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The paper empirically examines the effects of trade liberalization on undernourishment and income inequality in South Asian countries (SACs). For empirical analysis data is collected for the period 1972-2013 for five South Asian countries which include Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Panel fixed effect technique is used to estimate the model. The estimated results reveal that undernourishment has decreased while income inequality has increased in the region after liberalization. Economic development has reduced both undernourishment and income inequality. The results also endorse the role of agriculture factors in reducing undernourishment and the role of education, urban bias, and political democratization in reducing income inequality in SACs. These results are robust to alternative equation specifications and openness measures. The results provide some important policy implications. It is suggested that South Asian countries have to cope with the problem of malnourishment with high agriculture development and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper empirically examines the effects of trade liberalization reforms on food security in South Asia countries (SACS) using econometric analysis in a panel framework for the period from 1972 to 2013. The estimated results indicate that trade liberalization has a significant positive effect on food production and food security in the region. The results also endorse the role of agriculture factors in improving food production and food security in sacs. The findings indicate that food security is mainly a political problem in South Asia. Solving conflicts politically, violence prevention, the reduction of international arms trade, and the reduction of military expenditures and protection of civil and political rights should be central to policies that address food security issue in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An LC- MS/ MS method developed for simultaneous analysis of 54 veterinary drug residues of six families in pork meat samples, including sulfanilamide, nitroimidazoles, quinolones, macrolide antibiotics, lincosamides, and praziquantel. The pork meat sample was prepared by extraction with ACN, and clean-up on a C18 SPE cartridge. The sample was separated on a C8 column and eluted with ACN, methanol, and formic acid. The MS/ MS detector is operated in the multiple reaction monitoring mode, acquiring two specific precursor-product ion transitions per target compound. The method showed excellent linearity ( R2 ≥ 0.99) and high precision (relative SD, RSD ≤ 19.8%) for all compounds. The method quantification limits of 54 veterinary drug residues were in the range of 0.3-3.0 μg/kg. Recoveries for most analytes based on matrix-matched calibration in matrices were 20.9-121.0%. This method has been successfully applied for analysis of more than 100 pork meat samples from the local market; five of the 54 drugs were detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work reports a new sensitive multi-residue liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for detection, confirmation and quantification of six neonicotinoid pesticides (dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, clothiandin, imidacloprid, acetamiprid and thiacloprid) in agricultural samples (chestnut, shallot, ginger and tea). Activated carbon and HLB solid-phase extraction cartridges were used for cleaning up the extracts. Analysis is performed by LC–MS/MS operated in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, acquiring two specific precursor-product ion transitions per target compound. Quantification was carried by the internal standard method with D4-labeled imidacloprid. The method showed excellent linearity (R 2 ≥0.9991) and precision (relative standard deviation, RSD≤8.6%) for all compounds. Limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.01mgkg−1 for chestnut, shallot, ginger sample and 0.02mgkg−1 for tea sample. The average recoveries, measured at three concentrations levels (0.01mgkg−1, 0.02mgkg−1 and 0.1mgkg−1 for chestnut, shallot, ginger sample, 0.02mgkg−1, 0.04mgkg−1 and 0.2mgkg−1 for tea sample), were in the range 82.1–108.5%. The method was satisfactorily validated for the analysis of 150 agricultural samples (chestnut, shallot, ginger and tea). Imidacloprid and acetamiprid were detected at concentration levels ranging from 0.05 to 3.6mgkg−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]