Pigouvian Tax, Abatement Policies and Uncertainty on the Environment

The paper examines the effects of environmental uncertainty on Pigouvian tax and abatement policy used, either separately or contemporaneously, to counteract pollution. We discuss uncertainty in three aspects: environmental quality, pollution effect and the impact of abatement. For each case we determine the conditions ensuring that uncertainty increases the size of public intervention and provide an economic interpretation and some parallelisms with other risk problems. The last part of the paper generalizes some of our results to the case of N-th order risk changes.Pigouvian tax, Abatement policies, Environment, Uncertainty, Bivariate utility

Successful private–public funding of paediatric medicines research: lessons from the EU programme to fund research into off-patent medicines

The European Paediatric Regulation mandated the European Commission to fund research on off-patent medicines with demonstrated therapeutic interest for children. Responding to this mandate, five FP7 project calls were launched and 20 projects were granted. This paper aims to detail the funded projects and their preliminary results. Publicly available sources have been consulted and a descriptive analysis has been performed. Twenty Research Consortia including 246 partners in 29 European and non-European countries were created (involving 129 universities or public funded research organisations, 51 private companies with 40 SMEs, 7 patient associations). The funded projects investigate 24 medicines, covering 10 therapeutic areas in all paediatric age groups. In response to the Paediatric Regulation and to apply for a Paediatric Use Marketing Authorisation, 15 Paediatric Investigation Plans have been granted by the EMAPaediatric Committee, including 71 studies of whom 29 paediatric clinical trials, leading to a total of 7,300 children to be recruited in more than 380 investigational centres. Conclusion: Notwithstanding the EU contribution for each study is lower than similar publicly funded projects, and also considering the complexity of paediatric research, these projects are performing high-quality research and are progressing towards the increase of new paediatric medicines on the market. Private–public partnerships have been effectively implemented, providing a good example for future collaborative actions. Since these projects cover a limited number of offpatent drugs and many unmet therapeutic needs in paediatrics remain, it is crucial foreseeing new similar initiatives in forthcoming European funding programmes

At the roots of China's striking performance in textile exports: A comparison with its main Asian competitors

This paper analyzes the determinants of China's striking performance in textile exports in the time period 2001–2016. We integrate the analysis by Lall and Albaladejo (World Development, 2004), based only on China and its main Asian competitors' market share dynamics, by estimating an extended version of a traditional export function, derived from the imperfect substitute model, including a proxy of non-price competitiveness. The key long-run elasticities for each Asian exporter are thus computed and discussed in a panel-data framework, and the different export performances are examined taking into account the interaction between the estimated parameters and the growth rates of relative prices, foreign demand and product quality. Lastly, we decompose the textile export growth differences between China and its rivals into the three main channels of trade competition, i.e. price, quantity and quality. Our findings show that China is crowding out most of its rivals with a competitive strategy based on a mix of low and decreasing relative prices and non-price policies aiming at stimulating export volumes. However, certain weaknesses in the Chinese trade prospects emerge when quality improvement is considered

Estimating the ex-ante and the ex-post effects of Chinese outward FDI

This study investigates the relationship between outward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the performance of Chinese enterprises. Using firm-level panel data over the period 2008–2014, we introduce a taxonomy of outward FDI that accounts for the decision to invest abroad and the location of foreign affiliates. Through different specifications, we show systematic differences in performance between FDI starters and non-starters two years before and two years after the first investment by the starters. This fact points to the existence of strong ex-ante and ex-post effects of Chinese outward FDI. On one hand, we provide evidence – so far not present in the literature – that the best performing Chinese firms self-select into outward FDI. On the other hand, controlling for endogeneity through propensity score matching (PSM) techniques, we detect significant learning effects from outward FDI to firm-level performance. Interestingly, these effects are heterogeneous with respect to destination, with deeper learning for Chinese enterprises investing in Asia

Burden of acute otitis media in primary care pediatrics in Italy: A secondary data analysis from the Pedianet database

