Does Climate Change Cause an Upsurge in Food Prices?

Climate change is the reason behind most contemporary economic problems. The rising inflationary pressures in the food sector are one of these problems, and stable food prices are a necessity for economic development and social cohesion in societies. Therefore, this study analyzes the relationship between food prices and climate change in Nigeria by using various non-linear and quantile-based methods and data from 2008m5 to 2020m12. The empirical findings indicate that (i) there is a time- and frequency-based dependence between food prices and some explanatory variables, including climate change (i.e., temperature). (ii) At higher quantiles, temperature, oil prices, food exports, monetary expansion, global food prices, agricultural prices, and fertilizer prices stimulate food prices. (iii) The increase in food prices due to the rise in temperature and the difficulties in agriculture indicate that the heatflation phenomenon is present in Nigeria. The evidence outlines that Nigerian decisionmakers should adopt a national food security policy that considers environmental, agricultural, and monetary factors to stabilize food prices.

Impact of renewable energy investments in curbing sectoral CO2 emissions: evidence from China by nonlinear quantile approaches.

The study analyzes the impact of renewable energy investments (RENIV) on the environment in China. In doing so, the study uses sectoral carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as the environment indicator, considers RENIV as the explanatory variable, includes monthly data from 2004/1 to 2020/6, runs quantile on quantile regression approach as the fundamental model, and further performs quantile regression for the controlling. The study reveals that RENIV curb CO2 emissions in all sectors at higher levels of sectoral CO2 emissions. Also, RENIV have a varying impact based on quantiles and sectors. Moreover, the results are robust based on the alternative approach. Thus, RENIV have a significantly decreasing impact on sectoral CO2 emissions in China. Accordingly, China policymakers should continue to focus on providing a decrease in energy and industrial sector CO2 emissions as the highest emitting sectors.

Convergence of Income Inequality in OECD Countries Since 1870: A Multi-Method Approach with Structural Changes.

This paper aims to examine convergence of income inequality in 21 OECD countries using several empirical techniques. In particular, we have used a new panel stationarity test, which allows for structural changes and cross-sectional dependence to examine the stochastic convergence of income inequality. We also employed a time series approach, residual augmented least squares-Lagrange multiplier unit root test. The empirical results show evidence for absolute, conditional, and sigma convergence. The conditional convergence test results suggest that countries are converging, but conditional on the two structural factors-economic and population growth. The stochastic convergence test results indicate the existence of convergence at the country-specific level. The results further confirm the existence of convergent clubs among OECD countries.

Is Lenke type V adolescent idiopathic scoliosis associated with different muscular morphometry?

The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes in psoas major (PM), erector spinae (ES), multifidus (MF), and rectus abdominis (RA) morphometry in Lenke type V adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and control. Forty-two Lenke V AIS patients and 30 control were enrolled. The cross-sectional area (CSA) and CSA index (CI) of the PM, ES, MF, and RA at the T9-L5 levels were measured and compared between Lenke type V patients and control. The CI of the RA was significantly higher in the control group than the Lenke V group in multiple levels. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between patients with Lenke V AIS and control regarding the CI of the RA, ES, and PM. There was no significant difference between concave and convex sides of the Lenke V group regarding the CI of the RA, PM, MF, and ES. RA muscle mass is significantly affected in Lenke type 5 AIS regardless of convex or concave sides. This difference may be related to postural differences and back pain development in Lenke type 5 patients. Level of evidence: Level III.

Subacute ascending myelopathy in adolescent athlete after spinal cord injury: a case report on dynamic complication of spine trauma.

BACKGROUND: Subacute post-traumatic ascending myelopathy (SPAM) is a rare complication after spinal cord injury (SCI). SPAM onsets within few days or weeks after initial SCI. Here, we present an adolescent male athlete who developed SPAM after SCI and brief review of literature. Previous reports almost all were about adult patients. Here, we present second adolescent case in the literature. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 15 years old adolescent athlete presented to A&E with a T10-T11 fracture dislocation of the spine and a SCI. He underwent T9-L1 posterior instrumentation and decompression. On the 11th post injury, he complained numbness of the T4 dermatome and by the 14th day, he had become tetraplegia with paralysis of the arms and required ventilation. MRI revealed C3-T10 cord changes on T2 weighed images. He received high dose methylprednisolone for 3 weeks. At one-year follow up he had fully recovered arm motor power and improved light touch and pin prick sensation. CONCLUSIONS: SPAM may occur in adolescents with a good prognosis. Our case is well example against for proposal of arterial hypothesis.

