DIPL 6106 International Economics and Finance

This course will provide graduate students with two things: first, an introduction to the main theoretical debates in IPE and how scholars are using and modifying these theories; and second, an introduction to the main issues that historically and currently dominate international political economy debates. In this way, students will have both the empirical and theoretical knowledge required to engage in IPE related scholarly research and/or practical application. Substantively, this course examines the interaction between politics and economics in the international system. We will examine how international economic activity is affected by the political decisions rendered by states, and how states are in tum affected by the international financial and trading systems. There are three main theoretical lens that help to understand the actors and interests involved in the international political economy: mercantilism, liberalism, and Marxism. We will use these three theoretical approaches to examine a variety of topics. We will examine the role of multinational corporations and domestic interest groups in the making of international economic policy. We will look at the rise of new forms of trade protectionism, state directed strategic trade policy, exchange rate manipulations, and currency crises in order to understand their implications for the global trading system. We will look at development dilemmas facing less developed countries, and explore the economic and political trade-offs they are often forced to make. Finally, we will look at the process of globalization and how this impacts the economic and political choices available to states

DIPL 2111-6010 Summer 2003: European Union Trip

The European Union is a unique entity in the international system. It is an effort by independent sovereign states to create a supranational institution, governing political, economic, and social issues. This is an unprecedented development in the history of states and the international system. How did the European Union come into being? What would cause sovereign states to overcome their individual nationalistic interests and forge a single, supranational governing institution? In this course we will examine the process of European integration, from a historical and a current perspective. There are three primary objectives to this course. First, we will analyze the creation of the European Union, starting from the initial Coal and Steel Agreement, proceeding through the European Economic Community and the European Community to the present European Union. We will examine the gradual integration of the European Union as a process of political, economic and social deepening and widening. In particular we will examine the “three pillars” that support the European Union of today: the economic pillar, the security pillar, and the Justice and Home Affairs policy pillar. Second, we will examine the institutions that comprise the European Union, in order to understand the institutional structure facilitating the integration of the countries of the EU. In particular, we will examine the role of the European Commission, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Justice in the integration process. Third, using our knowledge of the European integration process and the institutional structure of the European Union, we will examine the current efforts to expand EU membership to the transitional economies of Central and Eastern Europe. This expansion will present political, economic, and social challenges to the countries of the EU. EU members have conflicting interests and incentives regarding EU expansion to the East. We will explore some of these issues and discuss how European expansion will affect the institutional structure of the EU and its policy mandates. This is a unique course. Not only will we be reading about EU integration and expansion, we will be visiting the very institutions involved in these processes! We will supplement our readings of these institutions with actual briefings and visits to the European Commission, the European Parliament, and NATO, to name a few. This is an unusual opportunity to learn about the EU through personal interaction with officials, ambassadors, and diplomats. Enjoy

DIPL 1001AA Introduction to Leadership in International Affairs

There are a broad range of job opportunities in the international arena. An important part of defining one’s area of interest in this field is exploration – what type of job would you love? In what area of the world or in which issues would you like to specialize? Do you want to live abroad? What kinds of jobs are out there, and how does one go about starting down the path to a successful international career? This required Freshman Seminar is designed to introduce students to a variety of careers in international affairs, as well as to familiarize them with the skills and experience they will need to obtain their career goals. We will examine various career options , including international organizations and institutions, non-governmental organizations, local and national government positions, diplomatic service, academic careers, and banking and finance, to name a few. By familiarizing students with the wealth of possibilities available to them with a degree in international affairs, students will be better able to choose courses and work opportunities from the very first semester, in order to maximize their ability to pursue their personal and professional goals. To provide a road map for students, we hope to introduce you to a cadre of professionals who will show you how they got where they are today, provide clues for successful career advancement and inspire you to continue your personal and career development in international relations

DIPL 1001 AA Introduction to Leadership in International Affairs

There are a broad range of job opportunities in the international arena. An important part of defining one\u27s area of interest in this field is exploration - what type of job would you love? In what area of the world or in which issues would you like to specialize? Do you want to live abroad? What kinds of jobs are out there, and how does one go about starting down the path to a successful international career? This required Freshman Seminar is designed to introduce students to a variety of careers in international affairs, as well as to familiarize them with the skills and experience they will need to obtain their career goals. We will examine various career options , including international organizations and institutions, non-governmental organizations, local and national government positions, diplomatic service, academic careers, and banking and finance, to name a few. By familiarizing students with the wealth of possibilities available to them with a degree in international affairs, students will be better able to choose courses and work opportunities from the very first semester, in order to maximize their ability to pursue their personal and professional goals. To provide a road map for students, we hope to introduce you to a cadre of professionals who will show you how they got where they are today, provide clues for successful career advancement and inspire you to continue your personal and career development in international relations

Paraprofessional Library Conference

Presented by Dr. Juanita Midgette Spence, Director of Library Services, ECSUMary Jordan, Technical Services Librarian, ECSUCynthia Horne Wise, Circulation Librarian, ECS

Effects of weight loss via high fat vs. low fat alternate day fasting diets on free fatty acid profiles

Cardiovascular disease risk is associated with excess body weight and elevated plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations. This study examines how an alternate-day fasting (ADF) diet high (HF) or low (LF) in fat affects plasma FFA profiles in the context of weight loss, and changes in body composition and lipid profiles. After a 2-week weight maintenance period, 29 women (BMI 30–39.9 kg/m2) 25–65 years old were randomized to an 8-week ADF-HF (45% fat) diet or an ADF-LF (25% fat) diet with 25% energy intake on fast days and ad libitum intake on feed days. Body weight, BMI and waist circumference were assessed weekly and body composition was measured using dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Total and individual FFA and plasma lipid concentrations were measured before and after weight loss. Body weight, BMI, fat mass, total cholesterol, LDL-C and triglyceride concentrations decreased (P < 0.05) in both groups. Total FFA concentrations also decreased (P < 0.001). In the ADF-LF group, decreases were found in several more FFAs than in the ADF-HF group. In the ADF-HF group, FFA concentrations were positively correlated with waist circumference. Depending on the macronutrient composition of a diet, weight loss with an ADF diet decreases FFA concentrations through potentially different mechanisms

