State-of-the-Art in Regional Computable General Equilibrium Modelling with a Case Study of the Philippines

The developments in regional Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models have been reviewed with a view to identify future directions for modelling in the Philippines. It is observed that regional CGE models have been used extensively in the analysis of national and regional issues. These models can be divided into three classes: region-specific, bottomup and “partial†models. This paper asserts that existing models of the Philippines generally belong to the third class. This implies that there is very little scope for evaluating region-specific issues in the Philippines.Community/Rural/Urban Development, International Development,

The diameter of random Cayley digraphs of given degree

We consider random Cayley digraphs of order $n$ with uniformly distributed generating set of size $k$. Specifically, we are interested in the asymptotics of the probability such a Cayley digraph has diameter two as $n\to\infty$ and $k=f(n)$. We find a sharp phase transition from 0 to 1 at around $k = \sqrt{n \log n}$. In particular, if $f(n)$ is asymptotically linear in $n$, the probability converges exponentially fast to 1.Comment: 11 page

Scaling properties of growing noninfinitesimal perturbations in space-time chaos

We study the spatiotemporal dynamics of random spatially distributed noninfinitesimal perturbations in one-dimensional chaotic extended systems. We find that an initial perturbation of finite size $\epsilon_0$ grows in time obeying the tangent space dynamic equations (Lyapunov vectors) up to a characteristic time $t_{\times}(\epsilon_0) \sim b - (1/\lambda_{max}) \ln (\epsilon_0)$, where $\lambda_{max}$ is the largest Lyapunov exponent and $b$ is a constant. For times $t < t_{\times}$ perturbations exhibit spatial correlations up to a typical distance $\xi \sim t^z$. For times larger than $t_{\times}$ finite perturbations are no longer described by tangent space equations, memory of spatial correlations is progressively destroyed and perturbations become spatiotemporal white noise. We are able to explain these results by mapping the problem to the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class of surface growth.Comment: 4.5 pages LaTeX (RevTeX4) format, 3 eps figs included. Submitted to Phys Rev

Antimicrobial activity of xanthatin from Xanthium spinosum L

[EN] Dichloromethane extracts from Xanthium spinosum L. were fractionated and the fractions tested for their bactericidal and fungicidal activity. From the active fraction, a compound was isolated and identified as xanthatin (I). Xanthatin was active against Colletotrichum gloesporoides, Trichothecium roseum, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus.Ginesta Peris, E.; García-Breijo, F.; Primo Yúfera, E. (1994). Antimicrobial activity of xanthatin from Xanthium spinosum L. Letters in Applied Microbiology. 18(4):206-208. doi:10.1111/j.1472-765X.1994.tb00848.xS20620818

X-ray structure of the mature ectodomain of phogrin

Phogrin/IA-2β and ICA512/IA-2 are two paralogs receptor-type protein-tyrosine phosphatases (RPTP) that localize in secretory granules of various neuroendocrine cells. In pancreatic islet β-cells, they participate in the regulation of insulin secretion, ensuring proper granulogenesis, and β-cell proliferation. The role of their cytoplasmic tail has been partially unveiled, while that of their luminal region remains unclear. To advance the understanding of its structure-function relationship, the X-ray structure of the mature ectodomain of phogrin (ME phogrin) at pH 7.4 and 4.6 has been solved at 1.95- and 2.01-Å resolution, respectively. Similarly to the ME of ICA512, ME phogrin adopts a ferredoxin-like fold: a sheet of four antiparallel β-strands packed against two α-helices. Sequence conservation among vertebrates, plants and insects suggests that the structural similarity extends to all the receptor family. Crystallized ME phogrin is monomeric, in agreement with solution studies but in striking contrast with the behavior of homodimeric ME ICA512. The structural details that may cause the quaternary structure differences are analyzed. The results provide a basis for building models of the overall orientation and oligomerization state of the receptor in biological membranes

Behavioural responses of white sharks to specific baits during cage diving ecotourism

