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The efficient provision of municipal solid waste (MSW) services is essential from an economic and environmental perspective. This paper investigates the effect of ownership type on the eco-efficiency of MSW management in Tuscan municipalities. In the first stage of the analysis, the authors use a data envelopment analysis metafrontier approach with the integration of unsorted waste as an undesirable output. Three different clusters of municipalities are created based on the ownership type of the municipal waste operators: public, private, and mixed. In the second stage of analysis, the paper investigates factors affecting eco-efficiency in order to provide new knowledge that can be used by policy and decision makers to improve eco-efficiency. The results show that eco-efficiency is higher for municipalities that entrust the delivery of waste services to publicly owned firms compared to municipalities with delivery by mixed and private firms. Moreover, eco-efficiency in MSW management is higher for municipalities with younger residents, a larger population, and an overall higher population density. Smaller municipalities and those with less tourism manage their waste services more eco-efficiently than do bigger municipalities and those with more tourism. The results indicate that policy-makers should improve communication and engagement activities with older residents in smaller, less densely populated areas. In municipalities featuring heavy tourism, eco-taxes could be used to support these activities, avoiding any impact on residents.

Lung and liver cancers are among the most deadly types of cancer. Despite improvements in treatment over the past few decades, patient survival remains poor, underlining the need for development of targeted therapies. MicroRNAs represent a class of small RNAs, frequently deregulated in human malignancies. We now report that miR221&222 are over-expressed in aggressive non small cell lung cancer and hepatocarcinoma cells, as compared with less invasive and/or normal lung and liver cells. We show that miR-221&222, by targeting PTEN and TIMP3 tumor suppressors, induce TRAIL resistance and enhance cellular migration through the activation of the AKT pathway and metallopeptidases. Finally, we demonstrate that the MET oncogene is involved in miR-221&222 activation, through the c-Jun transcription factor.

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. The environmental efficiency of 96 Tuscan (Italian) wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is investigated taking into account the quality of the outgoing water in terms of pollutant. In this regard, the presence of the residual nitrogen in the outgoing treated water is considered as undesirable output. The efficiency analysis is performed by applying a novel integrated Analytic Hierarchy Process/Non-radial Directional Distance Function (AHP/NDDF) approach, combining the benefits of the two techniques. Similarly to the standard NDDF approach, the suggested model allows to include simultaneously inputs, desirable and undesirable outputs and not to overestimate the efficiency scores. At the same time, the AHP inclusion gives the possibility to directly take into account the decision maker preferences in the weighting system and to encompass some existing directional distance function models as special cases. The obtained results are then used to identify the efficiency explanatory variables: among them, the facilities’ capacity, the percentage of wastewater discharged by the industrial and agricultural activities and the level of compliance with the pollutant concentration threshold set by the legislator have a significant impact on the WWTP performance. The integrated performance assessment allows the water authorities to combine the WWTP efficiency together with the environmental sustainability issue and it has the potential for further promising environmental inspections. ispartof: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH vol:269 issue:1 pages:24-34 status: published

The Italian water sector has changed substantially over the past ten years. This study assesses the impact of the latest water sector regulatory reform, which follows a performance-based approach, using utility financial data. To understand the effects of reform on the sector, we analyze the performance of 136 Italian water utilities during 2009–2014. To this end, this study employs the non-parametric Luenberger productivity indicator, which shows improvement only between 2012 and 2013. The findings indicate the need for incentives for cost saving and productivity improvement, as well as the need for more investment.

The spending review carried out by many governments of the member countries of the European Union, which did away with a large part of public subsidies, recognizes that exercising control over operating and capital expenditure is one of the most important means to secure financial resources for public services. This study measures the inefficiency of 43 Italian water utilities, the main aim being to identify specific performance drivers among scale of operations, customer density, quality of water mains and wastewater treatment plants, and ownership structure. The novelty of this research lies in the procedures adopted for efficiency measurement. Besides a traditional approach to stochastic frontier analysis, the study applies true fixed effects in which time-invariant heterogeneity is introduced and kept separate from the inefficiency term. Further, we use the pairwise difference estimator for heteroskedastic normal–exponential specifications, wherein inefficiency follows a first-order autoregressive process, and we model inefficiency variance as a function of exogenous covariates. The results show that economies of scale do affect the Italian water sector, first benefiting utilities serving less than 50,000 customers, followed by those serving 50,000 to 150,000 customers. Similarly, population density improves efficiency, and firms operating in densely populated areas such as cities achieve the lowest cost of delivery per cubic meter of water. This evidence not only supports the choice of the national water regulatory authority to promote aggregations of firms using the tariff method, but also suggests the importance of considering density as a relevant variable to adjust the efficiency measures.