Background: The incidence of acute otitis media (AOM) vary from country to country. Geographical variations together with differences in study designs, reporting and settings play a role. We assessed the incidence of AOM in Italian children seen by primary care paediatricians (PCPs), and described the methods used to diagnose the disease.Methods: This secondary data analysis from the Pedianet database considered children aged 0 - 6 years between 01/2003 and 12/2007. The AOM episodes were identified and validated by means of patient diaries. Incidence rates/100 person-years (PY) were calculated for total AOM and for single or recurrent AOM.Results: The 92,373 children (52.1% males) were followed up for a total of 227,361 PY: 23,039 (24.9%) presented 38,241 episodes of AOM (94.6% single episodes and 5.4% recurrent episodes). The total incidence rate of AOM in the 5-year period was 16.8 episodes per 100 PY (95% CI: 16.7-16.9), including single AOM (15.9 episodes per 100 PY; 95% CI: 15.7-16.1) and recurrent AOM (0.9 episodes per 100 PY; 95% CI: 0.9-0.9). There was a slight and continuously negative trend decrease over time (annual percent change -4.6%; 95%CI: -5.3, -3.9%). The AOM incidence rate varied with age, peaking in children aged 3 to 4 years (22.2 episodes per 100 PY; 95% CI 21.8-22.7). The vast majority of the AOM episodes (36,842/38,241, 96.3%) were diagnosed using a static otoscope; a pneumatic otoscope was used in only 3.7%.Conclusions: Our data fill a gap in our knowledge of the incidence of AOM in Italy, and indicate that AOM represents a considerable burden for the Italian PCP system. Educational programmes concerning the diagnosis of AOM are needed, as are further studies to monitor the incidence in relation to the introduction of wider pneumococcal conjugate vaccines

Localization and Broadband Follow-Up of the Gravitational-Wave Transient GW150914

A gravitational-wave (GW) transient was identified in data recorded by the Advanced Laser InterferometerGravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors on 2015 September 14. The event, initially designated G184098and later given the name GW150914, is described in detail elsewhere. By prior arrangement, preliminary estimatesof the time, significance, and sky location of the event were shared with 63 teams of observers covering radio,optical, near-infrared, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths with ground- and space-based facilities. In this Letter wedescribe the low-latency analysis of the GW data and present the sky localization of the first observed compactbinary merger. We summarize the follow-up observations reported by 25 teams via private Gamma-rayCoordinates Network circulars, giving an overview of the participating facilities, the GW sky localizationcoverage, the timeline, and depth of the observations. As this event turned out to be a binary black hole merger,there is little expectation of a detectable electromagnetic (EM) signature. Nevertheless, this first broadbandcampaign to search for a counterpart of an Advanced LIGO source represents a milestone and highlights the broadcapabilities of the transient astronomy community and the observing strategies that have been developed to pursueneutron star binary merger events. Detailed investigations of the EM data and results of the EM follow-upcampaign are being disseminated in papers by the individual teams

Identification of recurrent genetic patterns from targeted sequencing panels with advanced data science: a case-study on sporadic and genetic neurodegenerative diseases

open8noThis work is funded by the University of Bologna, the IRCCS Institute of Neurological sciences of Bologna, and by the European Grants H2020 GenoMed4All [AM1] (Grant N. 101017549) and H2020 MSCA-ITN IMforFUTURE (Grant N. 721815).Background Targeted Next Generation Sequencing is a common and powerful approach used in both clinical and research settings. However, at present, a large fraction of the acquired genetic information is not used since pathogenicity cannot be assessed for most variants. Further complicating this scenario is the increasingly frequent description of a poli/oligogenic pattern of inheritance showing the contribution of multiple variants in increasing disease risk. We present an approach in which the entire genetic information provided by target sequencing is transformed into binary data on which we performed statistical, machine learning, and network analyses to extract all valuable information from the entire genetic profile. To test this approach and unbiasedly explore the presence of recurrent genetic patterns, we studied a cohort of 112 patients affected either by genetic Creutzfeldt–Jakob (CJD) disease caused by two mutations in the PRNP gene (p.E200K and p.V210I) with different penetrance or by sporadic Alzheimer disease (sAD). Results Unsupervised methods can identify functionally relevant sources of variation in the data, like haplogroups and polymorphisms that do not follow Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, such as the NOTCH3 rs11670823 (c.3837 + 21 T > A). Supervised classifiers can recognize clinical phenotypes with high accuracy based on the mutational profile of patients. In addition, we found a similar alteration of allele frequencies compared the European population in sporadic patients and in V210I-CJD, a poorly penetrant PRNP mutation, and sAD, suggesting shared oligogenic patterns in different types of dementia. Pathway enrichment and protein–protein interaction network revealed different altered pathways between the two PRNP mutations. Conclusions We propose this workflow as a possible approach to gain deeper insights into the genetic information derived from target sequencing, to identify recurrent genetic patterns and improve the understanding of complex diseases. This work could also represent a possible starting point of a predictive tool for personalized medicine and advanced diagnostic applications.openTarozzi, M.; Bartoletti-Stella, A.; Dall’Olio, D.; Matteuzzi, T.; Baiardi, S.; Parchi, P.; Castellani, G.; Capellari, S.Tarozzi, M.; Bartoletti-Stella, A.; Dall’Olio, D.; Matteuzzi, T.; Baiardi, S.; Parchi, P.; Castellani, G.; Capellari, S

GW170104: Observation of a 50-Solar-Mass Binary Black Hole Coalescence at Redshift 0.2