Persistence of shocks on sectoral non-methane volatile organic compound from 1820 to 2019: Insights from a fourier quantile unit root test.

Despite being directly related to anthropogenic consumption and production, researchers have paid less attention to understanding the dynamics of non-methane volatile organic compounds. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the persistence of potential shocks to non-methane volatile organic compounds in 20 developed from 1820 to 2019 performing traditional unit root approaches and a newly developed Fourier quantile unit root test. Great portion of the empirical results obtained by traditional unit root tests reveal that the sectoral non-methane volatile organic compounds follow a non-stationary process, while the Fourier quantile unit root test indicate quite different results. The Fourier quantile test shows that non-methane volatile organic compounds are stationary in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France and Austria. In the other 15 countries, government interventions to reduce non-methane volatile organic compounds can have lasting effects and success. The inferences and policy outcomes of the empirical results are discussed in the main body of the paper.

Is reducing fossil fuel intensity important for environmental management and ensuring ecological efficiency in China?

Since China is a country with high environmental pollution, researchers have intensively studied China's environmental problems using various environmental indicators such as carbon emissions and ecological footprint. Unlike previous literature, this study analyzes the effects of economic growth, globalization, foreign direct investment, and fossil energy intensity on ecological efficiency in China. As an innovation to the literature, the study examines the Chinese ecosystem simultaneously with its economic and environmental aspects by focusing on ecological efficiency. To this end, the study applies dynamic autoregressive distributed lag (DARDL) simulations and kernel-based regularized least squares (KRLS) methods for the period from 1990 to 2018. The results of the DARDL simulations show that globalization, and economic growth enhance ecological efficiency in China. The findings also demonstrate that both foreign direct investment and fossil fuel intensity have a negative impact on environmental quality in China. Based on these results, the study suggests that the Chinese government should adopt policies to channel foreign direct investment into environmentally friendly production, reduce fossil fuel intensity, and improve ecological efficiency by making use of environmentally friendly technologies provided by globalization and economic development.

On the convergence of ecological footprint in African countries: New evidences from panel stationarity tests with factors and gradual shifts.

Convergence of the environmental indicators has been one of the significant research areas for researchers since the study of Strazicich and List (2003) was published. Earlier papers have concentrated on investigating the existence of the convergence of indicators of the environment by using carbon emissions as a pollution indicator. However, some researchers have criticized the use of carbon emission as a one-dimensional indicator and proposed using ecological footprint as a more comprehensive indicator. The primary aim of this paper is to examine whether stochastic convergence of ecological footprint exists in 49 African countries from 1973 to 2018 by employing a battery of traditional stationarity methods and a newly proposed stationary method with smooth shifts and a combination of p-values. The empirical results show that panel findings of the conventional stationarity test with no structural shifts reveal that ecological footprint follows a stationary process. In contrast, panel findings of the traditional stationarity method with sharp and smooth changes and the newly developed stationary method with smooth shifts and a combination of p-values reveal that ecological footprint follows a non-stationary process. Moreover, the majority of individual results show that the ecological footprint follows a convergent pattern in 38 African countries, whereas it follows a divergent pattern in the remainder. Therefore, the main finding indicates the stochastic convergence of ecological footprint in African countries is validated. The policy outcomes of the empirical results are given in the body of the paper.

Trading Kuznets curve: empirical analysis for China.

Due to inspiring growth over the past 20 years, the dynamics of Chinese exports have been the focus of many researchers. In contrast to current literature, this study examines the quadratic relationship between China's real exports to 154 partner countries and the income of trading partners from 1996 to 2019. The findings obtained from the second generational econometric analysis confirm cross-section dependence and heterogeneous slope among panel members. Second, while the GDP per capita of partner countries has a positive impact on China's exports, the quadratic of GDP per capita has a negative impact. These findings indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between China's exports and GDP per capita of its partner countries-thus, validating the trading Kuznets curve (TKC) hypothesis. The appreciation of the Renminbi (RMB) has statistically significant negative effects on China's exports. From a policy perspective, Chinese policymakers could consider the TKC hypothesis when determining market and export strategies. Additionally, the Chinese monetary authority could consider stabilizing the value of the RMB.

