Balanced Budget Government Spending in a Small Open Regional Economy

This paper investigates the impact of a balanced budget fiscal policy expansion in a regional context within a numerical dynamic general equilibrium model. We take Scotland as an example where, recently, there has been extensive debate on greater fiscal autonomy. In response to a balanced budget fiscal expansion the model suggests that: an increase in current government purchase in goods and services has negative multiplier effects only if the elasticity of substitution between private and public consumption is high enough to move downward the marginal utility of private consumers; public capital expenditure crowds in consumption and investment even with a high level of congestion; but crowding out effects might arise in the short-run if agents are myopic.

Fine structural variations of alphabetaTCRs selected by vaccination with natural versus altered self-antigen in melanoma patients.

Immunotherapy of cancer is often performed with altered "analog" peptide Ags optimized for HLA class I binding, resulting in enhanced immunogenicity, but the induced T cell responses require further evaluation. Recently, we demonstrated fine specificity differences and enhanced recognition of naturally presented Ag by T cells after vaccination with natural Melan-A/MART-1 peptide, as compared with analog peptide. In this study, we compared the TCR primary structures of 1489 HLA-A*0201/Melan-A(26-35)-specific CD8 T cells derived from both cohorts of patients. Although a strong preference for TRAV12-2 segment usage was present in nearly all patients, usage of particular TRAJ gene segments and CDR3alpha composition differed slightly after vaccination with natural vs analog peptide. Moreover, TCR beta-chain repertoires were broader after natural than analog peptide vaccination. In all patients, we observed a marked conservation of the CDR3beta amino acid composition with recurrent sequences centered on a glycyl-leucyl/valyl/alanyl-glycyl motif. In contrast to viral-specific TCR repertoires, such "public" motifs were primarily expressed by nondominant T cell clonotypes, which contrasted with "private" CDR3beta signatures frequently found in T cell clonotypes that dominated repertoires of individual patients. Interestingly, no differences in functional avidity were observed between public and private T cell clonotypes. Collectively, our data indicate that T cell repertoires generated against natural or analog Melan-A peptide exhibited slightly distinct but otherwise overlapping and structurally conserved TCR features, suggesting that the differences in binding affinity/avidity of TCRs toward pMHC observed in the two cohorts of patients are caused by subtle structural TCR variations.

Comparison of the reproductive behavior between isolated Peckia chrysostoma (Wiedemann, 1830) and Adiscochaeta ingens (Walker, 1849) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) females reared in laboratory

In both species, maintained under laboratory environmental conditions, anautogeny was comproved and all females that had free access to proteic source were fertiles. We obtained the following average values for Peckiachrysostoma: 59.7 ± 15.6 and 81.8 ± 15.4 days of longevity in the respective cases of free access and no access to proteic source, 21.4 ± 4.3 days of pre-larviposition period and 35.2 ± 16.5 days of larviposition period, 5.3 ± 1.8 larvipositions female with 7.0 ± 1.1 days of periodicity, 35.7 ± 6.1 larvae per larviposition leading to a total number of 183.8 ± 69.2 viable larvae per female and 94.8% ± 5.3% of productivity. The mean number of ovarioles per female was 56.4 ± 9.8, resulting in a reproductive potential of 63.3%. For Adiscochaeta ingens, the obtained average values were: 41.3 ± 6.3 and 52 ± 13.1 days of longevity in the respective cases of free access and no access to proteic source, 15.3 ± 1.7 days of pre-larviposition period and 21.5 ± 7.5 days of larviposition period, 3 ± 0.7 larvipositions per female with 10.4 ± 0.8 days of periodicity, 30.3 ± 8.2 larvae per larviposition leading to a total number of 78.5 ± 21.7 viable larvae per female and 90.1% ± 16% of productivity. The mean number of ovarioles per female was 54.6 ± 5.2, resulting in a reproductive potential of 55.5%. Within applied parameters, the values obtained for P. chrysostoma demonstrate its superior productivity in comparison with A. ingens

Allergen-induced IgE-dependent gut inflammation in a human PBMC-engrafted murine model of allergy.

BACKGROUND: Humanized murine models comprise a new tool to analyze novel therapeutic strategies for allergic diseases of the intestine.¦OBJECTIVE: In this study we developed a human PBMC-engrafted murine model of allergen-driven gut inflammation and analyzed the underlying immunologic mechanisms.¦METHODS: Nonobese diabetic (NOD)-scid-γc(-/-) mice were injected intraperitoneally with human PBMCs from allergic donors together with the respective allergen or not. Three weeks later, mice were challenged with the allergen orally or rectally, and gut inflammation was monitored with a high-resolution video miniendoscopic system, as well as histologically.¦RESULTS: Using the aeroallergens birch or grass pollen as model allergens and, for some donors, also hazelnut allergen, we show that allergen-specific human IgE in murine sera and allergen-specific proliferation and cytokine production of human CD4(+) T cells recovered from spleens after 3 weeks could only be measured in mice treated with PBMCs plus allergen. Importantly, these mice had the highest endoscopic scores evaluating translucent structure, granularity, fibrin, vascularity, and stool after oral or rectal allergen challenge and a strong histologic inflammation of the colon. Analyzing the underlying mechanisms, we demonstrate that allergen-associated colitis was dependent on IgE, human IgE receptor-expressing effector cells, and the mediators histamine and platelet-activating factor.¦CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that allergic gut inflammation can be induced in human PBMC-engrafted mice, allowing the investigation of pathophysiologic mechanisms of allergic diseases of the intestine and evaluation of therapeutic interventions.

