Redistributive Effects Research Articles

Modeling of the resensitization effect on carbon-ion radiotherapy for stage I non-small cell lung cancer

Objective. To investigate the effect of redistribution and reoxygenation on the 3-year tumor control probability (TCP) of patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with carbon-ion radiotherapy. Approach. A meta-analysis of published clinical data of 233 NSCLC patients treated by carbon-ion radiotherapy under 18-, 9-, 4-, and single-fraction schedules was conducted. The linear-quadratic (LQ)-based cell-survival model incorporating the radiobiological 5Rs, radiosensitivity, repopulation, repair, redistribution, and reoxygenation, was developed to reproduce the clinical TCP data. Redistribution and reoxygenation were regarded together as a single phenomenon and termed ‘resensitization’ in the model. The optimum interval time between fractions was investigated for each fraction schedule using the determined model parameters. Main results. The clinical TCP data for 18-, 9-, and 4-fraction schedules were reasonably reproduced by the model without the resensitization effect, whereas its incorporation was essential to reproduce the TCP data for all fraction schedules including the single fraction. The curative dose for the single-fraction schedule was estimated to be 49.0 Gy (RBE), which corresponds to the clinically adopted dose prescription of 50.0 Gy (RBE). For 18-, 9-, and 4-fraction schedules, a 2-to-3-day interval is required to maximize the resensitization effect during the time interval. In contrast, the single-fraction schedule cannot benefit from the resensitization effect, and the shorter treatment time is preferable to reduce the effect of sub-lethal damage repair during the treatment. Significance. The LQ-based cell-survival model incorporating the radiobiological 5Rs was developed and used to evaluate the effect of the resensitization on clinical results of NSCLC patients treated with hypo-fractionated carbon-ion radiotherapy. The incorporation of the resensitization into the cell-survival model improves the reproducibility to the clinical TCP data. A shorter treatment time is preferable in the single-fraction schedule, while a 2-to-3-day interval between fractions is preferable in the multi-fraction schedules for effective treatments.

Covid-19 heterogeneous effects on Italian workers’ incomes: the role of jobs routinization and teleworkability

PurposeThe Covid-19 pandemic appears to have engendered heterogeneous effects on individuals’ labour market prospects. This paper focuses on two possible sources of a heterogeneous exposition to labour market risks associated with the pandemic outbreak: the routine task content of the job and the teleworkability. To evaluate whether these dimensions played a crucial role in amplifying employment and wage gaps among workers, we focus on the case of Italy, the first EU country hit by Covid-19.Design/methodology/approachInvestigating the actual effect of the pandemic on workers employed in jobs with a different degree of teleworkability and routinization, using real microdata, is currently unfeasible. This is because longitudinal datasets collecting annual earnings and the detailed information about occupations needed to capture a job’s routine task content and teleworkability are not presently available. To simulate changes in the wage distribution for the year 2020, we have employed a static microsimulation model. This model is built on data from the Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (IT-SILC) survey, which has been enriched with administrative data and aligned with monthly observed labour market dynamics by industries and regions.FindingsWe measure the degree of job teleworkability and routinization with the teleworkability index (TWA) built by Sostero et al. (2020) and the routine-task-intensity index (RTI) developed by Cirillo et al. (2021), respectively. We find that RTI and TWA are negatively and positively associated with wages, respectively, and they are correlated with higher (respectively lower) risks of a large labour income drop due to the pandemic. Our evidence suggests that labour market risks related to the pandemic – and the associated new types of earnings inequality that may derive – are shaped by various factors (including TWA and RTI) instead of by a single dimension. However, differences in income drop risks for workers in jobs with varying degrees of teleworkability and routinization largely reduce when income support measures are considered, thus suggesting that the redistributive effect of the emergency measures implemented by the Italian government was rather effective.Originality/valueNo studies have so far investigated the effect of the pandemic on workers employed in jobs with a different degree of routinization and teleworkability in Italy. We thus investigate whether income drop risks in Italy in 2020 – before and after income support measures – differed among workers whose jobs are characterized by a different degree of RTI and TWA.