On the persistence of shocks to global CO2 emissions: a historical data perspective (0 to 2014).

Anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are the most important greenhouse gas. However, until now, no research has investigated the persistence of global CO2 emissions over a very long period of time. This work aims to fill this gap by examining the persistence of shocks to global CO2 emissions with a dataset of more than 2000 years. To this end, the study applies a battery of unit root tests by considering sharp and smooth structural shifts as well as the frequency domain properties of the series. Lee-Strazicich method results reveal that sharp break dates relate to the influenza pandemic of 1557 and the invention of the steam engine in 1712, and these historical events led to changes in the trend function of CO2 emissions. The findings of the Fourier Lagrange Multiplier and Fourier wavelet unit root tests illustrate that global CO2 emissions contain a unit root and do not exhibit mean-reverting behavior, thus external shocks have permanent effects on CO2 emissions. The results suggest that a reduction in global CO2 emissions is possible if effective environmental and energy policies established in international meetings such as Rio Conference, Kyoto Protocol Paris Agreement, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit are properly implemented.

Convergence analysis of ammonia emissions by sector and fuel source in OECD countries from 1750 to 2019 using a new Fourier-centric wavelet approach.

Although ammonia emissions are not as huge as carbon and methane emissions, they pose significant threats to ensuring environmental sustainability and productivity. However, the existing literature has paid less attention to the underlying characteristics of ammonia emissions. The chief target of this study is to investigate the stochastic convergence of ammonia emissions at the aggregate level, by sector, and by fuel source in 37 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries for more than two centuries of data. Using a newly proposed Fourier-augmented wavelet unit root test, the empirical findings reveal that the relative ammonia emissions series in most Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries follow the unit root process in the aggregate, sectoral, and fuel-specific analyses. Therefore, these findings refer to the existence of divergence, while stochastic convergence does not exist in most cases. Having a divergent pattern of ammonia emissions has several policy implications for policymakers in the context of environmental sustainability. (i) Relative ammonia emission cannot revert to its steady-state path without policy intervention, (ii) policymakers have a chance of affecting the dynamics of ammonia emissions in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. (iii) As a policy response, the study recommends the pursuant of national environmental policies with consideration to the unique characteristics of the individual countries as the non-existence of convergence of environmental series could result in a diverse level of consciousness of environmental degradation among countries with divergent patterns on emissions levels.

Wavelet and Fourier augmented convergence analysis of methane emissions in more than two centuries: implications for environmental management in OECD countries.

Addressing the challenges posed by pollutants is necessary to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 13, which involves climate change mitigation and enhancement of environmental quality. The convergence analysis of a pollutant provides information that can be useful to how to handle that pollutant across countries or regions, and previous studies mainly focused on carbon emission. However, the second most significant greenhouse gas, methane emission, was mostly ignored. The primary objective of this research is to investigate whether stochastic convergence of methane emissions is valid in 37 OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries using a dataset of more than two centuries. The results obtained by using a set of traditional unit root tests and a newly proposed wavelet unit root test with a Fourier function provide overwhelming evidence for these countries' divergence of methane emissions. The policy implications resulting from the empirical findings for environmental management are discussed in the relevant sections of the paper.

Analyzing asymmetric effects of cryptocurrency demand on environmental sustainability.

When bitcoin (BTC), the first pioneering cryptocurrency was released in 2009, it was considered an apolitical currency. Besides, the possible effect of BTC and other cryptocurrencies on either financial markets or transactions has been widely discussed. However, the environmental effects of cryptocurrency demand have been ignored. Here, this study examines the nexus between cryptocurrencies and environmental degradation by employing standard and asymmetric causality methods. The Toda-Yamamoto and bootstrap-augmented Toda-Yamamoto test results reveal Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH) excluding Ripple (XRP) have causal effects on environmental degradation. The Fourier-augmented Toda-Yamamoto test results show causal effects running from Bitcoin and Ripple to environmental degradation, whereas no causal effect runs from Ethereum to environmental degradation. The asymmetric causality shows causal effects from the positive shock of Bitcoin demand, negative shocks of Ripple and Ethereum demands to positive shocks of environmental degradation. Further discussions and policy implications are provided in the relevant sections of this study.

