Current Quota Research Articles

Use of long-acting triple therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in practice: The ELETHON physicians' survey

Gaps in optimal COPD management have been identified in clinical practice, with discrepancies between guideline recommendations and routine care. The reasons for such discrepancies are incompletely understood. The ELETHON survey aimed to identify physicians' attitudes towards general concepts of COPD management and, in particular, initiation of inhaled triple therapies. ELETHON was a nationwide cross-sectional survey with general practitioners (GP) and pulmonary specialists (PS) working in the ambulatory outpatient setting in Germany, using a structured 17-item questionnaire (single or multiple choice questions) addressing the topics of secondary prevention, exacerbation detection, strategies for therapy escalation, choice of inhaled triple therapies and evaluation of treatment benefits. Questionnaires filled by n=2028 GPs and n=371 PS were analyzed. In both groups, secondary prevention was deemed important in COPD care (GP/PS 76.4%/90.6%), with inhalation technique, vaccination status, and appropriate inhaled pharmacotherapy as key components. Activity/rehabilitation was rarely mentioned by GPs (48.3% vs. 84.5%). Exacerbations and symptomatic worsening were the main triggers for therapy escalation, but were not recorded in a structured way. "Hospitalization" and "≥2 ambulatory exacerbations" were mentioned most frequently as thresholds. Neither GPs nor PS measured eosinophils in the majority of patients. Fixed triple combinations were preferred, with availability of different treatment steps in the same device as important decision aid. Treatment success was evaluated by exacerbations, quality of life, symptoms, lung function and rescue medication use, while COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score was rarely used by GPs and PS. The ELETHON survey identified gaps in COPD management in Germany. While secondary prevention is deemed important, escalation of inhaled therapy is undertaken rather late, the reported importance of vaccinations does not match current quota in German COPD patients, and non-pharmacological measures are often unused. Exacerbation and symptom documentation is rather subjective, validated questionnaires and blood eosinophils are of minor relevance. These results provide evidence of barriers and hidden potentials towards optimization of routine ambulatory care for COPD patients in Germany.

Adaptation to seasonal drought in irrigation districts of south China: A copula-based fuzzy-flexible stochastic multi-objective approach for precise irrigation planning

The occurrence of seasonal drought has led to periodic water shortages in irrigation districts of south China, posing significant agricultural challenges on water and food security. Consequently, there is a pressing need for high-efficient water resources management from a sustainability perspective. To address this issue, a copula-based fuzzy-flexible stochastic multi-objective programming (CFSMP) model was proposed to facilitate irrigation planning under the combined influence of seasonal dry and wet conditions. The model was aimed to simultaneously achieve maximum economic benefit, water productivity and green water use efficiency, considering the economic, social, and environmental spheres of the irrigation district. The CFSMP model represented an innovative solution that was capable of (1) precisely describing the response of crop yield to water supply at ten-day time scale, which can be matched with practical irrigation demand; (2) characterizing joint distributions of seasonal dry and wet conditions of precipitation during different crop growth periods based on the copula function; (3) reconciling conflicts on objectives among economic, social, and environmental spheres of the irrigation district in complex and uncertain environments. The proposed model was applied to the Dongfeng Reservoir Irrigation District in south China. The downscaled ten-day Jensen water production functions of main grain and cash crops were fitted to recognize precise distributions of crop water demand and water sensitivity index. The Frank copula, with the smallest value of squared Euclidean distribution, was selected to describe the joint distribution of seasonal precipitation and gain insights into actual seasonal water availability and water scarcity. The results showed that the proposed model produced more water-saving and yield-promoting irrigation planning policies than the current quota. The average water allocation of rice, wheat, maize, rape, and citrus decreased by 352.6 mm, 10.6 mm, 67.7 mm, 7.44 mm, and 54.6 mm, respectively. Except for a yield reduction of 8.8% for rape, crop yields of rice, wheat, maize, and citrus were improved by 33.3%, 45.4%, 29.9%, and 12.3%, respectively. The coordination degree of the model reached 0.827, demonstrating excellent performance on generating coordinated and robust solutions. Therefore, the CSFMP model has the potential to alleviate seasonal drought in south China and can be applied in similar regions with comparable resources crisis.

