222 research outputs found
Three Current Account Balances: A "Semi-Structuralist" Interpretation
No full textThree large current account imbalances -- one deficit (the United States) and two surpluses (Japan and the Euro area) -- are subjected to a minimalist structural interpretation. Though simple, this interpretation enables us to assess how much of each of the imbalances require a real exchange rate adjustment. According to the estimates, a large part of the U.S. current account deficit (nearly 2 percentage points of the 2004 deficit of 5 1/2 percent of GDP) will undergo an adjustment process that involves real depreciation in its exchange rate. For Japan, a little more than 1 percentage point (of GDP) of the current account surplus is found to require an exchange rate movement (real appreciation) as the surpluses adjust down. For the Euro area, less than half a percentage point of its current account surplus is found to require an adjustment via real appreciation.
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: a Cantonese Cumber
No full textNasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a malignant development arising from the epithelium ofthe nasopharynx (Lee AWM, 1997) and is typically associated with infection by theEpstein Barr Virus (EBV) (Old et al., 1966). EBV can also cause infectiousmononucleosis (Klein et al., 1969) and Burkitt’s lymphoma (Epstein, Achong, & Barr,1964; zur Hausen et al., 1970).
Understanding human-water feedbacks of interventions in agricultural systems with agent based models: A review
No full textIncreased variability of the water cycle manifested by climate change is a growing global threat to agriculture with strong implications for food and livelihood security. Thus, there is an urgent need for adaptation in agriculture. Agricultural water management (AWM) interventions, interventions for managing water supply and demand, are extensively promoted and implemented as adaptation measures in multiple development programs globally. Studies assessing these adaptation measures overwhelmingly focus on positive impacts, however, there is a concern that these studies may be biased towards well-managed and successful projects and often miss out on reporting negative externalities. These externalities result from coevolutionary dynamics of human-water systems as AWM interventions impact hydrological flows and their use and adoption is shaped by the societal response. We review the documented externalities of AWM interventions and present a conceptual framework classifying negative externalities linked to water and human systems into negative hydrological externalities and unexpected societal feedbacks. We show that these externalities can lead to long term unsustainable and inequitable outcomes. Understanding how the externalities lead to undesirable outcomes demands rigorous modeling of the feedbacks between human and water systems, for which we discuss the key criteria that such models should meet. Based on these criteria, we showcase that differentiated and limited inclusion of key feedbacks in current water modeling approaches (e.g., hydrological models, hydro-economic, and water resource models) is a critical limitation and bottleneck to understanding and predicting negative externalities of AWM interventions. To account for the key feedback, we find Agent Based Modeling (ABM) as the method that has the potential to meet the key criteria. Yet there are gaps that need to be addressed in the context of ABM as a tool to unravel the negative externalities of AWM interventions. We carry out a systemic review of ABM application to agricultural systems, capturing how it is currently being applied and identifying the knowledge gaps that need to be bridged to unravel the negative externalities of AWM interventions. We find that ABM has been extensively used to model agricultural systems and, in many cases, the resulting externalities with unsustainable and inequitable outcomes. However, gaps remain in terms of limited use of integrated surface-groundwater hydrological models, inadequate representation of farmers' behavior with heavy reliance on rational choice or simple heuristics and ignoring heterogeneity of farmers' characteristics within a population
Creating an enabling environment for industry-driven pest suppression: The case of suppressing Queensland fruit fly through area-wide management
No full textIncreasing concerns about pests call for the development and uptake of innovative pest management approaches. This coincides with many governments pushing for greater industry self-reliance. This paper investigates how to create a more enabling environment for local industries to suppress Queensland fruit fly (QFly) through industry-driven, area-wide management (AWM). This key recommended approach requires high technical capability and is reliant on cooperation between horticulture growers and other risk contributors, such as town residents, with QFly hosts on their properties. Agriculture Innovation Systems thinking and a functional-structural analysis are applied to the current QFly management innovation system to understand how it constrains or facilitates local industries pursuing AWM. This assists with identifying governance interventions that will support local industries to undertake AWM. Data is derived from semi-structured interviews with key informants from stakeholder groups and a grower survey in three regions where AWM has been achieved or is being attempted. Key blocking mechanisms hindering local industries to pursue AWM have been identified as a lack of local capacity; weak connections between local industries and the broader innovation system; lack of AWM investment; and reliance on voluntary cooperation. Suggestions for policy interventions include supporting intermediation; strengthening local capacity and enabling co-regulation.The author would like to acknowledge the support of the Australian
