TRIPS and the Pharmaceutical Industry in Bangladesh: Towards a National Strategy

The paper presents a study of the WTO-Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health and explores the opportunities of the growth of Bangladesh’s domestic pharmaceutical industry. The paper comes up with a number of policy suggestions in terms of designing a national strategy for the development of Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical sector in the context of the Doha Declaration.Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property, TRIPS, Pharmaceutical Industry, Bangladesh

Optimized Coplanar Waveguide Resonators for a Superconductor-Atom Interface

We describe the design and characterization of superconducting coplanar waveguide cavities tailored to facilitate strong coupling between superconducting quantum circuits and single trapped Rydberg atoms. For initial superconductor-atom experiments at 4.2 K, we show that resonator quality factors above $10^4$ can be readily achieved. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the incorporation of thick-film copper electrodes at a voltage antinode of the resonator provides a route to enhance the zero-point electric fields of the resonator in a trapping region that is 40 $\mu$m above the chip surface, thereby minimizing chip heating from scattered trap light. The combination of high resonator quality factor and strong electric dipole coupling between the resonator and the atom should make it possible to achieve the strong coupling limit of cavity quantum electrodynamics with this system.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Outcomes from an Addiction Medicine Elective for 2nd Year PCOM DO Students

Introduction: According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 40.3 million people aged 12 or older had a past-year substance use disorder (SUD). However, the median number of hours of content discussing this clinical issue in medical schools is seven hours. At the PCOM Philadelphia campus, 50 Second Year students (allowable limit) participated in the first Addiction Medicine Elective course in Winter 2022. This was a 6-week long program with one 2-hour session at night (6–8 pm) per week. Classes consisted of sessions with physicians having experience with SUD patients, testimony from those with SUD, Narcan training, direct involvement in a related community experience (e.g., Prevention Point), and as observers in group sessions (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous). Methods: All students were in good academic standing, and enrolled electively. There were no quizzes or exams but attendance was mandatory. Students were given a pre- and post-survey assessing their understanding of SUD, and their comfort level in talking to patients about their substance use. The survey questions were in the following format: “As a medical student I…” and were asked to give a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ option; completion was not compulsory. However, submission of a ‘reflection’ paper was mandatory. Students who successfully participated received one course credit for their transcript. Results: All 50 students responded to the survey. Twenty percent stated prior to the course that they felt comfortable in assessing a patient for addiction which increased to 100% at the end. Forty-one percent reported feeling comfortable talking to their patients about their addiction prior to the course which rose to 95% after 6 weeks. In regard to understanding the disease concept of addiction, 66% felt comfortable at the beginning which increased to 100% at the end. On Day 1 of the course, only 2% reported knowing how to access community resources for referral regarding treatment or 12-step programs; after Day 6, 91% indicated that they now knew how to access these community resources. Discussion: The pre- and post-surveys given during this addiction medicine elective showed promising results that it was effective in teaching students about SUD. Students felt more comfortable identifying patients with this serious medical condition, and in talking to their future patients about substance use. They also reported a better understanding of the disease process of addiction. This course is a viable option to increase the knowledge and confidence of future physicians when it comes to treating patients with SUD

Maternal Nicotine Exposure Leads to Augmented Expression of the Antioxidant Adipose Tissue Triglyceride Lipase Long-Term in the White Adipose of Female Rat Offspring.

Globally, approximately 10-25% of women smoke during pregnancy. Since nicotine is highly addictive, women may use nicotine containing products like nicotine replacement therapies for smoking cessation, but the long-term consequences of early life exposure to nicotine remain poorly defined. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that maternal nicotine exposed (MNE) rat offspring exhibit hypertriglyceridemia due to increased hepatic de novo lipogenesis. Hypertriglyceridemia may also be attributed to impaired white adipose tissue (WAT) lipid storage; however, the effects of MNE on WAT are not completely understood. We hypothesize that nicotine-induced alterations in adipose function (e.g. lipid storage) underlie dyslipidemia in MNE adults. Female 6 month old rats exposed to nicotine during gestation and lactation exhibited significantly decreased visceral adipocyte cell area by 40%, attributed, in part, to a 3-fold increase in adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) protein expression compared to vehicle. Given ATGL has antioxidant properties and in utero nicotine exposure promotes oxidative stress in various tissues, we next investigated if there was evidence of increased oxidative stress in MNE WAT. At both 3 weeks and 6 months, MNE offspring expressed 37-48% higher protein levels of SOD1 and SOD2 in WAT. Since oxidative stress can induce inflammation, we examined the inflammatory profile of WAT and found increased expression of cytokines (IL-1β, TNFα, and IL-6) by 44-61% at 6 months. Collectively, this suggests that the expression of WAT ATGL may be induced to counter MNE-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. However, higher levels of ATGL would further promote lipolysis in WAT, culminating in impaired lipid storage and long-term dyslipidemia

Canada’s multiple voices diplomacy in climate change negotiations: a focus on Québec

Abstract: This article sheds light on the complexity of international climate change negotiations in a federal country, like Canada, where there is no clear attribution of full power over international negotiation concerning this issue. Climate change is a multi-level and multi-stakeholder issue, one that can only be tackled successfully if all actors, at all levels of government, are involved in the process. In recent years, Canadian provinces, especially Québec, have become intensely involved in climate change paradiplomacy. That situation has led to a Canadian paradox where the Government of Québec worked to respect the Kyoto Protocol and act accordingly, while Canada opted out of the Protocol in 2011

The Challenge of the GATS for Transition Economies Seeking to Join the WTO

Transition economies seeking to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) face a variety of distinctive challenges relating to their prospective obligations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Transition economies are characterized by changing market and industry structures on the one hand, and ongoing reforms to their regulatory structures on the other. Both make it extremely difficult for transition economies to develop a position on what WTO services commitments they should undertake in their national schedules of specific commitments. Accession negotiations are further complicated by the evolving nature of GATS rules themselves and the tough negotiating stance taken by existing Members. Based on evidence from recent accessions, the effective minimum requirements relating to services for transition economies seeking to join the WTO are increasin