Flex cars and the alcohol price

We build a model that incorporates the effect of the innovative ""flex"" car, an automobile that is able to run with either gasoline or alcohol, on the dynamics of fuel prices in Brazil. Our model shows that differences regarding fuel prices will now depend on the proportions of alcohol, gasoline and flex cars in the total stock. Conversely, the demand for each type of car will also depend on the expected future prices of alcohol and gasoline (in addition to the car prices). The model reflects our findings that energy prices are tied in the long run and that causality runs stronger from gasoline to alcohol. The estimated error correction parameter is stable, implying that the speed of adjustment towards equilibrium remains unchanged. The latter result is probably due to a still small fraction of flex cars in the total stock (approx. 5%), despite the fact that its sales nearly reached 100% in 2006. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The higher-level phylogeny of Archosauria (Tetrapoda: Diapsida)

Crown group Archosauria, which includes birds, dinosaurs, crocodylomorphs, and several extinct Mesozoic groups, is a primary division of the vertebrate tree of life. However, the higher-level phylogenetic relationships within Archosauria are poorly resolved and controversial, despite years of study. The phylogeny of crocodile-line archosaurs (Crurotarsi) is particularly contentious, and has been plagued by problematic taxon and character sampling. Recent discoveries and renewed focus on archosaur anatomy enable the compilation of a new dataset, which assimilates and standardizes character data pertinent to higher-level archosaur phylogeny, and is scored across the largest group of taxa yet analysed. This dataset includes 47 new characters (25% of total) and eight taxa that have yet to be included in an analysis, and total taxonomic sampling is more than twice that of any previous study. This analysis produces a well-resolved phylogeny, which recovers mostly traditional relationships within Avemetatarsalia, places Phytosauria as a basal crurotarsan clade, finds a close relationship between Aetosauria and Crocodylomorpha, and recovers a monophyletic Rauisuchia comprised of two major subclades. Support values are low, suggesting rampant homoplasy and missing data within Archosauria, but the phylogeny is highly congruent with stratigraphy. Comparison with alternative analyses identifies numerous scoring differences, but indicates that character sampling is the main source of incongruence. The phylogeny implies major missing lineages in the Early Triassic and may support a Carnian-Norian extinction event.

Auction price anomalies: Evidence from wool auctions in Australia

Using detailed Australian wool auction data we test for further evidence of pricing anomalies at sequential auctions. We find that an anomaly frequently exists and order is frequently endogenously determined. Moreover, prices increase through some sales and decrease through others. We examine whether it is possible to explain the variation in the anomaly across sales and conclude that there is no systematic relationship between the direction of the price anomaly and the characteristics of the wool or the auction. We do, however, find evidence that an anomaly, is more likely in longer sales.

Reserve price commitments in auctions

It is well known that the optimal auction-one that maximizes the seller's expected revenue-can be implemented using a standard auction format with a suitably chosen reserve price. This reserve price is above the seller's value of retaining the object and the mechanism requires a commitment not to sell the object below the reserve. This commitment is what makes the reserve valuable to the seller. However, in practice, a reserve price commits the seller to sell the object if the reserve is reached, but does not commit her to withhold the object from sale if bidding falls short of the reserve. In this note we investigate whether reserve prices remain valuable for the seller when she may negotiate with the highest bidder if the reserve is not met. We show that the value of the reserve price may be completely undermined if the seller is a sufficiently weak bargainer. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extracellular serotonin level in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala and dorsal periaqueductal gray under unconditioned and conditioned fear states: An in vivo microdialysis study

Serotonin (5-HT) plays a key role in the neural circuitry mediating unconditioned and conditioned fear responses related to panic and generalized anxiety disorders. The basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA) and the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) appear to be mainly involved in these conditions. The aim of this study was to measure the extracellular level of 5-HT and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the BLA and dPAG during unconditioned and conditioned fear states using in vivo microdialysis procedure. Thus, for the unconditioned fear test, animals were chemically stimulated in the dPAG with semicarbazide, an inhibitor of the gamma-aminobutyric acid-synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase. For the conditioned fear test, animals were subjected to a contextual conditioned fear paradigm using electrical footshock as the unconditioned stimulus. The results show that the 5-HT and 5-HIAA level in the BLA and dPAG did not change during unconditioned fear, whereas 5-HT concentration, but not 5-HIAA concentration, increased in these brain areas during conditioned fear. The present study showed that the 5-HT system was activated during conditioned fear, whereas it remained unchanged during unconditioned fear, supporting the hypothesis that 5-HT has distinct roles in conditioned and unconditioned fear (dual role of 5-HT in anxiety disorders). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mammography screening participation: effects of a media campaign targeting Italian-speaking women

