Italian Household Wealth: Background, Main Results, