, ethnic conflict, and political instability have at times undermined the institutional reform that would be necessary to enable economic efficiency and development. Nowhere are such challenges more pronounced than in the new nation states of central Asia, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Here, a severe climate limits agriculture, and industrialization has been inhibited by lack of infrastructure, low levels of human capital, and a scarcity of financial resources. These conditions are aggravated by the fact that the central Asian states are landlocked, far from centers of market demand and capital availability. Despite these daunting barriers, development potential does exist, and the goal of the paper is to consider central Asia's pastoral economy, with a focus on Kazakhstan, which stands poised to become a regional growth pole. The article pursues its goal as follows. It first addresses the biothreat situation to central Asian livestock herds, the most significant existing impediment to realizing the full market potential of the region's animal products. Next, it provides an outline of interventions that can reduce risk levels for key biothreats impacting central Asia, namely foot and mouth disease (FMD), which greatly impacts livestock and prohibits export, and Brucellosis, a bacterial zoonosis with high incidence in both humans and livestock in the region. Included is an important success story involving the FMD eradication programs in Brazil, which enabled an export boom in beef. After this comes a description of the epidemiological situation in Kazakhstan; here, the article considers the role of wildlife in

Health challenges in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Adambekov, Shalkar; Kaiyrlykyzy, Aiym; Igissinov, Nurbek; Linkov, Faina

2016-01-01

The Central Asian region, which encompasses Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, is an interesting geographic region with a rich history dating back to the Silk Road, Mongol conquests and expansion of the Russian Empire. However, from a public health viewpoint, the Central Asian region is under-investigated, and many public health challenges exist, as countries of Central Asia inherited the centralised medical systems practiced in the Soviet Union, and are currently undergoing rapid transitions. A large number of low and middle-income countries around the world, including countries of Central Asia, face a double burden of chronic and infectious disease. This essay focuses on the exploration of the most important public health challenges in the Central Asian region, including limited scientific productivity, the double burden of chronic and infectious disease, the need for healthcare reform and the reduction in care variation. Central Asia has a large number of medical schools, medical centres, and emerging research institutes that can be used to foster a change in medical and public health practice in the region. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Capital Markets, Infrastructure Investment and Growth in the Asia Pacific Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Regan

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the relationship between infrastructure investment activity, capital market development, the role of public institutions and economic development in the Asia Pacific. It adopts a review approach drawing on empirical evidence over recent decades. Infrastructure is shown to be an important asset class playing a central role in a nation’s output, growth, productivity and microeconomic performance. Infrastructure investment also requires investment and predictions of a widening gap in the future supply of infrastructure in the Asia Pacific will require new forms of capital from both traditional and new sources including wider use of private participation, institutional investment, asset recycling and revenue bonds. Capital market development is also necessary to raise long-term local currency finance and evidence suggests that progress with regional capital market integration is slow and a continuing reform agenda is required. The dividend for regional countries is the prospect of higher levels of economic growth with infrastructure investment, capital market development, and foreign direct investment shown to have a strong and positive association with growth. A crucial link in this association identified in the review is the part played by national and regional institutions in improving the efficiency with which infrastructure is managed and providing promising ground for further research where the importance of these links can be researched in greater depth.

Causes of early Holocene desertification in arid central Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Liya [Lanzhou University, Key Laboratory of Western China' s Environmental System, Lanzhou, Gansu (China); University of Kiel, Institute of Geosciences, Kiel (Germany); Chen, Fahu [Lanzhou University, Key Laboratory of Western China' s Environmental System, Lanzhou, Gansu (China); Morrill, Carrie [University of Colorado, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, CO (United States); NOAA' s National Climatic Data Center, Paleoclimatology Branch, Boulder, CO (United States); Otto-Bliesner, Bette L.; Rosenbloom, Nan [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Climate and Global Dynamics Division, Boulder, CO (United States)

2012-04-15

Paleoclimate records of effective moisture (precipitation minus evaporation, or P-E) show a dry (low effective moisture) period in mid-latitude arid/semi-arid central Asia during the early Holocene (11,000-8,000 years ago) relative to the middle and late Holocene, in contrast to evidence for greater-than-present precipitation at the same time in the south and east Asian monsoonal areas. To investigate the spatial differences in climate response over mid-latitude central Asia and monsoonal Asia we conducted a series of simulations with the Community Climate System Model version 3 coupled climate model for the early, middle and late Holocene. The simulations test the climatic impact of all important forcings for the early Holocene, including changes in orbital parameters, the presence of the remnant Laurentide ice sheet and deglacial freshening of the North Atlantic. Model results clearly show the early Holocene patterns indicated by proxy records, including both the decreased effective moisture in arid central Asia, which occurs in the model primarily during the winter months, and the increase in summer monsoon precipitation in south and east Asia. The model results suggest that dry conditions in the early Holocene in central Asia are closely related to decreased water vapor advection due to reduced westerly wind speed and less evaporation upstream from the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas in boreal winter. As an extra forcing to the early Holocene climate system, the Laurentide ice sheet and meltwater fluxes have a substantial cooling effect over high latitudes, especially just over and downstream of the ice sheets, but contribute only to a small degree to the early Holocene aridity in central Asia. Instead, most of the effective moisture signal can be explained by orbital forcing decreasing the early Holocene latitudinal temperature gradient and wintertime surface temperature. We find little evidence for regional subsidence related to a stronger summer Asian

The Islamic factor on the territory of Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radivojević Miloš

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The countries of Central Asia belong mainly to Turkish speaking area, thus the Islamic religion and culture. Islam began to spread across this territory through new cultural contacts around 700 AD as a result of conquest, distant trade and missionary activities. Tendencies of Russia and Turkey towards Central Asia are increasing the danger of the conflict outbreak in the critical areas of the region. From the early 2000s until now, Central Asia has become much more divided interethnically than it was during the Soviet period. At the end of 1970s the establishment of new Islamic Movements began. The most active movements today are: Hizb Ut-Tahrir, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan. Extremism and radicalism are the most active, but also the smallest part of the Islamic movement in the whole world, including Central Asia. These movements have different tactics that are manifested in the form of various methods and means used for achieving objectives.

Prospects for a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potter, W.C.

1997-01-01

This paper examines the concept of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (NWFZ) as an approach to nuclear nonproliferation with special reference to Central Asia . 20 More specifically, it describes the evolution of a NWFZ in the region, the potential benefits of a zone, the principal obstacles in the path of its implementation, and the practical steps that need to be taken if a NWFZ in Central Asia is to be realized. The paper concludes that a NWFZ in Central Asia, as with prior NWFZ, would likely lead to advances in the application of an important nonproliferation approach. One innovative aspect of the zone in Central Asia might be its treatment of environmental issues. Although it will not be a simple process to rally support from all of the P-5 states for a new NWFZ, all countries of Central Asia - as well as global community of nations - should profit from creation of a zone which reinforces the international nonproliferation regime improves prospects for political and economic stability in a region of growing importance

Analysis on natural gas geo-politics in Central Asia-Russia region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Dan

2010-09-15

In the year of 2009, some events happened in Central Asia-Russia Region. The transit countries of Nabucco pipeline signed the agreement and the project received considerable progress. The China-Turkmenistan pipeline achieved the completion of ventilation. All these could be landmarks in Central Asia-Russia's geo-political situation. Diversification strategy of gas imports in Europe and diversification strategy of export in Central Asia have been effectively promoted, and the relationship between China and Central Asia becomes closer. Now, the new supply pattern of the region is coming into being and the nature gas geo-political situation in the region is undergoing profound changes.

Risk assessment of pet-traded decapod crustaceans in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the leading country in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uderbayev Talgat

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The pet trade with decapod crustaceans has been considered one of the main pathway of introduction of these animals worldwide. As the leading markets in this regards are the Czech Republic, Germany and the USA. Central Asia is not perceived as an important market with ornamental decapod crustaceans. Despite this assumption, we found at least 16 species of freshwater shrimp, crayfish and crab species pet-traded in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the largest country in this region. Considering computed risk assessment, the origin of particular species, their availability on the market, the probability of establishment and further aspects, we identified two crayfish Procambarus clarkii and Procambarus fallax f. virginalis being the seriously hazardous taxa with high potential to threaten native crayfish species as well as inhabited ecosystems. To prevent their introductions and to minimize the risks of mentioned species, similarly as in the case of European Union, we recommend the total ban of import, trade and keeping of these high-risk taxa within Central Asia.

Asia Central en la política exterior rusa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Morales

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Las políticas rusas hacia Asia Central han estado condicionadas por la herencia histórica anterior a la disolución de la URSS, pero también por los cambios en el sistema internacional y en la propia Rusia acaecidos desde entonces. ¿En qué medida la actuación de Rusia ha sido coherente y estable, basada en una estrategia para Asia Central fundamentada en los intereses nacionales? En este artículo examinamos los fundamentos de la política exterior rusa en relación con Asia Central, dividiéndola en tres apartados: político, económico y de seguridad.

Research on trend of warm-humid climate in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Zhi; Peng, Dailiang; Wen, Jingyi; Cai, Zhanqing; Wang, Tiantian; Hu, Yuekai; Ma, Yaxin; Xu, Junfeng

2017-07-01

Central Asia is a typical arid area, which is sensitive and vulnerable part of climate changes, at the same time, Central Asia is the Silk Road Economic Belt of the core district, the warm-humid climate change will affect the production and economic development of neighboring countries. The average annual precipitation, average anneal temperature and evapotranspiration are the important indexes to weigh the climate change. In this paper, the annual precipitation, annual average temperature and evapotranspiration data of every pixel point in Central Asia are analyzed by using long-time series remote sensing data to analyze the trend of warm and humid conditions. Finally, using the model to analyzed the distribution of warm-dry trend, the warm-wet trend, the cold-dry trend and the cold-wet trend in Central Asia and Xinjiang area. The results showed that most of the regions of Central Asia were warm-humid and warm-dry trends, but only a small number of regions showed warm-dry and cold-dry trends. It is of great significance to study the climatic change discipline and guarantee the ecological safety and improve the ability to cope with climate change in the region. It also provide scientific basis for the formulation of regional climate change program. The first section in your paper

Energy in Asia. An Outline of Some Strategic Energy Issues in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiesow, Ingolf

2003-01-01

The Asian countries are expected to generate 45% of the world energy consumption and Japan is the absolutely greatest consumer in Asia, but China is the country that will be most important as a new consumer on the world energy markets. China, like India and later possibly even Japan try to change to natural gas as a source of energy as much as possible. This is causing a competition about the resources that can be reached by pipelines for gas, which in practice means those in Russia and Central Asia. Russia is trying to control the gas in Central Asia. The competition is also increasing about oil. China is becoming heavily dependent on Muslim countries in the Middle East and Central Asia. This also leads to an effort to increase the safety along the sea lanes, which may collide with the interests of other countries. Territorial conflicts with gas and oil as underlying elements exist in Asia. USA is a player on the energy market, who is using military means as well, but it is possible that in the short perspective, the American acting may not seriously disturb European interests. In the long term perspective, however, the American activity can cause potential conflicts between USA and the Muslim world, that also affects the relations between Europe and its Muslim neighbours. China and other Asian countries may choose a more pro-islamic line of policy in order to gain advantages in the competition about oil and gas. Europe (and Sweden) ought not to wait until the countries of Asia have finalised their negotiations with Russia and Central Asia about access to resources of natural gas but instead form a clear strategy for negotiations built on its own present demand and act accordingly

Energy in Asia. An Outline of Some Strategic Energy Issues in Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiesow, Ingolf

2003-01-01

The Asian countries are expected to generate 45% of the world energy consumption and Japan is the absolutely greatest consumer in Asia, but China is the country that will be most important as a new consumer on the world energy markets. China, like India and later possibly even Japan try to change to natural gas as a source of energy as much as possible. This is causing a competition about the resources that can be reached by pipelines for gas, which in practice means those in Russia and Central Asia. Russia is trying to control the gas in Central Asia. The competition is also increasing about oil. China is becoming heavily dependent on Muslim countries in the Middle East and Central Asia. This also leads to an effort to increase the safety along the sea lanes, which may collide with the interests of other countries. Territorial conflicts with gas and oil as underlying elements exist in Asia. USA is a player on the energy market, who is using military means as well, but it is possible that in the short perspective, the American acting may not seriously disturb European interests. In the long term perspective, however, the American activity can cause potential conflicts between USA and the Muslim world, that also affects the relations between Europe and its Muslim neighbours. China and other Asian countries may choose a more pro-lslamic line of policy in order to gain advantages in the competition about oil and gas. Europe (and Sweden) ought not to wait until the countries of Asia have finalised their negotiations with Russia and Central Asia about access to resources of natural gas but instead form a clear strategy for negotiations built on its own present demand and act accordingly.

Study on underground gas storage in Europe and Central Asia; Etude sur le stockage souterrain du gaz en Europe et en Asie Centrale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sedlacek, R. [NlfB, Germany (Germany); Rott, W. [Wintershall AG, Celle (Germany); Rokosz, W. [POGC, Poland (PL)] (and others)

2000-07-01

The Working Party on Gas of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), at its sixth session in 1996, decided to undertake a study on 'Underground gas storage in Europe and Central Asia'. The study was launched by the Working Party on Gas in the recognition of the role of underground gas storage (UGS) in the creation of unified European gas market, its liberalization, security of gas supply and cooperation among gas enterprises. The data analysed by the study was collected through the comprehensive questionnaire, circulated among gas companies/organizations of the ECE member-countries. To carry out the study, a special Ad Hoc Group of Experts, representing leading gas companies of the region, was set up. The study deals with a wide range of issues related to the underground storage of gas, such as current status of UGS in Europe and Central Asia, new and emerging technologies, new and existing UGS projects, regulatory framework, cost of storage in USA and in Europe, future gas markets development. An attempt was also made to identify the UGS facilities that play (and could provide in the future) the international contract border services. (authors)

Rheumatologic services in Central Asian countries: current state of development of rheumatology in Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Omurzakova, Nazgul A; Yamano, Yoshihisa; Saatova, Guli M; Shukurova, Surayo M; Mirzakhanova, Mavliuda I; Kydyralieva, Ryskul B; Jumagulova, Aynagul S; Mirrakhimov, Erkin M; Seisenbaev, Askar Sh; Nishioka, Kusuki; Nakajima, Toshihiro

2009-12-01

Rheumatologic and public health services of Central Asia's republics have suffered hugely as a result of social and economic declines following the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and transition of these republics to market economies. Between 1990 and 2000 there was a mass outflow of highly skilled rheumatologists and teachers and researchers in rheumatology to countries abroad, leading to significant deprivation of rheumatological service in Central Asian countries. During this time, there was continued growth of various rheumatic diseases (RDs) including rheumatic fever, and musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders. The medical and social burden of RDs imposed on society was strongly underestimated until recent times. There is an urgent need to define the epidemiology of RDs and their impact on the quality of life of people afflicted by these conditions, and to improve the diagnostics and treatment of these conditions.

Evolution, opportunity and challenges of transboundary water and energy problems in Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Lidan; Zhou, Haiwei; Xia, Ziqiang; Huang, Feng

2016-01-01

Central Asia is one of the regions that suffer the most prominent transboundary water and energy problems in the world. Effective transboundary water-energy resource management and cooperation are closely related with socioeconomic development and stability in the entire Central Asia. Similar to Central Asia, Northwest China has an arid climate and is experiencing a water shortage. It is now facing imbalanced supply-demand relations of water and energy resources. These issues in Northwest China and Central Asia pose severe challenges in the implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt strategy. Based on the analysis of water and energy distribution characteristics in Central Asia as well as demand characteristics of different countries, the complexity of local transboundary water problems was explored by reviewing corresponding historical problems of involved countries, correlated energy issues, and the evolution of inter-country water-energy cooperation. With references to experiences and lessons of five countries, contradictions, opportunities, challenges and strategies for transboundary water-energy cooperation between China and Central Asia were discussed under the promotion of the Silk Road Economic Belt construction based on current cooperation conditions.

Marketing Strategy Analysis of Thai Asia Pacific Brewery Company

OpenAIRE

Sinee Sankrusme

2013-01-01

The study was a case study analysis about Thai Asia Pacific Brewery Company. The purpose was to analyze the company’s marketing objective, marketing strategy at company level, and marketing mix before liquor liberalization in 2000. Methods used in this study were qualitative and descriptive research approach which demonstrated the following results of the study demonstrated as follows: (1) Marketing objective was to increase market share of Heineken and Amtel, (2) the com...

AirAsia In The Malaysian Domestic Airline Market: Empirical Analysis Of Strategy

OpenAIRE

Mok Kim Man; Jainurin Bin Justine

2011-01-01

This paper will examine the results of the strategic actions of AirAsia in the Malaysian domestic airline market. Firstly, the paper will provide a general background of the airline industry, in particular the Malaysian domestic airline market and a summary of an analysis of the industry using Michael Porters Five Forces Analysis. Secondly, the paper will provide a brief background of AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines. Thirdly, the paper will analyse the results of AirAsias strategy vis--vis oper...

LOS INTERESES DE CHINA EN ASIA CENTRAL, BELT AND ROAD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Alonso

2017-10-01

Full Text Available China´s interests in Central Asia were propelled, with the launching of the initiative “One Belt, One Road”, renamed as “The Belt and Road Initiative”, better known as the New Silk Road. Thanks to the infrastructure investment China will become interconnected with other regions of the world, breaking up its secular isolation and will send its products to the global market more easily by land and sea. One principal question in this revolutionary change has to do with China´s hypothetical second intentions of geopolitical influence on the countries affected by the new routes (countries of transit or final destination. The article tries to answer the following questions: Does the People's Republic of China aim only to revive its internal labour market, reduce its industrial overcapacity and boost its exports? Is globalization coming to an end or is it entering a new phase of interconnectivity? How does this affect the relations between Russia and China in the Asian region?

Coal marketing in Asia: Opportunities and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klingner, D.

1996-01-01

In Asia, coal currently accounts for over 40 percent of the fossil fuel used for commercial energy. This paper briefly surveys the forces that are likely to decide the future role coal will play as a prime source of energy in the vigorous economies of Asia. As Australia is well placed to profit from Asia's growing need for coal, the challenge to Australian coal suppliers is how to maximize its potential contribution. Four-fifths of all new coal fired electrical generating capacity in the world in the next decade will be located in Asia. Three-quarters of Australia's coal exports are to Asian customers and, conversely, 40 percent of Asian imports are from Australia. Australian coal suppliers have established ties and a depth of marketing experience in the region on which to build. However, pricing policies, and the emergence of the private power producers, together with environmental pressures, will present challenges for the future. (author). 1 fig

Unlocking India’s Strategic Potential in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

war. Nearly 4 decades since, Islamabad has struggled to ensure do- mestic security amid militant attacks, some of which bear the hallmarks of...see Huasheng, pp. 131-138. 79. Jagannath P. Panda , “India’s New Look at Central Asia Policy: A Strategic Review,” in Laruelle, Huchet, et al., pp...Central Asia,” in Dash, p. 8. 99. Peyrouse, Monsoon, p. 197. 100. Stobdan, pp. 48-54. 101. Panda , p. 116. 102. Kavalski, pp. 102-103. 98 103. Peyrouse

Central Asia | Page 100 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Language English. Read more about Soutenir des politiques d'alimentation plus saine en Asie du Sud-Est. Language French. Read more about Supporting Healthier Food Policies in Southeast Asia. Language English. Read more about Labour Market Regulations in China: Minimum Wage Policy. Language English ...

United States natural gas markets, contracts and risks: What lessons for the European Union and Asia-Pacific natural gas markets?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talus, Kim

2014-01-01

The article examines the natural gas markets of the United States, the European Union and the Asia-Pacific region and their regulation and contractual structures. The article's main focus is on the United States natural gas markets. The European Union and Asia-Pacific markets are compared to this more developed market. By comparing the physical and ideological characteristics of, and differences between, the three main international gas markets, the article exposes the limits of regulatory and contractual transplants in this area of law and policy. Each of these markets is unique, which limits the opportunities for modelling certain market institutions on the basis of the more developed markets in the United States. This applies for both the EU and the Asia-Pacific region. - Highlights: • Differences in the physical markets impact regulation. • Regulatory transplants have risks. • The approach in energy policy should be based on “Law-in-Context” approach

Rusia, China, India y Asia Central

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen Blank

2015-08-01

Full Text Available La próxima entrada de India en la Organización de Cooperación de Shanghái puede ser importante para Delhi pero no puede deshacer el factor crítico de que China se está convirtiendo cada vez más en el actor extranjero más relevante en Asia Central y que Rusia está dependiendo de China hasta el punto de que su Ministerio de Defensa ha buscado formalmente una alianza con China en contra del terrorismo, «las revoluciones de colores» y los Estados Unidos. China está ganando en la competición por la influencia sobre Asia Central, India apenas es competitiva allí y Rusia está perdiendo terreno paulatinamente, principalmente debido a sus propios fracasos para acrecentar su capacidad económica-política, incluso antes de invadir Ucrania. Las consecuencias de esa jugada tan solo han acelerado el proceso de su creciente dependencia de China.

Climate variations of Central Asia on orbital to millennial timescales.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Hai; Spötl, Christoph; Breitenbach, Sebastian F M; Sinha, Ashish; Wassenburg, Jasper A; Jochum, Klaus Peter; Scholz, Denis; Li, Xianglei; Yi, Liang; Peng, Youbing; Lv, Yanbin; Zhang, Pingzhong; Votintseva, Antonina; Loginov, Vadim; Ning, Youfeng; Kathayat, Gayatri; Edwards, R Lawrence

2016-11-11

The extent to which climate variability in Central Asia is causally linked to large-scale changes in the Asian monsoon on varying timescales remains a longstanding question. Here we present precisely dated high-resolution speleothem oxygen-carbon isotope and trace element records of Central Asia's hydroclimate variability from Tonnel'naya cave, Uzbekistan, and Kesang cave, western China. On orbital timescales, the supra-regional climate variance, inferred from our oxygen isotope records, exhibits a precessional rhythm, punctuated by millennial-scale abrupt climate events, suggesting a close coupling with the Asian monsoon. However, the local hydroclimatic variability at both cave sites, inferred from carbon isotope and trace element records, shows climate variations that are distinctly different from their supra-regional modes. Particularly, hydroclimatic changes in both Tonnel'naya and Kesang areas during the Holocene lag behind the supra-regional climate variability by several thousand years. These observations may reconcile the apparent out-of-phase hydroclimatic variability, inferred from the Holocene lake proxy records, between Westerly Central Asia and Monsoon Asia.

Does NVIX matter for market volatility? Evidence from Asia-Pacific markets

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Zhi; Fang, Tong; Yin, Libo

2018-02-01

Forecasting financial market volatility is an important issue in the area of econophysics, and revealing the determinants of the market volatility has drawn much attentions of the academics. In order to better predict market volatilities, we use news-based implied volatility (NVIX) to measure uncertainty, and examine the predictive power of NVIX on the stock market volatility in both long and short-term among Asia-Pacific markets via GARCH-MIDAS model. We find that NVIX does not well explain long-term volatility variants in the full sample period, and it is positively associated with market volatility through a subsample analysis starting from the Financial Crisis. We also find that NVIX is more efficient in determining short-term volatility than the long-term volatility, indicating that the impact of NVIX is short-lived and information that investors concern could be quickly reflected in the stock market volatilities.

Asia's growing role in the global energy markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

Three articles are drawn together in this special Petroleum Economist survey on the growing role played by Asian countries in global energy markets, both as world gas suppliers and as important markets for various oil products. The first looks at independent storage in the Asian countries in global energy markets, both as world gas suppliers and as important markets for various oil products. The first looks at independent storage in the Asian Pacific area; the second describes the growth of Asia's natural gas industry and the third item celebrates the product surplus produced due to recent refinery expansion programs. (UK)

Similar speleothem δ18O signals indicating diverging climate variations in inland central Asia and monsoonal south Asia during the Holocene

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Liya; Zhang, Xiaojian

2017-04-01

High-resolution and precisely dated speleothem oxygen isotope (δ18O) records from Asia have provided key evidence for past monsoonal changes. It is found that δ18O records of stalagmites from Kesang Cave (42°52'N, 81°45'E, Xinjiang, China) in inland central Asia were very similar to those from Qunf Cave (17°10'N, 54°18'E, southern Oman) in South Asia, shifting from light to heavy throughout the Holocene, which was regarded as a signal that strong Asian summer monsoon (ASM) may have intruded into the Kesang Cave site and/or adjacent areas in inland central Asia to produce heavy rainfall during the high insolation times (e.g. the early Holocene). However, this is in contrast to conclusions based on other Holocene proxy records and modeling simulations, showing a persistent wetting trend in arid central Asia during the Holocene with a dryer condition in the early Holocene and the wettest condition in the late Holocene. With an analysis of model-proxy data comparison, we revealed a possible physical mechanism responsible for the Holocene evolution of moisture/precipitation in Asian summer monsoon (ASM)-dominated regions and that in the inland central Asia. It is revealed that a recurrent circumglobal teleconnection (CGT) pattern in the summertime mid-latitude circulation of the Northern Hemisphere was closely related to the ASM and the climate of inland central Asia, acting as a bridge linking the ASM to insolation, high-latitude forcing (North Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST)), and low-latitude forcing (tropical Ocean SST). Also, the CGT influence speleothem δ18O values in South Asia via its effect on the amount of precipitation. In addition, the moisture source from the Indian Ocean is associated with relatively high δ18O values compared with that from the North Atlantic Ocean, leading to increased precipitation δ18O values. Hence, the CGT has probably been the key factor responsible for the in-phase relationship in speleothem δ18O values (Kesang Cave

"A Crucial Sphere for Our Security": Russia in Central Asia after 9/11

OpenAIRE

Opdahl, Ingerid M.

2005-01-01

After 11 September 2001, Russia entered into a strategic alignment with the United States and the West in the war against terrorism, and the alignment included Russian support for a Western military presence in Central Asia. At the same time, Russian policy in Central Asia focused on military and security cooperation, and Russian or Russian-led military bases were established in the region. This study investigates the Russian response to the appearance ofWestern bases in Central Asia....

Gas markets and pricing in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mashayekhi, A.; Law, P.L.

1992-01-01

The issues of natural gas market development and pricing are reviewed within the context of specific Asian countries where gas plays an important role. Within Southeast Asia, Malaysia's Penninsular Gas Utilization project signals a new era in pipeline gas trade with an agreement to supply Singapore. There is now also an opportunity to extend Malaysian pipeline supplies to Thailand, which is actively seeking natural gas from neighboring countries. The prospects for LNG are dominated by the high growth markets of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. LNG trade has tended to bind the region together through close economic ties. Due to the increasing damand within the supplier countries themselves and their close neighbors, it is likely that LNG consumers will increasingly need to look beyond their traditional Southeast Asian suppliers in the future, perhaps to higher cost LNG schemes outside the region. In Southeast Asia, reduction of the high volumes of associated gas currently flared from the Bombay High Field in India will not only make big contribution to meeting the country's future gas demand, but will also prove environmentally beneficial. Pakistan, in order to control its developing gas markets, has raised gas prices to consumers substantially, with beneficial effects on supply and demand. In Bangladesh, economic pricing has been important in allocating gas resources efficiently. At both the regional and global level, the link between gas use and the environment is becoming stronger, raising the question of relating gas and energy prices to environmental costs and benefits

Prevalence and causes of vision loss in Central and South Asia: 1990-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Jonas, Jost B; George, Ronnie; Asokan, Rashima; Flaxman, Seth R; Keeffe, Jill; Leasher, Janet; Naidoo, Kovin; Pesudovs, Konrad; Price, Holly; Vijaya, Lingam; White, Richard A; Wong, Tien Y; Resnikoff, Serge; Taylor, Hugh R; Bourne, Rupert R A

2014-05-01

To examine the prevalence, patterns and trends of vision impairment and its causes from 1990 to 2010 in Central and South Asia. Based on the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2010 and ongoing literature searches, we examined prevalence and causes of moderate and severe vision impairment (MSVI; presenting visual acuity Central Asia, the estimated age-standardised prevalence of blindness decreased from 0.4% (95% CI 0.3% to 0.6%) to 0.2% (95% CI 0.2% to 0.3%) and of MSVI from 3.0% (95% CI 1.9% to 4.7%) to 1.9% (95% CI 1.2% to 3.2%), and in South Asia blindness decreased from 1.7% (95% CI 1.4% to 2.1%) to 1.1% (95% CI 0.9% to 1.3%) and MSVI from 8.9% (95% CI 6.9% to 10.9%) to 6.4% (95% CI 5.2% to 8.2%). In 2010, 135 000 (95% CI 99,000 to 194,000) people were blind in Central Asia and 10,600,000 (95% CI 8,397,000 to 12,500,000) people in South Asia. MSVI was present in 1,178,000 (95% CI 772,000 to 2,243,000) people in the Central Asia, and in 71,600,000 (95% CI 57,600,000 to 92,600,000) people in South Asia. Women were generally more often affected than men. The leading causes of blindness (cataract) and MSVI (undercorrected refractive error) did not change from 1990 to 2010. The prevalence of blindness and MSVI in South Asia is still three times higher than in Central Asia and globally, with women generally more often affected than women. In both regions, cataract and undercorrected refractive error were major causes of blindness and MSVI.

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Language English. Read more about Élaboration de politiques efficaces pour le financement de l'innovation en Asie. Language French. Read more about Toward Effective Policies for Innovation Financing in Asia. Language English. Read more about Toward Improved Market Access for ASEAN Agricultural Commodities.

Regional integration in Central Asia: From knowing-that to knowing-how

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulugbek Azizov

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The paper examines regional integration in Central Asia in the context of two types of knowledge, that is, knowing-that and knowing-how. While knowing-that prioritizes representational (i.e. “talking” practices of actors to explain region-building processes, knowing-how focuses on non-representational (i.e. “doing” practices. The article demonstrates that the orthodox scholars, who deal with the region of Central Asia, mostly employ knowing-that to explain region-building processes. The article criticizes knowing-that, assuming that this type of knowledge limits our understanding with regard to how regions get their boundaries and symbolism in the era of globalization and standardization of sectoral activities. Thus the article develops and introduces an alternative knowing-how framework to better understand the region-building processes in Central Asia and beyond it.

US POLICY TOWARDS CENTRAL ASIA UNDER TRUMP

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Lance Alred

2017-10-01

Full Text Available U.S. policy faces numerous challenges in Central Asia, such as the decreasing U.S. military and economic resources in the region; Russian and Chinese hostility to a long-term U.S. military presence in Eurasia; restrictions on religious and other freedoms due partly to counterterrorism concerns; limited U.S. involvement in the region compared to other external players (like Japan as well as Russia and China; an undeveloped U.S. policy regarding regional multinational institutions; and the indifference and ignorance of U.S. business toward regional commercial opportunities beyond the energy sector. However, advocates of “America First” in the Trump administration do not see these threats as sufficiently serious to garner U.S. military intervention beyond occasional training, equipping, and intelligence sharing. Terrorism, drug trafficking, economic isolation, and human rights restrictions in Central Asia do not present an immediate existential threat to the United States, sowing ambivalence over the future of U.S. foreign policy in the region.

Central banks' use in East Asia of money market instruments in the conduct of monetary policy

OpenAIRE

Robert F. Emery

1992-01-01

The paper examines the greater use in the past decade of money market instruments in the conduct of monetary policy by the central banks, or their equivalent, in six of the main East Asian developing economies. Some of these economies have been successful in using various money market instruments to control liquidity, while others have been much less successful. A common theme in the case of the successful economies has been one of employing money market instruments that have yields based on ...

The Asia-Pacific oil market : prospects for Canadian oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fesharaki, F.

2004-01-01

The Asia-Pacific region is among the fastest growing oil markets for which analysts predict healthy growth rates due to high energy demands from developing countries such as China. Increased oil demand will mean new refining capacity needs and increased supplies of crude oil. The indigenous crude supply in the Asia-Pacific region is limited and unable to meet the region's needs. Imports are therefore expected to rise continuously. Although the Middle East will continue to be the dominant player in meeting these growing oil needs, Canada has an opportunity to diversify the supply source and play a significant role in meeting the energy needs of the Asia-Pacific region. tabs., figs

The Russian State, Lenin and the Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. M. Korhzokin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Central Asian nations faced a challenge of state-building objectives after the collapse of the USSR. However, it was a complicated task, because those nations were parts of the Russian and, lately, the Soviet state. State-building objectives include the creation of new historical narrative. Central Asia is now experiencing the process that is called "national novel" in the Western European historiography. Central Asian national variants of historical narratives serve as a conceptual basis for the writing of school and university textbooks. The introduction of ideological constructs through the education system is carried out everywhere. However, it is important to note that inevitable ideological indoctrination should not undermine scientific essence of textbooks. Politics of nation formation and the preservation of its identity is implemented and fostered by states carefully as well as clumsy. There is no doubt that there is an inevitable and practical need for constructing "national novel" in the new states. But historical politics should not ignore some of the methodological and at the same time mental traps that exist in the field of studying the history of the peoples of Central Asia in the period of the Russian Empire.

The Security Implications of Water: Prospects for Instability or Cooperation in South and Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

and import enough fuels for its winter needs.” And,The World Bank, “ Water Energy Nexus in Central Asia: Improving Regional Cooperation in the Syr...94 “ Water Energy Nexus in Central Asia: Improving Regional Cooperation in the Syr Darya Basin,” World Bank Report...10. 95 All statistics are attributed from Water Energy Nexus in Central Asia: Improving Regional Cooperation in the Syr Darya Basin,” World Bank

EU-Russia Relations Regarding Water Resources in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anastasia Likhacheva

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In Central Asia, the water deficit and water-energy problem have been one of among the most acute and conflict-ridden challenges for the sustainable development of the region and for regional security. Key trade and investment partners, including Russia and the European Union, could play a considerable role in influencing this issue, due to the long-lasting status quo, the inability to find a solution through intra-regional dialogue and the region’s rising dependence on foreign trade. Indeed, water-related interactions between Russia and the EU have been developing in a complementary manner. The EU possesses new technologies and its members have access to long-term capital markets, while Russia carries influence through providing security, regulating migration and holding a favourable political position for offering mediation services to the republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. This article examines EU-Russia relations regarding water issues in Central Asia over the medium term. By analyzing cooperative and non-cooperative strategies used by the major stakeholders in the water conflict (the five republics and the third parties of Russia and the EU, it confirms the continuous complementary character of EU and Russian activities in this context. Russia will take responsibility for moderating the principal questions (as with the construction of big dams such as Rogunor Kambarata, as they relate to the provision of security guarantees. The EU will act through providing support for water companies from small and medium-sized enterprises, and promoting the European Water Initiative principles and by developing its investment policy. The intersection of interests is possible when if Russia will attracts an independent arbiter, such as an actor available to provide guarantees related to the values of professional objectivism, human rights support and environment protection. These issues inevitably arise with

Globalization of the cashmere market and the decline of large mammals in central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Joel; Buuveibaatar, Bayarbaatar; Mishra, Charudutt

2013-08-01

As drivers of terrestrial ecosystems, humans have replaced large carnivores in most areas, and human influence not only exerts striking ecological pressures on biodiversity at local scales but also has indirect effects in distant corners of the world. We suggest that the multibillion dollar cashmere industry creates economic motivations that link western fashion preferences for cashmere to land use in Central Asia. This penchant for stylish clothing, in turn, encourages herders to increase livestock production which affects persistence of over 6 endangered large mammals in these remote, arid ecosystems. We hypothesized that global trade in cashmere has strong negative effects on native large mammals of deserts and grassland where cashmere-producing goats are raised. We used time series data, ecological snapshots of the biomass of native and domestic ungulates, and ecologically and behaviorally based fieldwork to test our hypothesis. In Mongolia increases in domestic goat production were associated with a 3-fold increase in local profits for herders coexisting with endangered saiga (Saiga tatarica).That increasing domestic grazing pressure carries fitness consequences was inferred on the basis of an approximately 4-fold difference in juvenile recruitment among blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur)in trans-Himalayan India. Across 7 study areas in Mongolia, India, and China's Tibetan Plateau, native ungulate biomass is now degradation and decreased capacity for the persistence of native species, including at least 8 Asian endemic species: saiga, chiru (Pantholops hodgsoni), Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), snow leopard(Panthera uncia), khulan(Equus hemionus), kiang (E. kiang), takhi (E. przewalski), and wild yak (Bos mutus). Our results suggest striking yet indirect and unintended actions that link trophic-level effects to markets induced by the trade for cashmere. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Are South East Asia Countries Capital Markets Characterized by Nonlinear Structures? An Investigation from Indonesia, Philippine and Singapore Capital Market Indices

OpenAIRE

Minarnita Yanti Verawati Bakara; Bambang Hermanto

2014-01-01

This research paper tries to detect the nonlinear structure in the South East Asia Countries Capital Markets. The capital markets of three South East Asia Countries are chosen: Indonesia, Philippine, and Singapore. Daily return data of Capital Markets composite indices are observed: Straits Times Index (STI) of Singapore Exchange from January 04, 1985 to December 31, 2007, Pilipino Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) of Philippines Stock Exchange from March 1, 1990 to December 31, 2007 and Jakarta Co...

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Asie centrale. Read more about Sécurité hydrique dans les régions périurbaines de l'Asie du Sud - adaptation aux changements climatiques et urbanisation. Language French. Read more about Innovations for Inclusive Knowledge-based Economies in Asia - Phase II. Language English. Read more about L'innovation au ...

Soft Power in Central Asia: Actors and Its Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina M. Lebedeva

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Article considers theoretical aspects of soft power concept and its use by various actors in Central Asia. It is noted that scholars as well as practitioners are paying insufficient attention to such key concepts position J. Nye, as an attraction. As a result the efficiency of the use of soft power is significantly reduced. It also shows that the attractiveness is not a universal characteristic. For this reason, attractiveness and hence soft power of different actors are different and aimed at different segments of the population. These differences lead to competition of actors, but they do not reduce interaction in the region to zero-sum game. Specific forms and directions of the soft power of Russia, the U.S., the EU and China in Central Asia are discussed. The article emphasizes that the Central Asian states are not just recipients of soft power of external actors, but also themselves form behavioral strategies that are attractive to others.

Linking the Agricultural Production and Climate Change in Central Asia: 1991-2015

Science.gov (United States)

Tatarskii, V.; Shemyakina, O.; Sokolik, I. N.

2016-12-01

We present results of the impact of climate change on the agricultural output in Central Asia (CA) since 1991. While profit-maximizing farmers in the market based economies would be expected to change their cropping patterns fairly fast in response to climate change, we do not expect that to happen in the CA region that was for a long time driven by Soviet production plans with a limited room for personal choice. We explore the relationship between the agricultural productivity (measured by the actual output) and the variations in average monthly temperatures during growing seasons and precipitation. The climate data for Central Asia are generated using the Weather Research (WRF) Model for 1985-2012. We make use of data on air temperature on 2m height, C, and total precipitation. The data on the agricultural production comes from the State Statistical Agencies of the three Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Data on agricultural production for Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are not available from online government sources. We model the agricultural production as a function of annual realization of weather in a specific region. This economic approach includes converting daily temperature into degree days, which represents heating units. The two key weather variables are a measure of heat (degree days) and total precipitation in the growing season, April 1st to October 30th. Preliminary regression results estimated for Kazakhstan, indicate that degree days during growing season is negatively and total precipitation is positively associated with the agricultural output. Both coefficients are not statistically significant. Further analysis will include data from other countries and also by the region.

What caused the cool summer over northern Central Asia, East Asia and central North America during 2009?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Kyung-Ja; Chu, Jung-Eun; Lee, June-Yi; Wang, Bin; Hameed, Saji N; Watanabe, Masahiro

2012-01-01

Cool and wet weather conditions hit northern Central Asia, East Asia and central North America during the 2009 summer in concert with a strong jet stream and a prominent meandering upper-level circulation in the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes despite the fact that the year 2009 is the fifth warmest year globally in the modern record. It is found that the conspicuous atmospheric variability in the entire Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes during the summer of 2009 was caused by a combination of teleconnections associated with significant tropical thermal forcings, strong polar forcing, and interaction between high-frequency weather events and climate anomalies. The strong negative circumglobal teleconnection pattern associated with the deficient Indian summer monsoon rainfall and developing El Niño condition was the major contributor to the cool and wet summer in June. On the other hand, the July weather conditions were attributable to the high-latitude impact of the unprecedented negative Arctic Oscillation, together with the Rossby wave response to the subtropical heating generated by convective activities over the Western North Pacific summer monsoon region. It is also noted that enhanced storm track activity and frequent cold surges from high-latitudes may have played a role in the cool and wet summer over the regions of interest. (letter)

Central European gas market perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanous, Jan

1999-01-01

This presentation deals with (1) Definition of the Central European market, (2) Factors driving up consumption of natural gas in Central and Eastern Europe, (3) Role of natural gas in regional energy consumption, (4) Position of natural gas in individual country markets, (5) Future sources of imported natural gas into the region. The Central European market are the eleven countries Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, and Slovenia, with a total population of 121 million. This market is comparable to combined France and Italy in terms of population, but only 30% of its size in terms of GDP

CHINA’S STRATEGY OF ENERGY SECURITY IN CENTRAL ASIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xing Li

2013-01-01

Full Text Available U.S.recently launched strategy of rebalancing to Asia worsens the atmosphere forChina’s energy security and increases the risks for energy transportation from Africa and theMiddle East. The diversification of energy sources is a reasonable strategic choice, so the importance of the Eurasian continent forChinaincreases. Central Asia does not play anymore a supporting role in the agenda ofChina’s energy security strategy. It is rather becoming a region of major strategic importance.

Central Asia in the Iranian geopolitical imagination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edward Wastnidge

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This article charts Iran’s relations with Central Asia following the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991. This event gave Iran a new set of neighbours to the north, and this came at a time when Iran was undergoing changes in the direction of its foreign policy from radical idealistic goals, such as the export of the Islamic Revolution, to more pragmatic aims, including giving priority to its own national interests and pursuing good neighbourly relations. Since 1991, Iran has attempted to develop relations towards the Central Asian states, both bilaterally and through various regional fora. Iran’s actions have been based, in part, on a greater commitment to regionalism that has been evident in Iranian foreign policy since the early 1990s. This has focused on cultivating economic, infrastructural and cultural links with the region, rather than any form of ideological crusade, and has helped reduce Iran’s international isolation. Following a historical contextualisation and explanation of the place that the lands of Central Asia hold in the Iranian geopolitical imagination, the article explores the key concerns of Iran in the region. It will examine Iran’s position on what it perceives as being the key issues shaping its Central Asian diplomacy, namely regional economic cooperation, pipeline politics, the status of the Caspian Sea, security cooperation and cultural diplomacy. This provides a revealing case study of how Iran perceives itself as a vital player in the region, seeking to emphasise the benefits of its geostrategic location, relative stability, and increasing international role following the nuclear deal.

Analyzing phenological changes with remote sensing data in Central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, L; Guo, H; Zhang, L; Li, X; Kuenzer, C; Klein, I

2014-01-01

Based on NOAA/AVHRR NDVI biweekly time-series data, the start and end of the growing season of Central Asia from 1982 to 2006 were estimated. Trend analysis results indicate an earlier green-up and a later dormancy over the entire area during the study period. For seven main vegetation types, the largest advance of greenup onset (0.597 days/year) occurs in cropland and the longest delay of dormancy (1.109 days/year) in open shrubland. The smallest advance (0.164 days/year) occurs in evergreen needleleaf forest and delay (0.443 days/year) in crop/natural vegetation mosaic. These results imply enhanced vegetation activity in the Central Asia region over last decades

The New Great Game in Muslim Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

1996-01-01

and maci]ine tools, petrol - chemicals, agro-processing and textiles. ’’~ 14 THE NEW GREAT GAME IN MUSLIM CENTRAL ASIA Kazakhstan is well endowed...Algeria, Tunisia , and Morocco---are keeping a wary eye. But at the popular level, this pan-Islmnism has the potential to attract a considerable amount of

Toward a cross-border early-warning system for Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacek Stankiewicz

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Rapidly expanding urban areas in Central Asia are increasingly vulnerable to seismic risk; but at present, no earthquake early warning (EEW systems exist in the region despite their successful implementation in other earthquake-prone areas. Such systems aim to provide short (seconds to tens of seconds warnings of impending disaster, enabling the first risk mitigation and damage control steps to be taken. This study presents the feasibility of a large scale cross-border regional system for Central Asian countries. Genetic algorithms are used to design efficient EEW networks, computing optimal station locations and trigger thresholds in recorded ground acceleration. Installation of such systems within 3 years aims to both reducing the endemic lack of strong motion data in Central Asia that is limiting the possibility of improving seismic hazard assessment, and at providing the first regional earthquake early warning system in the area.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Obama Administration in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

2009-06-01

Asia. Specifically, the 19th century vision of an integrated network of rail lines connecting the former Soviet and Tsarist empires, Iran, India...rear to Afghanistan. In this fashion we would help Central Asia meet the challenges of ex- tremism, of economic decline due to the global eco- nomic...Callwell ( Victorian England’s leading theorist of small wars) wrote, “theory cannot be accepted as conclusive when practice points the other way.”28

North America and Asia Pacific LNG markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pirie, J.D.

1997-01-01

The liquefied natural gas (LNG) export opportunities in the Asia Pacific market were reviewed. Some of the differences that affect a North American LNG projects compared to more typical LNG projects were also outlined. The two main aspects of the LNG market in North America include the establishment of LNG import terminals on the east and southern coasts of the United States and the development of export oriented LNG projects. The Pac-Rim LNG project calls for initial delivery to South Korea of 4.0 MTPA by the end of 2000. A large LNG project has also been proposed for the year 2005 which would use Prudhoe Bay gas. Generally, in North America, there is little use for large scale LNG import projects because of the vast pipeline network that delivers gas reliably and at low cost anywhere in North America. However, LNG remains a good alternative for the Asia Pacific region because of the lack of a pipeline network. Also, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, the three main centers for LNG demand, have no domestic energy supplies and rely on imported energy sources. China is another major market opportunity for LNG. The Pac-Rim LNG project differs from others of its kind in that usually, an LNG project is based on the availability of large reservoirs of natural gas owned by state governments and involves production agreements with multi-national oil and gas companies. This scenario is simply not possible in Canada's deregulated environment. In contrast, the existence of upstream facilities, technical expertise, and low capital costs, hence reduced risks and time to develop an LNG project, gives Canada significant advantages. 3 tabs., 3 figs

Relations of Central Asia with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security Treaty Organization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haas, de M.

2017-01-01

Comparing the influence of and relationship of Central Asia with the major regional bodies, the SCO is an advantageous organization for the economic development of Central Asia, since it is an opportune podium for doing business, especially with China, with a guarantee that Moscow nor Beijing will

Central Asia Temperature and Precipitation Data, 1879-2003, Version 1

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set provides temperature and precipitation data from 298 meteorological stations in the Northern Tien Shan and Pamir Mountain Ranges of Central Asia,...

