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The Smoot-Hawley trade war
No full textWe document the outbreak of a trade war after the U.S. adopted the Smoot-Hawley tariff in June 1930. U.S. trade partners initially protested the possible implementation of the sweeping tariff legislation, with many eventually choosing to retaliate by increasing their tariffs on imports from the United States. Using a new quarterly dataset on bilateral trade for 99 countries during the interwar period, we show that U.S. exports to countries that protested fell by between 15 and 22 percent, while U.S. exports to retaliators fell by 28-33 percent. Furthermore, using a second new dataset on U.S. exports at the product-level, we find that the most important U.S. exports to retaliating markets were particularly affected, suggesting a possible mechanism whereby the U.S. was targeted despite countries’ MFN obligations. The retaliators’ welfare gains from trade fell by roughly 8-17%
Data relating to "Control and controllability of microswimmers by a shearing flow"
No full textData and computer codes accompanying the manuscript `Control and
controllability of microswimmers by a shearing flow' by Clement Moreau, Kenta
Ishimoto, Eamonn A. Gaffney, and Benjamin J. Walker.
Minimal MATLAB code to perform simulation of an idealised swimmer in shear
flow, including all code used to generate the various figures. Each figure can
be generated by running main.m in the corresponding directory in MATLAB, with
abbreviated figure names used. Optimal controls are computed via CasADi
(https://web.casadi.org)
Randomised phase II trial of olaparib, chemotherapy, or olaparib and cediranib in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (OCTOVA): a study protocol
No full textIntroduction: Patients relapsing within 12 months of platinum-based chemotherapy usually have a poorer response to subsequent treatments. To date, extensive research into the mechanism of resistance to platinum agents in the treatment of ovarian cancer have not resulted in improved responses or longer survival. Further experimental work and clinical trials with novel agents are therefore justified to address this unmet need.
Methods and Analysis: Patients with ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer that has relapsed within 12 months of platinum-based chemotherapy will be randomised with stratification for BRCA status, prior PARP exposure, and prior anti-angiogenic therapy into weekly paclitaxel (chemotherapy), olaparib, or the combination of cediranib and olaparib. They will be followed until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity develops. Our trial design permits two investigations. We will compare the efficacy and tolerability of single-agent olaparib with weekly paclitaxel. We will also compare the efficacy and tolerability of olaparib with the combination of olaparib and cediranib. The required sample size of 138 participants (46 per arm) was calculated using a 20% one-sided type I error, 80% power, and 15% dropout rate. Recruitment will last 34 months with a follow-up of 18 months.
Ethics and Dissemination: This study will be conducted under a UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Clinical Trials Authorisation (CTA). Approval to conduct the study was obtained from the responsible authority before beginning the study. The sponsor will retain ownership of all data arising from the trial. We aim to publish this research in a specialist peer-reviewed scientific journal on study completion. EudraCT number: 2016-000559-28, Ethics reference number: 16/LO/2150, ISRCTN: ISRCTN14784018, clinicaltrials.gov: NCT0311793
The utility of built environment geospatial data for high-resolution dasymetric global population modeling
No full textSeveral global gridded population data sets are available at unprecedented high-resolution, including recent releases at 100-m, 30-m, and 10-m resolution. These data sets are the result of the application of advanced methods to disaggregate census population counts from administrative units and facilitated by the proliferation of increasingly high-resolution spatial information pertaining to the built environment (e.g. built-up and building footprint data). Accordingly, these gridded population data are increasingly dependent on a single ancillary data set to inform the distribution of populations across space. Our study tests several combinations of binary masking variables (land areas, all building footprints, residential building footprints) and density variables (building footprint areas, building volumes) derived from characteristics of the built environment at 20× and 8000× downscaling using a flexible equation for high-resolution global dasymetric population modeling. The assessment is applied in New York City, where large spatial heterogeneities exist across confined geographic areas. Results confirm that the performance of the model generally improves as: (i) the binary masking variable becomes increasingly limiting; and, (ii) the density variable becomes more pronounced. However, application requires careful consideration due to their propensity to amplify both positive results and errors