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of a radio and newspaper campaign encouraging Italian-speaking women aged 50-69 years to attend a population-based mammography screening program. Methods: A series of radio scripts and newspaper advertisements ran weekly in the Italian-language media over two, four-week periods. Monthly mammography screens were analysed to determine if numbers of Italian-speaking women in the program increased during the two campaign periods, using interrupted time series regression analysis. A survey of Italian-speaking women attending BreastScreen NSW during the campaign period (n=240) investigated whether individuals had heard or seen the advertisements. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the number of initial or subsequent mammograms in Italian-speaking women between the campaign periods and the period prior to (or after) the campaign. Twenty per cent of respondents cited the Italian media campaign as a prompt to attend. Fifty per cent had heard the radio ad and 30% had seen the newspaper ad encouraging Italian-speaking women to attend BSNSW. The most common prompt to attend was the BSNSW invitation letter, followed by information or recommendation from a GP. Conclusion: Radio and newspaper advertisements developed for the Italian community did not significantly increase attendance to BSNSW. Implications: Measures of program effectiveness based on self-report may not correspond to aggregate screening behaviour. The development of the media campaign in conjunction with the Italian community, and the provision of appropriate levels of resourcing, did not ensure the media campaign's success.

Targeting Antigen-loaded Liposomes to Myeloid Antigen Presenting Cells

Objective: To target antigen-loaded liposomes to myeloid APC in vivo for immunotherapy and to manipulate immune function through liposome composition. Method: Liposomes were loaded with ovalbumin, the lipophilic red fluorescent marker, DiI, with or without QuilA adjuvant then injected either i.v. or s.c. to naı¨ ve C57Bl/6 mice. Spleen, liver and draining LN were stained with MHC class II and various myeloid markers to determine the uptake of liposomes. Frozen sections of spleen and draining LN were stained with FITC-labeled mAb to determine which cells take up the liposomes. To determine the effect on OVA-specific T cell responses, liposomes were administered to Balb/c mice which received DO11.10 OVAspecific TCR transgenic T cells labelled with CFSE. Results: The DiI fluorescence was visualized in MHC class II+ macrophages and DC in draining lymph nodes after s.c. injection and in spleen and liver after i.v injection. Immunofluorescence microscopy shows liposome uptake in marginal zone macrophages and some DC in the T cell areas of the spleen after i.v. injection. Administration of ova-liposomes with or without QuilA stimulated a specific T cell response as measured by CFSE dilution. Conclusion: APC of liver, spleen and LN, and subsequent antigen presentation to T cells can be targeted for immunotherapy by the administration of liposomes encapsulating antigen and adjuvant. Varying the composition and routes of liposome administration is expected to alter the function of the targeted APC and the T cell response.

Novel Treatment Immediately after Myelomeningocele Repair Applying Low-Level Laser Therapy in Newborns: A Pilot Study

Background/Aims: The use of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in neurosurgery is still hardly disseminated and there are situations in which the effects of this therapeutic tool would be extremely relevant in this medical field. The aim of the present study is to analyze the effect of LLLT on tissue repair after the corrective surgical incision in neonates with myelomeningocele, in an attempt to diminish the incidence of postoperative dehiscences following surgical repair performed immediately after birth. Materials and Methods: Prospective pilot study with 13 patients submitted to surgery at birth who received adjuvant treatment with LLLT (group A). A diode laser CW, lambda = 685 nm, p = 21 mW, was applied punctually along the surgical incision, with 0.19 J delivered per point, accounting for a total of 4-10 J delivered energy per patient, according to the surgical wound area and then compared with the results obtained in 23 patients who underwent surgery without laser therapy (group B). Results: This pilot study disclosed a significant decline in dehiscences of the surgical wounds in neonates who were submitted to LLLT (7.69 vs. 17.39%). Conclusion: This new adjuvant therapeutic modality with LLLT aided the healing of surgical wounds, preventing morbidities, as well as shortening the period of hospital stay, which implies a reduction of costs for patients and for the institution. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel

Price regulation in Australia: How consistent has it been?