The effect of fiscal drag on income distribution and work incentives: A microsimulation analysis on selected African countries

AbstractAlthough the effect of fiscal drag is well‐studied in the industrialised world, empirical evidence from developing economies remains limited. Against this backdrop, this study aims to explore the effect of fiscal drag on income distribution and work incentives. To this end, the study employs SOUTHMOD, the tax‐benefit microsimulation model, for six African countries: Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, and Zambia. Three important conclusions are drawn from our empirical investigation. First, in the absence of proper tax parameter adjustment, the distribution of fiscal drag is determined by the liability progression of personal income tax in the pre‐inflation period. Second, the impact of fiscal drag on the redistributive effects and progressivity of personal income taxes is differentiated among countries. On the one hand, it reduces the progressivity of personal income tax in Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia; on the other hand, it improves progressivity in Mozambique. However, it decreases the redistributive effect of personal income tax only in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda. Third, fiscal drag reduces financial work incentives to increase earnings in all countries. Addressing fiscal drag becomes very crucial considering the soaring inflation due to the war between Ukraine and Russia.

Are Women Commissioners More Compassionate Spenders? Evidence From Florida County Governments

While the number of women in government has increased, prior research on whether enhancing women's political representation alters policy choices has produced inconclusive findings. This study asks if higher women's participation in electoral institutions at the local level is associated with a different spending profile. Using Peterson’s typology of developmental, redistributive, and allocational government programs, we argue that legislative bodies with more female members will spend more on redistributive programs than on developmental or allocational. Using data from Florida's 67 counties between 2005 and 2015, our analysis supports this theoretical expectation. In line with critical mass theory, women's representation in county commissions must reach a threshold of about 33% to sway budgetary decision-making toward more extensive redistribution. We also find that the traditional commission form of government intensifies the redistributive effect of women commissioners on county spending while having a home rule charter has no significant effect.

A millennium of arable land use – the long-term impact of tillage and water erosion on landscape-scale carbon dynamics

Abstract. In the last decades, soils and their agricultural management have received great scientific and political attention due to their potential to act as a sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Agricultural management has strong potential to accelerate soil redistribution, and, therefore, it is questioned if soil redistribution processes affect this potential CO2 sink function. Most studies analysing the effect of soil redistribution upon soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics focus on water erosion and analyse only relatively small catchments and relatively short time spans of several years to decades. The aim of this study is to widen this perspective by including tillage erosion as another important driver of soil redistribution and by performing a model-based analysis in a 200 km2 sized arable region of northeastern Germany for the period since the conversion from forest to arable land (approx. 1000 years ago). The spatially explicit soil redistribution and carbon (C) turnover model SPEROS-C was applied to simulate lateral soil and SOC redistribution and SOC turnover. The model parameterisation uncertainty was estimated by simulating different realisations of the development of agricultural management over the past millennium. The results indicate that, in young moraine areas, which are relatively dry but have been intensively used for agriculture for centuries, SOC patterns and dynamics are substantially affected by tillage-induced soil redistribution processes. To understand the landscape-scale effect of these redistribution processes on SOC dynamics, it is essential to account for long-term changes following land conversion as typical soil-erosion-induced processes, e.g. dynamic replacement, only take place after former forest soils reach a new equilibrium following conversion. Overall, it was estimated that, after 1000 years of arable land use, SOC redistribution by tillage and water results in a current-day landscape-scale C sink of up to 0.66 ‰ yr−1 of the current SOC stocks.

Fiscal policy and inequality in middle- and high-income countries: redistributive effects of tax and spending shocks

Abstract Motivated by the sharp increases in public spending following the global financial crisis, we employ the GMM Panel VAR approach at annual frequency between 2004 and 2014 to investigate the dynamic response of alternative income distribution variables to shocks imposed on tax revenues and three key components of social expenditures: social protection, health, and education. We confirm the potential of fiscal policy to reduce income inequality in the medium to longer run, but point to the differential approaches to pursue such a goal in middle- versus high-income countries. We find that the particular expenditure component under consideration matters in terms of the dynamic effect on inequality and on different parts of the income distribution, as well as in terms of the implied time profile. In middle-income countries, positive education spending shocks are the most effective in achieving better distributional outcomes over a medium run of several years. By contrast, in high-income countries, positive health spending and tax shocks have a more pronounced favorable dynamic distributional effect.

