Individually-rational collective choice

There is a collection of exogenously given socially-feasible sets, and, for each one of them, each individual in a group chooses from an individually-feasible set. The fact that the product of the individually-feasible sets is larger than the socially-feasible set notwithstanding, there arises no conflict between individual choices. Assuming that individual preferences are random, I characterize rationalizable collective choices

Anticitrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) in the serum of heavy smokers without arthritis - a differential role of associated pulmonary disease?

2 páginas, 1 tabla.-- Póster presentado al 5º European Workshop on Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases celebrado en Sitges (Barcelona) del 1 al 3 de Diciembre de 2010.An increased risk of RA has been described in smokers, but only in ACPA-positive RA patients. The frequency of ACPA in serum of heavy smokers is not known.Peer reviewe

Interleukin-8 expression in bronchoalveolar lavage cells in the evaluation of alveolitis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

AbstractInterleukin-8 (IL-8) is a neutrophilic chemotactic factor which may have a prominent role in the attraction of neutrophils to the lung in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The objective of this study was to investigate the usefulness of IL-8 expression in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells in the evaluation of alveolitis in IPF. We analysed the BAL cell expression of IL-8 by immunocytochemistry in 19 patients with IPF (six smokers, three ex-smokers and ten non-smokers) and in a control group composed of 14 individuals (six smokers, eight non-smokers). In IPF, BAL was performed on both the pulmonary lobe with the most extensive involvement and the one less extensively involved on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans. The percentages and absolute numbers of BAL IL-8+ macrophages from lobes with the most extensive HRCT scan involvement (36 ± 6% and (6 ± 2 × 104 ml−1) (SE) and from those less extensively involved [26% ± 4% and (6 ± 1) × 104 ml−1] were significantly higher with respect to both those from healthy smokers [17% ± 6% and (7 ± 4) × 104 ml−1] and those from non-smokers [2% ± 1% and (1 ± 0·3) × 104 ml−1] (P=0·005 and P=0·001, respectively), without differences between the two lobes. In contrast, both the proportions and the absolute numbers of BAL neutrophils in IPF were significantly higher in lobes with the most extensively involved HRCT scan in comparison with lobes with the least extensive involvement [13% ± 3%, (3 ± 1) × 104 ml−1 vs. 8% ± 2%, (1 ± 0·3) × 104 ml−1, P=0·05]. Moreover, the numbers of BAL neutrophils, but not those of IL-8+ macrophages, correlated with the extent of total pulmonary HRCT scan abnormalities in the most involved lobe (r=0·64, P=0·04). A correlation between neutrophils and IL-8+ cells was not observed. The results of this study suggest that, in IPF, BAL neutrophilia offers a better description of the disease inflammatory process than the expression of IL-8 in BAL cells

The impact of a web-based lifestyle educational program (‘Living Better’) Reintervention on hypertensive overweight or obese patients

‘Living Better’, a self-administered web-based intervention, designed to facilitate lifestyle changes, has already shown positive short-and medium-term health benefits in patients with an obesity–hypertension phenotype. The objectives of this study were: (1) to examine the long-term (3-year) evolution of a group of hypertensive overweight or obese patients who had already followed the ‘Living Better’ program; (2) to analyze the effects of completing this program a second time (reintervention) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A quasi-experimental design was used. We recruited 29 individuals from the 105 who had participated in our first study. We assessed and compared their systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), body mass index (BMI), eating behavior, and physical activity (PA) level (reported as METs-min/week), at Time 0 (first intervention follow-up), Time 1 (before the reintervention), and Time 2 (post-reintervention). Our results showed significant improvements between Time 1 and Time 2 in SBP (-4.7 (-8.7 to -0.7); p = 0.017), DBP (-3.5 (-6.2 to -0.8); p = 0.009), BMI (-0.7 (-1.0 to -0.4); p 0.24). Implementation of the ‘Living Better’ program maintained positive long-term (3-year) health benefits in patients with an obesity–hypertension phenotype. Moreover, a reintervention with this program during the COVID-19 pandemic produced significant improvements in blood pressure, BMI, eating behavior, and PA. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

