Paying for Altruism: The Case of Organ Donation Revisited

Although many commentators have called for increased efforts to incentivize organ donations, theorists and some evidence suggest these efforts will be ineffective or even could perversely crowd out altruistic efforts. Prior papers examining the impact of tax incentives for donations generally report zero or negative coefficients. We argue these studies incorrectly define their tax variables, and rely on difference-in-differences methods despite likely failures of the requisite parallel trends assumption. We therefore aim to identify the causal effect of tax incentive legislation to serve as an organ donor on living related and unrelated kidney donation rates in the U.S states using more precise tax data and allowing for heterogeneous and time-variant causal effects. Employing a synthetic control method, we find that the passage of tax incentive legislation increased living unrelated kidney donation rates by about 52 percent in New York relative to a comparable synthetic New York in the absence of legislation. We show that this causal effect is robust to the exclusion of any particular state as well as to the use of a very small number of comparison states

Improvement in Field CBR Values of Subgrade Soil Using Construction-Demolition Materials

Many countries suffer from the stacks of construction and demolition (CD) materials as they cause environmental and health problems in society. The city of Mosul in Iraq suffers from a huge amount of demolition materials resulting from destruction of most of the infrastructure. In the present study, attempts have been made to assess the influence of three types of CD materials (dragged asphalt, DA; crushed brick, CB; and crushed concrete, CC) on the response of a low-plasticity clay (CL) for use as a road subgrade layer. An intensive series of both experimental and numerical studies on the CL with 10% CD materials was carried out using field California bearing ratio (CBR) tests performed in a large-scale model box. The results showed significant improvement in the CBR values upon the addition of CD materials to the CL soil. The CBR values increased by 12.4, 13.7, and 49.7% with the addition of DA, CB, and CC, respectively. The CBR values improved between 1.1 and 1.7 times, corresponding to an increase in the layer thickness from 50 to 100 cm. Further increases in CBR values range from 1.5 to 1.8 times attendant with increasing the thickness of layer from 50 cm to 150 cm. The addition of CC is more active and gives higher CBR values. A good match was observed between the CBR values obtained from the experimental results and the numerical analysis using the PLAXIS 2D package

Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and E-selectin levels in gastric cancer.

A diversity of adhesive interactions occur between the cancer cell and host extracellular matrix which potentiate neoplastic expansion and metastatic dissemination. In miscellaneous malignant diseases, tumour progression has been observed to be associated with alterations in adhesion molecule expression. Recently, circulating soluble intercellular adhesion molecules have been identified. In this study, serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) were determined in patients with gastric cancer. The study group consisted of 27 patients with previously untreated gastric adenocarcinoma. Four patients had stage II, two patients stage III and 21 patients stage IV disease according to the TNM classification. Nineteen patients had distant metastasis. The sera obtained from 18 healthy volunteers served as controls. Serum sICAM-1 and sE-selectin concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, we also studied other tumour-associated antigens, i.e. CEA and CA 19-9. Serum sICAM-1 levels were significantly increased in patients with gastric cancer (P < 0.0001). However, sE-selectin levels did not differ from the controls. sICAM-1 concentrations were also significantly higher in patients with distant metastasis and peritoneal spread (P = 0.0045 and P = 0.0157 respectively), whereas sE-Selectin levels were elevated only in patients with peritoneal metastasis (P = 0.033). Serum concentrations of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin correlated with CEA levels (P = 0.0013 and P = 0.003 respectively). Elevated levels of sE-selectin were associated with poorer prognosis (P = 0.0099), whereas sICAM-1 had no significant impact on survival. Our results suggest that increased sICAM-1 serum levels may reflect widespread disease and contribute directly to the progression of gastric cancer. Further investigation of the molecular mechanisms of adhesive tumour-host interactions may lead to a better understanding of the natural history of gastric cancer

Electroanatomical voltage mapping with contact force sensing for diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

Background Three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping (EAM) can be helpful to diagnose arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Yet, previous studies utilizing EAM have not systematically used contact-force sensing catheters (CFSC) to characterize the substrate in ARVC, which is the current gold standard to assure adequate tissue contact. Objective To investigate reference values for endocardial right ventricular (RV) EAM as well as substrate characterization in patients with ARVC by using CFSC. Methods Endocardial RV EAM during sinus rhythm was performed with CFSC in 12 patients with definite ARVC and 5 matched controls without structural heart disease. A subanalysis for the RV outflow tract (RVOT), septum, free-wall, subtricuspid region, and apex was performed. Endocardial bipolar and unipolar voltage amplitudes (BVA, UVA), signal characteristics and duration as well as the impact of catheter orientation on endocardial signals were also investigated. Results ARVC patients showed lower BVA vs. controls (p = 0.018), particularly in the subtricuspid region (1.4, IQR:0.5–3.1 vs. 3.8, IQR:2.5-5 mV, p = 0.037) and RV apex (2.5, IQR:1.5–4 vs. 4.3,IQR:2.9–6.1 mV, p = 0.019). BVA in all RV regions yielded a high sensitivity and specificity for ARVC diagnosis (AUC 59–78%, p < 0.05 for all), with the highest performance for the subtricuspid region (AUC 78%, 95% CI:0.75–0.81, p < 0.001, negative predictive value 100%). A positive correlation between BVA and an orthogonal catheter orientation (46°-90°:r = 0.106, p < 0.001), and a negative correlation between BVA and EGM duration (r = −0.370, p < 0.001) was found. Conclusions EAM using CFSC validates previous bipolar cut-off values for normal endocardial RV voltage amplitudes. RV voltages are generally lower in ARVC as compared to controls, with the subtricuspid area being commonly affected and having the highest discriminatory power to differentiate between ARVC and healthy controls. Therefore, EAM using CFSC constitutes a promising tool for diagnosis of ARVC

