Comparative advantage of anti-Mullerian hormone over other ovarian reserve metric (basal hormonal test) in prediction of fertility in women with varying menstrual cycle

Objective: Anti-Mullerian hormone has been indicated as a novel biomarker for ovarian reserve assessment. This study aimed to determine the comparative advantage of serum levels of AMH, FSH, LH, E2, and LH/FSH ratio among women with varying menstrual cycles and duration of menstruation. Material and Method: A total of 90 subjects, which consisted of sixty subjects and thirty healthy subjects as control, were recruited. Blood samples were collected on day 3 of the menstrual cycle and evaluated for ovarian markers using the ELISA technique. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Results: AMH and LH/FSH levels were lower in women with varying menstrual cycles than in the control group. FSH, LH, and E2 levels were significantly higher in women with varying menstrual cycles and flow duration than in the control group(P<0.05). AMH was negatively correlated with age (r= -0.72), BMI( r= -0.4), FSH(r= - 0.3), LH(r = -0.2) (p<0.05) and E2(r= -0.2, p>0.05). Also age was positively correlated with FSH(r=0.5,p<0.05), E2(r=0.3, p<0.05) and BMI(r=0.4, p<0.05). The level of AMH was not significant with cycle length and days of flow(p>0.05). This implies that AMH can be measured independently of the cycle phase. This show that AMH was lower in women with varying menstrual cycle with an increase in gonadotrophin and E2. The strong negative relationship between age and AMH implies that age is determining factor of ovarian reserve. Conclusion: AMH combined with age and FSH may improve ovarian reserve evaluation, making AMH a better marker

Analysis of Serbian Production and Export of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

The emphasis of the research in this chapter was put on the analysis of production and export/import of MAP (Medical and aromatic plants) from Serbia. After reading this chapter, readers will find out that the production of MAP in a long time period has been steady, although has been present fluctuations per years. They will know that indigenous and cultivated MAPs are equally present on the market, and will notice that they are equally present in export as well, i.e. that there is no such register. They will be familiar with the positive effects of planned production and the significance of scientific and technological achievements implementation. Readers will be able to recognize the dynamics of changes in export and import of MAP. They will find out which products are the most significant in export and import and will notice the connection between the export structure of MAP sector and earned value - foreign exchange inflow. They will be able to understand the character of exchange, value of export/import and the comparative advantage of export. Readers will be especially familiar with experiences and recommendations of other authors on the development of MAP sector and directives of authors for deepening the research within this chapter. They will know the connection between a low foreign exchange inflow and types of products in export and will understand the need for new organization models and education of manufacturers.

Comparative analysis of the competitiveness of Beninese and Brazilian cotton exports in international trade from 2006 to 2018

This study aims to analyze the competitiveness and orientation of Brazilian and Beninese cotton exports in international trade from 2006 to 2018. The cotton category in this article refers to “neither carded nor combed” (HS: 5201). To measure competitiveness, we chose to calculate the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index (RCAI) and Symmetric Revealed Comparative Advantage Index (SRCAI), proposed by Balassa (1965) and Laursen (1998) respectively. The Regional Orientation Index (ROI), proposed by Yeats (1997), of cotton for Asia and EU-28 is used. The data were collected from the International Trade Center (ITC) /Trade Map and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The results found indicate that the Brazilian’s and Beninese’s cotton has been increasing values and above the unit showing its competitiveness in the international market. In addition, Benin was more competitive than Brazil because it has, on average, a higher SRCAI than Brazil (0.99 and 0.7 respectively). Concerning the ROI, it was found that Brazilian and Beninese cotton exports are strongly directed towards Asia, the main consumer market for Beninese and Brazilian cotton. As for the EU-28, both Benin and Brazil do not direct their cotton sales to this economic block.

Circular Economy for Plastics and Digitally Enabled Community Towards ASEAN Halal Hub in Asia

This chapter highlights the significant economic opportunities from the implementation of the circular economy paradigm for plastics as a requirement for halal industry in the ASEAN region. If this can be realized, the ASEAN halal industry will have a comparative advantage that will all at once leads radically in reducing plastic pollution in halal market. ASEAN has opportunities for influencing the value to halal market in Asia. All the more, Asia also has opportunities for influencing the value to halal market around the world. With support from the digitally enabled community, this circular economy best practice may spread and influence another region or another industry in Asia. This not only opens up opportunities of ASEAN for leading a halal hub in Asia, but it can also be encouraging the collaboration between community groups, businesses, industry, local and national governments, international donors, and world-class experts seeking meaningful actions to defeat plastic pollution.

