Globalization at Risk: The Changing Preferences of States and Societies

After long, wide trends toward freer and more integratedmarkets, peoples and ideas, reluctance to subordinate the ideals of globalization to state interests shows signs of serious erosion. Recent examples include the breakdown of international institutions, the rise in state control over energy resources and their use as diplomatic leverage, and US abandonment of the principles of globalization. The sources of these changing preferences are both ideological and utilitarian. The result is that key elements of globalization are at risk, but with unpredictable consequences.political economy, globalization, international institutions, economic nationalism, resource nationalism, financial crisis

Synchronous gastric and duodenal metastases from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a unique presentation of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Metastatic disease to the stomach or duodenum is an infrequent diagnosis, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the least common primary malignancies that lead to gastric or duodenal metastases. We report the case of a 65-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus infection and previously diagnosed HNSCC who presented with melena. The patient had a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placed 3 months prior to his presentation. Laboratory testing was significant for normocytic anemia and a digital rectal examination was positive for melena. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed numerous cratered nodules with contact bleeding in the stomach as well as the duodenum that appeared malignant. Biopsies of the gastric and duodenal nodules were positive for p40 and CK 5/6, consistent with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma

Structure and lattice dynamics of the wide band gap semiconductors MgSiN2_{2} and MgGeN2_{2}

We have determined the structural and lattice dynamical properties of the orthorhombic, wide band gap semiconductors MgSiN$_{2}$ and MgGeN$_{2}$ using density functional theory. In addition, we present structural properties and Raman spectra of a MgSiN$_{2}$ powder. The structural properties and lattice dynamics of the orthorhombic systems are compared to wurtzite AlN. We find clear differences in the lattice dynamics between MgSiN$_{2}$, MgGeN$_{2}$ and AlN, for example we find that the highest phonon frequency in MgSiN$_{2}$ is about 100~cm$^{-1}$ higher than the highest frequency in AlN and that MgGeN$_{2}$ is much softer. We also provide the Born effective charge tensors and dielectric tensors of MgSiN$_{2}$, MgGeN$_{2}$ and AlN. Phonon related thermodynamic properties, such as the heat capacity and entropy, are in very good agreement with available experimental results.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, 6 table

Session 4-2-A: Taking the Disorder out of Gambling Disorder

DSM‐5 Gambling Disorder A. Persistent and recurrent problematic gambling behavior leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as indicated by four (or more) of the following in a 12‐month period: A. Persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior as indicated by five (or more) of the following

On Comparative Dynamics

Lately, there has been an increased interest in stability of growth paths, see e.g., Brock and Scheinkman [1974]. The problem has been stated in terms of properties of stationary paths. In order to appreciate the difficulty of the general stability problem, one must realize that there are two types of "time" involved in the analysis: stability "time” and path “time.” Thus, the appropriate mathematical field is that of differential equations defined on a space of functions rather than a finite dimensional space. Naturally, if one restricts one’s attention to stationary paths, then the usual stability analysis is appropriate. However, we would be then discussing the asymptotic behavior of the asymptotic state of the economy. This note strives to put the problem of path stability in the proper perspective by discussing the much simpler problem of comparative dynamics. Unfortunately this term has been used in the economic growth literature to discuss the basically comparative statics problem of comparing stationary growth paths. By comparative dynamics, we mean the determination of the “direction” of change in the optimal path of decision variables due to a change in the exogenous variables. The traditional method of deriving comparative statics results has been to use second order conditions for optimality. However, if one is willing to assume concavity, these results could be derived in a more direct way by utilizing the fact that a differentiable concave function lies below its tangent plane. We shall use this concept in deriving the main inequalities of this note. By way of motivation, we first derive two inequalities of comparative statics. Then we derive the comparative dynamics results and finally we discuss some economic theoretical examples

New laws for the high seas: four key issues the UN talks need to tackle

United Nations negotiations begin today in New York on the elements of an international agreement to govern the conservation and sustainable use of the high seas

Modelling the evolution of distributions : an application to major league baseball

We develop Bayesian techniques for modelling the evolution of entire distributions over time and apply them to the distribution of team performance in Major League baseball for the period 1901-2000. Such models offer insight into many key issues (e.g. competitive balance) in a way that regression-based models cannot. The models involve discretizing the distribution and then modelling the evolution of the bins over time through transition probability matrices. We allow for these matrices to vary over time and across teams. We find that, with one exception, the transition probability matrices (and, hence, competitive balance) have been remarkably constant across time and over teams. The one exception is the Yankees, who have outperformed all other teams