Central Asia Water (CAWa) - A visualization platform for hydro-meteorological sensor data

Science.gov (United States)

Stender, Vivien; Schroeder, Matthias; Wächter, Joachim

2014-05-01

Water is an indispensable necessity of life for people in the whole world. In central Asia, water is the key factor for economic development, but is already a narrow resource in this region. In fact of climate change, the water problem handling will be a big challenge for the future. The regional research Network "Central Asia Water" (CAWa) aims at providing a scientific basis for transnational water resources management for the five Central Asia States Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. CAWa is part of the Central Asia Water Initiative (also known as the Berlin Process) which was launched by the Federal Foreign Office on 1 April 2008 at the "Water Unites" conference in Berlin. To produce future scenarios and strategies for sustainable water management, data on water reserves and the use of water in Central Asia must therefore be collected consistently across the region. Hydro-meteorological stations equipped with sophisticated sensors are installed in Central Asia and send their data via real-time satellite communication to the operation centre of the monitoring network and to the participating National Hydro-meteorological Services.[1] The challenge for CAWa is to integrate the whole aspects of data management, data workflows, data modeling and visualizations in a proper design of a monitoring infrastructure. The use of standardized interfaces to support data transfer and interoperability is essential in CAWa. An uniform treatment of sensor data can be realized by the OGC Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) , which makes a number of standards and interface definitions available: Observation & Measurement (O&M) model for the description of observations and measurements, Sensor Model Language (SensorML) for the description of sensor systems, Sensor Observation Service (SOS) for obtaining sensor observations, Sensor Planning Service (SPS) for tasking sensors, Web Notification Service (WNS) for asynchronous dialogues and Sensor Alert Service

Northwest Asia - gas market outlook: LNG vs. pipeline gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keun Wook Paik

1996-01-01

The share of natural gas in Northeast Asia's energy mix is quite low despite that the region currently dominates the world LNG trade. In the long term, the region's rapid expansion of gas demand in the coming decades looks very likely, but the LNG dominance in the region's gas market will collapse in parallel with the introduction of a long distance pipeline gas. The most likely timing of pipeline gas introduction in Northeast Asian gas market seems to be during the second half of the next decade. (Author)

Central Asia earthquake catalogue from ancient time to 2009

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalya N. Mikhailova

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In this work, we present the seismic catalogue compiled for Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in the framework of the Earthquake Model Central Asia (EMCA project. The catalogue from 2000 B.C. to 2009 A.D. is composed by 33,034 earthquakes in the MLH magnitude (magnitude by surface waves on horizontal components widely used in practice of the former USSR countries range from 1.5 to 8.3. The catalogue includes both macroseimic and instrumental constrained data, with about 32,793 earthquake after 1900 A.D. The main sources and procedure used to compile the catalogues are discussed, and the comparison with the ISC-GEM catalogue presented. Magnitude of completeness analysis shows that the catalogue is complete down to magnitude 4 from 1959 and to magnitude 7 from 1873, whereas the obtained regional b value is 0.805.

Bottom-up design of a gas futures market in East Asia: Lessons from the Dojima rice exchange

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xunpeng Shi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The natural gas market in East Asia remains fragmented without a functioning benchmark price to duly reflect the dynamics of demand and supply forces in the region. A functional regional gas futures market, which is highly dependent on the presence of well-developed physical spot trading, is yet to be established. Since the intra-regional pipeline connection is largely non-existent in East Asia, it is the LNG spot cargo trading that is likely to become the basis for the regional gas futures market. This paper offers a novel approach to understanding the development of such a market by analyzing the experience of a different commodity market – the Dojima Rice Exchange (DRE – and identifying potentially transferrable lessons in the market design and the role of government regulations. Based on the case study analysis, implications for the development of natural gas trading hubs in East Asia are offered and an LNG futures exchange design is put forward.

Internal and external dynamics of regional cooperation in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirzokhid Rakhimov

2010-07-01

Challenges of the 21-century require a broader partnership and cooperation. Future prospects of multilateral regional and international cooperation in Central Asia will depend on correlations of national, regional and global interests. It is necessary first of all strong dialogs between Central Asian republics itself. Central Asian geopolitical, economic and security challenges are connected and solution could come jointly. Future regional cooperation, strong international partnership would promote more stability, economic reforms and democratization to region and beyond.

SEM in Central Asia: A Look at Professional Needs in the Region

Science.gov (United States)

Chekmareva, Larissa M.

2013-01-01

Private tuition-dependent universities in Central Asia compete for fee-paying students not only within the country and the region, but also internationally--in the CIS, East Asia, Europe, and the United States. In the universities where state financial support is limited or unavailable, steady student enrollment is the key to budget, development,…

7 CFR 1032.2 - Central marketing area.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Central marketing area. 1032.2 Section 1032.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE CENTRAL MARKETING AREA Order Regulating...

The Geopolitics of Central Asia after the Annexation of Crimea in 2014

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Razma Ainis

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The annexation of Crimea accomplished by Russia in 2014 is the event that stands out sharply in the context of post-Cold War international relations: it was the first time after the end of WWII in Europe that a part of the territory of a sovereign state was forcefully annexed. This means that the re-drawing of borders and revisionism are back in international relations as the principles and ways of policy making. It would be plausible to assume that the consequences of an event of such scale would be noticeable not only in its direct neighborhood but as well in more distant, though geopolitically sensitive contexts. The article explores the impact that Russia‘s Crimea campaign has had on the geopolitics of Central Asia and what consequences could be deemed plausible in the future. It is assumed that, due to the annexation of Crimea, international relations started polarizing around the two centers of power: the West and Russia. This trend brings the mentality of strategic confrontation back into international relations. The polarization seemingly becomes a geopolitical factor, which influences the power dynamics in Central Asia in its cultural-informational, military and economic aspects. From the cultural-informational perspective, the polarization is incompatible with the provisions of multivector foreign policies, and pursued by the Central Asian states; therefore, they attempt to neutralize the trend by withholding from taking clear-cut positions with regard to the Ukrainian events. Such a stance, however, does not provide for hedging against military threats, which are perceived as rather real in Central Asia because of the Russian modus operandi in Ukraine, as well as due to the seemingly catalyzing impact of current Russian policies on the local separatist forces and radical Islamic groups. Apprehension about a replication of a Crimean scenario as well as the asymmetric character of military threat may push the Central Asian states to

EXCHANGE RATE PASS-THROUGH INTO IMPORT PRICES:EVIDENCE FROM CENTRAL ASIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gulnara Moldasheva

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper estimates the degree of exchange rate pass-through (ERPT intoimport prices for Central Asiacountries over period 1995q11-2012q11 years.The additional study was done for Kazakhstan to determine the impact ofmoney regulating policy into short-run and long-run ERPT. The study ofERPT was done by employing cointegration analysis across five central Asiacountries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.The paper analyzes three opportunities ofthe transmission of the export costinto ERPT using production price indices(PPI of three major trading partnersof Central Asia countries: PPI of Russia, PPI of Turkey and PPI of China.In case with PPI of Russia the resultsshowed, that ERPT is extended beyondof 1 for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.Incomplete ERPT is indicated forTajikistan and Turkmenistan, and zero ERPT is indicated for Uzbekistan. Incase with PPI of Turkey, the elasticitiesof extent ERPT intoimport prices aremore higher then in case with PPI ofRussia, and elasticities for all CentralAsia countries are negative and significant. In case with PPI of China,incomplete ERPT is indicated for all Central Asia countries, except theKyrgyzstan, which has extended ERPT. In all cases this study showed thesignificance of ERPT, except only two cases for Kazakhstan and Tajikistanwith PPI of China. Also interesting, those elasticities ofERPT with PPI ofChina are lower comparing with othercases. In the special study of moneyregulation policy only for Kazakhstan theshort-run and long-run elasticities ofERPT are incomplete with PPI of Russia and PPI of Turkey, and they areextended with PPI of China.

Pengaruh Kualitas Pelayanan Terhadap Kepuasan Nasabah Di Pt. Bank Central Asia (Bca Tbk Cabang Undaan Surabaya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yulian Belinda Rahmawati

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This study aims to determine the effect of Quality of Service Characteristics on Customer Satisfaction in the PT. Bank Central Asia (BCA Branch Surabaya Undaan. The sampling in this study using stratified sampling (Stratified Random Sampling. Analysis techniques that are used are double linear regression. The calculation result shows that the quality of services simultaneous effect on customer satisfaction in PT. Bank Central Asia (BCA Branch Surabaya Undaaan. The quality of services that include variables Responsiveness, Tangibles, Empathy, Assurance, and Reliability in a partial effect on customer satisfaction in PT. Bank Central Asia (BCA Branch Surabaya undaaan.

Intensity of Price and Volatility Spillover Effects in Asia-Pacific Basin Equity Markets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sazali Abidin

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the intensity of price and volatility spillover effects in five major stock markets within the Asia Pacific basin region with a particular emphasis in the spillover effects between Australia and China. VAR(5 model is used for measuring the return spillover while AR/VAR model with exogenous variables is employed for measuring the effects of same day returns on return spillover. .In modelling the volatility spillover, we employ AR/GARCH model which also incorporates the same day effects. Results of both return and volatility spillover provide evidence that there are significant spillover effects across different markets in the Asia-Pacific region and as well as between Australia and China. This study also provides support to the view that a market is most affected by other markets that opens/closes just before it. The main contribution of this paper is the confirmation of spillover effects between markets in the region, in particular, the interdependence between Australia and China which may have evolved only recently and thus have received relatively little research attention to date.

Monetary policy efficiency in the economies of Central Asia

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Isakova, Asel

2008-01-01

Roč. 58, 11-12 (2008), s. 525-553 ISSN 0015-1920 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : monetary policy * Central Asia * dollarization Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 0.275, year: 2008 http://journal.fsv.cuni.cz/storage/1147_str_525_553_-_isakova.pdf

Penerapan Business Continuity Pada Bank Central Asia

OpenAIRE

Chandra, Keefe Darius

2017-01-01

Banks are financial institutions that have a major impact on the economic system and can affect people's lives. Hence, regulators concerned in organizing business continuity of the banking industries. PT. Bank Central Asia, Tbk. (BCA) represents businesses in the banking sector that can not escape from the natural and man threats which can interfere the bank's business. This case study presents a glimpse of how the business continuity run in BCA. Moreover, business continuity in banking can n...

Market structure, financial intermediation and riskiness of banks:Evidence from Asia Pacific

OpenAIRE

Soedarmono , Wahyoe; Tarazi , Amine

2014-01-01

From a sample of commercial banks in Asia Pacific over the 1994-2009 period, this study highlights that banks in less competitive markets exhibit lower loan growth and higher instability. Such instability is further followed by a decline in deposit growth, suggesting that Asian banks are also subject to indirect market discipline mechanisms through bank market structure. This study therefore sheds light on the importance of enhancing bank competition to overcome bank risk and strengthen finan...

Transition in Central Asia: Growth with Increasingly Greater Inequality?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Max Spoor

2005-10-01

Full Text Available This article analyses the economic evolution of the former Soviet states of Central Asia since their independence, especially in regard to growth and in comparison with growing inequality. The following topics are considered: first of all, the initial conditions in whichthe economic transition of these countries began; secondly, the transformations of widely varying scope (different “routes of transition” that these economies have experienced, from an almost non-reform (Turkmenistan or a gradual or partial reform (Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, to a large-scale reform (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan; and thirdly, the economic performance of the Central Asian states, which, with the exception of Uzbekistan, has been quite poor and has generated what we could call two kinds of “duality”: one which is generated by the expansion of extracting industries (oil, gas and metals, to the detriment of other sectors fundamental to the countries’ development, and another one originating from the growingunequal distribution of income among the population. While the first of these “dualities” cannot be maintained as a long-term development strategy, the second one could culminate in social agitation and instability, even in the medium term, which could contribute to thedestabilisation of the already fragile and volatile region of Central Asia.

Natural gas in Asia: Trade, markets and regional institutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vivoda, Vlado

2014-01-01

Natural gas trade in Asia has been dominated by long-established market structures, under which liquefied natural gas (LNG) has remained indexed based on the price of crude oil. High transaction costs in the region in recent years imply that the regional market is sub-optimally organized. Since 2010, the continued prevalence of oil-indexation has had the most adverse effect on Japan, the world’s largest LNG importer. In response, Japan implemented several strategies to challenge traditional LNG pricing mechanisms in the region and ultimately reduce transaction costs. Japan’s efforts include an increase in the share of spot and short-term purchases, sourcing new supplies from the United States under alternative pricing arrangements and driving regional buyer cooperation. This paper evaluates the potential effect of Japan’s LNG strategy on regional pricing in the broader institutional context, arguing that LNG pricing in the region will only partially shift away from oil-indexation by the end of the decade. While recent cooperation among regional LNG importers indicates that there may be scope for change in the regional institutional setting, the degree of cooperation is insufficient to have a profound effect on regional pricing. - Highlights: • Sub-optimal natural gas market outcomes in Asia since 2010. • Asian buyers have challenged oil-indexation in the region. • Concrete evidence of Japan-led buyer cooperation since 2013. • Pricing will only partially shift from oil-indexation by 2020. • Security of supply remains a top policy priority

The Asia Pacific gas market: a question of balance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell Jacobs

1997-01-01

The underlying need for additional supplies of natural gas, both and pipeline and LNG , will be continue to expand in the Asia Pacific region. Spurred by expected development of LNG markets in Thailand,India,and coastal China, the demand for LNG could more than double by 2010. To meet the LNG needs of the future, numerous LNG grass roots and expansion projects are underway or firmly planned. Collectively , these projects could supply nearly million tonnes of additional LNG by 2005-2010. If new geographical markets can not be developed (for whatever reasons) during this time frame, however, some currently planned projects could falter or be under utilized. (Author) 3 figs

The Asia Pacific gas market: a question of balance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobs, Russell [Purvin and Gertz, Inc., Dallas, TX (United States)

1997-06-01

The underlying need for additional supplies of natural gas, both and pipeline and LNG , will be continue to expand in the Asia Pacific region. Spurred by expected development of LNG markets in Thailand,India,and coastal China, the demand for LNG could more than double by 2010. To meet the LNG needs of the future, numerous LNG grass roots and expansion projects are underway or firmly planned. Collectively , these projects could supply nearly million tonnes of additional LNG by 2005-2010. If new geographical markets can not be developed (for whatever reasons) during this time frame, however, some currently planned projects could falter or be under utilized. (Author) 3 figs.

Central Asia, Euro-centrism and Colonialism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nargis T. Nurulla-Khodzhaeva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The following article should not be dismissed as yet another attempt to construct a renewed round ofrevisionism in history. On the contrary, it aims to explore the possibility of scaling down the dominant Eurocentric epistemology that served as a basis for a stereotypical frame of knowledge about Central Asia. The majority of researchers of the region do not deem the need to review the scale of contradictory clashes created by the notion of Eurocentrism. The latter is reflected in numerous articles about the frozen (and sadly deadlock dilemma on why and how were the lands of Tajiks, Uzbeks and Kazakhs divided. By publishing conventional analyses on the region's "clumsy separation", experts illustrate their subaltern, narrowly framed by the colonial world, knowledge and hence, remain as gravestones of the Eurocentric methodology. In the process of such explication, the most important role is allocated to the modern culture, which encouraged the formation of the paradox, represented to us via the paraphrased Soviet aphorism: modernity and coloniality are twin brothers. The initiation of the process of decolonizing the mind within the five republics of the region is possible. One of the solutions involves recognizing the integrity of the pluralist-cycled culture and philosophy of the region. The proposed act will allow shrinking the focus on the knowledge within the limited national units and frames (thus, lessening the degree of'fetishism of the national identity', and rather creating conditions for designing the "bridge", linking different cultures, ideologies and institutional spaces in Central Asia, as a transnational intellectual matrix. The aforementioned theory will provide a basis and structure for empirical facts, and, therefore, drive the researchers from merely constituting to critically thinking, and consequently, inspire to come upon new approaches and fields of study, connecting them with the existing, colonial experiences. It is

Opportunities for renewable energy sources in Central Asia countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Obozov, A.J. [Project KUN (Kyrgyzstan); Loscutoff, W.V. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

1998-07-01

This report presents an overview of the state of conventional energy sources and the potential for development of renewable energy sources in the Central Asia countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. The region has a population of about 50 million in an area of more than four million square kilometers. The per capita gross internal product is more than $2,500, although the economy has been declining the past five years. The area has substantial coal, oil, uranium, and natural gas reserves, although they are not distributed equally among the five countries. Energy production is such that the countries do not have to rely heavily on imports. One of the problems in Central Asia is that the energy prices are substantially below the world prices. This is a factor in development of renewable energy sources. The primary renewable energy resources available are wind in Kazakhstan, solar in the entire region, biomass in Kyrgyzstan, and micro-hydropower stations in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. All of these have the potential to provide a significant amount of the required energy for the region. However, all of the countries have an abundance of various renewable energy resources. To effectively use these resources, however, a number of barriers to their development and commercialization must be overcome. These include low prices of conventional energy sources, absence of legislative support, lack of financing for new technologies, and lack of awareness of renewable energy sources by the population. A number of specific actions are proposed to overcome these barriers. These include establishment of a Central Asia coordinating council for renewable energy, development of a regional renewable energy program, and setting up a number of large demonstration projects. 16 figs.

Review article: Hydrological modeling in glacierized catchments of central Asia - status and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yaning; Li, Weihong; Fang, Gonghuan; Li, Zhi

2017-02-01

Meltwater from glacierized catchments is one of the most important water supplies in central Asia. Therefore, the effects of climate change on glaciers and snow cover will have increasingly significant consequences for runoff. Hydrological modeling has become an indispensable research approach to water resources management in large glacierized river basins, but there is a lack of focus in the modeling of glacial discharge. This paper reviews the status of hydrological modeling in glacierized catchments of central Asia, discussing the limitations of the available models and extrapolating these to future challenges and directions. After reviewing recent efforts, we conclude that the main sources of uncertainty in assessing the regional hydrological impacts of climate change are the unreliable and incomplete data sets and the lack of understanding of the hydrological regimes of glacierized catchments of central Asia. Runoff trends indicate a complex response to changes in climate. For future variation of water resources, it is essential to quantify the responses of hydrologic processes to both climate change and shrinking glaciers in glacierized catchments, and scientific focus should be on reducing uncertainties linked to these processes.

Asia Pacific energy derivatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fusaro, P.C.

1997-09-01

Asia Pacific Energy Derivatives, from FT Energy, is the first report of its kind to examine the growth of energy derivatives within Asia Pacific and their increasing importance within this region. It provides a comprehensive overview of the subject, including analysis of: deregulation as a market driver; the impact of privatisation; the future for energy risk management tools; the unique characteristics of the Asia Pacific energy market; the role of futures exchanges in Asia; existing indexes and their performance; the differences between the Asia Pacific markets and their more mature counterparts in London and New York; non-oil derivatives, project finance and cross commodity arbitrage; the thriving Pacific Rim Over the Counter (OTC) markets. (author)

Central station market development strategies for photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

Federal market development strategies designed to accelerate the market penetration of central station applications of photovoltaic energy system are analyzed. Since no specific goals were set for the commercialization of central station applications, strategic principles are explored which, when coupled with specific objectives for central stations, can produce a market development implementation plan. The study includes (1) background information on the National Photovoltaic Program, photovoltaic technology, and central stations; (2) a brief market assessment; (3) a discussion of the viewpoints of the electric utility industry with respect to solar energy; (4) a discussion of commercialization issues; and (5) strategy principles. It is recommended that a set of specific goals and objectives be defined for the photovoltaic central station program, and that these goals and objectives evolve into an implementation plan that identifies the appropriate federal role.

Retraction and expansion of flock mobility in central asia: costs and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Retraction and expansion of flock mobility in central asia: costs and consequences. Carol Kerven, Ilya Ilych Alimaev, Roy Behnke, Grant Davidson, Leen Franchois, Nurlan Malmakov, Erik Mathijs, Aidos Smailov, Sayat Temirbekov, Iain Wright ...

The Asia-Pacific petroleum market: Critical issues for the 1990s

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fesharaki, F.; Isaak, D.; Yamaguchi, N.

1991-01-01

The late 1980s saw an astonishing turnaround in the Asian oil market. After years of stagnation, three main factors - economic dynamism, lower oil prices and reduced government regulation of the market - resulted in a consumption surge that surprised even those analysts who had predicted such a recovery. The chronically capacity-surplus refining industry saw a leap in profitability, and new construction began. Rapid demand growth spread from the middle distillates to such formerly depressed products as gasoline and fuel oil, and naphtha markets began to expand again as the petrochemical industry resumed rapid growth. At the same time that demand has been rising and demand patterns have been shifting, other changes have begun. A new environmental awareness has taken root in Asia, and new environmental standards are being set almost daily, not only in the richer countries of East Asia, but also in many of the region's developing nations. Unfortunately, traditional sources of low-sulphur oil for power generation may be limited in the coming decade. Despite many new discoveries within the region, Asian crude availability is shrinking, both in terms of availability on the international market and in terms of percentage contribution to regional oil demand. After years of decreasing reliance, the region will face rapid increases in imports from the Persian Gulf in the 1990s. (author). 16 figs, 4 tabs

Energy in Southeast Asia: from Networks to Markets Integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornot-Gandolphe, Sylvie

2017-01-01

Southeast Asia is one of the world's most dynamic regions and experiences strong economic and energy demand growth rates. In this context, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is seeking to interconnect the electric grids and gas networks of the countries through two initiatives, the Asean Power Grid and the Trans-Asean Gas Pipeline, in order to pool resources and optimize energy markets integration in the region

Artemisia communities in arid zones of Uzbekistan (Central Asia)

Science.gov (United States)

Lyubov A. Kapustina; Montserrat Torrell; Joan Valles

2001-01-01

Central Asia, and particularly the former Soviet Middle Asian countries, with more than 180 taxa (45 endemics), is one of the centers of origin and speciation of the genus Artemisia L. (Asteraceae, Anthemideae). Several species of this genus, mainly belonging to subgenus Seriphidium (Besser) Rouy, are shrubs that dominate the landscape and form large communities in...

Implementation of industrial waste heat to power in Southeast Asia: an outlook from the perspective of market potentials, opportunities and success catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chuan; Romagnoli, Alessandro; Kim, Je Young; Azli, Anis Athirah Mohd; Rajoo, Srithar; Lindsay, Andrew

2017-01-01

As an important way to increase industrial energy efficiency, Waste Heat to Power (WHP) technologies have been gaining popularity in recent years. In order to appraise the market potential of WHP technologies in Southeast Asia, a techno-economic assessment for WHP technologies is conducted in this paper. The technical and economic market potential of WHP in Southeast Asia is estimated to be 1788 MW and 1188 MW respectively. The main market drivers and barriers for WHP market expansion in Southeast Asia are also analyzed. Given the fact that WHP is a far cheaper power generation technology as compared with traditional and renewable power generation, the WHP market is expected to increase fast in the coming years. Mounting electricity price from grid, government emissions regulations and subsidies, the integration of WHP products with original equipment manufacturer, capital cost reduction induced by technology development are identified as the key drivers for the market growth. The above arguments are proofed through the analysis of a power plant WHP project in Southeast Asia. - Highlights: • The industrial waste heat resources in Southeast Asia are assessed. • The Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of waste heat to power technologies are calculated. • The market potential of waste heat to power technologies in Southeast Asia is estimated. • The drivers and barriers for waste heat to power market growth are identified. • Policy recommendations to support waste heat to power technologies are made.

Local Technical Resources for Development of Seismic Monitoring in Caucasus and Central Asia - GMSys2009 Data Acquisition System

Science.gov (United States)

Chkhaidze, D.; Basilaia, G.; Elashvili, M.; Shishlov, D.; Bidzinashvili, G.

2012-12-01

Caucasus and Central Asia represents regions of high seismic activity, composing a significant part of Alpine-Himalayan continental collision zone. Natural catastrophic events cause significant damage to the infrastructure worldwide, among these approximately ninety percent of the annual loss is due to earthquakes. Monitoring of Seismic Activity in these regions and adequate assessment of Seismic Hazards represents indispensible condition for safe and stable development. Existence of critical engineering constructions in the Caucasus and Central Asia such as oil and gas pipelines, high dams and nuclear power plants dramatically raises risks associated with natural hazards and eliminates necessity of proper monitoring systems. Our initial efforts were focused on areas that we are most familiar; the geophysical community in the greater Caucuses and Central Asia experiencing many of the same problems with the monitoring equipment. As a result, during the past years GMSys2009 was develop at the Institute of Earth Sciences of Ilia State University. Equipment represents a cost-effective, multifunctional Geophysical Data Acquisition System (DAS) to monitor seismic waves propagating in the earth and related geophysical parameters. Equipment best fits local requirements concerning power management, environmental protection and functionality, the same time competing commercial units available on the market. During past several years more than 30 units were assembled and what is most important installed in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan. GMSys2009 utilizes standard MiniSEED data format and data transmission protocols, making it possible online waveform data sharing between the neighboring Countries in the region and international community. All the mentioned installations were technically supported by the group of engineers from the Institute of Earth Sciences, on site trainings for local personnel in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan was provided creating a

Hydrocarbon-Rich Territories in Central Asia: Producing Countries, Exporting Enclaves or Transit Countries?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurelia Mañé

2005-10-01

Full Text Available This article aims to qualify the different analyses and currents of opinion that are circulating with respect to Central Asia’s capacity to become one of the main exporters of hydrocarbons in the next decade. For this, it first examines whether or not, in quantitativeterms, the hydrocarbon-rich territories of Central Asia can become one of the main suppliers on a world scale; secondly, it explains why the countries of Central Asia will play a necessarily different role on the international energy scene than that played by the OPEC countries; and, finally, it indicates what the relevance of this area could be in the organisation (structure of the contemporary international energy scene. In this sense, it discusses not producing countries, but rather countries of passage.

The quest for the oil and gas infrastructure protection in central Asia : time bombs and policy options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bi, J. [Carleton Univ., Ottawa, ON (Canada). Norman Paterson School of International Affairs

2006-03-15

The growing economies of China and India have increased global anxieties over dwindling fossil fuel resources. Regional countries in central Asia have advocated for more extensive strategic partnerships within the oil and gas industry as insurance against the pressures of more powerful nations. However, non-traditional threats such as terrorism raise serious questions about critical oil and gas infrastructure protection in central Asia. This paper assessed the vulnerability and threats inherent in protecting the critical oil and gas infrastructure of Central Asia, with a specific focus on Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the region of Xinjiang in China. An-depth analysis of the development strategies, terrorist threats, and water issues confronted by Central Asian powers was conducted to demonstrate their vulnerability. The analysis was then used to consider options available for managing oil and gas infrastructure in the regions. It was observed that different perceptions and technological difficulties have made cooperation on critical oil and gas infrastructure protection less important than national sovereignty and domestic stability. It was concluded that a low-key approach to homeland security and oil and gas infrastructure may be the best strategy for Central Asia and China. 44 refs.

Towards a Single Market: A 21st Century Vision for Asia Pacific Economic Integration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Elek

2010-06-01

Full Text Available APEC leaders can take pride in progress towards free and open trade. There will always be more to do to integrate Asia Pacific economies. 2010 is the time to look beyond border barriers to trade and adopt a new post-Bogor vision of a single market. Traditional border barriers to trade in some sensitive products remain costly, but affect only a rapidly shrinking part of international commerce. Today, it is more efficient to concentrate on problems of communications and logistics, combined with the lack of efficiency, transparency and sometimes arbitrary implementation of economic policies in different economies. The effective constraint on collective action to deal with these problems is not political will. It is limited capacity to design and implement the necessary policy reform. Creating the necessary capacity needs a unifying vision to deal all obstacles to genuine economic integration, that is, to build a single market. In doing so, Asia Pacific governments can learn from the European Union experience. But they need to promote ever-deeper economic integration without relying on a supra-national authority. Like free and open trade, a single market is a vision which can only be approached, rather than reached by any deadline－it is a point of reference for the many things that need to be done to integrate Asia Pacific economies in a meaningful way. Asia Pacific governments should be encouraged to set their own medium-term targets for progress towards well-defined ingredients of a single market. Strict selection criteria should be used to identify options for cooperation which build on what APEC is already doing and which are in line with the priorities of most member economies. An ambitious program to enhance the efficiency of supply chains could set a successful example and generate the confidence to do more.

Environmental Aesthetics, Social Engagement and Aesthetic Experiences in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Breed, Amanda

2015-01-01

In this essay, I explore the Youth Theatre for Peace (YTP) project in relation to environmental aesthetics and engaged participatory practices towards tolerance building in Central Asia. My main argument is that cultural histories of storytelling, "manas" (an oral and now literary Kyrgyz epic) and trickster tales incorporate ideas and…

Diversity of the Mountain Flora of Central Asia with Emphasis on Alkaloid-Producing Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karimjan Tayjanov

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The mountains of Central Asia with 70 large and small mountain ranges represent species-rich plant biodiversity hotspots. Major mountains include Saur, Tarbagatai, Dzungarian Alatau, Tien Shan, Pamir-Alai and Kopet Dag. Because a range of altitudinal belts exists, the region is characterized by high biological diversity at ecosystem, species and population levels. In addition, the contact between Asian and Mediterranean flora in Central Asia has created unique plant communities. More than 8100 plant species have been recorded for the territory of Central Asia; about 5000–6000 of them grow in the mountains. The aim of this review is to summarize all the available data from 1930 to date on alkaloid-containing plants of the Central Asian mountains. In Saur 301 of a total of 661 species, in Tarbagatai 487 out of 1195, in Dzungarian Alatau 699 out of 1080, in Tien Shan 1177 out of 3251, in Pamir-Alai 1165 out of 3422 and in Kopet Dag 438 out of 1942 species produce alkaloids. The review also tabulates the individual alkaloids which were detected in the plants from the Central Asian mountains. Quite a large number of the mountain plants produce neurotoxic and cytotoxic alkaloids, indicating that a strong chemical defense is needed under the adverse environmental conditions of these mountains with presumably high pressure from herbivores.

Constrained Magnetostratigraphic Dating of a Continental Middle Miocene Section in the Arid Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verena Verestek

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The Neogene succession of the Aktau Mountains in the Ili Basin, southeast Kazakhstan, is a terrestrial archive well suited for researching the role of Central Asia in Miocene climate evolution. We present an integrated approach for dating the well-exposed Bastau Formation, based on magnetostratigraphy and constraints from cyclostratigraphy and biostratigraphy. Stepwise demagnetization yielded characteristic remanence directions that are consistent with those expected for the Miocene in Central Asia. The reddish-colored alluvial floodplain deposits and gray lacustrine deposits show partly complex magnetic behavior with magnetite and hematite as the main magnetic carriers, with variable demagnetization behavior and non-dipolar normal and reverse polarity directions. The observed magnetic properties are best explained by depositional variability and magneto-mineralogical alteration effects of both dissolution and neo-formation of magnetite, including significant secondary magnetization. The mean of reverse polarity directions is flatter than the expected Middle Miocene Earth magnetic field, which is an indicator for the existence of inclination shallowing that supports a primary origin. Detailed rock magnetic analyses are used to analyze the nature of the characteristic remanent magnetization and to discriminate primary and secondary remanence directions in order to obtain a reliable magnetostratigraphic result. The proposed age of 15.3–13.9 Ma for the Bastau Formation corresponds to the known biostratigraphic setting, matches with typical sedimentation rates of foreland basins in Central Asia, and coincides with spectral analysis of geochemical proxies of that section. The resulting age model serves as a robust framework for paleoclimate reconstruction of Neogene climate dynamics in Central Asia.

Political and Legal Bases of Foreign Policy Activity of the European Union in the Region of Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Turdimurat M. Tursunmuratov

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The author analyses the European Union’s foreign policy in Central Asia. He indicates the basic tendencies of development of the EU cooperation with the countries of Central Asian region. Further, the author analyzes the implementation of joint projects within the framework adopted by the Partnership Agreements. Based on a critical analysis, the researcher highlights a number of constraints to effective development of relations between the EU and Central Asian states. He carries out a structural analysis of conceptual documents of the European Union for the development of bilateral and multilateral relations with Central Asian countries in the region. Scientific novelty of this work lies in the systematization of stages in the evolution of relations between the European Union and the countries of Central Asia. The author divides the formation of cooperation into four main stages. The first stage of the relations between the EU and the countries of Central Asia includes conceptual framework of the legal regulatory structure of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. The second stage is characterized by the realization of a number of joint projects in the field of transport communications, democratic transformations, regional security and stability. The third stage of the relations is determined by acquiring of special geographical significance of the region of Central Asia resulting from the engagement of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in 2001. The fourth stage has begun in 2015 with the adoption of the EU Strategy for a New Partnership with Central Asia for 2017-2021. These studies serve as a basis for developing some important proposals and recommendations for the improvement of the effectiveness of cooperation between the parties.

Abrupt climatic events recorded by the Ili loess during the last glaciation in Central Asia: Evidence from grain-size and minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yougui; Zeng, Mengxiu; Chen, Xiuling; Li, Yue; Chang, Hong; An, Zhisheng; Guo, Xiaohua

2018-04-01

The loess record of Central Asia provides an important archive of regional climate and environmental changes. In contrast to the widely investigated loess deposits in the Chinese Loess Plateau, Central Asian loess-paleosol sequences remain poorly understood. Here, we present an aeolian loess section in the southern Ili Basin. Based on granularity and mineralogical analyses, we reconstruct climatic changes during the last glaciation. The results indicated that most of the abrupt climatic events (such as Dansgaard-Oeschger events and Heinrich events) were imprinted in this loess section, although their amplitudes and ages showed some differences. Compared with the millennial oscillations recoded in loess and stalagmites in East Asia, the arid Central Asia responded more sensitively to the warming events than to the cooling events. The shifting trajectory of westerlies across Central Asia played an important role in dust deposition during the stadials. The North Atlantic climatic signals may have been transmitted from Central Asia to the East Asian monsoon regions via the westerlies.

An improbable partnership: Spanish and Kazakh efforts to bring Central Asia to the fore of European politics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Licinia Simao

2010-05-01

Full Text Available El artículo discute sobre el potencial de la actual Presidencia española del Consejo de la UE y la Presidencia kazaja de la OSCE para coordinar esfuerzos en convertir a Asia Central en un área de interés más prominente para la política europea. Aporta un análisis de los intereses y de las principales áreas de interacción de las dos organizaciones en Asia Central y propone una reflexión sobre el impacto que tan improbable asociación podría tener en cambiar las perspectivas mutuas y en desarrollar una visión a largo plazo para la UE y la OSCE en Asia Central.

CWRD: ICT in Education: Central and West Asia Executive

OpenAIRE

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

2012-01-01

This publication presents and analyzes the major conclusions of research conducted in Central and West Asia in 2006 through 2011 to ascertain the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) investments on education. It presents a critical overview of the effectiveness of ICT policies and strategies in basic education in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with shorter studies on Afghanistan, Armenia, Georgia, and Pakistan. Among its many impo...

Aridity of Central Asia through the Holocene

Science.gov (United States)

Aizen, E. M.; Aizen, V. B.; Mayewski, P. A.; Zhou, H.; Rodda, C.; Joswiak, D.; Takeuchi, N.; Fujita, K.; Kurbatov, A.; Grigholm, B. O.

2017-12-01

The dynamics of aridity in Central Asia for over the past 12,000 years has been analyzed using deep ice core records recovered from the Siberian Altai, Tien Shan and Pamir glaciers. An analysis of aridity in the 20-21 centuries based on the long-term meteorological observations complements the paleo- climate reconstruction. The goal of our research is to examine an aridity (at low and high temperatures) in Central Asia as a complex of characteristics including air temperature-precipitation relationship (Koppen, 1918, Geiger, 1961, Mezencev, 1973), intensity of dust loading and biomass burning. The stable isotope ratio, soluble ionic and insoluble particulate geochemical components and oxalate preserved in ice were considered in relation to climatic and environmental changes; and to determine the main aerosol sources using ground- and upper-level meteorological data. Multivariate statistical methods were employed for examination of the main geo-chemical components responsible for the preserved aridity variability. Insoluble particle concentrations preserved in the ice core were affected mainly by precipitation regimes and wind speed. Concentration of all size particles was found to be negatively correlated with monthly temperatures indicating low temperatures during the dry particle deposition. Two abrupt depletions in stable isotope records, i.e., Younger Dryas and Centurial Sever Drought (CSD), occurred during cold, dry, windy periods of intensified dust storms in large desert areas. When climate became colder and drier, the Central Asian deserts extended, wind speeds increased loading mineral dust to atmosphere, which formed inversion while the convection processes and precipitation occurrence were limited. Warmer and wetter conditions are associated with less dust loading that occurred during the Holocene climate optimum, medieval warm and modern warm periods. The sudden climate transitions are accompanied by the most intensifying mineral dust loading. From the

Building a Higher Education Area in Central Asia: challenges and prospects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ann Katherine Isaacs

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In recent years, for a variety of reasons, higher education has begun to be considered much more frequently than previously in terms of ‘regions’, or ‘macro-regions’. Although for decades countries sharing some characteristics, or perceived as geographically or culturally closely related to each other, have promoted forms of cooperation between their higher education institutions (with varying degrees of success, it is now widely accepted that to ‘count’ on the world stage, it is useful for single countries, and especially for smaller countries, to work together with a view to making their systems better able to interact and hopefully to promote, increase and make visible their merits. Of course, in higher education as in many other fields, the regions or macro-regions are not defined once and for all, but are the result of stronger or weaker ad hoc groupings which take into account different factors in different contexts. Central Asia is one such potential region: it does not have unquestioned boundaries, but like other macro-regions, and more so than most, it can be understood and constructed in different ways. A current shared understanding of ‘Central Asia’ is that it is formed by the 4 ex-Soviet Republics of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, plus Kazakhstan. Over the last decade the possibility of building a Higher Education Area in those five republics has been explored, and a large-scale project which uses Tuning methodology to this end is under way. This project, called TuCAHEA (“Towards a Central Asian Higher Education Area: Tuning Structures and Building Quality Culture”, has already elaborated a Central Asian list of Generic Competences and eight Subject Area Groups have formulated their Reference Points and Guidelines. The five Ministries of the five countries have signed a Communiqué indicating their intention to collaborate more closely; a pilot student mobility scheme is soon

Atmospheric Transport of Arid Aerosol from Desert Regions of Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Boris; Solomon, Paul; Sitnov, Sergei; Grechko, Evgeny; Maximenkov, Leonid; Artamonova, Maria; Pogarski, Fedor

2010-05-01

Investigation of atmospheric transport of arid aerosol from Central Asia was held within the ISTC project 3715. Particular attention was paid to the removal of aerosol from the Aral Sea region and its further transport, because aerosol and pollutants emission from Central Asia affect the airspace of the entire Asian continent. At the same time measurements of aerosols in the atmosphere of Central Asia are holding in a small number of stations, and currently available data are insufficient to define the initial conditions and/or verification of models of long-range transport. To identify sources of pollution transported from Central Asia, in Kyrgyzstan measurement and sampling of air were organized: at the station on the northern slope of the Kirgiz Range, 30 km south of Bishkek, at an altitude of 1700 m above sea level (Bishkek Site, 42,683N; 74,694E ), and on permanent alpine Teploklyuchenka lidar station in the Central Tien Shan at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level (Lidar Site, 42,467N; 78,533E). The chemical analysis of collected aerosol and soils samples was carried out. Measurements of aerosol at these stations have been merged with the simulation of the trajectories of air masses in the study region and with the satellite (the Terra and Aqua satellites) observations of aerosol optical thickness in this region. Satellite data for the region 43-47 N, and 58-62 E (Aral Sea) from April 2008 to September 2009 were analyzed. The moments were selected, when the value of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) was greatest (more than 0.5), and the transport from the Aral Sea region to the observation sites took place. For each of these days, the forward trajectories, which started at 6 points within the region, were calculated using the HYSPLIT model. The days, on which the trajectories reached the BISHKEK and LIDAR sites, were determined from the data obtained. Calculations on the basis of the RAMS model were performed for these days. These calculations were performed

Bottom-up design of a gas futures market in East Asia: Lessons from the Dojima rice exchange

OpenAIRE

Shi, Xunpeng; Li, Yanfei; Reshetova, Elena

2017-01-01

The natural gas market in East Asia remains fragmented without a functioning benchmark price to duly reflect the dynamics of demand and supply forces in the region. A functional regional gas futures market, which is highly dependent on the presence of well-developed physical spot trading, is yet to be established. Since the intra-regional pipeline connection is largely non-existent in East Asia, it is the LNG spot cargo trading that is likely to become the basis for the regional gas futures m...

Are South East Asia Countries Capital Markets Characterized by Nonlinear Structures? An Investigation from Indonesia, Philippine and Singapore Capital Market Indices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minarnita Yanti Verawati Bakara

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This research paper tries to detect the nonlinear structure in the South East Asia Countries Capital Markets. The capital markets of three South East Asia Countries are chosen: Indonesia, Philippine, and Singapore. Daily return data of Capital Markets composite indices are observed: Straits Times Index (STI of Singapore Exchange from January 04, 1985 to December 31, 2007, Pilipino Stock Exchange Index (PSEi of Philippines Stock Exchange from March 1, 1990 to December 31, 2007 and Jakarta Composite Index (JCI of Indonesia Stock Exchange from January 05, 1988 to December 31, 2007.Should nonlinearity be found, the outcomes of each observation are compared to analyze the implications of each country in global, regional and local position of their competition in the continuously changing world of interdependency environment. The implications of nonlinearity finding in the three ASEAN countries capital markets to the current issues of AFAS on Financial Services, Harmonization among ASEAN countries capital markets in the ASEAN region and ASEAN integration and liberalization on Financial Services are analyzed.BDS statistic and R/S Analysis as our tools for nonlinearity testing are applied. Nonlinearity evidences in Jakarta Composite Index, Pilipino Stock Exchange Index and Straits Times Index are found.

The Navruz experiment. Cooperative monitoring for radionuclides and metals in Central Asia transboundary rivers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barber, D.S.; Betsill, J.D.; Mohagheghi, A.H.; Passell, H.D.; Yuldashev, B.; Salikhbaev, U.; Djuraev, A.; Vasiliev, I.; Solodukhin, V.

2005-01-01

In March of 2000, scientists from four nuclear physics research institutes in the Central Asia Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, and the U.S. Sandia National Laboratories embarked on a three-year cooperative transboundary river monitoring experiment. The experiment, named Navruz (meaning 'new beginning'), uses standardized methods to monitor basic water quality parameters, radionuclides, and metals in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers. Overall, the project addresses three main goals: (1) to help increase capabilities in Central Asian nations for sustainable water resources management; (2) to provide a scientific basis for supporting nuclear transparency and non-proliferation in the region; and (3) to help reduce the threat of conflict in Central Asia over water resources. Contamination of these rivers is a result of growing population, urbanization, agricultural uses, and radioactive and metals contamination from a legacy of uranium mining, industry, and other activities of the former Soviet Union. The project focuses on waterborne radionuclides and metals because of the importance of these contaminants to public health and political stability in Central Asia. Moreover, the method of enabling scientists from bordering countries to study a transboundary problem, can lead to a greater scientific understanding, consensus on necessary mitigation steps, and ultimately the political resolution of the issue. The project scope, approach, and preliminary results are presented. (author)

Central Asia’s Shrinking Connectivity Gap: Implications for U.S. Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

2014-11-01

regional integration and protectionism often centered around a number of economic poles represented by established and rising powers like Brazil , Russia...Central Asia, with major investments in construction, food production, hotel management, financial servic- es, energy, information technology (IT), and

From Central Asia to South Africa: In Search of Inspiration in Rock Art Studies

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Rozwadowski Andrzej

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The paper describes the story of discovering South African rock art as an inspiration for research in completely different part of the globe, namely in Central Asia and Siberia. It refers to those aspect of African research which proved to importantly develop the understanding of rock art in Asia. Several aspects are addressed. First, it points to importance of rethinking of relationship between art, myth and ethnography, which in South Africa additionally resulted in reconsidering the ontology of rock images and the very idea of reading of rock art. From the latter viewpoint particularly inspiring appeared the idea of three-dimensionality of rock art ‘text’. The second issue of South African ‘origin,’ which notably inspired research all over the world, concerns a new theorizing of shamanism. The paper then discusses how and to what extent this new theory add to the research on the rock art in Siberia and Central Asia.

Retail Market Structure Development in Central Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Machek

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This article is analyzing the trends and development in the retailing sector in Central Europe, namely in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. These markets serve about 63 million inhabitants. The retail industry in Central Europe has changed dramatically in the last two decades, and has become a model for successful transformation of emerging markets. The retail market is highly concentrated and dominated by Western European retail chains. International retail chains are using all formats of modern distribution. This article is focusing on the development of hypermarkets, supermarkets and discount stores. Due to the international retail chains, Central European countries benefit from a dense network of modern shopping places; the intense competition of highly productive retailers contributes to the lower level of inflation rate because of the so-called Wal-Mart Effect. The constant pressure on prices influences the marketing strategies of both retailers and suppliers.

Power market restructuring in Asia : Russia, China, India, and Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammons, T.J.; Zhong, J.; Mukhopadhyay, S.; Kurihara, I.

2008-01-01

Many countries are now in the process of deregulating their power industries in order to promote growth and competitiveness. This paper discussed power market restructuring activities in Russia, China, India and Japan. Economic convergence points in Russian and Asian power markets were reviewed. The state of Russia and China's power industry after the implementation of recent power restructuring initiatives was discussed. Technical characteristics of the industries were evaluated, and market development plans were outlined. Regional electricity markets in Asia were discussed, as well as issues related to domestic and foreign investment. Institutional reforms were reviewed, and individual outlines of revisions for the power industries of the 4 countries were presented. The study demonstrated that structuring processes vary from country to country. Differences in restructuring patterns were attributed to economic differences; country-specific features established within the electric power industry; and attitudes towards deregulation. It was concluded that the reforms adopted by the countries will lead to the expansion of national electric power systems. 23 refs., 4 tabs., 6 figs

Subjective Well-being Across the Lifespan in Europe and Central Asia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bauer, Jan Michael; Levin, Victoria; Munoz Boudet, Ana Maria

2017-01-01

Using data from the Integrated Values Survey (IVS), the Life in Transition Survey (LiTS), and the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS), we analyse the relation between age and subjective well-being in the World Bank’s Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region and compare it to that in Western......-cohort variation....

Did Focusing on Asia Pacific Emerging Markets Provide Much Benefit to Portfolio Diversification during the Late 2000s Recession?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bambang Hermanto

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This research studies the international co-movement among Asia Pacific emerging markets stock price indices during the late 2000s recession by using the monthly observations start from 1st October 2001 until 1st April 2011. The co-integration analysis and parsimonious Vector Error Correction Model employed in this research reveal a long-term relationship and inter-dependencies among seven Asia Pacific emerging market stock price indices. This research finds that the unique co-integration exists on the equations. Specifically, two indices from China and Taiwan having meteor shower potential while the rest indices from Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia are known to have heat waves effects or country specific factors on the equation. Finally, all the results are linked to the international diversification strategies. Keywords: Co-movement, co-integration, emerging market, heat waves, meteor shower, Asia Pacific, inter-dependencies, Vector Error Correction Model, international diversification

Regional fire monitoring and characterization using global NASA MODIS fire products in dry lands of Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Loboda, Tatiana V.; Giglio, Louis; Boschetti, Luigi; Justice, Christopher O.

