Flexible production and entry: institutional, technological, and organizational determinants

Academics, the media, and policymakers have all raised concerns about the implications of human workers being replaced by machines or software. Few have discussed the implications of the reverse: firms’ ability to replace capital with workers. We show that this flexibility can help new firms overcome uncertainty and increase entrepreneurial entry. We develop a simple real options model where permissive labor regulations allow firms to take advantage of capital-labor substitutability by replacing ‘rigid’ capital with ‘flexible’ labor. The model highlights institutional, technological, and organizational preconditions to using this flexibility. Using a large and comprehensive dataset on entry by standalone firms and group affiliates, we provide evidence in support of the model

Higher Spin Gravity with Matter in AdS_3 and Its CFT Dual

We study Vasiliev's system of higher spin gauge fields coupled to massive scalars in AdS_3, and compute the tree level two and three point functions. These are compared to the large N limit of the W_N minimal model, and nontrivial agreements are found. We propose a modified version of the conjecture of Gaberdiel and Gopakumar, under which the bulk theory is perturbatively dual to a subsector of the CFT that closes on the sphere.Comment: 58 pages; typos corrected, references adde

Boundary Conditions and Unitarity: the Maxwell-Chern-Simons System in AdS_3/CFT_2

We consider the holography of the Abelian Maxwell-Chern-Simons (MCS) system in Lorentzian three-dimensional asymptotically-AdS spacetimes, and discuss a broad class of boundary conditions consistent with conservation of the symplectic structure. As is well-known, the MCS theory contains a massive sector dual to a vector operator in the boundary theory, and a topological sector consisting of flat connections dual to U(1) chiral currents; the boundary conditions we examine include double-trace deformations in these two sectors, as well as a class of boundary conditions that mix the vector operators with the chiral currents. We carefully study the symplectic product of bulk modes and show that almost all such boundary conditions induce instabilities and/or ghost excitations, consistent with violations of unitarity bounds in the dual theory.Comment: 50+1 pages, 6 figures, PDFLaTeX; v2: added references, corrected typo

AdS/CFT beyond the unitarity bound

Scalars in AdS${}_{d+1}$ with squared masses in the Breitenlohner-Freedman window $-d^2/4 \le m^2 < -d^2/4 +1$ (in units with the AdS scale $\ell$ set to 1) are known to enjoy a variety of boundary conditions. For larger masses $m^2 > -d^2/4 +1$, unitarity bounds in possible dual CFTs suggest that such general boundary conditions should lead to ghosts. We show that this is not always the case as, for conformally-invariant boundary conditions in Poincar\'e AdS that would naively violate unitarity bounds, the system is generically ghost-free. Conflicts with unitarity bounds are avoided due to the presence of unexpected pure gauge modes and an associated infrared divergence. The expected ghosts appear when the IR divergence is removed either by deforming these boundary conditions or considering global AdS.Comment: 24 page

Switching Multiple Sclerosis Patients with Breakthrough Disease to Second-Line Therapy

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with breakthrough disease on immunomodulatory drugs are frequently offered to switch to natalizumab or immunosuppressants. The effect of natalizumab monotherapy in patients with breakthrough disease is unknown. METHODS: This is an open-label retrospective cohort study of 993 patients seen at least four times at the University of California San Francisco MS Center, 95 had breakthrough disease on first-line therapy (60 patients switched to natalizumab, 22 to immunosuppressants and 13 declined the switch [non-switchers]). We used Poisson regression adjusted for potential confounders to compare the relapse rate within and across groups before and after the switch. RESULTS: In the within-group analyses, the relapse rate decreased by 70% (95% CI 50,82%; p<0.001) in switchers to natalizumab and by 77% (95% CI 59,87%; p<0.001) in switchers to immunosuppressants; relapse rate in non-switchers did not decrease (6%, p =  0.87). Relative to the reduction among non-switchers, the relapse rate was reduced by 68% among natalizumab switchers (95% CI 19,87%; p = 0.017) and by 76% among the immunosuppressant switchers (95% CI 36,91%; p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Switching to natalizumab or immunosuppressants in patients with breakthrough disease is effective in reducing clinical activity of relapsing MS. The magnitude of the effect and the risk-benefit ratio should be evaluated in randomized clinical trials and prospective cohort studies