Data-poor stock assessment of Narrow-Clawed Crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus) in Keban Dam Lake (Türkiye) Using CMSY Method

In this study, as a data-poor fish stock assessment method CMSY was used to assess the current stock status of the Keban reservoir crayfish stock due to not having further data set for using the data-rich models. A total of 27 years catch data (from 1995 to 2021) was used in the analysing process of study. Estimated CMSY model parameters with confidence intervals are as follows: r=0.426 (0.357 - 0.509) year-1, k=146 (118 - 180) ton, MSY=15.7 (13.0 - 18.0) ton, B2021=77.9 (59.5 - 86.7) ton, BMSY=72.8 (58.9 - 89.9) ton, F2021 = 0.295 (0.265 - 0.386) year-1, FMSY = 0.213 (0.179 - 0.254) year-1, B2021/ BMSY = 1.07 (0.818 - 1.190) and F2021/FMSY = 1.38 (1.240 - 1.81). Our study has found that the crayfish population in the Keban reservoir has been in decline due to overfishing since the late 1990s. However, the population has shown signs of recovery since 2013 due to reduced fishing activity. After all overexploitation occurred again in 2021. Our analysis also showed that the current quota of 30.5 tons is significantly higher than the MSY of 15.7 tons. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce the crayfish quota to 15.7 tons in order to sustain the population and prevent further decline.

Measuring the anthropogenic cycles of light rare earths in China: Implications for the imbalance problem

Light rare earth elements (LREEs) are of strategic importance for low carbon transition and decarbonization. However, the imbalance between LREEs exists and a systematic understanding of their flows and stocks is lacking, which impedes the attainment of resources efficiency and exacerbates the environmental burdens. This study examines the anthropogenic cycles and the imbalance problem of three representative LREEs in China, the largest LREEs producer in the world, including cerium (the most abundant), neodymium and praseodymium (the fastest demand-growing). We find that 1) from 2011 to 2020, the total consumption of Nd and Pr increased by 228 % and 223 %, respectively, mainly attributed to the increasing demand of NdFeB, whereas that of Ce increased by 157 %; 2) the supply insufficiency of Nd and Pr under the current quota system accumulated to 138,086 tons and 35,549 tons, respectively, while the oversupply of Ce reached 63,523 tons; and 3) China has become a net importer of LREEs concentrates, and a net exporter of LREEs in the form of intermediate and final products, imposing further burdens to the domestic environment. It is clear that the imbalance of LREEs occurred during the study period, raising urgent needs to adjust the LREEs production quotas, seek other Ce applications, and eliminate illegal mining.

Quotas for catch of aquatic biological resources

The transformation of the system for distributing quotas for the extraction of aquatic biological resources (ABR) in quotas in Russia affects the interests of many parties. The new system of allocation of rights to catch ABR, which provides for quotas for investment, changes the established order in Russia in fisheries, which caused discussions in the industry. Innovations reduced the level of monopolization of industrial fishing, the development of shipbuilding and the ABR processing in Russia’s territory. The aim of the study is to identify the structure of interests of economic entities and the population within the framework of the current quota system of ABR catch in Russia on the example of the Far Eastern fishery basin of the country. Being studying the materials for the paper, the authors used methods of scientific analysis and comparison in the research of the regulatory framework and the distribution of total allowable catches. There is an inductive method prevails in the statistical part of the study, and the monographic method allowed to combine the results obtained in the scientific paper. According to the analysis of the detailed structure and short-term dynamics of the allocation of quotas for the catch of ABR in the Far Eastern Federal District (FEFD), the authors found that the current system of distribution of rights does not fit to global trends aimed at reducing the catch of the wild resource, the capacity and number of fishing vessels. Innovations mainly reflect the interests of large fish producers to the detriment of small ones. However, the potential effect of introducing investment quotas is positive, as it ensures intersectoral cooperation. Against the background of unstable external demand for Russian products, this mechanism stimulates reorienting the activities of fishers from foreign markets to domestic ones, from the sale of raw materials to processed products and making added value within the country, including in the FEFD.

Quantifying fish range shifts across poorly defined management boundaries.

Management regimes of marine resources that rely on spatial boundaries might be poorly adapted to climate change shifts in species distributions. This is of specific concern for the management of fish stocks that cross management jurisdictions, known as shared stocks. Transitioning to dynamic rules in spatial management has been suggested as a solution for mismatches between species distributions and the spatial boundaries. However, in many cases spatial boundaries are not clearly drawn, hampering such transitions. Here, we use black sea bass (Centropristis striata), summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) and scup (Stenotomus chrysops) as case studies to explore different approaches to designing spatial regulatory units to facilitate the adaptation of fisheries management to shifting distributions of shared stocks. First, we determine the yearly distribution of each stock within the United States Exclusive Economic Zone from 1951 to 2019 during Fall and Spring sampling seasons. Second, we explore two approaches for drawing regulatory units based on state waters and historical landings. Finally, we estimate each state's proportion of the stock's distribution and compare historical and recent values. We show that the distribution of all three stocks has changed relative to the years used to determine the current quota allocation across states, with an overall gain for central-northern states at the expense of the southernmost states. In terms of the distribution of allocation, we find that, while seasonal differences exist, the biggest differences in the proportion of the stock spatial distribution attributed to each state come from the method for designing regulatory units. Here, we show that the method used to define allocation units can have meaningful impacts on resulting adaptive policy. As climate change-driven conflicts in fishing resource allocation are expected to increase and deepen around the world, we provide a replicable approach to make an informed and transparent choice to support data-driven decision-making.