2012-06-01

Central Asian dry lands are grass- and desert shrub-dominated ecosystems stretching across Northern Eurasia. This region supports a population of more than 100 million which continues to grow at an average rate of 1.5% annually. Dry steppes are the primary grain and cattle growing zone within Central Asia. Degradation of this ecosystem through burning and overgrazing directly impacts economic growth and food supply in the region. Fire is a recurrent disturbance agent in dry lands contributing to soil erosion and air pollution. Here we provide an overview of inter-annual and seasonal fire dynamics in Central Asia obtained from remotely sensed data. We evaluate the accuracy of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) global fire products within Central Asian dry lands and use these products to characterize fire occurrence between 2001 and 2009. The results show that on average ˜15 million ha of land burns annually across Central Asia with the majority of the area burned in August and September in grasslands. Fire is used as a common crop residue management practice across the region. Nearly 89% of all burning occurs in Kazakhstan, where 5% and 3% of croplands and grasslands, respectively, are burned annually.

Molecular investigations of the bat tick Argas vespertilionis (Ixodida: Argasidae) and Babesia vesperuginis (Apicomplexa: Piroplasmida) reflect "bat connection" between Central Europe and Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hornok, Sándor; Szőke, Krisztina; Görföl, Tamás; Földvári, Gábor; Tu, Vuong Tan; Takács, Nóra; Kontschán, Jenő; Sándor, Attila D; Estók, Péter; Epis, Sara; Boldogh, Sándor; Kováts, Dávid; Wang, Yuanzhi

2017-05-01

Argas vespertilionis is a geographically widespread haematophagous ectoparasite species of bats in the Old World, with a suspected role in the transmission of Babesia vesperuginis. The aims of the present study were (1) to molecularly screen A. vespertilionis larvae (collected in Europe, Africa and Asia) for the presence of piroplasms, and (2) to analyze mitochondrial markers of A. vespertilionis larvae from Central Asia (Xinjiang Province, Northwestern China) in a phylogeographical context. Out of the 193 DNA extracts from 321 A. vespertilionis larvae, 12 contained piroplasm DNA (10 from Hungary, two from China). Sequencing showed the exclusive presence of B. vesperuginis, with 100% sequence identity between samples from Hungary and China. In addition, A. vespertilionis cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 (cox1) and 16S rRNA gene sequences had 99.1-99.2 and 99.5-100% similarities, respectively, between Hungary and China. Accordingly, in the phylogenetic analyses A. vespertilionis from China clustered with haplotypes from Europe, and (with high support) outside the group formed by haplotypes from Southeast Asia. This is the first molecular evidence on the occurrence of B. vesperuginis in Asia. Bat ticks from hosts in Vespertilionidae contained only the DNA of B. vesperuginis (in contrast with what was reported on bat ticks from Rhinolophidae and Miniopteridae). Molecular taxonomic analyses of A. vespertilionis and B. vesperuginis suggest a genetic link of bat parasites between Central Europe and Central Asia, which is epidemiologically relevant in the context of any pathogens associated with bats.

EU-Russia Relations Regarding Water Resources in Central Asia

OpenAIRE

Anastasia Likhacheva

2014-01-01

In Central Asia, the water deficit and water-energy problem have been one of among the most acute and conflict-ridden challenges for the sustainable development of the region and for regional security. Key trade and investment partners, including Russia and the European Union, could play a considerable role in influencing this issue, due to the long-lasting status quo, the inability to find a solution through intra-regional dialogue and the region’s rising dependence on foreign trade. Indeed,...

Identifying and implementing gas-fired private power projects in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mark, R.P.

1993-01-01

The approach to emerging energy markets in Asia of Enron, one of the major independent producers and developers of natural gas, is described. The interest of the company has been stimulated both by the availability of gas resources in Asia and the interest shown in many countries in using natural gas as a fuel for power generation. Possibilities for development are being created by plans for major new pipelines from Russia and the central Asian states and the availability of liquefied natural gas. (UK)

Some aspects of integrated water resources management in central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Khaydarova, V.; Penkova, N.; Pak, E.; Poberejsky, L.; Beltrao, J.

2003-04-01

Two main tasks are to be implemented for elaboration of the governmental water distribution criteria in Central Asia: 1 -development of the common methodological basis for the intergovernmental water distribution; and 2 - to reopen and continue both theoretical and experimental researches of various aspects of the wastewater reuse. The prospects of socio economic development of all Central Asian countries are substantially defined by the water resources availability. The water resources of Central Asia belong, mainly, watersheds of the Syr-Darya and Amu Darya rivers. The basic flow of Amu Darya is formed in territory of Tajikistan. Then the Amu Darya river proceeds along border of Afghanistan with Uzbekistan, crosses Turkmenistan and again comes back to Uzbekistan and then runs into the Aral Sea. The Syr-Darya is second river on the water discharge and is first river on length in Central Asia. The basic flow of Syr Darya is formed in territory of Kyrgyzstan. Then the Syr-Darya river crosses of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and runs into the Aral Sea in territory of Kazakhstan. During the Soviet Union the water resources of two river watersheds were divided among the Central Asian republics on the basis of the general plans developed by the center in Moscow. In the beginning of 90s years, after taking of sovereignty by the former Soviet republics, the unified control system of water resources management was abolished and the various approaches to its transformation caused by features of the national economy developing, elected models of transition from command to market mechanisms of economic activity, and also specificity of political and social processes in each of the states of region were planned. The distinctions of modern priorities of economic development of the states of region have generated the contradiction of interests in the intergovernmental water distribution that can in the long term become complicated even more in connection with the increasing of water

RESOURCES OF MUSICAL EDUCATION IN CENTRAL ASIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feza TANSUĞ

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This essay also gives an idea of recent research trends and topics in music education in Central Asia. It consists of five parts including teaching music history, teaching epics, teaching songs and instrumental music, teaching traditional instruments, and dictionaries and language resources. Because of the extraordinary increase in the number of books published recently, a careful selection has been made in order to keep the references section to an acceptable length. Hence, the bibliography does not embody all of the works of a single author on the topic. This essay covers books and textbooks dealing with the music of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic—two neighboring countries with strong common historical roots and closely related musical traditions. In addition to reviewing textbooks published in Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, this article includes some relevant works by Russian authors. However, the extensive body of works authored by Central Asian scholars abroad was excluded from this essay. It contains references only in Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Russian languages.

Russia's projects and investments in Central Asia: the oil and gas industry

OpenAIRE

Paramonov, Vladimir; Strokov, Aleksei

2008-01-01

In the 1990s, Russia's projects and investments in the Central Asian oil and gas industry were mainly concentrated in Kazakhstan, while its interest in other states of the region were minimal. When Vladimir Putin became Russian president in 2000 and the price of hydrocarbons steadily rose, Central Asia's importance abruptly increased. This caused the Russian Federation and Russian oil and gas companies to drastically step up their activity not only in Kazakhstan, but also in Turkmenistan and ...

HIV/AIDS in the transitional countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Donoghoe, Martin C; Lazarus, Jeff; Matic, Srdan

2005-01-01

In the 1990s, HIV/AIDS became a major threat to health, economic stability and human development in countries in eastern Europe and central Asia. Social, political and economic transition exacerbated the structural conditions that allowed HIV/AIDS to flourish as dramatic changes led to increasing...

Trans-Continental Transport of Air Pollution from Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Granberg, I.; Chen, B.; Carmichael, G.; Solomon, P.; Sofiev, M.; Sitnov, S.; Rubinstein, K.; Maximenkov, L.; Artamonova, M.; Pogarski, F.

2009-04-01

In the frames of ISTC project #3715 for an overview of the year evolution of aerosol in Central Asia the analysis of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) was producing. Monitoring of AOT was making on the base of AOT satellite observation by MODIS devices, located on board of the Terra and Aqua satellites. The region was 34-51 N, and 54-96 E for the year 2007. The analysis revealed that AOT in the region is characterized by pronounced annual pace with the rapid growth of AOT winter, spring peak (τ ~ 0,4), the slow decline of ALO spring to autumn and autumn minimum (τ ~ 0,2). In August a weak secondary maximum of AOT took place. In mid-June and in the first decade of July and August in the region had increased the value of AOT, accompanied by significant increase in AOT volatility. In particular, 8 and 9 August, the average for the region AOT exceeded 0.6. Diagnosis of aerosol emissions was based on an analysis of the spatial and temporal changes of AOT field. Obviously, the spatial scale of data and data discretization in time determines the emissions of power can be diagnosed. The spatial AOT distribution shows that aerosol plumes from the area of the Aral Sea in 2007 were carried out mainly by southeastern and eastern fronts. In the region, there are two major sources of aerosol emissions: one of them located in the south of the Aral Sea and the Kara-Kum desert, and a second, more powerful - over Taklamakan desert. Particularly, data were obtained on the dust storms occurrence of December 15, 2007 in the southern Aral Sea region. In order to detect its influence on the Kyrgyzstan stations dust measurements, simulations of the dust plume from the area of Aral Sea were produced by SILAM model of Finnish Meteorological Institute. Two sets of runs have been performed: forward simulations for estimation of the area affected by the dust elevated by the wind during the storm from the area of Aral Sea. The model has evaluated 5-day dispersion of the plume. The second run

Oil refining and product marketing developments in southeast Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabo, A.M.

1992-01-01

Views on the future are based on supplies from a relatively stable Middle East and continued economic growth in the southeast Asian and Pacific countries. Under these circumstances the oil market for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will expand considerably during the decade of the 90's. Pacific country demand, 5.92 MMB/D, in 1990 is likely to grow to 7.06 MMB/D in 2000. Regional production could supply about 40% of this. The Asia-Pacific shortage of refining capacity could lead to high regional refined product prices and health refining profit margins. (author)

Quantitative Biostratigraphic Analysis of Central Asia with Implications for the Tien Shan of Kyrgyzstan

Science.gov (United States)

McLaughlin, W. N.; Hopkins, S. S.

2013-12-01

Central Asia lies at a nexus both in terms of geology and evolutionary biogeography. With the convergence of the Indian and Asian plates creating high rates of deformation over broad regions, shortening of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic basement rocks has created a rich history of late Cenozoic sedimentary basins. In fact, Kyrgyzstan is the most seismically active country in the world. Additionally, Central Asia is a biogeographic crossroads, facilitating the intercontinental migrations of distant faunas from North American, Europe, Africa, and Southern Asia. With such an active geologic and biological evolution, the usefulness of temporal constraints is apparent. However, the continental collision environment has provided few volcanic rocks suitable for radiometric dating. Therefore, while less precise, the biostratigraphic analysis of Central Asia I present is an ideal method for both establishing ages and correlating between disparate basins. The last several decades provided great advancements in quantitative biostratigraphic methods applied to marine microfossils from drill cores. While these newer methods such as RASC (ranking and scaling), its sister program CASC, and CONOP (constrained optimization) provide a clear improvement over older methods such as graphic correlation, they have yet to be applied to terrestrial vertebrate faunas. Graphic correlation only allows comparison between two stratigraphic columns at a time and is heavily weighted by the initial selection of a type section. Both RASC and CONOP compare all stratigraphic sections simultaneously, eliminating type section bias. Previous vertebrate biostratigraphy methods attempted to predict FADs and LADs with the assumption they are generally minimum estimates. RASC instead establishes average stratigraphic ranges for each taxon and with CASC actually provides confidence intervals for each prediction, reducing the potential error resulting from reworking. CONOP generates maximum stratigraphic ranges

PENGARUH HUBUNGAN KERJA, PENGALAMAN KERJA DAN MOTIVASI KERJA TERHADAP KINERJA KARYAWAN BANK CENTRAL ASIA (BCA CABANG BOROBUDUR, MALANG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laniwidyanti - -

2012-05-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT   This study analyzed effects of working relationship, working experience and working motivation toward the employees’ performance in Bank Central Asia (BCA Branch of Borobudur Malang, either simultaneously or partially, as well as the dominant effect toward performance of the employees. This study was conducted in Bank Central Asia (BCA Branch of Borobudur Malang, including : KCP Lawang, KCP Singosari, KCP Blimbing, KCP Tumpang, with the number of sample 109 persons comprising of 17 managers and 92 employees to identify the effect of working relationship, working experience and working motivation toward the employees’ performance, therefore multiple regression analysis was applied. Results of the study concluded that : (1 The result of the study simultaneously indicated that the variables of the study, working relationship, working experience, and working motivation have significant effect toward the employees’ performance in Bank Central Asia (BCA Branch of Borobudur Malang, (2 The result of the study partially indicated that the respective variables including working relationship, working experience, and working motivation has significant effect toward the employees’ performance in Bank Central Asia (BCA Branch of Borobudur Malang. Among the variables, the dominant one is the variable of working motivation.   Keywords: working relationship, working experience, motivation

Impact of Desiccation of Aral Sea on the Regional Climate of Central Asia Using WRF Model

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Ashish; Huang, Huei-Ping; Zavialov, Peter; Khan, Valentina

2018-01-01

This study explores the impacts of the desiccation of the Aral Sea and large-scale climate change on the regional climate of Central Asia in the post-1960 era. A series of climate downscaling experiments for the 1960's and 2000's decades were performed using the Weather Research and Forecast model at 12-km horizontal resolution. To quantify the impacts of the changing surface boundary condition, a set of simulations with an identical lateral boundary condition but different extents of the Aral Sea were performed. It was found that the desiccation of the Aral Sea leads to more snow (and less rain) as desiccated winter surface is relatively much colder than water surface. In summer, desiccation led to substantial warming over the Aral Sea. These impacts were largely confined to within the area covered by the former Aral Sea and its immediate vicinity, although desiccation of the Sea also led to minor cooling over the greater Central Asia in winter. A contrasting set of simulations with an identical surface boundary condition but different lateral boundary conditions produced more identifiable changes in regional climate over the greater Central Asia which was characterized by a warming trend in both winter and summer. Simulations also showed that while the desiccation of the Aral Sea has significant impacts on the local climate over the Sea, the climate over the greater Central Asia on inter-decadal time scale was more strongly influenced by the continental or global-scale climate change on that time scale.

Mechanisms Of Formation And Development Of Mahalla Centers In Central Asia

OpenAIRE

Sereeva Guljazira

2015-01-01

this article is devoted to the architecture of mahalla where mechanism of its historical formation and evolution planning solutions structural composition are analyzed. In addition an attempt has been made to cover the activity of mahalla neighborhood team in family lifestyle of Central Asias nations from historical and ethnographic viewpoint. Recommendations on increasing the opportunities for efficient use of populated areas.

Generational Politics: Narratives of Power in Central Asia's Visual Culture

OpenAIRE

Khudonazar, Anaita

2011-01-01

This dissertation focuses on the visual representation of generational politics as it changed during Imperial, Soviet and Post Soviet periods. It argues that the most important shift in visual representation of power relations between generations in Central Asia took place in the late 1920s when a group of cultural producers, which this dissertation introduces as Transsoveticus, entered the Soviet art and film industries. This dissertation demonstrates ways in which these artists and filmmak...

NON-TRADITIONAL SECURITY THREATS IN CENTRAL ASIA REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramakant Trivedi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: The article explores the roots and current state of religious extremism in Central Asia, as well as investigates its connections with the global salafi movement. It evaluates attempts of the regional players and external stakeholders to address the existing threats, and provides recommendations for their advancement.

Closing the gap in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meade, W.; Bailly, H.C.

1991-01-01

This article examines the market for independent power plants in Asia and the financing available for these projects. The topics of the article include making room for non-utility generation; the markets in India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand; third-party ownership, 1989 installed capacity, capacity additions 1989-1990, and the outlook for the market in Asia

The interdealer market and the central bank intervention

OpenAIRE

Paula Albuquerque

2005-01-01

This paper studies the consequences of having either an interventionist or a non-interventionist central bank in the foreign exchange market, in a market microstructure framework. Although a simple one-period model is used, it allows the characterization of the effect of the central bank intervention on the behaviour of dealers. The model also identifies the conditions for the dealer that acts as the counterpart of the central bank to be better or worse than the other dealers. The price is ex...

Central Asia in a globalizing world: current trends and prospects

OpenAIRE

Ziadullaev, Nabi

2006-01-01

On the threshold of the 21st century, the strategic importance of the new sovereign states of Central Asia, endowed with huge oil, gas, uranium, gold and other mineral reserves, sharply increased. The newly formed states sought to become independent from Russia and to develop political and economic contacts with other countries on a parity basis. In a short period, they established diplomatic relations with most countries of the world, became members of the United Nations and other internatio...

Radioactive Waste Management in Central Asia - 12034

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhunussova, Tamara; Sneve, Malgorzata; Liland, Astrid [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (Norway)

2012-07-01

After the collapse of the Soviet Union the newly independent states in Central Asia (CA) whose regulatory bodies were set up recently are facing problems with the proper management of radioactive waste and so called 'nuclear legacy' inherited from the past activities. During the former Soviet Union (SU) period, various aspects of nuclear energy use took place in CA republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Activities range from peaceful use of energy to nuclear testing for example at the former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) in Kazakhstan, and uranium mining and milling industries in all four countries. Large amounts of radioactive waste (RW) have been accumulated in Central Asia and are waiting for its safe disposal. In 2008 the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), with the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has developed bilateral projects that aim to assist the regulatory bodies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (from 2010) to identify and draft relevant regulatory requirements to ensure the protection of the personnel, population and environment during the planning and execution of remedial actions for past practices and radioactive waste management in the CA countries. The participating regulatory authorities included: Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Agency, Kyrgyzstan State Agency on Environmental Protection and Forestry, Nuclear Safety Agency of Tajikistan, and State Inspectorate on Safety in Industry and Mining of Uzbekistan. The scope of the projects is to ensure that activities related to radioactive waste management in both planned and existing exposure situations in CA will be carried out in accordance with the international guidance and recommendations, taking into account the relevant regulatory practice from other countries in this area. In order to understand the problems in the field of radioactive waste management we have analysed the existing regulations through

Mechanisms Of Formation And Development Of Mahalla Centers In Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sereeva Guljazira

2015-08-01

Full Text Available this article is devoted to the architecture of mahalla where mechanism of its historical formation and evolution planning solutions structural composition are analyzed. In addition an attempt has been made to cover the activity of mahalla neighborhood team in family lifestyle of Central Asias nations from historical and ethnographic viewpoint. Recommendations on increasing the opportunities for efficient use of populated areas.

The Navruz Project: Cooperative transboundary monitoring data sharing and modeling of water resources in Central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Passell, Howard David; Barber, David S.; Solodukhin, V.; Khazekhber, S.; Pozniak, V.; Vasiliev, I.; Alekhina, V.; Djuraev, Akram; Radyuk, R.; Suozzi, D.

2006-01-01

The Navruz Project engages scientists from nuclear physics research institutes and water science institutions in the Central Asia Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, and Sandia National Laboratories. The project uses standardized methods to monitor basic water quality parameters, radionuclides, and metals in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers. Phase I of the project was initiated in 2000 with 15 sampling points in each of the four countries with sample analysis performed for over 100 parameters. Phase II of the project began in 2003 and expanded sampling to include at least 30 points in each country in an effort to characterize ''hot spots'' and to identify sources. Phase III of the project began in 2006 and will integrate decision support modeling with the existing monitoring. Overall, the project addresses four main goals: to create collaboration among Central Asian scientists and countries; to help increase capabilities in Central Asian nations for sustainable water resources management; to provide a scientific basis for supporting nuclear transparency and nonproliferation in the region; and to help reduce the threat of conflict in Central Asia over water resources. Contamination of these rivers is a result of growing population, urbanization, and agricultural activities, as well as radioactive contamination from a legacy of uranium mining and related activities of the former Soviet Union. The project focuses on waterborne radionuclides and metals because of the importance of these contaminants to public health and political stability in Central Asia.

Characteristics of Fine Particulate Carbonaceous Aerosol at Two Remote Sites in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Central Asia is a relatively understudied region of the world in terms of characterizing ambient particulate matter (PM) and quantifying source impacts of PM at receptor locations, although it is speculated to have an important role as a source region for long-range transport of ...

The Ancient Tatar States in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.G. Klyashtorny

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The article examines the earliest stages of the history of the Tatars. The origins of the Tatars are traced from the collapse of both the Han Empire and the Empire of Xiongnu and are considered during the subsequent periods preceding the emergence of the empire of Genghis Khan. The author argues that the Tatar state appeared long before the Mongol era, providing information on the resettlement of the Tatars in the 9th and 10th centuries, which explains why a century later the Mongols, who occupied the same space, were called the “Tatars” in the Turkic and Muslim environment, as well as in China. This Turkic desig­nation of the Mongols took root not only in Central Asia and the Middle East but also in Russia and Western Europe.

Predicting the risk of avian influenza A H7N9 infection in live-poultry markets across Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Marius; Golding, Nick; Zhou, Hang; Wint, G. R. William; Robinson, Timothy P.; Tatem, Andrew J.; Lai, Shengjie; Zhou, Sheng; Jiang, Hui; Guo, Danhuai; Huang, Zhi; Messina, Jane P.; Xiao, Xiangming; Linard, Catherine; Van Boeckel, Thomas P.; Martin, Vincent; Bhatt, Samir; Gething, Peter W.; Farrar, Jeremy J.; Hay, Simon I.; Yu, Hongjie

2014-01-01

Two epidemic waves of an avian influenza A (H7N9) virus have so far affected China. Most human cases have been attributable to poultry exposure at live-poultry markets, where most positive isolates were sampled. The potential geographic extent of potential re-emerging epidemics is unknown, as are the factors associated with it. Using newly assembled data sets of the locations of 8,943 live-poultry markets in China and maps of environmental correlates, we develop a statistical model that accurately predicts the risk of H7N9 market infection across Asia. Local density of live-poultry markets is the most important predictor of H7N9 infection risk in markets, underscoring their key role in the spatial epidemiology of H7N9, alongside other poultry, land cover and anthropogenic predictor variables. Identification of areas in Asia with high suitability for H7N9 infection enhances our capacity to target biosurveillance and control, helping to restrict the spread of this important disease. PMID:24937647

Monitoring lake level changes by altimetry in the arid region of Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Y.; Liao, J. J.; Shen, G. Z.; Zhang, X. L.

2017-07-01

The study of lake level changes in arid region of Central Asia not only has important significance for the management and sustainable development of inland water resources, but also provides the basis for further study on the response of lakes to climate change and human activities. Therefore, in this paper, eleven typical lakes in Central Asia were observed. The lake edges were obtained through image interpretation using the quasi-synchronous MODIS image, and then water level information with long period (2002-2015) was acquired using ENVISAT/RA-2 and Cryosat-2 satellite borne radar altimeter data. The results show that these 11 lakes all have obvious seasonal changes of water level in a year with a high peak at different month. During 2002 - 2015, their water levels present decreased trend generally except Sarygamysh Lake, Alakol Lake and North Aral Sea. The alpine lakes are most stables, while open lakes’ levels change the most violently and closed lakes change diversely among different lakes.

The Water Efficiency Paradox, a study of Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Merks, Joreen; Bastiaanssen, Wim

2017-04-01

Water scarcity is a rapidly growing concern in the semi-arid areas of Central Asia. Water savings and efficiency improvement programs are promoted as a possibility to save the Aral Sea. The Aral Seas lost 92% of its volume between 1960 and 2009. Projects on rehabilitating the Aral Sea and increasing the efficiency of water use in the irrigation sector are, however, not making progress. In Central Asia, 90% of the water withdrawal is allocated to agriculture. Irrigation efficiency programs often disregard the downstream connectivity of the water flow path. Not all water being applied is consumed by crop evapotranspiration and in fact an equally great portion of water returns back into the river basin system and is reused downstream. This cascade effect implies that results in one location can induce a scarcity of water in another location. The cascade effect in the Syr Darya has been studied by means of the Aral Sea Basin Management Model (ASBMM) designed by SIC-ICWC and remote sensing data produced by UNESCO-IHE. We will demonstrate the impact of increasing irrigation efficiency locally on the overall water consumption in the basin. We will show that efficiency increases with larger areas, and that there are caps to the maximum efficiency at basin scale. Increasing efficiency is thus not self-evident. Classical solutions on promoting increase of efficiency and water savings are therefore outdated and misleads stakeholders. We will look into the misconceptions and challenges in the communication between researchers and policy makers regarding increasing efficiency.

Energy policy, economic cooperation, and sustainable development in Central Asia: the case of Uzbekistan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Djakhangir, S

2005-04-15

This research deals with a number of issues on the transformation process, sustainable development and regional cooperation in Central Asia. These areas of the research are discussed within the three models of development, i.e. national, regional, and global. Within the new concept on stability and conflict prevention, the author attempted to sort out the economic fundamentals affecting contemporary development of the states in the region. The main focus is made on Uzbekistan which is the most populated country in the region and whose socio-political and economic development has substantial impact on the regional situation. The analysis of the country's progress in domestic economic reforms in the past not only defines some conflict areas of development, but also tries to shape those fields where national strategy is confronted with difficulties on the long and pain-staking way from the plan system towards liberal market economy and democratic society. At the sector-specific level, particular attention is paid to the trends in Uzbekistan's energy sector. Simultaneously the work argues that national policy decisions in the energy field go much beyond national borders, and strongly correlated to intra-regional relations, as well as to those heated by geopolitical and geoeconomic considerations of the USA, Russia, Iran, China, the EU, and Turkey. Subsequently, the research concludes that Central Asia so far remains mainly as an object of expansion of great geopolitical interests rather than being a sovereign player in international relations. In this regard, sustainable development of the states in the region is expected to depend to a large extent on how the interests of the regional states will be put in line with those of non-regionals. Finally, the research emphasizes that in terms of limited domestic resources, investment and donor activities are desperately needed, both in Uzbekistan and the whole region, to modernize production process, raise efficiency, create

Energy policy, economic cooperation, and sustainable development in Central Asia: the case of Uzbekistan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Djakhangir, S.

2005-04-15

This research deals with a number of issues on the transformation process, sustainable development and regional cooperation in Central Asia. These areas of the research are discussed within the three models of development, i.e. national, regional, and global. Within the new concept on stability and conflict prevention, the author attempted to sort out the economic fundamentals affecting contemporary development of the states in the region. The main focus is made on Uzbekistan which is the most populated country in the region and whose socio-political and economic development has substantial impact on the regional situation. The analysis of the country's progress in domestic economic reforms in the past not only defines some conflict areas of development, but also tries to shape those fields where national strategy is confronted with difficulties on the long and pain-staking way from the plan system towards liberal market economy and democratic society. At the sector-specific level, particular attention is paid to the trends in Uzbekistan's energy sector. Simultaneously the work argues that national policy decisions in the energy field go much beyond national borders, and strongly correlated to intra-regional relations, as well as to those heated by geopolitical and geoeconomic considerations of the USA, Russia, Iran, China, the EU, and Turkey. Subsequently, the research concludes that Central Asia so far remains mainly as an object of expansion of great geopolitical interests rather than being a sovereign player in international relations. In this regard, sustainable development of the states in the region is expected to depend to a large extent on how the interests of the regional states will be put in line with those of non-regionals. Finally, the research emphasizes that in terms of limited domestic resources, investment and donor activities are desperately needed, both in Uzbekistan and the whole region, to modernize production process, raise

Heterogeneity across emerging market central bank reaction functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mesut Turkay

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to analyze monetary policy reaction functions of inflation targeting emerging market economies. Heterogeneity across central bank behavior is modelled using dynamic common correlated effects estimator in a panel data framework of 15 countries. The empirical method allows us to obtain country specific coefficients and shows differences across central bank reaction functions. Model results imply that central banks behave according to an extended Taylor rule and respond to deviation of inflation from the target, output gap, real exchange rate and external financial conditions. The study finds that emerging market central banks consider not only price stability, but also financial stability in setting of interest rates.

Gas export potential of Russia's East: Will it match Asia-Pacific markets?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khartukov, E.; Starostina, E.

2002-01-01

Russia's Far East and East Siberia are emerging as new major sources of gas supplies for East Asian energy markets. Thanks to ongoing and earmarked resource and infrastructure developments in Sakhalin, Yakutia (Sakha) and Irkutsk, by around 2020 these poorly developed but naturally endowed areas of the country's East can provide between 50 and 70 Bcm/yr (5-7 Bcfd) of natural gas, including up to 10 Mt/yr of LNG, available for exports to neighbouring Pacific countries (primarily to the PRC, Japan, South Korea as well as to Taiwan and the U.S. West Coast). This can noticeably reshape today's matrix of the Asia-Pacific energy flows and even destabilize the regional gas market. (author)

Energy investment and trade opportunities emerging in Central Asia, Northwest China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorian, J.P.; Abbasovich, T.U.; Tonkopy, M.S.; Jumabekovich, O.A.; Qiu Daxiong

1998-01-01

Cooperation in the business of oil and natural gas among governments of Central Asia and Northwest China could help the countries overcome obstacles to development of their vast petroleum resources. The most important obstacle facing these countries is also the one most widely discussed: limited infrastructure for transporting energy. But there are other problems holding back oil and gas development. They include poor communications infrastructure, unstable government structures, political conflict, payments difficulties, and inadequate energy policies. For countries analyzed in a recent Asian Development Bank (ADB) study of economic cooperation in the region--Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Xinjiang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (Xinjiang PRC)--oil and gas are the most abundant and valuable natural resources. While Central Asia is poised to become a major world supplier of energy, especially oil and gas, countries in the region emphasize energy self-sufficiency at the expense of developing new trading linkages. Governments thus tend to ignore the benefits of regional cooperation and remain reluctant to commit to area-wide trade and other forms of cooperation. The paper discusses oil and gas sectors; major energy trends, including restructuring, foreign investment, and energy diversification; opportunities for cooperation; impediments to cooperation; and models of cooperation

Spatiotemporal evolution of Reaumuria (Tamaricaceae) in Central Asia: insights from molecular biogeography

Science.gov (United States)

Mingli Zhang; Xiaoli Hao; Stewart C. Sanderson; Byalt V. Vyacheslav; Alexander P. Sukhorukov; Xia Zhang

2014-01-01

Reaumuria is an arid adapted genus with a distribution center in Central Asia; its evolution and dispersal is investigated in this paper. Eighteen species of Reaumuria and nine species of two other genera in the Tamaricaceae, Tamarix and Myricaria, were sampled, and four markers ITS, rps16, psbB-psbH, and trnL-trnF were sequenced. The reconstructed phylogenetic tree is...

Source Sector and Region Contributions to BC and PM2.5 in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Particulate matter (PM) mass concentrations, seasonal cycles, source sector and source region contributions in Central Asia (CA) are analyzed for the period April 2008-July 2009 using the STEM chemical transport model and modeled meteorology from the WRF model. Predicted AOD valu...

The emergent natural gas markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewert, F.; Meeder, J.

1998-01-01

A 30% increase of natural gas consumption worldwide is expected to occur since the year 2010. This development will concern countries located outside the traditional markets, in particular in central and eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and south America. This paper summarizes the talks given by the different representatives of these regions who explain the expected evolutions of the natural gas market in these areas: reserves, production, consumption, demand, competition with other energy sources, financial aspects.. (J.S.)

Mapping lake level changes using ICESat/GLAS satellite laser altimetry data: a case study in arid regions of central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Li, JunLi; Fang, Hui; Yang, Liao

2011-12-01

Lakes in arid regions of Central Asia act as essential components of regional water cycles, providing sparse but valuable water resource for the fragile ecological environments and human lives. Lakes in Central Asia are sensitive to climate change and human activities, and great changes have been found since 1960s. Mapping and monitoring these inland lakes would improve our understanding of mechanism of lake dynamics and climatic impacts. ICESat/GLAS satellite laser altimetry provides an efficient tool of continuously measuring lake levels in these poorly surveyed remote areas. An automated mapping scheme of lake level changes is developed based on GLAS altimetry products, and the spatial and temporal characteristics of 9 typical lakes in Central Asia are analyzed to validate the level accuracies. The results show that ICESat/GLAS has a good performance of lake level monitoring, whose patterns of level changes are the same as those of field observation, and the max differences between GLAS and field data is 3cm. Based on the results, it is obvious that alpine lakes are increasing greatly in lake levels during 2003-2009 due to climate change, while open lakes with dams and plain endorheic lakes decrease dramatically in water levels due to human activities, which reveals the overexploitation of water resource in Central Asia.

Pulp & paper markets cope with high energy prices and growth in Asia : markets for paper, paperboard and woodpulp, 2005-2006

Science.gov (United States)

Peter J. Ince

2006-01-01

\\tPulp and paper markets in the UNECE region were influenced by higher energy prices and demand growth in Asia in 2005 and 2006. Important developments in Europe included the launching of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, which was followed by substantial increases in electrical energy prices. High global energy prices pushed up costs of production and prices for pulp...

Source sector and region contributions to BC and PM2.5 in Central Asia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kulkarni, S.; Sobhani, N.; Miller-Schulze, J.P.; Shafer, M.M.; Schauer, J.J.; Solomon, P.A.; Saide, P.E.; Spak, S.N.; Cheng, Y.F.; Denier Van Der Gon, H.A.C.; Lu, Z.; Streets, D.G.; Janssens-Maenhout, G.; Wiedinmyer, C.; Lantz, J.; Artamonova, M.; Chen, B.; Imashev, S.; Sverdlik, L.; Deminter, J.T.; Adhikary, B.; D'Allura, A.; Wei, C.; Carmichael, G.R.

2015-01-01

Particulate matter (PM) mass concentrations, seasonal cycles, source sector, and source region contributions in Central Asia (CA) are analyzed for the period April 2008-July 2009 using the Sulfur Transport and dEposition Model (STEM) chemical transport model and modeled meteorology from the Weather

Rare earth element and rare metal inventory of central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Mihalasky, Mark J.; Tucker, Robert D.; Renaud, Karine; Verstraeten, Ingrid M.

2018-03-06

Rare earth elements (REE), with their unique physical and chemical properties, are an essential part of modern living. REE have enabled development and manufacture of high-performance materials, processes, and electronic technologies commonly used today in computing and communications, clean energy and transportation, medical treatment and health care, glass and ceramics, aerospace and defense, and metallurgy and chemical refining. Central Asia is an emerging REE and rare metals (RM) producing region. A newly compiled inventory of REE-RM-bearing mineral occurrences and delineation of areas-of-interest indicate this region may have considerable undiscovered resources.

The Russian-Soviet legacies in reshaping the national territories in Central Asia: A catastrophic case of Tajikistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zubaidullo Ubaidulloev

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In every period of history many parts and territories of the world divide and get a new shape. There are lots of such examples. One clear example is the so-called ‘Grate Game’ and division of Central Asia by the British and Russian Empires. In general, Central Asian region has been under Russian influence for more than 150 years. Today in the 21st century Central Asia once again is facing a new ‘Great Game’, but this time with new and non-traditional powers in the region like the U.S. and China, which challenge the influence of region's traditional power – Russia. This paper tries to touch upon the situation and the tragic fate of Tajiks during the Russian-Soviet empires within the different political entities, administrations and territories. It analyzes the impact of Russian and Soviet legacies and territorial policies on Tajiks and Tajikistan. According to the findings of this paper, most of the previous Western and other foreign authors occasionally and briefly opine about this topic, especially about the catastrophic impact of the Russian and Soviet territorial legacies to the Tajik nation, in their work mainly focusing on the history of Central Asia. The paper draws together the main conclusions of relevant literature and tries to fill the gap within the body of existing literature and understandings concerning the topic.

Asia/Pacific Rim renewable energy market assessments by the State of Hawaii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishimura, D.M.; Kinoshita, C.M.; Turn, S.Q.

1999-01-01

The State of Hawaii has begun to encourage its economic growth and diversification by increasing the export of U.S. energy, environment, ocean, and information technologies. Hawaii's Strategic Technology Market Assessment and Development (STMAD) program promotes the transfer of U.S. technology into Asia and the Pacific Rim, locations having phenomenal growth potential and vast technological infrastructure demands. The STMAD program is managed by the State's Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). Under the auspices of STMAD, the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) of the University of Hawaii is assessing biomass energy resources of Asian and Pacific Rim countries to identify and investigate sustainable energy markets. This paper reviews the STMAD program and reports findings of renewable energy assessment performed by HNEI and DBEDT. (author)

Multilevel stigma as a barrier to HIV testing in Central Asia: a context quantified.

Science.gov (United States)

Smolak, Alex; El-Bassel, Nabila

2013-10-01

Central Asia is experiencing one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world, with some areas' infection rates doubling yearly since 2000. This study examines the impact of multilevel stigma (individual, family, and community) on uptake of HIV testing and receipt of HIV testing results among women in Central Asia. The sample consists of 38,884 ever-married, Central Asian women between the ages of 15 and 49. Using multilevel modeling (MLM), HIV stigma variables at the individual, family, and community levels were used to assess the significance of differences in HIV testing and receipt of HIV test results among participants while adjusting for possible confounding factors, such as age, wealth, and education. MLM results indicate that HIV stigma is significantly associated with decreased HIV testing uptake at the individual, family, and community levels and with a decrease in receipt at the community level. A one standard deviation increase in individual, family, and community level composite stigma score was associated with a respective 49 %, 59 %, and 94 % (p hinder HIV testing uptake and at the community level to hinder receipt. These findings have important interventions implications to improve uptake of HIV testing and receipt of HIV test results.

KETERKAITAN DINAMIS PASAR SAHAM INDONESIA DAN ASIA PASIFIK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haryo Suparmun

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to detect and identify short-term dynamic linkages between Indonesian stock market andAsia-Pacific stock markets during the period of January 2nd, 2003 until December 31st, 2009 by using theimpulse response function analysis and forecast error variance decomposition. The period was divided intosub-period of before, during, and after the global financial crisis. The results showed that Indonesian stockmarket responded positively to each shock caused by the Asia-Pacific stock markets. The response becamestronger during crisis sub-period. This condition proved a significant increase of short-term dynamic linkagesbetween Indonesian stock market and other Asia Pacific during the global financial crisis. After crisis sub-period, many Asian-Pacific stock markets’ shocks were responded negatively by Indonesian stock market.Australian, China and Hong Kong stock markets were the top three in share among the countries of the AsiaPacific contributing to influence the Indonesian stock market movements

Price transmission and market integration: a test of the central ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Price transmission and market integration: a test of the central market ... cassava production but to improvements in marketing efficiency of the traditional food market ... Improvements in road network and other communication infrastructure will ...

Barriers to Coverage of Transborder Environmental Issues in the Ferghana Valley of Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Freedman, Eric

2014-01-01

Three former Soviet republics occupy Central Asia's Ferghana Valley, a region of serious transborder environmental problems, especially ones that involve water and energy. Most news organizations in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan provide little in-depth coverage of these issues. Journalists in one country usually do not seek news sources…

Financial market development in the Central and Eastern European countries

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Berglund, T.; Hanousek, Jan; Mramor, D.

2006-01-01

Roč. 7, č. 4 (2006), s. 280-282 ISSN 1566-0141. [ Financial market development in the Central and Eastern European countries. Prague, 26.05.2006-27.05.2006] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : financial markets * Central and Eastern Europe Subject RIV: AH - Economics

HIV continuum of care in Europe and Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Drew, R S; Rice, B; Rüütel, K; Delpech, V; Attawell, K A; Hales, D K; Velasco, C; Amato-Gauci, A J; Pharris, A; Tavoschi, L; Noori, T

2017-08-01

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) supports countries to monitor progress in their response to the HIV epidemic. In line with these monitoring responsibilities, we assess how, and to what extent, the continuum of care is being measured across countries. The ECDC sent out questionnaires to 55 countries in Europe and Central Asia in 2014. Nominated country representatives were questioned on how they defined and measured six elements of the continuum. We present our results using three previously described frameworks [breakpoints; Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets; diagnosis and treatment quadrant]. Forty countries provided data for at least one element of the continuum. Countries reported most frequently on the number of people diagnosed with HIV infection (37; 93%), and on the number in receipt of antiretroviral therapy (ART) (35; 88%). There was little consensus across countries in their approach to defining linkage to, and retention in, care. The most common breakpoint (>19% reduction between two adjacent elements) related to the estimated number of people living with HIV who were diagnosed (18 of 23; 78%). We present continuum data from multiple countries that provide both a snapshot of care provision and a baseline against which changes over time in care provision across Europe and Central Asia may be measured. To better inform HIV testing and treatment programmes, standard data collection approaches and definitions across the HIV continuum of care are needed. If countries wish to ensure an unbroken HIV continuum of care, people living with HIV need to be diagnosed promptly, and ART needs to be offered to all those diagnosed. © 2017 The Authors. HIV Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British HIV Association.

Globalizing Social Welfare and Labor Markets in East and Southeast Asia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Johannes Dragsbæk

2007-01-01

experienced social pressures for restricting the workings of globalization: The first is the fear of job losses through the mechanisms of outsourcing and imports of cheapers industrial products. The second is the anxiety of ethnic and cultural dilution due to the emergence of new patters of labor migration...... and workers negotiate for the promotion of national development and the creation of a civil society which might minimize the adverse effects of globalization! This paper explores the impact of neo-liberal globalization on labor markets and social welfare in East and Southeast Asia. It draws upon recent...... debates in the framework of comparative political economy over the impact of neo-liberal globalization on labor market regulation and social welfare adjustment. The focus is on the radical change of work arrangements with an accompanying loss of the social relevance of the work place and of labour...

LIDAR Measurements of the Vertical Distribution of Aerosol Optical and Physical Properties over Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

The vertical structure of aerosol optical and physical properties was measured by Lidar in Eastern Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, from June 2008 to May 2009. Lidar measurements were supplemented with surface-based measurements of PM2.5 and PM10 mass and chemical ...

Mental Health and Migration: Depression, Alcohol Abuse, and Access to Health Care among Migrants in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Ismayilova, Leyla; Lee, Hae Nim; Shaw, Stacey; El-Bassel, Nabila; Gilbert, Louisa; Terlikbayeva, Assel; Rozental, Yelena

2014-01-01

Background One fifth of Kazakhstan’s population is labor migrants working in poor conditions with limited legal rights. This paper examines self-rated health, mental health and access to health care among migrant workers. Methods Using geo-mapping, a random sample of internal and external migrant market workers was selected in Almaty (N=450). We used survey logistic regression adjusted for clustering of workers within stalls. Results Almost half of participants described their health as fair or poor and reported not seeing a doctor when needed, 6.2% had clinical depression and 8.7% met criteria for alcohol abuse. Female external migrants were at higher risk for poor health and underutilization of health services. High mobility was associated with depression among internal migrants and with alcohol abuse among female migrant workers. Conclusions This study demonstrates the urgent need to address health and mental health needs and improve access to health care among labor migrants in Central Asia. PMID:24186359

National independence and nonproliferation in the new states of Central Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gleason, G.

1993-12-01

Five independent states emerged in Central Asia from the breakup of the USSR. One of these states, Kazakhstan, possesses nuclear weapons. The other four of these states, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, are not known to possess nuclear weapons, however they occupy a geostrategic position which makes them important to non-proliferation efforts. The present report profiles the capabilities and intentions of these four Central Asian states. The analysis of capabilities suggests that none of these states has the capability to develop a usable nuclear weapon. However, all of these countries-- especially Uzbekistan--have components of the old Soviet nuclear weapons complex which are now orphans. They have no use for these facilities and must either re-profile them, destroy them, or transfer them. The analysis of intentions suggests that the dynamics of national independence have created a situation in which Uzbekistan has hegemonic designs in the region. Implications for retarding nuclear proliferation in the Central Asian region are examined. Opportunities for outside influence are assessed.

Sporadic manipulation in money markets with central bank standing facilities

OpenAIRE

Ewerhart, Christian; Cassola, Nuno; Ejerskov, Steen; Valla, Natacha

2004-01-01

In certain market environments, a large investor may benefit from building up a futures position first and trading subsequently in the spot market (Kumar and Seppi, 1992). The present paper identifies a variation of this type of manipulation that might occur in money markets with an interest rate corridor. We show that manipulation involving the use of central bank facilities would be observable only sporadically. The probability of manipulation decreases when the central bank uses an active ...

Water Resources of Tajikistan and Water Use Issues in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. M. Mukhabbatov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the formation and use of water resources in Tajikistan. The natural and geographic conditions as well as distribution of water resources across the economic regions are analyzed. It is stressed that after breakup of the Soviet Union the water use issues in Central Asia have acquired the dimensions of the interstate economic and political problems. Demographic growth, activation of desertification, global warming make most relevant the issue of equitable redistribution of water resources as the most valuable resource for economy.

China’s Strategy Toward South and Central Asia: An Empty Fortress

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

new states as well as the post-communist governments in Russia and Mongolia. By the mid-1990s, these efforts began to bear fruit, with the... Panda , “India’s Approach to Central Asia: Strategic Intent and Geo-political Calculus,” China and Eurasia Forum Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2009, pp...extremely slow to bear fruit (see Chapter Three for details). Nevertheless, Beijing is keen to diversify its energy sources and supply routes

The Future of Centrally-Organized Wholesale Electricity Markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glazer, Craig [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Morrison, Jay [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Breakman, Paul [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Clements, Allison [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Schwartz, Lisa [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-06-21

The electricity grid in the United States is organized around a network of large, centralized power plants and high voltage transmission lines that transport electricity, sometimes over large distances, before it is delivered to the customer through a local distribution grid. This network of centralized generation and high voltage transmission lines is called the “bulk power system.” Costs relating to bulk power generation typically account for more than half of a customer’s electric bill.1 For this reason, the structure and functioning of wholesale electricity markets have major impacts on costs and economic value for consumers, as well as energy security and national security. Diverse arrangements for bulk power wholesale markets have evolved over the last several decades. The Southeast and Western United States outside of California have a “bilateral-based” bulk power system where market participants enter into long-term bilateral agreements — using competitive procurements through power marketers, direct arrangements among utilities or with other generation owners, and auctions and exchanges.

The effect of marketing innovation, market orientation, and social capital on competitive advantage and marketing performance: A study in MSMEs of embroidery Central Java Province

OpenAIRE

Ag. Sunarno Handoyo

2015-01-01

This study deals with marketing innovation, market orientation, and social capital in affecting the competitive advantage and marketing performance in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of embroidery in Central Java Province. In this respect, this study tried to test and analyze the effect of marketing innovation, market orienta-tion, and social capital on competitive advantage and marketing performance in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of embroidery in Central Java Pr...

