Is the Canadian monetary policy endogenous? A cliometric analysis

Die Verfasser entwickeln ein mittelfristiges monetäres und finanzielles Gleichgewichtsmodell für eine offene Volkswirtschaft auf der Basis eines regulationistischen Ansatzes und berechnen es für kanadische Zeitreihendaten aus den Jahren 1947 bis 1999. Ein wichtiger Aspekt dabei ist die Endogenität des Zinssatzes. Weitere Elemente des Modells sind Gleichungen für Geldangebot und -nachfrage, Reallöhne, Preise, finanzielle Profitabilität, die Durchschnittsprofitrate, Produktivität und zahlungsfähige Nachfrage. Das Modell passt gut auf die Daten für Kanada und erbringt deutliche empirische Hinweise darauf, dass die Geldpolitik in einem mittelfristigen Wachstumsmodell endogen ist. Aus dem Strukturmodell lässt sich eine implizite Regel für die Geldpolitik ableiten, die sich auf Grund der Komplexität der Output-Parameter jedoch deutlich von anderen bereits von J. B. Taylor behandelten Regeln unterscheidet. (ICEÜbers)'A monetary and financial mid-term equilibrium model for an open economy is developed from the regulationist approach and estimated from Canadian quarterly time series over a long period of time (1947-1999). One important aspect is to make the interest rate endogenous through the balance of payment constraint. The other features of the model are a money supply-demand equation, a real wage price equation, a financial profitability constraint, an average profit rate, a final demand equation, and a productivity equation. The different estimated specifications of the model show strong empirical evidence that a regulationist structural model fits well the Canadian data and that monetary policy, whether or not based on a policy rule, is endogenous in a mid-term growth model. An implicit monetary rule is deducted from the structural model. The complexity of the output parameter in such a rule makes it very different from other policy rules already surveyed by J.B. Taylor.' (author's abstract

Biologic Therapies for Severe Asthma

Biologic Therapies for Severe Asthma Patients with severe asthma are at increased risk for a decreased quality of life, fixed airway obstruction, hospitalization, and death. Biologics may be required to reduce the disease burden. This review discusses the mechanisms, efficacy, and safety of biologics for severe asthma

Significant Social Space: Connecting Circulation in Atrium Design

This thesis examines visual and physical connectivity in multi-level public atrium spaces in modern public buildings, and seeks out common factors and key design principles behind their design. Enhanced physical and visual connectivity in multi-storey public buildings can contribute appreciably to the social significance of interior public spaces. At present, connectivity is typically assessed in the design stages of buildings using two-dimensional spatial analysis theories of syntax. This thesis investigates how threedimensional spatial analysis tools can be applied to the assessment of connectivity during the design of multilevel public atrium spaces, to provide a more accurate reflection of connectivity under built conditions. The thesis focuses on atria in public buildings such as museums, investigates prominent features and factors in their design, examines three examples of atrium buildings as case studies, and asks the question: how can multi-level atrium spaces be analysed for connectivity

A Review of Lenalidomide in Combination with Dexamethasone for the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma

Lenalidomide (also known as Revlimid®, CC-5013) is an immunomodulatory derivative of thalidomide and has more potent anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects than thalidomide. The molecular mechanisms of anti-tumor activity of lenalidomide have been extensively studied in multiple myeloma (MM) both preclinical models and in clinical trials. Lenalidomide: directly triggers growth arrest and/or apoptosis of drug resistant MM cells; inhibits binding of MM cells to bone marrow (BM) extracellular matrix proteins and stromal cells; modulates cytokine secretion and inhibits angiogenesis in the BM milieu; and augments host anti-tumor immunity. Lenalidomide achieved responses in patients with relapsed refractory MM. Moreover, lenalidomide with dexamethasone (Dex) demonstrates more potent anti-MM activities than Dex both in vitro and in randomized phase III clinical trials. Specifically, the combination improved overall and extent of response, as well as prolonged time to progression and overall survival, resulting in FDA approval of lenalidomide with Dex for therapy MM relapsing after prior therapy

Resveratrol improves TNF-α-induced endothelial dysfunction in a coculture model of a Caco-2 with an endothelial cell line

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IVOA Recommendation: VOResource: an XML Encoding Schema for Resource Metadata Version 1.03

This document describes an XML encoding standard for IVOA Resource Metadata, referred to as VOResource. This schema is primarily intended to support interoperable registries used for discovering resources; however, any application that needs to describe resources may use this schema. In this document, we define the types and elements that make up the schema as representations of metadata terms defined in the IVOA standard, Resource Metadata for the Virtual Observatory [Hanicsh et al. 2004]. We also describe the general model for the schema and explain how it may be extended to add new metadata terms and describe more specific types of resources

