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Background and purpose: Infections and vaccinations have been identified as potential immunological triggers of neuralgic amyotrophy (NA), but the exact type and frequency of the preceding agents is unknown. Methods: This was a multicentre, prospective, observational, matched case–control study. NA was diagnosed by neuromuscular experts according to validated clinical criteria and electrodiagnostic studies. Clinical data and biological samples of NA patients were collected within 90 days from disease onset between June 2018 and December 2023. All NA patients were asked about prior infection and vaccination in the month before disease onset. Serological tests for hepatitis E virus, human immunodeficiency virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Epstein–Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, parvovirus B19, varicella‐zoster virus, Borrelia burgdorferi, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Bartonella henselae were performed in a central laboratory. Each case was matched with a healthy control for age, sex, place of residence and time of blood collection. Results: Fifty‐seven patients and corresponding controls were included. The mean age was 45 years for both groups. NA onset was preceded by a symptomatic infectious trigger confirmed by microbiological tests in 15/57 (26.3%) patients. Coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination was considered a potential trigger in 7/57 (12.3%) subjects. An acute viral infection was associated with a bilateral involvement of the brachial plexus (p = 0.003, Cramèr's V = 0.43). Conclusions: Confirmed immune triggers (infection or vaccination) preceded disease onset in 22/57 (38.6%) NA cases. We suggest to test NA patients in the acute phase for intracellular antigens, especially in the case of concomitant bilateral involvement and hepatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) in reformed EU fiscal rules, focusing on the impact of fiscal consolidation on growth and public debt ratios. It highlights the sensitivity of the debt sustainability framework to changes in assumptions, potentially underestimating negative growth effects of fiscal adjustment. The study suggests that public debt ratios may be higher than expected due to these factors, emphasizing the importance of accurate assumptions in DSA for effective fiscal policy decision-making in the EU. [Extracted from the article]

This study analyses the regional impact of public expenditures focusing on three domains central to the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP): green, digital and knowledge. Relying on a regional public expenditures sectoral dataset for the period 2000–19, we perform a panel structural vector autoregressive (P-SVAR) model showing that fiscal policy has positive and long-lasting effects on gross domestic product (GDP) and private investments. A relevant heterogeneity is detected, relative to: (1) the effects of sectoral spending in crowding-in investment; (2) the impact on regions' 'structural upgrading'; and (3) a discrepancy in fiscal multipliers across macro-areas. Nevertheless, the results suggest that the NRRP may help in reducing the Italian divide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the analysis and interpretation of 15 testimonies collected immediately after the war by David Boder and by the Polish Historical Institute in Sweden with women deported to Auschwitz, evacuated to Ravensbrück in its last two phases and then to Malchow. The study of their statements can provide both a historical overview of Ravensbrück and its sub camps in 1944 and 1945, and help identify the effects of the camp, an overthrown social context, on individuals, women in this case, and groups. The comparative exam of the interviews allows to identify the crucial events and experiences which constitute the core of the interviewees'narration and representation of the events. The situations and episodes they chose to recall may explain their perception of the events and reveals a gendered perspective which affected their memories in terms of the selection of the events and their focus on specific issues. The memories were recalled in relation to social frames, which were different from those the survivors were previously used to and pertained to the context of the camp. These coordinates constitute a net which can provide an insight into the mechanism of memory construction and early representation of the Holocaust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Argumenta: Journal Law / Revista Jurídica is the property of Argumenta: Revista Juridica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

New Breeding Techniques (NBTs) in agriculture have generated significant interest due to their potential to address many sustainability challenges related to food production. However, this potential is hindered by existing regulations and negative societal attitudes. The debate is wide open internationally. In this study, a Delphi technique was applied to assess the potential challenges and opportunities associated with genome editing applied to Italian agriculture. To this extent, a panel ranging from 22 to 27 experts from different professions, including academics, staff scientists, policymakers and farmer associations has been interviewed. The Delphi process included two rounds of expert inputs to reach a reasonable consensus and, in some cases, a potential dissensus. Results revealed that experts reached a strong consensus on the potential benefits of NBTs in agriculture, such as greater agronomic performance and enhanced quality for consumers. Nevertheless, experts did not reach a consensus on excluding