Complicity in contraband: British American Tobacco and cigarette smuggling in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Collin, J; Legresley, E; MacKenzie, R; Lawrence, S; Lee, K

2004-12-01

To examine the complicity of British American Tobacco (BAT) in cigarette smuggling in Asia, and to assess the centrality of illicit trade to regional corporate strategy. Analysis of previously confidential documents from BAT's Guildford depository. An iterative strategy combined searches based on geography, organisational structure, and key personnel, while corporate euphemisms for contraband were identified by triangulation. BAT documents demonstrate the strategic importance of smuggling across global, regional, national, and local levels. Particularly important in Asia, contraband enabled access to closed markets, created pressure for market opening, and was highly profitable. Documents demonstrate BAT's detailed oversight of illicit trade, seeking to reconcile the conflicting demands of control and deniability. BAT documents demonstrate that smuggling has been driven by corporate objectives, indicate national measures by which the problem can be addressed, and highlight the importance of a coordinated global response via WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Afghanistan in the whirlwind of US-Russia rivalry in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yahia Baiza

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Afghanistan has been the political and military focal points of the United States (US and Russia (formerly the Soviet Union for over a half a century. Initially, from the 1950s through to the 1970s, the superpowers competed for influence through educational, economic and technical development projects. They used their international development aid as a strategic tool to penetrate the country’s political elite circles to create a space for their political and strategic influence. The nature of development aid then changed to a series of proxy military conflicts throughout the 1980s, which also changed the fate of Afghanistan from that of a developing to that of a conflict country. The current US occupation of Afghanistan (October 2001-present is the latest in the cycle of conflict and rivalry between the US and Russia in Afghanistan and Central Asia. Against this background, this article presents an analysis of how (i the US and Russia create a context and a situation in which they develop, advance, and implement their political and military discourses and strategic concepts, intending to influence each other’s areas of strategic interests; (ii the different components of conflicts and violence are interconnected with one another; and (iii their rivalry for strategic influence in Afghanistan and the broader region of Central Asia triggered a cycle of conflict and a series of continuing proxy wars in Afghanistan. This article applies Johan Galtung’s theories of conflicts as the broader theoretical framework. The developed framework combines Galtung’s three theories of conflict, namely the ABC triangle of conflict, triangle of violence and triangle of peace strategy (Galtung, 1967, 1996. The findings of this article demonstrate that both the US and Russia fight each other in Afghanistan as well as in the wider Central Asia region by supporting and maintaining their satellite countries and periphery elites in power and negotiate each other�

Panorama 2014 - Overview of new carbon markets at international level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coussy, Paula

2013-12-01

Although carbon prices on the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) are at their lowest since 2008 and international negotiations in relation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have been stagnating since the 2009 Copenhagen Agreement, nearly seventeen emissions trading markets have been identified at international level. Without counting the European ETS which has existed since 2005, eleven new markets have emerged since 2008 and a further five are set to commence trading in 2014. Of these eleven active markets, five are in Asia, three are in North America, one is in Oceania, one is in Central Asia and one is in Europe. It should be pointed out that to date, no markets are scheduled to begin trading in Africa. Although four markets have announced their intention to work together between now and 2020, the creation of an international emissions trading scheme is not on the immediate horizon. (author)

Tree Shelterbelts as an Element to Improve Water Resource Management in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niels Thevs

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In Central Asia, agriculture, notably irrigated agriculture, is the largest water consumer. Currently, flood and furrow irrigation are the dominant irrigation methods in Central Asia, in particular in the post-Soviet countries. Against the background of current and increasing competition for water—e.g., through reduced river runoffs in the course of climate change—water consumption of agriculture needs to be reduced. On the field plot level, improved irrigation technologies, like drip irrigation or plastic mulch, can reduce water consumption substantially. Alternatively, tree lines as wind breaks (shelterbelts also can reduce crop water consumption, as shown by research from many drylands around the world. As previous research has concentrated on crop water consumption and not on tree water consumption, this paper brings the two together, in order to approach a more holistic picture, in how far shelterbelt systems, including the trees, may have the potential to save water or not. Crop water consumption was assessed through the Penman–Monteith approach for corn, wheat, potato, barley, and pear under open field conditions and under an assumed influence of a tree shelterbelt. Tree water consumption was investigated through sap flow measurements. Crop water consumption was reduced by 10–12% under influence of a shelterbelt compared to open field conditions. When water consumption of shelterbelts was added, a slight reduction of water consumption of the whole crop-shelterbelt system was found for corn, potato, and pear under the assumption 25 ha (500 × 500 m field sizes. Under an assumption of 4 ha (200 × 200 m field size, water consumption of the whole crop-shelterbelt system was higher for all crops investigated except for pear. The results suggest that shelterbelts may play a role in improving water resource management in Central Asia in the context of water demanding crops, like corn or cotton. In further research, other effects of

Measuring Financial Performance in Infrastructure: An Application to Europe and Central Asia

OpenAIRE

Ebinger, Jane O.

2006-01-01

Unintentional implicit subsidies (hidden costs) to public utilities can be considered an illegitimate claim on public resources. This paper examines the role and sources of hidden costs in the energy and water sectors in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region. It reviews available data and introduces a model-the Hidden Costs Calculator-that can be used to quantify the burden on governments of infrastructure policy and implementation decisions. This simple-to-apply model provides insight int...

Wastewater reuse in central Asia: implications for the design of pond systems

OpenAIRE

Heaven, S.; Banks, C.J.; Pak, L.N.; Rspaev, M.K.

2007-01-01

The paper examines the potential of waste stabilisation ponds to provide water for reuse in extreme continental climates such as those of central Asia, where precipitation is low and summer evaporation rates are high. A simple model is used to predict water availability, BOD and faecal coliform removal for different configurations and operating regimes. The results show a significant proportion of flows could be saved for irrigation or river and aquifer replenishment: if current standard desi...

Modeling and forecasting office investment markets in Central and Eastern Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoefmans, M.P.; Janssen, I.I.; Chorus, C.G.

2008-01-01

Property markets in Central and Eastern Europe experienced turbulent developments since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ensuing abolition of communism in the Central and Eastern European region. This paper examines the evolution of office investment markets in Prague, Budapest, Warsaw, and

Structur e and Functioning of Micr obial Community of Mineral Springs in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Namsaraev B.B.

2003-12-01

Full Text Available The microbial mats of dif ferent types of springs in Central Asia (Zabaikalye and Mongolia are described. The species diversity of mat-formed phototrophic bacteria was determined. The rates of microbial destruction processes (sulfate reduction and methane formation were measured. An important role of bacteria and algae in the formation of mineral water composition was shown.

Croatian Oil and Gas Market - an Area of Contact Between Europe and Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dragicevic, T.

2007-01-01

Croatia - a regional energy hub, a catchword that has been adopted even by politicians, denotes a combination of favourable geographical position and use of this advantage as a mediator in providing transmission services for natural gas, oil and electricity between Europe and Asia, as well as between the north and the south of the European continent. However, although the idea of regional energy hub has gained support, it is still at a turning point and may take three different directions: 1. If timely activities are undertaken for the implementation of the LNG terminal project and connecting of the JANAF oil pipeline with PEOP and/or Druzba Adria, the realisation of energy hub is possible; 2. In case of further delays in implementing the LNG terminal project and Druzba Adria oil pipeline, we will lose the opportunity for participation in major European projects for twenty years at least; 3. A possible solution may be sought in takeover of individual energy activities by large foreign energy companies that show interest for the Croatian energy market. This last option is very likely due to considerable interest by Central and East European energy companies. In the eve of the expected EU accession, any resistance to takeover may be qualified as economic nationalism. Only large, powerful nations enjoy the privilege that their resistance to foreign domination is qualified as economic patriotism. Since the year 2000 when preparations for INA's privatization began, there were indications of interest and aspiration of the Russian oil companies to ensure presence in the Croatian market. In the meantime the Russian companies evolved their strategies of penetration on the flanks of the European market in the form of North Stream pipeline over the Baltic Sea and South Stream through the Black Sea and Turkey. So, the Republic of Croatia is on the crossroad: it can take a secondary role in other players' strategy, or it can pursue its own strategy based on growth and security

Empirical Relationship between particulate matter and Aerosol Optical Depth over Northern Tien-Shan, Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Measurements were obtained at two sites in northern Tien-Shan in Central Asia during a 1-year period beginning July 2008 to examine the statistical relationship between aerosol optical depth (AOD) and of fine [PM2.5, particles less than 2.5 μm aerodynamic diameter (AD)] and coars...

THE EXPANSION OF THE RITZ-CARLTON® ON FOREIGN MARKETS

OpenAIRE

Mihai-Răzvan DOBAI

2016-01-01

The spreading of globalization drives the companies’ pursuit to expand on foreign markets for various reasons. In this paper it will be analysed the expansion on non-US markets of the Ritz-Carlton®, a hotel company with tradition, being known for its services quality. The analysis takes into consideration the opening year of the hotels in the Latin American, European, Middle Eastern, Central and South Asian and AsiaPacific market, trying to correlate the expansion on certain areas and l...

The Internationalization and Market Competition of Tsai Yueh-Hsun’s Post-Confucian TV Drama and Films in East Asia

OpenAIRE

Jocelyn Yi-Hsuan Lai

2018-01-01

This essay investigates the East Asia-oriented TV and film productions of Taiwanese producer-director Tsai Yueh-hsun. His productions have made wide use of the transnational bankability of Taiwanese TV stars. Set in nationally non-specific urban societies, they are categorized as post-Confucian TV dramas, adopting liberal Western values and presenting problems in the authoritative patriarchal culture of the modern yet Confucian East Asia. They have competed in this market with neo-Confucian K...

The effect of marketing innovation, market orientation, and social capital on competitive advantage and marketing performance: A study in MSMEs of embroidery Central Java Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ag. Sunarno Handoyo

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study deals with marketing innovation, market orientation, and social capital in affecting the competitive advantage and marketing performance in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs of embroidery in Central Java Province. In this respect, this study tried to test and analyze the effect of marketing innovation, market orienta-tion, and social capital on competitive advantage and marketing performance in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs of embroidery in Central Java Province. The samples are 150 respondents as the owners of the embroidery business in Central Java Province. The technical analysis used is Structure Equations Modeling with AMOS Software version 22. The results show that: (1 marketing innovation has significant effect on competitive advantage; (2 market orientation has significant effect on competi-tive advantage; (3 social capital has significant effect on competitive advantage; (4 competitive advantage has significant effect on marketing performance; (5 marketing innovation has significant effect on marketing performance; (6 market orientation has significant effect on marketing performance; (7 social capital has no significant effect on marketing performance. The implication of this study is that the MSMEs of embroidery could improve marketing performance by increasing marketing innovation, market orientation, social capital and competitive advantage. This study also shows that competitive advantage is an intervening variable on marketing performance.

A 320 Year Ice-Core Record of Atmospheric Hg Pollution in the Altai, Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Eyrikh, Stella; Eichler, Anja; Tobler, Leonhard; Malygina, Natalia; Papina, Tatyana; Schwikowski, Margit

2017-10-17

Anthropogenic emissions of the toxic heavy metal mercury (Hg) have substantially increased atmospheric Hg levels during the 20th century compared to preindustrial times. However, on a regional scale, atmospheric Hg concentration or deposition trends vary to such an extent during the industrial period that the consequences of recent Asian emissions on atmospheric Hg levels are still unclear. Here we present a 320 year Hg deposition history for Central Asia, based on a continuous high-resolution ice-core Hg record from the Belukha glacier in the Siberian Altai, covering the time period 1680-2001. Hg concentrations and deposition fluxes start rising above background levels at the beginning of the 19th century due to emissions from gold/silver mining and Hg production. A steep increase occurs after the 1940s culminating during the 1970s, at the same time as the maximum Hg use in consumer products in Europe and North America. After a distinct decrease in the 1980s, Hg levels in the 1990s and beginning of the 2000s return to their maximum values, which we attribute to increased Hg emissions from Asia. Thus, rising Hg emissions from coal combustion and artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Asian countries determine recent atmospheric Hg levels in Central Asia, counteracting emission reductions due to control measures in Europe and North America.

Automobile industry and globalization in Asian market; Asia ni okeru jidosha sangyo to globalization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-01-01

Asian countries are now attracting attention of automobile manufacturers of the world for their capabilities of buying, producing, and assembling of automobiles, and producing and supplying of parts, which means that the Asian market is now exposed to globalization. As for the automobile and part manufacturers of Japan, in the presence of economic depression lingering in Asia affecting motorization and rapid changes in the circumstances Japan`s automobile industry finds itself under, are pressed to work out new strategies as a member of the Asian community. A panel discussion of the same name as the subject held in 1997 won favor as a fine initiative to suitably cope with the difficult situation. Useful suggestions and proposals were made concerning the panel discussion, calling the event a new type of round-table talks well responding to the rapid changes in the world economy since 1997, by learned and experienced people, the government offices concerned, staffers of manufacturers in charge of overseas marketing, and international information analysts. They related to the current state and tasks of automobile manufacturing in Asia, trends of regulations and standardization, rolls of technical assistance and the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Ltd., expressed from a wide angle covering various problems relative to environmental protection, safety, etc. (NEDO)

Policies to improve the local impact from hydrocarbon extraction: Observations on West Africa and possible lessons for Central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klueh, Ulrich H.; Pastor, Gonzalo; Segura, Alonso

2009-01-01

The paper offers specific inputs to the debate on local content promotion in the oil industries of West Africa and Central Asia. To this end, we document the international experience with local content promotion to derive best practices in the field. We then use a case study approach to devise a simple analytical framework for rationalizing the selection of viable sectors for local content promotion, in an attempt to make operational one of the best practice principles (efficiency) developed before. By proposing specific rules regarding the acceptability of a project, the analysis seeks to add rigor and address distortions on localization outcomes from rent-seeking. The emphasis is not on supporting efforts to 'pick winners' and subsidize them through a range of by and large discredited instruments. Rather, the paper focuses on the specific public inputs the government would have to provide to support an otherwise market-driven process

The Internationalization and Market Competition of Tsai Yueh-Hsun’s Post-Confucian TV Drama and Films in East Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jocelyn Yi-Hsuan Lai

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This essay investigates the East Asia-oriented TV and film productions of Taiwanese producer-director Tsai Yueh-hsun. His productions have made wide use of the transnational bankability of Taiwanese TV stars. Set in nationally non-specific urban societies, they are categorized as post-Confucian TV dramas, adopting liberal Western values and presenting problems in the authoritative patriarchal culture of the modern yet Confucian East Asia. They have competed in this market with neo-Confucian Korean and mainland Chinese TV dramas that follow Confucian patriarchal values. His productions in the 2000s entered many East Asian markets, including Southeast Asian countries, Japan, and mainland China, with the latter airing censored versions. In the 2010s, his productions have prioritized the rapidly increasing mainland Chinese market among all East Asian markets and adopted Taiwanese-mainland Chinese cooperation. The productions maintain the post-Confucian style of presentation, but remove the political viewpoint commonly perceived in Taiwan. Confronted with Taiwanese skepticism toward the Taiwanese-mainland Chinese cooperation, Tsai argues that this strategy will contribute to the development of Taiwan’s film and TV industry. The presentation of Taiwan’s modern places in the productions will help promote its tourism.

Energy Globalization: Oil Geopolitics in Central Asia Big Race for the Caspian Oil

OpenAIRE

VOLKOVA, JANINA

2007-01-01

The research aims to show causal relations between recent global change in geopolitics towards energy resources, its effect on foreign policies of Russia, the USA and China; as well as the role of oil factor in their rivalry, development of the newly formed Central Asian (the Caspian region) states-donors and international relations in general . Globalization, geopolitics, oil factor, Russia, the USA, China, the Caspian Sea, international relations, Asia

Information Security in the Countries of Central Asia: the Case of Kazakhstan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zarifa Allahveran Asadova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the history of the creation and development of the overall concept of information security, the current state of the information security, as well as the appropriate legal and regulatory framework in the countries of Central Asia on the example of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Introductory part of the article analyzes and provides a brief overview of the development of information and communication technologies. Particular attention is given to information security concepts in the framework of international valuation standards. The author investigates and lists the main sources of global information security threats, as well as explaining the history of the creation of a geopolitical term - Central Asia. In the main part of the article on the example of Kazakhstan one of the leading Central Asian countries, highlights issues of formation and development of the concept of information security, provides a brief overview of the history of development of information and communication technologies in the country. In this part the author conducts a detailed analysis of the legislation and the concept of the state with respect to the issue of information security, in the investigation highlights the major key issues of information security in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It also analyzes the development strategy of the Republic of Kazakhstan till 2030 (the "Kazakhstan-2030" Strategy, provides a brief overview of the state of laws and programs in the field of information security in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In conclusion, the author comes to the conclusion that today Kazakhstan is just beginning to form their own information security protection mechanisms and leads appropriate recommendations to achieve the objectives of the state.

Market Concentration and Profitability of the Grocery Retailers in Central Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jindřich Špička

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article was to internationally compare the market concentration of grocery retailers in the six countries of Central Europe – Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The market concentration was measured by CR4 ratio, Herfindahl-Hirschman Index and the GRS index. Data covered the period 2010 – 2015. The secondary data came from the Euromonitor International and Bureau van Dijk databases. The results showed that the market structure of the Central European grocery retailers has mostly a character of asymmetric oligopoly. The pairwise correlation did not reveal any strong relationship between the market power and profitability of the grocery retailers. The Central European grocery market is controlled by strong national retail chains and multinational companies which operate modern grocery retail formats. However, traditional grocery retailers are still popular in Hungary while traditional individual grocers in other countries are disappearing or gradually joining the networking system based on franchising.

Growth of the Asian health-care market: global implications for the pharmaceutical industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, Richard J

2007-10-01

The global economy is being transformed by an explosion of information unleashed by the internet, the digital revolution, communications and increased international mobility. This transformation is manifesting in many ways, including rapid development of countries such as China, commoditization of public services, mobilization of workforces, shifting of market control from suppliers to consumers, interlinked rises in product demand and customer expectations, and problems regulating international business competition. As Asia is home to half of the world's population, and offers both a large relatively low-cost workforce in some countries and a potentially huge retail market, this region could be central to the future of the global economy. Like other industries, the pharmaceutical industry faces a new array of Asia-specific opportunities and challenges. Success in meeting these challenges will go to those pharmaceutical companies that best understand the unique strengths and constraints of Asia's diverse cultures, talents and markets.

Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition at Two Sites in an Arid Environment of Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kaihui; Liu, Xuejun; Song, Wei; Chang, Yunhua; Hu, Yukun; Tian, Changyan

2013-01-01

Arid areas play a significant role in the global nitrogen cycle. Dry and wet deposition of inorganic nitrogen (N) species were monitored at one urban (SDS) and one suburban (TFS) site at Urumqi in a semi-arid region of central Asia. Atmospheric concentrations of NH3, NO2, HNO3, particulate ammonium and nitrate (pNH4 (+) and pNO3 (-)) concentrations and NH4-N and NO3-N concentrations in precipitation showed large monthly variations and averaged 7.1, 26.6, 2.4, 6.6, 2.7 µg N m(-3) and 1.3, 1.0 mg N L(-1) at both SDS and TFS. Nitrogen dry deposition fluxes were 40.7 and 36.0 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) while wet deposition of N fluxes were 6.0 and 8.8 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) at SDS and TFS, respectively. Total N deposition averaged 45.8 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1)at both sites. Our results indicate that N dry deposition has been a major part of total N deposition (83.8% on average) in an arid region of central Asia. Such high N deposition implies heavy environmental pollution and an important nutrient resource in arid regions.

Influences of deglaciation on the river run-off in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. E. Glazyrin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Glaciers form a great deal of runoff of rivers in Central Asia. It is clear that amount of melted water directly depends on total area of glaciers in the river basins – their glaciation. It is well known that at present the area quickly reduces. The complete inventory of glaciers was performed in former Soviet Union in the middle of last century. Airphoto images were used as a basis for our calculations. The inventory was repeated later for several river basins using airphoto- and space images. Unfortunately only three inventories is performed in several river basins for the last half of XX century. Amount of water, coming to a river network from glaciers, can be divided into two parts. The first is usual annual melting. It exists under stationary glaciation condition. The second, being part of the first, is caused by reduction of the glaciation volume. It can be negative in some years when glaciers volume is increasing as a result of favorable meteorological conditions. In these cases the part of water containing in seasonal snow cover does not go to river network. Two components of the glacial feeding were calculated for six rivers located in various regions of Central Asia. It is shown that present day glaciers reduction does not lead to disastrous consequences for river run-off. It leads only to the changes of annual distribution in the run-off. The results should be considered as preliminary because of low accuracy of hydrometeorolological data and number of admissions during calculation.

Inter-Comparison of High-Resolution Satellite Precipitation Products over Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Guo

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the spatial error structures of eight precipitation estimates derived from four different satellite retrieval algorithms including TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA, Climate Prediction Center morphing technique (CMORPH, Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP and Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN. All the original satellite and bias-corrected products of each algorithm (3B42RTV7 and 3B42V7, CMORPH_RAW and CMORPH_CRT, GSMaP_MVK and GSMaP_Gauge, PERSIANN_RAW and PERSIANN_CDR are evaluated against ground-based Asian Precipitation-Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of Water Resources (APHRODITE over Central Asia for the period of 2004 to 2006. The analyses show that all products except PERSIANN exhibit overestimation over Aral Sea and its surrounding areas. The bias-correction improves the quality of the original satellite TMPA products and GSMaP significantly but slightly in CMORPH and PERSIANN over Central Asia. 3B42RTV7 overestimates precipitation significantly with large Relative Bias (RB (128.17% while GSMaP_Gauge shows consistent high correlation coefficient (CC (>0.8 but RB fluctuates between −57.95% and 112.63%. The PERSIANN_CDR outperforms other products in winter with the highest CC (0.67. Both the satellite-only and gauge adjusted products have particularly poor performance in detecting rainfall events in terms of lower POD (less than 65%, CSI (less than 45% and relatively high FAR (more than 35%.

The timing of ostrich existence in Central Asia: AMS 14C age of eggshells from Mongolia and southern Siberia (a pilot study)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurochkin, Evgeny N.; Kuzmin, Yaroslav V.; Antoshchenko-Olenev, Igor V.; Zabelin, Vladimir I.; Krivonogov, Sergey K.; Nohrina, Tatiana I.; Lbova, Ludmila V.; Burr, G.S.; Cruz, Richard J.

2010-01-01

The presence of Asiatic ostrich in Central Asia in the later Cenozoic time is well-documented; nevertheless, a few direct age determinations existed until recently. We performed AMS 14 C dating of ostrich eggshells found in Mongolia, Transbaikal, and Tuva. It shows that ostriches existed throughout the second part of Late Pleistocene, until the Late Glacial time (ca. 13,000-10,100 BP). It seems that Asiatic ostrich went extinct in Central Asia just before or even in the Holocene.

Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of Yersinia pestis by MLVA: insights into the worldwide expansion of Central Asia plague foci.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanjun Li

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The species Yersinia pestis is commonly divided into three classical biovars, Antiqua, Medievalis, and Orientalis, belonging to subspecies pestis pathogenic for human and the (atypical non-human pathogenic biovar Microtus (alias Pestoides including several non-pestis subspecies. Recent progress in molecular typing methods enables large-scale investigations in the population structure of this species. It is now possible to test hypotheses about its evolution which were proposed decades ago. For instance the three classical biovars of different geographical distributions were suggested to originate from Central Asia. Most investigations so far have focused on the typical pestis subspecies representatives found outside of China, whereas the understanding of the emergence of this human pathogen requires the investigation of strains belonging to subspecies pestis from China and to the Microtus biovar. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Multi-locus VNTR analysis (MLVA with 25 loci was performed on a collection of Y. pestis isolates originating from the majority of the known foci worldwide and including typical rhamnose-negative subspecies pestis as well as rhamnose-positive subspecies pestis and biovar Microtus. More than 500 isolates from China, the Former Soviet Union (FSU, Mongolia and a number of other foci around the world were characterized and resolved into 350 different genotypes. The data revealed very close relationships existing between some isolates from widely separated foci as well as very high diversity which can conversely be observed between nearby foci. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results obtained are in full agreement with the view that the Y. pestis subsp. pestis pathogenic for humans emerged in the Central Asia region between China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia, only three clones of which spread out of Central Asia. The relationships among the strains in China, Central Asia and the rest of the world based on the MLVA

Social media, cyber-dissent, and constraints on online political communication in Central Asia

OpenAIRE

Bowe, Brian; Freedman, Eric; Blom, Robin

2012-01-01

Recent world events have demonstrated that the Internet-and social media tools in particular-are increasingly useful for political organizing, not merely frivolous virtual spaces for youthful publics to connect socially. Rather, social media is touted as "the crucible in which repressed civil societies can revive and develop." For the people of Central Asia-where free expression is curtailed and news outlets are under official or non-state, non-official government censorship-information and c...

Considerations for the Design of a Central Counterparty for the Mexican Money Market

OpenAIRE

de Lascurain M., Miguel

2011-01-01

The financial crisis has brought the problems of regulatory failure and unbridled counterparty risk to the forefront in financial discussions. In the last decade, central counterparties have been created in order to face those insidious problems. In Mexico, both the stock and the derivatives markets have central counterparties, but the money market has not. This paper addresses the issue of creating a central counterparty for the Mexican money market. Recommendations that must be followed in ...

Crude oil pricing in Asia and future problems; Asia no gen`yu pricing to kongo no kadai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, T. [The Institute of Energy Economics, Tokyo (Japan)

1997-01-30

This paper describes pricing factors of crude oil for Asia and future problems. Price of the Middle East crude oil for Asia is determined by linking the spot price of Dubayy crude oil using as a marker. Factors affecting the pricing of marker crude oil include the information dispatching functions for prices of spot market and paper market of marker crude oil, the presence of competitive crude oil, and the correlation between market of oil products and price of crude oil. The paper market of Dubayy crude oil with a small scale of trading provides poor impact and transparency. In Asia, there is no strong competitive crude oil except the Middle East crude oil. There is only a weak price linking between crude oil and products. These are the background that the price of Middle East crude oil stays at the high level and the price adjusting functions are hard to work. The marker crude oil should be changed to another except Dubayy crude oil, and information should be dispatched from purchasers based on the stable standard crude oil. The real paper market should be created, and the force of speaking to oil producing countries should be enhanced by concentrating forces of major oil consuming countries in Asia. It is necessary to find out competitive crude oils. 5 figs., 6 tabs.

International prospects for clean coal technologies (Focus on Asia)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gallaspy, D.T. [Southern Energy, Inc., Atlanta, GA (United States)

1997-12-31

The purpose of this paper is to propose Asia as a focus market for commercialization of CCT`s; describe the principles for successful penetration of CCT`s in the international market; and summarize prospects for CCT`s in Asia and other international markets. The paper outlines the following: Southern Company`s clean coal commitment; acquisition of Consolidated Electric Power Asia (CEPA); the prospects for CCT`s internationally; requirements for CCT`s widespread commercialization; CEPA`s application of CCT`s; and gas turbine power plants as a perfect example of a commercialization driver.

Market Microstructure Model: study of variations of exchange rate for Asia and Latin America

OpenAIRE

Lima, Antonieta; Salazar Soares , Vasco

2008-01-01

The paper studies the commercial relations between Europe and its principal commercial partners, such as Asia and Latin America, for the period of 1999 to 2007. The methodology appeals to the correlation analysis of the variables of the model and the autocorrelation of the exchange rate variation variable, to the Augmented DickeyFuller (1979) and Philips Perron tests (1988), and finally, to the market microstructure model suggested by Medeiros(2005). Medeiros(2005) model, when applied to the ...

Biosurveillance in Central Asia: Successes and Challenges of Tick-Borne Disease Research in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hay, John; Yeh, Kenneth B; Dasgupta, Debanjana; Shapieva, Zhanna; Omasheva, Gulnara; Deryabin, Pavel; Nurmakhanov, Talgat; Ayazbayev, Timur; Andryushchenko, Alexei; Zhunushov, Asankadyr; Hewson, Roger; Farris, Christina M; Richards, Allen L

2016-01-01

Central Asia is a vast geographic region that includes five former Soviet Union republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The region has a unique infectious disease burden, and a history that includes Silk Road trade routes and networks that were part of the anti-plague and biowarfare programs in the former Soviet Union. Post-Soviet Union biosurveillance research in this unique area of the world has met with several challenges, including lack of funding and resources to independently conduct hypothesis driven, peer-review quality research. Strides have been made, however, to increase scientific engagement and capability. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are examples of countries where biosurveillance research has been successfully conducted, particularly with respect to especially dangerous pathogens. In this review, we describe in detail the successes, challenges, and opportunities of conducting biosurveillance in Central Asia as exemplified by our recent research activities on ticks and tick-borne diseases in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The Role of Identity, Ethnic Stereotypesand Acculturation Strategies in the Adaptation of Migrantsfrom Central Asia in the Moscow Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galyapina V.N.,

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on the study of the of impact ethnic, religious, civil and Russian identities, ethnic stereotypes on the strategies of acculturation and on the adaptation of migrants from Central Asia in the Moscow region. Representatives of two ethnic groupsparticipated in the research: 105 Uzbeks and 96 Tajiks (N= 201. The methods of the study included the scales of acculturation strategies, ethnic and national identities from the MIRIPS (Mutual Intercultural Relations in Plural Societies project questionnaire. The results of path analysis in AMOS program showed that integration and assimilation are the most successful strategies for migrants from Central Asia: integration contributed to self-esteem, while assimilation promoted life satisfaction. Integration is basically determined by ethnic and Russian identities, whereas assimilation is determined mostly by identification with the country of origin and by Russian identity as well as by the negative impact of ethnic identity. Separation and marginalization do not contribute to self-esteem of the migrants; however, positive heterostereotype of the Russians and Russian national identity prevent the migrants from choosing separation and marginalization. The choice of strategy is largely affected by religious identity. Expressed religious identity has a negative impact on the socio-cultural adaptation of the migrants from Central Asia in the Moscow region.

The contribution of the Global Change Observatory Central Asia to seismic hazard and risk assessment in the Central Asian region

Science.gov (United States)

Parolai, S.; Bindi, D.; Haberland, C. A.; Pittore, M.; Pilz, M.; Rosenau, M.; Schurr, B.; Wieland, M.; Yuan, X.

2012-12-01

Central Asia has one of the world's highest levels of earthquake hazard, owing to its exceptionally high deformation rates. Moreover, vulnerability to natural disasters in general is increasing, due to rising populations and a growing dependence on complex lifelines and technology. Therefore, there is an urgent need to undertake seismic hazard and risk assessment in this region, while at the same time improving upon existing methodologies, including the consideration of temporal variability in the seismic hazard, and in structural and social vulnerability. Over the last few years, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ), in collaboration with local partners, has initiated a number of scientific activities within the framework of the Global Change Observatory Central Asia (GCO-CA). The work is divided into projects with specific concerns: - The installation and maintenance of the Central-Asian Real-time Earthquake MOnitoring Network (CAREMON) and the setup of a permanent wireless mesh network for structural health monitoring in Bishkek. - The TIPAGE and TIPTIMON projects focus on the geodynamics of the Tien-Shan, Pamir and Hindu Kush region, the deepest and most active intra-continental subduction zone in the world. The work covers time scales from millions of years to short-term snapshots based on geophysical measurements of seismotectonic activity and of the physical properties of the crust and upper mantle, as well as their coupling with other surface processes (e.g., landslides). - Existing risk analysis methods assume time-independent earthquake hazard and risk, although temporal changes are likely to occur due to, for example, co- and post-seismic changes in the regional stress field. We therefore aim to develop systematic time-dependent hazard and risk analysis methods in order to undertake the temporal quantification of earthquake activity (PROGRESS). - To improve seismic hazard assessment for better loss estimation, detailed site effects studies

Central Asia | Page 87 | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Read more about Nanotechnology in South Asia : Building Capabilities and Governing the Technology in South Asia. Language English. Read more about La nanotechnologie en Asie du Sud : renforcement des capacités et encadrement des technologies. Language French. Read more about La situation de la femme à ...

Rapid and cyclic dust accumulation during MIS 2 in Central Asia inferred from loess OSL dating and grain-size analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yun; Song, Yougui; Lai, Zhongping; Han, Li; An, Zhisheng

2016-09-02

Due to lack of reliable proxies from the Westerlies-dominant region, the strength change of Northern Hemisphere Westerlies remains poorly understood. The aim of this study is to provide a reliable paleoclimatic proxy about the Northern Hemisphere Westerlies change. Here we report a 30.7 m thick loess section from the Ili basin directly controlled by the Westerlies. Based on optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and high resolution grain-size records, we reconstruct the change history of the Westerlies strength during the last glacial period (mainly Marine Isotope Stages 2, MIS2), being similar with the Westerlies index recorded in the Qinghai Lake sediments. Within error limits, all ages are in stratigraphic order. We further compare the climatic records among the Ili loess, Qinghai Lake and the NGRIP, their similarity shows a good climatic coupling relationship among the Central Asia, East Asia and the North Atlantic, and the Westerlies plays a critical influence in transporting the North Atlantic signal to Central and East Asia.

Will climate change exacerbate water stress in Central Asia?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siegfried, Tobias; Bernauer, Thomas; Guiennet, Renaud

2012-01-01

the Soviet Union collapsed. Will climate change exacerbate water stress and thus conflicts? We have developed a coupled climate, land-ice and rainfall-runoff model for the Syr Darya to quantify impacts and show that climatic changes are likely to have consequences on runoff seasonality due to earlier snow......-melt. This will increase water stress in unregulated catchments because less water will be available for irrigation in the summer months. Threats from geohazards, above all glacier lake outbursts, are likely to increase as well. The area at highest risk is the densely populated, agriculturally productive, and politically......Millions of people in the geopolitically important region of Central Asia depend on water from snow- and glacier-melt driven international rivers, most of all the Syr Darya and Amu Darya. The riparian countries of these rivers have experienced recurring water allocation conflicts ever since...

Del Horizonte Medio al Horizonte Tardío en la Costa Sur Central: el caso del valle de Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2004-01-01

Full Text Available DE L’HORIZON MOYEN A L’HORIZON RECENT SUR LA COTE CENTRALE : LE CAS DE LA VALLEE DE ASIA. La vallée de Asia, située à quelque 100 km au sud de Lima, a joué un rôle important durant l’Horizon moyen. En effet, les contextes funéraires de la Huaca Malena et les textiles élaborés qui en sont issus, suggèrent d’étroites relations avec Huari, Pachacamac, et les côtes centrale et nord. L’étude des textiles nous permet de voir que la transition de l’Horizon moyen à la période Intermédiaire récent se marque par une croissance des relations avec la côte centrale. Selon les données ethnohistoriques, la vallée de Asia était durant la période Intermédiaire récent habitée par les Coyallo, qui versaient tribut à Pachacamac. À l’Horizon récent, les Incas construisirent d’importants centres administratifs dans la vallée, et durant cette période le matériel céramique montre de fortes relations avec les styles des vallées voisines au nord, comme Mala, Chilca, et la côte aux alentours de Lima. El valle de Asia, situado a 100 kilómetros al sur de Lima, jugó un rol de importancia durante el Horizonte Medio. En efecto, los contextos funerarios de Huaca Malena, así como los finos textiles que los acompañan indican una fuerte relación con Wari, Pachacamac, la Costa Central y la Costa Norte. De acuerdo con la evidencia textil, el tránsito del Horizonte Medio al periodo Intermedio Tardío incrementó las relaciones con la costa central. Para el periodo Intermedio Tardío, de acuerdo a la información etnohistórica, el valle estuvo habitado por los coayllo, quienes tributaban a Pachacamac. Durante el Horizonte Tardío, los incas construyen importantes centros administrativos en el valle, y la cerámica durante este periodo se relacionó fuertemente con los estilos propios de los vecinos valles norteños de Mala, Chilca y la costa de Lima. FROM THE MIDDLE HORIZON TO THE LATE HORIZON ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL COAST: THE CASE OF THE

River flow regime and snow cover of the Pamir Alay (Central Asia) in a changing climate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chevallier, P.; Pouyaud, B.; Mojaisky, M.; Bolgov, M.; Olsson, O.; Bauer, M.; Froebrich, J.

2014-01-01

The Vakhsh and Pyandj rivers, main tributaries of the Amu Darya River in the mountainous region of the Pamir Alay, play an important role in the water resources of the Aral Sea basin (Central Asia). In this region, the glaciers and snow cover significantly influence the water cycle and flow regime,

The Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Remotely-sensed Vegetation Phenology in Central Asia in the 1982-2011 Period

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bohovič, Roman; Dobrovolný, Petr; Klein, D.

2016-01-01

Roč. 2016, č. 49 (2016), s. 279-299 ISSN 2279-7254 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : Phenology * vegetation dynamics * NDVI * GIMMS * Central Asia * SOS Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 1.533, year: 2016

Review article: Hydrological modeling in glacierized catchments of central Asia – status and challenges

OpenAIRE

Y. Chen; W. Li; G. Fang; Z. Li

2017-01-01

Meltwater from glacierized catchments is one of the most important water supplies in central Asia. Therefore, the effects of climate change on glaciers and snow cover will have increasingly significant consequences for runoff. Hydrological modeling has become an indispensable research approach to water resources management in large glacierized river basins, but there is a lack of focus in the modeling of glacial discharge. This paper reviews the status of hydrological modeli...

Simulation and spatiotemporal pattern of air temperature and precipitation in Eastern Central Asia using RegCM.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Xianyong; Long, Aihua; Wu, Yiping; Yin, Gang; Wang, Hao; Ji, Xiaonan

2018-02-26

Central Asia is a region that has a large land mass, yet meteorological stations in this area are relatively scarce. To address this data issues, in this study, we selected two reanalysis datasets (the ERA40 and NCEP/NCAR) and downscaled them to 40 × 40 km using RegCM. Then three gridded datasets (the CRU, APHRO, and WM) that were extrapolated from the observations of Central Asian meteorological stations to evaluate the performance of RegCM and analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of precipitation and air temperature. We found that since the 1960s, the air temperature in Xinjiang shows an increasing trend and the distribution of precipitation in the Tianshan area is quite complex. The precipitation is increasing in the south of the Tianshan Mountains (Southern Xinjiang, SX) and decreasing in the mountainous areas. The CRU and WM data indicate that precipitation in the north of the Tianshan Mountains (Northern Xinjiang, NX) is increasing, while the APHRO data show an opposite trend. The downscaled results from RegCM are generally consistent with the extrapolated gridded datasets in terms of the spatiotemporal patterns. We believe that our results can provide useful information in developing a regional climate model in Central Asia where meteorological stations are scarce.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abedi-Ardekani, Behnoush; Malekzadeh, Reza; Hainaut, Pierre; Dar, Nazir Ahmad; Mir, Mohammad Muzaffar; Zargar, Showkat Ahmad; Lone, M Muqbool; Martel-Planche, Ghyslaine; Villar, Stéphanie; Mounawar, Mounia; Saidi, Farrokh

2012-01-01

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) shows geographic variations in incidence, with high incidences (>50/10 5 person-years) in central Asia, including North Eastern Iran (Golestan) and Northern India (Kashmir). In contrast to Western countries, smoking does not appear to be a significant risk factor for ESCC in central Asia. In lung adenocarcinoma, activating mutations in the gene encoding epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are frequent in tumors of never smokers of Asian origin, predicting therapeutic sensitivity to Egfr-targeting drugs. In this study 152 cases of histologically confirmed ESCC from Iran (Tehran and Golestan Province) and North India (Kashmir Valley) have been analyzed for EGFR mutation by direct sequencing of exons 18–21. Egfr protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 34 samples from Tehran and HER2 mutations were analyzed in 54 cases from Kashmir. A total of 14 (9.2%) EGFR variations were detected, including seven variations in exons. Among those, four (2.6%) were already documented in lung cancers, two were reported as polymorphisms and one was a potentially new activating mutation. All but one variation in introns were previously identified as polymorphisms. Over-expression of Egfr was detected in 22/34 (65%) of tested cases whereas no HER2 mutation was found in 54 cases from Kashmir. Overall, EGFR mutations appear to be a rare event in ESCC in high incidence areas of central Asia, although a very small proportion of cases may harbor mutations predicting sensitivity to anti-Egfr drugs

IMPLEMENTASI RELATIONSHIP MARKETING UNTUK MENCIPTAKAN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinda Frismandiri

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan menguji dampak relationship marketing inputs melalui understanding customer expectation, building service partnership, total quality management, dan empowering employees terhadap customer satisfaction. Penelitian dilakukan pada nasabah Bank Central Asia Cabang Malang. Sampel diambil dengan metode accidental sampling, dengan jumlah sampel sebanyak 100 nasabah. Metode analisis menggunakan Regresi Berganda. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa understanding customer expectation, building service partnership, total quality management, dan empowering employees teruji mampu menciptakan customer satisfaction nasabah. Di antara variabel relationship marketing inputs ternyata building service partnership memberikan dampak yang paling besar dalam menciptakan customer satisfaction nasabah.

Perspectives for long-term competition in the central European electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haas, Reinhard

2005-01-01

In this paper we focus on the Central European electricity market and analyse whether liberalization, deregulation, and privatization are sufficient to bring about real competition. Moreover, we discuss the relevance of the following conditions to bring about real competition and to avoid market power: 1) A rigorous correct un bundling; 2) excess capacities in transmission; 3) excess capacities in generation; 4) a large number of generators and suppliers; 5) the balanced existence of short-term (e.g. spot markets) and long-term markets (e.g. bilateral contracts, forwards); 6) full liberalization; Some major findings of this analysis are: 1) Currently, demand is continuously increasing while capacities are shut down. At least in 2009 demand will have caught up with generation capacities. This could lead to severe price spikes. 2) The Central European electricity market is separated from other markets by means of limited transmission capacities; 3) With respect to effective competition in Central Europe the major problems are: i) a very small (and continuously decreasing) number of generators, and ii) a lack of serious un bundling between generation and transmission mainly in Germany; This leads to cross-subsidization of generation by the network operation and to a heavy discrimination of other and new generators; 4) Moreover, a crucial condition for active competition is a sufficiently large transmission grid. Yet, currently especially at the border to the new EU member countries transmission capacities are rather scarce and there are no signs of extensions of the grid. This also limits the access of countries with potential excess capacities like Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania to the Central European market The major conclusion of this analysis is: All conditions investigated above must be fulfilled simultaneously to bring about a competitive electricity market in Western Europe and the extended European Union. If only one of these conditions is missing, competition

Canada in the world power market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1980-01-01

Canadian exports around the world are discussed. Canada is already playing a role, or has entered into an agreement with development of nuclear power in Argentina, South Korea, Romania and Mexico. Power generation projects are underway in parts of Asia, Africa and Pacific regions. Exports are taking place to Central and South America, Europe and the Middle East. Federal government assistance in the export market is also discussed. (T.I.)

Food systems transformations, ultra-processed food markets and the nutrition transition in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Phillip; Friel, Sharon

2016-12-03

Attracted by their high economic growth rates, young and growing populations, and increasingly open markets, transnational food and beverage corporations (TFBCs) are targeting Asian markets with vigour. Simultaneously the consumption of ultra-processed foods high in fat, salt and glycaemic load is increasing in the region. Evidence demonstrates that TFBCs can leverage their market power to shape food systems in ways that alter the availability, price, nutritional quality, desirability and ultimately consumption of such foods. This paper describes recent changes in Asian food systems driven by TFBCs in the retail, manufacturing and food service sectors and considers the implications for population nutrition. Market data for each sector was sourced from Euromonitor International for four lower-middle income, three upper-middle income and five high-income Asian countries. Descriptive statistics were used to describe trends in ultra-processed food consumption (2000-2013), packaged food retail distribution channels (1999-2013), 'market transnationalization' defined as the market share held by TFBCs relative to domestic firms (2004-2013), and 'market concentration' defined as the market share and thus market power held by the four leading firms (2004-2013) in each market. Ultra-processed food sales has increased rapidly in most middle-income countries. Carbonated soft drinks was the leading product category, in which Coca-Cola and PepsiCo had a regional oligopoly. Supermarkets, hypermarkets and convenience stores were becoming increasingly dominant as distribution channels for packaged foods throughout the region. Market concentration was increasing in the grocery retail sector in all countries. Food service sales are increasing in all countries led by McDonalds and Yum! Brands. However, in all three sectors TFBCs face strong competition from Asian firms. Overall, the findings suggest that market forces are likely to be significant but variable drivers of Asia

Energy security, trans-national pipelines and China's role in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seaman, J.

2010-01-01

In recent decades, China's transformation from a regional energy supplier to one of the world's largest net energy importers, in particular with regards to oil and gas, has led to an increasing sense of energy insecurity in Chinese policy circles. Guaranteeing adequate supplies of energy to fuel economic growth is a central element in Beijing's efforts to maintain legitimacy in the face of economic reform and transformation. To combat energy insecurity a number of initiatives are being undertaken to diversify energy inputs, suppliers, and the means of their transport. Among these initiatives are a series of trans-national pipeline projects that will transport oil and gas from Eastern Siberia, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, effectively reducing China's overall reliance on international sea lanes and maritime choke-points, in particular the Strait of Malacca. An analysis of these projects can shed light on how China's energy security policies are playing out on a regional level, how they are complicated and aided by various competing and converging interests of regional actors, and how they are re-shaping traditional regional dependencies. Indeed, more complex interdependencies among suppliers, consumers and transit states in continental Asia seem to be emerging as a consequence of China's growing role as an energy consumer. In the end, these pipelines help to diversify China's oil and gas suppliers and transport routes, easing its reliance on Middle Eastern oil and maritime transit, but they are by no means an alternative to the latter. China will continue to rely heavily on international oil markets and maritime shipping routes to deliver Middle Eastern oil. Suring up international markets and finding means to cooperate on international maritime security issues are thus and will remain in China's best interest. (author)

Glocalization and the Marketing of Christianity in Early Modern Southeast Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Watson Andaya

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The expansion of European commercial interests into Southeast Asia during the early modern period was commonly justified by the biblical injunction to spread Christian teachings, and by the “civilizing” influences it was said to foster. In focusing on areas where Christianity gained a foothold or, in the Philippines and Timor Leste, became the dominant faith, this article invokes the marketing concept of “glocalization”, frequently applied to the sociology of religion. It argues that the historical beginnings of the processes associated with the global/local interface of Christianity are situated in the sixteenth century, when Europe, Asia and the Americas were finally linked through maritime connections. Christian missionizing was undertaken with the assumption that the European-based “brand” of beliefs and practices could be successfully transported to a very different environment. However, the application of these ideas was complicated by the goal of imposing European economic control, by the local resistance thus generated, and by competition with other religions and among Christians themselves. In this often antagonistic environment, the degree to which a global product could be “repackaged” and “glocalized” so that it was appealing to consumers in different cultural environments was always constrained, even among the most sympathetic purveyors. As a result, the glocalization of Christianity set up “power-laden tensions” which both global institutions and dispersed consumers continue to negotiate.

Movements and landscape use of Eastern Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Poessel, Sharon; Bragin, Evgeny A.; Sharpe, Peter B.; Garcelon, David K.; Bartoszuk, Kordian; Katzner, Todd E.

2018-01-01

Capsule: We describe ecological factors associated with movements of a globally declining raptor species, the Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca.Aims: To describe the movements, habitat associations and resource selection of Eastern Imperial Eagles marked in Central Asia.Methods: We used global positioning system (GPS) data sent via satellite telemetry devices deployed on Eastern Imperial Eagles captured in Kazakhstan to calculate distances travelled and to associate habitat and weather variables with eagle locations collected throughout the annual cycle. We also used resource selection models to evaluate habitat use of tracked birds during autumn migration. Separately, we used wing-tagging recovery data to broaden our understanding of wintering locations of eagles.Results: Eagles tagged in Kazakhstan wintered in most countries on the Arabian Peninsula, as well as Iran and India. The adult eagle we tracked travelled more efficiently than did the four pre-adults. During autumn migration, telemetered eagles used a mixture of vegetation types, but during winter and summer, they primarily used bare and sparsely vegetated areas. Finally, telemetered birds used orographic updrafts to subsidize their autumn migration flight, but they relied on thermal updrafts during spring migration.Conclusion: Our study is the first to use GPS telemetry to describe year-round movements and habitat associations of Eastern Imperial Eagles in Central Asia. Our findings provide insight into the ecology of this vulnerable raptor species that can contribute to conservation efforts on its behalf.

