Discussion of the design of satellite-laser measurement stations in the eastern Mediterranean under the geological aspect. Contribution to the earthquake prediction research by the Wegener Group and to NASA's Crustal Dynamics Project

Research conducted for determining the location of stations for measuring crustal dynamics and predicting earthquakes is discussed. Procedural aspects, the extraregional kinematic tendencies, and regional tectonic deformation mechanisms are described

Optimal unemployment insurance with human capital depreciation and duration dependence

This paper studies the effect of human capital depreciation and duration dependence on the design of an optimal unemployment insurance (UI) scheme. Our results partially confirm those obtained in most previous studies: benefits should decrease with unemployment duration. The optimal program also generates two main novel features, which are not present in stationary models. First, if human capital depreciates rapidly enough during unemployment, UI transfers are bounded below by a minimal “assistance” level that arises endogenously in the efficient program. Second, we study the optimality of imposing a history contingent wage tax after reemployment. Our numerical simulations based on the Spanish and US economies show that the wage tax should decrease with the length of worker’s previous unemployment spell, and become a wage subsidy for long-term unemployed workers. As a by-product of our study, we develop a systematic approach suitable for studying recursively a wide range of dynamic moral-hazard problems, and other models with similar characteristics

Risk Sharing in Private Information Models with Asset Accumulation: Explaining the Excess Smoothness of Consumption

We derive testable implications of model in which first best allocations are not achieved because of a moral hazard problem with hidden saving. We show that in this environment agents typically achieve more insurance than that obtained under autarchy via saving, and that consumption allocation gives rise to 'excess smoothness of consumption', as found and defined by Campbell and Deaton (1987). We argue that the evidence on excess smoothness is consistent with a violation of the simple intertemporal budget constraint considered in a Bewley economy (with a single asset) and use techniques proposed by Hansen et al. (1991) to test the intertemporal budget constraint. We also construct closed form examples where the excess smoothness parameter has a structural interpretation in terms of the severity of the moral hazard problem. Evidence from the UK on the dynamic properties of consumption and income in micro data is consistent with the implications of the model

Hybrid multiple-site mass closure and source apportionment of PM2.5 and aerosol acidity at major cities in the Po Valley

This study investigates the major chemical components, particle-bound water content, acidity (pH), and major potential sources of PM2.5 in major cities (Belluno, Conegliano, Vicenza, Mestre, Padua, and Rovigo) in the eastern end of the Po Valley. The measured PM2.5 mass was reconstructed using a multiple-site hybrid chemical mass closure approach that also accounts for aerosol inorganic water content (AWC) estimated by the ISORROPIA-II model. Annually, organic matter accounted for 31-45% of the PM2.5 at all sites, followed by nitrate (10-19%), crustal material (10-14%), sulfate (8-10%), ammonium (5-9%), elemental carbon (4-7%), other inorganic ions (3-4%), and trace elements (0.2-0.3%). Water represented 7-10% of measured PM2.5. The ambient aerosol pH varied from 1.5 to 4.5 with lower values in summer (average in all sites 2.2±0.3) and higher in winter (3.9±0.3). Six major PM2.5 sources were quantitatively identified with multiple-site positive matrix factorization: secondary sulfate (34% of PM2.5), secondary nitrate (30%), biomass burning (17%), traffic (11%), re-suspended dust (5%), and fossil fuel combustion (3%). Biomass burning accounted for ∼90% of total PAHs. Inorganic aerosol acidity was driven primarily by secondary sulfate, fossil fuel combustion (decreasing pH), secondary nitrate, and biomass burning (increasing pH). Secondary nitrate was the primary driver of the inorganic AWC variability. A concentration-weighted trajectory (multiple-site) analysis was used to identify potential source areas for the various factors and modeled aerosol acidity. Eastern and Central Europe were the main source areas of secondary species. Less acidic aerosol was associated with air masses originating from Northern Europe owing to the elevated presence of the nitrate factor. More acidic particles were observed for air masses traversing the Po Valley and the Mediterranean, possibly due to the higher contributions of fossil fuel combustion factor and the loss of nitric acid due to its interaction with coarse sea-salt particles

A comparison of two distinct murine macrophage gene expression profiles in response to Leishmania amazonensis infection

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The experimental murine model of leishmaniasis has been widely used to characterize the immune response against <it>Leishmania</it>. CBA mice develop severe lesions, while C57BL/6 present small chronic lesions under <it>L. amazonensis </it>infection. Employing a transcriptomic approach combined with biological network analysis, the gene expression profiles of C57BL/6 and CBA macrophages, before and after <it>L. amazonensis </it>infection in vitro, were compared. These strains were selected due to their different degrees of susceptibility to this parasite.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The genes expressed by C57BL/6 and CBA macrophages, before and after infection, differ greatly, both with respect to absolute number as well as cell function. Uninfected C57BL/6 macrophages express genes involved in the deactivation pathway of macrophages at lower levels, while genes related to the activation of the host immune inflammatory response, including apoptosis and phagocytosis, have elevated expression levels. Several genes that participate in the apoptosis process were also observed to be up-regulated in C57BL/6 macrophages infected with <it>L. amazonensis</it>, which is very likely related to the capacity of these cells to control parasite infection. By contrast, genes involved in lipid metabolism were found to be up-regulated in CBA macrophages in response to infection, which supports the notion that <it>L. amazonensis </it>probably modulates parasitophorous vacuoles in order to survive and multiply in host cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The transcriptomic profiles of C57BL/6 macrophages, before and after infection, were shown to be involved in the macrophage pathway of activation, which may aid in the control of <it>L. amazonensis </it>infection, in contrast to the profiles of CBA cells.</p