Knowledge Diffusion, Trade, and Innovation across Countries and Sectors

This paper provides a unified framework for quantifying the cross-country and cross-sector interactions among trade, innovation, and knowledge diffusion. This framework is used to study the effect of trade liberalization in an endogenous growth model in which comparative advantage and the stock of knowledge are determined by innovation and diffusion. The model is calibrated to match observed cross-country and cross-sector heterogeneity in production, innovation efficiency, and knowledge spillovers. The counterfactual analysis shows that a reduction in trade costs induces a reallocation of R&D and comparative advantage across sectors. Heterogeneous knowledge diffusion amplifies the specialization effects of trade-induced R&D reallocation, becoming an important source of welfare. (JEL F12, F14, O33, O34, O41)

VIRTUAL WATER POTENTIAL OF SELECTED COMMODITIES IN CO-OPERATION OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC WITH COUNTRIES OF THE WESTERN BALKANS

Our paper rests on two fundamentals: firstly, the EU's initiative to deepen cooperation with and the prospect of its enlargement to the Western Balkans region; and, secondly, the urgency to address sustainable development issues in the international environment. As the virtual water perspective represents an innovative approach in the field of sustainable development, the aim of our paper is to analyse trade-related characteristics based on the water footprint concept (complementary to the alternative RCA/RTA indexes designed to calculate a country's comparative advantage or disadvantage). In our paper, we analyse and evaluate selected commodities traded by the Slovak Republic and the Western Balkans countries in terms of the absolute/comparative advantage related to the national water footprints.

Investigating the Export Competitiveness of Indonesian Automobile in the Middle-East Countries

Since the automobile is one of Indonesia’s value-added commodities with the highest export potency, this paper attempts to investigate the competitiveness of Indonesian automobile in the Middle-east countries by employing the RSCA index and the EPD. The RSCA indices from the selected Middle-east countries reveal that the Indonesian automobile has a comparative advantage in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, SA, and the UAE while Egypt and Jordan show a comparative disadvantage. The export competitiveness stability has medium to extreme fluctuations, particularly in Lebanon and the UAE, and shows an increasing trend only in Jordan and Qatar. The EPD matrix displays that Indonesia has Rising Star positions in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, and SA. While Falling Star positions are shown in Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE. Indonesia should focus on SUV export development since this model has the highest demand in the Middle-east countries.

Analysis of the Differences in OCOP Products between Thanh Hoa Province and Nghe an Province

This research analyzes the differences in OCOP products between Thanh Hoa province and Nghe An province, Vietnam. OCOP products are analyzed based on three aspects: Product mean score (Product level), Structure of product type, and Structure of product region. The analysis sample includes 115 OCOP products from 3 to 5 stars in each province (230 products in total). Research results are confirmed that there are some differences in OCOP Products between Thanh Hoa province and Nghe An Province. Whereby, there is the difference in the mean score, the difference in the structure of product type, and the difference in the structure of product region. These results help the authorities in both provinces to have appropriate policies and support tools to develop local OCOP products by the goals and orientations of each locality to commercialize strongly rural products that have their comparative advantage.

Pakistan’s Exports and Global Economy: Export Competitiveness and Efficiency of Toys and Games

The aim of this study is to examine the export performance and competitiveness of Pakistan's toy exports by using different indices of revealed comparative advantage. The data were looked at from the International Trade Centre (ITC) for Pakistan’s toys exports during 2004-2020. The results of this study show that Pakistan enjoyed a comparative advantage in exporting toys to the world market during 2004-2020, because the RCA index is greater than 1. The positive values of RSCA and LnRCA indicate that Pakistan had a CA in the concerned sector during 2004-2020. The study also observed that Pakistan had a competitive advantage by employing Vollrath index (RCA#). In addition, the revealed competitiveness index (RC) indicates that Pakistan experienced competitiveness in the toy export sector. The RMA index shows that Pakistan also enjoyed a comparative advantage in the imports of toys during 2004-2020. This means that Pakistan also imports these products from other economies of the world. The index of RTA describes that Pakistan had a net comparative advantage in this sector during analysis. TBI illustrates that Pakistan is the net-exporter in the toys and games sector in the global economy. Pakistan's toy manufacturers need to find new innovative and technologically advanced methods to stimulate domestic toy production and exports.