Characteristics and Composition of Atmospheric Aerosols in Phimai, Central Thailand During BASE-ASIA

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Can; Tsay, Si-Chee; Hsu, N. Christina; Kim, Jin Young; Howell, Steven G.; Huebert, Barry J.; Ji, Qiang; Jeong, Myeong-Jae; Wang, Sheng-Hsiang; Hansell, Richard A.;

A comparison of different interpolation methods for wind data in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Reinhardt, Katja; Samimi, Cyrus

2017-04-01

For the assessment of the global climate change and its consequences, the results of computer based climate models are of central importance. The quality of these results and the validity of the derived forecasts are strongly determined by the quality of the underlying climate data. However, in many parts of the world high resolution data are not available. This is particularly true for many regions in Central Asia, where the density of climatological stations has often to be described as thinned out. Due to this insufficient data base the use of statistical methods to improve the resolution of existing climate data is of crucial importance. Only this can provide a substantial data base for a well-founded analysis of past climate changes as well as for a reliable forecast of future climate developments for the particular region. The study presented here shows a comparison of different interpolation methods for the wind components u and v for a region in Central Asia with a pronounced topography. The aim of the study is to find out whether there is an optimal interpolation method which can equally be applied for all pressure levels or if different interpolation methods have to be applied for each pressure level. The European reanalysis data Era-Interim for the years 1989 - 2015 are used as input data for the pressure levels of 850 hPa, 500 hPa and 200 hPa. In order to improve the input data, two different interpolation procedures were applied: On the one hand pure interpolation methods were used, such as inverse distance weighting and ordinary kriging. On the other hand machine learning algorithms, generalized additive models and regression kriging were applied, considering additional influencing factors, e.g. geopotential and topography. As a result it can be concluded that regression kriging provides the best results for all pressure levels, followed by support vector machine, neural networks and ordinary kriging. Inverse distance weighting showed the worst

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR mutations and expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abedi-Ardekani Behnoush

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC shows geographic variations in incidence, with high incidences (>50/105 person-years in central Asia, including North Eastern Iran (Golestan and Northern India (Kashmir. In contrast to Western countries, smoking does not appear to be a significant risk factor for ESCC in central Asia. In lung adenocarcinoma, activating mutations in the gene encoding epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR are frequent in tumors of never smokers of Asian origin, predicting therapeutic sensitivity to Egfr-targeting drugs. Methods In this study 152 cases of histologically confirmed ESCC from Iran (Tehran and Golestan Province and North India (Kashmir Valley have been analyzed for EGFR mutation by direct sequencing of exons 18–21. Egfr protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 34 samples from Tehran and HER2 mutations were analyzed in 54 cases from Kashmir. Results A total of 14 (9.2% EGFR variations were detected, including seven variations in exons. Among those, four (2.6% were already documented in lung cancers, two were reported as polymorphisms and one was a potentially new activating mutation. All but one variation in introns were previously identified as polymorphisms. Over-expression of Egfr was detected in 22/34 (65% of tested cases whereas no HER2 mutation was found in 54 cases from Kashmir. Conclusion Overall, EGFR mutations appear to be a rare event in ESCC in high incidence areas of central Asia, although a very small proportion of cases may harbor mutations predicting sensitivity to anti-Egfr drugs.

Holocene climate variability in arid Central Asia as revealed from high-resolution sedimentological and geochemical analyses of laminated sediments from Lake Chatyr Kol (Central Tian Shan, Kyrgyzstan)

Science.gov (United States)

Lauterbach, S.; Plessen, B.; Dulski, P.; Mingram, J.; Prasad, S.

2013-12-01

A pronounced trend from a predominantly wet climate during the early Holocene towards significantly drier conditions since the mid-Holocene, mainly attributed to the weakening of the Asian summer monsoon (ASM), is documented in numerous palaeoclimate records from the monsoon-influenced parts of Asia, e.g. the Tibetan Plateau and north- and southeastern China. In contrast, climate in the adjacent regions of mid-latitude arid Central Asia, located north and northwest of the Tibetan Plateau, is supposed to have been characterized by pronounced dry conditions during the early Holocene, wet conditions during the mid-Holocene and a rather moderate drying during the late Holocene, which is mainly attributed to the complex interplay between the mid-latitude Westerlies and the ASM. However, although mid-latitude Central Asia thus might represent a key region for the understanding of teleconnections between the ASM system and the Westerlies, knowledge about past climate development in this region is still ambiguous due to the limited number of high-resolution palaeoclimate records. Hence, new well-dated and highly resolved palaeoclimate records from this region are expected to provide important information about spatio-temporal changes in the regional interplay between Westerlies and ASM and thus aid the understanding of global climate teleconnections. As a part of the project CADY (Central Asian Climate Dynamics), aiming at reconstructing past climatic and hydrological variability in Central Asia, a sediment core of about 6.25 m length has been recovered from alpine Lake Chatyr Kol (40°36' N, 75°14' E, 3530 m a. s. l., surface area ~170 km2, maximum depth ~20 m), located in the Central Tian Shan of Kyrgyzstan. Sediment microfacies analysis on large-scale petrographic thin sections reveals continuously sub-mm scale laminated sediments throughout the record except for the uppermost ca. 60 cm. Microsedimentological characterization of these laminae, which are most probably

Oil refining and product marketing developments in Southeast Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szabo, A.M.

1991-01-01

It is estimated that the high growth rate in oil demand in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan) will slow down slightly but still outperform the rest of the world during 1990-2000. This is expected to be true for southeast Asia as well, or more specifically the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The region's dependence on oil imports from the Middle East will continue for the foreseeable future. Asia-Pacific crude oil production is expected to grow to 6.8 million bbl/d by 1995 and to 7.3 million bbl/d by 2000, meaning that the region will import nearly 50% of its crude oil requirements at both 1995 and 2000. The participation of ASEAN in the production of indigenous crudes in the Asia-Pacific region will increase from 31% in the mid-1980s to 41% by 2000. The Asia-Pacific imbalance between refinery output or supplies and demand patterns will be accentuated during the decade, providing significant opportunities for investments and/or product trading. The region will require upgrading facilities to generate an additional 3.7 million bbl/d of light products in 1995. In the ASEAN countries, surpluses in refined products are expected for 1995. Environmental concerns are following similar trends in the Asia-Pacific region as in the rest of the world, and the proportion of high aromatics gasolines produced will increase as the proportion of leaded gasoline decreases. 6 tabs

Estimating continental water storage variations in Central Asia area using GRACE data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dapeng, Mu; Zhongchang, Sun; Jinyun, Guo

2014-01-01

The goal of GRACE satellite is to determine time-variations of the Earth's gravity, and particularly the effects of fluid mass redistributions at the surface of the Earth. This paper uses GRACE Level-2 RL05 data provided by CSR to estimate water storage variations of four river basins in Asia area for the period from 2003 to 2011. We apply a two-step filtering method to reduce the errors in GRACE data, which combines Gaussian averaging function and empirical de-correlation method. We use GLDAS hydrology to validate the result from GRACE. Special averaging approach is preformed to reduce the errors in GLDAS. The results of former three basins from GRACE are consistent with GLDAS hydrology model. In the Tarim River basin, there is more discrepancy between GRACE and GLDAS. Precipitation data from weather station proves that the results of GRACE are more plausible. We use spectral analysis to obtain the main periods of GRACE and GLDAS time series and then use least squares adjustment to determine the amplitude and phase. The results show that water storage in Central Asia is decreasing

Regional drought shifts (1710-2010) in East Central Asia and linkages with atmospheric circulation recorded in tree-ring δ18O

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Guobao; Liu, Xiaohong; Trouet, Valerie; Treydte, Kerstin; Wu, Guoju; Chen, Tuo; Sun, Weizhen; An, Wenling; Wang, Wenzhi; Zeng, Xiaomin; Qin, Dahe

2018-04-01

Drought occurrence and duration in central Asia are of important socioeconomic, ecological, and geophysical significance and have received increasing research attention in recent years. Understanding long-term drought trends and their driving forces require reliable records of past drought variability with broad spatial representativeness. Here, we compiled four tree-ring δ18O records from eastern central Asia (ECA) and composited them into a drought-sensitive proxy to explore regional ECA moisture variations over the past 301 years (1710-2010 CE). A robust regional standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI) reconstruction was established based on the tree-ring cellulose δ18O fractionation mechanism and statistically significant proxy-climate relationships. We identified prominent droughts in 1710-1770, 1810-1830, and the beginning of the twenty-first century, and a regime shift to a persistently wet period from the 1880s to 2000. Our reconstruction reveals the impact of drought and pluvial patterns on the decline of Zhungar Empire, and on historical agricultural and socio-economical activities, including increased migration into ECA during the 1770-1800 pluvial. Our findings also suggest that wet conditions in the twentieth century in ECA were related to a strengthening of the westerly circulation and thus shed light on large-scale atmospheric circulation dynamics in central Asia.

Overview of Iodine Deficiency Prevention Strategies in the South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region: 2009–2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregory A. Gerasimov

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Universal salt iodization (USI strategies gained strong momentum in countries of the Southern Europe and Central Asia (SECA region during the 2000–2009 decade. By the end of the first decade, several countries in the region had already reached the goal of optimum iodine nutrition; other countries were quickly approaching this goal, and in only a few countries the progress toward USI had remained slow. This paper reports an overview of the two Sub-Regional workshops (for countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe conducted in 2015 and 2016. Both workshops demonstrate that the SECA region remains on track in the pursuit of USI for sustainable IDD elimination. Notwithstanding the noted imperfections, none of the data or information from countries of the region suggested that the conquest of iodine deficiency is seriously threatened. However, more efforts should be made to develop and streamline USI strategies in Russia and Ukraine, two major countries that are lagging behind.

Japanese strategic thought toward asia

CERN Document Server

Rozman, Gilbert; Ferguson, Joseph

2007-01-01

Japanese leaders and often the media too have substituted symbols for strategy in dealing with Asia. This comprehensive review of four periods over twenty years exposes the strategic gap in viewing individually and collectively China, Taiwan, the Korean peninsula, Russia, Central Asia, and regionalism.

The Role of a Corporate Bond Market in an Economy -- and in Avoiding Crises

OpenAIRE

Hakansson, Nils H.

1999-01-01

While much attention has been focused on the optimal ratio of a firm's debt to equity, the "optimal" or best balance between bond financing and (longer-term) bank financing has scarcely been addressed. This essay examines the principal differences between an economy with a well-developed corporate bond market free from government interference and an economy in which bank financing plays a central role (as in East Asia). When a full-fledged corporate bond market is present, market forces hav...

Hydrological Modeling of Highly Glacierized Basins (Andes, Alps, and Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina Omani

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT was used to simulate five glacierized river basins that are global in coverage and vary in climate. The river basins included the Narayani (Nepal, Vakhsh (Central Asia, Rhone (Switzerland, Mendoza (Central Andes, Argentina, and Central Dry Andes (Chile, with a total area of 85,000 km2. A modified SWAT snow algorithm was applied in order to consider spatial variation of associated snowmelt/accumulation by elevation band across each subbasin. In previous studies, melt rates varied as a function of elevation because of an air temperature gradient while the snow parameters were constant throughout the entire basin. A major improvement of the new snow algorithm is the separation of the glaciers from seasonal snow based on their characteristics. Two SWAT snow algorithms were evaluated in simulation of monthly runoff from the glaciered watersheds: (1 the snow parameters are lumped (constant throughout the entire basin and (2 the snow parameters are spatially variable based on elevation bands of a subbasin (modified snow algorithm. Applying the distributed SWAT snow algorithm improved the model performance in simulation of monthly runoff with snow-glacial regime, so that mean RSR decreased to 0.49 from 0.55 and NSE increased to 0.75 from 0.69. Improvement of model performance was negligible in simulations of monthly runoff from the basins with a monsoon runoff regime.

Developing a Dust Emission Procedure for Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Longlei Li

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Airborne mineral dust is thought to have a significant influence on the climate through absorbing and scattering both shortwave and longwave radiations and affecting cloud microphysical processes. However, a knowledge of long-term dust emissions is limited from both temporal and spatial perspectives. Here, we have developed a quantitative climatology: the column-integrated mass of the dust aerosol loading in Central Asia by incorporating the dust module (DuMo into the Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem model and accounting for regional climate and Land-Cover and Land-Use Changes for the 1950-2010 period in April. This data set is lowly to moderately correlated (0.22-0.48 with the satellite Aerosol Optical Depth in April of the 2000s and lowly correlated (0.02-0.11 with the Absorbing Aerosol Index in April of the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. The total dust loading is approximately 207.85 Mton per month in April during the recent decade (2000-2014 over dust source regions. Although only the month of April was simulated, results suggest that trends and magnitudes are captured well, using the WRF-Chem-DuMo.

RUSSIAN PERIODICALS AT THE TURN OF THE 19TH -20TH CENTURIESON RUSSIAN MIGRANTS’ SOCIOCULTURAL ADAPTATION IN CENTRAL ASIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Р А Арсланов

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In the Russian historiography, the views of the publicists of the early 20th century of the Russian colonists’ life in Central Asia aren’t duly highlighted. The novelty and aim of the research consist in revealing the general and particular in the Russian periodicals’ percep-tion of the colonization of Turkestan, in determining their ideological bent. The authors have discovered that all the reviewed periodicals were adherents of Central Asia colonization. They supported the imperial policy of the government with minor reserva-tions. Most publicists noted that the settling of colonists depended on the actions of the central government, which insuffi ciently took into account the local conditions. However, publicists differed in the choice of the main direction and in the assessments of the value of colonists’ adaptation activity; they proposed various ways of developing the intercultural dialogue.The authors come to the conclusions that liberal periodicals paid special attention to the economic activities of Russian immigrants, assessing the degree of their adaptation by the level of well-being achieved. The Narodnik periodicals considered migrants as a part of the peasant world of Russia. They were concerned, above all, about the colonists’ commu-nity, which they considered an effective means of adaptation, preserving the culture and moral qualities of the Russians. Probably, they considered it a pledge of building fair relations with the local population. Conservative and offi cial publicists viewed Russian immigrants primarily as support of the Russian government in Central Asia. That is why they paid special attention to the preservation of assimilation qualities of the Russians, the loss of which could become, in their view, an obstacle to the strengthening of the empire positions in the region.

The strategic interests of the USA, Russia and Сhina in the central Asia at the present stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tofan A.V.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available this article is devoted to develop and analyze the strategic concerns of key geopolitical actors in the Central Asian region. The author comes to the conclusion that the specialty of the Central Asia is a beneficial geopolitical location and great amount of nature resources that makes the region an object of world powers’ geopolitical interests. The main actors in the CA are the USA, China and Russia, which have influence on political processes inside the region, realizing their own strategies.

Crises in Asia or crisis of globalisation?

OpenAIRE

Dieter, Heribert

1998-01-01

The crises in Southeast and East Asia have started a new round of debate on the benefits and disadvantages of globalisation. We have to ask whether the crises in Asia were the result of failures in national economic policy or whether they were the consequence of ill-constructed global financial markets. It can be concluded that the crises were caused by a number of factors, both internal and external, but that the decisive shifts came from actors on international financial markets as well as ...

P and S wave Coda Calibration in Central Asia and South Korea

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, D.; Mayeda, K.; Gok, R.; Barno, J.; Roman-Nieves, J. I.

2017-12-01

Empirically derived coda source spectra provide unbiased, absolute moment magnitude (Mw) estimates for events that are normally too small for accurate long-period waveform modeling. In this study, we obtain coda-derived source spectra using data from Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan networks - KN and KR, and Tajikistan - TJ) and South Korea (Korea Meteorological Administration, KMA). We used a recently developed coda calibration module of Seismic WaveForm Tool (SWFT). Seismic activities during this recording period include the recent Gyeongju earthquake of Mw=5.3 and its aftershocks, two nuclear explosions from 2009 and 2013 in North Korea, and a small number of construction and mining-related explosions. For calibration, we calculated synthetic coda envelopes for both P and S waves based on a simple analytic expression that fits the observed narrowband filtered envelopes using the method outlined in Mayeda et al. (2003). To provide an absolute scale of the resulting source spectra, path and site corrections are applied using independent spectral constraints (e.g., Mw and stress drop) from three Kyrgyzstan events and the largest events of the Gyeongju sequence in Central Asia and South Korea, respectively. In spite of major tectonic differences, stable source spectra were obtained in both regions. We validated the resulting spectra by comparing the ratio of raw envelopes and source spectra from calibrated envelopes. Spectral shapes of earthquakes and explosions show different patterns in both regions. We also find (1) the source spectra derived from S-coda is more robust than that from the P-coda at low frequencies; (2) unlike earthquake events, the source spectra of explosions have a large disagreement between P and S waves; and (3) similarity is observed between 2016 Gyeongju and 2011 Virginia earthquake sequence in the eastern U.S.

Zika virus in Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veasna Duong

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Zika virus (ZIKV is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first isolated from a sentinel rhesus monkey in the Zika Forest in Uganda in 1947. In Asia, the virus was isolated in Malaysia from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in 1966, and the first human infections were reported in 1977 in Central Java, Indonesia. In this review, all reported cases of ZIKV infection in Asia as of September 1, 2016 are summarized and some of the hypotheses that could currently explain the apparently low incidence of Zika cases in Asia are explored.

Monitoring the HIV continuum of care in key populations across Europe and Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, A E; Attawell, K; Hales, D; Rice, B D; Pharris, A; Supervie, V; Van Beckhoven, D; Delpech, V C; An der Heiden, M; Marcus, U; Maly, M; Noori, T

2018-05-08

The aim of the study was to measure and compare national continuum of HIV care estimates in Europe and Central Asia in three key subpopulations: men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID) and migrants. Responses to a 2016 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) survey of 55 European and Central Asian countries were used to describe continuums of HIV care for the subpopulations. Data were analysed using three frameworks: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets; breakpoint analysis identifying reductions between adjacent continuum stages; quadrant analysis categorizing countries using 90% cut-offs for continuum stages. Overall, 29 of 48 countries reported national data for all HIV continuum stages (numbers living with HIV, diagnosed, receiving treatment and virally suppressed). Six countries reported all stages for MSM, seven for PWID and two for migrants. Thirty-one countries did not report data for MSM (34 for PWID and 41 for migrants). In countries that provided key-population data, overall, 63%, 40% and 41% of MSM, PWID and migrants living with HIV were virally suppressed, respectively (compared with 68%, 65% and 68% nationally, for countries reporting key-population data). Variation was observed between countries, with higher outcomes in subpopulations in Western Europe compared with Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Few reporting countries can produce the continuum of HIV care for the three key populations. Where data are available, differences exist in outcomes between the general and key populations. While MSM broadly mirror national outcomes (in the West), PWID and migrants experience poorer treatment and viral suppression. Countries must develop continuum measures for key populations to identify and address inequalities. © 2018 British HIV Association.

Exacerbated grassland degradation and desertification in Central Asia during 2000-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Geli; Biradar, Chandrashekhar M; Xiao, Xiangming; Dong, Jinwei; Zhou, Yuting; Qin, Yuanwei; Zhang, Yao; Liu, Fang; Ding, Mingjun; Thomas, Richard J

2018-03-01

Grassland degradation and desertification is a complex process, including both state conversion (e.g., grasslands to deserts) and gradual within-state change (e.g., greenness dynamics). Existing studies hardly separated the two components and analyzed it as a whole based on time series vegetation index data, which cannot provide a clear and comprehensive picture for grassland degradation and desertification. Here we propose an integrated assessment strategy, by considering both state conversion and within-state change of grasslands, to investigate grassland degradation and desertification process in Central Asia. First, annual maps of grasslands and sparsely vegetated land were generated to track the state conversions between them. The results showed increasing grasslands were converted to sparsely vegetated lands from 2000 to 2014, with the desertification region concentrating in the latitude range of 43-48° N. A frequency analysis of grassland vs. sparsely vegetated land classification in the last 15 yr allowed a recognition of persistent desert zone (PDZ), persistent grassland zone (PGZ), and transitional zone (TZ). The TZ was identified in southern Kazakhstan as one hotspot that was unstable and vulnerable to desertification. Furthermore, the trend analysis of Enhanced Vegetation Index during thermal growing season (EVI TGS ) was investigated in individual zones using linear regression and Mann-Kendall approaches. An overall degradation across the area was found; moreover, the second desertification hotspot was identified in northern Kazakhstan with significant decreasing in EVI TGS , which was located in PGZ. Finally, attribution analyses of grassland degradation and desertification were conducted by considering precipitation, temperature, and three different drought indices. We found persistent droughts were the main factor for grassland degradation and desertification in Central Asia. Considering both state conversion and gradual within-state change

Bond financing for renewable energy in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, Thiam Hee; Tao, Jacqueline Yujia

2016-01-01

Addressing the financing gap for renewable energy (RE) projects in Asia is critical to ensure that the rapidly increasing energy needs could be met sustainably. This paper explores the cause of the financing gap in Asia and proposes the use of bond financing to address the financing gap. Specifically, three fixed income instruments, namely local currency denominated (LCY) corporate bonds, asset backed project bonds and financial green bonds, will be assessed. Whilst the potential for these three instruments to mobilize large flows of private sector financing is great, key supportive policies aimed at reducing the capital market bias for conventional power generation technologies and supportive RE policies are required. Another key aspect would be the necessary deepening of local and regional fixed income markets before such capital market instruments are able to play a big role. - Highlights: •This study looks at the current financing gap and RE financing landscape in developing Asia. •LCY corporate bonds, asset backed projects bonds and financial green bonds could help to address the financing gap for RE in the region. •Policy recommendations for building the fixed income market for RE projects are provided.

International stock market integration: Central and South Eastern Europe compared

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Horváth, Roman; Petrovski, D.

2013-01-01

Roč. 37, č. 1 (2013), s. 81-91 ISSN 0939-3625 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA402/09/0965 Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : stock markets * South Eastern Europe Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 0.611, year: 2013 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2013/E/horvath-international stock market integration central and south eastern europe compared.pdf

Energy security, trans-national pipelines and China's role in Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seaman, J.

2010-07-01

In recent decades, China's transformation from a regional energy supplier to one of the world's largest net energy importers, in particular with regards to oil and gas, has led to an increasing sense of energy insecurity in Chinese policy circles. Guaranteeing adequate supplies of energy to fuel economic growth is a central element in Beijing's efforts to maintain legitimacy in the face of economic reform and transformation. To combat energy insecurity a number of initiatives are being undertaken to diversify energy inputs, suppliers, and the means of their transport. Among these initiatives are a series of trans-national pipeline projects that will transport oil and gas from Eastern Siberia, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, effectively reducing China's overall reliance on international sea lanes and maritime choke-points, in particular the Strait of Malacca. An analysis of these projects can shed light on how China's energy security policies are playing out on a regional level, how they are complicated and aided by various competing and converging interests of regional actors, and how they are re-shaping traditional regional dependencies. Indeed, more complex interdependencies among suppliers, consumers and transit states in continental Asia seem to be emerging as a consequence of China's growing role as an energy consumer. In the end, these pipelines help to diversify China's oil and gas suppliers and transport routes, easing its reliance on Middle Eastern oil and maritime transit, but they are by no means an alternative to the latter. China will continue to rely heavily on international oil markets and maritime shipping routes to deliver Middle Eastern oil. Suring up international markets and finding means to cooperate on international maritime security issues are thus and will remain in China's best interest. (author)

People’s Republic of China and Federal Republic of Germany in current international relations in Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A V Tsvyk

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This article is devoted to the analysis of the current Sino-German relations in the context of world politics and dynamics of international relations as exemplified by the Central Asia region. Basic problems and prospects for cooperation between China and Germany in this region, as well as possible ways of cooperation of the SCO and the EU are under consideration.

Seasonal Contribution of Mineral Dust and Otlher Major Components to Particulate Matter at Two Remote Sites in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Dust storms are significant contributors to ambient levels of particulate matter (PM) in many areas of the world. Central Asia, an area that is relatively understudied in this regard, is anticipated to be affected by dust storms due to its proximity to several major deserts that ...

Linguistic Phylogenies Support Back-Migration from Beringia to Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Sicoli, Mark A.; Holton, Gary

2014-01-01

Recent arguments connecting Na-Dene languages of North America with Yeniseian languages of Siberia have been used to assert proof for the origin of Native Americans in central or western Asia. We apply phylogenetic methods to test support for this hypothesis against an alternative hypothesis that Yeniseian represents a back-migration to Asia from a Beringian ancestral population. We coded a linguistic dataset of typological features and used neighbor-joining network algorithms and Bayesian model comparison based on Bayes factors to test the fit between the data and the linguistic phylogenies modeling two dispersal hypotheses. Our results support that a Dene-Yeniseian connection more likely represents radiation out of Beringia with back-migration into central Asia than a migration from central or western Asia to North America. PMID:24621925

Time for Stability in Derivatives Markets – a New Look at Central Counterparty Clearing for Securities Markets

OpenAIRE

Thorsten V. Koeppl

2011-01-01

The recent financial crisis has driven many plans for improving the stability and resilience of the global financial system. One concept, managing the risk of default in securities or financial derivatives markets through central counterparties, receives scrutiny in this report. The author examines the role centralized clearing parties could play in improving system resilience. These centralized clearing parties are institutions that interpose themselves between counterparties in financial tr...

Retreating or standing: Responses of forest species and steppe species to climate change in arid eastern central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Hong-Xiang Zhang; Ming-Li Zhang; Stewart C. Sanderson

2013-01-01

The temperature in arid Eastern Central Asia is projected to increase in the future, accompanied by increased variability of precipitation. To investigate the impacts of climate change on plant species in this area, we selected two widespread species as candidates, Clematis sibirica and C. songorica, from montane coniferous forest and arid steppe habitats respectively...

International gas pricing in Europe and Asia: A crisis of fundamentals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stern, Jonathan

2014-01-01

In Continental Europe and LNG importing Asia, international gas prices reflect the market fundamentals of the 1970s–1990s when gas was replacing oil products and crude oil in energy balances. By the end of the 2000s, fundamentals in both these regions had changed significantly, but gas price formation mechanisms had not. This created major problems for buyers locked into long term contracts indexed to crude oil and oil product prices, which had risen to levels far above gas market fundamentals. By 2013, the transition to hub-based pricing was well advanced in Europe and dominant in the large markets in the north west of the Continent. In Asia the “crisis of fundamentals” was only just starting to be addressed with a transition to market pricing an urgent imperative, but still a distant prospect. - Highlights: • International gas prices in Europe and LNG importing Asia no longer reflect market fundamentals. • This became highly problematic in Europe post-2008 and in Japan post-Fukushima. • The result has been a significant switch to hub pricing in Europe. • In Asia, no substantial action has been taken beyond some new contracts based on Henry Hub prices

Mid- to Late Holocene climate development in Central Asia as revealed from multi-proxy analyses of sediments from Lake Son Kol (Kyrgyzstan)

Science.gov (United States)

Lauterbach, Stefan; Dulski, Peter; Gleixner, Gerd; Hettler-Riedel, Sabine; Mingram, Jens; Plessen, Birgit; Prasad, Sushma; Schwalb, Antje; Schwarz, Anja; Stebich, Martina; Witt, Roman

2013-04-01

A mid-Holocene shift from predominantly wet to significantly drier climate conditions, attributed to the weakening of the Asian summer monsoon (ASM), is documented in numerous palaeoclimate records from the monsoon-influenced parts of Asia, e.g. the Tibetan Plateau and north- and southeastern China. In contrast, Holocene climate development in the arid regions of mid-latitude Central Asia, located north and northwest of the Tibetan Plateau, is less well-constrained but supposed to have been influenced by a complex interaction between the mid-latitude Westerlies and the ASM. Hence, well-dated and highly resolved palaeoclimate records from Central Asia might provide important information about spatio-temporal changes in the regional interplay between Westerlies and ASM and thus aid the understanding of global climate teleconnections. As a part of the project CADY (Central Asian Climate Dynamics), aiming at reconstructing past climatic and hydrological variability in Central Asia, several sediment cores were recovered from alpine Lake Son Kol (41° 48'N, 75° 12'E, 3016 m a. s. l.) in the Central Tian Shan of Kyrgyzstan. A radiocarbon-dated sediment sequence of 154.5 cm length, covering approximately the last 6000 years, was investigated by using a multi-proxy approach, including sedimentological, (bio)geochemical, isotopic and micropalaeontological analyses. Preliminary proxy data indicate hydrologically variable but predominantly wet conditions until ca. 5100 cal. a BP, characterized by the deposition of finely laminated organic-carbonatic sediments. In contrast to monsoonal Asia, where a distinct trend towards drier conditions is observed since the mid-Holocene, the hydrologically variable interval at Lake Son Kol was apparently followed by an only short-term dry episode between ca. 5100 and 4200 cal. a BP. This is characterized by a higher δD of the C29 n-alkanes, probably reflecting increased evapotranspiration. Also pollen, diatom and ostracod data point

Liquidity Regulation, the Central Bank, and the Money Market

OpenAIRE

Scheubel, Beatrice; Körding, Julia

2013-01-01

As reliance on excessively short-term wholesale funding has been one of the major causes for the 2007-2009 financial crisis, recent advances in global liquidity regulation try to curb the excessive reliance on short-term wholesale funding without being clear on how such an approach will affect the overall equilibrium on money markets. In particular, liquidity regulation may interfere with the central bank's influence on short-term money market rates. This paper tries to fill the gap in unders...

Measuring Corruption in Eastern Europe and Central Asia : A Critique of the Cross-Country Indicators

OpenAIRE

Knack, Stephen

2006-01-01

This paper assesses corruption levels and trends among countries in the transition countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) based on data from several sources that are both widely used and cover most or all countries in the region. Data from firm surveys tend to show improvement in most types of administrative corruption, but little change in "state capture" in the region. Broader, subjective corruption indicators tend to show somewhat greater improvement in ECA than in non-ECA coun...

The Qing and Russia in Central Asia : A Comparative Study of Motives for Political Expansion

OpenAIRE

Løvold, Thomas Ohren

2009-01-01

The Peoples Republic of China’s Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region, or eastern Central Asia, is an area that has recently seen large scale ethnic unrest, as the native Uygurs have protested violently against Chinese domination in the region. This thesis is a discussion of the background for why Xinjiang today is under Chinese rule. To and a half centuries ago, in 1755-59, the Manchu Qing dynasty (1636-1911) conquered Xinjiang and incorporated it into their state, and this conquest contributed s...

Development of Europe's gas hubs: Implications for East Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xunpeng Shi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Gas trading hubs have been initially developed in the US in 1980s, UK in 1990s, more recently in European in the 2000s and mulled in East Asia now. Due to its freshness and diversification in nationality, governance and culture, the European hub experience can offer valuable lessons for East Asia. This paper seeks to advance understanding of gas hub development in Europe and provide lessons for East Asia. The European experience highlights that market liberalization and transition of gas pricing mechanism are necessary in creating the competitive markets that are needed for functional gas hubs. Political will and regulations further safeguard the competition environment needed for hub development. Natural factors, such as significant domestic production and culture could have a significant impact on the hub development and transition of pricing mechanism. In East Asia, the path to gas trading hubs might be more difficult than in Europe but a growing market creates an opportunity to start new terms with new contracts. Nevertheless, East Asian needs to work hard to development its indigenous gas or LNG trading hubs.

Transplanting a Western-Style Journalism Education to the Central Asian Republics of the Former Soviet Union: Experiences and Challenges at the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan

Science.gov (United States)

Skochilo, Elena; Toralieva, Gulnura; Freedman, Eric; Shafer, Richard

2013-01-01

Western standards of journalism education, as well as western professional journalistic practices, have had difficulty taking root in the five independent countries of formerly Soviet Central Asia. This essay examines the experience of one university's Department of Journalism and Mass Communication since 1997 and the challenges it faces,…

A Study to Promote a Collaboration of R and D for Nuclear Energy Technology Development between Korea and Central Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rho, Si Pyo; Kim, Cheol Jung; Yoo, Bung Duk; Kim, Jae Woo; Lee, Myung Ho; Kim, Kyung Pyo

2006-02-15

The goal of this research work is to promote the cooperation in the field of nuclear related works with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan which are main countries in the central Asia. To make a basis on exchanging researchers, a staff in KAERI had visited INP NNC RK, touring research reactors, and make a discussion with the staffs in INP. With this, there is a efforts to make an arrangement between KAERI and NNC RK, signing will be made in near futures. To understand the level of nuclear technology in Uzbekistan, Dr. Rho had made a trip to INP. He visited the Gamma-radiation facility, a research reactor. In Nov. 2005, the chairman of Science Academy visited Korea to discuss the future cooperation in the field of peaceful use of the nuclear energy. By doing so, Korea will make an effort to cooperate with countries in the Central Asia.

A Study to Promote a Collaboration of R and D for Nuclear Energy Technology Development between Korea and Central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rho, Si Pyo; Kim, Cheol Jung; Yoo, Bung Duk; Kim, Jae Woo; Lee, Myung Ho; Kim, Kyung Pyo

2006-02-01

The goal of this research work is to promote the cooperation in the field of nuclear related works with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan which are main countries in the central Asia. To make a basis on exchanging researchers, a staff in KAERI had visited INP NNC RK, touring research reactors, and make a discussion with the staffs in INP. With this, there is a efforts to make an arrangement between KAERI and NNC RK, signing will be made in near futures. To understand the level of nuclear technology in Uzbekistan, Dr. Rho had made a trip to INP. He visited the Gamma-radiation facility, a research reactor. In Nov. 2005, the chairman of Science Academy visited Korea to discuss the future cooperation in the field of peaceful use of the nuclear energy. By doing so, Korea will make an effort to cooperate with countries in the Central Asia

The dynamic interdependence of international financial markets: An empirical study on twenty-seven stock markets

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xingwei; Zheng, Xiaolong; Zeng, Daniel Dajun

2017-04-01

In this paper, we aim to investigate the dynamic interdependence of international financial markets. Based on the data regarding daily returns of each market during the period 2006-2015 from Yahoo finance, we mainly focus on examining 27 markets from three continents, including Asia, America and Europe. By checking the dynamic interdependence between those markets, we find that markets from different continents have strong correlation at specific time shift. We also obtain that markets from different continents not only have a strong linkage with others at same day, but at a delay of one day, especially between Asia, Europe and Asia, America. In addition, we further analyze the time-varying influence strength between each two continents and observe that this value has abnormal changes during the financial crisis. These findings can provide us significant insights to understand the underlying dynamic interdependency of international financial markets and further help us make corresponding reasonable decisions.

PLACING INDIA IN THE EMERGING REGIONAL DYNAMICS OF CENTRAL ASIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meena Singh Roy

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The present article tries to examine India’s initiatives in the region in the context of the emerging regional geo-strategic landscape. With an aim to enhance political, economic and strategic ties, India’s policy towards the region has moved from ‘Look North’ to ‘Connect North’. Notably, the full membership of SCO offers India greater synergies to play a more active role in the region. India is, thus, all set to build more meaningful partnerships with the region in the context of new geo-political changes shaping Central Asia. More importantly, the region is seeking India to play a more active role. It is argued that the beginning of a new era of cooperation initiated by PM Modi can only be sustained if New Delhi continues to implement its various agreements and commitments. While building stronger bilateral ties with the region is important, working closely in the regional groupings will also help address regional economic and security challenges

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Tourism is an important driver of economic growth throughout Southeast Asia. ... et l'introduction de cultures à rendement élevé, les agriculteurs punjabi se sont ... Although it occupies just 1.5% of India's land mass, Punjab now grows more ...

Could Changing Power Relationships Lead to Better  Water Sharing in Central Asia?

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Aibek Zhupankhan

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Even though Central Asia is water rich, water disputes have characterized the region after crumbling of the Soviet Union in 1991. The uneven spatial distribution and complex pattern of transboundary water sources with contrasting national water needs have created an intricate water dilemma. Increasing national water needs, water claims by surrounding countries, uncertainties in renewable water volumes, and effects of climate change will put further strain on the future water use in Central Asia. We argue that the present power distribution with three downstream hegemons (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan and two upstream much poorer countries with less political influence (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is not likely to lead forward to a greater willingness to share water. We discuss this situation with the analogue Egypt-Sudan-Ethiopia in the Nile Basin. Thus, as in the case of Ethiopia in the Nile Basin, gradually economically stronger upstream countries Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan due to hydropower development are likely to eventually re-define the hydropolitical map of Central Asia. As in the case of the Nile Basin, a more even power balance between upstream and downstream countries may lead to an improved political structure for a much-needed better collaboration on water issues.

Alternatives of Cross-Border Securities Settlement System in East Asia

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Hee-Yul Chai

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The establishment of cross-border securities settlement system is a very important element of regional capital market integration. Despite its importance, relatively few arguments, both theoretical and practical, have been advanced on the subject. This paper aims to examine the alternatives of cross-border securities settlement system in East Asia, and analyse the feasibility and the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative. The paper underlines the need to develop a multi-currency DVP securities settlement system. The conceivable alternatives of East Asia's cross-border securities settlement system can be divided into decentralized system and centralized system. It is possible to consider a large array of institutional settings according to the depository/settlement methods. The comparison of the alternatives is based on economic efficiency, feasibility and institutional location of settlement system. In view of these criteria, it is argued that a 'big-bang' approach toward imperfectly cenralized system is the most desirable alternative.

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Language French. Read more about Démarginalisation des travailleurs pauvres par le droit. Language French. Read more about Legal Empowerment of the Working Poor. Language English. Read more about Water Security in Periurban South Asia : Adapting to Climate Change and Urbanization. Language English.

Quantifying the Impacts of Environmental Factors on Vegetation Dynamics over Climatic and Management Gradients of Central Asia

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Olena Dubovyk

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Currently there is a lack of quantitative information regarding the driving factors of vegetation dynamics in post-Soviet Central Asia. Insufficient knowledge also exists concerning vegetation variability across sub-humid to arid climatic gradients as well as vegetation response to different land uses, from natural rangelands to intensively irrigated croplands. In this study, we analyzed the environmental drivers of vegetation dynamics in five Central Asian countries by coupling key vegetation parameter “overall greenness” derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI time series data, with its possible factors across various management and climatic gradients. We developed nine generalized least-squares random effect (GLS-RE models to analyze the relative impact of environmental factors on vegetation dynamics. The obtained results quantitatively indicated the extensive control of climatic factors on managed and unmanaged vegetation cover across Central Asia. The most diverse vegetation dynamics response to climatic variables was observed for “intensively managed irrigated croplands”. Almost no differences in response to these variables were detected for managed non-irrigated vegetation and unmanaged (natural vegetation across all countries. Natural vegetation and rainfed non-irrigated crop dynamics were principally associated with temperature and precipitation parameters. Variables related to temperature had the greatest relative effect on irrigated croplands and on vegetation cover within the mountainous zone. Further research should focus on incorporating the socio-economic factors discussed here in a similar analysis.

Asthenospheric counterflows beneath the moving lithosphere of Central and East Asia in the past 90 Ma: volcanic and tomographic evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Rasskazov, Sergei; Chuvashova, Irina; Kozhevnikov, Vladimir

2015-04-01

Asthenospheric counterflows, accompanied motions of the lithosphere in Central and East Asia, are defined on basis of spatial-temporal activity of mantle sources [Rasskazov et al., 2012; Rasskazov, Chuvashova, 2013; Chuvashova, Rasskazov, 2014] and the tomographic model of the Rayleigh wave group velocities [Kozhevnikov et al., 2014]. The opposite fluxes are defined relative to centers of convective instability (low-velocity anomalies), expressed by thinning of the mantle transition layer under Southwestern Gobi (44 °N, 95 °E) and Northern Baikal (52 °N, 108 °E). Cretaceous-Paleogene volcanic fields in Southern Gobi are shifted eastwards relative to the former anomaly over 600 km with the opposite sub-lithospheric flux at depths of 150-300 km. Likewise, the Late Tertiary Vitim volcanic field is shifted relative to the latter anomaly over 100-200 km. We suggest that the Gobi and Baikal asthenospheric counterflows contributed to the rollback mechanism of downgoing slab material from the Pacific under the eastern margin of Asia in the Cretaceous-Paleogene and Early-Middle Miocene. The east-west Gobi reverse flux, caused by differential block motions in front of the Indo-Asian convergence, resulted in the oblique Honshu-Korean flexure of the Pacific slab that propagated beneath the continental margin, while the Japan Sea was quickly opening at about 15 Ma. The Baikal N60°W reverse flux, originated due to oncoming traffic between Eurasia and the Pacific plate, entailed the formation of the Baikal Rift Zone and direct Hokkaido Amur slab flexure [Rasskazov et al., 2004]. The study is supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant 14-05-31328). References Chuvashova I.S., Rasskazov S.V. Magmatic sources in the mantle of the evolving Earth. Irkutsk: Publishing House of the Irkutsk State University, 2014. 310 p. (in Russian) Kozhevnikov V.M., Seredkina A.I., Solovei O.A. 3D mantle structure of Central Asia from Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion

Khwarezmian Army of Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu during the Mongol Invasion of Central Asia

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D.M. Timokhin

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This article examines the features of formation and functioning of the Khwarezmian army of Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu during the period of the Mongol conquest of Central Asia. In addition to a detailed analysis of a military clash between the Mongol and Khwarezmian armies, the author determines the size and ethnic composition of the Jalal ad-Din’s army. The article considers the reflection by the Arab-Persian sources both of the military confrontation between Khwarezmians and Mongols and of the Khwarezmian army itself. The author defines the amount of information on this subject contained in the sources.

Renewable energy markets in China: An analysis of renewable energy markets in Guangdong, Jiangxi, Jilin, and Yunnan provinces, with updated information from Beijing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vaupen, S.B.

1999-12-13

The People's Republic of China has undergone many changes over the past decade that have led to new growth and created opportunities for many industries, including the renewable energy industry. China has consistently had one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia. This report is a continuation of a market assessment done in 1997, which analyzed six provinces (Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Shandong, Qinghai, Xinjiang, and Zhejiang) in China. The information contained in this report comes mainly from interviews conducted with central and local government officials, state and local power bureau officials, and various company executives. The report provides valuable market information necessary for any company interested in entering China's renewable energy market. It also details the legal, competitive, sociocultural, technological, geographic, and economic environments of four provinces in China: Guangdong, Jiangxi, Jilin, and Yunnan. In addition, it outlines the major central government policies and contacts important to renewable energy development within China.

Biosurveillance in Central Asia: Successes and Challenges of Tick-Borne Disease Research in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

OpenAIRE

Hay, John; Yeh, Kenneth B.; Dasgupta, Debanjana; Shapieva, Zhanna; Omasheva, Gulnara; Deryabin, Pavel; Nurmakhanov, Talgat; Ayazbayev, Timur; Andryushchenko, Alexei; Zhunushov, Asankadyr; Hewson, Roger; Farris, Christina M.; Richards, Allen L.

2016-01-01

Central Asia is a vast geographic region that includes five former Soviet Union republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The region has a unique infectious disease burden, and a history that includes Silk Road trade routes and networks that were part of the anti-plague and biowarfare programs in the former Soviet Union. Post-Soviet Union biosurveillance research in this unique area of the world has met with several challenges, including lack of funding and ...

The challenge in Asia: Finding best value-creation potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redmond, T.; Bloy, N.

1996-01-01

The refining and marketing expansion opportunities in Asia are tremendous. Asia is home to nine of the world's 20 most populous countries, including the Indian subcontinent. The continent's sheer size, combined with rapid industrialization, translates into a large and surging demand for oil products. In fact, Asia will soon surpass Europe and North America to become the largest petroleum products consuming region in the world. The challenge facing managements of oil and gas companies is how to sort through all the opportunities and decide which have the highest value-creation potential for their companies. This challenge is complicated by the increasing competitive intensity in many Asian markets brought about by the growing number and strength of competitors, many of which may also be setting priorities and arriving at possibly similar conclusions. It is no longer the opportunity itself that will create value but rather the capability of the organization to turn the opportunity into operations faster and better than its competitors do. The paper discusses market growth, profitability, winning market share, where and when to enter, and the remaining opportunities

Central bank independence and its effect on money market stability

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MSc. Anera Alishani

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Since 1990s many countries have moved toward greater central bank independence (CBI by either amending their Central Bank’s laws or writing them de novo. Also countries of Western Balkans and many other transition countries have moved toward greater CBI. There are many potential benefits associated with greater CBI, and one of them is stable growth of money and liquidity. For a given level of money market development the hypothesis is that a more independent CB is likely to promote more stable growth of money supply (Dželetović et al., 2008. As a result the main research task of this work is to estimate the effects of CBI on money market growth for five Western Balkans countries and five other European transition countries. Because the empirical studies were very limited for the relationship between CBI and money market growth, there were no clear conclusions. In addition, there were different measuring methodologies that attempt to quantify the extent of legal and actual CBI. Related to the main research task, this dissertation has examined the effects of CBI on money market stability (proxied by bank deposit growth for a sample of 10 countries for a period from 1999-2009 by using fixed effect model. Through this methodology different regressions have been estimated, but the results were not robust and there are no clear finding on the relationship between CBI and money market growth.

COMPETITIVENESS OF CANADIAN AGRI-FOOD EXPORTS AGAINST COMPETITORS IN ASIA: 1980-97

OpenAIRE

Chen, Kevin Z.; Duan, Yufeng

2001-01-01

Asia is the second largest market for the Canadian agri-food exports after the United States market. The competition in Asia has become more intensive in recent years as the agri-food sector in developed nations such as Australia, Canada, Europe, and the United States has increasingly relied on exports for growth because of their own slow-growing domestic food consumption. How did the performance of Canadian agri-food exports to Asia measure up to the performances of its main competitors? Thi...

Sustainable Energy Consumption in Northeast Asia: A Case from China’s Fuel Oil Futures Market

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Chi Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The sustainable energy consumption in northeast Asia has a huge impact on regional stability and economic growth, which gives price volatility research in the energy market both theoretical value and practical application. We select China’s fuel oil futures market as a research subject and use recurrence interval analysis to investigate the price volatility pattern in different thresholds. We utilize the stretched exponential function to fit the pattern of the recurrence intervals of price fluctuations and find that the probability density functions of the recurrence intervals in different thresholds do not show the scaling behavior. Then the conditional probability density function and detrended fluctuation analysis prove that there is short-term and long-term correlation. Last, we use a hazard function to introduce the recurrence intervals into the (value at risk VaR calculation and establish a functional relationship between the mean recurrence interval and the threshold. Following this result, we also shed light on policy discussion for hedgers and government.

