Quality of Bureaucracy and Open-Economy Macro Policies

Bureaucratic quality in terms of the level of corruption varies widely across countries, and is in general slow to evolve relative to the speed with which many economic polices can be implemented such as the imposition of capital controls. In this paper, we study the possibility that quality of bureaucracy may be an important structural determinant of open-economy macro-policies, in particular, the imposition/removal of capital controls, and financial repression. We first derive a model that delivers such a result. Bureaucratic corruption translates into reduced ability by the government to collect tax revenue. Even if capital control/financial repression is otherwise inefficient, as long as the government needs the revenue for public goods provision, it would have to rely more on capital control/financial repression. For all countries for which we can obtain relevant data, we find that more corrupt countries are indeed more likely to impose capital controls, a pattern consistent with the model's prediction. The result of this paper suggests that a premature removal of capital controls mandated by outside institutions could reduce rather than enhance economic efficiency.

The quality of bureaucracy and capital account policies

The extent of bureaucracy varies extensively across countries, but the quality of bureaucracy within a country changes more slowly than economic policies. The authors propose that the quality of bureaucracy may be an important structural determinant of open economy macroeconomic policies - especially the imposition or removal of capital control. In their model, capital controls are an instrument of financial repression. They entail efficiency loss for the economy but also generate implicit revenue for the government. The results show that bureaucratic corruption translates into the government's reduced ability to collect tax revenues. Even if capital controls and financial repression are otherwise inefficient, the government still has to rely on them to raise revenues to provide public goods. Among the countries for which the authors could get relevant data, they find that the more corrupt ones are indeed more likely to impose capital controls, a pattern consistent with the model's prediction. To deal with possible reverse causality, they use the extent of corruption in a country's judicial system, and the degree of democracy, as the instrumental variables for bureaucratic corruption. The instrumental variable regressions show the same result: more corrupt countries are associated with more severe capital controls. The results suggest that as countries develop and improve their public institutions, reducing bureaucratic corruption over time, they will choose to gradually liberalize their capital accounts. Removing capital controls prematurely when forced by outside institutions to do so could reduce rather than improve their economic efficiency.Banks&Banking Reform,Governance Indicators,Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,National Governance

Associated production of a neutral top-Higgs with a heavy-quark pair in the \gamma\gamma collisions at ILC

We have studied the associated production processes of a neutral top-Higgs in the topcolor assisted technicolor model with a pair of heavy quarks in \gamma\gamma collisions at the International Linear Collider (ILC). We find that the cross section for t\bar{t}h_t in \gamma\gamma collisions is at the level of a few fb with the c.m. energy \sqrt{s}=1000 GeV, which is consistent with the results of the cross section of t\bar{t}H in the standard model and the cross section of t\bar{t}h in the minimal supersymmetric standard modeland the little Higgs models. It should be distinct that hundreds of to thousands of h_t per year can be produced at the ILC, this process of \gamma\gamma \to t\bar{t}h_t is really interesting in testing the standard model and searching the signs of technicolor.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, some references are adde

Nobiletin Inhibits Expression of Inflammatory Mediators and Regulates JNK/ERK/p38 MAPK and PI3K/Akt Pathways in Human Osteoarthritic Chondrocytes

Purpose: To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of nobiletin on human osteoarthritic chondrocytes and also to explore possible related molecular events.Methods: Isolated human osteoarthritic chondrocytes were stimulated with IL-1β. The effect of nobiletin (75, 150 or 300 μg) on chondrocyte viability was assessed. Furthermore, the effect on NO production was determined using Griess reagent while the levels of IL-6 and PGE2 were assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The influence of nobiletin on the expression of COX-2, iNOS and proteins of PI3/Akt, NF-κB and MAPK cascades were also assessed.Results: Nobiletin (75, 150 and 300 μg) significantly (p < 0.05) improved the viability of chondrocytes, and remarkably reduced the levels of NO, IL-6 and PGE2. The expression levels of COX-2 and iNOS both at mRNA and protein levels were strikingly reduced by nobiletin, in a dose-dependent way. In addition, nobiletin caused marked (p < 0.05) down-regulation of the NF-κB signalling pathway. IL-1β- induced activation of PI3/Akt, and JNK, ERK and p38 MAPK cascades were significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited by nobiletin with 300 μg dose exhibiting maximum effects.Conclusion: Inflammatory cytokines are critically involved in the pathogenesis of OA. Significant suppression of cytokines and modulation of PI3/Akt and MAPK signalling cascades by nobiletin suggests its potent anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoarthritic effects.Keywords: Chondrocytes, Inflammation, Mitogen-activated protein kinases, NF-κB, Nobiletin, Osteoarthriti

The chemokine Sdf-1 and its receptor Cxcr4 are required for formation of muscle in zebrafish