some potential risks, like possible toxicity or allergy generation. They also shared concerns about some socio-economic risks like limited seed access, traceability, or negative consumers' attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sandflies are known vectors of leishmaniasis. In the Old World, sandflies are also vectors of viruses while little is known about the capacity of New World insects to transmit viruses to humans. Here, we relate the identification of RNA sequences with homology to rhabdovirus nucleocapsids (NcPs) genes, initially in the Lutzomyia longipalpis LL5 cell lineage, named NcP1.1 and NcP2. The Rhabdoviridae family never retrotranscribes its RNA genome to DNA. The sequences here described were identified in cDNA and DNA from LL-5 cells and in adult insects indicating that they are transcribed endogenous viral elements (EVEs). The presence of NcP1.1 and NcP2 in the L. longipalpis genome was confirmed in silico. In addition to showing the genomic location of NcP1.1 and NcP2, we identified another rhabdoviral insertion named NcP1.2. Analysis of small RNA molecules derived from these sequences showed that NcP1.1 and NcP1.2 present a profile consistent with elements targeted by primary piRNAs, while NcP2 was restricted to the degradation profile. The presence of NcP1.1 and NcP2 was investigated in sandfly populations from South America and the Old World. These EVEs are shared by different sandfly populations in South America while none of the Old World species studied presented the insertions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has recently emerged as a potential trigger for acute dysimmune neuropathies, but prospective controlled studies are lacking. Aims: To compare the frequency of concomitant acute HEV infection in patients with neuralgic amyotrophy (NA), Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), and Bell's palsy with a matched control population. Methods: Swiss multicenter, prospective, observational, matched case–control study over 3 years (September 2019–October 2022). Neurological cases with NA, GBS, or Bell's palsy were recruited within 1 month of disease onset. Healthy controls were matched for age, sex, geographical location, and timing of blood collection. Diagnostic criteria for acute hepatitis E were reactive serum anti‐HEV IgM and IgG assays (ELISA test) and/or HEV RNA detection in serum by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). RT‐PCR was performed on sera to confirm IgM positivity. Results: We included 180 patients (59 GBS, 51 NA, 70 Bell's palsy cases) and corresponding matched controls (blood donors) with median age 51 years for both groups and equal gender distribution. Six IgM+ cases were detected in the NA, two in the GBS, and none in the Bell's palsy group. Two controls were anti‐HEV IgM‐positive. At disease onset, most cases with acute HEV infection had increased liver enzymes. A moderate association (p = 0.027, Fisher's exact test; Cramér's V = −0.25) was observed only between acute HEV infection and NA. Conclusion: This prospective observational study suggests an association between concomitant acute HEV infection and NA, but not with GBS or Bell's palsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When considering a regional context, most adjusting mechanisms at work in open economy Stock‐Flow Consistent models—such as exchange rate movements, or changes in interest on public debt—are not present, as they are in control of "external" authorities. So, how does a regional system with "current account" imbalances adjust? To answer this question, we adapt the framework suggested in Godley‐Lavoie (2007a) to consider two regions that share the same monetary, fiscal, and exchange rate policies. The model—loosely calibrated over Italian data, with the introduction of a fragmented labour market—replicates some key features of the Italian economy, and sheds light on the interactions between financial and real markets in regional economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of volume hydrogel holographic gratings as optical transducers in sensor devices for point-of-care applications is increasing due to their ability to be functionalized for achieving enhanced selectivity. The first step in the development of these transducers is the optimization of the holographic recording process. The optimization aims at achieving gratings with reproducible diffraction efficiency, which remains stable after reiterative washings, typically required when working with analytes of a biological nature or several step tests. The recording process of volume phase transmission gratings within Acrylamide/Propargyl Acrylate hydrogel layers reported in this work was successfully performed, and the obtained diffraction gratings were optically characterized. Unslanted volume transmission gratings were recorded in the hydrogel layers diffraction efficiencies; up to 80% were achieved. Additionally, the recorded gratings demonstrated stability in water after multiple washing steps. The hydrogels, after functionalization with oligonucleotide probes, yields a specific hybridization response, recognizing the complementary strand as demonstrated by fluorescence. Analyte-sensitive hydrogel layers with holographic structures are a promising candidate for the next generation of in vitro diagnostic tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coronavirus disease pandemic has disrupted survey systems globally and especially in low- and middle-income countries. Phone surveys started being implemented at a national scale in many places that previously had limited experience with them. As in-person data collection resumes, the experience gained provides the grounds to reflect on how phone surveys may be incorporated into survey and data systems in low- and middle-income countries. Reviewing evidence and experiences from before and during the pandemic, the paper provides guidance on the scope of and considerations for using phone surveys for agricultural data collection and the integration of phone interviews with in-person data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 vaccination efforts are lagging in Sub-Saharan Africa, as just over 20 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is considered important as a prerequisite for widespread vaccine take-up. Here, we study the dynamics of vaccine acceptance, its correlates, and reasons for hesitancy over time, drawing on two years of panel survey data. Methods: In this observational study, we use multiple rounds of data from national High Frequency Phone Surveys (HFPS) in five countries in East and West Africa (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, and Uganda), covering a period between 2020 and 2022. The surveys are cross-country comparable and draw their samples from nationally representative sampling frames. Based on this data source, the study presents population-weighted means and performs multivariate regression analysis. Results: COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was high throughout the study period (68% to 98%). However, acceptance levels were lower in 2022 than in 2020 in three countries (Burkina Faso, Malawi, Nigeria), and higher in one country (Uganda). Moreover, individuals are observed to change their stated vaccine attitudes between survey rounds, to a limited extent in some countries (Ethiopia) and more frequently in others (Burkina Faso, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda). Vaccine hesitancy is higher in richer households, and those residing in urban areas; among women and those better educated. Hesitancy is lower in larger households and among heads of the household. The main reasons for hesitancy are concerns about side effects of the vaccine, its safety and efficacy, as well as assessments of COVID-19 risk, though these reasons fluctuate over time. Conclusions: Reported COVID-19 vaccine acceptance levels remain far above vaccination rates in the study countries, suggesting that vaccine hesitancy is not the primary obstacle to reaching greater vaccine coverage, which may instead be related to access and delivery barriers as well as supply shortages. Nevertheless, vaccine attitudes appear malleable so that continued efforts are needed to retain high levels of vaccine acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World Birth Defects Day (WorldBDDay), observed annually on March 3, was launched in 2015 to advocate for public health surveillance, research, and prevention of birth defects, along with improved care and treatment for affected individuals. Following its fifth observance in 2019, we assessed WorldBDDay by analyzing: (a) engagement and content of over 2000 WorldBDDay posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; (b) interview responses from 9 WorldBDDay charter (founding) organizations on their perceptions of strengths and areas for improvement for WorldBDDay; (c) survey responses from 61 WorldBDDay 2019 partner (participating) organizations on their WorldBDDay 2019 activities; and (d) post‐2019 social media engagement. Most social media posts (60%) occurred from organizations using Twitter (80% vs. 14% for Instagram and 6% for Facebook), although posts from individuals had higher levels of engagement (e.g., likes and comments). The highest engagement occurred for posts focused on general awareness, prevention, or events. Charter organizations reported the need for existing and new partner engagement, including a designated WorldBDDay contact for regular communication and coordination of activities and prepared prevention‐focused messaging. Partner organizations reported using the WorldBDDay toolkit, especially key messages and social media tips, and suggested expanding the toolkit with relevant resources. Post‐2019 Twitter engagement was lower than 2019 WorldBDDay (peak event) but showed similar reach to WorldBDDay events prior to 2019. Our assessment identified WorldBDDay health observance events as an important tool to support knowledge dissemination and global community engagement around birth defects. Moving forward, engagement with more individuals and organizations may improve the reach of WorldBDDay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Derecho del Estado is the property of Universidad Externado de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present research is focused on the development of a biofunctionalized hydrogel with a surface diffractive micropattern as a label-free biosensing platform. The biosensors described in this paper were fabricated with a holographic recording of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) surface micro-structures, which were then transferred into a hydrogel material. Acrylamide-based hydrogels were obtained with free radical polymerization, and propargyl acrylate was added as a comonomer, which allowed for covalent immobilization of thiolated oligonucleotide probes into the hydrogel network, via thiol-yne photoclick chemistry. The comonomer was shown to significantly contribute to the immobilization of the probes based on fluorescence imaging. Two different immobilization approaches were demonstrated: during or after hydrogel synthesis. The second approach showed better loading capacity of the bioreceptor groups. Diffraction efficiency measurements of hydrogel gratings at 532 nm showed a selective response reaching a limit of detection in the complementary DNA strand of 2.47 µM. The