A meta-analysis of state-of-the-art electoral prediction from Twitter data

Electoral prediction from Twitter data is an appealing research topic. It seems relatively straightforward and the prevailing view is overly optimistic. This is problematic because while simple approaches are assumed to be good enough, core problems are not addressed. Thus, this paper aims to (1) provide a balanced and critical review of the state of the art; (2) cast light on the presume predictive power of Twitter data; and (3) depict a roadmap to push forward the field. Hence, a scheme to characterize Twitter prediction methods is proposed. It covers every aspect from data collection to performance evaluation, through data processing and vote inference. Using that scheme, prior research is analyzed and organized to explain the main approaches taken up to date but also their weaknesses. This is the first meta-analysis of the whole body of research regarding electoral prediction from Twitter data. It reveals that its presumed predictive power regarding electoral prediction has been rather exaggerated: although social media may provide a glimpse on electoral outcomes current research does not provide strong evidence to support it can replace traditional polls. Finally, future lines of research along with a set of requirements they must fulfill are provided.Comment: 19 pages, 3 table

Terrorism and social media: global evidence

The study assesses the relationship between terrorism and social media from a cross section of 148 countries with data for the year 2012. The empirical evidence is based on Ordinary Least Squares, Negative Binomial and Quantile regressions. The main finding is that there is a positive relationship between social media in terms of Facebook penetration and terrorism. The positive relationship is driven by below-median quantiles of terrorism. In other words, countries in which existing levels of terrorism are low are more significantly associated with a positive Facebook-terrorism nexus. The established positive relationship is confirmed from other externalities of terrorism: terrorism fatalities, terrorism incidents, terrorism injuries and terrorism-related property damages. The terrorism externalities are constituents of the composite dependent variable

Evolution of benthic communities in El Hornillo Bay (Águilas, Murcia) (southeast Spain) after cessation of floating-cage seabream Sparus auratus L., 1758 and seabass Dicentrarchus labrax (L., 1758) culture

Results are presented on the evolution of the seabed in El Hornillo Bay (águilas, Murcia) (southeast Spain) after ten years of intensive floating-cage culture of seabream Sparus auratus L., 1758 and seabass Dicentrarchus labrax (L., 1758), as the system was progressively dismantled, in three phases. Three stations were selected for each one of these phases, as well as one control station. At each stage, changes were observed by collecting data on the sediments' physical-chemical parameters and macrofauna. Although the sediment remained anoxic for more than 24 months after the cages were removed, a rapid increase in biodiversity occurred immediately. The MDS analyses indicated time- and space-based differences within the structure of the benthic community.En 1989 se instaló en la bahía de El Hornillo (águilas, Murcia) (sureste de España) una granja acuícola para el cultivo en régimen intensivo de dorada Sparus auratus L., 1758 y lubina Dicentrarchus labrax (L., 1758) en jaulas flotantes. Tras diez años de explotación, y después de su desmantelamiento progresivo en tres fases, se ha estudiado la evolución de los fondos de la bahía, impactados por esta actividad. Se seleccionaron, con este fin, tres estaciones de seguimiento para cada una de esas fases y se estableció una estación de control. En cada estación se observaron los cambios producidos en las variables fisicoquímicas y en la macrofauna del sedimento, que permanecería anóxico más de 24 meses. La biodiversidad experimentó un incremento rápido inmediatamente después de la retirada de las jaulas, y los análisis de ordenación multidimensional (MDS) señalan la existencia de diferencias en la estructura de la comunidad bentónica en función del tiempo y del espacio.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Carbon redistribution by erosion processes in an intensively disturbed catchment