Cumulative survival in early-onset unilateral and bilateral breast cancer: an analysis of 1907 Taiwanese women

As the epidemiological pattern of breast cancer in modernising Asian countries differs greatly from that in Western countries, it is worthwhile to investigate the long-term prognoses of unilateral and bilateral breast cancer in these nations. A retrospective cohort study composed of 1907 Taiwanese women was conducted to follow 1863 unilateral and 44 bilateral cases of breast cancer. Time-dependent Cox regression was used to assess the risk of breast cancer death by considering the time course of unilateral and bilateral tumour development. The 15-year survival rates were 68.37, 62.63, and 26.42% for unilateral, synchronous bilateral, and metachronous bilateral breast cancer, respectively. Differences among types were most apparent after 5 years of follow-up. After adjusting for significant prognostic factors, the risk of death for overall bilateral breast cancer was 2.50-fold greater (95% CI, 1.43–4.37) compared to unilateral breast cancer. The corresponding figures were 1.12-fold (95% CI, 0.42–3.02) and 6.11-fold (95% CI, 3.14–11.89) for synchronous and metachronous bilateral breast cancer, respectively. Taiwanese women, who are frequently diagnosed with breast cancer before 50 years of age, showed poorer survival for metachronous bilateral than for synchronous bilateral or unilateral breast cancer. Survival was markedly poorer compared to recent data from Sweden

Set-shifting as a component process of goal-directed problem-solving

In two experiments, we compared secondary task interference on Tower of London performance resulting from three different secondary tasks. The secondary tasks were designed to tap three different executive functions, namely set-shifting, memory monitoring and updating, and response inhibition. Previous work using individual differences methodology suggests that, all other things being equal, the response inhibition or memory tasks should result in the greatest interference. However, this was not found to be the case. Rather, in both experiments the set-shifting task resulted in significantly more interference on Tower of London performance than either of the other secondary tasks. Subsequent analyses suggest that the degree of interference could not be attributed to differences in secondary task difficulty. Results are interpreted in the light of related work which suggests that solving problems with non-transparent goal/subgoal structure requires flexible shifting between subgoals – a process that is held to be impaired by concurrent performance of a set-shifting task

HATS-47b, HATS-48Ab, HATS-49b and HATS-72b: Four Warm Giant Planets Transiting K Dwarfs

We report the discovery of four transiting giant planets around K dwarfs. The planets HATS-47b, HATS-48Ab, HATS49b, and HATS-72b have masses of 0.369+ 0.0210.031MJ, 0.243+ 0.0300.022 MJ, 0.353+ 0.0270.038 MJ, and 0.1254. 0.0039 MJ, respectively, and radii of 1.117. 0.014 RJ, 0.800. 0.015 RJ, 0.765. 0.013 RJ, and 0.7224. 0.0032 RJ, respectively. The planets orbit close to their host stars with orbital periods of 3.9228 days, 3.1317 days, 4.1480 days, and 7.3279 days, respectively. The hosts are main-sequence K dwarfs with masses of 0.674+ 0.0120.016.M, 0.7279. 0.0066.M, 0.7133. 0.0075.M, and 0.7311. 0.0028, and with V-band magnitudes of V = 14.829. 0.010, 14.35. 0.11, 14.998. 0.040 and 12.469. 0.010. The super-Neptune HATS-72b (a.k.a. WASP-191b and TOI 294.01) was independently identified as a transiting planet candidate by the HATSouth, WASP, and TESS surveys, and we present a combined analysis of all of the data gathered by each of these projects (and their follow-up programs). An exceptionally precise mass is measured for HATS-72b thanks to high-precision radial velocity (RV) measurements obtained with VLT/ESPRESSO, FEROS, HARPS, and Magellan/PFS. We also incorporate TESS observations of the warm Saturn-hosting systems HATS-47 (a.k.a. TOI.1073.01), HATS-48A, and HATS-49. HATS-47 was independently identified as a candidate by the TESS team, while the other two systems were not previously identified from the TESS data. The RV orbital variations are measured for these systems using Magellan/PFS. HATS-48A has a resolved 5.. 4 neighbor in Gaia.DR2, which is a common-proper-motion binary star companion to HATS-48A with a mass of 0.22.M and a current projected physical separation of similar to 1400 au