Improved adherence with once-daily versus twice-daily dosing of mometasone furoate administered via a dry powder inhaler: a randomized open-label study

Background Poor adherence with prescribed asthma medication is a major barrier to positive treatment outcomes. This study was designed to determine the effect of a once-daily administration of mometasone furoate administered via a dry powder inhaler (MF-DPI) on treatment adherence compared with a twice-daily administration. Methods This was a 12-week open-label study designed to mimic an actual clinical setting in patients ≥12 years old with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma. Patients were randomized to receive MF-DPI 400 μg once-daily in the evening or MF-DPI 200 μg twice-daily. Adherence was assessed primarily using the number of actual administered doses reported from the device counter divided by the number of scheduled doses. Self-reports were also used to determine adherence. Health-related quality of life, healthcare resource utilization, and days missed from work or school were also reported. Results 1233 patients were randomized. The mean adherence rates, as measured by the automatic dose counter, were significantly better (P < 0.001) with MF-DPI 400 μg once-daily in the evening (93.3%) than with MF-DPI 200 μg twice-daily (89.5%). Mean adherence rates based on self-reports were also significantly better (P < 0.001) with MF-DPI 400 μg QD PM (97.2%) than with MF-DPI 200 μg twice-daily (95.3%). Adherence rates were lower in adolescents (12-17 years old). Health-related quality of life improved by 20% in patients using MF-DPI once-daily in the evening and by 14% in patients using MF-DPI twice-daily. Very few (<8%) patients missed work/school. Conclusion Mean adherence rates were greater with a once-daily dosing regimen of MF-DPI than with a twice-daily dosing regimen. This trial was completed prior to the ISMJE requirements for trial registration

The Molecular Biogeography of the Indo-Pacific: Testing Hypotheses With Multispecies Genetic Patterns

Aim: To test hypothesized biogeographic partitions of the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean with phylogeographic data from 56 taxa, and to evaluate the strength and nature of barriers emerging from this test. \u3eLocation: The Indo-Pacific Ocean. Time Period: Pliocene through the Holocene. Major Taxa Studied: Fifty-six marine species. Methods: We tested eight biogeographic hypotheses for partitioning of the Indo-Pacific using a novel modification to analysis of molecular variance. Putative barriers to gene flow emerging from this analysis were evaluated for pairwise ΦST, and these ΦST distributions were compared to distributions from randomized datasets and simple coalescent simulations of vicariance arising from the Last Glacial Maximum. We then weighed the relative contribution of distance versus environmental or geographic barriers to pairwise ΦST with a distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA). Results: We observed a diversity of outcomes, although the majority of species fit a few broad biogeographic regions. Repeated coalescent simulation of a simple vicariance model yielded a wide distribution of pairwise ΦST that was very similar to empirical distributions observed across five putative barriers to gene flow. Three of these barriers had median ΦST that were significantly larger than random expectation. Only 21 of 52 species analysed with dbRDA rejected the null model. Among these, 15 had overwater distance as a significant predictor of pairwise ΦST, while 11 were significant for geographic or environmental barriers other than distance. Main Conclusions: Although there is support for three previously described barriers, phylogeographic discordance in the Indo-Pacific Ocean indicates incongruity between processes shaping the distributions of diversity at the species and population levels. Among the many possible causes of this incongruity, genetic drift provides the most compelling explanation: given massive effective population sizes of Indo-Pacific species, even hard vicariance for tens of thousands of years can yield ΦST values that range from 0 to nearly 0.5

The molecular biogeography of the Indo‐Pacific: Testing hypotheses with multispecies genetic patterns

Aim: To test hypothesized biogeographic partitions of the tropical Indo‐Pacific Ocean with phylogeographic data from 56 taxa, and to evaluate the strength and nature of barriers emerging from this test. Location: The Indo‐Pacific Ocean. Time period: Pliocene through the Holocene. Major taxa studied: Fifty‐six marine species. Methods: We tested eight biogeographic hypotheses for partitioning of the Indo‐ Pacific using a novel modification to analysis of molecular variance. Putative barriers to gene flow emerging from this analysis were evaluated for pairwise ΦST, and these ΦST distributions were compared to distributions from randomized datasets and simple coalescent simulations of vicariance arising from the Last Glacial Maximum. We then weighed the relative contribution of distance versus environmental or geographic barriers to pairwise ΦST with a distance‐based redundancy analysis (dbRDA). Results: We observed a diversity of outcomes, although the majority of species fit a few broad biogeographic regions. Repeated coalescent simulation of a simple vicariance model yielded a wide distribution of pairwise ΦST that was very similar to empirical distributions observed across five putative barriers to gene flow. Three of these barriers had median ΦST that were significantly larger than random expectation. Only 21 of 52 species analysed with dbRDA rejected the null model. Among these, 15 had overwater distance as a significant predictor of pairwise ΦST, while 11 were significant for geographic or environmental barriers other than distance. Main conclusions: Although there is support for three previously described barriers, phylogeographic discordance in the Indo‐Pacific Ocean indicates incongruity between processes shaping the distributions of diversity at the species and population levels. Among the many possible causes of this incongruity, genetic drift provides the most compelling explanation: given massive effective population sizes of Indo‐Pacific species, even hard vicariance for tens of thousands of years can yield ΦST values that range from 0 to nearly 0.5