Since the previous decade, there has been an increasing awareness regarding the crucial role of waste management efficiency in ensuring health and environmental protection and the transition toward circular economy objectives. This empirical study investigates the efficiencies of urban waste systems in 78 major Italian towns between 2014 and 2018, taking into account the waste reduction and recycling targets indicated by European circular economy strategy. To this end, we employed the nonparametric approach to measure efficiency, namely the data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. Two DEA models to account for both constant and variable returns to scale were performed. An undesirable output (the total amount of waste collected) was included in the analysis as an input to account for waste reduction targets. Moreover, efficiency scores obtained through the DEA analysis were investigated in relation to relevant variables, along with the already studied variables, such as geographic localization, population density, and the aging index. We also included the tariff paid for waste services and the collection method. The estimated efficiency scores showed significant differences across all the evaluated municipalities, with a promising average growth. We find that the Northern and Central major towns have higher efficiency than the Southern and Island towns. Moreover, efficiency is higher for more densely populated towns and towns with a higher elderly rate. Further, efficiency is higher when the average tariff applied is lower and when door-to-door collection is in force. Finally, the collection method emerges as a crucial issue in ensuring the transition toward circular economy in the urban waste sector.

This article focuses on the process of contract renegotiation by an Italian wastewater utility, commenced with the goal of tariff revision. The main aim of this paper is to identify the conditions that lead to contract renegotiation. It also develops new tools and operations that can facilitate this process. We utilized the action research method that involves organizations in changing situations supported by professional researchers who assume the role of change agents. The study provides some interesting insights on contract management and renegotiation, and highlights conditions that lead to the failure of contract-based regulation.

Targeted inhibition of oncogenic miRNA-21 has been proposed to treat glioblastoma by rescuing tumor suppressors, PTEN and PDCD4. However, systemic delivery of anti-miR-21 sequences requires a robust and efficient delivery platform to successfully inhibit this druggable target. Three-way-junction (3WJ)-based RNA nanoparticles (RNP), artificially derived from pRNA of bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor, was recently shown to target glioblastoma. Here, we report that multi-valent folate (FA)-conjugated 3WJ RNP constructed to harbor anti-miR-21 LNA sequences (FA-3WJ-LNA-miR21) specifically targeted and delivered anti-miR-21 LNA and knocked down miR-21 expression in glioblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo with favorable biodistribution. Systemically injected FA-3WJ-LNA-miR21 RNP efficiently rescued PTEN and PDCD4, resulting in glioblastoma cell apoptosis and tumor growth regression. Overall survival rate was also significantly improved by FA-3WJ-LNA-miR21 RNP. These results are indicative of the clinical benefit of FA-3WJ RNP-based gene therapy for the successful targeted therapy of developing and even recurring glioblastoma.

In Italy's water industry, publicly owned utilities (PWCs) coexist with public-private partnerships (PPPWCs), that could contribute expertise for operations, funds, and relationships. This paper examines the effect of ownership structures on efficiency by comparing Veneto (with almost all PWCs) and Tuscany (with almost all PPPWCs). This comparison is highly debated, with possible economic, social, environmental, and political implications. A Data Envelopment Analysis approach, that uses both quantitative and qualitative variables to represent the lack of service quality, was adopted. Results suggest that PWCs perform slightly better when quality issues are excluded, while PPPWCs perform better when considering both variable types.

In response to the call for new studies on the so-called fifth stage of intellectual capital (IC), this study has two main goals. First, it aims to explore how IC affects sustainability in a triple bottom line perspective, namely, the joint and synergic achievement of economic, social, and environmental results in the waste management sector. Second, this study aims to understand how (private vs. public) ownership affects the IC–sustainability relationship. After carrying out a qualitative study on an Italian waste management firm with a strong sustainability orientation and a circular economy business model, we find first, that, IC contributes to the triple bottom line performance to the extent that the commitment to sustainability is integrated into the full range of governance and managerial processes, including those involving IC. Second, we find that stakeholders’ proactive involvement in IC processes is crucial to develop, exploit, and then replicate and scale sustainable business models. Third, we conclude that public ownership is more suitable than private ownership for directing IC processes toward sustainable performance, owing to lower pressure on profits and dividends, willingness to invest with delayed returns, and stronger relationships with the community.