Payment for CO2 sequestration affects the Faustmann rotation period in Norway more than albedo payment does

Albedo and CO2 sequestration are the two most important climate forcing factors in forestry. After harvest the albedo in boreal forests increases which has a cooling effect. Likewise, CO2 captured in the photosynthesis reduce atmospheric CO2 and thereby have a cooling effect. These effects have value to society, and they may affect optimal management.This article investigates the effect on economical optimal forest management – here the optimal harvest age – by payment for these forcers. The albedo effect is evaluated using the standard climate metric global warming potential (GWP) with a time horizon of 100 years, i.e. in terms of CO2 equivalents. Alternative measures are discussed. The cooling effect of albedo change at time of harvest for the total Norwegian harvest corresponds to about 1.3% of the current Norwegian GHG emissions. The variation in albedo effect across the southern part of the country is modest.The CO2 sequestration effect is much larger than the albedo. At the time of harvest the CO2 content in forest is more than 40 times the albedo effect. The carbon effect will therefore dominate the effect on the harvest age. Payments for climate services will prolong the rotation period. With the current quota price in the EU ETS – about 80 € ton−1 CO2 equivalents – and current stumpage value, carbon capture and storage will be more profitable than commercial timber production for young stands. For stands close to maturity, the payment scheme will have little effect.

Play against the informality? Institutional reliance and strategic adaption in Chinese cultural governance

ABSTRACT The current Chinese Book Quota System derives from a traditional socialist model that integrates cultural governance, ruling party ideology and infrastructure management. Such a wartime legacy no longer suits demand from modern consumers, and yet bureaucratic management sustains the inefficient institution, which has accidentally fostered a countervailing informal market and in turn stimulates cultural policy changes. This article uses informal book number transactions and the complementary institutional effect of such informality, namely restructuring the state-owned, regulating the non-state-owned and adaptive digital regulation, to demonstrate one Chinese governance outcome of formal-informal linkages. Book quota system is doomed to be obsolete, nonetheless, its development in the visible future depends on party-state weighing domestic ideological guidance and a more vociferous stance in the international battle of cultural symbols.

Great Expectations: Gender and Political Representation in Georgia

Gender equality is one of the main priorities of any democratic society. The developed world has long agreed that the participation of women in politics is a key condition for democratic development of the country. No country can ensure fair and equal-opportunity policy without the participation of women. It will take decades for women to naturally secure equal political participation. Therefore, in order to speed progress and to address inequalities, in 2020, after much resistance and disagreements, the statutory gender quota was adopted by the Georgian Parliament.
 The purpose of this study is to examine the current situation regarding women’s participation in Georgian political life, to identify factors that have led to the implementation of the statutory gender quota, to access the efficiency of the state policies to increase women’s representation in political institutions and also to assess how incentive mechanisms devised in previous years have increased women’s representation in Georgian political life. The aim of the paper is to identify the main reasons that hinder women’s political involvement in Georgia. In the long term, it is necessary to maintain and increase the current gender quota to ensure equal representation.

2020 Quota Data Update

This paper presents the annual update of the quota database and extends the database by one year through 2018. The paper provides an overview of the data and of the methodology and covers the quota formula variables and calculated quota shares based on the current quota formula.

2019 Quota Data Update

The paper presents summary results for the updated data set, with country-by-country details provided in Appendix I. In terms of broad country groups, the results of the data update are broadly consistent with trends observed in previous updates. The aggregate share of Emerging Market and Developing Countries (EMDCs) increased by 0.3 pp, to 50.0 percent, following a small decline in the EMDCs’ share recorded in the 2018 data update. The rising EMDC share reflected again foremost an increase for Asia. Most advanced economies recorded a small decrease in their calculated quota share using the current quota formula.