Stochastic convergence in carbon emissions based on a new Fourier-based wavelet unit root test.

Most of the existing studies on stochastic convergence of emission have not adequately considered smooth structural changes. The primary purpose of this paper is to examine the validity of stochastic convergence at different income levels by recently proposed Fourier-based wavelet augmented Dickey-Fuller test with smooth shifts. Empirical results can be summed up as follows: (i) carbon emission per capita follows the stationarity process in 35 high-income countries, while carbon emission per capita follows the stationarity process in 27 upper-middle-income countries; (ii) besides, carbon emission per capita follows stationarity process in 30 lower-middle-income countries, while carbon emission per capita follows stationarity process in 13 low-income countries; (iii) in light of these findings, it can be said that stochastic convergence among different income groups is valid. The implications of the empirical findings for environmental planning and management are discussed in the body of the paper.

Does democracy help reduce environmental degradation?

The main purpose of this study is to examine the democracy-environmental degradation nexus in 26 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries from 1990 through 2015 by using panel data estimation methods, performing well under cross-sectional dependence. Empirical results are as follows: (i) Tests show that cross-section dependence exists among panel members, and slope coefficients are heterogeneous, respectively, and (ii) long-term coefficient estimation results with Augmented Mean Group estimator show that democracy, non-renewable energy consumption, and real income per capita have statistically significant negative effects on environmental quality, whereas renewable energy consumption has a positive effect. There is also no statistically significant relationship between urbanization and environmental quality. These findings show the poor functioning of democracy in addressing environmental issues among OECD countries; therefore, raising environmental quality conflicts with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of creating strong institutions and economic growth targets. Moreover, promoting renewable energy consumption may be an effective alternative in reducing environmental degradation; therefore, it can be said that promoting clean energy use and raising the SDG environmental quality targets are in harmony.

The effect of soft tissue interposition of the Endobutton on clinical results and on its postoperative migration after single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the possible consequences of soft tissue interposition of Endobutton on clinical outcomes and reoperation rates after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. METHODS: We measured the distance between the centre of the Endobutton and the lateral femoral cortex on the postoperative first day anteroposterior X-rays of the 156 knees that underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Those with a distance less than 1 mm were regarded as Group 1 (118 patients), the ones between 1 mm and 2 mm were regarded as Group 2 (30 patients) and the ones more than 2 mm were regarded as Group 3 (8 patients). The movement of the Endobutton of more than 1 mm along the femoral tunnel axis on anteroposterior X-rays or its rotation by more than 5° on lateral X-rays during follow-up were considered migration. Clinical assessment scores (Lysholm, Tegner Activity Scale), clinical examination tests, and rates of Endobutton migration in the groups were analysed. RESULTS: Eleven Endobuttons (9.3%) in Group 1, 26 Endobuttons (86.7%) in Group 2 and all of the 8 Endobuttons (100%) in Group 3 were observed to have migrated. Clinical results and examination tests showed no significant difference between Groups 1 and 2, whereas a significant difference was detected in Group 3 compared to Groups 1 and 2 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Soft tissue interposition is a major cause of Endobutton migration, and an interposition over 2 mm between the Endobutton and the lateral femoral cortex can negatively affect the outcomes after an anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

Revisiting the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis in OECD countries: the role of renewable, non-renewable energy, and oil prices.

Environment-economic growth nexus is one of the main concerns of the researchers in the modern era. Although there are several studies in this field, discussions are far from being reached a consensus. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the role of economic growth, renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, oil prices, and trade openness on CO2 emissions in 25 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries over the period 1990-2014. We provide a comparative panel data evidence using both the first- and second-generation estimation methods. The Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) estimations indicate that the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis is valid in OECD countries. However, the Augmented Mean Group (AMG) estimator revealed that the EKC hypothesis is invalid. The AMG estimator is a second-generation estimator and provides robust results under cross-sectional dependence compared to the first-generation methods; therefore, the EKC hypothesis is invalid. Our additional findings show that rising renewable energy consumption and oil prices mitigate CO2 emissions while non-renewable energy consumption increases it according to all estimators. No significant relationship is found between trade openness and CO2 emissions.