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During development cell migration takes place prior to differentiation of many cell types. The chemokine receptor Cxcr4 and its ligand Sdf1 are implicated in migration of several cell lineages, including appendicular muscles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We dissected the role of <it>sdf1</it>-<it>cxcr4 </it>during skeletal myogenesis. We demonstrated that the receptor <it>cxcr4a </it>is expressed in the medial-anterior part of somites, suggesting that chemokine signaling plays a role in this region of the somite. Previous reports emphasized co-operation of Sdf1a and Cxcr4b. We found that during early myogenesis Sdf1a co-operates with the second Cxcr4 of zebrafish – Cxcr4a resulting in the commitment of myoblast to form fast muscle. Disrupting this chemokine signal caused a reduction in <it>myoD </it>and <it>myf5 </it>expression and fast fiber formation. In addition, we showed that a dimerization partner of MyoD and Myf5, E12, positively regulates transcription of <it>cxcr4a </it>and <it>sdf1a </it>in contrast to that of Sonic hedgehog, which inhibited these genes through induction of expression of <it>id2</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We revealed a regulatory feedback mechanism between <it>cxcr4a</it>-<it>sdf1a </it>and genes encoding myogenic regulatory factors, which is involved in differentiation of fast myofibers. This demonstrated a role of chemokine signaling during development of skeletal muscles.</p

快速康复外科理念在妇科经腹手术围手术期护理中的应用分析

Objective: In order to speed up the rehabilitation of patients, reduce the incidence of complications, shorten the hospitalization time, and improve the satisfaction of patients, explore the application value of fast track surgery in perioperative nursing intervention. Methods: Retrospectived analysis the 120 cases patients with ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and other gynecological diseases, in the hospital, from January to December in 2014. And randomly divided them into control group and experimental group, each group of 60 cases. Patients in control group were treated with traditional nursing intervention, and the experimental group was treated with the concept of rapid rehabilitation surgery nursing interventions. Compared of the two groups of patients in hospital time, the first defecation time, hospitalization expenses, satisfaction with care and postoperative complications. Results: The experimental group’s hospitalization time, defecation time, incidence of complications were significantly lower than the control group’s, but the nursing satisfaction was significantly higher than that of the control group’s (р&lt;0.05). Conclusion: The application of the concept of rapid rehabilitation surgery in perioperative nursing intervention can effectively accelerate the rehabilitation of patients, shorten hospitalization time, reduce the costs of hospitalization, and reduce the incidence of complications. And the clinical application effect is good. It is worth to be further promoted.目的 分析探讨快速康复外科理念对妇科围手术期进行护理干预的应用价值，以便加快患者的康复，减少并发症的发生，缩短住院时间，提高患者满意度。方法 回顾性分析本院2014年1月—12月收治的120例患卵巢囊肿、子宫肌瘤等疾病的妇科患者，将其随机分为对照组和试验组，每组各60例。对照组患者采用传统的护理干预措施，试验组患者采用快速康复外科理念进行护理干预。比较两组患者的住院时间、首次排便时间、住院费用、对护理的满意度以及术后并发症的发生情况。结果 试验组患者的住院时间、排便时间、并发症的发生率均显著低于对照组，护理满意度明显高于对照组（р&lt;0.05）。结论 应用快速康复外科理念对妇科围手术期患者进行护理干预能够有效加快患者的康复，缩短住院时间，减少住院费用，降低并发症的发生率，具有良好的临床应用效果，值得进一步推广使用

Multifunctional three-dimensional macroporous nanoelectronic networks for smart materials

Seamless and minimally-invasive integration of three-dimensional (3D) electronic circuitry within host materials could enable the development of materials systems that are self- monitoring and allow for communication with external environments. Here, we report a general strategy for preparing ordered 3D interconnected and addressable macroporous nanoelectronic networks from ordered two-dimensional (2D) nanowire nanoelectronic “precursors”, which are fabricated by conventional lithography. The 3D networks have porosities larger than 99%, contain ca. 100’s of addressable nanowire devices, and have feature sizes from the 10 micron scale (for electrical and structural interconnections) to the 10 nanometer scale (for device elements). The macroporous nanoelectronic networks were merged with organic gels and polymers to form hybrid materials in which the basic physical and chemical properties of the host were not substantially altered, and electrical measurements further show a > 90% yield of active devices in the hybrid materials. The positions of the nanowire devices were located within 3D hybrid materials with ca. 14 nm resolution through simultaneous nanowire device photocurrent/confocal microscopy imaging measurements. In addition, we explored functional properties of these hybrid materials, including (i) mapping time-dependent pH changes throughout a nanowire network/agarose gel sample during external solution pH changes, and (ii) characterizing the strain field in a hybrid nanoelectronic elastomer structures subject to uniaxial and bending forces. The seamless incorporation of active nanoelectronic networks within 3D materials opens up a powerful approach to smart materials in which the capabilities of multi- functional nanoelectronics allow for active monitoring and control of host systems.Chemistry and Chemical BiologyEngineering and Applied Science

Photon-induced production of the mirror quarks from the LHTLHT model at the LHCLHC

The photon-induced processes at the $LHC$ provide clean experimental conditions due to absence of the proton remnants, which might produce complementary and interesting results for tests of the standard model and for searching of new physics. In the context of the littlest $Higgs$ model with T-parity, we consider the photon-induced production of the mirror quarks at the $LHC$. The cross sections for various production channels are calculated and a simply phenomenology analysis is performed by assuming leptonic decays.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figure