Interrelationships between Income, Health and the Environment: Extending the Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis.

This study examines the link between the health indicators and the environmental variables for a cross-section of countries widely dispersed in the economic development spectrum. While the environment and income are seen to have an inverted U-shaped relationship (Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis), it is also well established that health and environment are positively related. Our study focuses on the implications of this for the relationship between health and income. In the early phases of income growth, the gains in health and the losses in environmental quality could cancel each other out and this challenges the idea that as incomes increase health would always improve. To empirically analyse these issues, we estimate a two-stage least squares model that focuses on the impact of income and the environment on health status, with environment being an endogenous variable. Our results show that the environmental stress variable has a significant negative effect on health status. At the same time, GNP levels and improvements in access to better sanitation and safe water are shown to vary positively with health status variables. We find that the health gains obtained through improved incomes can be negated to a significant extent if the indirect effect of income acting via the environment is ignored. Research findings in this regard would be a useful policy instrument towards maximising both the environmental and health gains that come with economic growth and development.ENVIRONMENT ; ECONOMETRICS ; ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Clumpy Disc and Bulge Formation

We present a set of hydrodynamical/Nbody controlled simulations of isolated gas rich galaxies that self-consistently include SN feedback and a detailed chemical evolution model, both tested in cosmological simulations. The initial conditions are motivated by the observed star forming galaxies at z ~ 2-3. We find that the presence of a multiphase interstellar media in our models promotes the growth of disc instability favouring the formation of clumps which in general, are not easily disrupted on timescales compared to the migration time. We show that stellar clumps migrate towards the central region and contribute to form a classical-like bulge with a Sersic index, n > 2. Our physically-motivated Supernova feedback has a mild influence on clump survival and evolution, partially limiting the mass growth of clumps as the energy released per Supernova event is increased, with the consequent flattening of the bulge profile. This regulation does not prevent the building of a classical-like bulge even for the most energetic feedback tested. Our Supernova feedback model is able to establish a self-regulated star formation, producing mass-loaded outflows and stellar age spreads comparable to observations. We find that the bulge formation by clumps may coexit with other channels of bulge assembly such as bar and mergers. Our results suggest that galactic bulges could be interpreted as composite systems with structural components and stellar populations storing archaeological information of the dynamical history of their galaxy.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS - Aug. 20, 201

All-metal, compact heat exchanger for space cryocoolers

This report describes the development of a high performance, all metal compact heat exchanger. The device is designed for use in a reverse Brayton cryogenic cooler which provides five watts of refrigeration at 70 K. The heat exchanger consists of a stainless steel tube concentrically assembled within a second stainless steel tube. Approximately 300 pairs of slotted copper disks and matching annular slotted copper plates are positioned along the centerline axis of the concentric tubes. Each of the disks and plates has approximately 1200 precise slots machined by means of a special electric discharge process. Positioning of the disk and plate pairs is accomplished by means of dimples in the surface of the tubes. Mechanical and thermal connections between the tubes and plate/disk pairs are made by solder joints. The heat exchanger assembly is 9 cm in diameter by 50 cm in length and has a mass of 10 kg. The predicted thermal effectiveness is greater than 0.985 at design conditions. Pressure loss at design conditions is less than 5 kPa in both fluid passages. Tests were performed on a subassembly of plates integrally soldered to two end headers. The measured thermal effectiveness of the test article exceeded predicted levels. Pressure losses were negligibly higher than predictions

Performativity, devices, and politics. Fuerzas especiales by Diamela Eltit

Indexación: Scopus; Scielo.Este artículo propone una lectura de la novela Fuerzas especiales de Diamela Eltit, la cual configura una retórica visual o de una letra en tránsito hacia la imagen desde una interpretación ranceriana de lo político. Sobre esta base, se busca desarrollar dos objetivos: el primero, articular una lectura en torno a las nociones de política, en cuanto todo cruce entre letra, medios, imágenes y dispositivos implica un choque y una fricción, que siempre cargan con otras tensiones políticas y culturales; el segundo, analizar las variantes que posibilitan hablar de una retórica del espectáculo, la escena y la imagen.This article proposes a reading of the novel Fuerzas especiales, by Diamela Eltit, which configures a visual rethoric or from the written letter in transit towards image, from a Rancierian reading of the political. On this basis, two objectives are sought: first, articulating a reading around the notions of politics, considering that every crossover between writing, media, images and devices implies clash and friction, which always bring other cultural and political tensions; the second, analyzing the variants that enable talking about a performance, scene and image rethoric.https://scielo.conicyt.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-5811201800010004

