Spacetime metric from linear electrodynamics

The Maxwell equations are formulated on an arbitrary (1+3)-dimensional manifold. Then, imposing a (constrained) linear constitutive relation between electromagnetic field $(E,B)$ and excitation $({\cal D},{\cal H})$, we derive the metric of spacetime therefrom.Comment: 4 pages' latex-scrip

Powerful-synergies: Gender Equality, Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability

This is a collection of evidence-based papers by scholars and practitioners that explore the interconnections between gender equality and sustainable development across a range of sectors and global development issues such as energy, health, education, food security, climate change, human rights, consumption and production patterns, and urbanization. The publication provides evidence from various sectors and regions on how women's equal access and control over resources not only improves the lives of individuals, families and nations, but also helps ensure the sustainability of the environment

Effects of in-hospital diuretic therapy on electrolytes concentration, renal function and survival in 85 dogs with acute congestive heart failure

Critically hill patients with acute congestive heart failure (CHF) may often show haemoconcentration, dysnatremia, dyskalemia and increased azotemia, due to aggressive diuretic therapy. Haemocon-centration is associated with lower risk of mortality, while dysnatremia and dyskalemia are associated with higher mortality in human medicine. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the impact of in-hospital diuretic therapy for CHF on selected laboratory parameters and long-term mortality. Dogs with clinical and radiological evidence of CHF confirmed by echocardiography were included. Blood samples collected through out the hospitalization at presentation (T0) and discharge (T1) were: venous blood gas analysis (VBGA), serum creatinine (sCr), blood ureanitrogen (BUN), microhematocrit (Htc) and total proteins (TP). Length of hospital stay, ACVIM class and other clinical indices were recorded. Haemoconcentration was defined as a simultaneous increase in Htc and total protein. A total of 85 dogs (45 male and 40 female; mean age 11.07 \ue003 2.54 years; mean weight 8.86 \ue003 6.92 kg) were included. Thirty-six dogshad previous episodes of CHF. Mean length of in-hospital stay was 31.15 \ue003 17.35 hours. Treatment protocol included a single furosemide endovenous bolus at 2 mg/kg followed by multiple 1 mg/kg bolus/hour until respiratory rate reach 40 respiratory rate. Each dog received 8.6 \ue003 2.8 mg/kg and 11.1 \ue003 2.9 mg/kg furosemide in 24 and 48 hours respectively. Ten dogs received higher furosemide doses or torasemide bolus. Haemoconcentration was reached in the 33% of dogs. Considering the VBGA and biochemistry results, the number of dogs showing extra-range values (T0-T1) were respectively: hyponatremia (10-23), hypernatremia (13-17), hypokalemia (18-30), hyperkalemia (10-10), hypocloremia (46-61), increased BUN (26-34), increased sCr (3-8). Fourty-one dogs experienced cardiac death, 12 during hospitalization, the remaining dogs between 3 and 721 days after admission. Stepwise backward regression demonstrated haemoconcentration (HR 0.33) and disnatremia (HR 2.85) influence over outcome. Statisti-cally significant correlation (Pearson) was seen between furosemide dose and kalemia (r = 120.32, P = 0.014) and between BUN and sCr (r = 0.27, P = 0.021). No correlation was seen between furosemide dose and the variables sCr, BUN, Htc and between sCr and Htc. In conclusion, haemoconcentration and disnatremia affected the out-come in dogs with CHF. Haemoconcentration was associated withlower risk of mortality and had to be considered a target in CHF therapy. In-hospital diuretic therapy increased electrolyte disorder due to loop diuretics inhibition of the renal Na, K, Cl cotransporter in the Henle's loop and disnatremia was a risk factor for adverse outcome. Diuretics doses and haemoconcentration didn't play a direct role in inducing renal disfunction

Multiple retrospective analysis of survival and evaluation of 4 cardiac death predictors in a population of dogs affected by 5 degenerative mitral valve disease in ACVIM class C treated 6 with different therapeutic protocols

