Kaluza's theory in generalized coordinates

Maxwell's equations can be obtained in generalized coordinates by considering the electromagnetic field as an external agent. The work here presented shows how to obtain the electrodynamics for a charged particle in generalized coordinates eliminating the concept of external force. Based on Kaluza's formalism, the one here presented extends the 5x5 metric into a 6x6 space-time giving enough room to include magnetic monopoles in a very natural way.Comment: 11 pages, RevTex. Accepted for publication in the Journal of Matematical Physic

Rituximab in combination with high-dose methylprednisolone for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

We observed that high-dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) and rituximab was well tolerated and had promising activity when used in combination to treat patients with fludarabine-refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This prompted us to evaluate the use of these agents in frontline therapy. A total of 28 patients with a median age of 65 years enrolled in this study. Patients received HDMP at 1 g/m(2) each day for 3 days during each of the three 4-week cycles together with rituximab and prophylactic antimicrobial therapy. The treatment was well tolerated with few adverse events of grade III or higher. The overall response rate was 96% (N=27). Nine patients (32%) achieved a complete remission (CR), two of which were without detectable minimal residual disease (MRD). Six patients with MRD received consolidation with alemtuzumab; five of these patients achieved an MRD-negative CR. With over 3 years of follow-up median progression-free survival was 30.3 months with only 39% of patients requiring additional therapy, and an overall survival was 96%. This study demonstrates that HDMP and rituximab is an effective nonmyelosuppressive treatment combination for patients with CLL that warrants consideration particularly for patients with limited myeloid reserve that might not tolerate standard treatment regimens

Investigating the Presence of Regional Economic Growth Convergence in the Philippines using Kalman Filter

This paper investigates the presence of stochastic and dynamic convergence of the 14 regional economies in the Philippines in terms of per capita Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) using regional panel data from 1988 to 2007. Stochastic convergence, which indicates convergence of regions in the long-run, is tested using Levin, Lin & Chu (LLC) and Im, Pesaran & Shin (IPS) panel unit root tests. The presence of convergence, on one hand, indicates that the economically laggard regions are gaining on the economically better-performing regions with respect to per capita GRDP. On the other hand, the lack of convergence indicates a need to reevaluate existing regional and national economic policies on development. Dynamic convergence reveals several convergence characteristics of individual regions over time. Dynamic convergence is determined by the time-varying parameter (TVP) model derived using the Kalman Filter. The paper proceeds to examine the individual convergence behavior of each region based on the value of the estimate of the parameter of the TVP. The results show that out of the 14 regions studied, seven regions are found to converge towards the average of the national per capita GDP growth rate over 1988 to 2007 while six regions lag behind the average of the national per capita GDP growth rate over the same period. No region converges towards the economic growth rate of National Capital Region, the lead region used in the study.Panel Unit Root Test, Time-varying Parameter (TVP) Model, Kalman Filter, Stochastic Convergence, Dynamic Convergence

A lock-in Transboundary Water Management Regime: the case of the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin

The study of the Rio Grande/Bravo (RGB) Basin water management demonstrates how the United States (US) and Mexico have consolidated a transboundary water regime based on groundwater sharing. Despite the lack of water management integration and common sustainable practices, both countries have succeeded in sharing groundwater resources in the past, but not for long. The transboundary water regime in RGB Basin is based on fixed groundwater extractions which do not match the ever increasing water demands and current adjustments for human and environmental needs, and the potential future natural conditions for a sustainable river system. The aim of this paper is to discuss that despite the fact that the US – Mexico water regime has given good results in terms of water allocation; the system is imperfect due to a lack of consideration of current and future environmental, economic and socio-political drivers, as well as seeing the system as a whole, promoting a conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater. Findings of this study are based on a qualitative interview study conducted with stakeholders in the RGB Basin and an analysis of historic water demands. Our sample included 54 respondents across the basin, they addressed a multitude of concerns in the context of environmental problems, fragmented water management, and citizen participation. This presentation elaborates on three key questions: (1) How the RGB water allocation regime can last with fixed water demands and without adapting to current changes in natural conditions? (2) What is the impact of this regime in the river ecosystem? (3) Does the RGB Basin water regime reflect a lock in situation that is blocking changes toward new water management practices? If so, how stakeholders can promote changes in the decision-making process? The situation of the RGB water regime can be explained through the concept of long-term predominance which results in a path-dependent process. This process helps to address sustained persistence and processes of institutions leading to a lock-in state. The RGB water regime needs major transformations, specifically in considering environmental, economical, and socio-political variables in groundwater management across the river basin, as well as the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater. A list of recommendations to enhance and optimize current water management regime is presented with a discussion of possibilities of dissolving binational organizational paths

Crossing disciplinary lines: reconciling social and genomic perspectives on the histories and legacies of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans

Over the past two decades, advances in the field of genomics have presented new opportunities to shed light upon the origins of enslaved Africans and their contemporary descendants. While this possibility has caused enthusiasm among members of the public, it has provoked contention within the academic sphere. This paper represents an attempt to reconcile these opposing disciplinary divisions, by examining, explaining, and discussing the processes involved in the production of genetic “ancestry” estimates, in order to moderate the aura of absolute “truth” that is often associated with such techniques. Our discussion focuses on two case studies – the academic use of ancient DNA analyses to estimate the geographic origins of historically enslaved individuals, and the commercialization of DNA “ancestry” testing techniques aimed at African-American roots-seekers – and draws upon recent ethnographic data relating to the experiences of test creators and test-takers, in order to contribute to this debate.This work was supported by the EUROTAST project, a Marie Curie Actions Initial Training Network, funded by the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme [grant number EUROTAST FP7-PEOPLE-2010]