label-free biosensor as designed could significantly contribute to direct and accurate analysis in medical diagnosis as it is cheap, easy to fabricate, and works without the need for further reagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical effort is a primary component in models of economic behavior. However, applications that measure effort are historically scarce. This paper assesses the differences in physical activity between men and women through wearable accelerometers and uses these activity measures as a proxy for physical effort. Crucially, the accelerometer-generated data measures the level of physical activity associated with each activity or task recorded in the data. In this rural setting, women exert marginally higher levels of physical effort. However, differences in effort between men and women among married partners are strongly associated with differences in bargaining power, with larger husband-wife effort gaps alongside differences in age, individual land ownership, and an overall empowerment index. Physical activity can exhibit an unequal distribution between men and women suggesting that gender disadvantage, at least within couples, extends to the domain of physical effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two paintings by the Neapolitan Renaissance painter Colantonio were studied with two non-invasive techniques to enrich the technical–scientific documentation. Infrared reflectography (IR) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses were performed on Saint Jerome in the studio and Saint Francis delivering the Rule, paintings preserved in the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte. The IR scanning was performed to look beyond the visible layers of the paint for the preparatory drawings and pentimenti, or changes made during the painting process. The XRF technique was applied in many points to determine the elemental composition and enable the identification of pigments and materials used in paint and in the preparatory layers. Elemental XRF mapping was also carried out on a region of particular interest. Results provide an initial overview and hypothesis of color palette and techniques used by the artist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Association between familial loading for alcohol use disorders (AUD) and event-related potentials (ERPs) suggests a genetic basis for these oscillations though much less is known about epigenetic pathways influenced by environmental variation. Early life adversity (ELA) influences negative outcomes much later in life. The stress-activated neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) contributes to the deleterious effects of ELA on brain structure and function in animals. Accordingly, we hypothesized that ELA would be related to cortical thickness and electrophysiological characteristics through an epigenetic effect on CRH receptor type-1 (CRHR1) methylation. A total of 217 adolescent and young adult participants from either multiplex alcohol dependence or control families were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T and cortical thickness was determined. Longitudinal follow-up across childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood provided developmental ERP data and measures of adversity. Blood samples for genetic and epigenetic analyses were obtained in childhood. Cortical thickness and visual ERP components were analyzed for their association and tested for familial risk group differences. Visual P300 amplitude at Pz and cortical thickness of the left lateral orbitofrontal region (LOFC), were significantly related to risk group status. LOFC cortical thickness showed a negative correlation with CRHR1 methylation status and with childhood total stress scores from the Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory (LISRES). Stress scores were also significantly related to P300 amplitude recorded in childhood. The present results suggest that early life adversity reflected in greater total LISRES stress scores in childhood can impact the methylation of the CRHR1 gene with implications for brain development as seen in cortical thickness and electrophysiological signals emanating from particular brain regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the lively debate that occupied the realm of art history in Italy between the 1970s and the early 1980s, coinciding with the institution of the Regions with ordinary statute and the almost contemporary creation of the new Ministry of Cultural Heritage, the southern regions participated only marginally. If the need for a different engagement in the government of the territories and cultural heritage was no less evident than in the other regions of Italy, the organisation and consistency of both technical and political institutions involved in the field were very different. Consequently, the responses from art historians were equally different. In the following pages, an attempt will be made to explain this diversity, highlighting the fundamental passages of the historical practice of the preservation of works of art in continental Southern Italy from the end of the Second World War to the 1980 earthquake which, for the South, continues to have a strong periodizing importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Antonio Paolucci, then official of the superintendence Tuscany to the Galleries and strictly connected to the function of tool for the democratization of a collective cultural heritage. It mentions territorial planning and management are architects, archaeologists, sociologists, anthropologists and cultural economists. It also mentions figures of art historians, united by proven friendships and close acquaintances.