Heterogeneous disease-propagating stem cells in juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
No full textJuvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a poor-prognosis childhood leukemia usually caused by RAS-pathway mutations. The cellular hierarchy in JMML is poorly characterized, including the identity of leukemia stem cells (LSCs). FACS and single-cell RNA sequencing reveal marked heterogeneity of JMML hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), including an aberrant Lin−CD34+CD38−CD90+CD45RA+ population. Single-cell HSPC index-sorting and clonogenic assays show that (1) all somatic mutations can be backtracked to the phenotypic HSC compartment, with RAS-pathway mutations as a “first hit,” (2) mutations are acquired with both linear and branching patterns of clonal evolution, and (3) mutant HSPCs are present after allogeneic HSC transplant before molecular/clinical evidence of relapse. Stem cell assays reveal interpatient heterogeneity of JMML LSCs, which are present in, but not confined to, the phenotypic HSC compartment. RNA sequencing of JMML LSC reveals up-regulation of stem cell and fetal genes (HLF, MEIS1, CNN3, VNN2, and HMGA2) and candidate therapeutic targets/biomarkers (MTOR, SLC2A1, and CD96), paving the way for LSC-directed disease monitoring and therapy in this disease
Perspectives on public health interventions in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
No full textBackground: Any government needs to react quickly to a pandemic and make decisions on healthcare interventions locally and internationally with little information regarding the perceptions of people and the reactions they may receive during the implementation of restrictions.
Methods: We report an anonymous online survey in Thailand conducted in May 2020 to assess public perceptions of three interventions in the Thai context: isolation, quarantine and social distancing. A total of 1,020 participants, of whom 52% were women, responded to the survey.
Results: Loss of income was the main concern among respondents (>80% for all provinces in Thailand). Traditional media and social media were important channels for communication during the pandemic. A total of 92% of respondents reported that they changed their social behaviour even before the implementation of government policy with 94% reporting they performed social distancing, 97% reported using personal protective equipment such as masks and 95% reported using sanitizer products.
Conclusions: This study showed a high level of compliance from individuals with government enforced or voluntarily controls such as quarantine, isolation and social distancing in Thailand. The findings from this study can be used to inform future government measures to control the pandemic and to shape communication strategies
Caseworker prejudice: exploring secondary non-take-up from below among Latino immigrants in Madrid, London, and New York City
No full textThis article investigates the understudied phenomenon of secondary non-take-up (NTU) among Latino immigrants in Madrid, London, and New York City from their own perspective. It examines the reasons behind secondary NTU across the three sites and examines the relevance of type of welfare state in which they live. The findings of this paper suggest that secondary NTU is prevalent in these three sites. It identifies prejudice from social workers as the leading cause of secondary NTU among Latino immigrants
Short report: Early genomic detection of SARS-CoV-2 P.1 variant in Northeast Brazil
No full textTracking the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern is crucial to inform public health efforts and control the ongoing pandemic. Here, we report genetic evidence for circulation of the P.1 variant in Northeast Brazil. We advocate for increased active surveillance to ensure adequate control of this variant throughout the country
A crystalline radical cation derived from Thiele's hydrocarbon with redox range beyond 1 V
No full textThiele’s hydrocarbon occupies a central role as an open-shell platform for new organic materials, however little is known about its redox behaviour. While recent synthetic approaches involving symmetrical carbene substitution of the CPh2 termini yield isolable neutral/dicationic analogues, the intervening radical cations are much more difficult to isolate, due to narrow compatible redox ranges (typically 1 V), permitting its isolation in crystalline form. Further single-electron oxidation affords borenium dication 12+, thereby establishing an organoboron redox system fully characterized in all three redox states. We perceive that this strategy can be extended to other transient organic radicals to widen their redox stability window and facilitate their isolation