Effects of Excess Pore Pressure Redistribution in Liquefiable Layers

Effects of Excess Pore Pressure Redistribution in Liquefiable Layers

Stress redistribution and stress triaxiality effect on the fatigue life of notched Ni-based single crystal superalloy at 760℃

The multiaxial stress state caused by geometric discontinuities will result in significant differences in the fatigue performance compared to the uniaxial stress state. It is crucial importance to research the notch fatigue behaviors of nickel-based single crystal (Ni-SX) superalloys at high temperature. This study investigated the impact of stress redistribution and stress triaxiality on the fatigue life of notched Ni-based single crystal superalloy at 760℃. The high temperature fatigue tests were carried out on the specimens under different stress ratios and the stress amplitudes under the same life conditions were obtained. A novel anisotropic damage model, incorporating the influence of stress triaxiality is proposed coupled with crystal plasticity theory. Based on experimental findings, an evaluation of the test parameters was conducted.The results showed that Mises stress, maximum principal stress, normal stress of principal stress along the loading direction, maximum principal strain, and strain along the loading direction were inadequate in reflecting the significant variations of samples observed among different stress ratios. However, the stress triaxiality at the unloading valley exhibited a high sensitivity to changes in fatigue life. To evaluate the fatigue life of notched specimens under different stress ratios, an improved Basquin’s type life prediction model was proposed, utilizing the stress triaxiality at the unloading valley. The proposed model demonstrates a favorable normalization trend for the fatigue life of notched specimens subjected to various stress concentration factor (SCF) conditions.

Comparative analysis of post-mortem drug concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid and blood.

This study aimed to compare the concentration of various xenobiotics in both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood. We examined 175 autopsy cases covering a wide range of ages, causes of death, and drug ingestion histories, with cerebrospinal fluid and blood samples available for toxicological testing. Analytes studied included opioids, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and illicit substances such as cannabinoids, stimulants and new psychoactive substances, including synthetic cathinones and synthetic cannabinoids. We found that concentrations in CSF were generally lower than in blood. A significant correlation was observed between drug concentrations in CSF and blood for many analytes (p < 0.05). However, the strength and direction of the correlation varied considerably depending on the physicochemical properties of the drugs, suggesting that a 'one size fits all' model may not be applicable. The results indicate that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can be used to detect a variety of xenobiotics, particularly amphetamines, synthetic cathinones and synthetic cannabinoids, in cases where conventional biological materials are not available. Additionally, using the results obtained in the future can lead to a better understanding of pharmacokinetic processes and the effect of post-mortem redistribution. Further research is needed to refine our understanding of these relationships.

Redistributing Power: Land Reform, Rural Cooptation, and Grassroots Regime Institutions in Authoritarian Taiwan

Can redistributive policies such as land reform help authoritarian regimes coopt rural societies? Given that land reform has the potential to disrupt preexisting sociopolitical orders, this article highlights an unresolved puzzle of how regimes balance between the objectives of expanding its rural coalitional support through transformative redistribution and stabilizing its political control over rural institutions during land reform. Using a novel dataset of Taiwan’s 1950s rural reforms under the Kuomintang authoritarian regime, I find that stronger redistributive effects facilitated cooptation of new land reform beneficiaries through a key institution – the farmers’ association (FA). However, I also find that the restructuring of rank-and-file FA membership was still subject to meddling by the native landlord class. I thus argue that land reform, while allowing regimes to broaden their rural coalitions through socioeconomic redistribution, can also paradoxically compel regimes to concede power during institutional cooptation.

