A flexible modeling framework to estimate interregional trade patterns and input-output accounts

This study implements and tests a mathematical programming model to estimate interregional, interindustry transaction flows in a national system of economic regions based on an interregional accounting framework and initial information of interregional shipments. A national input-output (IO) table, regional data on gross output, value-added, exports, imports and final demand at sector level are used as inputs to generate an interregional IO account that reconciles regional economic statistics and interregional transaction data. The model is tested using data from a multi-regional global input-output database and shows remarkable capacity to discover true interregional trade patterns from highly distorted initial estimates.Scientific Research&Science Parks,Information Technology,Environmental Economics&Policies,Statistical&Mathematical Sciences,ICT Policy and Strategies,Statistical&Mathematical Sciences,Information Technology,Scientific Research&Science Parks,Science Education,Geographical Information Systems

Consolidated Markets, Brand Competition, and Orange Juice Prices

This paper examines how consolidation in the marketing system affects prices for orange juice. We isolated the pricing behavior of brand marketers, wholesalers, and retailers by observing the retail prices for specific orange juice products, including leading national brands and private label brands, in 54 U.S. markets over a 1-year period. The data provided little compelling evidence that consolidated markets engaged in non-competitive pricing behavior. Increased brand competition, particularly between private labels and leading national brands, did, however, appear to lower average market prices.consumer demographics, national brands, orange juice, price behavior, private labels, wholesaler concentration, retailer concentration, Demand and Price Analysis, Industrial Organization,

Urban Settlement: Data, Measures, and Trends

This paper examines data on urbanization. We review the most commonly used data sources, and highlight the difficulties inherent in defining and measuring the size of urban versus rural populations. We show that differences in the measurement of urban populations across countries and over time are significant, and discuss the methods used to obtain these measurements, as well as those for projecting urbanization. We also analyze recent trends and patterns in urbanization. Finally, we describe the principal channels of urbanization and examine their relative contributions to the global urbanization process.Urbanization, measurement, urban population

Urban Settlement: Data, Measures, and Trends

This paper examines data on urbanization. We review the most commonly used data sources and highlight the difficulties inherent in defining and measuring the size of urban versus rural populations. We show that differences in the measurement of urban populations across countries and over time are significant and discuss the methods used for these measurements, as well as for projecting urbanization. We also analyze recent trends and patterns in urbanization. Finally, we describe the principal channels of urbanization and examine their relative contributions to the global urbanization process.urbanization, urbanization data

Thermodynamic properties of extremely diluted symmetric Q-Ising neural networks

Using the replica-symmetric mean-field theory approach the thermodynamic and retrieval properties of extremely diluted {\it symmetric} $Q$-Ising neural networks are studied. In particular, capacity-gain parameter and capacity-temperature phase diagrams are derived for $Q=3, 4$ and $Q=\infty$. The zero-temperature results are compared with those obtained from a study of the dynamics of the model. Furthermore, the de Almeida-Thouless line is determined. Where appropriate, the difference with other $Q$-Ising architectures is outlined.Comment: 16 pages Latex including 6 eps-figures. Corrections, also in most of the figures have been mad

ESVM Guideline on peripheral arterial disease

International audienc

The ocean sampling day consortium

Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapshot of the marine microbial biodiversity and function of the world’s oceans. It is a simultaneous global mega-sequencing campaign aiming to generate the largest standardized microbial data set in a single day. This will be achievable only through the coordinated efforts of an Ocean Sampling Day Consortium, supportive partnerships and networks between sites. This commentary outlines the establishment, function and aims of the Consortium and describes our vision for a sustainable study of marine microbial communities and their embedded functional traits

Silencing Nociceptor Neurons Reduces Allergic Airway Inflammation

Lung nociceptors initiate cough and bronchoconstriction. To elucidate if these fibers also contribute to allergic airway inflammation, we stimulated lung nociceptors with capsaicin and observed increased neuropeptide release and immune cell infiltration. In contrast, ablating Nav1.8(+) sensory neurons or silencing them with QX-314, a charged sodium channel inhibitor that enters via large-pore ion channels to specifically block nociceptors, substantially reduced ovalbumin- or house-dust-mite-induced airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. We also discovered that IL-5, a cytokine produced by activated immune cells, acts directly on nociceptors to induce the release of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). VIP then stimulates CD4(+) and resident innate lymphoid type 2 cells, creating an inflammatory signaling loop that promotes allergic inflammation. Our results indicate that nociceptors amplify pathological adaptive immune responses and that silencing these neurons with QX-314 interrupts this neuro-immune interplay, revealing a potential new therapeutic strategy for asthma

Children’s agency by design: Design parameters for personalization in story-making apps

The importance of children’s agency in the use of technologies is well-established but it continues to be challenged with applications that automatically personalize children’s content. This paper integrates educational theory of personalization with the design principles and empirical work of a story-making app called Our Story, which places a child’s agency at the center of its design. The impact of a series of studies with the OS app is summarized and implications for future design are offered. The Agentic Personalization Framework that consists of a design principle and a set of guiding questions is presented. The design principle is based on two continuous axes: agency/structure and individualism/collectivism, which give rise to four processes: personalization/customization and standardization/individualization. The guiding questions are intended to promote reflection among researchers and designers interested in supporting children’s agency with stories that children can make or interact with on tablets. The Agentic Personalization Framework is rooted in empirical studies, iterative design and theoretical developments and provides a fertile ground for research-design collaborations that place children’s agency at the heart of innovative work