Zika virus in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Duong, Veasna; Dussart, Philippe; Buchy, Philippe

2017-01-01

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first isolated from a sentinel rhesus monkey in the Zika Forest in Uganda in 1947. In Asia, the virus was isolated in Malaysia from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in 1966, and the first human infections were reported in 1977 in Central Java, Indonesia. In this review, all reported cases of ZIKV infection in Asia as of September 1, 2016 are summarized and some of the hypotheses that could currently explain the apparently low incidence of Zika cases in Asia are explored. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Parasitic contamination of fresh vegetables sold at central markets in Khartoum state, Sudan.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, Mona Ali; Siddig, Emmanuel Edwar; Elaagip, Arwa Hassan; Edris, Ali Mahmoud Mohammed; Nasr, Awad Ahmed

2016-03-11

Fresh vegetables are considered as vital nutrients of a healthy diet as they supply the body with essential supplements. The consumption of raw vegetables is the main way for transmission of intestinal parasitic organisms. This study was aimed at detecting the parasitic contamination in fresh vegetables sold in two central open-aired markets in Khartoum state, Sudan. In this prospective cross-sectional study, a total of 260 fresh vegetable samples and 50 water samples used to sprinkle vegetable(s) were collected from two central open-aired markets (namely; Elshaabi and Central markets) during November 2011 to May 2012. The samples were microscopically examined for detection of parasitic life forms using standardized parasitological techniques for protozoans and helminthes worms. Of the 260 fresh vegetable samples, 35 (13.5 %) were microscopically positive for intestinal parasites whereas 7/50 (14 %) of water samples used to sprinkle vegetable(s) were found positives. Remarkably, high level of contamination in fresh vegetable samples was recorded in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) 36.4 % (4/11) while cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) were not contaminated. The identified protozoans and helminthes were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Entamoeba coli, Giardia lamblia, Ascaris lumbricoides, Strongyloides stercoralis, T. trichiura and hookworms. The most predominant parasite encountered was E. histolytica/dispar (42.9 %) whereas both T. trichiura and A. lumbricoides (2.9 %) were the least detected parasites. None of the fresh vegetables had single parasitic contamination. The highest percentages found in water samples used to sprinkle vegetable(s) was for Strongyloides larvae 60 % (3/5). It is worth-mentioned that the rate of contamination in Elshaabi market was higher compared with Central market. However, there was no significant correlation between the type of vegetables and existence of parasites in both markets and a high significant

Climate model performance and change projection for freshwater fluxes: Comparison for irrigated areas in Central and South Asia

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Shilpa M. Asokan

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Study region: The large semi-arid Aral Region in Central Asia and the smaller tropical Mahanadi River Basin (MRB in India. Study focus: Few studies have so far evaluated the performance of the latest generation of global climate models on hydrological basin scales. We here investigate the performance and projections of the global climate models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 5 (CMIP5 for freshwater fluxes and their changes in two regional hydrological basins, which are both irrigated but of different scale and with different climate. New hydrological insights for the region: For precipitation in both regions, model accuracy relative to observations has remained the same or decreased in successive climate model generations until and including CMIP5. No single climate model out-performs other models across all key freshwater variables in any of the investigated basins. Scale effects are not evident from global model application directly to freshwater assessment for the two basins of widely different size. Overall, model results are less accurate and more uncertain for freshwater fluxes than for temperature, and particularly so for model-implied water storage changes. Also, the monsoon-driven runoff seasonality in MRB is not accurately reproduced. Model projections agree on evapotranspiration increase in both regions until the climatic period 2070–2099. This increase is fed by precipitation increase in MRB and by runoff water (thereby decreasing runoff in the Aral Region. Keywords: CMIP5 global climate models, Hydro-climate, Freshwater change, Central Asia, South Asia, Monsoon driven seasonality

How effective is the invisible hand? Agricultural and food markets in Central and Eastern Europe

OpenAIRE

Brosig, Stephan; Hockmann, Heinrich

2005-01-01

This volume of proceedings, available both as hard copy and pdf , is a compilation of selected contributions to the IAMO Forum 2005, which will be held in Halle (Saale), Germany, at the Institute of Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe from June 16-18, 2005. CONTENTS: Agricultural and food markets in Central and Eastern Europe: An introduction; Stephan Brosig, Heinrich Hockmann. Agricultural markets in CEE - An overview; József Popp. Regoverning agrifood markets in CEEC - Po...

Integrated spatiotemporal characterization of dust sources and outbreaks in Central and East Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Darmenova, Kremena T.

The potential of atmospheric dust aerosols to modify the Earth's environment and climate has been recognized for some time. However, predicting the diverse impact of dust has several significant challenges. One is to quantify the complex spatial and temporal variability of dust burden in the atmosphere. Another is to quantify the fraction of dust originating from human-made sources. This thesis focuses on the spatiotemporal characterization of sources and dust outbreaks in Central and East Asia by integrating ground-based data, satellite multisensor observations, and modeling. A new regional dust modeling system capable of operating over a span of scales was developed. The modeling system consists of a dust module DuMo, which incorporates several dust emission schemes of different complexity, and the PSU/NCAR mesoscale model MM5, which offers a variety of physical parameterizations and flexible nesting capability. The modeling system was used to perform for the first time a comprehensive study of the timing, duration, and intensity of individual dust events in Central and East Asia. Determining the uncertainties caused by the choice of model physics, especially the boundary layer parameterization, and the dust production scheme was the focus of our study. Implications to assessments of the anthropogenic dust fraction in these regions were also addressed. Focusing on Spring 2001, an analysis of routine surface meteorological observations and satellite multi-sensor data was carried out in conjunction with modeling to determine the extent to which integrated data set can be used to characterize the spatiotemporal distribution of dust plumes at a range of temporal scales, addressing the active dust sources in China and Mongolia, mid-range transport and trans-Pacific, long-range transport of dust outbreaks on a case-by-case basis. This work demonstrates that adequate and consistent characterization of individual dust events is central to establishing a reliable

Privatizing Southeast Asia's electric power industries: phases, challenges, difficulties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Dang, G.

1995-01-01

The privatization of the power sector in South East Asia is part of a complex strategy, aimed a creating an efficient power production space, consisting of both national and international producers, although the latter will have to be selected according to their ability to ensure the most efficient service while implementing new technology. There is no single privatization model in S.E. Asia, but a wide variety of approaches, ranging from the most daring (e.g. Malaysia) to the most cautious (e.g. Thailand). For centrally planned economies (such as Vietnam and Laos), the approach will still be dictated by strategic demands to the detriment of the obvious financial advantages of total privatization of the power sector. Nevertheless, in most S.E. Asian countries, the process seems to be inexorably heading towards a situation where the political authorities will induce competition between the different groups of operators on the power production market. The basic challenge to governments of the region is to ensure the coexistence and smooth operation of the new public private relations within the power sector. (author). 19 refs

The Kazakh oil industry: a potential critical role in Central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorian, J.P.; Indriyanto, S.H.; Zhanseitov, S.F.

1994-01-01

While mostly undeveloped, tremendous oil resources are found in the largest Central Asian republic, Kazakhstan. Owing to progressive legislation and a determined government, the second largest country of the former USSR is attracting significant investments from overseas energy companies. Continued limited access to global markets may, however, slow future investments unless the existing pipeline network can be expanded. This paper describes current oil exploration and production activities in Kazakhstan, and outlines prospects for future developments. (Author)

Central Asia in a Changing World: From a Peripheral Region to an Area of Policy Generation and Application. Actors, Policy and Security

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nora Sainz Gsell

2005-10-01

Full Text Available This work deals with Central Asia, beginning with an analysis of the characteristics of international insertion of the area as a whole and of the former Soviet republics that comprise it. In a general way, it aims to analyse the evolution of Central Asia from a peripheral region to an area that generates behaviours and receives the application of policies on the part ofinternational actors. In the first part of the study, it mentions a series of particularities of the republics that have determined the relationships in the region(the Central Asian order and those between the region and the outside world; it indicates geo-historical and economic-strategic aspects. In the second part, it examines the foreign policy of the republics in the post-Cold War era from the singularities of domestic policy. And, in the third part, it analyses, according to the aforementioned peculiarities, the policies that the area and each State has generated in international actors, both regional ones and global ones, and which have transformed the region from a peripheral one to a geopolitically emerging one.

Central Asia | Page 177 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

It is the outcome of the collaborative PANdora research and development ... $200 US per capita, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is one of the world's poorest countries. ... role of foreign private-sector firms, especially from Japan and the United States, in the recent and rapid economic growth and integration in East Asia.

Asia, North America lead way in growth of NGL, LPG trade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otto, K.; Gist, R.; Whitley, C.; Haun, R.

1998-01-01

Recent analyses of world NGL trade indicate that important changes in LPG supply and demand are under way in Asia and North America. LPG markets in the 1990s reflect a rapidly shifting balance between East-of-Suez and West-of-Suez markets. This shift has increased concern about availability of future LPG supplies for Asia. The paper discusses world developments, East versus West of Suez, end uses and supplies in Asia, Canadian ethane, propane, butane, and natural gasoline, Mexican ethane, LPG, and natural gasoline, US ethane, propane, butanes, and iso-C 4 and C 5

Multiple Sclerosis Epidemiology in East Asia, South East Asia and South Asia: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Eskandarieh, Sharareh; Heydarpour, Pouria; Minagar, Alireza; Pourmand, Shadi; Sahraian, Mohammad Ali

2016-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common chronic immune-mediated diseases of the human central nervous system and an important cause of non-traumatic neurologic disability among young population in several countries. Recent reports from East Asia, South East Asia and South Asia have proposed a low to moderate prevalence of MS in these countries. A literature review search was carried out in December 2014 in Medline, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane library to recover original population-based studies on MS epidemiology in East Asia, South East Asia and South Asia countries published between January 1, 1950 and December 30, 2014. We intended search strategies using the key words: multiple sclerosis, prevalence, incidence and epidemiology. Based on our inclusion criteria, 68 epidemiologic studies were included in this systematic review. The most extensively used diagnostic criteria in the studies were McDonald's criteria. Most studies were performed in a multi-center hospital setting. The female to male ratio varied and ranged from 0.7 in India to 9.0 in China. The mean age at disease onset ranged from the lowest age of 25.3 in Iran to the highest age of 46.4 in China. MS prevalence ranged from 0.77 in 100,000 populations in Hong Kong (1999) to 85.80 in 100,000 in Iran (2013). Advances in MS registries around the globe allow nationwide population-based studies and will allow worldly comparisons between the prevalence and incidence in different regions that are provided to monitor estimation. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

CORRUPTION, POVERTY AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE:EASTERN EUROPEAND CENTRAL ASIA CASE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mustafa Ildırar

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Corruption, defined as “the misuse of public power for private benefit.” TheWorld Bank describes corruption as one of the greatest obstacles to economic andsocial development. It undermines development by distortingthe rule of law andweakening the institutional foundation on which economic performance depends.In pastdecades, many theoretical and empirical studies have presented corruptionhinders investment, reduces economicgrowth, restricts trade, distorts governmentexpenditures and strengthens the underground economy. In addition,they haveshown a strong connection between corruption and poverty and incomeinequality. On the other hand,theliterature on corruption points to the conclusionthat corruption by itself does not lead to poverty. Rather,corruption has directconsequences on economic and governance factors, intermediaries that in turn producepoverty. Although corruption is seen inmany countries in the world, it ishigher and widespread in developingcountries. This study investigates relationbetween corruption, poverty, and economic performance by using apanelconsisting of countries in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia countries. It wasshown that corruptionaffected directly economic performance and low economicperformance leads to poverty. Additionally, resultsimply that rules againstcorruption could affect economic growth indirectly through their impact on thelevel ofc orruption.

The future for distributed power in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanwarpal, Vishvjeet

2000-01-01

The substantial potential market opportunities for on-site tailor-made cogeneration units in Asia generally is discussed. The article also looks at India, Australia, Japan and Indonesia in particular. The article is presented under the sub-headings of (i) Asian power and IPP developments; (ii) captive capacity and rationale; (iii) Asian captive capacity; (iv) captive power plants; (v) key drivers of CPPs in Asia; (vi) cogeneration plants; (vii) cogeneration application industries; (viii) biomass power for Asia (ix) key hurdles in cogeneration development; (x) future potential of cogeneration and (xi) country snapshots

Porphyry copper assessment of western Central Asia: Chapter N in Global mineral resource assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Byron R.; Mars, John L.; Denning, Paul; Phillips, Jeffrey D.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Zientek, Michael L.; Dicken, Connie L.; Drew, Lawrence J.; with contributions from Alexeiev, Dmitriy; Seltmann, Reimar; Herrington, Richard J.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted an assessment of resources associated with porphyry copper deposits in the western Central Asia countries of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan and the southern Urals of Kazakhstan and Russia as part of a global mineral resource assessment. The purpose of the study was to (1) delineate permissive areas (tracts) for undiscovered porphyry copper deposits; (2) compile a database of known porphyry copper deposits and significant prospects; (3) where data permit, estimate numbers of undiscovered deposits within those permissive tracts; and (4) provide probabilistic estimates the amounts of copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), gold (Au), and silver (Ag) that could be contained in those undiscovered deposits.

Examination of integration and central market hypothesis for saffron market in khorasan razavi, northern khorasan and southern khorasan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Karbasi

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Saffron is one of the important agricultural product and North Khorasan, Razavi and South is considered as the major producers in Iran. In this study Central Market Hypothesis or price leadership has been examined. For this purpose Johanson Co-integration test for monthly price data since 2006 to 2011 for these provinces has been used. Main results indicated that South Khorasan is a price leader between these provinces. In addition, saffron market is unit in South Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi and the law of one price is indefeasible. Moreover, North Khorasan has a separate market and in long run saffron market in this province is not an impressible market. The adoption of a policy on each of the three provinces, affects the other two the product market provinces.

HIV epidemics and prevention responses in Asia and Eastern Europe: lessons to be learned?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bridge, Jamie; Lazarus, Jeff; Atun, Rifat

2010-01-01

This paper describes characteristics of the HIV epidemics in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) and Asia and Central Asia, and draws comparisons between these regions. It focuses on the role that key populations continue to play in HIV transmission in both regions, the challenges that this po...

Central Asia's Raging Waters: The Prospects of Water Conflict in Central Asia

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hartman, William B

2007-01-01

.... The thesis analyzes these three political eras of Central Asian history using indicators of water conflict, including water quality, water quantity, water management for multiple uses, political...

Southeast Asia activity on the rise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khin, J.A.; Johnston, D.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that the Asia-Pacific region has gained favor in the increasingly competitive global market for drilling funds and technology. The level of activity in the region contrasts to the U.S., where political, fiscal, and geological conditions have caused an industry-wide depression. Consolidation and restructuring of the oil industry have also affected the Asia-Pacific area, but not as adversely as North America. The shifting focus of most U.S. oil companies to the international sector has increased attention on Southeast Asia. The number of production-sharing contracts and exploration licenses in the region has increased to almost 800, covering an area of 7 million sq km

Politics, economy and energy of Central Asia countries. Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and others; Chuo Asia shokoku no seiji keizai to energy. Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan wo chushin ni

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyamoto, A.

1996-04-01

This paper describes the present politics, economy and problems of Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and others. The presidents of five Central Asian countries are old communists except one country, and these countries are governed undemocratically by state power of presidents. The outline of national security in Central Asia is basically composed of the collective security treaty and each treaty between each country and Russia. Central Asian countries can`t maintain their own armed forces because of financial trouble, depending on Russia. The following can be pointed out as racial problems: overseas Russians lived in old republics of USSR, unstable race structure of Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan problem, nationalism problem in Uzbekistan, independent movement of minority races, and expansion movement of self-government right. In the old USSR era, the economy of each country depended on the subsidy from Moscow, and such condition continued up to 1993 after their independence, while remarkable reduction of the economy of every country is found since 1994. 75 refs., 12 tabs.

The stock market performance of the central banks of Belgium and Japan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kabir, Mohammed Rezaul; Goldberg, Lawrence G.

2002-01-01

Most central banks issue stock that is held by the government and/or commercial banks and is not tradable. In contrast, stocks of the central banks of Belgium and Japan are traded on the Brussels and Tokyo stock exchanges. The purpose of the paper is to examine this unique phenomenon of stock market

Central bank independence and its effect on money market stability

OpenAIRE

MSc. Anera Alishani

2012-01-01

Since 1990s many countries have moved toward greater central bank independence (CBI) by either amending their Central Bank’s laws or writing them de novo. Also countries of Western Balkans and many other transition countries have moved toward greater CBI. There are many potential benefits associated with greater CBI, and one of them is stable growth of money and liquidity. For a given level of money market development the hypothesis is that a more independent CB is likely to promote more stab...

Zika virus in Asia

OpenAIRE

Veasna Duong; Philippe Dussart; Philippe Buchy

2017-01-01

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first isolated from a sentinel rhesus monkey in the Zika Forest in Uganda in 1947. In Asia, the virus was isolated in Malaysia from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in 1966, and the first human infections were reported in 1977 in Central Java, Indonesia. In this review, all reported cases of ZIKV infection in Asia as of September 1, 2016 are summarized and some of the hypotheses that could currently explain the apparently low incidence of...

High level of molecular and phenotypic biodiversity in Jatropha curcas from Central America compared to Africa, Asia and South America

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background The main bottleneck to elevate jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) from a wild species to a profitable biodiesel crop is the low genetic and phenotypic variation found in different regions of the world, hampering efficient plant breeding for productivity traits. In this study, 182 accessions from Asia (91), Africa (35), South America (9) and Central America (47) were evaluated at genetic and phenotypic level to find genetic variation and important traits for oilseed production. Results Genetic variation was assessed with SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat), TRAP (Target Region Amplification Polymorphism) and AFLP (Amplified fragment length polymorphism) techniques. Phenotypic variation included seed morphological characteristics, seed oil content and fatty acid composition and early growth traits. Jaccard’s similarity and cluster analysis by UPGM (Unweighted Paired Group Method) with arithmetic mean and PCA (Principle Component Analysis) indicated higher variability in Central American accessions compared to Asian, African and South American accessions. Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) values ranged from 0 to 0.65. In the set of Central American accessions. PIC values were higher than in other regions. Accessions from the Central American population contain alleles that were not found in the accessions from other populations. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA; P jatropha oil significantly differed (P < 0.05) between regions. Conclusions The pool of Central American accessions showed very large genetic variation as assessed by DNA-marker variation compared to accessions from other regions. Central American accessions also showed the highest phenotypic variation and should be considered as the most important source for plant breeding. Some variation in early growth traits was found within a group of accessions from Asia and Africa, while these accessions did not differ in a single DNA-marker, possibly indicating epigenetic variation. PMID:24666927

MULTIFRACTAL STRUCTURE OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKETS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cn#259;pun#351;an Rn#259;zvan

2012-07-01

Full Text Available It is well known that empirical data coming from financial markets, like stock market indices, commodities, interest rates, traded volumes and foreign exchange rates have a multifractal structure. Multifractals were introduced in the field of economics to surpass the shortcomings of classical models like the fractional Brownian motion or GARCH processes. In this paper we investigate the multifractal behavior of Central and Eastern European foreign exchange rates, namely the Czech koruna, Croatian kuna, Hungarian forint, Polish zlot, Romanian leu and Russian rouble with respect to euro from January 13, 2000 to February 29, 2012. The dynamics of exchange rates is of interest for investors and traders, monetary and fiscal authorities, economic agents or policy makers. The exchange rate movements affect the international balance of payments, trade flows, and allocation of the resources in national and international economy. The empirical results from the multifractal detrending fluctuation analysis algorithm show that the six exchange rate series analysed display significant multifractality. Moreover, generating shuffled and surrogate time series, we analyze the sources of multifractality, long-range correlations and heavy-tailed distributions, and we find that this multifractal behavior can be mainly attributed to the latter. Finally, we propose a foreign exchange market inefficiency ranking by considering the multifractality degree as a measure of inefficiency. The regulators, through policy instruments, aim to improve the informational inefficiency of the markets, to reduce the associated risks and to ensure economic stabilization. Evaluation of the degree of information efficiency of foreign exchange markets, for Central and Eastern Europe countries, is important to assess to what extent these countries are prepared for the transition towards fully monetary integration. The weak form efficiency implies that the past exchange rates cannot help to

A new order in northeast Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segal, G.

1991-01-01

The fate of northeast Asia is central to the global balance of power. But just as the Cold War took a different course in northeast Asia than it did in its central battleground in Europe, so the post-Cold War world in northeast Asia is taking on a different shape. In Europe, formal arms control was a feature of the political landscape both before and after sweeping changes began altering the face of the continent in 1989. In contrast, northeast Asia saw only informal arms control measures before 1989. But in the post-Cold War world, the opportunity for more formal accords seems to be growing as the changing political environment makes them possible. In the rapidly developing virtuous circle of detente in northeast Asia, the prospects for arms control progress are better than ever, although considerable obstacles remain in the way. One of the unique features of northeast Asia is the convergence of interests of four of the world's most powerful nations - the US, the Soviet Union, Japan, and China. But unlike Europe, where the interests of the Soviet Union and the US have intermingled with those of the diverse members of the European Community (EC) and resulted in far-reaching arms reduction and confidence-building accords, northeast Asia has known only limited regional efforts at reducing tension and enhancing regional security. Nevertheless, unilateral moves and bilateral discussions among the four powers have produced a Sino-Soviet detente, reductions in US and Soviet forces in the Pacific region, the beginning of a Soviet-Japanese dialogue aimed at normalizing relations, and an overall trend toward closer diplomatic and economic relations throughout the region

Some solutions to the Central Asian region's energy cooperation problems

OpenAIRE

Rakhmatulina, Gulnur

2007-01-01

It stands to reason that the resource-rich Central Asian Region (CAR), which is located at the crossroads between the Near and Middle East, South Asia, China, and Russia and is also in direct proximity to the countries experiencing "energy starvation," is of important geostrategic significance. It is a well-known fact that CAR has vast energy potential. Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have large supplies of oil and gas resources, which enjoy demand on the world market. In particular,...

A striking new genus and species of troglobitic Campodeidae (Diplura from Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Sendra

2017-09-01

Full Text Available A striking new genus and species of Campodeidae (Diplura, Turkmenocampa mirabilis Sendra & Stoev, gen.n., sp.n., found in Kaptarhana cave in Eastern Turkmenistan is described. This represents the first record of Diplura from Central Asia and also the first terrestrial troglobiont found in Turkmenistan. The new taxon shows several unique characters such as the lack of crests on the telotarsus, the presence of a side-shoot process and the shape of barbs on the ventral side of the laminar telotarsal processes hitherto unknown in other members of this family. Although T. mirabilis is tentatively placed in the subfamily Plusiocampinae, its true affinities remain uncertain. The new finding provides further support to the importance of Kaptarhana as a refuge for a number of endemic invertebrates.

China-Russia relations in Central Asia. Energy policy, Beijing's new assertiveness and 21{sup st} century geopolitics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eder, Thomas Stephan [Wien Univ. (Austria). Inst. fuer Ostasienwissenschaften

2014-07-01

Publication in the field of social sciences. As China rises to global power status, its relations with other major powers, including Russia, are constantly renegotiated. Energy figures prominently in both countries' foreign policy. An extensive analysis of Chinese language sources - academic debate 1997-2012 - confirms a collision of interests over Central Asian reserves. While unanimous appeals to compromise render previous predictions of impending confrontation unconvincing, descriptions of Sino-Central Asian energy relations as ''central to energy security'', and the explicit rejection of a Russian ''sphere of influence'', also exclude a retreat. In the long term, China will likely replace Russia as the dominant force in Central Asia's energy sector, causing the Kremlin to perceive another ''encroachment''. The current notion of a ''strategic partnership'' will inevitably be challenged.

A Study on International Multimodal Transport Networks from Korea to Central Asia: Focus on Secondhand Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Wang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Currently, high-income countries use multimodal transportation to export large quantities of secondhand vehicles to low-income countries. Secondhand vehicle export has shown its highest growth in recent years, especially in Korea. The problem of transporting secondhand vehicles from Korea to Central Asia is becoming an important issue, but few researchers are interested in it. The objective of this research is to determine the optimal transport network for exporting secondhand vehicles from Korea to Central Asian countries by combining experts’ opinions and real data from existing transport networks. The fuzzy Delphi method was applied to obtain factors to evaluate alternative multimodal transport networks for moving secondhand vehicles from Korea to Central Asian countries by judgment from experts. The analysis shows that among the five factors (total cost, total time, reliability, security, and transportation capability, total cost is the most considerable factor, followed by reliability, transportation capability, total time, and security. Additionally, in the mainly three multimodal transport networks, the sea+Trans-China Railway route is ranked first, followed by the sea+Trans-Siberian Railway and sea+truck routes.

Using Evaluation for CBNRM Capacity Development (Southeast Asia)

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Using Evaluation for CBNRM Capacity Development (Southeast Asia). Recently, capacity development has regained a central place on the agenda of many donor organizations, including IDRC. The challenge is to measure the results of capacity development initiatives. In Asia, there are a few ongoing efforts to document ...

Communication dated 11 September 2006 from the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan regarding the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia signed on 8 September 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

The Secretariat has received a Note Verbale, dated 11 September 2006, from the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the IAEA regarding the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia signed on 8 September 2006 in Semipalatinsk by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Note Verbale and, as requested therein, the enclosed information regarding the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, is reproduced herewith for the information of Member States

Media audit reveals inappropriate promotion of products under the scope of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in South-East Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinje, Kristine Hansen; Phan, Linh Thi Hong; Nguyen, Tuan Thanh; Henjum, Sigrun; Ribe, Lovise Omoijuanfo; Mathisen, Roger

2017-06-01

To review regulations and to perform a media audit of promotion of products under the scope of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes ('the Code') in South-East Asia. We reviewed national regulations relating to the Code and 800 clips of editorial content, 387 advertisements and 217 Facebook posts from January 2015 to January 2016. We explored the ecological association between regulations and market size, and between the number of advertisements and market size and growth of milk formula. Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Regulations on the child's age for inappropriate marketing of products are all below the Code's updated recommendation of 36 months (i.e. 12 months in Thailand and Indonesia; 24 months in the other three countries) and are voluntary in Thailand. Although the advertisements complied with the national regulations on the age limit, they had content (e.g. stages of milk formula; messages about the benefit; pictures of a child) that confused audiences. Market size and growth of milk formula were positively associated with the number of newborns and the number of advertisements, and were not affected by the current level of implementation of breast-milk substitute laws and regulations. The present media audit reveals inappropriate promotion and insufficient national regulation of products under the scope of the Code in South-East Asia. Strengthened implementation of regulations aligned with the Code's updated recommendation should be part of comprehensive strategies to minimize the harmful effects of advertisements of breast-milk substitutes on maternal and child nutrition and health.

US POLICY IN CENTRAL ASIA: TWO APPROACHES ADMINISTRATION OF GEORGE. BUSH (2005-2009 GG. AND BARACK OBAMA (2009-2010 BIENNIUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. F. Troitsky

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Evolution of the U.S. strategy towards Central Asia in the second half of the 2000s was defined greatly by the development of the war in Afghanistan. However, since the middle of the decade the course of its implementation depended on the necessity to compensate or overcome consequences of the deterioration of the U.S. relations with Uzbekistan.

Integration of Capital Markets from Central and Eastern Europe: Implications for EU Investors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra HOROBET

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Our paper investigates the extent of capital market co-movements between three emerging markets Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland and three developed markets from the European Union – Austria, France and Germany. We test whether an increase in correlations between the six markets took place in recent years, as revealing higher integration of capital markets in the region. We find a statistically significant positive trend in cross-market correlations between 1999 and 2008, before the emergence of the global financial crisis. Movements in national stock markets are not fully synchronized, but increases in market volatilities lead to increases in cross-country correlations. There is a long-term relationship between some of these countries capital markets, and information is transmitted from one market to the other. Our findings confirm previous studies and lead to the conclusion that stock markets from Central and Eastern Europe became more integrated with the developed markets in European Union.

The Regional Centrality of Vietnam’s Central Highlands

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salemink, Oscar

2018-01-01

strategic value turned it into a battleground among various Vietnamese parties, France, and the United States. It was here that the outcome of the Indochina wars was determined, but at a terrible price for the local population. After the adoption of economic reforms in reunified Vietnam the Central......Vietnam’s Central Highlands—or Tây Nguyên—area is usually described as remote, backward, and primitive, but this region has played a central role in the history of the surrounding states and the wider East and Southeast Asia region. Far from isolated, the Central Highlands engaged in trade...... various rivalrous polities now known as Vietnam, Champa, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, the area occupied a strategic position in the wider mainland Southeast Asia region. With the emergence of a unified, neo-Confucianist Vietnamese state the region lost its centrality until the late colonial era, when its...

The U.S.A. and the energy safety in East Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harmat, K.

2006-01-01

In the contribution under consideration the author reports on the impact of the United States of America (U.S.A.) in East Asia. The American policy in East Asia is based on two fundamental principles: providing, that no regional authority may provoke the position of the U.S.A., as well as protection of the access to regional markets for the American economy. The U.S.A. fulfill their protective function of their Asiatic partners by means of their maritime superiority with the pacific fleet. Strong-points and safety contracts with Japan and the Republic of Korea form the support of the presence of the U.S. American military. The According to energy security, the interests of the U.S.A. in East Asia are: (a) Secure supply of the national economies in East Asia; (b) Security of the maritime supply systems; (c) Stability and liberalization of the international oil markets; (d) Responsible handling of nuclear energy; (e) Environmental protection. Furthermore, the author describes the conflict potentials between the U.S.A. and the energy safety in East Asia as well as the long-term significance of the energy safety in East Asia

Economic potential of demand response at household level—Are Central-European market conditions sufficient?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prüggler, Natalie

2013-01-01

The aim of this paper is to show the economic potential of demand response (DR) on household level at Central European market conditions. Thereby, required economic benefits for consumers' participation, the realistic load shifting potential at household level and the estimation of essential intelligent infrastructure costs are discussed. The core of this paper builds a case-study applying spot market-oriented load shifting from the supplier's point of view by using Austrian electricity market data, household load profiles as well as a heat pump and e-car charging load profile. It is demonstrated which cost savings for suppliers can be derived from such load shifting procedure at household level. Furthermore, upper cost limits for intelligent infrastructure in order to break-even are derived. Results suggest to take a critical look at European discussions on DR implementation on household level, showing that at Central European market conditions the potential for DR at household level is restricted to significant loads and hence, the applied load shifting strategy is only beneficial with application to heat pumps. In contrast, the frequently discussed shifting of conventional household devices' loads (such as washing machines) economically does not add up. - Highlights: • Calculation of economic potential of domestic DR at Central European market conditions. • Model and case-study of spot market-oriented load shifting from supplier's perspective. • Derivation of supplier's cost savings and upper cost limits for ICT infrastructure. • Results show economic potential of domestic DR to be restricted to significant loads. • Shifting of washing machines economically does not pay off in contrast to heat pumps

Central Asia | Page 21 | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Language French. Read more about STI for Development in Asia : a Platform for Information Sharing and Learning. Language English. Read more about Toward an Innovation-led Development Path in the Philippines. Language English. Read more about Vers un développement axé sur l'innovation aux Philippines.

The Iranian connection: the geo-economics of exporting Central Asian energy via Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stauffer, T.R.

1997-01-01

The prospect of exporting Caspian Sea crude oil production via a transit route through Iran is discussed. There are many political and economic barriers that are preventing the establishment of a transit route to bring the landlocked hydrocarbon resources of Azerbaijan and Central Asia to world oil markets. A route via Iran is most appealing because of the existing system of pipelines and export facilities already in place there, plus its close geographic location to Central Asia. Close to 2 MMb/d of production from the Caspian region could be accommodated at under $1.50/barrel transit costs. However, the opposition from the United States and Israel to any Iranian connection for the Caspian Sea production is well documented. The Russians, too, are opposed to any export option for Caucasian or Central Asian crude production that would bypass Russia because it would reduce its economic leverage over the new republics. It is widely believed that export through Iran would be more beneficial to the individual state governments by providing them with greater net well head revenues, as well as in reinforcing their independence at the expense of the central government in Moscow

Early experience in centralized real time energy market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alaywan, Z.; Hernandez, L.; Martin, M.

2005-01-01

The current structure of the California Independent System Operator (ISO) was described. The study provided an outline of California's transition from a decentralized pool operation to a forward bilateral market through the implementation of a centralized real time market. Details of the institutional, economic and technological history of the power system were provided. Although the California real time market was implemented in order to simplify the power system, a number of operational challenges were observed. Discontinuities in the energy curve resulted in the implementation of a target price process, which aimed to resolve the overlap in energy bids. The design of the ISO's real time market did not provide a mechanism for bidders to execute real time energy trades. Regulation bidders also internalized energy in their regulation capacity bids. The real time market application (RTMA) provided the ISO with a substantial computer program to determine and account for nearly all aspects of generation unit scheduling and physical characteristics with a multiple ramp rate. The program combined optimal power flow (OPF) logic for energy flows in addition to mixed-integer nonlinear optimization of trading schedules, and system and security constraints. The RTMA used a multi-period security constrained economic dispatch (SCED) function to optimize energy dispatch schedules. Other features of the RTMA included security constrained unit commitment, security constrained economic dispatch, and dispatch schedule post processes. It was concluded that implementation of the RTMA has increased the efficiency of the ISO. A case study of the RTMA during an outage in November 2004 was provided. 5 refs., 1 tab., 2 figs

Asia's coal and clean coal technology market potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, C.J.; Binsheng Li

1992-01-01

The Asian region is unique in the world in having the highest economic growth rate, the highest share of coal in total primary energy consumption and the highest growth rate in electricity generation capacity. The outlook for the next two decades is for accelerated efforts to control coal related emissions of particulates and SO 2 and to a lessor extent NO x and CO 2 . Only Japan has widespread use of Clean Coal Technologies (CCTs) however a number of economies have plans to install CCTs in future power plants. Only CCTs for electricity generation are discussed, and are defined for the purpose of this paper as technologies that substantially reduce SO 2 and/or NO x emissions from coal-fired power plants. The main theses of this paper are that major increases in coal consumption will occur over the 1990-2010 period, and this will be caccompanied by major increases in coal related pollution in some Asian economies. Coal fired electricity generation is projected to grow at a high rate of about 6.9 percent per year over the 1990-2010 period. CCTs are projected to account for about 150 GW of new coal-fired capacity over the 1990-2010 period of about one-third of all new coal-fired capacity. A speculative conclusion is that China will account for the largest share of CCT additions over the 1990-2010 period. Both the US and Japan have comparative advantages that might be combined through cooperation and joint ventures to gain a larger share of the evolving CCT market in Asia. 5 refs., 7 figs., 4 tabs

THE ROLE OF POLYPLOIDY IN ADAPTATION AND SETTLING OF STEPPE SHRUBS IN CENTRAL ASIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia V Ekimova

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Chromosome numbers for some species of Central Asia steppe shrubs are given: Rhamnus erythroxylon Pall. (Rhamnaceae, Caragana buriatica Peschk. (Fabaceae, Amygdalus pedunculata Pall., Armeniaca sibirica (L. Lam. (Rosaceae, Atraphaxis pungens (Bieb. Jaub. et Spach. and A. frutescens (L. C. Koch (Polygonaceae. Chromosome numbers of some species were determined for the first time. Comparative analysis of adaptive properties of polyploid and diploid species has been conducted. It was established that natural polyploids are more adaptive to existence in extreme conditions. They possess by high potential for survival and characterized by more high level of intraspecific polymorphism, abundant flowering and fruitification, ability of propagate both generative and vegetative means, high seed germination.

The reform in the Turkish natural gas market: A critical evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cetin, Tamer; Oguz, Fuat

2007-01-01

Turkey is in a strategically advantageous position in terms of its natural gas market. Being in the middle of Europe and energy-rich countries of Central Asia, it can be an energy corridor between these two regions. It can import gas from a number of countries and diversify its sources. This situation may also provide motivation for a competitive gas market. The recent reform in the market, which began in 2001, was an attempt to strengthen the natural gas market to this end. However, the reform has not worked out as expected so far. This article discusses recent restructuring efforts in the Turkish natural gas market. We focus on the legal structure and economic consequences of the legal change within the international economic relations. After presenting a detailed discussion of the legal framework, we draw attention to the problems of the industry and difficulties in the transition to a more competitive market structure. In the end, we touch upon some regulatory issues and potential conflicts. (author)

Implications of Market Frictions : Serial Correlations in Indexes on the Emerging Stock Markets in Central and Eastern Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna Olbrys

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Implications of market frictions in the context of serial correlations in indexes on the Central and Eastern European (CEE stock markets have been analysed. Market frictions, such as non-trading effects, bid/ask spreads, other transaction costs, etc., may be detected by direct measurement, or by indirect identification. Direct measurement of frictions is difficult as intraday trading data are unavailable in the case of most of the emerging CEE stock markets. Indirect identification may be conducted by detecting some empirical phenomena. One of them is evidence of serial correlations in indexes, the so-called the Fisher effect. We explore the problem of serial correlations in indexes on the eight CEE stock markets using data samples from each CEE market separately, as well as a "common trading window" approach, which is widely applied in the case of databases with multivariate time series. The evidence is that nonsynchronous trading effect II between markets may substantially disrupt the analysis of index returns on a domestic market. Using a synchronized database, one may erroneously conclude that the Fisher effect does not exist, although it is present. (original abstract

Historical Influences and a Modern Alternative for Leadership Models in Central Asia = Orta Asya'da Liderlik Modellerinde Tarihsel Etkiler ve Modern Alternatifler

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean Michael COX

2002-06-01

Full Text Available The 1991 demise of the Soviet Union that led to the emancipation of many Central Asian states, also led to a grab for power by a variety of leadership types. Although the characteristics of leadership types in the 1990s were diverse, few followed the pattern of Samuel Huntington's Third Wave of authoritarian transition, whereby authoritarian regimes were abandoned in favor of democratically elected and democratically oriented governments. Historically, Eurasia has had little experience with popular government. This is reflected in the general characteristics of leadership types in the post-Soviet era, which closely follow three regional historical influences - the early Islamic Emperors, the Mongolian Khans and the Russian Tsars (and later Soviet leaders. This article examines the historic influences on Eurasian leadership types and the impact of these types on the politics, societies and economies of these same states. It will be argued that at the current stage of political development, it would ultimately benefit the states of Central Asia to follow, at this time, the most successful Eurasian model to date, that of Kemal Atatürk and Turkey, rather than to push for a fully participatory democracy or sustain the post-Soviet personal dictatorships that have prospered throughout Central Asia.

The Multi-Layered Crisis - Impacts on People's Rights in Asia and Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Johannes Dragsbæk

Invited key-note speech for the Roundtable on "Challenges to participatory democracy and human rights in the globalized market" at the 7th Asia-Europe People's Forum "For Social and Ecological Justice" in Beijing, China 13-15 October 2008......Invited key-note speech for the Roundtable on "Challenges to participatory democracy and human rights in the globalized market" at the 7th Asia-Europe People's Forum "For Social and Ecological Justice" in Beijing, China 13-15 October 2008...

Tracing the origin of the east-west population admixture in the Altai region (Central Asia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mercedes González-Ruiz

Full Text Available A recent discovery of Iron Age burials (Pazyryk culture in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia may shed light on the mode and tempo of the generation of the current genetic east-west population admixture in Central Asia. Studies on ancient mitochondrial DNA of this region suggest that the Altai Mountains played the role of a geographical barrier between West and East Eurasian lineages until the beginning of the Iron Age. After the 7th century BC, coinciding with Scythian expansion across the Eurasian steppes, a gradual influx of East Eurasian sequences in Western steppes is detected. However, the underlying events behind the genetic admixture in Altai during the Iron Age are still unresolved: 1 whether it was a result of migratory events (eastward firstly, westward secondly, or 2 whether it was a result of a local demographic expansion in a 'contact zone' between European and East Asian people. In the present work, we analyzed the mitochondrial DNA lineages in human remains from Bronze and Iron Age burials of Mongolian Altai. Here we present support to the hypothesis that the gene pool of Iron Age inhabitants of Mongolian Altai was similar to that of western Iron Age Altaians (Russia and Kazakhstan. Thus, this people not only shared the same culture (Pazyryk, but also shared the same genetic east-west population admixture. In turn, Pazyryks appear to have a similar gene pool that current Altaians. Our results further show that Iron Age Altaians displayed mitochondrial lineages already present around Altai region before the Iron Age. This would provide support for a demographic expansion of local people of Altai instead of westward or eastward migratory events, as the demographic event behind the high population genetic admixture and diversity in Central Asia.

Tracing the origin of the east-west population admixture in the Altai region (Central Asia).

Science.gov (United States)

González-Ruiz, Mercedes; Santos, Cristina; Jordana, Xavier; Simón, Marc; Lalueza-Fox, Carles; Gigli, Elena; Aluja, Maria Pilar; Malgosa, Assumpció

2012-01-01

A recent discovery of Iron Age burials (Pazyryk culture) in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia may shed light on the mode and tempo of the generation of the current genetic east-west population admixture in Central Asia. Studies on ancient mitochondrial DNA of this region suggest that the Altai Mountains played the role of a geographical barrier between West and East Eurasian lineages until the beginning of the Iron Age. After the 7th century BC, coinciding with Scythian expansion across the Eurasian steppes, a gradual influx of East Eurasian sequences in Western steppes is detected. However, the underlying events behind the genetic admixture in Altai during the Iron Age are still unresolved: 1) whether it was a result of migratory events (eastward firstly, westward secondly), or 2) whether it was a result of a local demographic expansion in a 'contact zone' between European and East Asian people. In the present work, we analyzed the mitochondrial DNA lineages in human remains from Bronze and Iron Age burials of Mongolian Altai. Here we present support to the hypothesis that the gene pool of Iron Age inhabitants of Mongolian Altai was similar to that of western Iron Age Altaians (Russia and Kazakhstan). Thus, this people not only shared the same culture (Pazyryk), but also shared the same genetic east-west population admixture. In turn, Pazyryks appear to have a similar gene pool that current Altaians. Our results further show that Iron Age Altaians displayed mitochondrial lineages already present around Altai region before the Iron Age. This would provide support for a demographic expansion of local people of Altai instead of westward or eastward migratory events, as the demographic event behind the high population genetic admixture and diversity in Central Asia.

Norwegian support in development of regulations of radioactive waste management in central Asia-threat assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhunussova, Tamara; Sneve, Malgorzata; Liland, Astrid; Strand, Per; Kim, Alexander; Mirsaidov, Ulmas; Tolongutov, Baigabyl

2011-01-01

In Central Asia (CA) the radioactive waste comes mainly from uranium mining and milling, nuclear weapon testing and nuclear power development and other ionizing sources. This waste was produced, to a greater extent, by the military-industrial complex and the uranium and non-uranium industry, and, to a lesser extent, by the nuclear industry and in the process of use of isotope products. Exploitation and mining of uranium and thorium deposits produce a large amount of solid and liquid radioactive waste, as well volatile contaminants which need a proper management. In Central Asia the wastes are mainly stored at the surface in large piles and represent a long-term potential health and environmental hazard. The process of remediating legacy sites of the past and reducing the threats is now getting under way, with the design and implementation of remediation activities, partly with international support. However, there is a significant lack in the regulatory basis for carrying out such remediation work, including a lack of relevant radiation and environmental safety norms and standards, licensing procedures and requirements for monitoring etc., as well as expertise to transform such a basis into practice. Accordingly, the objective of the proposed project is to assist the relevant regulatory authorities in Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan and Tajikistan to develop national robust and adequate regulations and procedures, taking into account the international guidance and Norwegian experience with regulatory support projects in Russia. Specific expected results in the project period include: a threat assessment report identifying priority areas for regulatory development, based on the status of current regulatory documents and the hazard presented by the different sites and facilities; development of national radioactive waste management strategies in each country; development of an enhanced regulatory framework for supervision of nuclear matters, and an enhanced safety culture

WINE MARKETS IN CENTRAL EUROPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Š BOJNEC

2007-04-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the tendencies of grapes growing, wine trading and wine price competitiveness in Central European region. Croatia is net exporter of wines, Hungary is net exporter of grapes and wines, and Austria, Slovakia, and Slovenia are net importers of grapes and wines. Reductions in vineyards and increase in yields are found for Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia. More stable developments in vineyards, but decline in yields, are found for Croatia and Slovenia. Grape production increases in Austria, remains stable in Croatia, explores annual oscillations in Hungary, and declines in Slovakia and Slovenia. Export-to-import wine prices deteriorate for Austria and Hungary with most recent stabilization and price similarity, which hold also for Slovakia. Slovenian export-to-import wine prices are unstable, while Croatia experiences a bit higher export than import wine prices. Wine marketing, wine brand image of quality, and wine tourism are seen as tools to improve competitiveness in the wine sector.

TESTING CAPM MODEL ON THE EMERGING MARKETS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josipa Džaja

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The paper examines if the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM is adequate for capital asset valuation on the Central and South-East European emerging securities markets using monthly stock returns for nine countries for the period of January 2006 to December 2010. Precisely, it is tested if beta, as the systematic risk measure, is valid on observed markets by analysing are high expected returns associated with high levels of risk, i.e. beta. Also, the efficiency of market indices of observed countries is examined.

Gas and LNG pricing and trading hub in East Asia: An introduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xunpeng Shi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This paper summarizes the four papers in the special issues on ‘Gas and LNG pricing and trading hub in East Asia’. The papers examine lessons and experience from European hub development, other commodity, the Japanese history on developing of futures markets and inter-fuel substitution in East Asia. The papers finds that liquid futures market is the key to formulate benchmark prices while a well-developed spot market is the foundation; political will and strong leadership are required to overcome the power of incumbents and to restructure the gas market that impede the the development of competitive markets; and East Asia needs to develop its indigenous gas or LNG trading hubs even in low oil prices period and its developing market allows easier changes in new contracts than in existing ones. This hub development requires governments to go through tough domestic market reforms, including liberalization and cooperation with each other and with gas exporters.

Far East Asia | Page 105 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Far East Asia. Extrême-Orient. Read more about Renforcement des capacités de recherche et de l'élaboration de politiques fondées sur des données probantes en Afghanistan et en Asie centrale. Language French. Read more about Microwork and Virtual Production Networks in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.

Market shifting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forst, Michael

2013-11-01

After years of oversupply and artificially low module pricing, market analysts believe that the solar industry will begin to stabilize by 2017. While the market activities are shifting from Europe to the Asia Pacific region and the United States, the solar shakeout continues to be in full swing including solar cell and module manufacturing. (orig.)

Central Asia After 2014

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

arms technology and resell this on markets where Russia will be a competitor.9 Finally, in economic terms, Russia remains the underdog . China has the...with the ultimate aim of reducing the attraction of the West. Brand marks like “multipolarity,” a “changing world order,” “shifting power...specific brand of energy bal- ancing—i.e., not a traditional power-balancer game but a game designed to pit bidders up against one another and thus

Social networks, market transactions, and reputation as a central resource. The Mercado del Mar, a fish market in central Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández, Juan M.

2017-01-01

Fish consumption in Mexico is considered low (around 12 kg per person per year) and non-homogeneously distributed across the country. One of the reasons for this situation is the scarcity of wholesale selling sites. In this context, the Mercado del Mar (MM), located in Guadalajara city, Jalisco, is the second biggest wholesale fish market in Mexico, with a distribution of about 500 tons per day and a variety of about 350 different species of fish. In this paper, we argue that MM has accumulated social capital, which is formed from two main resources: buyer and seller relationships, and reputation. Specifically, the MM manages a broad and intensive interaction among business actors and the already achieved reputation allows the MM to adapt to market changes. To validate our hypotheses, an empirical study was conducted in 2015 by means of interviews to fish wholesalers in the MM and a sample of their suppliers and buyers. For simplicity we have only considered fresh water fish. We have followed snow-ball sampling as the survey strategy. Results show that the MM has responded to fish market dynamics organizing a complex network of buyers and suppliers whose relationships can be explained in the form of strong and weak ties. At the same time, reputation has been the central resource to build this social capital and also gives place to market transactions. Additionally, the strategic position of Guadalajara city and the well-connected routes have facilitated fish bulking and distribution in the region. PMID:29016637

Social networks, market transactions, and reputation as a central resource. The Mercado del Mar, a fish market in central Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedroza-Gutiérrez, Carmen; Hernández, Juan M

2017-01-01

Fish consumption in Mexico is considered low (around 12 kg per person per year) and non-homogeneously distributed across the country. One of the reasons for this situation is the scarcity of wholesale selling sites. In this context, the Mercado del Mar (MM), located in Guadalajara city, Jalisco, is the second biggest wholesale fish market in Mexico, with a distribution of about 500 tons per day and a variety of about 350 different species of fish. In this paper, we argue that MM has accumulated social capital, which is formed from two main resources: buyer and seller relationships, and reputation. Specifically, the MM manages a broad and intensive interaction among business actors and the already achieved reputation allows the MM to adapt to market changes. To validate our hypotheses, an empirical study was conducted in 2015 by means of interviews to fish wholesalers in the MM and a sample of their suppliers and buyers. For simplicity we have only considered fresh water fish. We have followed snow-ball sampling as the survey strategy. Results show that the MM has responded to fish market dynamics organizing a complex network of buyers and suppliers whose relationships can be explained in the form of strong and weak ties. At the same time, reputation has been the central resource to build this social capital and also gives place to market transactions. Additionally, the strategic position of Guadalajara city and the well-connected routes have facilitated fish bulking and distribution in the region.

