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Scholarly Works (2 results)

  • Thesis
  • Peer Reviewed
UC Irvine Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2021)

This dissertation consists of three chapters demonstrating novel applications of social choice and game theory concepts to Formula 1 racing. Chapter 1 explores the history of the sport, focusing on early connections to national politics in Europe, strategic manipulation of rules as the sport grew, and politics within the sport, including collective action and negotiations between competitors and various stakeholders. Also addressed is the evolution of scoring rules in the sport, what inspired early scoring systems, and the overall trajectory of historical changes to scoring. Chapter 2 looks at various strategic dilemmas faced by competitors and other parties involved in Formula 1. Particular attention is paid to cases in which an action, on the surface, appears counterintuitive. Hidden incentives are revealed, then used to explain the strategic thinking behind what is observed. Cases are classified according to their salient features, and parallels are drawn to other sports. Chapter 3 is dedicated to scoring in Formula 1. Scoring in the sport uses a variation of Borda count, and parallels traditional elections. Drivers are the equivalent of candidates and races play the role of voters, with the season-long championship being the election. Within this context I identify several examples of voting paradoxes and other concepts from social choice theory. Collectively, these three chapters examine a global, influential sport from multiple angles, including the political influence of the sport, politics within the sport, and the scoring of the sport as it relates to elections.

    Cover page: The Strategic Politics of Formula 1 Racing: Insights from Game Theory and Social Choice
    • Article
    • Peer Reviewed
    UC Irvine Previously Published Works (2016)

    Background

    Animal studies describe changes in the spleen following a stroke, with an immediate reduction in volume associated with changes in the counts of specific blood white blood cell (WBCs). This brain-spleen cell cycling after stroke affects systemic inflammation and the brain inflammatory milieu and may be a target for emerging therapeutic studies. This study aimed to evaluate features of this brain-spleen model in human patients admitted for acute stroke.

    Methods

    Medical and imaging records were retrospectively reviewed for 82 consecutive patients admitted for acute stroke in whom an abdominal computed tomography scan was performed.

    Results

    Mean ± SD splenic volume was 224.5 ± 135.5 cc. Splenic volume varied according to gender (P = .014) but not stroke subtype (ischemic versus hemorrhagic, P = .76). The change in splenic volume over time was biphasic (P = .04), with splenic volumes initially decreasing over time, reaching a nadir 48 hours after stroke onset, then increasing thereafter. Splenic volume was related inversely to percent blood lymphocytes (r = -.36, P = .001) and positively to percent blood neutrophils (r = .30, P = .006).

    Conclusions

    Current results support that several features of brain-spleen cell cycling after stroke described in preclinical studies extend to human subjects, including the immediate contraction of splenic volume associated with proportionate changes in blood WBC counts. Splenic volume may be useful as a biomarker of systemic inflammatory events in clinical trials of interventions targeting the immune system after stroke.
      Cover page: The Volume of the Spleen and Its Correlates after Acute StrokeCreative Commons 'BY' version 4.0 license
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