State Capacity and Economic Development: A Network Approach

We study the direct and spillover effects of local state capacity using the network of Colombian municipalities. We model the determination of local and national state capacity as a network game in which each municipality, anticipating the choices and spillovers created by other municipalities and the decisions of the national government, invests in local state capacity and the national government chooses the presence of the national state across municipalities to maximize its own payoff. We then estimate the parameters of this model using reduced-form instrumental variables techniques and structurally (using GMM, simulated GMM or maximum likelihood). To do so we exploit both the structure of the network of municipalities, which determines which municipalities create spillovers on others, and the historical roots of local state capacity as the source of exogenous variation. These historical instruments are related to the presence of colonial royal roads and local presence of the colonial state in the 18th century, factors which we argue are unrelated to current provision of public goods and prosperity except through their impact on their own and neighbors’ local state capacity. Our estimates of the effects of state presence on prosperity are large and also indicate that state capacity decisions are strategic complements across municipalities. As a result, we find that bringing all municipalities below median state capacity to the median, without taking into account equilibrium responses of other municipalities, would increase the median fraction of the population above poverty from 57% to 60%. Approximately 57% of this is due to direct effects and 43% to spillovers. However, if we take the equilibrium response of other municipalities into account, the median would instead increase to 68%, a sizable change driven by equilibrium network effects.We are grateful to Alberto Ciancio, Amanda Culp, and Nicolas Idrobo for superb research assistance, and Maria Angelica Bautista, Flavio Cunha, Frank Ditraglia, Andrew Foster, Elena Paltseva, James Poterba, Pascual Restrepo, Xun Tang, Petra Todd, Ken Wolpin, Roman Zarate, participants at the Stockholm School of Economics/SITE conference on Institutional Challenges in Emerging Economies, participants at the George Mason center for Public Choice Seminar, and participants at the RECODE 2013 Meetings in Ottawa, the BREAD/NBER development meetings in Cambridge, the LACEA/LAMES meetings in Mexico City, the MIT Public Finance/labor Workshop, and the UPenn Empirical Micro Workshop for valuable suggestions. Acemoglu gratefully acknowledges financial support from ARO MURI W911NF-12-1-0509

Impact of climate change on maize grown in the brazilian cerrado.

Crops are subject to instabilities of climatic conditions that affect yield. Maize is very sensitive to factors like temperature, solar radiation and rainfall. The objective of this work was to evaluate, using crop growth models, the effects of climate change on maize grain yield produced under rainfed conditions. Two global circulation models, HadGEM2-ES and MIROC5, coupled to the regional model Eta, were used to generate projections of changes in maximum and minimum air temperature, solar radiation and rainfall for conditions in southeastern Brazil. The CSM-CERES-Maize model was then used to evaluate the effect of climate changes on rainfed maize grain yield. For each combination of global and regional circulation models, two greenhouse gas concentration scenarios were used: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The combined use of global circulation and crop growth models allowed us to estimate the expected average grain yield of corn as affected by future climate. The simulated results indicated that, even at best sowing dates, considerable reduction in maize grain yield may occur. Our simulated results also indicated that the largest grain yield reductions may occur for future climate scenarios from 2071 to the end of the 21st century

Sensitivity of CSM-CERES-Maize model to soil available water and impact on rainfed maize grown in the Brazilian Cerrado.

The response of maize to variations in soil available water (AW) is a function of the interactions among plant, soil and weather conditions. We studied the sensitivity of a previously calibrated CSM-CERES-Maize model and the response of rainfed maize grain yield to soil AW. The study was conducted for conditions in southeast Brazil. The model was set for weekly sowings, from August to September, for a total of 52 sowing dates. At each sowing date, six scenarios of soil AW using field capacity estimated at -4 kPa, -6 kPa, -10 kPa, -20 kPa, -33 kPa and determined in situ, were used. For each sowing date, the model was also set for rainfall reductions of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%. The simulated results showed the sensitivity of the model to soil AW, which in turn affected grain yield of maize among sowing dates. For the highest yielding sowing date, a reduction of 48.3% in average grain yield was simulated with soil AW using FC at -4 kPa and FC at -33 kPa. Additionally, our simulations indicated significant correlation between grain yield and total crop evapotranspiration and between grain yield and maximum leaf area index. Scenarios of low rainfall had little effect on yield with high soil AW. Therefore, our simulations indicate that accurate information on FC is needed for the simulation of maize grown under rainfed conditions. Our simulations also indicate that the best sowing window for maize in southeastern Brazil ranges from Oct 17 to Nov 28

MATERIALS FOR SENSOR DEVICES: FROM PHARMACEUTICAL QUANTIFICATION TO DISEASES DIAGNOSIS

This work was supported by the Paraná State Research Funding Agency (Araucária Foundation – project # FA-SESA 073/2016 - CP 04/2016) and by the Federal Agencies CAPES and CNPq (project # CNPq PVE 401271/2014-5)

GOLD-NANOPARTICLES THIN FILMS AS PLATAFORM FOR LABEL-FREE IMPEDIMETRIC IMMUNOSENSOR FOR DETECTION OF T. CRUZI ANTIBODIES

This work was supported by the Araucária Foundation, a Research Founding Agency from Paraná State – Brazil, CAPES and CNPq

Human-Walker Interaction on Slopes Based on LRF and IMU Sensors

Abstract-Smart Walkers should be able to safely deal with inclinations in order to become a device effectively useful in the daily life of the elderly population. This paper presents a novel model of human-walker interaction on slopes. The interaction parameters are obtained from a Laser Range Finder (LRF) and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). This model is integrated into the conventional closed control loop as a supervisor block. This block modifies, based on inclinations, the control set points to provide an adaptable human-walker desired position to improve comfort and safety and enhance user's confidence in the walker. The practical evaluation shows that the parameters extracted from the natural behavior of the user and the estimated set points determined with the model proposal are highly correlated, presenting a similar trend. This correlation allows performing a more natural control

