Ab Initio Estimates of the Size of the Observable Universe

When one combines multiverse predictions by Bousso, Hall, and Nomura for the observed age and size of the universe in terms of the proton and electron charge and masses with anthropic predictions of Carter, Carr, and Rees for these masses in terms of the charge, one gets that the age of the universe should be roughly the inverse 64th power, and the cosmological constant should be around the 128th power, of the proton charge. Combining these with a further renormalization group argument gives a single approximate equation for the proton charge, with no continuous adjustable or observed parameters, and with a solution that is within 8% of the observed value. Using this solution gives large logarithms for the age and size of the universe and for the cosmological constant that agree with the observed values within 17%.Comment: 10 pages, LaTe

The BRCA2 c.68-7T > A variant is not pathogenic: A model for clinical calibration of spliceogenicity.

Although the spliceogenic nature of the BRCA2 c.68-7T>A variant has been demonstrated, its association with cancer risk remains ontroversial. In this study, we accurately quantified by real-time PCR and digital PCR the BRCA2 isoforms retaining or missing exon 3. In addition, the combined odds ratio for causality of the variant was estimated using genetic and clinical data, and its associated cancer risk was estimated by case-control analysis in 83,636 individuals. Co-occurrence in trans with pathogenic BRCA2 variants was assessed in 5,382 families. Exon 3 exclusion rate was 4.5-fold higher in variant carriers (13%) than controls (3%), indicating an exclusion rate for the c.68-7T>A allele of approximately 20%. The posterior probability of pathogenicity was 7.44 x 10-115. There was neither evidence for increased risk of breast cancer (OR 1.03; 95% CI 0.86-1.24), nor for a deleterious effect of the variant when co-occurring with pathogenic variants. Our data provide for the first time robust evidence of the non-pathogenicity of the BRCA2 c.68-7T>A. Genetic and quantitative transcript analyses together inform the threshold for the ratio between functional and altered BRCA2 isoforms compatible with normal cell function. These findings might be exploited to assess the relevance for cancer risk of other BRCA2 spliceogenic variants

Institutional Dynamics in Environmental Corporatism. The Impact of Market and Technological Change on the Dutch Polder Model

U ovom radu obrađena je tema oporezivanja plaća, odnosno dohotka od nesamostalnog rada u Republici Hrvatskoj u 2019. godini. Potom su uspoređene strukture implicitne porezne stope poreza na dohodak zemalja Europske unije i troškovi zapošljavanja kako bi se utvrdio položaj Hrvatske u kojoj su visoki troškovi poslodavaca za radnike česta tema. Analizom je utvrđeno da najveći udio u oporezivanju plaća u Hrvatskoj otpada na socijalne doprinose, a česte promjene u poreznoj politici poreza na dohodak dovele su do toga da se Hrvatska nalazi ispod prosjeka Europske unije po visini poreznog klina, odnosno razlike između troška koji poslodavac ima za radnika i njegove neto plaće. Činjenica da su zemlje Europske unije različite po razvijenosti i brojnim drugim faktorima nameće određena ograničenja pri ovakvoj usporedbi