This study describes the effect of different baits on the attraction, surface behaviour and conditioning of white sharks Carcharodon carcharias during local ecotourism activities. The sightings, behaviours, and pictures used for photographic identification were obtained during August to November 2012-2014 onboard tourist boats in Guadalupe Island, Mexico. Four types of baits were used: (1) frozen bait; (2) frozen bait and natural chum; (3) fresh fish bait; and (4) mackerel bags. Data were analysed according to sex, maturity and the total of sharks using 6,145 sightings of 121 white sharks. The type of bait showed no significant difference on the effectiveness to attracting sharks. Ethological analysis showed that the type of bait had a significant effect on the shark's surface behaviour during its interactions with boats. Natural chum and fresh baits showed short term behavioural patterns constituted by increased number of violent interactions with the bait, while the frozen bait did not generate a defined behavioural pattern. Conditioning of white sharks was determined by the number of interactions and the consumption frequency of the bait. Fifty nine percent of sharks (n=41) showed no conditioning, 36% (n=25) showed a low risk and only 5% (n=3) were found to have a high risk of conditioning. The results suggest that current ecotourism has no effect on the conditioning of the white sharks, and that all baits have a similar effectiveness for attracting the sharks. However, a different behavioural pattern was observed when fresh bait and chum were used, which could increase the potential of accidents during ecotourism

Estudo retrospectivo de síndrome dilatação-torção gástrica

Orientação : Nuno Cardoso ; co-orientação : Maria João FonsecaA SDTG é uma emergência veterinária que ocorre frequentemente na prática clínica, e que tem uma elevada taxa de mortalidade apesar de todos os avanços na medicina veterinária. Os objectivos deste estudo foram determinar a relação de alguns dos considerados factores de risco com o prognóstico de SDTG. Foram analisadas fichas clínicas de 134 animais com SDTG assistidos entre 2002 e 2010 no Hospital Veterinário do Restelo. Observou-se que, a maior parte dos animais com SDTG eram do género masculino, da raça Dogue Alemão, com idades compreendidas entre 1 e 15 anos. Através de testes estatísticos, o único factor que revelou interferir com o prognóstico foi a realização ou não de esplenectomia durante a cirurgia para resolução da torção gástrica. Constatou-se que, estes pacientes têm pior prognóstico do que os outros. É importante que os proprietários dos animais de raça predisposta estejam devidamente informados acerca das características desta síndrome, nomeadamente os seus sinais clínicos e formas de prevenção, de forma a minimizar o número de cães que sofrem morte súbita por SDTG e evitar casos em que a cirurgia seja já impraticável e a situação irreversível.The gastric dilatation-volvulus syndrome is a common emergency in clinical practice and still has, despite all the advances in veterinary medicine, a high mortality rate. The objectives of this study were to determine the relationship between the risk factors considered and the prognosis of GDV. 134 medical records of animals with GDV assisted between 2002 and 2010 at the Veterinary Hospital of Restelo were analysed. In this study observed that most animals with GVD were male gender, race Great Dane, aged between 1 and 15 years. With help of statistics tests, were determined that the only factor that interferes with prognosis was found in animals that perform splenectomy during the surgery to solve a gastric torsion. So, these patients have a worse prognosis than the others, definitely something to consider. It´s important to alert the owners of pure-bred animals that are predisposed to suffer from a GDV crises, to have special attention in order to decrease the numbers of dogs who suffer sudden-deaths by GDV, and avoid cases in which surgery is already impractical and irreversible

Atrial Fibrillation Ablation and Reduction of Stroke Events: Understanding the Paradoxical Lack of Evidence

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent chronic arrhythmia and a major cause of stroke and mortality. It is thought to confer an overall 5-fold increased risk of a cerebrovascular event, causing ≈one-third of all ischemic strokes. Half of the 2 to 3 fold higher risk of mortality among AF patients is related to AF itself, not only via fatal progression of heart failure, the most frequent mode, but also sudden death and embolic events.1,2 Importantly, AF patients who suffer a cardioembolic stroke have a worse outcome compared with stroke patients without AF. Anticoagulation has been shown to reduce the risk of a cerebrovascular event in AF patients. However, despite adequate anticoagulation, some patients remain at risk of stroke. Whether successful catheter ablation can reduce this risk remains unclear. Although there has not been any convincing evidence thus far that AF ablation leads to a reduction in the risk of stroke, no randomized study was powered to address this question. In this review article, we discuss the AF-stroke association, as well as the apparent lack of evidence supporting the use of ablation for the specific reduction of this end point