An auction theoretical approach to fiscal wars

I examine a situation where a firm chooses to locate a new factory in one of several jurisdictions. The value of the factory may differ among jurisdictions and it depends on the private information held by each jurisdiction. Jurisdictions compete for the location of the new factory. This competition may take the form of expenditures already incurred on infrastructure, commitments to spend on infrastructure, tax incentives or even cash payments. The model combines two elements that are usually considered separately; competition is desirable because we want the factory to be located in the jurisdiction that values it the most, but competition in itself is wasteful. I show that the expected total amount paid to the firm under a large family of arrangements is the same. Moreover, I show that the ex-ante optimal mechanism that is, the mechanism that guarantees that the firm chooses the jurisdiction with the highest value for the factory, minimizes the total expected payment to the firm, and balances the budget in an ex-ante sense - can be implemented by running a standard auction and subsidizing participation.

Sequence analysis, chromosomal distribution and long-range organization show that rapid turnover of new and old pBuM satellite DNA repeats leads to different patterns of variation in seven species of the Drosophila buzzatii cluster

We aimed to study patterns of variation and factors influencing the evolutionary dynamics of a satellite DNA, pBuM, in all seven Drosophila species from the buzzatii cluster (repleta group). We analyzed 117 alpha pBuM-1 (monomer length 190 bp) and 119 composite alpha/beta (370 bp) pBuM-2 repeats and determined the chromosome location and long-range organization on DNA fibers of major sequence variants. Such combined methodologies in the study of satDNAs have been used in very few organisms. In most species, concerted evolution is linked to high copy number of pBuM repeats. Species presenting low-abundance and scattered distributed pBuM repeats did not undergo concerted evolution and maintained part of the ancestral inter-repeat variability. The alpha and alpha/beta repeats colocalized in heterochromatic regions and were distributed on multiple chromosomes, with notable differences between species. High-resolution FISH revealed array sizes of a few kilobases to over 0.7 Mb and mutual arrangements of alpha and alpha/beta repeats along the same DNA fibers, but with considerable changes in the amount of each variant across species. From sequence, chromosomal and phylogenetic data, we could infer that homogenization and amplification events involved both new and ancestral pBuM variants. Altogether, the data on the structure and organization of the pBuM satDNA give insights into genome evolution including mechanisms that contribute to concerted evolution and diversification.

Cost-effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for major depression in children and adolescents

Objective: To assess from a health sector perspective the incremental cost-effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in children and adolescents, compared to 'current practice'. Method: The health benefit is measured as a reduction in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), based on effect size calculations from meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. An assessment on second stage filter criteria ('equity'; 'strength of evidence', 'feasibility' and 'acceptability to stakeholders') is also undertaken to incorporate additional factors that impact on resource allocation decisions. Costs and benefits are tracked for the duration of a new episode of MDD arising in eligible children (age 6-17 years) in the Australian population in the year 2000. Simulation-modelling techniques are used to present a 95% uncertainty interval (UI) around the cost-effectiveness ratios. Results: Compared to current practice, CBT by public psychologists is the most cost-effective intervention for MDD in children and adolescents at A$9000 per DALY saved (95% UI A$3900 to A$24 000). SSRIs and CBT by other providers are less cost-effective but likely to be less than A$50 000 per DALY saved (> 80% chance). CBT is more effective than SSRIs in children and adolescents, resulting in a greater total health benefit (DALYs saved) than could be achieved with SSRIs. Issues that require attention for the CBT intervention include equity concerns, ensuring an adequate workforce, funding arrangements and acceptability to various stakeholders. Conclusions: Cognitive behavioural therapy provided by a public psychologist is the most effective and cost-effective option for the first-line treatment of MDD in children and adolescents. However, this option is not currently accessible by all patients and will require change in policy to allow more widespread uptake. It will also require 'start-up' costs and attention to ensuring an adequate workforce.

Relationships between pet ownership and health: Asking questions and passing criticisms

The literature examining purported relationships between ownership of companion animals and health is extremely heterogeneous. While much of the descriptive literature tends to support benefits of animal companionship, large scale, controlled research yields inconsistent and even contradictory findings on several issues, including associations with cardiovascular disease, mood and wellbeing. In an analysis of a large longitudinal data-set from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, a prospective study of a nationally representative sample of more than 12,000 older women, difficulties with disentangling the effects of powerful demographic variables and age-related factors from the specific effects of pet ownership became apparent. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses demonstrated that associations between mental and physical health and pet ownership as well as changes in pet ownership over time were weak and inconsistent compared to the large effects of living arrangements and other demographic variables. As sociodemographic variables relate strongly to both health and opportunities for pet ownership, this high level of confounding means it is unlikely that the impact of the specific variable of pet ownership on health can be ascertained from such studies. Rather, well-designed experimental studies, wherein the majority of such confounding variables can be held constant or at least somewhat controlled, are needed.

