TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN SEVERANCE TAX REVENUES AND COAL MINING EMPLOYMENT

A severance tax can provide local jurisdictions with additional revenues to finance economic development, yet the imposition of a tax may create coal industry employment losses. This research analyzes this issue by examining the demand for Pennsylvania steam coal, providing estimates of the unconditional own-price elasticities of demand for coal in each of two demand regions. These estimates in conjunction with labor/output coefficient estimates are used to determine the extent to which coal employment in a region already witnessing slow mining industry growth will be negatively affected.Labor and Human Capital, Public Economics,

The Future of Civil War History

In March 2013, hundreds of academics, preservationists, consultants, historical interpreters, museum professionals, living historians, students, K-12 teachers, and new media specialists gathered in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to assess the state and potential future of the study of the American Civil War. The essays in this special issue build on the themes of that conference: embracing the democratic and civic potential of historical thinking; reaffirming the power of place and the importance of specific, focused stories; integrating military, political, social, cultural, and gender history; and encouraging collaboration among historians working in different settings. Our three guest editors offer their own thoughts about the state and potential future of Civil War history. [excerpt

MEASURING THE PRIMARY IMPACTS OF SEVERANCE TAXATION: A SPATIAL EQUILIBRIUM APPROACH

A spatial equilibrium model is used to quantify the effects of a severance tax on the Pennsylvania coal market. Two regions are identified: the Pennsylvania Market Area and an import/export region. The impacts on prices and quantities of coal supplied and demanded are found to be small. Little of the tax is exported from Pennsylvania, with a high proportion of the tax being passed back to Pennsylvania coal producers. Although the tax revenue exceeds the welfare losses in Pennsylvania, this result is very sensitive to the magnitude of the Pennsylvania own-price demand elasticity.Public Economics,

Dual therapy strategies for COPD: the scientific rationale for LAMA + LABA

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and health care expenditure worldwide. Relaxation of airway smooth muscle with inhaled bronchodilators is the cornerstone of treatment for stable COPD, with inhaled corticosteroids reserved for those with a history of exacerbations. Tiotropium has occupied center stage in COPD treatment for over 10 years and improves lung function, quality of life, exercise endurance, and reduces the risk of COPD exacerbation. Long-acting β2-agonists (LABAs) improve lung function, reduce dynamic hyperinflation, increase exercise tolerance, health-related quality of life, and reduce acute exacerbation of COPD. The combination of long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) and LABAs is thought to leverage different pathways to induce bronchodilation using submaximal drug doses, increasing the benefits and minimizing receptor-specific side effects. Umeclidinium/vilanterol is the first combination of LAMA/LABA to be approved for use in stable COPD in USA and Europe. Additionally, indacaterol/glycopyrronium and aclidinium/formoterol have been approved in Europe and in numerous locations outside USA. Several other agents are in the late stages of development, most of which offer once-daily dosing. The benefits of new LAMA/LABA combinations include improved pulmonary function, dyspnea, and health-related quality of life, and in some cases, reduced exacerbations. These evolving treatments will provide new opportunities and challenges in the management of COPD

Educating Pharmacy Students to Improve Quality (EPIQ) in Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

Objective. To assess course instructors’ and students’ perceptions of the Educating Pharmacy Students and Pharmacists to Improve Quality (EPIQ) curriculum. Methods. Seven colleges and schools of pharmacy that were using the EPIQ program in their curricula agreed to participate in the study. Five of the 7 collected student retrospective pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Changes in students’ perceptions were evaluated to assess their relationships with demographics and course variables. Instructors who implemented the EPIQ program at each of the 7 colleges and schools were also asked to complete a questionnaire. Results. Scores on all questionnaire items indicated improvement in students’ perceived knowledge of quality improvement. The university the students attended, completion of a class project, and length of coverage of material were significantly related to improvement in the students’ scores. Instructors at all colleges and schools felt the EPIQ curriculum was a strong program that fulfilled the criteria for quality improvement and medication error reduction education. Conclusion. The EPIQ program is a viable, turnkey option for colleges and schools of pharmacy to use in teaching students about quality improvement

Biological mechanisms underlying inter‐individual variation in factor VIII clearance in haemophilia