We describe the observation of GW170104, a gravitational-wave signal produced by the coalescence of a pair of stellar-mass black holes. The signal was measured on January 4, 2017 at 10: 11: 58.6 UTC by the twin advanced detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory during their second observing run, with a network signal-to-noise ratio of 13 and a false alarm rate less than 1 in 70 000 years. The inferred component black hole masses are 31.2(-6.0)(+8.4)M-circle dot and 19.4(-5.9)(+5.3)M(circle dot) (at the 90% credible level). The black hole spins are best constrained through measurement of the effective inspiral spin parameter, a mass-weighted combination of the spin components perpendicular to the orbital plane, chi(eff) = -0.12(-0.30)(+0.21) . This result implies that spin configurations with both component spins positively aligned with the orbital angular momentum are disfavored. The source luminosity distance is 880(-390)(+450) Mpc corresponding to a redshift of z = 0.18(-0.07)(+0.08) . We constrain the magnitude of modifications to the gravitational-wave dispersion relation and perform null tests of general relativity. Assuming that gravitons are dispersed in vacuum like massive particles, we bound the graviton mass to m(g) <= 7.7 x 10(-23) eV/c(2). In all cases, we find that GW170104 is consistent with general relativity

Angiotensin II involvement in the development and persistence of amphetamine-induced sensitization: Striatal dopamine reuptake implications

Impact Factor: 2023 (2024 update): 2.7Fil: Basmadjian, Osvaldo M. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacología; Argentina.Fil: Basmadjian, Osvaldo M. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Occhieppo, Victoria B. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacología; Argentina.Fil: Occhieppo, Victoria B. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Montemerlo, Antonella E. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Fisicoquímica; Argentina.Fil: Montemerlo, Antonella E. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-Química de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Rivas, Gustavo A. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Fisicoquímica; Argentina.Fil: Rivas, Gustavo A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-Química de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Rubianes, María D. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Fisicoquímica; Argentina.Fil: Rubianes, María D. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-Química de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Baiardi, Gustavo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología; Argentina.Fil: Baiardi, Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentina.Fil: Bregonzio, Claudia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Fisicoquímica; Argentina.Fil: Bregonzio, Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; Argentina.Amphetamine (AMPH) exposure induces behavioural and neurochemical sensitization observed in rodents as hyperlocomotion and increased dopamine release in response to a subsequent dose. Brain Angiotensin II modulates dopaminergic neurotransmission through its AT1 receptors (AT1-R), positively regulating striatal dopamine synthesis and release. This work aims to evaluate the AT1-R role in the development and maintenance of AMPH-induced sensitization. Also, the AT1-R involvement in striatal dopamine reuptake was analysed. The sensitization protocol consisted of daily AMPH administration for 5 days and tested 21 days after withdrawal. An AT1-R antagonist, candesartan, was administered before or after AMPH exposure to evaluate the participation of AT1-R in the development and maintenance of sensitization, respectively. Sensitization was evaluated by locomotor activity and c-Fos immunostaining. Changes in dopamine reuptake kinetics were evaluated 1 day after AT1-R blockade withdrawal treatment, with or without the addition of AMPH in vitro. The social interaction test was performed as another behavioural output. Repeated AMPH exposure induced behavioural and neurochemical sensitization, which was prevented and reversed by candesartan. The AT1-R blockade increased the dopamine reuptake kinetics. Neither the AMPH administration nor the AT1-R blockade altered the performance of social interaction. Our results highlight the AT1-R's crucial role in AMPH sensitization. The enhancement of dopamine reuptake kinetics induced by the AT1-R blockade might attenuate the neuroadaptive changes that lead to AMPH sensitization and its self-perpetuation. Therefore, AT1-R is a prominent candidate as a target for pharmacological treatment of pathologies related to dopamine imbalance, including drug addiction and schizophrenia. Datos de investigación. Todos los datos en los que se basan los resultados están plenamente disponibles en https://rdu.unc.edu.ar/handle/11086/18306info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionFil: Basmadjian, Osvaldo M. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacología; Argentina.Fil: Basmadjian, Osvaldo M. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Occhieppo, Victoria B. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacología; Argentina.Fil: Occhieppo, Victoria B. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Montemerlo, Antonella E. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Fisicoquímica; Argentina.Fil: Montemerlo, Antonella E. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-Química de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Rivas, Gustavo A. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Fisicoquímica; Argentina.Fil: Rivas, Gustavo A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-Química de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Rubianes, María D. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Fisicoquímica; Argentina.Fil: Rubianes, María D. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-Química de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Baiardi, Gustavo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología; Argentina.Fil: Baiardi, Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentina.Fil: Bregonzio, Claudia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Fisicoquímica; Argentina.Fil: Bregonzio, Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; Argentina