We assemble a database consisting of 52 regulatory decisions made by seven different regulators across five different industries. We examine how the proportion of firms' revenue requirements that were disallowed by the regulator vary by regulator, industry and time. Despite the differences in the implementation of price regulation across industries and across jurisdictions in Australia, outcomes are surprisingly consistent. For example, we show that it is not possible to reject the hypothesis that the regulators outcomes in South Australia, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria are similar despite the different regulatory approaches undertaken in these jurisdictions.

Serum Ferritin Level Remains a Reliable Marker of Bone Marrow Iron Stores Evaluated by Histomorphometry in Hemodialysis Patients

Background and objectives: As well as being a marker of body iron stores, serum ferritin (sFerritin) has also been shown to be a marker of inflammation in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of this study was to analyze whether sFerritin is a reliable marker of the iron stores present in bone marrow of HD patients. Design: Histomorphometric analysis of stored transiliac bone biopsies was used to assess iron stores by determining the number of iron-stained cells per square millimeter of bone marrow. Results: In 96 patients, the laboratory parameters were hemoglobin = 11.3 +/- 1.6 g/dl, hematocrit = 34.3 +/- 5%, sFerritin 609 +/- 305 ng/ml, transferrin saturation = 32.7 +/- 22.5%, and C-reactive protein (CRP) = 0.9 +/- 1.4 mg/dl. sFerritin correlated significantly with CRP, bone marrow iron, and time on HD treatment W = 0.006, 0.001, and 0.048, respectively). The independent determinants of sFerritin were CRP (beta-coef = 0.26; 95% CI = 24.6 to 132.3) and bone marrow iron (beta-coef = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.54 to 2.09). Bone marrow iron was higher in patients with sFerritin >500 ng/ml than in those with sFerritin :5500 ng/ml. In the group of patients with sFerritin :5500 ng/ml, the independent determinant of sFerritin was bone marrow iron (beta-coef = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.48 to 1.78), but in the group of patients with sFerritin >500 ng/ml, no independent determinant of sFerritin was found. Conclusions: sFerritin adequately reflects iron stores in bone marrow of HD patients.

Long-term safety and efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting and coronary artery bypass surgery for multivessel coronary artery disease - A meta-analysis with 5-year patient-level data from the ARTS, ERACI-II, MASS-II, and SoS trials

Background-Randomized trials that studied clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare metal stenting versus coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are underpowered to properly assess safety end points like death, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Pooling data from randomized controlled trials increases the statistical power and allows better assessment of the treatment effect in high-risk subgroups. Methods and Results-We performed a pooled analysis of 3051 patients in 4 randomized trials evaluating the relative safety and efficacy of PCI with stenting and CABG at 5 years for the treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease. The primary end point was the composite end point of death, stroke, or myocardial infarction. The secondary end point was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular accidents, death, stroke, myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization. We tested for heterogeneities in treatment effect in patient subgroups. At 5 years, the cumulative incidence of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke was similar in patients randomized to PCI with stenting versus CABG (16.7% versus 16.9%, respectively; hazard ratio, 1.04, 95% confidence interval, 0.86 to 1.27; P = 0.69). Repeat revascularization, however, occurred significantly more frequently after PCI than CABG (29.0% versus 7.9%, respectively; hazard ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.18 to 0.29; P<0.001). Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were significantly higher in the PCI than the CABG group (39.2% versus 23.0%, respectively; hazard ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.45 to 0.61; P<0.001). No heterogeneity of treatment effect was found in the subgroups, including diabetic patients and those presenting with 3-vessel disease. Conclusions-In this pooled analysis of 4 randomized trials, PCI with stenting was associated with a long-term safety profile similar to that of CABG. However, as a result of persistently lower repeat revascularization rates in the CABG patients, overall major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event rates were significantly lower in the CABG group at 5 years.