Radiologic Outcomes and Complication Analysis of the Posterior Vertebral Column Resection in the Treatment of Previously Operated Severe Kyphoscoliosis: A Retrospective Case Series.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiologic outcomes and complication analysis of posterior vertebral column resection (PVCR) performed on previously operated patients with severe kyphoscoliosis (SK). METHODS: Twelve patients (6 men and 6 women) with SK underwent PVCR. The mean age of the patients preoperatively was 16 years (range, 10-26 years). The mean follow-up period was 5.3 years (range, 2-7 years). Previous surgeries included posterior growth arrest in 3 patients, hemivertebrectomy in 4 patients, and posterior fusion in 5 patients. The sagittal plane parameters and coronal parameters were measured in the preoperative, in the early postoperative, and during the last follow-up stages. Complications were also noted. RESULTS: The mean thoracic scoliosis Cobb angle was 76.8° (range, 35°-142°) preoperatively, 37.8° (range, 5°-80°) early postoperatively, and 41.5° (range, 11°-80°) during the last follow-up (P < 0.0001). The mean thoracic kyphosis angle was 84.7° (range, 23°-132°) preoperatively, 50.3° (range, 25°-78°) early postoperatively, and 48.5° (range, 25°-80°) during the last follow-up (P = 0.0032). Complications occurred in 5 patients (41.7%); a hemothorax in 1 patient, rod fracture in 3 patients, and permanent neurologic deficit in 1 patient. Temporary loss of neuromonitoring motor evoked potentials developed in 2 patients during deformity correction. CONCLUSIONS: PVCR provides effective correction in patients with SK. However, expected surgical correction of a deformity may not always be achieved because of intraoperative neuromonitoring changes. Furthermore, PVCR can lead to a large number of major complications in patients with SK who have undergone previous spinal surgery.

Can Breast Asymmetry Following the Treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Scoliosis with Growing Rod Be Prevented? : A Preliminary Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: It can be assumed that the progression of scoliosis in the juvenile period will increase the asymmetry in the rib cage, and thus will contribute to an increase in the breast asymmetry (BA) in the future. We are looking for answers to the questions; "How will the breasts look with respect to each other and what is the possibility of developing BA in the early follow-up period following the early surgical treatment and final fusion surgery of juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (JIS)?" For this reason, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the breast asymmetries of patients in the period after the final fusion. METHODS: Following growing rod treatment, final fusion was achieved in 12 females with JIS. We used the anthropomorphic measurement of the modified BREAST-V formula to assess whether there was an asymmetry between the breasts after an average of 4.8 years (2-11) following final fusion. RESULTS: In comparison, the mean volume of the left breast (222.4 mL [range, 104.1-330.2]) was larger than the mean volume of the right breast volume (214.5 mL [range, 95.2-326.7]) (p=0.034). The left breast was larger in 75% of the patients. BA was observed in 50% of the patients. No correlation was detected between the Cobb angle of the patient after final fusion and BA (p=0.688). CONCLUSION: In the late follow-up period, BA was detected in 50% of the patients with JIS who achieved final fusion after treatment with growing rod. In majority of the patients, left breast was larger. The patients with JIS and their families can be informed prior to the operation about the probability of BA seen in the follow-up period after fusion.

Neuroprotective Effects of Lacosamide in Experimental Peripheral Nerve Injury in Rats : A Prospective Randomized and Placebo-Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the neuroprotective effects of lacosamide after experimental peripheral nerve injury in rats. METHODS: A total of 28 male wistar albino rats weighing 300-350 g were divided into four groups. In group I, the sciatic nerve exposed and the surgical wound was closed without injury; in group II, peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) was performed after dissection of the nerve; in group III, PNI was performed after dissection and lacosamide was administered, and in group IV, PNI was performed after dissection and physiological saline solution was administered. At 7 days after the injury all animals were sacrificed after walking track analysis. A 5 mL blood sample was drawn for biochemical analysis, and sciatic nerve tissues were removed for histopathological examination. RESULTS: There is low tissue damage in lacosamide treated group and antioxidant anzymes and malondialdehyde levels were higher than non-treated and placebo treated group. However there was no improvement on clinical assessment. CONCLUSION: The biochemical and histological analyses revealed that lacosamide has neuroprotective effect in PNI in rats. This neuroprotective capacity depends on its scavenger role for free oxygen radicals by increasing antioxidant enzyme activity.