This paper presents an analysis of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the operations of National Statistical Offices (NSOs), how NSOs responded and adjusted to the disruptions, and how they are transitioning to a post-pandemic equilibrium. The paper uses four rounds of the Global COVID-19 survey of NSOs conducted by The World Bank and the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), in coordination with the UN Regional Commissions. The paper highlights the heterogeneity of the COVID-19 disruptions among NSOs and provides evidence that statistical operations have been hardest hit in low- and lower middle-income countries. We find that NSOs with weaker Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure, and those more impacted by declines in funding tended to be more affected and lag in their recovery trajectory. These NSOs tend to be concentrated in low- and lower-middle income countries. The paper concludes that without targeted action the effects of the pandemic will exacerbate and widen pre-existing data production inequalities, despite the best efforts of NSOs that have in most cases responded to the pandemic with the adoption of innovative solutions and have ingeniously used this crisis as an opportunity to accelerate the modernization of the national statistical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The storage of time-stable holographic gratings in hydrogel matrices when the material is immersed in aqueous media is a real challenge at present. The optimization of the storage stages of the holograms must be properly investigated to identify the most suitable development processes. For this reason, this work is focused on the study of the optimization of the washing stages of the hydrogels based on acrylamide and N,N'-methylenebis(acrylamide) once unslanted transmission holograms have been stored. High-performance liquid chromatography and UV-visible measurements have been employed in our system to analyze the composition of the washing solutions. PBST and DMSO:H2O are used as solvents in the washing stages. The diffraction efficiencies are measured during the washing stages and after the storing of the holograms during several days in PBST. Maximum diffraction efficiencies of 38 and 27.6% are reached when PBST and DMSO:H2O are employed, respectively, for the washing process. Holograms show temporal stability after being stored immersed in PBST at 4 °C for 4 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019, over 96% of EU27 oil needs, nearly 90% of natural gas and over 43% of solid fuels were met by net imports, with the largest share coming from Russia (35% of oil, 40% of natural gas and 20% of solid fuels consumed in EU27). The decline in the share of oil since 2016 was more than off-set by the increase in gas and solid fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores consumers' acceptance of New Breeding Techniques (NBTs) in the agri-food sector. Our main research question concerns the role of information in shaping consumers' attitude towards genetically modified food and new breeding techniques in agricultural production. To this extent, we use a Multinomial Logit Model to analyse changes or confirmations of prior opinions on food safety concerns and environmental risks associated with modern biotechnologies once scientific information has been provided. Our findings confirm the Bayesian hypothesis according to which people combine their prior belief with new information to converge scientific information in the case of food safety. We also found a higher probability of confirmation bias, with people less willing to change their prior beliefs, when environmental risks are concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a large database of surveys of household incomes to characterize income underreporting in household surveys in low- and middle-income countries. The objective is to document (a) the extent of this underreporting, and (b) whether and how it varies systematically with respondent, household, income, and survey design features. Drawing on rural household data from 20 developing and transition countries, and using consumption expenditure as a benchmark, results indicate that the observed income/consumption ratios are very small, being on average around 0.76. Results suggest that income underreporting is systematically associated with household and survey characteristics. In particular, the degree of underreporting is strongly associated with the income source, with agricultural income being the component suffering more than any other components from underreporting. The analysis also provides evidence supporting the well-established proposition that underreporting tends to increase with household welfare: richer households appear to underreport income more. Implications for survey design and for future research are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While not meant to be a substitute for contributions from national budgets, IDA/IBRD allocations may provide complementary resources to support the launch or rapid scale-up of the program. 4 The 50x2030 Initiative is implemented through a unique partnership between the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). This special section introduces to the SJIAOS readership the work of the 50x2030 Initiative to close the agricultural data gap, a multi-partner program that addresses current shortcomings in the quality and availability of agricultural data by transforming country data systems in 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America by 2030. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Debater A Europa is the property of Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates the effects of three different simulated post-COVID-19 recovery GDP growth rates during 2021-2023 (baseline, optimistic and pessimistic scenarios) for agricultural markets in four selected EU Member States (the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Hungary) compared to a pre-COVID-19 projection. Empirical results are derived from the AGMEMOD model. A self-sufficiency ratio is utilised to summarise the net effects on consumption and supply in the agricultural markets. The country level analysis confirms that the agriculture sector in the EU has been quite resilient during the pandemic. The simulated impacts of the different GDP shocks on the agri-food sector are limited, which also conforms to reality, but changes in consumer behaviour could lead to longer lasting impacts on specific sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Household surveys remain the major source of official statistics for monitoring development policies particularly in developing countries. In the context of rapid developments in data needs, extensive methodological work, data processing and use at national and international levels and a remaining capacity gap despite efforts for statistical capacity building in last decade, it is critical for training centers to keep up to speed with international best practices. This paper show that the approach of the Centre for Development Data Training initiative (C4D2 Training Initiative) is highly effective and stand to have a long-term impact on household survey capacity in Africa region. It is made of several components all of which aim to bolster capacity development in the region. It harmonizes and improves the quality and sustainability of training on household surveys through increased local capacity and greater dissemination of best practices, creates a network among participants and trainers to facilitate knowledge exchange on best practices as well as survey harmonization across countries. Taking advantage of benefits, the initiative should endeavor other regions subject to their interest and embrace the use of virtual and web-based training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annali di Storia delle Università Italiane is the property of CISUI: Centro Interuniversitario per la Storia delle Universita Italiane and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Derechos y Libertades is the property of Dykinson SL and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article reports my contribution to the conference "The legacy of Wynne Godley", focusing on his empirical work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Opinião Jurídica is the property of Revista Opiniao Juridica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

During the Holocaust, the largest Sephardi community in the world located in Saloniki was almost completely destroyed. Despite their limited number in comparison with that of Ashkenazi Jews, the Salonikan Jews, initially deported to Auschwitz Birkenau and Bergen Belsen, went through all the hardest experiences and were sent to many camps in occupied Poland, and in Germany. This article explores, using archival documents and the testimonies, the geographical directions of their deportations. It also analyses historical coordinates and the Salonikan Jews' characteristics which affected their destinations and the itinerary with which they were forced to cope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic food certification system in Italy, based on the EU legislation, relies on private control bodies (CBs) that are supervised by national authorities. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether it is possible to test for differences in controls outcome based on CBs' behavior. To this extent, we use a multinomial logit model estimated on data corresponding to the results of the inspections in the year 2015 in Italy. The model controls for two fixed effects represented by the type of operator and a contextual variable, i.e., the region where a firm is located. Significant variability in CBs behavior could induce adverse selection in the choice of the CB by organic operators. In this vein, we discuss some implications in terms of policies and consequences for supervision in the conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effects of endocrine disruptors (EDs) on aquatic wildlife and human health represent a current issue of high public concern. Substantial knowledge of the level of estrogenic EDs in fish has accumulated from field surveys. For this purpose, a survey of wild brown trout (Salmo trutta trutta) was carried out to assess the incidence of EDs in the feral fish population living in the Liri river (Abruzzi, Italy). The results of this study show that this aquatic environment possesses an estrogenic potency that triggered the increase of vitellogenin levels in both female and male trouts. Fish exposed to different pesticides and urban waste in downstream river showed higher vitellogenin levels in comparison to the headwater site. Furthermore, some trouts coming from the downstream reported the presence of several pesticides and fungicides, some of these banned several years ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of administrative data made available publicly, often in near-real time, offers new opportunities for monitoring conditions that impact community health. Urban blight—manifestations of adverse social processes in the urban environment, including physical disorder, decay, and loss of anchor institutions—comprises many conditions considered to negatively affect the health of communities. However, measurement strategies for urban blight have been complicated by lack of uniform data, often requiring expensive street audits or the use of proxy measures that cannot represent the multifaceted nature of blight. This paper evaluates how publicly available data from New York City's 311-call system can be used in a natural language processing approach to represent urban blight across the city with greater geographic and temporal precision. We found that our urban blight algorithm, which includes counts of keywords ('tokens'), resulted in sensitivity ~90% and specificity between 55% and 76%, depending on other covariates in the model. The percent of 311 calls that were 'blight related' at the census tract level were correlated with the most common proxy measure for blight: short, medium, and long-term vacancy rates for commercial and residential buildings. We found the strongest association with long-term (>1 year) commercial vacancies (Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.16, p < 0.001). Our findings indicate the need of further validation, as well as testing algorithms that disambiguate the different facets of urban blight. These facets include physical disorder (e.g., litter, overgrown lawns, or graffiti) and decay (e.g., vacant or abandoned lots or sidewalks in disrepair) that are manifestations of social processes such as (loss of) neighborhood cohesion, social control, collective efficacy, and anchor institutions. More refined measures of urban blight would allow for better targeted remediation efforts and improved community health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent article of this journal, Claudio Sardoni ([2019]. 