Geometrically stopped Markovian random growth processes and Pareto tails

Many empirical studies document power law behavior in size distributions of economic interest such as cities, firms, income, and wealth. One mechanism for generating such behavior combines independent and identically distributed Gaussian additive shocks to log-size with a geometric age distribution. We generalize this mechanism by allowing the shocks to be non-Gaussian (but light-tailed) and dependent upon a Markov state variable. Our main results provide sharp bounds on tail probabilities, a simple equation determining Pareto exponents, and comparative statics. We present two applications: we show that (i) the tails of the wealth distribution in a heterogeneous-agent dynamic general equilibrium model with idiosyncratic investment risk are Paretian, and (ii) a random growth model for the population dynamics of Japanese municipalities is consistent with the observed Pareto exponent but only after allowing for Markovian dynamics

Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in psoriatic arthritis.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that can result in significant disability. With the emergence of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), therapeutic outcomes in PsA have improved substantially. The clinical efficacy and the inhibition of radiographic progression demonstrated by TNFi have transformed the management of PsA. However, there is still an unmet need for a subset of patients who do not respond adequately to TNFi. Areas covered: This review provides an overview of the pharmacokinetics of TNFi, the efficacy of TNFi in PsA, and the role of immunogenicity of TNFi in the treatment of PsA. In addition, we address the use of TNFi in the setting of other medications utilized in the treatment of PsA and the potential future role of biosimilars. Expert commentary: Monoclonal antibodies exhibit complex and widely variable pharmacokinetics. The study of factors that can affect the pharmacokinetics, such as immunogenicity, is valuable to further define and understand the use of TNFi in PsA, especially in the subset of patients who do not respond adequately to these agents or lose effectiveness over time

Selective Cytotoxicity of Rhodium Metalloinsertors in Mismatch Repair-Deficient Cells

Mismatches in DNA occur naturally during replication and as a result of endogenous DNA damaging agents, but the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway acts to correct mismatches before subsequent rounds of replication. Rhodium metalloinsertors bind to DNA mismatches with high affinity and specificity and represent a promising strategy to target mismatches in cells. Here we examine the biological fate of rhodium metalloinsertors bearing dipyridylamine ancillary ligands in cells deficient in MMR versus those that are MMR-proficient. These complexes are shown to exhibit accelerated cellular uptake which permits the observation of various cellular responses, including disruption of the cell cycle, monitored by flow cytometry assays, and induction of necrosis, monitored by dye exclusion and caspase inhibition assays, that occur preferentially in the MMR-deficient cell line. These cellular responses provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the selective activity of this novel class of targeted anticancer agents

Influence of projectile shape on dynamic behavior of steel sheet subjected to impact and perforation

Authors thank Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland for financial support under Grants: R00 0097 12. Authors thank also M. Tavian technician in electronics from ENIM for his contribution on the development of the residual velocity measurement sensors.The paper describes a work focused on the process of perforation of steel sheet.Experimental,analytical and numerical investigations have been carried out to analyze in details the perforation process.Based on these approaches,the ballistic properties of the material and the failure modes depending on the projectile nose shape(conical,blunt or hemispherical) have been studied.Different failure modes have been observed,including petaling, plug ejection and circumference necking.The special study about the number of petals has been done for different nose angles using conical shape projectiles.The complete energy balance is also reported and the absorbed energy by the steel sheet has been obtained by measuring initial and residual projectile velocities.A wide range of impact velocities from 35to180m/s has been covered during the tests.All the projectiles are 13mm in diameter and the plates are1mm thick.Moreover,the mass ratio(projectile mass/steel sheet mass) and the ratio between the span of the steel sheet and the diameter of the projectile are constant, equal to 0.38 and 3.85, respectively

Felony Disenfranchisement: Factors Relating to Support for Restoration

Felony Disenfranchisement, a collateral consequence, strips justice-involved individuals of their voting rights. While this policy is enacted in 48 states and the District of Columbia, a majority of community members are unaware of its existence. The current study used three hypotheses to guide its research about how education about disenfranchisement policy impacts a community member\u27s opinion:1) Participants exposed to information about the effects of disenfranchisement will be more supportive of enfranchisement than those in the control condition; 2) Participants who receive the vignette featuring the White justice-involved individual will indicate a higher level of support for enfranchisement compared to those who received the vignette about the Black justice-involved individual; 3) Participants that showed high support for felony enfranchisement will show a similarly high level of support for educational access, employment assistance, and housing aid. The data of 346 community members were analyzed and implications of the results are discussed within this paper

THRIVING TOGETHER: JOB SKILLS TRAINING IN PENNSYLVANIA ANIMAL SHELTERS FOR YOUTH AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE: A FORMATIVE EVALUATION OF THE HAND2PAW PROGRAM & TOOLKIT DEVELOPMENT

Youth aging out of foster care need access to programs that teach translatable job skills. Traditional programs are reported to be ineffective for youth, as they focus on hard job skill development and neglect to focus on developing the whole-person (Edelstein & Lowstein, 2014). If youth lack self-esteem and self-efficacy, they are less likely to perform job duties such as being on time, following directions, trying unknown tasks, and other skills necessary for job retention (Edelstein & Lowenstein, 2014). Programs involving animals have been increasingly utilized in settings that work with people who have experienced adversity and have proven to enhance social/emotional development. Hand2Paw, a Philadelphia non-profit, which provides job skills training to youth through working with shelter animals, identified two community needs: job skills training for youth, and positive training programs for shelter animals. Studies have suggested that at-risk youth are averse to programming that feels paternalistic (Brown & Wilderson, 2010), therefore Hand2Paw utilizes an empowerment approach and encourages youth to become providers of a community service rather than receivers of a service. The following dissertation first seeks to explore the attitudes and beliefs of older foster youth toward participation in the Hand2Paw program. This study utilized structured, qualitative interviews with 7 program graduates and subsequently analyzed findings. Main themes identified included increased self-esteem and feelings of empowerment, development of boundaries, increased patience, empathy, communication skills, introspective skills, and a sense of belonging. Using results from the qualitative study, this dissertation also includes a structured toolkit for programs like Hand2Paw, which outlines group and individual activities embedded in an animal assisted setting, designed to increase job readiness for at-risk youth

“We Give Way:” 6 Narratives of the Academic Negotiation Between English and Afrikaans at The University of Stellenbosch

The negotiations between the African National Congress (ANC) and the National Party in 1992 led to the creation of South Africa’s eleven national languages including English and Afrikaans. This paper discusses the intricate relationship between these two languages at the University of Stellenbosch. This project attempts to understand how undergraduate and postgraduate students have negotiated the rise of English as a universal academic language and the maintenance of Afrikaans as Stellenbosch’s core language of instruction. The project works to determine how students view the changes to the policy and how those changes affect them, looking particularly at the effect of dual-medium instruction between English and Afrikaans. To give context to the current language debate occurring at the University of Stellenbosch, I give a brief summary of South African language policy at the tertiary level and at the University of Stellenbosch. Then after analyzing data gathered in interviews with undergraduate and postgraduate students, this paper examines the effect of bilingual instruction on the students and how they view the growing pressure on the University of Stellenbosch to Anglicize its courses. The findings of this project have determined that language policy at the University of Stellenbosch is much different from the language practices at the institution. In fact, the language practices of some undergraduate and postgraduate students actually contradict the current policies put in place by the University and the South African government. This study has shown that language practice at the University is fueled by the international demand for English speakers while competing with the deep-rooted Afrikaans tradition