The Provision of Public Goods with Positive Group Interdependencies

This article examines the nature of human behavior in a nested social dilemma referred to as the Spillover Game. Players are divided into two groups with positive production interdependencies. Based on theoretically derived opportunistic, local, and global optima, our experimental results demonstrate the importance of in-group beneficiaries over global efficiency. We find that the observed behavior is primarily determined by an imperfect conditional cooperation that prioritizes local level feedback. Results stress the importance of building strong local level commitment to encourage the provision of public goods with positive externalities.Public good, experiment, groups, Spillover Game, social dilemma

Who acts more like a game theorist? Group and individual play in a sequential market game and the effect of the time horizon

Previous experimental results on one-shot sequential two-player games show that group de- cisions are closer to the subgame-perfect Nash equilbirum than individual decisions. We extend the analysis of inter-group versus inter-individual decision making to a Stackelberg market game, by running both one-shot and repeated markets. Whereas in the one-shot markets we ?nd no signi?cant di¤erences in the behavior of groups and individuals, we ?nd that the behavior of groups is further away from the subgame-perfect equilibrium of the stage game than that of individuals. To a large extent, this result is independent of the method of eliciting choices (sequential or strategy method) and the method used to account for observed ?rst- and second- mover behavior. We provide evidence on followers?response functions and electronic chats to o¤er an explanation for the di¤erential e¤ect that the time horizon of interaction has on the extent of individual and group players?(non)conformity with subgame perfectness.

Exquisite Tumor Targeting by Salmonella A1-R in Combination with Caffeine and Valproic Acid Regresses an Adult Pleomorphic Rhabdomyosarcoma Patient-Derived Orthotopic Xenograft Mouse Model.

Adult pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare and malignant mesenchymal tumor. Recently, we developed a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model of adult pleomorphic RMS. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) A1-R combined with caffeine (CAF) and valproic acid (VPA) on the adult RMS PDOX. An adult pleomorphic RMS cell line was established from the PDOX model. Cell survival after exposure to CAF and VPA was assessed, and the IC50 value was calculated for each drug. The RMS PDOX models were randomized into five groups: untreated control; tumor treated with cyclophosphamide (CPA); tumor treated with CAF + VPA; tumor treated with S. typhimurium A1-R; and tumor treated with S. typhimurium A1-R + CAF + VPA. Tumor size and body weight was measured twice a week. VPA caused a concentration-dependent cytocidal effect. A synergistic effect of combination treatment with CAF was observed against the RMS cell line. For the in vivo study, all treatments significantly inhibited tumor growth compared with the untreated control. S. typhimurium A1-R combined with VPA and CAF was significantly more effective than CPA, VPA combined with CAF, or S. typhimurium A1-R alone and significantly regressed the tumor volume compared with day 0. These results suggest that S. typhimurium A1-R together with VPA and CAF could regresses an adult pleomorphic RMS in a PDOX model and therefore has important future clinical potential

More than Words: Communication in Intergroup Conflicts

Numerous studies suggest that communication may be a universal means to mitigate collective action problems. In this study, we challenge this view and show that the communication structure crucially determines whether communication mitigates or intensifies the problem of collective action. We observe the effect of different communication structures on collective action in the context of finitely repeated intergroup conflict and demonstrate that conflict expenditures are significantly higher if communication is restricted to one's own group as compared to a situation with no communication. However, expenditures are significantly lower if open communication within one's own group and between rivaling groups is allowed. We show that under open communication intergroup conflicts are avoided by groups taking turns in winning the contest. Our results do not only qualify the role of communication for collective action but may also provide insights on how to mitigate the destructive nature of intergroup conflicts.Communication, Conflict, Experiment, Rent-seeking

Molecular landscape of prostate cancer: implications for current clinical trials.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a lethal disease, and improvement with androgen-deprivation therapy has plateaued. Next-generation sequencing studies have led to significant advances in our understanding of genomic alterations in prostate cancer. The most common genomic aberrations in this malignancy are the transcription factor fusion of TMPRSS2-ETS, and mutations in TP53, AR, RB1 and PTEN/PIK3CA. Some of these alterations are actionable by drugs available in the clinic. In addition, it was recently shown that aberrations in DNA repair genes, such as BRCA2 and ATM, are present in both somatic and germline form in a significant minority of prostate cancer; these abnormalities can be targeted by drugs such as platinums and PARP inhibitors. In the era of tumour profiling, targeting molecular alterations may provide an opportunity for new therapeutic approaches. Although there are promising new agents to attack a variety of genomic signal abnormalities, biomarker-matched therapy (other than for androgens) have been utilised in only 2.0% of clinical trials (September 2011 through September 2014; https://clinicaltrials.gov) for prostate cancer. Enhanced efforts to define subsets of patients with prostate cancer based on their molecular anomalies, and match them with cognate therapies, warrant investigation

Hypnosis for acute procedural pain: a critical review

Clinical evidence for the effectiveness of hypnosis in the treatment of acute procedural pain was critically evaluated based on reports from randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). Results from the 29 RCTs meeting inclusion criteria suggest that hypnosis decreases pain compared to standard care and attention control groups and that it is at least as effective as comparable adjunct psychological or behavioral therapies. In addition, applying hypnosis in multiple sessions prior to the day of the procedure produced the highest percentage of significant results. Hypnosis was most effective in minor surgical procedures. However, interpretations are limited by considerable risk of bias. Further studies using minimally effective control conditions and systematic control of intervention dose and timing are required to strengthen conclusions

Field Feasibility and Acceptability Testing of Action-Based Psychosocial Reconciliation Approach in a Post-Genocide Rural Community in Rwanda

Background: Interpersonal/psychosocial reconciliation is highly prioritized in post-Genocide Rwanda. Despite the need, empirically sound strategies have been extremely scarce. The proposed study is a segment of a broader services-research effort to develop, evaluate, and implement a novel and empirically supported interpersonal/psychosocial reconciliation approach termed Action-Based Psychosocial Reconciliation Approach (ABPRA), that is authentically founded on Rwandan people’s lived experiences of reconciliation. Methods/Design: The proposed study consists of two major steps. The purpose of step 1 is to develop and empirically validate a set of outcome measures, termed the psychosocial reconciliation impact scales module (PRISM) to assess beneficial impacts native to ABPRA. We will employ hermeneutic phenomenological analysis (van Manen, 2016) of pilot interview data to generate item pool. The purpose of step 2 is to field-test the delivery of ABPRA in Rwanda to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, exploring and illuminating potential procedural uncertainties in conducting a larger-scale evaluation of ABPRA. We will follow the guidance on pilot study by Thabane et al. (2010). Discussion: The study is an essential step to advance the project to a full-scale experimental evaluation of ABPRA. The project holds the possibility of making available and accessible, an empirically supported and meaningful approach to conflict resolution, genocide/war prevention and peacebuilding in Rwanda and other war/conflict-affected regions around the globe