Federal Business Subsidies: Explosive Growth Since 2014

Federal business subsidies have risen 140 per cent over the nine years ending in 2023–24, compared to 17 per cent over the previous nine years. New programs accounted for over half the growth. Clean economy measures, which rose $7 billion from 2014–15 to 2023–24, were the major contributor to growth in new programs. Even without the new climate change measures, business subsidies would have doubled over the period. Subsidies are likely to reach about $50 billion in 2027–28, which would represent 54 per cent of corporate income tax revenue, up from 42 per cent in 2014–15. Other key findings are: Small and medium-sized enterprises benefit disproportionately from subsidies. These firms account for about half of output in Canada but receive approximately two-thirds of business subsidies. Clean economy measures account for almost a fifth of business subsidies. The agri-food sector receives the second largest share, approximately 15 per cent, which is substantial relative to its four per cent output share. Business subsidies are concentrated in a small number of programs. In the current fiscal year, the top 10 programs (out of almost 150 programs) account for almost 60 per cent of subsidies, and the top 20 for almost 80 per cent. Spending programs account for a surprisingly small share of business subsidies — approximately 30 per cent in the current fiscal year. The tax system is the most important delivery mechanism (45 per cent), while government business enterprises and refundable tax credits account for just over 10 per cent each. What are taxpayers getting in return for the massive spending on subsidies? They are certainly getting more of the activities that are being subsidized and less of the activities that arenot. However, this change in the composition of economic activity won’t necessarily improve well-being because market prices generally allocate society’s scarce resources to their best uses. That is, if markets are functioning properly, subsidies harm rather than help economic performance. On the other hand, if subsidy programs address a market failure, the resulting reallocation of activity may be more efficient. Federal business subsidies that have the potential to improve economic performance, or more generally, to enhance well-being, because they address a market failure accounted for 64 per cent of business subsidies in 2023–24. However, measures accounting for about two-thirds of this spending fail a benefit-cost test — they are not successful in raising Canadians’ real income. These programs should be reviewed to determine if they can be restructured to deliver a positive net benefit. If not, they should be eliminated. Measures accounting for 36 per cent of total spending in 2023–24 are not intended to correct a market failure and are therefore transferring income from one group of Canadians to another while harming economic performance. These measures include general business subsidies and initiatives providing income support. These measures should be carefully reviewed to determine if their income redistribution effects can be justified in the context of the real income loss they cause. Since 2019–20, subsidies implemented to mitigate the impact of climate change and to creategood jobs by subsidizing high-productivity, high-wage industries have grown in importance andwill continue to do so. Climate change mitigation measures should only be implemented if they complement carbon pricing, the government’s main and most cost-effective instrument for reducing emissions. If they meet this minimum condition, climate change mitigation measures should be assessed based on their relative cost-effectiveness in reducing emissions. The proposition that subsidies intended to create good jobs are sound public policy is controversial. The impact of these measures should be tested against the data before additional funds are committed.

Sound reduction of side-branch resonators: An energy-based theoretical perspective

For over a century, side-branch resonators have served as effective acoustic filters, yet the explanation for their sound reduction capability has varied. This paper introduces a novel theory applicable to all types of side-branch resonators from an energy perspective and explains sound reduction as a consequence of acoustic energy redistribution. Our theory posits that a standing wave inside the resonator induces air vibration at the opening, which then acts as a secondary sound source, emitting acoustic energy predominantly in the form of kinetic energy. Due to the formation process of the standing wave, the sound wave generated by the resonator undergoes a phase shift relative to the original sound wave in the main pipe. Consequently, this generated sound wave, while matching the amplitude, possesses an opposite phase compared to the original noise wave within the main pipe. This antiphase relationship results in the cancellation of sound waves when they interact post-resonator in the main pipe. Our theory, grounded in an energy perspective, is derived from the principles of standing wave vibration and energy conservation.

Modeling the scattering polarization in the solar Ca I 4227Å line with angle-dependent PRD effects and bulk velocities

Context. Modeling the scattering polarization signals of strong chromospheric lines requires solving the radiative transfer problem for polarized radiation, out of local thermodynamic equilibrium, taking partial frequency redistribution (PRD) effects into account. This problem is extremely challenging from a computational standpoint and, so far, most studies have been carried out by either modeling PRD effects under the angle-average approximation or by considering academic models of the solar atmosphere. Thanks to a new solution strategy, applicable to atomic systems that allow for a linearization of the problem, accurate solutions can now be routinely obtained in realistic 1D models, taking angle-dependent (AD) PRD effects into account. Aims. This work is aimed at assessing the suitability and performance of this new approach to handling dynamic scenarios. At the same time, it aims to explore the joint impact of magnetic fields and bulk velocities on the scattering polarization profiles of strong resonance lines, accounting for AD PRD effects and considering more realistic atmospheric models than in previous investigations. Methods. By using a two-level atomic model for neutral calcium, we synthesized the intensity and polarization profiles of the Ca I 4227 Å line. Our calculations were performed in 1D atmospheric models, both semi-empirical and extracted from 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations, including vertical bulk velocities and magnetic fields of arbitrary strength and orientation, both constant and varying with height. Results. We obtained accurate solutions after only a few iterations across all considered scenarios. Even when formulating the problem in the observer’s reference frame, the frequency and angular grids required for accurate results were easily manageable. The calculated profiles showed the expected signatures of bulk velocities: wavelength shifts, enhancement of the line-core polarization amplitude, and prominent asymmetries in the wing signals. The results obtained in atmospheric models with complex thermal, dynamic, and magnetic structures unveiled the broad diversity of features in the emergent radiation that can be expected from realistic scenarios. Conclusions. The presented results assess the suitability of the proposed solution strategy and its parallel implementation, thus supporting its generalization to the 3D case. Our applications in increasingly realistic atmospheric models showed the difficulty related to precisely establishing the individual weight of bulk velocities and magnetic fields in the shape of the emergent profiles. This highlights the need to account for both these physical ingredients to perform reliable inversions of observed scattering polarization profiles.