Histology and genetic control of intramuscular fat deposition and desaturation

There is an increasing world demand for food production. Contemporaneously the market seeks assurance in terms of provenance, quality, and healthiness. While consumers demand tasty, highly and fine marbled meat, its healthiness has become extremely important. An important component of the organoleptic characteristics and level of healthiness is the quantity of intramuscular fat of the meat and its fatty acid composition. Higher intramuscular fat content, measured as marbling, results in better tenderness, juiciness and flavour, and is often healthier due to a higher content of UFA and MUFA, i.e. oleic acid. The intramuscular fat quantity, measured as marbling, is part of the quality grading and pricing of the carcase. This thesis examines the deposition of intramuscular fat, contributing to the understanding, and consequently the improvement, of marbling and fat desaturation. The different areas examined are (a) genetics of marbling and fat desaturation, (b) nature of marbling and possibilities of measuring in live animals and (c) similarities between marbling and muscular dystrophy in human, and opportunities for translation of scientific findings between the two species. One of the simplest ways of assessing the level of desaturation of the fat is measuring its melting temperature (Tm). Fats with higher proportions of unsaturated fatty acids melt at lower temperatures. Current techniques are practical and repeatable and can be done in conjunction with some DNA tests. Here I validate the measurement of Tm of fat obtained in the process of DNA extraction. Using this method, we proved the effects of the breed on the Tm for Red Wagyu (Akaushi) and Black Wagyu, as well as individual differences among Black Wagyu bulls. I evaluated the effect of breed-specific haplotypes in Bota19 over Tm, establishing the importance of these haplotypes in the inheritance of the trait. I show synteny between the region that contains these haplotypes in cattle and an important region in Hosa 17 involved in some muscular dystrophies. Additionally, these ancestral haplotypes also proved to be practical and successful in the confirmation of the post mortem identity. The lack of knowledge and deep understanding of intramuscular fat deposition is a big limitation. The inability to reliably measure the trait in live animals limits its measurement and analysis to the carcass stage, and even then, the traditional measurements of marbling are still not objective, reliable and repeatable. I analysed and described marbling at a microscopic level, designing a microscopic scoring system for marbling. We defined areas suitable for fat and muscle biopsies and measured their Tm and marbling. Later, I compared and validated the results against the muscle commonly used for marble score (Longissimus dorsi), showing similarities on histology, marble score and Tm of the surrounding fat. This gives the opportunity for the development of a test to monitor marbling and fat desaturation throughout the animal’s life. Following the previously established genetic relation between marbling and muscular dystrophy, a histological comparison of the two processes was made, revealing common features. Due to the histological commonalities between marbling and human muscular dystrophy, and the relation between the areas of the genome involved in fat and muscle metabolism in both species, I proposed the translation of scientific findings from one species to the other. For example, I observed fat acting as an invasive tissue, which could also be a factor in muscular dystrophy. An example of a practical way of performing farm trials was presented, as an alternative to achieve statistical significance with small sample size and minimal interference in production systems, allowing beef farmers to team up with scientists to generate practical knowledge, and to minimise the number of animals needed for research with live animals. This thesis provides new information that could lead to the development of practical techniques to establish more effective and efficient production systems, favouring grass-feeding and shorter feeding times, with the consequent improvement on animal welfare and reduction of the environmental impact

Agricultural Distortion Patterns Since the 1950s: What Needs Explaining?

This paper summarizes a new database that sheds light on the impact of trade-related policy developments over the past half century on distortions to agricultural incentives and thus also to consumer prices for food in 75 countries spanning the per capita income spectrum. Price-support policies of advanced economies hurt not only domestic consumers and exporters of other products but also foreign producers and traders of farm products, and they reduce national and global economic welfare. On the other hand, the governments of many developing countries have directly taxed their farmers over the past half-century, both directly (e.g., export taxes) and also indirectly via overvaluing their currency and restricting imports of manufactures. Thus the price incentives facing farmers in many developing countries have been depressed by both own-country and other countries’ agricultural price and international trade policies. We summarize these and related stylized facts that can be drawn from a new World Bank database that is worthy of the attention of political economy theorists, historians and econometricians. These indicators can be helpful in addressing such questions as the following: Where is there still a policy bias against agricultural production? To what extent has there been overshooting in the sense that some developing-country food producers are now being protected from import competition along the lines of the examples of earlier-industrializing Europe and Japan? What are the political economy forces behind the more-successful reformers, and how do they compare with those in less-successful countries where major distortions in agricultural incentives remain? And what explains the pattern of distortions across not only countries but also industries and in the choice of support or tax instruments within the agricultural sector of each country?Distorted incentives, agricultural and trade policy reforms, national agricultural development, Political economy, agricultural price and trade policies, Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade, F13, F14, Q17, Q18, F59, H20, N50, O13,

Global Distortions to Key Agricultural Commodity Markets

Distorted incentives, agricultural and trade policy reforms, national agricultural development, Agricultural and Food Policy, International Relations/Trade, F13, F14, Q17, Q18,

Not All Antibodies Are Created Equal: Factors That Influence Antibody Mediated Rejection.

Consistent with Dr. Paul Terasaki's "humoral theory of rejection" numerous studies have shown that HLA antibodies can cause acute and chronic antibody mediated rejection (AMR) and decreased graft survival. New evidence also supports a role for antibodies to non-HLA antigens in AMR and allograft injury. Despite the remarkable efforts by leaders in the field who pioneered single antigen bead technology for detection of donor specific antibodies, a considerable amount of work is still needed to better define the antibody attributes that are associated with AMR pathology. This review highlights what is currently known about the clinical context of pre and posttransplant antibodies, antibody characteristics that influence AMR, and the paths after donor specific antibody production (no rejection, subclinical rejection, and clinical dysfunction with AMR)