Quality of the parent-child interaction in young children with type 1 diabetes mellitus: study protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In young children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) parents have full responsibility for the diabetes-management of their child (e.g. blood glucose monitoring, and administering insulin). Behavioral tasks in childhood, such as developing autonomy, and oppositional behavior (e.g. refusing food) may interfere with the diabetes-management to achieve an optimal blood glucose control. Furthermore, higher blood glucose levels are related to more behavioral problems. So parents might need to negotiate with their child on the diabetes-management to avoid this direct negative effect. This interference, the negotiations, and the parent's responsibility for diabetes may negatively affect the quality of parent-child interaction. Nevertheless, there is little knowledge about the quality of interaction between parents and young children with T1DM, and the possible impact this may have on glycemic control and psychosocial functioning of the child. While widely used global parent-child interaction observational methods are available, there is a need for an observational tool specifically tailored to the interaction patterns of parents and children with T1DM. The main aim of this study is to construct a disease-specific observational method to assess diabetes-specific parent-child interaction. Additional aim is to explore whether the quality of parent-child interactions is associated with the glycemic control, and psychosocial functioning (resilience, behavioral problems, and quality of life).</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>First, we will examine which situations are most suitable for observing diabetes-specific interactions. Then, these situations will be video-taped in a pilot study (N = 15). Observed behaviors are described into rating scales, with each scale describing characteristics of parent-child interactional behaviors. Next, we apply the observational tool on a larger scale for further evaluation of the instrument (N = 120). The parents are asked twice (with two years in between) to fill out questionnaires about psychosocial functioning of their child with T1DM. Furthermore, glycemic control (HbA_1c) will be obtained from their medical records.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>A disease-specific observational tool will enable the detailed assessment of the quality of diabetes-specific parent-child interactions. The availability of such a tool will facilitate future (intervention) studies that will yield more knowledge about impact of parent-child interactions on psychosocial functioning, and glycemic control of children with T1DM.</p

Association between two distinct executive tasks in schizophrenia: a functional transcranial Doppler sonography study

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder involving impairments in executive functioning, which are important cognitive processes that can be assessed by planning tasks such as the Stockings of Cambridge (SOC), and tasks of rule learning/abstraction such as the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). We undertook this study to investigate the association between performance during separate phases of SOC and WCST, including mean cerebral blood flow velocity (MFV) measurements in chronic schizophrenia. METHODS: Functional transcranial Doppler sonography (fTCD) was used to assess bilateral MFV changes in the middle (MCA) and anterior (ACA) cerebral arteries. Twenty-two patients with chronic schizophrenia and 20 healthy subjects with similar sociodemographic characteristics performed SOC and WCST during fTCD measurements of the MCA and the ACA. The SOC was varied in terms of easy and difficult problems, and also in terms of separate phases, namely mental planning and movement execution. The WCST performance was assessed separately for maintaining set and set shifting. This allowed us to examine the impact of problem difficulty and the impact of separate phases of a planning task on distinct intervals of WCST. Simultaneous registration of MFV was carried out to investigate the linkage of brain perfusion during the tasks. RESULTS: In patients, slowing of movement execution during easy problems (SOC) was associated with slowing during maintaining set (WCST) (P < 0.01). In healthy subjects, faster planning and movement execution during predominantly difficult problems were associated with increased performance of WCST during set shifting (P < 0.01). In the MCA, patients showed a significant and positive correlation of MFV between movement execution and WCST (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate performance and brain perfusion abnormalities in the association pattern of two different tasks of executive functioning in schizophrenia, and they support the notion that executive functions have a pathological functional correlate predominantly in the lateral hemispheres of the brain. This study also underpins the scientific potential of fTCD in assessing brain perfusion in patients with schizophrenia