The Acts of Paul and the Canonical Acts : A Phenomenon of Rereading

(Abstract only in french) Une approche littéraire de l'intertextualité, à l'aide des catégories posées par G. Genette, permet de renouveler l'approche du rapport entre Actes de Paul et Actes canoniques. A la différence de la critique littéraire classique, qui ne repère pas de dépendance littéraire hors de similitudes verbales ou narratives, l'« hypertextualité » désigne un phénomène de relecture dans lequel un texte-source est recomposé et réinterprété au sein d'un écrit second. Grâce à cette catégorie, cette contribution rend compte du jeu dialectique de parenté et de divergence que l'on observe entre les Actes de Paul et les Actes de Luc. La recomposition de la biographie de Paul dans les Actes de Paul a usé de créativité, elle a puisé dans l'imaginaire chrétien, mais elle s'est aussi servie de traditions préservées dans la suivance de l'apôtre.

Diseño e implementación de un receptor GNSS multifrecuencia y multiconstelación

Este proyecto presenta el diseño, test y validación de una cabecera de recepción multiconstelación y multifrecuencia para Sistemas de Navegación Global por Satélite (GNSS). El receptor presentado ha sido diseñado para adquirir las bandas E5/L5 y E1/L1 de los sistemas Galileo y NAVSTAR-GPS. Para trasladar en frecuencia las dos bandas a la vez, se implementa un receptor con arquitectura superheterodina basado en un mezclador de rechazo a frecuencia imagen (IRM). Medidas de ambos sistemas han sido realizadas validando el correcto funcionamiento del receptor en la banda E1/L1. Para ello no sólo se han adquirido los satélites de la constelación GPS, sino que además se han adquirido con éxito los satélites GIOVE-A/B utilizados en la fase de validación en órbita del sistema europeo Galileo.

Proterodiplostome Parasites (Digenea, Proterodiplostomidae) of the Caiman, Caiman crocodilus yacare (Reptilia, Crocodylia) in the Pantanal mato-Grossense, Brazil, with the description of two new species

Two new species are described from the caiman. Caiman crocodilus yacare. Proterodiplostomum breve n. sp. differs from all other species in the genus by the following chacacteristics: (1) the paraprostate gland is shorter and club-shaped; (2) the genital cone is, in average, eight times longer than that of P. medusae; (3) the genital atrium is larger and without pseudosuckers; (4) the oral sucker and pharynx are longer; and (5) there are larger numbers of papillae surrounding the tribocytic organ (40) against 20 in P. longum, 16 in p. tumidilum, 8 in P. ophidum, and 16-18 in P. medusae. Proterodiplostomum globulare n. sp. differs from all the other species in the fenus by the following characteristics: (1) from P. tumidilum, P. lomgum, P. medusae, and P. breve n. sp. for the absense of pseudosuckers or muscular bunches in the inferior wall of the genital atrium; (2) the shape of the paraprostate gland, which is globular and not cylindrical as in P. longum, P. tumidilum, P. medusae, and P. ophidum; (3) the size of the tribocytic organ 201-407 long, 183-495 wide, while is 138-270 long, 102-292 wide in P. medusae, and 138-270 long, 255 wide in P. ophidum; (4) the number of papillae in the tribocytic organ (18-20) in P. globulare and 16-18 in P. medusae, and 8 in P. ophidum. Specimens belonging to six other species of proterodiplostomes are recorded for the first time infecting the caiman, C. c. yacare in the Pantanal Mato-grossense, Brazil, namely: Proterodiplostomum medusae, P. tumidilum, Cystodiplostomum hollyi, Prolecithodiplostomum constrictum, Paradiplostomum abbreviatum, and Herpetodiplostomum caimancola.

