Genomic investigations of unexplained acute hepatitis in children

Since its first identification in Scotland, over 1,000 cases of unexplained paediatric hepatitis in children have been reported worldwide, including 278 cases in the UK1. Here we report an investigation of 38 cases, 66 age-matched immunocompetent controls and 21 immunocompromised comparator participants, using a combination of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and immunohistochemical methods. We detected high levels of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) DNA in the liver, blood, plasma or stool from 27 of 28 cases. We found low levels of adenovirus (HAdV) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) in 23 of 31 and 16 of 23, respectively, of the cases tested. By contrast, AAV2 was infrequently detected and at low titre in the blood or the liver from control children with HAdV, even when profoundly immunosuppressed. AAV2, HAdV and HHV-6 phylogeny excluded the emergence of novel strains in cases. Histological analyses of explanted livers showed enrichment for T cells and B lineage cells. Proteomic comparison of liver tissue from cases and healthy controls identified increased expression of HLA class 2, immunoglobulin variable regions and complement proteins. HAdV and AAV2 proteins were not detected in the livers. Instead, we identified AAV2 DNA complexes reflecting both HAdV-mediated and HHV-6B-mediated replication. We hypothesize that high levels of abnormal AAV2 replication products aided by HAdV and, in severe cases, HHV-6B may have triggered immune-mediated hepatic disease in genetically and immunologically predisposed children

Analyzing manufacturing sector and selected development challenges: A panel data analysis

The importance of manufacturing as a main determinant of economic growth has been explored extensively in the literature considering manufacturing as the engine of economic growth. In our study, a new database covering 117 countries for 1995–2017 containing four indicators, namely manufacturing value added share in GDP, growth of GDP, manufacturing energy intensity, and UNIDO's Competitive Industrial Performance score is constructed. Relying on this dataset and the Granger causality tests the paper investigates the effect of economic growth, energy intensity and the competitiveness index on manufacturing value added. Applying adequate econometric methods the effect of this set of variables on the relative importance of manufacturing in the economy as a whole measured by the share of MVA in GDP (MVAsh) is analyzed. An inverted U shape is verified with different turning points between static and dynamic analyses in the full sample, as well as in industrialized countries and emerging and developing countries separately, with turning points all within samples. Energy intensity has negative effect in most of the cases while CIP has positive effect with high magnitudes. The rate of adjustment is high. © 2021 Elsevier Lt

Economies’ inclusive and green industrial performance: An evidence based proposed index

This paper develops and introduces a new evidence-based tool to systematically measure and benchmark the industrial performance of economies with emphasis on their inclusive and green dimensions. By means of international data sources, we build up a composite index, the inclusive and green industrial performance (IGIP) index, which captures different dimensions of the industrial socio-economic inclusiveness and green performance of the world's economies. We carry out an analysis of 83 economies in 2016 to conclude that industrialized economies (Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria) outperform significantly other economies even if we notice remarkable differences in performance among economies. Our analysis opens up new avenues for future research supporting new approaches for the structural transformation of economies in line with the aspirations put forward by the international 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). © 2020 Elsevier Lt

Money for Happiness: The Hedonic Benefits of Thrift

Thrift, a lifestyle of strategic underconsumption, offers a compelling alternative to consumerism, materialism, and overconsumption. Although thrift is often neglected in consumer research, under the right conditions, it confers a number of hedonic benefits to its practitioners. First, we summarize decades of research on the surprising relationship between money and happiness. Next, we investigate three chief reasons that more money fails to produce more happiness (and can actually detract from it): affective forecasting errors, hedonic adaptation, and chronic overspending. Then, we discuss the meaning and history of practicing thrift, with an emphasis on how it contrasts with modern mindsets and habits. Finally, we draw from decades of research in social and consumer psychology to suggest ten ways that individuals can practice thrift in their daily lives-spending and consuming less, but becoming happier in the process