The effect of rest redistribution on kinetic and kinematic variables during the hang pull.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of rest redistribution (RR) on kinetics and kinematics during the hang pull (HP). Twenty-one male athletes (age 29.5 ± 4.3 years, height 1.78 ± 0.07 m, body mass 75.17 ± 11.11 kg, relative one repetition maximum [1RM] power clean [PC] 1.17 ± 0.14 kg.kg-1) performed the HP using 140% of 1RM PC with 3 traditional sets of 6 repetitions (TS), 9 sets of 2 repetitions with RR [45s rest after 2 repetitions] (RR45) and 6 sets of 3 repetitions with RR [72s rest after 3 repetitions] (RR72). Peak velocity (PV) was higher during RR72 (1.18 ± 0.11 m.s-1) compared to RR45 (1.14 ± 0.11 m.s-1) for the average of 18 repetitions (p = 0.025, g = 0.36). There was a main effect for set configuration with greater peak force (PF) (p < 0.001, g = 0.14) during RR72 compared to RR45, with greater PV and impulse (p < 0.001, g = 0.19-0.36) during RR72 compared to RR45. There was also greater peak velocity maintenance (PVM) (p = 0.042, g = 0.44) for RR72 compared to RR45. There were no significant or meaningful differences (p > 0.05, g = 0.00-0.59) between configurations for any other variables. Rest redistribution protocols did not result in significantly or meaningfully greater kinetics or kinematics during the HP when compared to a TS protocol; although performing RR72 resulted in higher PF, PV, and impulse, with improved PVM compared to RR45.

Abolishing poverty in the Basque Country: two feasible basic income models

Basic income has garnered a great deal of attention in recent years. This surge in interest stems from growing income disparities, the failures of existing minimum income programmes, shifts in labour market dynamics and numerous global basic income pilot initiatives. Yet realising the successful implementation of a basic income requires a sustained and comprehensive effort. This research contributes to this imperative by presenting an unprecedented microsimulation analysis of the economic viability of introducing a basic income in the Basque Country. The study introduces two economically sustainable and coherent basic income models that not only effectively eliminate poverty but also generate redistributive effects. These outcomes would position the Basque Country as a region with lower income inequality than any European Union (EU) member state. This article underscores the transformative potential of basic income in the Basque Country and offers valuable insights for policy makers contemplating similar initiatives in other regions or nations.

Extracting the electronic structure signal from X-ray and electron scattering in the gas phase.

X-ray and electron scattering from free gas-phase molecules is examined using the independent atom model (IAM) and ab initio electronic structure calculations. The IAM describes the effect of the molecular geometry on the scattering, but does not account for the redistribution of valence electrons due to, for instance, chemical bonding. By examining the total, i.e. energy-integrated, scattering from three molecules, fluoroform (CHF3), 1,3-cyclohexadiene (C6H8) and naphthalene (C10H8), the effect of electron redistribution is found to predominantly reside at small-to-medium values of the momentum transfer (q ≤ 8 Å-1) in the scattering signal, with a maximum percent difference contribution at 2 ≤ q ≤ 3 Å-1. A procedure to determine the molecular geometry from the large-q scattering is demonstrated, making it possible to more clearly identify the deviation of the scattering from the IAM approximation at small and intermediate q and to provide a measure of the effect of valence electronic structure on the scattering signal.