Commercialization and marketing of non-wood forest products in Central Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keča Ljiljana

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The phenomenon of return to nature and its original values is increasingly common worldwide in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. In this context, it is particularly important to pay attention to organic products, as well as the increased demand for healthy food. In these circumstances non-wood forest products (NWFPs emerge as forestry products that meet the criteria of organic farming and as such are placed on the market. The aim of this research was to acquire knowledge about the behavior of the marketing mix elements of NWFPs in Central Serbia in the period from 2007 to 2011. The purpose of this paper was to point to the opportunities for the development of enterprises, and the overall potential of Serbia for the development of companies engaged in purchasing, processing and placement of NWFPs. The research object were the quantities of products purchased and placed on both domestic and foreign markets, the types of promotional activities, the prices of final products and distribution of the products among the enterprises engaged in purchasing, processing and placement of NWFPs in Central Serbia. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 37008: Održivo gazdovanje ukupnim potencijalima šuma u Republici Srbiji

Discourse of political archetypes in international relations of the post soviet states of the Central Asia (statement of the problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Алексей Алексеевич Клинцов

2009-12-01

Full Text Available In the given article the author considers the problem of discourse of political archetypes in international relations of the post Soviet states of the Central Asia. In author's opinion, political archetypes as historically developed fundamental bases of ethnic consciousness render essential influence on modern diplomacy of the countries of the given region. That is why they require serious and profound studying by domestic and foreign political science.

Atmosphere aerosol/dust composition over central Asia and western Siberia derived from snow/ice core records and calibrated with NASA remote sensing data

Science.gov (United States)

Aizen, V. B.; Aizen, E. M.; Joswiak, D. R.; Surazakov, A. B.; Takeuchi, N.

2007-12-01

The vast arid and semi-arid regions of central Asia, Mongolia, and Northern China are the world's second largest source of atmospheric mineral dust. In recent years, severe dust storms in Asia have intensified in frequency, duration, and areal coverage. However, limited spatial and temporal extent of aerosol measurements precludes definitive statements to be made regarding relationship between the Asian aerosol generation and climate. It has been well known that glaciers are the natural archives of environmental records related to past climate and aerosol generation. In our research, we utilized central Asian and western Siberia shallow ice-core records recovered from Altai, Tien Shan and Pamir mountain glaciers. Despite the fact that ice-core data may extend climate/aerosol records back in time, their sparse coverage is inadequate to document aerosol spatial distribution. The NASA products from Aura, Terra and Aqua satellite missions address this gap identifying aerosol sources, transport pathways, and area of deposition. The main objective of our research is to evaluate an affect of climate variability on dynamics of Asian aerosol loading to atmosphere and changes in aerosol transport pathways. Dust particle, major and rare earth element analysis from dust aerosols deposited and accumulated in Altai, Tien Shan and Pamir glaciers suggests that loess from Tajikistan, Afghanistan and north-western China are main sources of aerosol loading into the upper troposphere over the central Asia and western Siberia. At the same time, the soluble ionic component of the ice-cores, related to aerosol generated from evaporate deposits, demonstrated both anthropogenic and natural impacts on atmospheric chemistry over these regions. Large perturbations of Ca2+ derived from CaCO3- rich dust transported from Goby Desert to Altai and Tien Shan. Origin and pathway of the ice-core aerosol depositions for the last 10-years were identified through calibrating ice-core records with dust

Interim Report by Asia International Grid Connection Study Group

Science.gov (United States)

Omatsu, Ryo

2018-01-01

The Asia International Grid Connection Study Group Interim Report examines the feasibility of developing an international grid connection in Japan. The Group has investigated different cases of grid connections in Europe and conducted research on electricity markets in Northeast Asia, and identifies the barriers and challenges for developing an international grid network including Japan. This presentation introduces basic contents of the interim report by the Study Group.

Did Inequality Increase in Transition? An Analysis of the Transitional Countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rozsas, Tamas

2002-01-01

... from centrally-planned to a market-oriented economy. Since the behavior of these countries contradicted previous models of inequality, researchers analyzing the transition process linked the increase in income inequality to the egalitarian values...

Farmers’ export market participation decisions in transition economies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bobojonov, Ihtiyor; Teuber, Ramona; Hasanov, Shavkat

2016-01-01

The Russian import ban on Western food products has stimulated a discussion about whether and how countries in Central Asia and Caucasus might benefit from this political decision by expanding their agrifood exports to Russia. Given this background, our study compares farmers’ willingness...... to participate in export markets in Armenia and Uzbekistan. Discussions are based on the analysis of surveys of 400 farmers from each country conducted in the spring of 2015. The results show that farmers already participating in local markets have a higher motivation to engage in the production of exportable...... commodities when a sudden export opportunity emerges. Beyond this general finding, the relative importance of farm and infrastructure characteristics were identified under different commercialization levels. Although both types of factors have been identified as important determinants in the existing...

Marketing aspects in tourism development : The marketing analysis of Vietnam tourism industry for long term development

OpenAIRE

Thai, Thuy Nga

2011-01-01

The objectives of this paper are to identify the shortcomings that have been hindering the development of Vietnam tourism and seeking for the solution for these shortcomings in the aspects of marketing. Vietnam is a country lying in the peninsula of South Asia and holds great potentials of nature, culture and human power for tourism growth. Despite much effort on marketing campaigns, Vietnam tourism is still lagging behind other giant tourism industries in Asia region. The thesis applied ...

Glaucoma in Asia: regional prevalence variations and future projections.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Errol Wei'en; Li, Xiang; Tham, Yih-Chung; Liao, Jiemin; Wong, Tien Yin; Aung, Tin; Cheng, Ching-Yu

2016-01-01

To evaluate glaucoma prevalence and disease burden across Asian subregions from 2013 to 2040. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 population-based studies of 1318 primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) cases in 66,800 individuals and 691 primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) cases in 72,767 individuals in Asia. Regions in Asia were defined based on United Nations' (UN) classification of macro-geographic regions. PubMed, Medline and Web of Science databases were searched for population-based glaucoma prevalence studies using standardised criteria published to 31 December 2013. Pooled glaucoma prevalence for individuals aged 40-80 years was calculated using hierarchical Bayesian approaches. Prevalence differences by geographic subregion, subtype and habitation were examined with random effects meta-regression models. Estimates of individuals with glaucoma from 2013 to 2040 were based on the UN World Population Prospects. In 2013, pooled overall glaucoma prevalence was 3.54% (95% credible interval (CrI) 1.83 to 6.28). POAG (2.34%, 95% CrI 0.96 to 4.55) predominated over PACG (0.73%, 95% CrI 0.18 to 1.96). With age and gender adjustment, PACG prevalence was higher in East than South East Asia (OR 5.55, 95% CrI 1.52 to 14.73), and POAG prevalence was higher in urban than rural populations (OR 2.11, 95% CrI 1.57 to 2.38). From 2013 to 2040, South Central Asia will record the steepest increase in number of glaucoma individuals from 17.06 million to 32.90 million compared with other Asian subregions. In 2040, South-Central Asia is also projected to overtake East Asia for highest overall glaucoma and POAG burden, while PACG burden remains highest in East Asia. Across the Asian subregions, there was greater glaucoma burden in South-Central and East Asia. Sustainable public health strategies to combat glaucoma in Asia are needed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to

A new Triassic shortening-extrusion tectonic model for Central-EasternAsia: Structural, geochronological and paleomagnetic investigations in the Xilamulun Fault (North China)

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Pan; Faure, Michel; Chen, Yan; Xu, Bei

2017-04-01

At the northern margin of the North China Block (NCB), the Xilamulun Fault (XMF) is a key belt to decipher the tectonic evolution of Central-Eastern Asia, as it records the Paleozoic final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean, and localizes a Late Triassic intracontinental deformation. In this study, structural analysis, 40Ar-39Ar dating, and paleomagnetic studies were performed to investigate the kinematics of the XMF and to further discuss its Triassic geodynamic significance in the Central-Eastern Asia framework after the Paleozoic Central Asian Orogenic evolution. The structural analyses reveal two phases of ductile deformation. The first one (D1), which displays N-verging and E-W trending folds, is related to the Early Paleozoic collisional event between the NCB and the Songliao-Hunshandake Block (SHB). The second phase (D2) displays a high-angle foliation and a pervasive sub-horizontalE-W stretching lineation with kinematic criteria indicative of dextral strike-slip shearing. The 40Ar-39Ar dating on mylonitic granite places the main shearing event around 227-209 Ma. This D2 shearing is coeval with that of the dextral strike-slip Bayan Obo-Chifeng Fault (BCF) and the Chicheng-Fengning-Longhua Fault to the south, which together constitute a dextral shearing fault system on the northern margin of the NCB during the Late Triassic. The paleomagnetic study performed on the Middle Permian Guangxingyuan pluton, located between the XMF and BCF, documents a local clockwise rotation of this pluton with respect to the NCB and SHB. Our multidisciplinary study suggests anNNW-SSE shortening and strike-slip shearing dominated tectonic setting on the northern margin of the NCB during the Late Triassic. Combining the contemporaneous dextral strike-slip movements of the XMF and BCF in northern China and the sinistral strike-slip movement of East Gobi Fault (EGF) in southeastern Mongolia with the large-scale tectonic framework, a Late Triassic NNW-SSE shortening-eastward extrusion

SPILLOVER EFFECTS OF THE SUB-PRIME MORTGAGE CRISIS TO THE ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esta Lestari

2014-10-01

Full Text Available AbstractThis paper aims to analyze the effects of the sub-prime mortgage crisis on several Asian stock markets. An Exponential Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (EGARCH model is employed to provide an empirical evidence of the direct spillover. The indirect effect is measured through the spillover effects from the increased volatility in the U.S. stock markets to the Asian stock markets. The results showed that the market integration occurs within Asian stock markets. Meanwhile the asymmetric effects are evident for all the Asian countries stock markets, indicating that financial markets in Asia are suffered more from negative news (shocks lead to more volatilities compared to positive news. Keywords: Stock market, sub-prime mortgage crisis, volatility, spillover effectJEL classification numbers: C22, F36, G15AbstrakPaper ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh krisis sub-prime mortgage pada beberapa pasar saham Asia. Model Exponential Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (EGARCH digunakan untuk mendapatkan bukti empiris dari kenaikan volatilitas dalam pasar saham Amerika pada pasar-pasar saham Asia. Hasil analisis memperlihatkan bahwa integrasi pasar terjadi di dalam pasar saham Asia. Sementara itu, pengaruh asimetris terbukti terjadi di pasar-pasar saham Asia, mengindikasikan bahwa pasar-pasar keuangan di Asia menderita lebih parah sebagai akibat dari kejutan negatif dibandingkan dengan dampak dari kejutan positif.Kata kunci: Pasar saham, krisis sub-prime mortgage, volatilitas, pengaruh spillover JEL classification numbers: C22, F36, G15

A Gateway to Chinese Market

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2009-01-01

@@ Under the economic depression and domestic market saturation,some medium and small sized foreign companies become eager to expand to a market with more profits and development spaces.Foreign investors hope to enter the biggest market in Asia,while they are still worrying about the risks.

Regulatory Support Program in Central Asia. Progress and new bilateral project with the State Inspectorate on Safety in Industry and Mining of Republic of Uzbekistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

A meeting of the regional regulatory support program in Central Asia (CA) was held in May 25 to 26, 2011 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where parties discussed ongoing bilateral cooperation between the NRPA and the regulatory bodies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. (Author)

Regulatory Support Program in Central Asia. Progress and new bilateral project with the State Inspectorate on Safety in Industry and Mining of Republic of Uzbekistan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2011-07-01

A meeting of the regional regulatory support program in Central Asia (CA) was held in May 25 to 26, 2011 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where parties discussed ongoing bilateral cooperation between the NRPA and the regulatory bodies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. (Author)

El ascenso de China en Asia Central: ¿un nuevo hegemón regional en gestación?

OpenAIRE

Nicolás de Pedro

2010-01-01

China tiene un papel cada vez más relevante en Asia Central. Beijing lidera la Organización de Cooperación de Shanghai, el foro de cooperación regional más dinámico y con una creciente relevancia en el panorama comercial, energético y de seguridad centroasiático. Este ascenso chino supone un desplazamiento progresivo de Rusia, el hegemón tradicional y cuyos intereses parecen crecientemente divergentes con los de China, a pesar del aparente entendimiento entre ambos durante los últimos años. E...

Report to the United States Congress clean coal technology export markets and financing mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-05-01

This report responds to a Congressional Conference Report that requests that $625,000 in funding provided will be used by the Department to identify potential markets for clean coal technologies in developing countries and countries with economies in transition from nonmarket economies and to identify existing, or new, financial mechanisms or financial support to be provided by the Federal government that will enhance the ability of US industry to participate in these markets. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects world coal consumption to increase by 30 percent between 1990 and 2010, from 5.1 to 6.5 billion short tons. Five regions stand out as major foreign markets for the export of US clean coal technologies: China; The Pacific Rim (other than China); South Asia (primarily India); Transitional Economies (Central Europe and the Newly Independent States); and Other Markets (the Americas and Southern Africa). Nearly two-thirds of the expected worldwide growth in coal utilization will occur in China, one quarter in the United States. EIA forecasts nearly a billion tons per year of additional coal consumption in China between 1990 and 2010, a virtual doubling of that country's coal consumption. A 30-percent increase in coal consumption is projected in other developing countries over that same period. This increase in coal consumption will be accompanied by an increase in demand for technologies for burning coal cost-effectively, efficiently and cleanly. In the Pacific Rim and South Asia, rapid economic growth coupled with substantial indigenous coal supplies combine to create a large potential market for CCTS. In Central Europe and the Newly Independent States, the challenge will be to correct the damage of decades of environmental neglect without adding to already-considerable economic disruption. Though the situation varies, all these countries share the basic need to use indigenous low-quality coal cleanly and efficiently

Demyelinating diseases in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ochi, Hirofumi; Fujihara, Kazuo

2016-06-01

The present review aims to discuss the recent advances in inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system in Asia. Prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Asia is lower than that in Western countries, although it has been increasing recently. Meanwhile, there seems to be no major difference in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) prevalence in various regions or ethnicities. Thus, the ratios of NMO/NMO spectrum disorder (NMOSD) to MS are higher in Asia as compared with Western countries, indicating that the differential diagnosis between NMO/NMOSD and MS is a major challenge in Asia. Although the detection of aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-antibody is critical in distinguishing NMO/NMOSD from MS, some patients with NMO/NMOSD phenotype are seronegative for AQP4-antibody, and a fraction of those patients possess autoantibody against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. The clinical profile of Asian MS seems to be essentially similar to that in Western MS after careful exclusion of NMO/NMOSD, although some unique genetic and/or environmental factors may modify the disease in Asians. MS prevalence has been low but is increasing in Asia. In contrast, NMO/NMOSD prevalence seems relatively constant in the world. Asian MS is not fundamentally different from Western MS, but some genetic and/or environmental differences may cause some features unique to Asian patients.

Alternative Policy Study: Environment and energy in Europe and Central Asia 1990-2010. Energy-related environmental impacts of policy scenarios GEO-2000 alternative policy study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vuuren DP van; Bakkes JA; United Nations Environment; MNV

2000-01-01

The GEO-2000 study into alternative policy options for Europe and Central Asia focuses on energy use as an important driver for environmental problems across the region. The problems analyzed are climate change, acidification, summer smog, urban air pollution and risks of reactor accidents

Contemporary changes of water resources, water and land use in Central Asia based on observations and modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiklomanov, A. I.; Prousevitch, A.; Sokolik, I. N.; Lammers, R. B.

2015-12-01

Water is a key agent in Central Asia ultimately determining human well-being, food security, and economic development. There are complex interplays among the natural and anthropogenic drivers effecting the regional hydrological processes and water availability. Analysis of the data combined from regional censuses and remote sensing shows a decline in areas of arable and irrigated lands and a significant decrease in availability of arable and irrigated lands per capita across all Central Asian countries since the middle of 1990thas the result of post-Soviet transformation processes. This change could lead to considerable deterioration in food security and human system sustainability. The change of political situation in the region has also resulted in the escalated problems of water demand between countries in international river basins. We applied the University of New Hampshire - Water Balance Model - Transport from Anthropogenic and Natural Systems (WBM-TrANS) to understand the consequences of changes in climate, water and land use on regional hydrological processes and water availability. The model accounts for sub-pixel land cover types, glacier and snow-pack accumulation/melt across sub-pixel elevation bands, anthropogenic water use (e.g. domestic and industrial consumption, and irrigation for most of existing crop types), hydro-infrastructure for inter-basin water transfer and reservoir/dam regulations. A suite of historical climate re-analysis and temporal extrapolation of MIRCA-2000 crop structure datasets has been used in WBM-TrANS for this project. A preliminary analysis of the model simulations over the last 30 years has shown significant spatial and temporal changes in hydrology and water availability for crops and human across the region due to climatic and anthropogenic causes. We found that regional water availability is mostly impacted by changes in extents and efficiency of crop filed irrigation, especially in highly arid areas of Central Asia

All projects related to | Page 286 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Topic: SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, SOCIAL MARKETING, FOREIGN TRADE, TRADE PROMOTION, ACCESS TO MARKETS, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, INCOME GENERATION. Region: India, Central Asia, Far East Asia, South Asia. Total Funding: CA$ 20,000.00. Empowerment of Marginalized Producer Groups through ...

Political Regimes in Central Asia: Crisis of Legitimacy, Political Violence and Uncertain Prospects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad-Reza Djalili

2005-10-01

Full Text Available This article analyses the present-day transition and political context of each of the states that comprise the former Soviet region of Central Asia since their independence: the internal changes they have undergone, the creation of their own institutions and regional and international relations. This evolution, especially with regard to the deficiencies in democracy and legitimacy of the majority of the current governments, based, in many cases, on personalist, authoritarian regimes, points to an uncertain future for a region in which, too frequently, its rulers have used all the means at their disposal (persecution of political opposition, disregard for human rights, constraint of the mass media and NGOs, etc. to guarantee their continuance in power. This article also includes an analysis of the most recent events, such as the Andijan (Uzbekistan massacre, the‘revolution’ without changes in Kyrgyzstan, and the authoritarian drift of Turkmenistan, which leads to conclusions filled with uncertainties for future political scenarios.

The European natural gas market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagland, Jan

2001-01-01

An increasing amount of natural gas is flowing into continental Europe, one of the largest gas markets in the world. There are three main sources of gas: Africa, Russia and Norway. Norway is an important supplier of gas, but may be vulnerable to competition. The demand for gas is increasing on a global basis and the largest increase is expected in Asia, followed by America and Europe. It is expected that Norwegian gas deliveries will be a principle source of natural gas for North Europe in the next years and that they will take an increasing part of the British market as the gas deliveries from the British shelf is going down. The European gas market is likely to become liberalized according to the EU's competition- and gas directives. This will not necessarily be a problem, and Norway may be able to increase the export of gas to Great Britain considerably from the year 2010, perhaps up to 40 billion standard m3 per year. Russia is expected to take an increased share of the European gas market, especially in East- and Central Europe, Germany and North Italy. But large investments in existing fields, new developments and new strategic pipelines are necessary

Evolution of the clinical trial landscape in Asia Pacific

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yathindranath S

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Shourav Yathindranath,1 Amar Kureishi,2 Simranjit Singh,3 Spencer Yeow,3 Grace Geng,4 Karen Wai,1 Audrey Ho,1 Elvira Zenaida Lansang,1 Ken J Lee5 1Feasibility and Site Identification Asia, 2Drug Development Asia, 3Strategic Planning Asia, Quintiles East Asia Private Limited, Singapore; 4People’s Republic of China Site Services, Quintiles, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 5Asia Site Services, Quintiles East Asia Private Limited, Singapore Introduction: Asia Pacific has and continues to be one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical markets in the world. This growth has a carry-over effect of driving pharmaceutical research and development investment in the region. Coupled with this, there have been multiple initiatives conducted by governments and other research focused organizations and societies in the region to help support this growth in research. In this report, we discuss the latest developments in pharmaceutical research and development in Asia Pacific and how these various initiatives have made an impact. Methods: An extensive search of the major clinical trial registries, along with the literature and Internet review of the recent developments in clinical trials, was performed comparing two time periods – 2009–2010 and 2011–2012. Results: In overall numbers, the clinical trial industry in Asia Pacific has remained stable when comparing the two time periods, with stable volumes of clinical trial numbers and site numbers. However, on closer inspection, a dynamic change in geography, nature, and therapeutic areas of the trials being conducted is observed. Japan, South Korea, People’s Republic of China, and Taiwan continue to be major clinical trial destinations. Developing countries, such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and Philippines, have seen rising standards of living and medical care; this is starting to impact their contribution to trials. Also, there are an increasing number of local trials in Asia Pacific with a bigger role

The Asia Pacific LNG trade: Status and technology development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hovdestad, W.R.

1995-01-01

The Asia Pacific Region is experiencing a period of sustained economic expansion. Economic growth has led to an increasing demand for energy that has spurred a rapid expansion of baseload liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in this region. This is illustrated by the fact that seven of the ten baseload facilities in existence provide LNG for markets in the Asia Pacific region. With the three exceptions having been initially commissioned in 1972 and earlier, it is fair to observed that most advances in LNG technology have been developed and applied for this market. The paper presents the current status and identified future trends for the Asia Pacific LNG trade. Technology development in terms of application to onstream production, processing and transportation facilities, including LNG tankers, is presented. The potential of future advances to applied technology and operational practices to improve the cost-effectiveness of new and existing facilities is discussed. Current design data and methods as actually used are examined in terms of identifying where fundamental research and basic physical data are insufficient for optimization purposes. These findings are then summarized and presented in terms of the likely evolution of future and existing LNG projects in the Asia Pacific region

MAIN TRENDS OF DERIVATIVES’ MARKET DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kostiantyn Vozianov

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study is to examine the factors of formation and development of the derivatives market in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE, to analyze the features of the organization and functioning of these markets, as well as to identify modern trends of development of the derivatives markets of CEE. The methodological basis of the study are historical and logical and systematic approach to the analysis of economic phenomena and processes in national and global environment. The study was conducted using the methods: qualitative and quantitative comparison, factor and structural analysis. Results. The development of the CEE derivatives market is characterized by: rapid growth of derivatives trading for the past two decades; high concentration of trading volumes on the stock market; offering a wide range of derivative products allowing investors to effectively hedge risk or get exposure; exchange consolidation; tendency to increased use of modern telecommunication technologies etc. The key problems of CEE derivatives market are low liquidity and international profile of exchanges and the lack of domestic investors for achieving the desired depth of the market. Practical implications. Research of the derivatives market makes it possible to understand more about the mechanism of functioning of the modern financial sector. In our opinion, special attention should be paid to CEE countries, where the development of the derivatives market began in the 1990s. To date, they are understudied, although they have considerable growth potential and in the future can compete on equal terms with Western European and American markets. Moreover, the starting conditions of development of the derivatives market in the CEE countries are more similar to the market of Ukraine and could be useful in terms of adapting good practices.

Managing the water-energy-food nexus: Opportunities in Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Jalilov, Shokhrukh-Mirzo; Amer, Saud A.; Ward, Frank A.

2018-02-01

This article examines impacts of infrastructure development and climate variability on economic outcomes for the Amu Darya Basin in Central Asia. It aims to identify the most economically productive mix of expanded reservoir storage for economic benefit sharing to occur, in which economic welfare of all riparians is improved. Policies examined include four combinations of storage infrastructure for each of two climate futures. An empirical optimization model is developed and applied to identify opportunities for improving the welfare of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan. The analysis 1) characterizes politically constrained and economically optimized water-use patterns for these combinations of expanded reservoir storage capacity, 2) describes Pareto-Improving packages of expanded storage capacity that could raise economic welfare for all four riparians, and accounts for impacts for each of two climate scenarios. Results indicate that a combination of targeted water storage infrastructure and efficient water allocation could produce outcomes for which the discounted net present value of benefits are favorable for each riparian. Results identify a framework to provide economic motivation for all riparians to cooperate through development of water storage infrastructure. Our findings illustrate the principle that development of water infrastructure can expand the negotiation space by which all communities can gain economic benefits in the face of limited water supply. Still, despite our optimistic findings, patient and deliberate negotiation will be required to transform potential improvements into actual gains.

PCDD/F measurement at a high-altitude station in Central Taiwan: evaluation of long-range transport of PCDD/Fs during the Southeast Asia biomass burning event.

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Kai Hsien; Lin, Chuan-Yao; Yang, Chang-Feng Ou; Wang, Jia-Lin; Lin, Neng-Heui; Sheu, Guey-Rong; Lee, Chung-Te

2010-04-15

Recent biomass burning in Southeast Asia has raised global concerns over its adverse effects on visibility, human health, and global climate. The concentrations of total suspended particles (TSPs) and other vapor-phase pollutants (CO and ozone) were monitored at Lulin, an atmospheric background station in central Taiwan in 2008. To evaluate the long-range transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) during the Southeast Asia biomass burning event, the atmospheric polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were also measured at Lulin station. The atmospheric PCDD/F and TSP concentrations measured at Lulin station ranged from 0.71-3.41 fg I-TEQ/m(3) and 5.32-55.6 microg/m(3), respectively, during the regular sampling periods. However, significantly higher concentrations of PCDD/Fs, TSPs, CO, and ozone were measured during the spring season. These high concentrations could be the result of long-range transport of the products of Southeast Asia biomass burning. During the Southeast Asia biomass burning event (March 18-24, 2008), an intensive observation program was also carried out at the same station. The results of this observation program indicated that the atmospheric PCDD/F concentration increased dramatically from 2.33 to 390 fg I-TEQ/m(3) (March 19, 2008). The trace gas (CO) of biomass burning also significantly increased to 232 ppb during the same period, while the particle-bound PCDD/Fs in the TSP increased from 28.7 to 109 pg I-TEQ/g-TSP at Lulin station during the burning event. We conclude that there was a significant increase in the PCDD/F concentration in ambient air at a high-altitude background station in central Taiwan during the Southeast Asia biomass burning event.

Southern comfort in Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gray, F.

1997-08-01

The role of entrepreneurs in the recent success of the electric power industry in Asia is discussed. A willingness to run economic risks and skilled negotiation are identified as key factors for success in the competitive and rapidly changing market. The pioneering work of build, operate, transfer (BOT) power projects have also contributed to economic growth, as has the sale of Asian utilities to large power corporations from USA. (UK)

Hissar-Alai and the Pamirs: Junction and Position in the System of Mobile Belts of Central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Leonov, M. G.; Rybin, A. K.; Batalev, V. Yu.; Matyukov, V. E.; Shchelochkov, G. G.

2018-01-01

The position of the Pamirs and the Hissar-Alai mountainous system in the structure of Central Asia and features of their junction are considered. It is shown that their outer contours and tectonic infrastructure are significantly distinct in the planar pattern: latitudinally linear and arched for the Hissar-Alai and the Pamirs, respectively. These structures logically match those of the Central Asian and Alpine-Himalayan belts, respectively. The Pamir orogen is a relatively autonomous structural element of the crust, which is located discordantly relative to the country lithospheric blocks. Most of the Pamirs (at least, the Northern and Central) probably form a giant allochthon on the ancient basement of the Tarim and Afghan-Tajik blocks. The junction zone of these two "hard" crustal segments is reflected in the transverse Transpamir threshold, which is expressed in the relief, deep structure, and seismicity. The specific geological structure of the junction zone of the Pamirs and Hissar-Alai (systems of the Tarim, Alai, and Afghan-Tajik troughs) is shown. It suggested that this zone is a damper, which significantly neutralizes the dynamic influence of the Pamir and the southernmost elements of the Pamir-Punjab syntax on Hissar-Alai structures.

Wavelet Analysis of Central European Stock Market Behaviour During the Crisis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Baruník, Jozef; Vácha, Lukáš

2009-01-01

Roč. 2009, č. 23 (2009), s. 1-14 R&D Projects: GA ČR GP402/08/P207; GA ČR GD402/09/H045 Grant - others:GAUK(CZ) 46108 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : wavelet analysis * multiresolution analysis * Central European stock markets * financial crisis Subject RIV: AH - Economics

Marketing: Events as marketing tools in Thai Hospitality Industry

OpenAIRE

Hu, Wenzhuo

2012-01-01

Abstract Thailand is a developing country in Southeast Asia. It is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. The tourism industry has a big impact on this country’s economy, largely from foreign tourism. Tourism Authority Thailand as a marketing tool promotes Tai tourism industry and as a new concept to develop policy and marketing plan in tourism market in Thailand. However, the most of previous studies just have focused on foreigner travel in Thailand but only a few studies ment...

Modeling primary energy substitution in the Asia Pacific

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aguilera, Roberto F.; Ripple, Ronald D.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • We model the market shares (i.e. energy mix) of gases, liquids and solids in the Asia Pacific. • The model matches the historical energy mix and projects three scenarios of the future mix to 2030. • We then model the past and future hydrogen to carbon ratio (a proxy for environmental quality). • Importance of natural gas in the region could increase significantly, depending on policy and tech progress. - Abstract: A Global Energy Market model (GEM) is used to analyze the market shares (i.e. the primary energy mix) of gases, liquids and solids in the Asia Pacific. The model is successful in matching the historical energy mix from 1850 to 2009. The model also provides a good match of the hydrogen to carbon ratio, which is a proxy for environmental quality. Given these validations, the GEM is then used to present scenarios of the Asia Pacific energy mix and hydrogen to carbon ratio until the year 2030. Three energy mix scenarios are presented – reference case; alternative case 1; alternative case 2. The reference case assumes limited divergence from current policies and technologies. It indicates that Asia Pacific energy needs will be met by approximately 46% solids, 34% liquids, and 20% gases by 2030. Alternative cases 1 and 2 represent policies and technologies that either encourage or discourage the use of gases. The good matches observed for historical data suggest the GEM can be used cautiously for evaluating outcomes and opportunities in the region. Although the model can be used for projecting far into the future, it is currently calibrated to what we consider a reasonable time horizon – until the year 2030. Given appropriate energy policies and sufficient technological advancement, the importance of natural gas in the region could increase significantly

A 12-Month Prospective, Observational Study of Treatment Regimen and Quality of Life Associated with ADHD in Central and Eastern Europe and Eastern Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Goetz, Michal; Yeh, Chin-Bin; Ondrejka, Igor; Akay, Aynur; Herczeg, Ilona; Dobrescu, Iuliana; Kim, Boong Nyun; Jin, Xingming; Riley, Anne W.; Martenyi, Ferenc; Harrison, Gavan; Treuer, Tamas

2012-01-01

Objectives: This prospective, observational, non-randomized study aimed to describe the relationship between treatment regimen prescribed and the quality of life (QoL) of ADHD patients in countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Eastern Asia over 12 months. Methods: 977 Male and female patients aged 6-17 years seeking treatment for…

Ekonomik Büyümenin Belirleyicileri ve 2008 Krizi: Orta Asya Ülkeleri ve Türkiye Ekonomisi İçin Panel Veri Analizi(The Determinats of Economic Growth and 2008 Crisis: Panel Data Analysis for Central Asia Countries and Turkey’s Economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet MERCAN

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In this study the determinants of economic growth and the effects of 2008 global economic crisis on growth were analysed by using 1990-2012 periods’ annual data in the sample of Turkey and Central Asia Countries (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The 2008 crisis started in the USA in mid-2008 in mortgage markets and also affected the financial markets and the reel sector and it spread all over European Countries (EU and the world from September 2008 and it caused a shrink in world economy by 2.3 % and distorted the macroeconomic balances of countries including in particular the economic growth. According to the empirical findings of the analysis the government expenditures, the export and the private consumption expenditure in order made the most contribution to the countries’ economic growth. Effect of the crisis on economic growth was negative and statistically significant.

Opportunities for the UK nuclear industry in the Asia-Pacific Rim

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardacre, A.G.

1997-01-01

This paper describes the background to the very dynamic nuclear market in the Asia-Pacific region. It summarizes what various countries in the region have attained and are planning. It is also useful to consider what is driving the market, what distinguishes it from other markets in the world and therefore where it will be going over the next few decades. (Author)

United States Pacific Command, Asia-Pacific Economic Update.

Science.gov (United States)

1998-04-01

export process more efficient and effective by reducing export barriers and expanding markets abroad. The strategy coordinates the U.S. Government’s...investment from Western companies, such as Boeing and Mercedes - Benz , since China opened to the outside world the late 1970s.12 North Korea’s arms... markets for American trade and investment. Expanding wealth and opportunity in many Asia-Pacific countries have facilitated a transition to greater

THE EXPANSION OF THE RITZ-CARLTON® ON FOREIGN MARKETS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihai-Răzvan DOBAI

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The spreading of globalization drives the companies’ pursuit to expand on foreign markets for various reasons. In this paper it will be analysed the expansion on non-US markets of the Ritz-Carlton®, a hotel company with tradition, being known for its services quality. The analysis takes into consideration the opening year of the hotels in the Latin American, European, Middle Eastern, Central and South Asian and AsiaPacific market, trying to correlate the expansion on certain areas and locations with the American foreign policy regarding those regions, one of the essential factors being the improvement and development of economic ties which led to an interdependence between the main actors of the current international affairs arena. Under these circumstances, there were created favourable environments for the hotel to expand on foreign markets. Last but not least, by serving international business people conducting their affairs worldwide and contributing in tightening the economic relations among countries, such a hotel chain is indirectly part of the economic and soft power of a country.

Comparison of Monetary Policy Actions and Central Bank Communication on Tackling Asset Price Bubbles-Evidence from China's Stock Market.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Ou; Liu, Zhixin

2016-01-01

We examine the different effects of monetary policy actions and central bank communication on China's stock market bubbles with a Time-varying Parameter SVAR model. We find that with negative responses of fundamental component and positive responses of bubble component of asset prices, contractionary monetary policy induces the observed stock prices to rise during periods of large bubbles. By contrast, central bank communication acts on the market through expectation guidance and has more significant effects on stock prices in the long run, which implies that central bank communication be used as an effective long-term instrument for the central bank's policymaking.

NPP-VIIRS DNB-based reallocating subpopulations to mercury in Urumqi city cluster, central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, X.; Feng, X. B.; Dai, W.; Li, P.; Ju, C. Y.; Bao, Z. D.; Han, Y. L.

2017-02-01

Accurate and update assignment of population-related environmental matters onto fine grid cells in oasis cities of arid areas remains challenging. We present the approach based on Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) -Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) to reallocate population onto a regular finer surface. The number of potential population to the mercury were reallocated onto 0.1x0.1 km reference grid in Urumqi city cluster of China’s Xinjiang, central Asia. The result of Monte Carlo modelling indicated that the range of 0.5 to 2.4 million people was reliable. The study highlights that the NPP-VIIRS DNB-based multi-layered, dasymetric, spatial method enhances our abilities to remotely estimate the distribution and size of target population at the street-level scale and has the potential to transform control strategies for epidemiology, public policy and other socioeconomic fields.

Russia's natural gas policy toward Northeast Asia: Rationales, objectives and institutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shadrina, Elena

2014-01-01

The article examines the institutional dimensions of Russia's gas policy toward Northeast Asia (NEA During the liberal economic reforms of the 1990s, development of natural gas deposits in the Russian Far East was made possible under the scheme of production sharing agreements (PSA). However, new PSAs were banned in Russia even before the advent of state capitalism in the early 2000s. This was, to a large extent, the result of strong anti-PSA lobbying led by the domestic energy business elite. Consequently, Russia's gas policy in the east began evolving from being project-specific toward being region-specific. Contemporary Russian gas policy toward NEA relies upon domestic (national and regional) and external institutions. In 2009, following the completion of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Sakhalin, Russia entered NEA gas markets. Transformations in the international gas markets facilitated the establishment of a two-pattern gas export policy in Russia in 2013. Under this policy, Russia's EU-oriented pipeline gas export remains monopolised by Gazprom, while Asia-oriented LNG export is partially liberalised. Russia has not been experiencing institutional discrepancy in NEA gas markets. However, as the markets evolve toward greater coordination, a rational option for Russia is to genuinely liberalise its gas policy. - Highlights: • Russia–EU institutional inconsistency has accelerated Russia's gas export diversification. • Institutions for regional development are an important component of Russia's gas policy in Asia. • Transformations in globalising gas markets induced Russia's limited gas export liberalisation. • Genuine gas policy liberalisation can facilitate the attainment of Russia's goals in Asia

The minimum liquidity deficit and the maturity structure of central banks' open market operations: lessons from the financial crisis

OpenAIRE

Eisenschmidt, Jens; Holthausen, Cornelia

2010-01-01

This paper studies the relationship between the size of the banking sector’s refinancing needs vis-à-vis the central bank and auction rates in its open market operations in times of financial market stress. In a theoretical model, it is found that marginal rates at central bank auctions may increase if the share of troubled banks becomes too high relative to the total size of the banking sector’s refinancing needs. An empirical analysis then aims at determining the size of open market operati...

Seasonal, interannual, and long-term variabilities in biomass burning activity over South Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhardwaj, P; Naja, M; Kumar, R; Chandola, H C

2016-03-01

The seasonal, interannual, and long-term variations in biomass burning activity and related emissions are not well studied over South Asia. In this regard, active fire location retrievals from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from MODIS Terra, and tropospheric column NO2 from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) are used to understand the effects of biomass burning on the tropospheric pollution loadings over South Asia during 2003-2013. Biomass burning emission estimates from Global Fire Emission Database (GFED) and Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS) are also used to quantify uncertainties and regional discrepancies in the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx), and black carbon (BC) due to biomass burning in South Asia. In the Asian continent, the frequency of fire activity is highest over Southeast Asia, followed by South Asia and East Asia. The biomass burning activity in South Asia shows a distinct seasonal cycle that peaks during February-May with some differences among four (north, central, northeast, and south) regions in India. The annual biomass burning activity in north, central, and south regions shows an increasing tendency, particularly after 2008, while a decrease is seen in northeast region during 2003-2013. The increase in fire counts over the north and central regions contributes 24 % of the net enhancement in fire counts over South Asia. MODIS AOD and OMI tropospheric column NO2 retrievals are classified into high and low fire activity periods and show that biomass burning leads to significant enhancement in tropospheric pollution loading over both the cropland and forest regions. The enhancement is much higher (110-176 %) over the forest region compared to the cropland (34-62 %) region. Further efforts are required to understand the implications of biomass burning on the regional air quality and climate of South Asia.

Marketing patterns of agricultural commodities in an upland area of Central Java

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline M. van Ommeren

2013-07-01

Full Text Available In the uplands of Central Java a wide variety of dry cultivated crops are produced for subsistence as well as for cash. The marketing channels for these crops are also diverse. The producers can choose between selling at the market place or at their farms; either to consumers or traders; or they can sell their products to wholesalers in the towns. However, this freedom of choice is not absolute and is determined by the quantity of the merchandise. Farmers/who can sell large amounts of produce are able to bypass some steps in the hierarchical order of market places or traders. Thus, producers with relatively large farmlands can sell their commodities in more profitable ways compared to those with /smaller farms. Moreover, the latter are often forced to sell their produce below market value to traders who provided them with advance or who bought the crop before harvest (tebasan, because of their need for cash

E-business and its Application in Conditions of Central European Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naci Tolga Saruc

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Aim of this paper is highlighting possibilities in effective utilization of Information and Communication Technologies for supporting entrepreneurship (e-business for Small and Medium enterprises. The core research carried on for duration of twelve months covered analysis and following presentation of possibilities of practical utilization of e-business applications. Furthermore research was oriented towards innovative forms of marketing communication in Real Corporation conducting business in Central European market. Analyzing data on collected findings can add value towards gaining a significant competitive advantage in form of better understanding of real facts influencing entrepreneurship in principle. This can lead consequently to positive influence on corporate effectiveness in the environment of Small and Medium enterprises.

Towards a sustainable Asia. Environment and climate change

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2011-07-01

This series of books are the output of the research project called ''Sustainable Development in Asia (SDA)'', which was initiated by the Association of Academies of Sciences in Asia (AASA). They are comprised of one synthesis report, which entitled ''Towards a Sustainable Asia: Green Transition and Innovation'', and four thematic reports on natural resources, energy, the environment and climate change, and culture from particular perspectives of agriculture. They aim to: (1) investigate common sustainability issues faced by all Asian countries, including population increase, poverty alleviation, pollution control, ecological restoration, as well as regional problems, such as water shortage in West and Central Asia, energy security in Northeast Asia, development model and transformation in East Asia; (2) analyze and summarize of best practices towards sustainable development in Asia; (3) bring forward suggestions and policy options for promoting green transition, system innovation and sustainable development of Asia. With best practice guidelines for a sustainable Asia, this series of reports, for the first time systematically address the common challenges and regional problems in regard to Asia's natural resources use, pollution reduction and climate protection, sustainable energy development, and innovations for environment-friendly and culture-compatible agriculture. They will provide handy and useful information to researchers, government policy makers and the general public who have concerns about Asia's sustainable development. AASA is a scientific and technological organization in Asia, established in 2000, comprising of 26 member academies all over Asia. Its vision is to provide a forum for the discussion of all issues relevant to science and technology development and its application on national level within Asia. (orig.)

Seasonal and long-term change in lead deposition in central Japan: evidence for atmospheric transport from continental Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellis, David J.; Satake, Kenichi; Inagaki, Michiko; Zeng, Jiye; Oizumi, Tsuyoshi

2005-01-01

Long-range transport of air pollution from continental Asia is currently an important issue concerning the Japanese environment, especially in regions susceptible to acidification due to low buffering capacity, such as Murakami, Niigata prefecture, located on the west coast of central Japan. Evidence for long-range transport was obtained through lead and lead isotopic analysis of 84 archived precipitation filters, showing seasonal changes in lead deposition from May 1999 to May 2002. Lead deposition was highest in winter and spring (November through May) each year and lowest in summer. Computed 72-h back trajectories showed that in winter air masses were predominantly transported from the northwest, passing over northern China and eastern Russia, whilst in summer air masses predominantly originated from the southeast passing over Japan. Lead isotopic analysis showed higher 208 Pb/ 206 Pb during winter, indicating that lead originated from a different source. A plot of 207 Pb/ 206 Pb vs. 208 Pb/ 206 Pb identified a thorogenic component, which is excess 208 Pb compared to a standard lead growth curve, indicative of certain lead ores and coals in continental Asia. The data provided evidence of long-range transport of lead from continental Asia to Japan. Bark pockets included within the trunks of two Japanese cedar trees harvested near Murakami, dating between 1972 and 1982, exhibited lead isotope ratios indicative of Japanese-sourced lead. In contrast, current (2003) bark showed thorogenic ratios, consistent with a relative decline in Japanese-sourced and increase in continental-sourced lead

Interest Parity Conditions as Indicators of Financial Integration in East Asia

OpenAIRE

Gordon de Brouwer

1997-01-01

Market participants and policymakers have a growing interest in the development of East Asian financial markets, and to the extent to which these markets are open and influenced by world markets. This paper examines the information contained in interest parity conditions about the international integration of a wide range of economies in East Asia. Legal restrictions on the capital account and tests of covered, uncovered and real interest parity are presented in some detail. Using standard re...

Cancer-related marketing centrality motifs acting as pivot units in the human signaling network and mediating cross-talk between biological pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wan; Chen, Lina; Li, Xia; Jia, Xu; Feng, Chenchen; Zhang, Liangcai; He, Weiming; Lv, Junjie; He, Yuehan; Li, Weiguo; Qu, Xiaoli; Zhou, Yanyan; Shi, Yuchen

2013-12-01

Network motifs in central positions are considered to not only have more in-coming and out-going connections but are also localized in an area where more paths reach the networks. These central motifs have been extensively investigated to determine their consistent functions or associations with specific function categories. However, their functional potentials in the maintenance of cross-talk between different functional communities are unclear. In this paper, we constructed an integrated human signaling network from the Pathway Interaction Database. We identified 39 essential cancer-related motifs in central roles, which we called cancer-related marketing centrality motifs, using combined centrality indices on the system level. Our results demonstrated that these cancer-related marketing centrality motifs were pivotal units in the signaling network, and could mediate cross-talk between 61 biological pathways (25 could be mediated by one motif on average), most of which were cancer-related pathways. Further analysis showed that molecules of most marketing centrality motifs were in the same or adjacent subcellular localizations, such as the motif containing PI3K, PDK1 and AKT1 in the plasma membrane, to mediate signal transduction between 32 cancer-related pathways. Finally, we analyzed the pivotal roles of cancer genes in these marketing centrality motifs in the pathogenesis of cancers, and found that non-cancer genes were potential cancer-related genes.

Emerging natural gas markets in the East Asian countries - Challenges for market development and international cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozaki, Hiroshi

1997-01-01

Energy and natural gas demand as well as the natural gas market in East Asia is analyzed. Gas distribution and long distance gas transmission pipelines are considered. International cooperation is outlined for meeting the market challenges in the region. (R.P.)

Integrated approach to natural gas utilization in the Asia Pacific region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hovdestad, W.R.; Egbogah, E.O.

1995-01-01

The rapidly expanding economies in the Pacific Rim have placed increasing demands upon indigenous natural gas supplies in South East Asia and Australia. Competing demands include exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), domestic consumption, and potential use for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) to extend the useful life of maturing oil fields. An additional competing demand for gas exports may emerge as the interstate pipeline grid is expanded. An integrated approach incorporating the evolving nature of gas demands and discrete physical supplies would provide a means to mitigate against potential mismatching of supply and demand. The consideration of the evolving nature of gas demands could promote economically beneficial changes to gas field development. The development of high carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) content gas fields has been slowed by the lack of a market for CO 2 . Utilization of by-product CO 2 for EOR could improve development economics, thus facilitating earlier development of gas supplies to satisfy gas demands including domestic use and LNG exports. End users would also benefit from the assurance that gas supplies would become available as needed. The maturity and increasingly complex natural gas industry in the Asia Pacific Region has led to a qualitative change. The model of single projects to satisfy single markets is no longer valid. The current environment is more dynamic, creating the need to anticipate changes to market demands and to find value-added markets for by-products. The integrated approach to gas utilization discussed in this paper presents a new model more appropriate to the gas industry existing today in the Asia Pacific Region. This approach is particularly significant to widely discussed proposals for an Asia Pacific energy grid extending to Australia

La política exterior de España hacia Asia Central (2000-2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Alonso

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Aunque las relaciones de España con los actuales países de Asia Central se remontan a varios siglos atrás, fue la desaparición de la Unión Soviética la que abrió una ventana de oportunidades para profundizar en dichas relaciones. España tuvo que confeccionar una Política Exterior orientada hacia estos países, aunque se centró, casi exclusivamente, en su relación con los dos más grandes: Kazajstán y Uzbekistán. Los sucesivos Gobiernos han ampliado y profundizado la cooperación con aquellos actores, sobre todo en materia de seguridad y energía. No obstante, la presencia española en la zona es muy tímida y escasa, a pesar de la buena relación existente entre el Rey D. Juan Carlos y los respectivos Presidentes de las repúblicas centroasiáticas.

