The Effectiveness of Post-Katrina Disaster Aid: The Influence of SBA Loans on Small Businesses in Mississippi

Following Hurricane Katrina, the United States government provided $45 billion in loans and rebuilding funds to individuals and businesses for the purpose of repairing the damage caused by the hurricane. However, it is not yet clear what impact this assistance had on small businesses in affected areas. In particular, the role of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans has yet to be fully examined. Though few doubt the benefits of short-term and immediate disaster relief, there is some debate on the benefits of SBA loans. Evidence suggests that receiving business loans may do more harm than good if the loan ultimately increases debt load. In this study we contribute to the disaster relief literature through completing the first analysis regarding the receipt of SBA loans after Hurricane Katrina. We find that there are several characteristics which increase the probability of application for a loan, but there is a set of different characteristics which determine the amount ultimately received. Further, results indicate that targeting programs for certain groups were unsuccessful in directing loans to these groups

Nuovi dati sulla necropoli del Cavone di Monte Li Santi a Narce (scavo 2015)

This paper presents the results of the 2015 excavation in the necropolis of Monte Li Santi at the Faliscan site of Narce. Our knowledge of the necropolis was based until now mainly on the 1894 publication in the Monumenti Antichi dei Lincei. During the 2015 excavation, three large rock-cut chamber tombs were discovered, unfortunately already looted, together with a series of niches near them, used probably for ritual practices. In the different sections of this paper, the authors discuss the history of the research, the stratigraphy, the finds, the few human remains discovered and the process of conservation of the find

Thinking big and thinking small: A conceptual framework for best practices in community and stakeholder engagement in food, energy, and water systems

Community and stakeholder engagement is increasingly recognized as essential to science at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems (FEWS) to address complex issues surrounding food and energy production and water provision for society. Yet no comprehensive framework exists for supporting best practices in community and stakeholder engagement for FEWS. A review and meta‐synthesis were undertaken of a broad range of existing models, frameworks, and toolkits for community and stakeholder engagement. A framework is proposed that comprises situational awareness of the FEWS place or problem, creation of a suitable culture for engagement, focus on power‐sharing in the engagement process, co‐ownership, co‐generation of knowledge and outcomes, the technical process of integration, the monitoring processes of reflective and reflexive experiences, and formative evaluation. The framework is discussed as a scaffolding for supporting the development and application of best practices in community and stakeholder engagement in ways that are arguably essential for sound FEWS science and sustainable management

Nuovi Dati Sulla Necropoli del Cavone di Monte Li Santi a Narce (Scavo 2015)

This paper presents the results of the 2015 excavation in the necropolis of Monte Li Santi at the Faliscan site of Narce. Our knowledge of the necropolis was based until now mainly on the 1894 publication in the Monumenti Antichi dei Lincei. During the 2015 excavation, three large rock-cut chamber tombs were discovered, unfortunately already looted, together with a series of niches near them, used probably for ritual practices. In the different sections of this paper, the authors discuss the history of the research, the stratigraphy, the finds, the few human remains discovered and the process of conservation of the finds

Enacting boundaries or building bridges? Language and engagement in food-energy-water systems science

Scientific study of issues at the nexus of food–energy–water systems (FEWS) requires grappling with multifaceted, “wicked” problems. FEWS involve interactions occurring directly and indirectly across complex and overlapping spatial and temporal scales; they are also imbued with diverse and sometimes conflicting meanings for the human and more-than-human beings that live within them. In this paper, we consider the role of language in the dynamics of boundary work, recognizing that the language often used in stakeholder and community engagement intended to address FEWS science and decision-making constructs boundaries and limits diverse and inclusive participation. In contrast, some language systems provide opportunities to build bridges rather than boundaries in engagement. Based on our experiences with engagement in FEWS science and with Indigenous knowledges and languages, we consider examples of the role of language in reflecting worldviews, values, practices, and interactions in FEWS science and engagement. We particularly focus on Indigenous knowledges from Anishinaabe and the language of Anishinaabemowin, contrasting languages of boundaries and bridges through concrete examples. These examples are used to unpack the argument of this work, which is that scientific research aiming to engage FEWS issues in working landscapes requires grappling with embedded, practical understandings. This perspective demonstrates the importance of grappling with the role of language in creating boundaries or bridges, while recognizing that training in engagement may not critically reflect on the role of language in limiting diversity and inclusivity in engagement efforts. Leaving this reflexive consideration of language unexamined may unknowingly perpetuate boundaries rather than building bridges, thus limiting the effectiveness of engagement that is intended to address wicked problems in working landscapes

Natalizumab affects T-cell phenotype in multiple sclerosis: implications for JCV reactivation

The anti-CD49d monoclonal antibody natalizumab is currently an effective therapy against the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Natalizumab therapeutic efficacy is limited by the reactivation of the John Cunningham polyomavirus (JCV) and development of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). To correlate natalizumab-induced phenotypic modifications of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes with JCV reactivation, JCV-specific antibodies (serum), JCV-DNA (blood and urine), CD49d expression and relative abundance of peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets were longitudinally assessed in 26 natalizumab-treated RRMS patients. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism and R. Natalizumab treatment reduced CD49d expression on memory and effector subsets of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes. Moreover, accumulation of peripheral blood CD8+ memory and effector cells was observed after 12 and 24 months of treatment. CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte immune-activation was increased after 24 months of treatment. Higher percentages of CD8+ effectors were observed in subjects with detectable JCV-DNA. Natalizumab reduces CD49d expression on CD8+ T-lymphocyte memory and effector subsets, limiting their migration to the central nervous system and determining their accumulation in peripheral blood. Impairment of central nervous system immune surveillance and reactivation of latent JCV, can explain the increased risk of PML development in natalizumab-treated RRMS subjects