Physical properties and magnetic structure of the intermetallic CeCuBi2 compound

In this work we combine magnetization, pressure dependent electrical resistivity, heat capacity, Cu63 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and x-ray resonant magnetic scattering experiments to investigate the physical properties of the intermetallic CeCuBi2 compound. Our single crystals show an antiferromagnetic ordering at TN≃16 K and the magnetic properties indicate that this compound is an Ising antiferromagnet. In particular, the low temperature magnetization data revealed a spin-flop transition at T=5 K when magnetic fields of about 5.5 T are applied along the c axis. Moreover, the x-ray magnetic diffraction data below TN revealed a commensurate antiferromagnetic structure with propagation wave vector (0012) with the Ce3+ moments oriented along the c axis. Furthermore, our heat capacity, pressure dependent resistivity, and temperature dependent Cu63 NMR data suggest that CeCuBi2 exhibits a weak heavy fermion behavior with strongly localized Ce3+ 4f electrons. We thus discuss a scenario in which both the anisotropic magnetic interactions between the Ce3+ ions and the tetragonal crystalline electric field effects are taking into account in CeCuBi2.Fil: Adriano, C.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Rosa, P.F.S.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil. University of California at Irvine; Estados UnidosFil: Jesus, Camilo B. R.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Mardegan, J. R. L.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Garitezi, T. M.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Grant, Taran. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Fisk, Z.. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Garcia, Daniel Julio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Reyes, A. P.. National High Magnetic Field Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Kuhns, P. L.. National High Magnetic Field Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Urbano, R. R.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Giles, C.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Pagliuso, P. G.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasi

Simulation results source for the identification of biological active compounds: synthesis, antimicrobial evaluation and SARs of three in one heterocyclic motifs

For comprehensive studies on drugs primarily in the form of biomimetic systems, electronic parameters are becoming essential tools in elucidating the structures of the investigated compounds. In this study we present the synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of biological potency of 4(a–g), 5(a–g), and 7(a–g) by conducting structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies. Further conducting density functional theory (DFT) simulation studies for entitled compounds 4(a–g), 5(a–g), and 7(a–g) allowed us to fully study the effect of the changes of electronic and molecular structures on their biological activity by demonstrating the role of frontier molecular orbitals, in particular LUMO. The electron withdrawing nitro group substituted compounds 5d and 7d have higher activity than all other active compounds. Thus, the results strongly suggest that the SARs are in good agreement with simulation studies. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

Tissue compatibility of SN-38-loaded anticancer nanofiber matrices

Delivery of chemotherapy in the surgical bed has shown preclinical activity to control cancer progression upon subtotal resection of pediatric solid tumors, but whether this new treatment is safe for tumor-adjacent healthy tissues remains unknown. Here, Wistar rats are used to study the anatomic and functional impact of electrospun nano¿ber matrices eluting SN-38—a potent chemotherapeutic agent—on several body sites where pediatric tumors such as neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma arise. Blank and SN-38-loaded matrices embracing the femoral neurovascular bundle or in direct contact with abdominal viscera (liver, kidney, urinary bladder, intestine, and uterus) are placed. Foreign body tissue reaction to the implants is observed though no histologic damage in any tissue/organ. Skin healing is normal. Tissue reaction is similar for SN-38-loaded and blank matrices, with the exception of the hepatic capsule that is thicker for the former although within the limits consistent with mild foreign body reaction. Tissue and organ function is completely conserved after local treatments, as assessed by the rotarod test (forelimb function), hematologic tests (liver and renal function), and control of clinical signs. Overall, these ¿ndings support the clinical translation of SN-38-loaded nano¿ber matrices to improve local control strategies of surgically resected tumorsPostprint (author's final draft

Characteristics of emergency medicine residency programs in Colombia

Introduction: Emergency medicine (EM) is in different stages of development around the world. Colombia has made significant strides in EM development in the last two decades and recognized it as a medical specialty in 2005. The country now has seven EM residency programs: three in the capital city of Bogotá, two in Medellin, one in Manizales, and one in Cali. The seven residency programs are in different stages of maturity, with the oldest founded 20 years ago and two founded in the last two years. The objective of this study was to characterize these seven residency programs. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with faculty and residents from all the existing programs in 2013-2016. Topics included program characteristics and curricula. Results: Colombian EM residencies are three-year programs, with the exception of one four-year program. Programs accept 3-10 applicants yearly Only one program has free tuition and the rest charge tuition. The number of EM faculty ranges from 2-15. EM rotation requirements range from 11-33% of total clinical time. One program does not have a pediatric rotation. The other programs require 1-2 months of pediatrics or pediatric EM. Critical care requirements range from 4-7 months. Other common rotations include anesthesia, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, radiology, toxicology, psychiatry, neurology, cardiology, pulmonology, and trauma. All programs offer 4-6 hours of protected didactic time each week. Some programs require Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support, with some programs providing these trainings in-house or subsidizing the cost. Most programs require one research project for graduation. Resident evaluations consist of written tests and oral exams several times per year. Point-of-care ultrasound training is provided in four of the seven programs. Conclusion: As emergency medicine continues to develop in Colombia, more residency programs are expected to emerge. Faculty development and sustainability of academic pursuits will be critically important. In the long term, the specialty will need to move toward certifying board exams and professional development through a national EM organization to promote standardization across programs. © 2017 Patiño et al