29 Pags.- 6 Tabls.- 6 Figs. This article belongs to a special issue of Catena titled "Geoecology in Mediterranean mountain areas. Tribute to Professor José María García Ruiz". The definitive version is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03418162Understanding how organic carbon (OC) moves with sediments along the fluvial system is crucial to determining catchment scale carbon budgets and helps the proper management of fragile ecosystems. Especially challenging is the analysis of OC dynamics during fluvial transport in heterogeneous, fragile, and disturbed environments with ephemeral and intense hydrological pulses, typical of Mediterranean conditions. This paper explores the catchment scale OC redistribution by lateral flows in extreme Mediterranean environmental conditions, from a geomorphological perspective. The study area is a catchment (Cárcavo) in SE Spain with a semiarid climate, erodible lithologies, and shallow soils, which is highly disturbed by agricultural terraces, land levelling, reforestation, and construction of check-dams. To increase our understanding of catchment scale OC redistribution induced by erosion, we studied in detail the subcatchments of eight check-dams distributed along the catchments main channel. We determined 137Cs, physicochemical characteristics, and the OC pools of the catchment soils and sediments deposited behind each check-dam, performed spatial analysis of catchment properties and buffer areas around the check-dams, and carried out geomorphological analysis of the slope-channel connections. The soils showed very low total organic carbon (TOC) values, oscillating between 15.2 and 4.4 g kg− 1 for forest and agricultural soils, respectively. Sediments mobilized by erosion were poor in TOC (6.6 ± 0.7 g kg– 1) compared to the eroded (forest) soils, and the redistribution of OC through the catchment, especially of the mineral associated organic carbon (MAC) pool, showed the same pattern as clay particles and 137Cs. The TOC erosion rates estimated for the Cárcavo watershed are relatively low (0.031 ± 0.03 Mg ha− 1 y− 1) but similar to those reported for subhumid Mediterranean catchments that are less fragile and more conducive to plant growth. The TOC erosion/total erosion ratio was lower (0.06%) than other estimates, although the average OC concentration of the sediments was higher than that of the agricultural soils of the catchment, underlining the problem of maintaining sustainable soil OC contents. The OC in deposited sediments came not only from surface erosion processes, but also from deeper soil or sediment layers mobilized by concentrated erosion processes. Sediment richer in OC came from the surface soil of vegetated (reforested) areas close and well connected to the channels. Subcatchments dominated by laminar erosion processes showed a TOC erosion/total erosion ratio that was two times higher than that of subcatchments dominated by concentrated flow erosion processes. The lithology, soils, and geomorphology exert a more important control on OC redistribution than land use and vegetation cover in this geomorphologically very active catchment.This work was financially supported by the projects ADAPT (CGL2013-42009-R) and DISECO (CGL2014-55-405-R) from the Spanish Government, National Plan of Science; the project CAMBIO (18933/JLI/13) of the Seneca Foundation, Regional Government of Murcia (Spain); and the project SOGLO (P7/24 IAP BELSPO) from the Belgian Government. Joris de Vente was supported by a ‘Ramón y Cajal’ grant (RYC-2012-10375).Peer reviewe

Elasmobranch spatial segregation in the western Mediterranean

Basic information on the distribution and habitat preferences of ecologically important species is essential for their management and protection. This study focuses on the depth related trends and the geographic patterns that shape the community of the elasmobranch species in the Balearic Islands (Mediterranean Sea) using data collected from 2001 to 2009. Non-metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) ordination was used to detect zonation patterns in the community. Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) were applied to analyse spatial and temporal variation in elasmobranch community descriptors (abundance, biomass, mean fish weight, number of species and diversity), as well as the abundance and mean length of the four individual species (S. canicula, G. melastomus, R. clavata, R. miraletus). Depth was the main factor determining the assemblage composition, and the MDS analysis identified four main groups with 60% of the similarity found to correspond to the continental shelf, shelf break, upper slope and middle slope of the surveyed area. GAM analysis identified spatial patterns that were independent of the bathymetric distribution preference. Although depth was a strong predictor for all the analyses performed, the geographic variation in the elasmobranch abundance was also important. The results also show a reduction in the mean length of the elasmobranch species in the areas with high fishing intensity. Our study evidences a clear spatial segregation of the main species throughout the ontogeny because the geographic and bathymetric effects were highly size dependent, with clear differences between the bathymetric distributions of juveniles and adults but no clear spatial overlapping. This study sheds new light on the spatial distribution of the elasmobranch species off the Balearic Islands, which is essential information for protecting marine organisms along with their habitats and promoting ecosystem based managementPublicado