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Neurodevelopmental disorders include rare conditions caused by identified single mutations, such as Fragile X, Down and Angelman syndromes, and much more common clinical categories such as autism, epilepsy and schizophrenia. These common conditions are all highly heritable but their genetics is considered to be “complex”. In fact, this sharp dichotomy in genetic architecture between rare and common disorders may be largely artificial. On the one hand, much of the apparent complexity in the genetics of common disorders may derive from underlying genetic heterogeneity, which has remained obscure until recently. On the other hand, even for supposedly Mendelian conditions, the relationship between single mutations and clinical phenotypes is rarely simple. The categories of monogenic and complex disorders may therefore merge across a continuum, with some mutations being strongly associated with specific syndromes and others having a more variable outcome, modified by the presence of additional genetic variants.

This study investigates the impact of the current financial crisis on Canada's potential GDP growth. Using a simple accounting framework to decompose trend GDP growth into changes in capital, labor services and total factor productivity, we find a sizeable drop in Canadian potential growth in the short term. The estimated decline of about 1 percentage point originates from a sharply decelerating capital stock accumulation (as investment has dropped steeply) and a rising long-term unemployment rate (which would raise equilibrium unemployment rates). However, over the medium term, we expect Canada's potential GDP growth to gradually rise to around 2 percent, below the pre-crisis growth rate, mostly reflecting the effects of population aging and a secular decline in average working hours.

In this study we perform the first econometric attempt to estimate the trade-off between equity and efficiency of tax systems counting for the tax evasion option in a developing country such as Albania. Using the Albanian Living Srandard Measurement Survey (2005, 2008) we estimate a micro-econometric model of labour supply and incorporate the option of participation in regular and irregular labour markets. Swapping the tax rules of 2005 with 2008, we find that the flat tax has not contributed in the reduction of labour informality but rather the increases in regular wages have played an important role in convincing the individuals to move to regular market. Furthermore, we find that controls and audits are more efficient than fines in inducing people to switch from the informal to formal labour market. A similar effect is achieved also when “honest” individuals are endowed with a universal benefit. In distributional terms, calculations of Gini inequality index and Sen’s welfare index demonstrate that the only scenario that would improve welfare index is a progressive tax rule as before 2007. Finally, these results suggest that a kind of progressivity should be reinserted to the taxation system without affecting the attractiveness of the simplicity exercised by the flat tax.

The objective of this "innovative new research topics" proposal was to investigate the potential of a vehicle detection system that combines an acoustic or magnetic sensor, a microprocessor, a radio, and a battery. If such a system is feasible, it would be a low-cost, flexible alternative to loop detection systems. The wireless sensor system could be installed in a few minutes, without the expensive loop installation that requires cutting the pavement, power and loop cabling, and extended traffic disruption. Four tasks were proposed: (1) detecting a stationary vehicle, (2) detecting a moving vehicle, (3) detecting a string of vehicles, and (4) developing a networking protocol. Successful completion of these tasks would constitute evidence that the concept is worthy of further research and development effort. All four tasks have been completed with results that exceed our prior expectations. Indeed the work done has been carried much further.

Este número del Innocenti Digest se ocupa de los matrimonios prematuros, es decir de los matrimonios de niños y jóvenes menores de 18 años, desde un punto de vista que se basa en el respeto de los derechos humanos. Las investigaciones llevadas a cabo hasta el momento han tendido a concentrarse solamente en ciertos puntos específicos del impacto de los matrimonios prematuros, como los efectos que tienen en la salud reproductiva y en el abandono de la escuela. Se ha prestado poca atención al enfoque que considera dicha práctica de por sí como una violación de los derechos del niño. El presente Digest analiza las dimensiones del fenómeno, su contexto, sus causas y las consecuencias que tiene en todos los aspectos de la vida de las personas afectadas (especialmente en el caso de las niñas pequeñas) y en la sociedad en general. Traza un perfil de las estrategias a seguir para ayudar a quienes se han tenido que casar a edad temprana y para prevenir los matrimonios prematuros mediante la educación, la sensibilización y la construcción de alianzas. El Digest se concluye con una invitación a realizar, desde una perspectiva basada en el respeto de los derechos humanos, más investigaciones sobre la cuestión, que tiene consecuencias de vasta repercusión.

This article analyzes the determinants of literacy and earnings in Ghana. It links literacy and earnings with a variety of factors, including age, gender, family educational background, distance to school, and income. Literacy and age are negatively correlated, suggesting that efforts at strengthening the supply and quality of basic education programs in recent years have been successful in raising literacy rates. Females are less literate than males, controlling for other factors. Parents' education is positively associated with literacy. Distance to the nearest primary school, residency in a rural area, and poverty affect literacy negatively. Functional literacy appears to be a prerequisite for entering the labor market, which may partly explain the lack of return to education other than middle school and technical/professional training. The policy implication of the study is that basic education and literacy programs should target females and poorer households, especially in rural areas.

El presente documento expone las principales características de la situación actual del mercado de microcrédito en Colombia, destacando aspectos técnicos y regulatorios, así como recientes iniciativas gubernamentales y privadas orientadas a promover el acceso a este tipo de financiación. El estudio se complementa con la estimación de su cobertura, teniendo en cuenta la demanda potencial y las características de la oferta. Los resultados encontrados sugieren que el microcrédito tiene grandes posibilidades de expansión, particularmente en zonas rurales y en pequeños centros urbanos. Se sugiere, por lo tanto, crear incentivos que permitan a las entidades financieras hacer presencia en estas areas, tales como la creación de redes de asistencia técnica que brinden orientación en el proceso de implementación de tecnología microcrediticia y de la modificación de algunos aspectos en el marco regulatorio en el que actualmente se desarrolla su actividad.

Worksharing is considered by many as a promising public policy to reduce unemployment. In this paper we present a review of the most pertinent theoretical and empirical contributions to the literature on worksharing. In addition, we also provide new empirical evidence on this issue, by a cross country analysis exploiting aggregate data for 13 OECD countries. The conclusions of the literature survey are indecisive. Conclusions about the efficacy of worksharing as an employment enhancing policy tool depend heavily on the setting in which the analysis takes place. Our empirical analysis does not find any evidence for the proposition that worksharing would promote employment or reduce unemployment. In an appendix we present an overview of recent public policy experience of European Countries with respect to different forms of worksharing. Also here the evidence is mixed.