Patterns, efficiency and ecosystem effects when fishing Calanus finmarchicus in the Norwegian Sea—using an individual-based model

Due to the important role of Calanus finmarchicus as key prey for the abundant pelagic fish stocks (Northeast Atlantic mackerel, Norwegian spring spawning herring, blue whiting) in the Norwegian Sea, an increase in the quota of C. finmarchicus has raised public concern. Here, 2 vessel types were implemented in an individual-based model within the NORWECOM.E2E ecosystem model, one ordinary vessel similar to the vessels used in the real fishery, the other with perfect knowledge of the C. finmarchicus distribution to account for possible future development of the fishery. The perfect vessels were free to move among all grid cells, whereas the other vessel type was restricted. Differences between the vessel types were large in terms of catch per unit effort and hotspots for catches. Operating with 10 perfect vessels, the catches were on average 54000 t yr-1, almost 3 times higher than for the ordinary vessels. Increasing to 60 perfect vessels, catches increased to 349000 t yr-1. The vessels with full knowledge of distribution and concentration located new hotspots distant from the traditional fishing grounds. Due to area restrictions in the current quota, allowing only 3000 t caught within the 1000 m depth contour, the perfect vessels shifted their activity offshore. In the simulated ecosystem, no ecosystem effects were found, neither on the C. finmarchicus biomass nor on the Norwegian spring spawning herring biomass. This finding indicates that the proposed quota of C. finmarchicus supports a sustainable fishery.

Study on water-use quotas for public institutions in China — Taking government agency as an example

The shortage of water resources has become a critical factor that restricts China’s economic and social development. Given that the numerous public institutions in China operate with large amounts of personnel, they consume massive water. Thus, the corresponding water-use quota was urgently needed. This paper explored setting quotas for governmental agencies in north and south district in China, adopting the quota level method. And comparisons between the results and the current national water-use quota and local water-use quota were carried out.

COMPARISONS OF COUNTERFACTUAL AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICIES AT THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF MINAS GERAIS

Tertiary education attendance in Brazil varies remarkably among different population groups. In order to decrease inequalities and increase the proportion of minorities in public universities, many institutions of higher education in Brazil have implemented affirmative action policies since the 2000s. The main objective of this paper was to analyze different counterfactual affirmative action policies at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) based on simulations, measuring the proportion of minorities and the level of academic performance at this institution under each scenario. The current quota policy of 50% for students from public secondary schools, divided between four main groups (non-poor/non-minority; poor/non-minority; non-poor/minority; poor/minority), was shown to be well-designed to promote higher proportions of minorities among the student body. However, if academic performance is also taken into account, the best options would be either a quota policy of 50% divided between poor and non-poor students or a bonus policy based on a linear function of course competitiveness with an average bonus of 6%.

Multiseason production planning under export quotas

AbstractAn export quota is a direct restriction on the quantity of certain goods that can be exported and is an important instrument in international trade policy. In this study, we focus on an exporting firm and examine the implication of export quotas on its production and inventory policies. In particular, the firm applies for an exporting license every season (eg, year) and the amount it can sell is unknown for certainty in advance. The firm must determine its production quantity every period (eg, month) under a production capacity constraint. The presence of quotas decouples inventory from sales: the firm can sell its goods if and only if the quota permits, and this changes the way it manages its production and inventory. We show that the firm in general benefits from stockpiling—produce up to an inventory level higher than current quota. Stockpiling happens if and only if the remaining quota for the current season is smaller than a threshold value. It is more likely to happen when it is closer to the end of a season or when the quotas in future seasons are larger. Although the inventory in excess of current quota cannot be used to fill the demand in the current season, they will be needed in future seasons when new quotas are released and the firm cannot increase production quickly enough due to capacity constraints. Our numerical studies show that the cost of limiting production only to current quota can be substantial.

An improved sequential auction with complementarity for pricing the construction land quota.

The paradox between idle homesteads in rural areas and the shortage of construction land in urban areas is concerning. Hence, local governments encourage farmers to reclaim their idle homesteads and farmlands to generate quota. However, the current quota price, which is based on the land reclamation cost, is often inadequate to motivate farmers. This study proposed that the construction land quota and construction land are complementary items, and hence, their pricing should be studied simultaneously instead of independently. Therefore, the classical sequential auction model with complementarity was improved using the core characteristics of quota transactions and those were applied to design optimal pricing mechanisms. Subsequently, the influence of relevant factors on the bidding price was analysed. The results indicated that the bidding price decreases with an increase in the number of bidders and that a bidder’s revenue is at a loss when they acquire the quota but fail to obtain the land; hence, the revenue probability is lost. However, bidding prices increase when the fine of delaying construction increases. To raise the quota price and encourage relatively more farmers to reclaim their idle homesteads, local governments should appropriately increase the delaying construction fines or repurchase the quota at a premium from the bidder who acquires the quota but fails to obtain the land, which is beneficial for easing conflict between construction land demands and farmland protection and for promoting the sustainable development of China’s social economy.

