Anti-cancer Action of Metal Complexes: Electron Transfer and Oxidative Stress?

Evidence is presented in support of an electron transfer mechanism for various metal complexes possessing anti-neoplastic properties. Cyclic voltammetry was performed on several metallocenes, bis(acetato)bis(imidazole)Cu(II), and coordination compounds (Cu or Fe) of the anti-tumor agents, bipyridine, phenanthroline, hydroxyurea, diethyldithiocarbamate, and α, α1-bis(8-hydroxyquinolin-7-yl)-4-methoxytoluene. The favorable reduction potentials ranged from +0.5 to -0.5 V. Electrochemical behavior is correlated in some cases with structure and physiological activity. Relevant literature data are discussed

Migrant Political Participation and Voting Behavior in Romania

The results of the first round 2014 presidential elections in Romania predicted a comfortable win for the incumbent Prime Minister Victor Ponta, the president of the Social Democratic Party. After the first round, Ponta held a 10% lead over the Christian-Liberal Alliance candidate Klaus Iohannis. The runoff campaign was marked by reports displayed on all TV channels showing the Romanian Diaspora not being able to vote abroad. Surprisingly, Klaus Iohannis, who obtained 54% of the votes, won the second round of elections. Iohannis obtained 89% of Diaspora’s votes, adding a 4% gain in front of his contender. In most studies on electoral behavior, the focus for explaining why people go to vote is centered at the level of the “country, election, electoral cohort or individual voter” (Franklin 2004). Notably absent from these studies is the impact Diaspora on the election results and the predictors of turnout. The impact on national elections of this category of citizens is not to be neglected and it becomes important especially in democratizing states. In this vein we focus on the predictors that lie behind the political participation and preferences of Romanian Diaspora. We will test two basic models that explain participation (Franklin 2004). First there is research that focuses on the social determinants of voting (Verba and Nie 1972) labeled as “the baseline model”. Another stream of studies includes electoral system effects and political system format (Blais and Aarts 2006, Cox 1997, Franklin 2004). We claim that Romanian Diaspora voters participate in higher numbers in presidential elections when the number of voting stations increases. Romanian diaspora consistently votes with center right wing parties and candidates. This vote is associated with liberal policy preferences and support for issues that promote libertarian attitudes. We test these hypotheses with elections results data from 2000 to 2014 coupled with data collected from Votulmeu.com an online Voting Advice Application from the 2014 presidential elections in Romania

How a National Carbon Policy Could Affect Grain Variety Selection: The Case of Rice in Arkansas

This study conducts a life cycle assessment (LCA) of carbon emissions and estimates the carbon sequestered in 14 commonly sown rice varieties across the Arkansas Delta. Given the uncertainty regarding future carbon legislation, and increased consumer and industry demand for “greener” products, this study estimates how potential carbon policies would affect rice cultivar selection Hybrid rice varieties, given their higher yield and higher yield per unit of green house gas (GHG) emission, are better positioned to take advantage of any increase in consumer demand for “greener” products and/or absorb any government policy better than conventional rice cultivars.Rice, Carbon Policy, Cap and Trade, Carbon Offset, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Q52, Q54, Q58,

Noncommutative spin-1/2 representations

In this letter we apply the methods of our previous paper hep-th/0108045 to noncommutative fermions. We show that the fermions form a spin-1/2 representation of the Lorentz algebra. The covariant splitting of the conformal transformations into a field-dependent part and a \theta-part implies the Seiberg-Witten differential equations for the fermions.Comment: 7 pages, LaTe

Identifying Arkansas Food Desert Blocks Suitable for a Peer-to-Peer Modeled Food Redistribution Program

Abstract Nearly 10% of Americans reside in low-income urban food deserts which are low-income areas that lack access to affordable and nutritious foods. Food deserts in Arkansas contribute to a food insecurity rate above the national average, making it one of the most food insecure states in the country. Increased internet usage and consumer interest in sharing based companies contribute to the idea of a sharing, or peer-to-peer (P2P) style food redistribution program. The objective of this study is to identify which of the 186,211census blocks in the state of Arkansas are food deserts and best suited for and in the most need, based on an identified set of criteria, of a P2P food redistribution program. A multi-criteria decision analysis was conducted using population, internet access, vulnerable communities, and vehicle availability as criteria. Results suggest that based upon the close proximity of priority areas, transportation access, ethnic/racial diversity, and the number of possible collection locations, Pulaski County be targeted for a P2P food redistribution pilot program

Does agricultural structural change lead to a weakening of the sector’s social functions? – A case study from north-west Germany

The ongoing shift towards fewer and larger farms is perceived negatively and is often associated with adverse social impacts for rural communities throughout Europe. Empirical evidence on the social functions of agriculture and how these are fulfilled is fragmented. Implications of agricultural structural change for the social dimensions of agricultural multifunctionality have thus remained poorly understood. Addressing this research gap, this paper explores whether, and, if so, how, the declining number of farms affects the social dimensions of agricultural multifunctionality based on a qualitative case study approach. The case we explore is a rural region in North-West Germany. Our case study suggests several linkages between structural change and the social functions of agriculture: first, a declining number of farms is closely related to farming activities being increasingly practised according to industrial logics, which has weakened socio-economic and socio-ecological functions. Second, farm exits have led to fewer farmers being engaged in voluntary work, implying a weakening of socio-ecological and socio-cultural functions. Third, income-diversification activities have gained importance relative to farming activities, reinforcing several of agriculture's social functions. Our results hint at differences between capital- and labour-intensive income-diversification activities with regard to (i) social functions being fulfilled, (ii) a potential departure from the predominant growth paradigm and (iii) the relevance of extending contemporary conceptions of what is part of agriculture. Based on our results, we put forward three claims to inform both future research and debates on policies aiming at a better alignment of agricultural development and societal expectations.Peer Reviewe

IR-Singularities in Noncommutative Perturbative Dynamics?

We analyse the IR-singularities that appear in a noncommutative scalar quantum field theory on $\mathcal{E}_4$. We demonstrate with the help of the quadratic one-loop effective action and an appropriate field redefinition that no IR-singularities exist. No new degrees of freedom are needed to describe the UV/IR-mixing.Comment: 6 pages, amsLaTe