Effect of exercise-induced body fluid redistribution on body composition in males using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry

ABSTRACT We studied the effect of exercise-induced body fluid redistribution on dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition scores. Thirty males completed 30-min of upper-body exercise (UBE), lower-body exercise, and seated non-exercise control (NEC). ANOVA determined interactions between experimental conditions and measurements on body composition variables. For UBE, mean pre to post differences were found on tissue fat (M = 0.35 ± 0.12%; CI95%diff = 0.10 to 0.59%; p = 0.007), region fat (M = 0.32 ± 0.11%; CI95%diff = 0.09 to 0.55%; p = 0.008), lean mass (M = 0.27 ± 0.01 kg; CI95%diff = 0.18 to 0.37 kg; p ≤ 0.0001), and total mass (M = 0.27 ± 0.05 kg; CI95%diff = 0.17 to 0.36 kg; p ≤ 0.0001). Mean tissue pre to post differences were found for the total body in the NEC (M = 0.10 ± 0.04 kg; CI95%diff = 0.03 to 0.18 kg; p = 0.008), UBE (M = 0.19 ± 0.03 kg; CI95%diff = 0.14 to 0.24 kg; p ≤ 0.0001), and LBE (M = 0.31 ± 0.04 kg; CI95%diff = 0.24 to 0.39 kg; p ≤ 0.0001) conditions. High absolute reliability was found within experimental conditions. These findings have practical implications for technicians, since acute exercise elicited small changes in body composition scores using DXA.

Numerical solutions to linear transfer problems of polarized radiation

Context. A relevant class of radiative transfer problems for polarized radiation is linear, or can be linearized, and can thus be reframed as linear systems once discretized. In this context, depending on the considered physical models, there are both highly coupled and computationally expensive problems, for which state-of-the-art iterative methods struggle to converge, and lightweight ones, for which solutions can be obtained efficiently. Aims. This work aims to exploit lightweight physical models as preconditioners for iterative solution strategies to obtain accurate and fast solutions for more complex problems. Methods. We considered a highly coupled linear transfer problem for polarized radiation, which we solved iteratively using a matrix-free generalized minimal residual (GMRES) method. Different preconditioners and initial guesses, designed in a physics-based framework, are proposed and analyzed. The action of preconditioners was also computed by applying GMRES. The overall approach thus consists of two nested GMRES iterations, one for the original problem and one for its lightweight version. As a benchmark, we considered the modeling of the intensity and polarization of the solar Ca I 4227 Å line, the Sr II 4077 Å line, and the Mg II h&amp;k lines in a semi-empirical 1D atmospheric model, accounting for partial frequency redistribution effects in scattering processes and considering a general angle-dependent treatment. Results. Numerical experiments show that using tailored preconditioners based on simplified models of the considered problem has a noticeable impact, reducing the number of iterations to convergence by a factor of 10–20. Conclusions. By designing efficient preconditioners in a physics-based context, it is possible to significantly improve the convergence of iterative processes, obtaining fast and accurate numerical solutions to the considered problems. The presented approach is general, requiring only the selection of an appropriate lightweight model, and can be applied to a larger class of radiative transfer problems in combination with arbitrary iterative procedures.

Analyzing the health implications of rising income inequality: What does the data say?

AbstractDoes income inequality worsen a country's health outcomes? In this study, we examine the effect of income inequality and redistribution on health outcomes using a panel dataset for a global sample of 154 countries from 1990 to 2020, and the instrumental variable method. The evidence from the empirical analyses revealed that, on average, higher income inequality is associated with poor health outcomes. On the other hand, this study documented that, on average, countries with higher income redistribution have better health outcomes. From regional analyses, we documented that income inequality strongly worsens health outcomes in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, sub‐Saharan Africa and the Caribbean and Latin America. We found that education, environmental pollution, health expenditure and GDP per capita are the potential channels through which income inequality affects health outcomes. The findings established in this study suggest that a political environment that supports better income distribution would lead to better health outcomes.

The redistributive effects of size-dependent childcare policies

Governments often adopt policies to reduce the cost of childcare for working families, but those can distort the allocation of resources. We develop and calibrate a general equilibrium model with firm and household heterogeneity and study the case of Chile, where firms with more than 19 female employees must provide childcare. We find that removing this policy would increase welfare on average by 2.3% of consumption equivalent units over their lifetime. However, the removal would not translate into increases in GDP, in part because of a reduced labor supply. Instead, the main effects of the policy are redistributive, shifting resources away from females towards males. The policy reduces welfare for most females, and these losses are decreasing in income. In particular, low-education single females, who do not rely on a second wage, would gain up to 20% in consumption equivalent units by removing the policy. We propose that alternative childcare financing options would be preferred. Specifically, financing childcare through labor taxes would increase aggregate welfare by over 13%, with the largest gains accruing to single, low-education mothers.