Does the pressure to fill journal quotas bias evaluation?: Evidence from publication delays and rejection rates.

Although the peer review system of academic journals is seen as fundamental to scientific achievement, a major threat to the validity of the system is a potential evaluation bias resulting from constraints at the journal level. In this study, we examine how the time pressure to maintain a fixed periodical quota for journal publication can influence a journal editor's decision to accept or reject a paper at any given point in time. We find that an increase in publication backlog, proxied as the average delay between paper acceptance and print publication, is correlated with an increase in the subsequent rejection rates of new submissions. Our findings suggest that time pressures inherent in the peer review system may be a source of potential evaluator bias, calling for a need to reconsider the current quota system.

Fish distributions reveal discrepancies between zonal attachment and quota allocations

AbstractThe oceans’ fisheries contribute to human wellbeing by providing essential nutrients, employment, and income. Changes in fish distribution, due to climate change or stock expansion, jeopardize conservation objectives because fishers catch more than is allocated as quota. Quotas, or catch shares, should, therefore, correspond to the share of the fish stock biomass present within a country's Exclusive Economic Zone, a concept known as Zonal Attachment. Here, we assess the Zonal Attachment of transboundary fish stocks present in northern Europe, in the waters of the United Kingdom, the European Union (without the United Kingdom), and Norway. In 12 of 14 important fish stocks, estimates of Zonal Attachment to the United Kingdom were significantly higher than current quota allocations, explaining the country's substantial discard problem. With environmental change, and stock recovery under improved fisheries conservation, scientific evidence should be used not only to set catch limits, but also to re‐examine catch shares.

Socio-Economic and Racial profile of Medical Students from a Public University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract: Introduction: There are still many economic and racial barriers for black and indigenous peoples regarding access to a university degree in Brazil. Although Brazil is mistakenly considered a racial democracy, black people, indigenous peoples and those of low social status are the most affected by such difficulties regarding access to the university. Medical schools are traditionally attended by white, wealthy and upper-middle-class groups, although 54% of Brazilians consider themselves to be African descendants. To deal with this scenario, since 2013, 50% of all vacancies in public universities have been reserved for low social classes, indigenous peoples and African descendants. Our objective was to describe the socioeconomic and racial profile of those attending a public medical school in the state of Rio de Janeiro during a five-year period, analyzing the associations between the Brazilian segregationist structure and inclusion policies. Method: A census study was carried out, including all groups that entered the medical school at a public university in the state of Rio de Janeiro between 2013 and 2017. We applied a self-administered questionnaire that addressed social, ethnic, economic and university admission aspects. The data were analyzed by a simple description of the frequencies and by bivariate analysis. Results: The results show that the majority profile is white, with an annual income higher than US$ 8,640, coming from a private school, with financial support from the family, both parents with higher education and no gender difference. As for the inclusion of non-white people into the course, the current quota system has not significantly increased their presence. Conclusion: We conclude that racial inclusion policies subordinated to economic ones seem to be a barrier to the entry of non-whites to medical school, contributing to racial inequality.

Socio-Economic and Racial profile of Medical Students from a Public University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract: Introduction: There are still many economic and racial barriers for black and indigenous peoples regarding access to a university degree in Brazil. Although Brazil is mistakenly considered a racial democracy, black people, indigenous peoples and those of low social status are the most affected by such difficulties regarding access to the university. Medical schools are traditionally attended by white, wealthy and upper-middle-class groups, although 54% of Brazilians consider themselves to be African descendants. To deal with this scenario, since 2013, 50% of all vacancies in public universities have been reserved for low social classes, indigenous peoples and African descendants. Our objective was to describe the socioeconomic and racial profile of those attending a public medical school in the state of Rio de Janeiro during a five-year period, analyzing the associations between the Brazilian segregationist structure and inclusion policies. Method: A census study was carried out, including all groups that entered the medical school at a public university in the state of Rio de Janeiro between 2013 and 2017. We applied a self-administered questionnaire that addressed social, ethnic, economic and university admission aspects. The data were analyzed by a simple description of the frequencies and by bivariate analysis. Results: The results show that the majority profile is white, with an annual income higher than US$ 8,640, coming from a private school, with financial support from the family, both parents with higher education and no gender difference. As for the inclusion of non-white people into the course, the current quota system has not significantly increased their presence. Conclusion: We conclude that racial inclusion policies subordinated to economic ones seem to be a barrier to the entry of non-whites to medical school, contributing to racial inequality.