Managerial incentives and financial signaling in product market competition

This paper demonstrates how management compensation schemes can serve as an inexpensive and sometimes even free signaling mechanism. In the particular example studied here it is shown how a contract offered to the manager of a monopolistic firm may induce him to take some actions that will credibly signal the firm's marginal cost and will deter entry if the firm is `sufficiently' efficient. This signaling mechanism is not costly to the monopolist and therefore, it may prefer this mechanism to the costlier `limit pricing' one.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28542/1/0000340.pd

DRD4 polymorphisms modulate reward positivity and P3a in a gambling task: Exploring a genetic basis for cultural learning

Prior work shows that people respond more plastically to environmental influences, including cultural influences, if they carry the 7 or 2‐repeat (7/2R) allelic variant of the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4). The 7/2R carriers are thus more likely to endorse the norms and values of their culture. So far, however, mechanisms underlying this moderation of cultural acquisition by DRD4 are unclear. To address this gap in knowledge, we tested the hypothesis that DRD4 modulates the processing of reward cues existing in the environment. About 72 young adults, preselected for their DRD4 status, performed a gambling task, while the electroencephalogram was recorded. Principal components of event‐related potentials aligned to the Reward‐Positivity (associated with bottom‐up processing of reward prediction errors) and frontal‐P3 (associated with top‐down attention) were both significantly more positive following gains than following losses. As predicted, the gain‐loss differences were significantly larger for 7/2R carriers than for noncarriers. Also, as predicted, the cultural backgrounds of the participants (East Asian vs. European American) did not moderate the effects of DRD4. Our findings suggest that the 7/2R variant of DRD4 enhances (a) the detection of reward prediction errors and (b) controlled attention that updates the context for the reward, thereby suggesting one possible mechanism underlying the DRD4 × Culture interactions.Is there a genetic basis for cultural learning? Recent work suggests carriers of 7‐ or 2‐repeat allele of the dopamine DRD4 are more likely than non‐carriers to acquire their culture’s beliefs and practices. We show carriers are more closely attuned to reward signals compared to non‐carriers. This finding offers a possible missing link in the analysis of the co‐evolutionary dynamic between genes and culture.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162723/2/psyp13623_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162723/1/psyp13623.pd

Tumour treating fields in a combinational therapeutic approach

© Branter et al. The standard of care for patients with newly diagnosed Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has remained unchanged since 2005, with patients undergoing maximal surgical resection, followed by radiotherapy plus concomitant and maintenance Temozolomide. More recently, Tumour treating fields (TTFields) therapy has become FDA approved for adult recurrent and adult newly-diagnosed GBM following the EF-11 and EF-14 trials, respectively. TTFields is a non-invasive anticancer treatment which utilizes medium frequency alternating electric fields to target actively dividing cancerous cells. TTFields selectively targets cells within mitosis through interacting with key mitotic proteins to cause mitotic arrest and cell death. TTFields therapy presents itself as a candidate for the combinational therapy route due to the lack of overlapping toxicities associated with electric fields. Here we review current literature pertaining to TTFields in combination with alkylating agents, radiation, anti-angiogenics, mitotic inhibitors, immunotherapies, and also with novel agents. This review highlights the observed synergistic and additive effects of combining TTFields with various other therapies, as well highlighting the strategies relating to combinations with electric fields

History of the World Allergy Organization: X International Allergy and Clinical Immunology Congress-Jerusalem

History of the World Allergy Organization: In 1951, the leaders in allergy from all over the world came together to form the International Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (IAACI). For the next 60 years, the allergy world converged at the IAACI triennial meetings, which became biennial in 2003. The international meetings, originally named the International Congress of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (ICACI), are now the World Allergy Congress (WAC) hosted by the World Allergy Organization (WAO). Everyone who has aspired to have worldwide recognition has played a part in IAACI-WAO. The History of the World Allergy Organization traces the global arc of the allergy field over the past 60 years. The current officers of WAO elected to focus on this rich history, inviting prominent leaders who are interested in being part of this history project to write about their time with IAACI-WAO. This series was presented in Cancún, México as part of the XXII World Allergy Congress (December 4-8, 2011). The World Allergy Organization Journal is presenting segments of the History as part of the ''Notes of Allergy Watchers Series.'' Please enjoy.--Michael A. Kaliner, MDHistorian, and Past President (2006-2007)World Allergy Organizatio