Schools out : Adam Smith and pre-disciplinary international political economy

In this article, I argue that invocations of Adam Smith in international political economy (IPE) often reveal the influence therein of a disciplinary ontological disaggregation of economic and non-economic rationality, which I claim is obscured by the tendency to map its complex intellectual contours in terms of competing schools. I trace the origins of the disciplinary characterisation of Smith as the founder of IPE's liberal tradition to invocations of his thought by centrally important figures in the perceived Austrian, Chicago and German historical schools of economics, and reflect upon the significance to IPE of the reiteration of this portrayal by apparent members of its so-called American and British schools. I additionally contrast these interpretations to those put forward by scholars who seek to interpret IPE and Smith's contribution to it in pre-disciplinary terms, which I claim reflects a distinct ontology to that attributed to the British school of IPE with which their work is often associated. I therefore contend that reflection upon invocations of Smith's thought in IPE problematises the longstanding tendency to map its intellectual terrain in terms of competing schools, reveals that the disciplinary ontological consensus that informs this tendency impacts upon articulations of its core concerns and suggests that a pre-disciplinary approach offers an alternative lens through which such concerns might be more effectively framed

A single bout of dynamic exercise enhances the expansion of MAGE-A4 and PRAME-specific cytotoxic T-cells from healthy adults

The ex vivo expansion of tumor-associated-antigen (TAA)- specific cytotoxic T-cells (CTLs) from healthy donors for adoptive transfer to cancer patients is now providing additional treatment options for patients. Many studies have shown that adoptive transfer of expanded CTLs can reduce the risk of relapse in cancer patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, the procedure can be limited by difficulties in priming and expanding sufficient numbers of TAA-specific-CTLs. Because acute dynamic exercise mobilizes large numbers of T-cells to peripheral blood, we hypothesized that a single bout of exercise would augment the ex vivo expansion of TAA-specific-CTLs.We therefore collected lymphocytes from blood donated by healthy adults at rest and after brief maximal dynamic exercise. TAA-specific CTLs were expanded using autologous monocyte-derived-dendritic cells pulsed with melanoma-associated antigen 4 (MAGE-A4), with preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME), and with Wilms' tumor protein (WT-1). Post exercise, 84% of the participants had a greater number of CTLs specific for at least one of the three TAA.Cells expanded from post exercise blood yielded a greater number of MAGE-A4 and PRAME-specific-cells in 70% and 61% of participants, respectively. In the 'exercise-responsive' participants (defined as participants with at least a 10% increase in TAA-specific-CTLs post-exercise), MAGEA4- and PRAME-specific-CTLs increased 3.4-fold and 6.2- fold respectively. Moreover, expanded TAA-specific CTLs retained their antigen-specific cytotoxic activity. No phenotype differences were observed between expanded cells donated at rest and postexercise. We conclude that exercise can enhance the ex vivo expansion of TAA-specific-CTLs from healthy adults without compromising cytotoxic function. Hence, this study has implications for immunotherapy using adoptive T-cell transfer of donor-derived T-cells after allogeneic HSCT

Food insecurity and HIV/AIDS: current knowledge, gaps, and research priorities.

Food insecurity and HIV/AIDS are intertwined in a vicious cycle that heightens vulnerability to, and worsens the severity of, each condition. We review current knowledge and research priorities regarding the impact of food insecurity on HIV transmission risk and clinical outcomes. Observational studies suggest that food insecurity is associated with increased HIV transmission risk behaviors and decreased access to HIV treatment and care. Among individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), food insecurity is associated with decreased ART adherence, reduced baseline CD4 cell count, incomplete virologic suppression, and decreased survival. Integration of food security interventions into HIV/AIDS treatment programs is essential to curtail the HIV/AIDS epidemic and improve health and quality of life among those infected. Longitudinal research applying validated measurement tools is needed to better understand the mechanisms through which food insecurity adversely impacts HIV transmission, treatment, and care. Research should compare the effectiveness of various food assistance and livelihood strategies