Scenes from a Monopoly: Quickest Detection of Ecological Regimes

We study the stochastic dynamics of a renewable resource harvested by a monopolist facing a downward sloping demand curve. We introduce a framework where harvesting sequentially affects the resource's potential to regenerate, resulting in an endogenous ecological regime shift. In a multi-period setting, the firm's objective is to find the profit-maximizing harvesting policy while simultaneously detecting in the quickest time possible the change in regime. Encapsulating the idea of environmental surveillance, the use of quickest detection method allows us to easily translate our framework to real-time detection. Solving analytically, we show that a negative regime shift induces an aggressive extraction behaviour due to a combination of faster detection, a sense of urgency, and higher markups. Precautionary behaviour can result due to increasing resource rent. We study the probability of extinction and show the emergence of catastrophe risk which can be both reversible and irreversible

Social distancing: why has compliance been so different across Europe?

A common response to the Covid-19 pandemic across Europe has been for states to promote social distancing. Yet the level of compliance from citizens has varied substantially between countries. Drawing on data from Switzerland, Neha Deopa and Piergiuseppe Fortunato provide an illustration of the impact cultural attitudes and behavioural norms can have on compliance with social distancing measures

Channel new investment to the North, Midlands and Wales, not the South East

New research reveals that the pandemic has hit the UK’s poorest regions hardest. Neha Deopa and Piergiuseppe Fortunato (UNCTAD) argue that post-COVID investment needs to be channelled to the North, Midlands and Wales

Phenotypic detection of Metallo Beta Lactamase Producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa among Clinical Isolates from the intensive care unit of a tertiary care centre

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium responsible for both, acute and chronic infection, causing serious infections in patients who are mechanically ventilated individuals, who are immunocompromised, and patients with malignancies or HIV infection. Objectives: The phenotypic screening of metallo beta-lactamases (MBL) in strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistant to imipenem. Material and Methods: The study was carried out in the department of Microbiology, in a medical hospital, Bareilly, over a period 18 months from January 2013 to June 2014. A total of 103 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from sputum, broncho alveolar lavage (BAL), urine, pus and blood from critically ill patients admitted in the intensive care unit of a tertiary care centre. Strain of P. aeruginosa resistant to imipenem, were tested for metallo beta-lactamase production by phenotypic methods. Result: Out of 103 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 48 strains were found imipenem resistant, of which 43(89.6%) were MBL positive by imipenem -EDTA combined disc test and the rest 35(72.9%) were by modified Hodge test. Conclusion: Imipenem – EDTA combined disc test found to be the best phenotypic method for detection of MBL. The appearance of the MBL and their spread among bacterial pathogens is a matter of concern with regard to the future of antimicrobial therapy. Both the methods are simple and one of these phenotypic methods can be easily incorporated in routine lab procedures to detect MBL

Direct and simultaneous measurement of stiffness and internal friction of single folded protein

The nanomechanical response of a folded single protein, the natural nanomachine responsible for myriad biological functions, provides insight into its function. The conformational flexibility of a folded state, characterized by its viscoelasticity, allows proteins to adopt different shapes to perform functions. Despite efforts, its direct measurement has not been possible so far. We present a direct and simultaneous measurement of stiffness and internal friction of folded domains of protein titin using a special interferometer based Atomic FOrce Microscope. We analysed the data by carefully separating different contributions affecting the response of the experimental probe to obtain folded state's viscoelasticity. Above ~ 95 pN of force, the individual immunoglobulins of titin transition from an elastic solid-like native state to a soft viscoelastic intermediate.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figure

CURRENT UPDATES ON ANTI-DIABETIC THERAPY

ABSTRACT Diabetes globally has become one of the chronic public health problems and is related to group of metabolic defects resulting due to defect in insulin secretion and its action. As the disease progress micro and macro vascular damage may lead to retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy and various cardiovascular like complications. It is estimated that by the year of 2030 about 439 million adults would be suffering from any form of diabetes. There are mainly two types of diabetes which is because of their occurrence rate. The current review covers the basic aspect of types of diabetes, insulin molecular, chemical basis, and its secretion, hypoglycemic drugs used and their mode of action, what are the recent advancement in terms of new drugs finding, and the herbal plants. Thus, the information will help researchers for development of combination medication which involve both recent medication and herbal medication for combating various complication associated with diabetes.   KEY WORDS: Hyperglycemia, insulin, glucose, phyto-constituents

Quickest Detection of Ecological Regimes for Natural Resource Management

This is the final version. Available on open access from Springer via the DOI in this recordWe study the stochastic dynamics of natural resources under the threat of ecological regime shifts. We establish a Pareto optimal framework of regime shift detection under uncertainty that minimizes the delay with which economic agents become aware of the shift. We integrate ecosystem surveillance in the formation of optimal resource extraction policies. We fully solve the case of a profit-maximizing monopolist, study its response to regime shift detection and show the generality of our framework by extending our results to other decision makers and functional forms. We apply our framework to the case of the Cantareira water reservoir in São Paulo, Brazil, and study the events that led to its depletion and the consequent water supply crisis