Clinical records of dogs with spontaneous degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) with clinical signs related to congestive heart failure (CHF) that had been recruited during routine clinical practice, between 2001 and 2018 at the Cardiology Unit of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (University of Milan) were included in this retrospective cohort study. Baseline echocardiographic data were evaluated. Median survival times (MSTs) were calculated. Data on therapeutic treatment, ISACHC or ACVIM classes were reviewed based on the inclusion period and type of endpoint (i.e. cardiac death or death for other causes). The main goal of this data review was to retrospectively evaluate 259 clinical records of subjects belonging to ACVIM C class examined between 2001 to 2018 together with the 202 examined between 2010 to 2018. The MSTs of these subjects was 531 d (2001-2018) and 335.5 d (2010-2018), respectively. Univariate survival regression analysis for subjects included from 2010 to 2018 showed the following variables as being significantly related to cardiac death (CD): LA/Ao ratio (HR 2.754, p=0.000), E wave (HR 2.961, p=0.000), E/A ratio (HR 1.372, p=0.000), EDVI (HR 1.007, p=0.000), ESVI (HR 1.012, p=0.026), Allo(d) (HR 4.018, p=0.000) andAllo(s) (HR 2.674, p=0.049), age (HR 1.006, p=0.009) and PH severity (HR=1.309, p=0.012). Multivariate analysis, adjusted for age, showed that the only variable that determined a statistically significant difference in MST was PH severity (HR 1.334, p=0.033). The type of therapeutic treatment within this class was not significant for the MST of the subjects

Overconfidence, incentives and digit ratio

This paper contributes to a better understanding of the biological underpinnings of overconfidence by analyzing performance predictions in the Cognitive Reflection Test with and without monetary incentives. In line with the existing literature we find that the participants are too optimistic about their performance on average; incentives lead to higher performance; and males score higher than females on this particular task. The novelty of this paper is an analysis of the relation between participants’ performance prediction accuracy and their second to fourth digit ratio. It has been reported that the digit ratio is a negatively correlated bio-marker of prenatal testosterone exposure. In the un-incentivized treatment, we find that males with low digit ratios, on average, are significantly more overconfident about their performance. In the incentivized treatment, however, we observe that males with low digit ratios, on average, are less overconfident about their performance. These effects are not observed in females. We discuss how these findings fit into the literature on testosterone and decision making and how they might help to explain seemingly opposing evidence

Stop, think, buy: an online randomised controlled experiment comparing the effects of traffic light nutritional labelling and price promotion on steering consumer food choice

Diet-related diseases are a global health concern, prompting governments to implement population-wide dietary improvements. In the UK, the traffic light system (TLS) of nutritional labelling aims to guide healthier food choices. However, concerns have arisen about whether retailer price promotions may counteract positive effects of the TLS on diet. To address these concerns, in the present research we investigated the effects of the TLS and price promotions on the healthiness of food choice, both individually and in combination. A pre-registered online randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted using a 2x3 factorial between-subjects design with TLS (control vs. TLS) and price promotion (no promotion vs. healthiest product promotion vs. unhealthiest product promotion) as interventions. A total of 1582 UK participants were randomised across the experimental conditions and asked to make a hypothetical purchase choice amongst four unbranded snack bars of varying healthiness. Price promotions were found to effectively increase the likelihood of choosing a promoted product, whether healthy or unhealthy. Price promotions on the unhealthiest food item were found to decrease the likelihood of the healthiest product being chosen. TLS labelling did not significantly impact food choice relative to the control. However, there was a tendency for the labelling to amplify the effect of price promotions on healthy products and dampen the effect on unhealthy products. Overall, our research offers new insights into how different forces may interact when multiple policy interventions are implemented in the retail environment and highlights the need to examine them in combination

Compulsory licensing and access to drugs

Compulsory licensing allows the use of a patented invention without the owner's consent, with the aim of improving access to essential drugs. The pharmaceutical sector argues that, if broadly used, it can be detrimental to innovation. We model the interaction between a company in the North that holds the patent for a certain drug and a government in the South that needs to purchase it. We show that both access to drugs and pharmaceutical innovation depend largely on the Southern country's ability to manufacture a generic version. If the manufacturing cost is too high, compulsory licensing is not exercised. As the cost decreases, it becomes a credible threat forcing prices down, but reducing both access and innovation. When the cost is low enough, the South produces its own generic version and access reaches its highest value, despite a reduction in innovation. The global welfare analysis shows that the overall impact of compulsory licensing can be positive, even when accounting for its impact on innovation. We also consider the interaction between compulsory licensing and the strength of intellectual property rights, which can have global repercussions in other markets beyond the South