Government's Cooperative Research Centres Program, in particular, the
sponsorship received through the Australian Plant Biosecurity
Cooperative Research Centre for Project 64045
CT-based delineation of organs at risk in the head and neck region: DAHANCA, EORTC, GORTEC, HKNPCSG, NCIC CTG, NCRI, NRG Oncology and TROG consensus guidelines
No full textSingle-cell RNA sequencing defines distinct disease subtypes and reveals hypo-responsiveness to interferon in asymptomatic Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia
No full textWaldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia (WM) is an IgM-secreting bone marrow (BM) lymphoma that is preceded by an asymptomatic state (AWM). To dissect tumor-intrinsic and immune mechanisms of progression, we perform single-cell RNA-sequencing on 294,206 BM tumor and immune cells from 30 patients with AWM/WM, 26 patients with Smoldering Myeloma, and 23 healthy donors. Despite their early stage, patients with AWM present extensive immune dysregulation, including in normal B cells, with disease-specific immune hallmarks. Patient T and NK cells show systemic hypo-responsiveness to interferon, which improves with interferon administration and may represent a therapeutic vulnerability. MYD88-mutant tumors show transcriptional heterogeneity, which can be distilled in a molecular classification, including a DUSP22/CD9-positive subtype, and progression signatures which differentiate IgM MGUS from overt WM and can help advance WM research and clinical practice. © The Author(s) 2025
A roadmap to consolidate research and innovation in agricultural water management in Bosnia and Herzegovina
No full text13 Pags.- 1 Fig.- 4 Tabls. Data availability: The data that has been used is confidential. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license.Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) accumulates challenges in the areas of research and innovation (R&I), agricultural water management (AWM) and their intersection. In the decade 2012–2022, the BiH gross domestic product per capita in current US$ increased by 6.2% annually. However, improvements are slowly arriving in R&I and AWM. In this period, relevant challenges to AWM have materialized, such as climate change effects or the need to implement an interconnected vision of ecosystem services. In the R&I arena, the societal demand for knowledge goods remains low, while the reforms of higher education and R&I funding systems have become urgent. This paper set out to elaborate a realistic and feasible policy roadmap to consolidate R&I in AWM in BiH. The methodology included an assessment of policies and sector performance, the analysis of stakeholder perceptions, the development of strategic directions and the design of a strategy. Desk research and stakeholder consultations (33 interviews, six workshops, 179 persons in total) were used to take stock of the current situation and expectations for the future. Stakeholders were divided into knowledge supply and knowledge demand, with five and six subcategories, respectively. Relations were established among the key enabling factors, the needs and the capacities of the involved stakeholders. The TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths) matrix permitted to identify policy strategies. A Weaknesses – Opportunities, conservative or mini-maxi strategy was selected, owing to the relevance of system weaknesses (such as low investments, poor return of R&I to society or low R&I for AWM adaptation) and opportunities (such as the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, Smart Specialization or regional partnerships). The policy roadmap was structured along three policy goals: strengthen R&I, strengthen AWM and identify / fund local R&I priorities for AWM. Policy goals included policy instruments promoting eco-efficient use of resources and sustainable development of rural areas.This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 952396.Peer reviewe
Advances in the clinical management of nasopharyngeal cancer
No full textNasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most peculiar cancers with a distinctly skewed geographic and ethnic distribution. Epidemiological studies have unveiled its multifactorial etiology with a dynamic interplay of genetic predisposition, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection and environmental carcinogens. Radiotherapy has been the mainstay of curative treatment. The use of highly precise intensity-modulation radiotherapy technique has achieved excellent locoregional control and reduced treatment toxicities. Combination chemotherapy with cisplatin-based regimen further improves treatment outcome. The refinement of radiotherapy technique, search for more potent systemic agents, contemporary treatment strategies for recurrent or metastatic diseases, biomarkers for prognostification and prediction of treatment response are currently under intense study
How accurate is physical examination in diagnosing subacromial impingement?
No full textINTRODUCTION: Primary subacromial impingement occurs when coracoacromial complex impinges the rotator cuff during movement of shoulder. The study aimed to investigate the accuracy of 5 described impingement signs in predicting a type III acromion found during shoulder arthroscopy. METHODS: A total of 103 shoulder arthroscopies performed by the senior author between July 2008 and June 2013 were recruited. Significant subacromial impingement was defined as a type III ...postprin
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