Taxes de reincidència 2008 de justícia juvenil: actualització de la taxa de reincidència dels joves sotmesos a mesures de llibertat vigilada i internament en centre

L’estudi actualitza les taxes de reincidència dels menors sotmesos a una mesura d’internament o de llibertat vigilada que van ser publicades a la recerca “La reincidència en el delicte en la justícia de menors” finalizada l’any 2005 i que van iniciar la sèrie. Aquest estudi ja és el quart del mateix tipus i en aquest cas segueix els joves que van finalitzar una mesura de llibertat vigilada i d’internament l’any 2005 i els segueix fins el 31 de desembre de 2008, per saber si han comès un nou delicte que hagi estat detectat per la Xarxa d’execució penal, tant de joves com d’adults. S’ha estudiat tota la població de joves desinternats de centres, que per l’any 2005 foren 183 subjectes. En el cas de llibertat vigilada del total de joves que finalitzaren mesura l’any 2005 (N=1.102), s’ha fet una mostra de 529 subjectes (interval de confiança:95,5%; marge d’error ±3,1; p=q=50). Els resultats en llibertat vigilada apunten a un manteniment en la taxa de reincidència aquest darrer any, desprès d’un descens perllongat al llarg dels tres anys anteriors. S’ha passat del 31,9% al 2005 al 22,0% el 2007 i al 23,0% el 2008. En canvi en internament la fluctuació de la taxa no dona diferències significatives tot i que al 2005 era del 62,8%, va augmentar al 66,9% el 2006, va baixar al 56,2% l’any 2007, i ha tornat a pujar al 62,3% l’any 2008. L’estudi permet comparar de forma seriada ja quatre anys d’evolució de la taxa de reincidència juvenil després de la posada en marxa de la Llei Orgànica 5/2000, de 12 de gener, reguladora de la responsabilitat penal dels menors (LORPM).

Vascular integrins: pleiotropic adhesion and signaling molecules in vascular homeostasis and angiogenesis.

New blood vessel formation, a process referred to as angiogenesis, is essential for embryonic development and for many physiological and pathological processes during postnatal life, including cancer progression. Endothelial cell adhesion molecules of the integrin family have emerged as critical mediators and regulators of angiogenesis and vascular homeostasis. Integrins provide the physical interaction with the extracellular matrix necessary for cell adhesion, migration and positioning, and induction of signaling events essential for cell survival, proliferation and differentiation. Antagonists of integrin alpha V beta 3 suppress angiogenesis in many experimental models and are currently tested in clinical trials for their therapeutic efficacy against angiogenesis-dependent diseases, including cancer. Furthermore, interfering with signaling pathways downstream of integrins results in suppression of angiogenesis and may have relevant therapeutic implications. In this article we review the role of integrins in endothelial cell function and angiogenesis. In the light of recent advances in the field, we will discuss their relevance as a therapeutic target to suppress tumor angiogenesis.

Recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I (rhIGF-I) for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease.

BACKGROUND: Recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I (rhIGF-I) is a possible disease modifying therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, which is also known as motor neuron disease (MND)). OBJECTIVES: To examine the efficacy of rhIGF-I in affecting disease progression, impact on measures of functional health status, prolonging survival and delaying the use of surrogates (tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation) to sustain survival in ALS. Occurrence of adverse events was also reviewed. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group Specialized Register (21 November 2011), CENTRAL (2011, Issue 4), MEDLINE (January 1966 to November 2011) and EMBASE (January 1980 to November 2011) and sought information from the authors of randomised clinical trials and manufacturers of rhIGF-I. SELECTION CRITERIA: We considered all randomised controlled clinical trials involving rhIGF-I treatment of adults with definite or probable ALS according to the El Escorial Criteria. The primary outcome measure was change in Appel Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Rating Scale (AALSRS) total score after nine months of treatment and secondary outcome measures were change in AALSRS at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 months, change in quality of life (Sickness Impact Profile scale), survival and adverse events. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Each author independently graded the risk of bias in the included studies. The lead author extracted data and the other authors checked them. We generated some missing data by making ruler measurements of data in published graphs. We collected data about adverse events from the included trials. MAIN RESULTS: We identified three randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of rhIGF-I, involving 779 participants, for inclusion in the analysis. In a European trial (183 participants) the mean difference (MD) in change in AALSRS total score after nine months was -3.30 (95% confidence interval (CI) -8.68 to 2.08). In a North American trial (266 participants), the MD after nine months was -6.00 (95% CI -10.99 to -1.01). The combined analysis from both RCTs showed a MD after nine months of -4.75 (95% CI -8.41 to -1.09), a significant difference in favour of the treated group. The secondary outcome measures showed non-significant trends favouring rhIGF-I. There was an increased risk of injection site reactions with rhIGF-I (risk ratio 1.26, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.54). . A second North American trial (330 participants) used a novel primary end point involving manual muscle strength testing. No differences were demonstrated between the treated and placebo groups in this study. All three trials were at high risk of bias. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in favour of rhIGF-I treatment; however, the quality of the evidence from the two included trials was low. A third study showed no difference between treatment and placebo. There is no evidence for increase in survival with IGF1. All three included trials were at high risk of bias.