This paper investigated factors affecting household water consumption in major Italian towns. Specifically, water demand in 103 Italian towns was analyzed over a five-year period (i.e., 2007 to 2011). Data was collected from each towns on the potential determinants of water consumption, including tariffs, income per capita, weather conditions and geographical and population characteristics. Previously, it was unclear whether a larger presence of public ownership would lead to improved water conservation practices and reductions in water consumption. Consequently, in addition to more commonly studied variables, water utilities ownership was included as a factor that could affect household water consumption. A mixed-effects model was used that contained both fixed effects and random effects. The results of this study provided interesting insights into the factors driving residential water consumption. The results confirmed that an applied tariff had a negative effect on residential water consumption. Further, the data showed that towns with larger populations served had higher levels of consumption. In relation to climatic and geographical features, only altitude exerted a significant negative effect on water consumption and temperature and precipitation had no effect on demand. Income per capita was also found not to have a significant effect on water consumption. The results of the study confirmed that water utilities ownership did not have a significant effect on water consumption. Tariffs were found to be significantly lower in towns where the water service was managed by publicly owned water utilities and, thus, water consumption in these towns was higher.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease. The average age of onset of both sporadic and familial cases is 50–60years of age. The presence of cytoplasmic inclusions of the RNA-binding protein TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) in the affected neurons is seen in 95% of the ALS cases, which results in TDP-43 nuclear clearance and loss of function. The Drosophila melanogaster ortholog of TDP-43 (TBPH) shares many characteristics with the human protein. Using a TDP-43 aggregation inducer previously developed in human cells, we created a transgenic fly that shows an adult locomotive defect. Phenotype onset correlates with a physiologically age-related drop of TDP-43/TBPH mRNA and protein levels, seen both in mice and flies. Artificial reduction of mRNA levels, in vivo, anticipates the locomotion defect to the larval stage. Our study links, for the first time, aggregation and the age-related, evolutionary conserved reduction of TDP-43/TBPH levels with the onset of an ALS-like locomotion defect in a Drosophila model. A similar process might trigger the human disease.

Human TDP-43 represents the main component of neuronal inclusions found in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, especially frontotemporal lobar degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that the TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) Drosophila ortholog (TBPH) can biochemically and functionally overlap the properties of the human factor. The recent direct implication of the human heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) A2B1 and A1, known TDP-43 partners, in the pathogenesis of multisystem proteinopathy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis supports the hypothesis that the physical and functional interplay between TDP-43 and hnRNP A/B orthologs might play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. To test this hypothesis and further validate the fly system as a useful model to study this type of diseases, we have now characterized human TDP-43 and Drosophila TBPH similarity in terms of protein-protein interaction pathways. In this work we show that TDP-43 and TBPH share the ability to associate in vitro with Hrp38/Hrb98DE/CG9983, the fruit fly ortholog of the human hnRNP A1/A2 factors. Interestingly, the protein regions of TDP-43 and Hrp38 responsible for reciprocal interactions are conserved through evolution. Functionally, experiments in HeLa cells demonstrate that TDP-43 is necessary for the inhibitory activity of Hrp38 on splicing. Finally, Drosophila in vivo studies show that Hrp38 deficiency produces locomotive defects and life span shortening in TDP-43 with and without animals. These results suggest that hnRNP protein levels can play a modulatory role on TDP-43 functions.

The present paper investigates the factors affecting water utility companies’ willingness to implement public information campaigns aimed at promoting sustainable water use and reducing household water consumption. We have analyzed 114 Italian water utility companies. For each we hand-collected data regarding their suggestions for reducing household water consumption and sustainable reporting information, published on the corporate websites. We then classified each utility on the basis of their ownership, diversification, location, sales, population served, tariff and annual rainfall. Using M-quantile regression for count data we have constructed a performance measure of Italian water utility companies and have ranked them by the identification of a unique M-quantile coefficient associated with each datum observed. The paper provides some interesting insights into the type of companies most sensitive to water sustainability issues, providing potential guidance to policy makers in defining a water management framework and selecting firms to manage water services. Larger firms located in the center of Italy, in drought regions and the driest areas, seem to be more sensitive to promoting the reduction of household water consumption. Moreover, companies operating only in the water business that are publicly owned and apply lower tariffs embody the type of institutions that make greater use of web information campaigns to reduce consumption.

A water pricing policy (WPP) should accomplish many purposes. Due to the growing importance of efficient water management, it has become crucial to understand the endogenous and environmental factors affecting water pricing, so as to provide guidance to policy makers in defining a suitable water management framework and in entrusting the service to those water utilities that are better inclined to fulfill the purposes of the WPP. Using multiple linear regression model with robust standard errors, this paper analyzes if and how some relevant variables affect the tariff levied by water utilities. Italy is considered a particularly appropriate case study, since the country characterized by diverse geographical features and is home to water utilities with differing characteristics. The results show a positive relationship between the tariff level and the realized investment per inhabitant. Furthermore, the paper shows a negative relationship between the tariff level and the average annual rainfall. Consistent with the environmental characteristics, the data show that tariffs are lowest in the north of Italy. Significantly, publicly owned companies levy lower tariffs than mixed and private utilities. Finally, neither firm size and diversification strategies show a significant relationship with the tariff level.