Response to Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm - Screening reduces deaths related to aneurysm

Editor—We reported the study in a transparent fashion and were deliberately cautious in our conclusions. Australia and the United Kingdom are very different with regard to arrangements for primary care, which did not permit us to undertake a preliminary assessment of the eligibility of men for screening before we randomised them and issued half invitations to attend for the ultrasound examination.

Assessment of the differential linear coherent scattering coefficient of biological samples

New differential linear coherent scattering coefficient, mu(CS), data for four biological tissue types (fat pork, tendon chicken, adipose and fibroglandular human breast tissues) covering a large momentum transfer interval (0.07 <= q <= 70.5 nm(-1)), resulted from combining WAXS and SAXS data, are presented in order to emphasize the need to update the default data-base by including the molecular interference and the large-scale arrangements effect. The results showed that the differential linear coherent scattering coefficient demonstrates influence of the large-scale arrangement, mainly due to collagen fibrils for tendon chicken and fibroglandular breast samples, and triacylglycerides for fat pork and adipose breast samples at low momentum transfer region. While, at high momentum transfer, the mu(CS) reflects effects of molecular interference related to water for tendon chicken and fibroglandular samples and, fatty acids for fat pork and adipose samples. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Macrocycle formation through carbon acid-formaldehyde condensation reactions of bis(propane-1,2-diamine)- and bis (2-methylpropane-1,2-diamine)-copper(II) ions

The reaction of the bis(1,2-diamine) copper(II) complexes of racemic propane-1,2-diamine (pn) and 2-methylpropane-1,2-diamine (dmen) with formaldehyde and nitroethane in methanol under basic conditions yields minor macrocyclic condensation products in addition to the major acyclic products. Where C-pendant methyl groups on the pair of coordinated diamines are in cis dispositions, the first -NH-CH2-C(CH3)(NO2)-CH2-NH- ring formation occurs at amine pairs distant from these C-methyl substituents, and further reaction to yield a macrocycle is not observed. However, where the C-methyl substituents are in trans dispositions, the chemistry proceeds to yield the macrocycle. Commencing with pn, trans-(6,13-diammonio-2,6,9,13-tetramethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclotetradecane)copper(II) perchlorate formed and crystallized in the space group P2(1)/n, with a 9.782(2), b 9.2794(6), c 17.017(4) Angstrom, beta 103.24(1)degrees. The copper ion is found in a square-planar environment, with the two methyl groups of the pn residues and the pairs of introduced pendant groups all in trans arrangements.

Family context and duration of untreated psychosis (DUP): Results from the Sao Paulo Study

Background: Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) depends on several factors, including socio-demographic, socioeconomic, clinical and contextual circumstances, such as availability of mental health services. Living arrangements may also play a role, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where most people who develop psychosis live with their relatives. Methods: Population-based study of first-episode psychosis in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Participants were aged 18-64 years, lived in a defined geographic area of the city and had a first contact in life with mental health services due to a psychotic episode. Duration of untreated psychosis was defined as the period between onset of first psychotic symptom and first contact with health service due to psychosis. The median DUP was used to classify participants into short and long DUP. Psychopathology, social adjustment and psychiatric diagnoses were made with standardized assessments. Type of service sought and living arrangements were examined. Results: Two hundred participants were included (52% women, 61% non-affective psychoses). The median DUP was 4.1 weeks (inter-quartile range: 1.9-11.4), and was shorter for affective psychoses. Most participants had their first contact with psychiatric emergency services. Those who did not live with a relative (children older than 18 years, parents, partner) were more likely to present long DUP (OR: 2.63; 95%Cl: 0.98-7.04); p = 0.05). Conclusion: The DUP in Sao Paulo was shorter than expected. Living arrangements may play an important role in shortening the DUP in urban centres of low- and middle income countries that have a network of mental health services. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The use of strategic visioning to enhance local tourism planning in periphery communities

Tourism has had a profound impact upon destinations worldwide, and although this impact has been positive for many destinations, there are numerous examples where tourism has adversely impacted upon the environment and social fabric of the destination community (Coccossis 1996; Murphy 1985). The negative impacts of tourism have been attributed, among other things, to inadequate or non-existent planning for development (Gunn 1994; Hall2000). This has led to increased calls for tourism planning to offset some of the negative impacts that tourism can have on the destination community. While a number of approaches have been advocated, a collaborative philosophy, based on the principles of sustainability, is more likely to result in acceptable and successful policies and programmes for tourism destinations (Farrell1986; Jamal & Getz 1995; Maitland 2002; Minca & Getz 1995). Such an approach focuses on cooperation and broader based participation in tourism planning and decision-making between stakeholders to lead to agreement on planning directions and goals, with one of the primary objectives of collaborative arrangements being to develop a strategic vision for a destination (Bramwell & Lane 2000). [Extract from introduction]