Developing markets? Understanding the role of markets and development at the intersection of macromarketing and transformative consumer research (TCR)

Situated at the intersection of markets and development, this commentary aims to promote a cross-fertilization of macromarketing and Transformative Consumer Research (TCR) that directs attention to the sociocultural context and situational embeddedness of consumer experience and well-being, while acknowledging complex, systemic interdependencies between markets, marketing, and society. Based on a critical review of the meaning of development and an interrogation of various developmental discourses, the authors develop a conceptual framework that brings together issues of development, well-being, and social inequalities. We suggest that these issues are better understood and addressed when examined via grounded investigations of the role of markets in shaping the management of resources, consumer agency, power inequalities and ethics. The use of markets as units of analysis may lead to further cross-fertilizations of TCR and macromarketing and to more comprehensive theorizing and transformational impact. Two empirical cases are provided to illustrate our framework

Epoxyeicosatrienoic Acid-Based Therapy Attenuates the Progression of Postischemic Heart Failure in Normotensive Sprague-Dawley but Not in Hypertensive Ren-2 Transgenic Rats

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and their analogs have been identified as potent antihypertensive compounds with cardio- and renoprotective actions. Here, we examined the effect of EET-A, an orally active EET analog, and c-AUCB, an inhibitor of the EETs degrading enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase, on the progression of post-myocardial infarction (MI) heart failure (HF) in normotensive Hannover Sprague-Dawley (HanSD) and in heterozygous Ren-2 transgenic rats (TGR) with angiotensin II-dependent hypertension. Adult male rats (12 weeks old) were subjected to 60-min left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery occlusion or sham (non-MI) operation. Animals were treated with EET-A and c-AUCB (10 and 1 mg/kg/day, respectively) in drinking water, given alone or combined for 5 weeks starting 24 h after MI induction. Left ventricle (LV) function and geometry were assessed by echocardiography before MI and during the progression of HF. At the end of the study, LV function was determined by catheterization and tissue samples were collected. Ischemic mortality due to the incidence of sustained ventricular fibrillation was significantly higher in TGR than in HanSD rats (35.4 and 17.7%, respectively). MI-induced HF markedly increased LV end-diastolic pressure (Ped) and reduced fractional shortening (FS) and the peak rate of pressure development [+(dP/dt)max] in untreated HanSD compared to sham (non-MI) group [Ped: 30.5 ± 3.3 vs. 9.7 ± 1.3 mmHg; FS: 11.1 ± 1.0 vs. 40.8 ± 0.5%; +(dP/dt)max: 3890 ± 291 vs. 5947 ± 309 mmHg/s]. EET-A and c-AUCB, given alone, tended to improve LV function parameters in HanSD rats. Their combination amplified the cardioprotective effect of single therapy and reached significant differences compared to untreated HanSD controls [Ped: 19.4 ± 2.2 mmHg; FS: 14.9 ± 1.0%; +(dP/dt)max: 5278 ± 255 mmHg/s]. In TGR, MI resulted in the impairment of LV function like HanSD rats. All treatments reduced the increased level of albuminuria in TGR compared to untreated MI group, but neither single nor combined EET-based therapy improved LV function. Our results indicate that EET-based therapy attenuates the progression of post-MI HF in HanSD, but not in TGR, even though they exhibited renoprotective action in TGR hypertensive rats

Coxiella burnetii Phagocytosis Is Regulated by GTPases of the Rho Family and the RhoA Effectors mDia1 and ROCK

The GTPases belonging to the Rho family control the actin cytoskeleton rearrangements needed for particle internalization during phagocytosis. ROCK and mDia1 are downstream effectors of RhoA, a GTPase involved in that process. Coxiella burnetii, the etiologic agent of Q fever, is internalized by the host´s cells in an actin-dependent manner. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism involved in this process has been poorly characterized. This work analyzes the role of different GTPases of the Rho family and some downstream effectors in the internalization of C. burnetii by phagocytic and non-phagocytic cells. The internalization of C. burnetii into HeLa and RAW cells was significantly inhibited when the cells were treated with Clostridium difficile Toxin B which irreversibly inactivates members of the Rho family. In addition, the internalization was reduced in HeLa cells that overexpressed the dominant negative mutants of RhoA, Rac1 or Cdc42 or that were knocked down for the Rho GTPases. The pharmacological inhibition or the knocking down of ROCK diminished bacterium internalization. Moreover, C. burnetii was less efficiently internalized in HeLa cells overexpressing mDia1-N1, a dominant negative mutant of mDia1, while the overexpression of the constitutively active mutant mDia1-ΔN3 increased bacteria uptake. Interestingly, when HeLa and RAW cells were infected, RhoA, Rac1 and mDia1 were recruited to membrane cell fractions. Our results suggest that the GTPases of the Rho family play an important role in C. burnetii phagocytosis in both HeLa and RAW cells. Additionally, we present evidence that ROCK and mDia1, which are downstream effectors of RhoA, are involved in that processFil: Salinas Ojeda, Romina Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Ortiz Flores, Rodolfo Matias. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Distel, Jesús Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Aguilera, Milton Osmar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Colombo, Maria Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Beron, Walter. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; Argentin