Whole genome expression profiling reveals a significant role for immune function in human abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abstract Background Abdominal aortic aneurysms are a common disorder with an incompletely understood etiology. We used Illumina and Affymetrix microarray platforms to generate global gene expression profiles for both aneurysmal (AAA) and non-aneurysmal abdominal aorta, and identified genes that were significantly differentially expressed between cases and controls. Results Affymetrix and Illumina arrays included 18,057 genes in common; 11,542 (64%) of these genes were considered to be expressed in either aneurysmal or normal abdominal aorta. There were 3,274 differentially expressed genes with a false discovery rate (FDR) ≤ 0.05. Many of these genes were not previously known to be involved in AAA, including SOST and RUNX3, which were confirmed using Q-RT-PCR (Pearson correlation coefficient for microarray and Q-RT-PCR data = 0.89; p-values for differences in expression between AAA and controls for SOST: 4.87 × 10-4 and for RUNX3: 4.33 × 10-5). Analysis of biological pathways, including Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), indicated extreme overrepresentation of immune related categories. The enriched categories included the GO category Immune Response (GO:0006955; FDR = 2.1 × 10-14), and the KEGG pathways natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity (hsa04650; FDR = 5.9 × 10-6) and leukocyte transendothelial migration (hsa04670; FDR = 1.1 × 10-5). Conclusion Previous studies have provided evidence for the involvement of the immune system in AAA. The current expression analysis extends these findings by demonstrating broad coordinate gene expression in immunological pathways. A large number of genes involved in immune function were differentially expressed in AAA, and the pathway analysis gave these results a biological context. The data provide valuable insight for future studies to dissect the pathogenesis of human AAA. These pathways might also be used as targets for the development of therapeutic agents for AAA

Population genetics of Trypanosoma brucei circulating in Glossina palpalis palpalis and domestic animals of the Fontem sleeping sickness focus of Cameroon

BACKGROUND: Human African Trypanosomiasis is still a public health threat in Cameroon. To assess Trypanosoma brucei strains circulating in the Fontem sleeping sickness focus, we conducted a genetic structure study using microsatellites to assess genotypes circulating in both tsetse flies and domestic animals. METHOD: For this study, pyramidal traps were set up and 2695 tsetse flies were collected and 1535 (57%) living flies were dissected and their mid-guts collected. Furthermore, blood samples were collected from 397 domestic animals (pigs, goats, sheep and dogs). DNA was extracted from midguts and blood samples, and specific primers were used to identify trypanosomes of the subgenus Trypanozoon. All positive samples were genetically characterized with seven microsatellite markers. RESULTS: Seventy five (4.7%) midguts of tsetse flies and 140 (35.2%) domestic animals were found infected by trypanosomes of the subgenus Trypanozoon. The genetic characterization of 215 Trypanozoon positive samples (75 from tsetse and 140 from animals) revealed a genetic diversity between Trypanosoma brucei circulating in tsetse and domestic animals. Of these positive samples, 87 (40.5%) single infections were used here to investigate the population genetics of Trypanosoma brucei circulating in tsetse and domestic animals. The dendrogram illustrating the genetic similarities between Trypanosoma brucei genotypes was subdivided into four clusters. The samples from tsetse belonged to the same cluster whereas the samples from domestic animals and espcially pigs were distributed in the four clusters. CONCLUSION: Pigs appeared as the animal species harboring the highest number of different Trypanosoma brucei strains. They may play an important role in the propagation of different genotypes. The F(ST) values revealed a sub structuration of Trypanosoma brucei according to hosts and sometimes villages. The data obtained from this study may have considerable importance for the understanding of the transmission and the spread of specific genotypes of Trypanosoma brucei

Lymphadenitis due to Histoplasmosis capsulatum var. capsulatum : Unawareness or rare occurrence in the Democratic Republic of Congo? Unusual original report with first immunohistochemical phenotyping of the fungus: Lymphadénite à histoplasma capsulatum var capsulatum. Méconnaissance ou rareté en République Démocratique du Congo ? Cas clinique inhabituel avec caractérisation du fungus par immunohistochimie

We have described herein the first lymphadenitis due to Histoplasma capsulatum var capsulatum with molecular characterization of the pathogen. The patient was a 55-year-old female from a remote village of Yabaondo in the former Province Orientale, currently Tshopo Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who presented with multiple swollen left neck lymph nodes. She reported weight loss (undefined) but was otherwise healthy, and a presumptive diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) was postulated. The biopsy specimen yielded plenty yeast cells of H. capsulatum var capsulatum on Hematoxylin-Eosin routine staining. The molecular identity of the fungus was confirmed by immunohistochemistry at the Pasteur Institute of Paris. The rarity of reported cases of H. capsulatum var capsulatum in DRC prompted us to report this unique case to generate awareness and preparedness of this emerging/reemerging neglected tropical fungal infection against outbreaks. H. capsulatum var capsulatum needs to be considered in the work-up of lymphadenopathies in tropical environment. Nous décrivons le premier cas d’une lymphadénite spécifique histoplasmique à Histoplasma capsulatum var capsulatum. Il s’agissait d’une patiente de 55 ans originaire du village Yabaondo dans l’ancienne Province Orientale, actuellement Province de la Tshopo. Son état général était satisfaisant excepté un amaigrissement et la présence de nombreux ganglions cervicaux gauches de taille variable, présumés tuberculeuses (TB). La biopsie a montré un remaniement de l’architecture folliculaire remplacée par une prolifération de gros macrophages bourrés des spores d’H. capsulatum var capsulatum. L’immunohistochimie utilisant un anticorps spécifique maison a été réalisé à l’Institut Pasteur de Paris et a confirmé l’identité moléculaire du microorganisme. La rareté des cas d’histoplasmose à H. capsulatum en RD Congo nous a motivé à rapporter ce cas inédit afin d’attirer l’attention et de contribuer à la préparation de la lutte contre cette entité émergente/reémergente négligée. L’Histoplasmose à H. capsulatum var capsulatum doit être evoquée dans la demarche de diagnostic differentiel d’une lymphadénopathie en milieu tropical