Previous studies have highlighted marked inter‐individual variations in factor VIII (FVIII) clearance between patients with haemophilia (PWH). The half‐life of infused FVIII has been reported to vary from as little as 5.3 hours in some adult PWH, up to as long as 28.8 hours in other individuals. These differences in clearance kinetics have been consistently observed using a number of different plasma‐derived and recombinant FVIII products. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that half‐life for extended half‐life (EHL‐) FVIII products also demonstrates significant inter‐patient variation. Since time spent with FVIII trough levels <1% has been shown to be associated with increased bleeding risk in PWH on prophylaxis therapy, this variability in FVIII clearance clearly has major clinical significance. Recent studies have provided significant novel insights into the cellular basis underlying FVIII clearance pathways. In addition, accumulating data have shown that endogenous plasma VWF levels, ABO blood group and age, all play important roles in regulating FVIII half‐life in PWH. Indeed, multiple regression analysis suggests that together these factors account for approximately 34% of the total inter‐individual variation in FVIII clearance observed between subjects with severe haemophilia A. In this review, we consider these and other putative modulators of FVIII half‐life, and discuss the biological mechanisms through which these factors impact upon FVIII clearance in vivo.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156160/2/hae14078.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156160/1/hae14078_am.pd

Health, educational and employment outcomes among children treated for a skin disorder : Scotland-wide retrospective record linkage cohort study of 766,244 children

Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the electronic Data Research and Innovation Services (eDRIS) within Public Health Scotland for their involvement in obtaining approvals, provisioning, and linking data and the use of the secure analytical platform within the National Safe Haven. Funding: The study was sponsored by Health Data Research UK (www.hdruk.ac.uk) (grant reference number MR/S003800/1 awarded to Dr Michael Fleming) which is a joint investment led by the Medical Research Council, together with the National Institute for Health Research (England), the Chief Scientist Office (Scotland), Health and Care Research Wales, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council, the British Heart Foundation and Wellcome Trust. The sponsor and funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review or approval of the manuscript, or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Ultra-High-Resolution Optical Coherence Tomographic Findings in Commotio Retinae

Commotio retinae is a self-limited opacification of the retina secondary to direct blunt ocular trauma. Histologic studies of monkeys and humans relate this clinical observation to damaged photoreceptor outer segments and receptor cell bodies.[superscript 1 - 3] Reports using time-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and spectral-domain OCT support the involvement of the photoreceptor layer, but these techniques lack the resolution necessary to confirm results of histologic analysis.[superscript 4 - 6] Prototype high-speed ultra–high-resolution OCT (hs-UHR-OCT) images demonstrate these anatomical changes in a patient with acute commotio retinae.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Contract Number RO1-EY11289-23)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Contract Number R01-EY13178-07)United States. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (Grant Number FA9550-07-1-0101)United States. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (Grant Number FA9550-07-1-0014

A mathematical model of glutathione metabolism

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Glutathione (GSH) plays an important role in anti-oxidant defense and detoxification reactions. It is primarily synthesized in the liver by the transsulfuration pathway and exported to provide precursors for in situ GSH synthesis by other tissues. Deficits in glutathione have been implicated in aging and a host of diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, Down syndrome and autism.</p> <p>Approach</p> <p>We explore the properties of glutathione metabolism in the liver by experimenting with a mathematical model of one-carbon metabolism, the transsulfuration pathway, and glutathione synthesis, transport, and breakdown. The model is based on known properties of the enzymes and the regulation of those enzymes by oxidative stress. We explore the half-life of glutathione, the regulation of glutathione synthesis, and its sensitivity to fluctuations in amino acid input. We use the model to simulate the metabolic profiles previously observed in Down syndrome and autism and compare the model results to clinical data.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We show that the glutathione pools in hepatic cells and in the blood are quite insensitive to fluctuations in amino acid input and offer an explanation based on model predictions. In contrast, we show that hepatic glutathione pools are highly sensitive to the level of oxidative stress. The model shows that overexpression of genes on chromosome 21 and an increase in oxidative stress can explain the metabolic profile of Down syndrome. The model also correctly simulates the metabolic profile of autism when oxidative stress is substantially increased and the adenosine concentration is raised. Finally, we discuss how individual variation arises and its consequences for one-carbon and glutathione metabolism.</p