Natural gas supply and demand projections for the Asia-Pacific region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khin, J.A.

1992-01-01

The phenomenon of rapid economic growth in the Asia Pacific has inevitably led the countries of this region to expand and diversify their energy sources in order to satisfy their burgeoning energy demands. Natural gas has become an increasingly marketable energy source in this region benefitting from vast reserves and its advantages as an environmentally clean fuel. As a result of the impact of the two oil shocks of the 1970's on the Asia Pacific economy, the governments in the region set about the development of energy strategies which would make their national economies more resilient to the instabilities of world energy price and supply. The Japanese Gas Industry has estimated that the overall rise in demand for energy in Asia, set at an average rate of 3.7% per annum, will see a corresponding growth in demand for natural gas at 5%. Experts from a number of major oil companies, such as Exxon, expect an annual growth in the Asian natural gas market of 6.0 to 6.3%. These figures are over shadowed by the worldwide demand for natural gas which is expected to gain an 8% increase within the next two decades. Approximately 8.75% of the world's proven natural gas reserves are held in Asia-Pacific region (Table I). Most of the region's natural gas production will provide over 100 years of supply. A review of natural gas supply/demand in the Asia-Pacific region is presented in sub-regions, namely ASIAN, Northeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Oceania

Efficacy and safety of etanercept in patients from Latin America, Central Europe and Asia with early non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, James Cheng-Chung; Tsai, Wen-Chan; Citera, Gustavo; Kotak, Sameer; Llamado, Lyndon

2016-11-11

To evaluate etanercept in patients from Latin America, Central/Eastern Europe, and Asia with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA). A subset analysis was performed on nr-axSpA patients from Argentina, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia and Taiwan who were enrolled in EMBARK (NCT01258738). Patients received either etanercept 50 mg or placebo once weekly. The primary endpoint was proportion of patients achieving 40% improvement from baseline based on Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria. Secondary endpoints included other efficacy assessments, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and safety. Of the 117 patients in this subset, 59 were treated with etanercept and 58 received placebo. At week 12, numerically greater improvements from baseline were observed for all efficacy endpoints in etanercept-treated patients compared with those receiving placebo. Statistically significant differences between the two treatment groups were observed for proportion of patients achieving ASAS40 (P = 0.0413, at week 8), ASAS5/6 (P = 0.0126), Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score - C-reactive protein (CRP) inactive disease (P = 0.0093), Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada magnetic resonance imaging of sacroiliac joint scores (P = 0.0014), high-sensitivity CRP (P=0.032), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P = 0.0082). Statistically significant improvements in the etanercept-treated group compared with placebo group were observed for nocturnal back pain (P = 0.040), total back pain (P = 0.025), physician global assessment of disease (P = 0.023), and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire percent impairment while working (P = 0.047). Adverse events were similar between the two treatment groups. In this subset of patients with nr-axSpA from Latin America, Central/Eastern Europe, and Asia, treatment with etanercept, compared with placebo, resulted in improved disease symptoms and patient HRQo

Growth and opportunities in the lubricants business in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burke, B.F.

1995-01-01

The demand for lubricants is increasing faster in Asia than any other part of the world. This development is being propelled largely by the expansion of the transportation and manufacturing sectors. By the year 2000, lubricant consumption in Asia will exceed that of Western Europe, Africa and the Middle East combined. Aside from this growth, most of the region is shifting from very low quality to higher quality value-added products. In view of these factors, there has been an explosion of activity over the past few years as lubricant blenders and additive suppliers attempt to position themselves within the market. Over the past year, Chem Systems has undertaken an extensive study of the lubricants business in East Asia, focusing on the evolution of this complex market structure and the identification of attractive opportunities. The overview presented in this paper is a product of these efforts. Whether you are a multinational oil company, independent blender, national oil company or multinational additive suppler, the questions are the same when developing a strategy for the region: regional overview of lubricant business structure; outlook for Asian demand; profile of lube/additives businesses; and successful competition--what is required?

Market regulation in Central America and Bit-Energy.CEL as tool for improving the self regulating forces for a liberalised market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reisinger, H.; Reuter, A.; Dulle, H.

2002-01-01

establishment of regional spot and contracts market comprising 6 Central American countries; 3. the introduction of a retail market, allowing auto generation for industrial consumers; 4. the introduction of a renewable and rural electrification support scheme; 5. the introduction of the stochastic planning tool Bit-Energy.CEL for making offers for the spot market less predictable and more flexible. The proposed paper will show more details on the history of market liberalisation in Central America, summarise ongoing activities for improving market efficiency and explain in more detail which role Bit-Energy.CEL plays in this process. (author)

Climate contributions to vegetation variations in Central Asian drylands

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, Yu; Zhang, Li; Fensholt, Rasmus

2015-01-01

Central Asia comprises a large fraction of the world's drylands, known to be vulnerable to climate change. We analyzed the inter-annual trends and the impact of climate variability in the vegetation greenness for Central Asia from 1982 to 2011 using GIMMS3g normalized difference vegetation index...

The Role of the U.S. Army in Asia

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-01

global economy, including building economic partnerships overseas, ensuring access to markets and transit routes, and guarding against threats to U.S...trade.34 In addition, the region contains the rising economies of India and of much of Southeast Asia. The region is a vital market for the United...sound policies. CRM -2015-U-010431-Final www.cna.org ● 703-824-2000 3003 Washington Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201

THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE IMPROVEMENT OF MARKETING ACTIVITY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF CENTRAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY IN BUCHAREST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruxandra Irina POPESCU

2010-01-01

Full Text Available After a prolonged and complex process of reconstruction, extension and modernization, Central University Library "Carol I" in Bucharest has re-opened to public access in November 2001, bringing a new concept on what library services should mean. Under these auspicious circumstances, the library's offer has widened, the quality of services offered has improved, gradually displaying an interest in developing a closer relationship with its customers. The necessity of being more oriented to the marketing tools and techniques has become more apparent. Therefore, the top managers of the Central University Library have included in their three general development strategies produced so far, specific objectives, such as: an increase of the volume of paid serviced provided, promoting the services and work elaborated by its specialists through leaflets, presentations, albums, folders with press extracts. Beyond these actions with positive effects, the efforts of Central University Library for strengthening its position on the market of the providers of information services are diminished by the various malfunctions that characterize the marketing activity of this institution. Therefore, this work intends to contribute to the improvement of the marketing activity of the library by coming up with some solutions that could remove or at least diminish these weak points.

Derivatives in emerging markets

OpenAIRE

Dubravko Mihaljek; Frank Packer

2010-01-01

Turnover of derivatives has grown more rapidly in emerging markets than in developed countries. Foreign exchange derivatives are the most commonly traded of all risk categories, with increasingly frequent turnover in emerging market currencies and a growing share of cross-border transactions. As the global reach of the financial centres in emerging Asia has expanded, the offshore trading of many emerging market currency derivatives has risen as well. Growth in derivatives turnover is positive...

Vegetation change and terrestrial carbon storage in eastern Asia during the Last Glacial Maximum as indicated by a new pollen record from central Taiwan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liew, P.M.; Kuo, C.M.; Huang, S.Y.; Tseng, M.H. [Geological Department, National Taiwan Univ. 245, Chou-shan Rd., Taipei (Taiwan, Province of China)

1998-05-01

Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) carbon storage in eastern Asia is a key issue for understanding the sinks and sources of paleocarbon. Palynological data with good time constraint for the LGM in a peat bog from a site at 650 m above mean sea level in central Taiwan, together with data from low-lying deltaic and basin deposits of Taiwan and South China, increase our understanding about vegetational evolution and possible terrestrial carbon storage in this area and probably eastern Asia. Contrasting to today`s Machilus-Castanopsis forest zone around the peat bog, the vegetation before the LGM was dominated by Alnus, a relatively xerophytic element in Taiwan. An increase in herbs and decrease in spores during the LGM is recognized when compared with Holocene and modern assemblages. A less humid interval dominated by herbs (>50%) occurred between 21 and 15.8 ka. Basin deposits in northern Taiwan and deltaic deposits in central Taiwan show that during the LGM Artemisia, Umbelliferae and Gramineae were the main components contrasting with the Pinus or Cyclobalanopsis-dominant assemblages in the rest of the last glacial. Thus, less humid conditions lasted about 5000 to 6000 years in the LGM even on this very humid island. This may also be true in eastern Asia where a large area of the widely exposed continental shelf may have been occupied by grasslands and the uplands of South China were occupied by less dense coniferous or temperate forests during the LGM in contrast to the modern subtropical forest. This scenario improves our understanding of the terrestrial paleocarbon storage

Vegetation change and terrestrial carbon storage in eastern Asia during the Last Glacial Maximum as indicated by a new pollen record from central Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Liew, P. M.; Kuo, C. M.; Huang, S. Y.; Tseng, M. H.

1998-05-01

Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) carbon storage in eastern Asia is a key issue for understanding the sinks and sources of paleocarbon. Palynological data with good time constraint for the LGM in a peat bog from a site at 650 m above mean sea level in central Taiwan, together with data from low-lying deltaic and basin deposits of Taiwan and South China, increase our understanding about vegetational evolution and possible terrestrial carbon storage in this area and probably eastern Asia. Contrasting to today's Machilus-Castanopsis forest zone around the peat bog, the vegetation before the LGM was dominated by Alnus, a relatively xerophytic element in Taiwan. An increase in herbs and decrease in spores during the LGM is recognized when compared with Holocene and modern assemblages. A less humid interval dominated by herbs (>50%) occurred between 21 and 15.8 ka. Basin deposits in northern Taiwan and deltaic deposits in central Taiwan show that during the LGM Artemisia, Umbelliferae and Gramineae were the main components contrasting with the Pinus or Cyclobalanopsis-dominant assemblages in the rest of the last glacial. Thus, less humid conditions lasted about 5000 to 6000 years in the LGM even on this very humid island. This may also be true in eastern Asia where a large area of the widely exposed continental shelf may have been occupied by grasslands and the uplands of South China were occupied by less dense coniferous or temperate forests during the LGM in contrast to the modern subtropical forest. This scenario improves our understanding of the terrestrial paleocarbon storage.

What we do | Page 79 | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 781 - 790 of 1736 ... Topic(s): Social Movements, Social Marketing, Foreign Trade, Trade Promotion, Access To Markets, Sustainable Development, Income Generation. Region(s): Asia, India, South And Central Asia. Fair Trade Forum is a market-based approach to empowering producers and promoting sustainability.

Conservation Agriculture for combating land degradation in Central Asia: a synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.P.A. Lamers

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This manuscript reviews scientific findings on agricultural systems, associated land degradation and selected remedies such as Conservation Agricultural (CA practices to counterbalance these. In particular, this review addresses the research findings onCA practices conducted in the rainfed and irrigated systems in Central Asia. The arid and semi-arid croplands in this region are vulnerable to different types of soil and environmental degradation, and particularly to degradation caused by intensive tillage, irrigation water mismanagement, and cropping practices, especially in the Aral Sea Basin. Overall, the evidence shows that various CA elements, such as permanent beds, seems to be technically suitable for the major cropping systems and despite the heterogeneous conditions in the region. CA practices can contribute to combating on-going land degradation. No-till seeding along with the maintenance of a permanent soil coverage e.g. by residue retention, reduces wind and water erosion, increases water infiltration and storage which can reduce crop water stress, improve soil quality and increase soil organic matter. Further, CA practices can lead to similar or even higher crop yields while reducing production resource needs and costs considerably, including fuel, seeds, agrochemicals, water and labour. Nevertheless, the growing research evidence on the productivity, economic and environmental benefits that can be harnessed with CA, still is from a limited number of studies and hence more research at local scale is needed.

Asia energy outlook to 2030: Impacts of energy outlook in China and India on the world

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Komiyama, R.

2007-07-01

This paper presents an international energy outlook, focusing on an analysis of energy impacts of Asia, particularly China and India, on the world energy markets to 2030. Based on vigorous economic growth, soaring electricity demand and progressive motorisation in China and India, Asia's primary energy demand is expected to double, eventually positioning Asia as the largest energy-consuming region with largest CO{sub 2} emissions in the world. This paper also discusses energy security challenges for Asia, in particular East Asian region, where steady oil demand growth will lead to increasing dependency on imported oil from Middle East and sea lane security in the Malacca Strait. Furthermore, this paper explores various future scenarios for Asia including 'Technological Advanced Scenario' to highlight the differences in possible energy futures in Asia and its implication to the global energy market. In Technological Advanced Scenario, which assumes the stepped-up implementation of energy and environmental policies in Asian countries, Asia's primary energy demand in 2030 is expected to be 15%, or 943 Mtoe, lower than the Reference Scenario. The paper concludes that successful implementation of such an energy strategy will decrease the energy demand and greatly mitigate the growth of CO{sub 2} emissions from the energy sector. (auth)

Month of the Year Effect Pada Beberapa Pasar Modal di Asia Tenggara dan Pasar Komoditas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robiyanto Robiyanto

2016-06-01

Full Text Available One of prominent phenomenon in capital market is month of the year effect which is the occurence of certain monthly pattern in capital market return during trading years. There were enormous researches, which had been done to explain this phenomenon in capital market but the results always varied. Unfortunately there was a few research to explain this phenomenon in commodities market. Based on these facts, research about this seasonality still need to be done both in capital market and commodities market. Data used in this study were several South East Asia monthly closing stock market indexes and several commodity product monthly closing prices such as gold, silver, platinum, paladium and West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil during January 1999 – March 2014 period. GARCH (1,1 was employed to analyze the data. The finding shows that month of the year effect still exist in capital market in South East Asia and commodity market during research period with various occurences. Each capital market and commodity market behaves variously during trading year. This may lead to an opportunity, which can be grabbed by active market switching strategy for sophisticated investors, and investors who have multiple access to regional capital markets and commodity markets.

Stock Market Volatility: Examining North America, Europe and Asia

OpenAIRE

Gamini Premaratne; Lakshmi Bala

2004-01-01

An understanding of volatility in stock markets is important for determining the cost of capital and for assessing investment and leverage decisions as volatility is synonymous with risk. Substantial changes in volatility of financial markets are capable of having significant negative effects on risk averse investors. Using daily returns from 1992 to 2002, we investigate volatility co-movement between the Singapore stock market and the markets of US, UK, Hong Kong and Japan. In order to gauge...

Social Support and HIV Risks Among Migrant and Non-Migrant Market Workers in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Mergenova, Gaukhar; Shaw, Stacey A; Terlikbayeva, Assel; Gilbert, Louisa; Gensburg, Lenore; Primbetova, Sholpan; El-Bassel, Nabila

2017-08-01

Migration processes are listed within the primary factors facilitating the heterosexual spread of HIV. The study examines the relationship between social support, sexual HIV risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among 1342 male migrant and non-migrant market workers from Barakholka Market in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (1) higher level of perceived social support [Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease (ENRICHD) Social Support Instrument (ESSI score)] was associated with a lower likelihood of having sex with a female sex worker (FSW) [OR = 0.952 (0.927, 0.978) p social support factors should be considered as a component of HIV and STI prevention programs for male migrant workers from Central Asia in Kazakhstan.

Foreign bond markets and financial market development: International perspectives

OpenAIRE

Batten, Jonathan A.; Hogan, Warren P.; Szilagyi, Peter G.

2009-01-01

The domestic bond markets of the Asia and Pacific region have grown considerably since the Asian financial crisis of 1997, although they remain undeveloped relative to the region's weight in the world economy. This paper proposes that in order to encourage further development of these markets, regulators should make them more accessible to foreign borrowers. To that end we offer insights into the nature and mechanics of foreign bond issuance by investigating the key characteristics of 3,132 f...

Comparison of Monetary Policy Actions and Central Bank Communication on Tackling Asset Price Bubbles—Evidence from China’s Stock Market

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Ou; Liu, Zhixin

2016-01-01

We examine the different effects of monetary policy actions and central bank communication on China’s stock market bubbles with a Time-varying Parameter SVAR model. We find that with negative responses of fundamental component and positive responses of bubble component of asset prices, contractionary monetary policy induces the observed stock prices to rise during periods of large bubbles. By contrast, central bank communication acts on the market through expectation guidance and has more significant effects on stock prices in the long run, which implies that central bank communication be used as an effective long-term instrument for the central bank’s policymaking. PMID:27851796

Contagion among Central and Eastern European stock markets during the financial crisis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Baruník, Jozef; Vácha, Lukáš

2013-01-01

Roč. 63, č. 5 (2013), s. 443-453 ISSN 0015-1920 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP402/12/G097 Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : wavelets * financial crisis * Central and Eastern European stock markets * comovement * contagion Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 0.358, year: 2013 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2013/E/barunik-0396416.pdf

Central banks should communicate their interventions in the foreign exchange market

OpenAIRE

Menkhoff, Lukas; Stöhr, Tobias

2017-01-01

Central banks frequently intervene in foreign exchange markets. Using recognized criteria this report analyzes the probability of success in a data set of 4,500 intervention episodes in 33 countries. It is important to differentiate among exchange rate regimes because each focuses on a different goal. While flexible exchange rate regimes intervene less frequently and seek to influence trends, other regimes target exchange rate stabilization by establishing a band within which the exchange rat...

Estimation of water storage changes in small endorheic lakes in Burabay National Nature Park (Northern Kazakhstan, Central Asia); the effect of climate change and anthropogenic influences

Science.gov (United States)

Yapiyev, Vadim; Sagintayev, Zhanay; Verhoef, Anne; Samarkhanov, Kanat; Jumassultanova, Saltanat

2017-04-01

Both climate change and anthropogenic activities contribute to deterioration of terrestrial water resources and ecosystems worldwide. It has been observed in recent decades that water-limited steppe regions of Central Asia are among ecosystems found to exhibit enhanced responses to climate variability. In fact, the largest share of worldwide net loss of permanent water extent is geographically concentrated in the Central Asia and Middle East regions attributed to both climate variability/change and human activities impacts. We used a digital elevation model, digitized bathymetry maps and high resolution Landsat images to estimate the areal water cover extent and volumetric storage changes in small terminal lakes in Burabay National Nature Park (BNNP), located in Northern Central Asia, for the period 2000-2016. Based on the analysis of long-term climatic data from meteorological stations, hydrometeorological network observations as well as regional climate model projections we evaluate the impacts of past thirty years and future climatic conditions on the water balance of BNNP lake catchments. The anthropogenic water consumption was estimated based on data collected at a local water supply company and regulation authorities. One the one hand historical in-situ observations and future climate projections do not show a significant change in precipitation in BNNP. On the other hand both observations and the model demonstrate steadily rising air temperatures in the area. It is concluded that the long-term decline in water levels for most of these lakes can be largely attributed to climate change (but only via changes in air temperature, causing evaporation to exceed precipitation) and not to direct anthropogenic influences such as increased water withdrawals. In addition, the two largest lakes, showing the highest historical water level decline, do not have sufficient water drainage basin area to sustain water levels under increased evaporation rates.

STRATEGI PEMASARAN PAKET WISATA MELALUI MEDIA ONLINE DI TRULY ASIA TOUR AND TRAVEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ade Prawita Sari

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to find out the marketing strategy of tour package at Truly Asia tour and travel through online system. SWOT analysis is the method for this research and implemented into SWOT matrix table to find out the right strategy for the tour package at Truly Asia tour and travel through online system. Now days Marketing strategy through online system very popular and the conclusion of this research is Truly Asia as a company need to improve their variant of tour package in order to make tourist more interest to visit the company website. Besides that, increase the cheap price must be accompanied by quality of products to suit with the target, providing accurate information on the website is rather tourist confidence crisis, as well as using the internet connection system that has good quality, in order to minimize system error.

Management of environmental risks associated with landfills in seismically active regions in the New Independent States of Central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webb, S.M.

2009-01-01

Sustainable waste management and disposal is a societal challenge in terms of economics, public health and environmental impact. The situation in developing countries, and in particular those subject to extreme natural hazards, results in increased overall risk as governments prioritize investments to issues of perceived higher economic importance. This dissertation investigates environmental risks associated with landfills in seismically active regions in the New Independent States of Central Asia. Environmental risk from municipal solid waste landfill sites encompasses a wide range of topics within socio-economics, physical sciences and engineering and therefore necessitates a multi-disciplinary approach. The underlying study is an accumulative result of a three-year collaborative research project (Contract No. INCO-CT-2005-516732) funded within the Eu Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). The international cooperation involved European, Russian and Central Asian research partners forming a multi-disciplinary consortium covering: GIS technologies, geology / hydrogeology geophysics and geotechnical engineering; landfill design and operation and waste management. understanding the relevant socio-economic aspects and legislative frameworks was necessary to prepare results and recommendations to address stakeholders in the Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan,Turkmenistan and uzbekistan. (author) [de

The Rise of China and Foreign Direct Investment from Southeast Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krislert Samphantharak

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses foreign direct investment from Southeast Asia to China. With the exception of some government-linked companies, most investments from Southeast Asia have been dominated by the region’s overseas Chinese businesses. In addition to cheap labour costs, large domestic market and growing economy, China has provided business opportunities to investors from Southeast Asia thanks to their geographic proximity and ethnic connections, at least during the initial investment period. However, the network effects seem to decline soon after. As the Chinese economy becomes more globalised and more competitive, the success of foreign investment in China will increasingly depend on business competency rather than ethnic relations.

Panel discussion: LNG's future in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohashi, Tadahiko

1992-01-01

The panelists convened to: (1) identify and evaluate the role which LNG is likely to play in the changing energy scene; (2) to examine the future supply and demand structure of the LNG trade; (3) to discover the key obstacles to continued growth in LNG trade; and (4) to find solutions to these problems. The panelists identified and outlined growing opportunities for LNG utilization in Asia during the next two decades. They shared the opinion that the structure of the supply and demand balance for LNG in Asia will shift during the next decade, providing considerable room for new projects. The key obstacles to continued growth in LNG trade are the lack of: long-distance transmission networks and an efficient competitive market pricing mechanism for LNG in the Asian region. The major importers in the region are keen on developing a range of new long-term supply alternatives, not simply within the Asia-Pacific region, but also from a wider perspective. These alternatives include: financing the expansion of production from existing facilities, development of new fields, and construction of long-distance pipelines

Trends of shipping markets development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Nowosielski

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Shipping markets are dependent on international trade transactions that generate transport needs. These needs can dynamically change depending on global natural resources and commodity markets situation. The changes affecting shipping markets can also be caused by changes to the existing cargo flows and by establishing new ones in different geographies. It is anticipated that in the future shipping markets will change, visible by a decline in shipping in North America and Europe and an increase in Asia.

Connections between Central Asia and Mediaeval Croatia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emil Heršak

1999-06-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses the development of Croat visions of self-origin, especially in relation to the Central Asian or Central Eurasian world. Located on the southern rim of the Pannonia plain, which constitutes a type of continuity of the great Eurasian steppe, the area of Croatia has many times in the past been exposed to diverse incursions of nomadic peoples from the East. True, the oldest expansions from the East in the context of initial Indo-Europeanisation (i.e. effects on the aeneolithic Vučedol culture, etc. cannot yet be included in such a scheme. The “Scythian-Cimmerian phenomenon” in the early Iron Age marks the first appearance of this model in regard to the Croatian area. Towards the end of historical Antiquity, Yazygs and other Sarmatians arrived from the East, and later the movement of the Huns created the stereotype through which contemporaries envisioned the following incursions of Bulgars and Avars, closed connected to the Slavic migrations, the arrival of the Hungarians and later the Tatar-Mongol invasion. Although essentially different, the subsequent Ottoman Turk expansion – which was to have significant ramifications for Croatia – also constituted an aspect of the total picture of relations with Asia. At the beginning of the Ottoman invasion, the old phrase dating from the Mediaeval Crusades, antemurale Christianitatis, was applied to Croatia. This had double significance. On the one hand it confirmed ties with the Western Christendom, but on the other hand the very term antemurale (“forewall, bulwark” implies an external position, hence a certain conceptual shift of Croatia toward the Orient. In the next part of the paper, the authors examine various legends pertaining to Croat origins. The oldest were registered by the Byzantine emperor Constantine VI Porphyrogenitus. This included the account of the invitation made by the emperor Heraclius to the Croats and the story of the arrival of the Croats under the

Himalayan uplift shaped biomes in Miocene temperate Asia: evidence from leguminous Caragana

Science.gov (United States)

Ming-Li Zhang; Xiao-Guo Xiang; Juan-Juan Xue; Stewart C. Sanderson; Peter W. Fritsch

2016-01-01

Caragana, with distinctive variation in leaf and rachis characters, exhibits three centers of geographic distribution, i.e., Central Asia, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), and East Asia, corresponding to distinct biomes. Because Caragana species are often ecologically dominant components of the vegetation in these regions, it is regarded as a key taxon for...

Supermarket revolution in Asia and emerging development strategies to include small farmers.

Science.gov (United States)

Reardon, Thomas; Timmer, C Peter; Minten, Bart

2012-07-31

A "supermarket revolution" has occurred in developing countries in the past 2 decades. We focus on three specific issues that reflect the impact of this revolution, particularly in Asia: continuity in transformation, innovation in transformation, and unique development strategies. First, the record shows that the rapid growth observed in the early 2000s in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand has continued, and the "newcomers"--India and Vietnam--have grown even faster. Although foreign direct investment has been important, the roles of domestic conglomerates and even state investment have been significant and unique. Second, Asia's supermarket revolution has exhibited unique pathways of retail diffusion and procurement system change. There has been "precocious" penetration of rural towns by rural supermarkets and rural business hubs, emergence of penetration of fresh produce retail that took much longer to initiate in other regions, and emergence of Asian retail developing-country multinational chains. In procurement, a symbiosis between modern retail and the emerging and consolidating modern food processing and logistics sectors has arisen. Third, several approaches are being tried to link small farmers to supermarkets. Some are unique to Asia, for example assembling into a "hub" or "platform" or "park" the various companies and services that link farmers to modern markets. Other approaches relatively new to Asia are found elsewhere, especially in Latin America, including "bringing modern markets to farmers" by establishing collection centers and multipronged collection cum service provision arrangements, and forming market cooperatives and farmer companies to help small farmers access supermarkets.

A dataset on tail risk of commodities markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Robert J; Vo, Duc H; Pham, Thach N; Singh, Abhay K

2017-12-01

This article contains the datasets related to the research article "The long and short of commodity tails and their relationship to Asian equity markets"(Powell et al., 2017) [1]. The datasets contain the daily prices (and price movements) of 24 different commodities decomposed from the S&P GSCI index and the daily prices (and price movements) of three share market indices including World, Asia, and South East Asia for the period 2004-2015. Then, the dataset is divided into annual periods, showing the worst 5% of price movements for each year. The datasets are convenient to examine the tail risk of different commodities as measured by Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR) as well as their changes over periods. The datasets can also be used to investigate the association between commodity markets and share markets.

Las migraciones transnacionales en Asia Central como amenaza a la seguridad de las ex-repúblicas soviéticas (1991-2014)

OpenAIRE

Calderón Bocanegra, Camilo Alberto

2015-01-01

Esta monografía tiene como objetivo explicar cómo las migraciones transnacionales se han convertido en una amenaza para la seguridad de las ex repúblicas soviéticas de Asia central durante las últimas dos décadas dando lugar a un Complejo de Seguridad Regional (CSR). Mediante la teoría crítica del CSR elaborada por Barry Buzan, se buscará probar que estos flujos migratorios transnacionales han configurado una amenaza compartida para la seguridad de la región debido a su asociación con grupos ...

Multilateral approach to the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle in Asia-Pacific?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Eunjung

2016-01-01

In spite of the nearly unprecedented scale of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident which caused countries around the world to review their nuclear power systems and to rethink their nuclear power expansion plans, nuclear power capacity continues to grow, spearheaded by the Asia-Pacific region. The Asia-Pacific has become a major emerging market for nuclear energy industry, which indicates that the management of spent nuclear fuel is likely to be a nuisance for the countries in this region in the coming decades. By reviewing the history of discussions on multilateral approaches to the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle and examining relevant empirical cases, this article aims to explore the feasibility of a multilateral approach to the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle in this region and provide some policy suggestions to enhance nuclear governance in the Asia-Pacific. - Highlights: • The Asia-Pacific has become a huge emerging market for nuclear power industry. • Asian-Pacific countries operating reactors lack solution for spent nuclear fuel. • Multilateral approach is attractive, but hard to be realized. • The main obstacle is variations in policies for SNF management among the Asia-Pacific countries. • The country that should take its initiative in this field is the United States.

Natural gas industry in USSR and in Central Europe: Domestic market and exports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kousnetzoff, N.

1993-01-01

This paper strikes the balance of natural gas industry in USSR and Central Europe and the state of domestic market and exports: natural gas accounting in Eastern Europe before the crisis, production capacity of the former USSR, impacts of crisis on natural gas consumption and long term forecasts are the main subjects described. 2 tab

Policies, Political-Economy, and Swidden in Southeast Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Jefferson; Fujita, Yayoi; Ngidang, Dimbab; Peluso, Nancy; Potter, Lesley; Sakuntaladewi, Niken; Sturgeon, Janet; Thomas, David

2009-06-01

For centuries swidden was an important farming practice found across the girth of Southeast Asia. Today, however, these systems are changing and sometimes disappearing at a pace never before experienced. In order to explain the demise or transitioning of swidden we need to understand the rapid and massive changes that have and are occurring in the political and economic environment in which these farmers operate. Swidden farming has always been characterized by change, but since the onset of modern independent nation states, governments and markets in Southeast Asia have transformed the terms of swiddeners' everyday lives to a degree that is significantly different from that ever experienced before. In this paper we identified six factors that have contributed to the demise or transformation of swidden systems, and support these arguments with examples from China (Xishuangbanna), Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. These trends include classifying swiddeners as ethnic minorities within nation-states, dividing the landscape into forest and permanent agriculture, expansion of forest departments and the rise of conservation, resettlement, privatization and commoditization of land and land-based production, and expansion of market infrastructure and the promotion of industrial agriculture. In addition we note a growing trend toward a transition from rural to urban livelihoods and expanding urban-labor markets.

Postoperative Central Nervous System Infection After Neurosurgery in a Modernized, Resource-Limited Tertiary Neurosurgical Center in South Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chidambaram, Swathi; Nair, M Nathan; Krishnan, Shyam Sundar; Cai, Ling; Gu, Weiling; Vasudevan, Madabushi Chakravarthy

2015-12-01

Postoperative central nervous system infections (PCNSIs) are rare but serious complications after neurosurgery. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and causative pathogens of PCNSIs at a modernized, resource-limited neurosurgical center in South Asia. A retrospective analysis was conducted of the medical records of all 363 neurosurgical cases performed between June 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013, at a neurosurgical center in South Asia. Data from all operative neurosurgical cases during the 13-month period were included. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis indicated that 71 of the 363 surgical cases had low CSF glucose or CSF leukocytosis. These 71 cases were categorized as PCNSIs. The PCNSIs with positive CSF cultures (9.86%) all had gram-negative bacteria with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5), Escherichia coli (n = 1), or Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 1). The data suggest a higher rate of death (P = 0.031), a higher rate of CSF leak (P < 0.001), and a higher rate of cranial procedures (P < 0.001) among the infected patients and a higher rate of CSF leak among the patients with culture-positive infections (P = 0.038). This study summarizes the prevalence, causative organism of PCNSI, and antibiotic usage for all of the neurosurgical cases over a 13-month period in a modernized yet resource-limited neurosurgical center located in South Asia. The results from this study highlight the PCNSI landscape in an area of the world that is often underreported in the neurosurgical literature because of the paucity of clinical neurosurgical research undertaken there. This study shows an increasing prevalence of gram-negative organisms in CSF cultures from PCNSIs, which supports a trend in the recent literature of increasing gram-negative bacillary meningitis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Global warming and allergy in Asia Minor.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajin, Munir Demir; Cingi, Cemal; Oghan, Fatih; Gurbuz, Melek Kezban

2013-01-01

The earth is warming, and it is warming quickly. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that global warming is correlated with the frequency of pollen-induced respiratory allergy and allergic diseases. There is a body of evidence suggesting that the prevalence of allergic diseases induced by pollens is increasing in developed countries, a trend that is also evident in the Mediterranean area. Because of its mild winters and sunny days with dry summers, the Mediterranean area is different from the areas of central and northern Europe. Classical examples of allergenic pollen-producing plants of the Mediterranean climate include Parietaria, Olea and Cupressaceae. Asia Minor is a Mediterranean region that connects Asia and Europe, and it includes considerable coastal areas. Gramineae pollens are the major cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis in Asia Minor, affecting 1.3-6.4 % of the population, in accordance with other European regions. This article emphasizes the importance of global climate change and anticipated increases in the prevalence and severity of allergic disease in Asia Minor, mediated through worsening air pollution and altered local and regional pollen production, from an otolaryngologic perspective.

Creation of zone free nuclear weapon (ZFNW) in the Central Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idrisov, E.A.; Eleukenov, D.Sh.

1997-01-01

Issues on non-proliferation of mass demolition weapons are of special importance for people of Kazakhstan. The whole damage brought to nature and people's health by nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site (STS) is not revealed yet. Kazakhstan contributed much to the matter of nuclear disarmament. More than six years ago for the first time in the world by RK President's resolution an operating nuclear test site closed. Kazakhstan was the first to fulfill obligations in accordance with Lisbon protocol. Kazakhstan liquidated the fourth nuclear potential in the world. It's time to undertake further steps in the field of non-proliferation. One of such steps is the creation of a ZFNW in the central Asia. The idea of ZFNW creation is being acknowledged more and more during last 30 years. All the four present zones include more than 100 countries. If the Antarctic Region is taken into account the zones cover more than 50% of dry land. Regional ZFNWs attract attention as a means of reflecting and rewarding general valuers in the sphere of nuclear disarmament and armament control. Such zones help tj narrow geographical sphere of military nuclear activity and to strengthen non-proliferation regime. The importance of ZFNW in the process of strengthening global and regional peace and safety is confirmed by the documents of Conference for countries joined the agreement on non-proliferation (AN) of 1995 and the first meeting of the Organizing Committee for Conference of 2000

Bridging Glaciological and Hydrological Trends in the Pamir Mountains, Central Asia

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Malte Knoche

2017-06-01

Full Text Available With respect to meteorological changes and glacier evolution, the southern Pamir Mountains are a transition zone between the Pamirs, Hindu Kush and Karakoram, which are water towers of Central Asia. In this study, we compare runoff and climate trends in multiple time periods with glacial changes reported in the literature. Recent glacier evolution in the Southern Pamirs and its contribution to river runoff are studied in detail. Uncertainties of estimating glacier retreat contribution to runoff are addressed. Runoff trends in the Pamir-Hindu Kush-Karakoram region appear to be a strong proxy for glacier evolution because they exhibit the same spatial pattern as glacial change. There is an anomaly in the North-West Pamirs and Northern Karakoram, showing decreasing runoff trends. In the opposite way, there is a glacier and hydrological change experienced in the Southern Pamirs and Hindu Kush. The prevailing hypothesis for the Karakoram Anomaly, decreasing summer temperatures along with increasing precipitation rates, seems to be valid for the North-Western Pamirs, as well. In the Southern Pamirs, temperature trends have been rising since 1950. Here, the unique water cycle of exclusively winter precipitation does not protect glaciers from accelerated retreat. Snow cover is preset to melt within the seasonal water cycle, due to much lower precipitation amounts falling on glaciers. Therefore, a probable increase in westerly precipitation in both regions causes glacier mass gain in the Northern Pamirs and rising river flows in the Southern Pamirs.

Mondialisation, ajustement et défi de la croissance partagée ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Far East Asia, Indonesia, Philippines, Viet Nam, Central Asia, South Asia ... productivity, and workers' welfare under globalization : case studies, insights, and policy recommendations ... Industry churning, the labor market and workers' welfare.

Experience in control of avian influenza in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sims, L D

2007-01-01

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses have been circulating in Asia for over ten years, providing considerable experience on which to base appropriate long-term strategies for their control. Experience in Hong Kong SAR demonstrates that existing production and marketing practices should be changed and a range of parallel measures used. It also shows the extent of surveillance required to ensure continuing freedom from infection. Certain high-risk practices should be changed or otherwise overcome in order to control and prevent disease, including intensive rearing of large numbers of poultry in premises without biosecurity commensurate with the level of risk for exposure; complex market chains involving many smallholders selling poultry through large numbers of transporters and middlemen in poorly regulated live poultry markets; and rearing of large numbers of ducks outdoors. These high-risk practices are compounded by weak veterinary services and poor reporting systems. In many parts of Asia, these methods of rearing and marketing are an integral way of life, support the poorest members of the community or cannot be changed quickly without severe socioeconomic consequences. The gains made so far will be ephemeral unless there is a shift from an emergency focus to one of consolidation in which these high-risk practices are identified and sustainable measures implemented to minimize the risks they pose, taking account of the socioeconomic effects of interventions. Vaccination will play a key role, as it currently does in China and Viet Nam.

Development of Renewable Energies in the liberation of the energy market in Central America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebollo, Jose; Puente, Margarita; Cabezas, Jose

2000-01-01

This paper presents the diagnostic of the current situation on renewable energy in Central America, including socio-economical situation, with economical index, supply and demand of energy and planning of wind resources. The experience of Europe in the promotion for the market of renewable energy, discussing the policies and cooperation between private sector and the government is included. A list of potential projects of renewable energy in each country of Central America based on biomass, hydro power, wind and other energy sources for power generation is presented

Meeting the growing demand for gas from Asia: Prospects and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lecarpentier, Armelle

2014-01-01

With a consumption of 645 billion cubic metres (bcm) in 2012, Asia-Oceania became the second largest regional market in the world after North America. Currently booming, this market has the largest growth potential in the medium and long term and will significantly impact the international gas landscape. The Asian gas market is facing structural and institutional reforms needed for natural gas to ensure its crucial role in the future energy mix. In this paper, the international association CEDIGAZ analyses the specific characteristics of the Asian gas market and presents its growth prospects in the medium and long term. These prospects are contingent upon an economic and regulatory environment in favour to natural gas. In the future, interactions between energy, regional markets and prices will intensify in a context of the internationalization of gas markets and the growth of a flexible LNG supply. Asia needs to adapt global market changes to its own regional market. Some regulatory, commercial and contractual moves are underway for natural gas to be competitive and attractive at regional and local level. These changes must enable the materialization of the massive investments required to ensure the expansion of the Asian gas market, which is crucial for a successful energy transition. However, the perspectives for a competitive wholesale market with convergence of spot prices within the region (as with the European gas market) are restricted by the low level of pipeline exchanges, the lack of liquidity and the disparate stages of development of the natural gas markets. In addition, the details of how reforms will be achieved and their direction will require a clear political willingness, as the expected growth of natural gas could be held back by changing priorities in government strategies

Labor migration in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, P L

1991-01-01

"A recent conference sponsored by the United Nations Center for Regional Development (UNCRD) in Nagoya, Japan examined the growing importance of labor migration for four major Asian labor importers (Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore) and five major labor exporters (Bangladesh, Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, and Thailand).... The conference concluded that international labor migration would increase within Asia because the tight labor markets and rising wages which have stimulated Japanese investment in other Asian nations, for example, have not been sufficient to eliminate migration push and pull forces...." excerpt

: tous les projets | Page 224 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Sujet: INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKET, FINANCIAL POLICY, DEMOGRAPHY, DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE, DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION. Région: Brazil, South America, China, Far East Asia, India, South Africa, North of Sahara, South of Sahara, North and Central America, Central Asia, ...

: tous les projets | Page 223 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Sujet: INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKET, FINANCIAL POLICY, DEMOGRAPHY, DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE, DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION. Région: Brazil, South America, China, Far East Asia, India, South Africa, North of Sahara, South of Sahara, North and Central America, Central Asia, ...

Gas Markets in Asia. Current situation, prospects and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lecarpentier, Armelle

2013-01-01

Past and recent factors point to a remarkable growth of the Asian market in the medium and long term. This growth will depend on structural and institutional evolutions on the Asian market. Some regulatory and liberalization reforms have already been initiated to support the development of gas but this will require a long process. Oil-indexing will prevail for a long time (but which slope?) Supply flexibility must be improved (relaxation of destination clauses, quantity tolerances) to create a competitive gas market. Marketing innovations expected in new long-term contracts to enhance flexibility whilst preserving investment security. A growing portfolio approach (LNG portfolio, pipeline imports, unconventional gas) is implemented. In conclusion, regional cooperation among Asian buyers is very important

Teaching Central Eurasia in Undergraduate Survey Courses: Problems and Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy Kardos

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Recent scholarship has challenged narratives of Central Eurasia’s relationships with its neighbors in East Asia, South Asia, and Southwest Asia.  This scholarship explains the trade networks that are commonly called the “Silk Routes” as the foreign trade component of a complex and dynamic Central Eurasian economy.  Scholarship of Central Eurasia also challenges long-standing narratives of “needy” or “predatory” nomads that militarily overwhelm sedentary empires. This article discusses the importance of incorporating such ideas into world history and Asian history survey courses, which are often taught by non-specialists who have only encountered Central Eurasia in their respective fields as a periphery.  Correcting misconceptions about Central Eurasia’s relationship with its neighbors also provides opportunities for students to think critically about historical sources and move past stereotypes of “barbarian” and “civilization.”

Uranium resources potential for Asia and the Pacific

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tauchid, M.

1988-01-01

Only four countries in Asia, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Turkey, reported having uranium resources in response to a Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD/International Atomic Energy Agency questionnaire circulated before preparation of the report on Uranium: Resources, Production and Demand (the 'Red Book'). The reasonably assured resources (RAR) of these countries, which are recoverable at costs of up to US $130/kg U, amount to 67,690 t U or 3% of the total for the World Outside the Centrally Planned Economies Area (WOCA). It is believed that the largest uranium resources in Asia are in China; however, no official published figures are available to substantiate this fact. Within the framework of the International Uranium Resources Evaluation Project (IUREP) it was estimated that the speculative resources (SR) for Asia and the Far East outside the Centrally Planned Economies Area (CPEA) are of the order of 300,000 t U. This is 4.7% of the total for WOCA. With the exception of Proterozoic unconformity related deposits, all types of uranium deposits and occurrences are known to exist in Asia. Most deposits are of the vein and sandstone hosted types. Several published reports indicate that deposits in China are mainly of the volcanic type and those associated with granitic intrusion. For undiscovered deposits, probably India and China have the best possibility of finding deposits of the Precambrian quartz-pebble conglomerate and Proterozoic unconformity related types. In South-East Asia the deposits most likely to be found are those associated with Mesozoic granites and those in the intramontane basin sediments adjacent to these intrusions. The less known acid volcanic type is also a possibility. Only in China, India and Pakistan does there appear to be the possibility of finding calcrete type deposits. Uranium can still be recovered as a by-product of the phosphate rocks, monazite placer deposits and carbonatite known in many parts of Asia. (author). 21 refs

Introducing ICSMP, The International Contraceptive Social Marketing Project.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-04-01

The International Contraceptive Social Marketing Project (ICSMP) began operations in October 1980 to act as a central technical assistance and funding resource for contraceptive social marketing (CSM) programs in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. CSM is an interrelationship of the public and private sectors working to improve contraceptive availability by applying commercial advertising sales and management techniques. At present Bangladesh, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nepal, and Sri Lanka have active programs. ICSMP provides the following services: 1) skilled CSM consultants to assist with studies, planning, product line expansion, management training, and marketing problems; and 2) grants and contracts to initiate or expand programs. ICSMP also sponsors regional and international conferences to provide practitioners a chance to share experiences. Its newsletter, "Update" is written to keep CSM directors in touch with developments. To communicate with "Update," write to Update, c/o CEFPA, Suite 202, 1717 Massachusetts avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20036, USA. For more information about ICSMP write: Betty Butler Howell, Project Director, ICSMP, The Futures Group, 1029 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20005, USA.

Oil market in Asia. Now and future up to year 2000 and beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibutani, Yu

1995-01-01

Asia's growing oil demand will be met by imports from the Middle East to an overwhelmingly extent. Therefore, more refining capacity will be needed to cope with the oil demand. New refineries will require the increasingly sophisticated technology to produce higher yields of transportation fuels and older ones will have to be upgrated, which will reshape the integration of downstream activities in this region. Further, East Asia, including China, as a net importer of oil, is vulnerable because of low oil sufficiency and inadequate stockpiling, while oil demand is increasing at remarkable rates. (author)

El ascenso de China en Asia Central: ¿un nuevo hegemón regional en gestación?

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Nicolás de Pedro

2010-10-01

Full Text Available China tiene un papel cada vez más relevante en Asia Central. Beijing lidera la Organización de Cooperación de Shanghai, el foro de cooperación regional más dinámico y con una creciente relevancia en el panorama comercial, energético y de seguridad centroasiático. Este ascenso chino supone un desplazamiento progresivo de Rusia, el hegemón tradicional y cuyos intereses parecen crecientemente divergentes con los de China, a pesar del aparente entendimiento entre ambos durante los últimos años. En el artículo, se analizan la acción e intereses de China agrupados en cinco dimensiones: fronteriza, uigur, comercial, energética y geopolítica.

Alteration in the etiology of penile fracture in the Middle East and Central Asia regions in the last decade; a literature review

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Ahmad A Majzoub

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Penile fracture is a well-recognized, relatively uncommon medical condition and its etiology differs according to geographic area. In this review article, we evaluated literature reported in the past decade, aiming to verify whether there has been any change in the etiology of this condition. A literature review was done for studies published in the past 10 years and focusing on the etiology of penile fracture. Inclusion criteria comprised articles in English language, of sample size more than 10 patients and originating from the Middle East and Central Asia. Data relating to the studied population, etiology of penile fracture, clinical presentation, investigations, management, and outcome was analyzed. One thousand six hundred and twenty-nine patients from 21 original articles were included in the study. The mean age ΁ standard deviation of the patients was 33.3 ΁ 3.23 years. Etiologies of penile fracture were vigorous sexual intercourse, manual bending of erect penis, vigorous masturbation, rolling over in bed and blunt trauma in 41%, 29%, 10%, 14% and 6% patients, respectively. Treatment choices were surgery and conservative, in 1580 (95%, 83 (5% patients, respectively. A higher incidence of complications was found in conservatively treated patients. As a conclusion, in the last 10 years, vigorous sexual intercourse was the commonest etiology of penile fracture in the Middle East and Central Asia regions. Surgery remains the preferred treatment option for patients diagnosed with penile fracture.

[The population and economic problems of South Asia].