Economies of (Alleged) Deviance: Sex Work and the Sport Mega Event

Based on ethnographic data collected during the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, thisarticle is interested to examine urban processes which reinvent the changing (sexual) landscape. Focusing on the way (host) citiesshape sex work both imaginatively and physically, we explore the (lived) realities of neoliberal imaginaries that shape urbanspace. Often thought to exist in the urban shadow as an absent-presence in cosmopolitan processes, we demonstrate the manner inwhich sexualized and racialized women creatively resist the political and economic trajectories of neoliberal urbanism that seek toexpropriate land and dispossess certain bodies. In the context of Rio de Janeiro—as in other host cities—this is particularlyevident in the routine encounter between sexual minorities and local law enforcement. Mindful of the literature on state incursioninto social-sexual life, we remain attentive to the everyday strategies through which those deemed sexually deviant and/or victimnavigate local authorities in search of new opportunities for economic salvation in the midst of the sport mega-event

A Novel Hepatitis C Virus Genotyping Method Based on Liquid Microarray

The strategy used to treat HCV infection depends on the genotype involved. An accurate and reliable genotyping method is therefore of paramount importance. We describe here, for the first time, the use of a liquid microarray for HCV genotyping. This liquid microarray is based on the 5′UTR — the most highly conserved region of HCV — and the variable region NS5B sequence. The simultaneous genotyping of two regions can be used to confirm findings and should detect inter-genotypic recombination. Plasma samples from 78 patients infected with viruses with genotypes and subtypes determined in the Versant™ HCV Genotype Assay LiPA (version I; Siemens Medical Solutions, Diagnostics Division, Fernwald, Germany) were tested with our new liquid microarray method. This method successfully determined the genotypes of 74 of the 78 samples previously genotyped in the Versant™ HCV Genotype Assay LiPA (74/78, 95%). The concordance between the two methods was 100% for genotype determination (74/74). At the subtype level, all 3a and 2b samples gave identical results with both methods (17/17 and 7/7, respectively). Two 2c samples were correctly identified by microarray, but could only be determined to the genotype level with the Versant™ HCV assay. Genotype “1” subtypes (1a and 1b) were correctly identified by the Versant™ HCV assay and the microarray in 68% and 40% of cases, respectively. No genotype discordance was found for any sample. HCV was successfully genotyped with both methods, and this is of prime importance for treatment planning. Liquid microarray assays may therefore be added to the list of methods suitable for HCV genotyping. It provides comparable results and may readily be adapted for the detection of other viruses frequently co-infecting HCV patients. Liquid array technology is thus a reliable and promising platform for HCV genotyping

Activating KIR and HLA Bw4 Ligands Are Associated to Decreased Susceptibility to Pemphigus Foliaceus, an Autoimmune Blistering Skin Disease

The KIR genes and their HLA class I ligands have thus far not been investigated in pemphigus foliaceus (PF) and related autoimmune diseases, such as pemphigus vulgaris. We genotyped 233 patients and 204 controls for KIR by PCR-SSP. HLA typing was performed by LABType SSO reagent kits. We estimated the odds ratio, 95% confidence interval and performed logistic regression analyses to test the hypothesis that KIR genes and their known ligands influence susceptibility to PF. We found significant negative association between activating genes and PF. The activating KIR genes may have an overlapping effect in the PF susceptibility and the presence of more than three activating genes was protective (OR = 0.49, p = 0.003). A strong protective association was found for higher ratios activating/inhibitory KIR (OR = 0.44, p = 0.001). KIR3DS1 and HLA-Bw4 were negatively associated to PF either isolated or combined, but higher significance was found for the presence of both together (OR = 0.34, p<10−3) suggesting that the activating function is the major factor to interfere in the PF pathogenesis. HLA-Bw4 (80I and 80T) was decreased in patients. There is evidence that HLA-Bw4(80T) may also be important as KIR3DS1 ligand, being the association of this pair (OR = 0.07, p = 0.001) stronger than KIR3DS1-Bw4(80I) (OR = 0.31, p = 0.002). Higher levels of activating KIR signals appeared protective to PF. The activating KIR genes have been commonly reported to increase the risk for autoimmunity, but particularities of endemic PF, like the well documented influence the environmental exposure in the pathogenesis of this disease, may be the reason why activated NK cells probably protect against pemphigus foliaceus