'Investment and Saving in a Dynamic Context: The Contribution of Athanasios (Tom) Asimakopulos.' Review of Political Economy 31 (2): 233–246) made four claims: (1) An increase in the propensity to save will lower the long-term interest rate; (2) A higher preference for bonds will lead to lower long-term interest rates; (3) A higher level of investment will lead to a higher long-term interest rate; (4) A larger (exogenous) supply of money will lead to a lower long-term interest rate. We confront these four claims with the help of a simple stock-flow consistent (SFC) model which includes firms, banks and households, with the latter holding either bank deposits or bonds issued by firms, while these firms invest in fixed capital and in inventories. We find that higher investment leads to higher interest rates on bonds in the short run, but not in the medium or long run. Similarly, a higher desired inventories-to-output ratio ends up leading to lower interest rates both in the short and the long run. We conclude that using SFC models is particularly adequate when dealing with issues that integrate real and financial variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the driving forces that can promote or impede process innovation adoption in the European food manufacturing industry. The study uses a logit model applied to Community Innovation Survey (CIS) data containing information on innovation at the industry level for 15 EU Member States. Results suggest the relevance of many factors, internal and external to the enterprise, such as size and organization of business practices on one hand, and networking activities and cooperation agreements within the supply chain on the other hand. We also focus on energy policy variables as process innovation determinants. Energy policies implementation, energy price and the availability of public funds, show a significant impact on process innovation adoption in the European food processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is becoming a standard of care for several cancers. Monoclonal antibodies targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1) cause a broad spectrum of autoimmune adverse events. ICI-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is extremely rare (< 1%) but potentially life-threatening. It appears to be more common with PD-1 blockade (or combination immunotherapy) than with anti-CTLA-4 therapy, often during the first three to six months of therapy. Cases presentation: We report an acute onset T1DM with severe inaugural diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and remarkably elevated Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase antibody (GADA) titres following a single administration of combined ICI therapy with nivolumab (anti-PD-1) and ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4) in two adult patients with advanced metastatic melanoma. In these cases, the time to diabetes onset was remarkably short (two and five weeks), and one presented with fulminous T1DM in a previous long-standing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Conclusions: Oncological patients treated with combination therapy of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 can develop a particular pattern of T1DM, with very rapid onset within a few weeks after starting ICI therapy, even in the presence of an existing type 2 diabetes. ICI-induced T1DM is a medical emergency in presence of severe inaugural DKA and requires a collaboration between specialists and primary care physicians, as well as patient education, for early diagnosis and supportive care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One approach considered for reducing health care spending is to narrow the gap in spending between high- and low-spending areas. The goal would be to reduce spending in the high areas to similar levels achieved in areas that use health care more efficiently. This paper examined the degree to which high-spending areas remain high-spending and which types of service lead to convergence or divergence in spending in New York State. Methods: This analysis utilized publicly available data on county-level spending trends for the Medicare fee-for-service population from 2007 to 2016. The study applied methods previously used to evaluate changes in the regional variation of health care spending nationally to county-level data within New York. Results: The spread of health care spending converged slightly over the ten-year period analyzed. There was also evidence for regression to the mean-effects and changes in the relative rankings of spending across counties during this time. While there was strong evidence for convergence, many high-spending counties in 2007 remained high-spending in 2016. There were also differences in which services drove spending variation at the national level compared to within New York. Conclusions: These findings point to counties with consistently high spending as a potential focus for health care cost-control efforts. Moreover, efforts to reduce unwarranted variation in spending may need to be tailored to the circumstances of particular regions as there are geographic differences in which services drive spending variation. Regression to the mean effects also have important implications for the specifications of alternative provider payment models, such as accountable care organizations, which promote convergence in spending by utilizing spending targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]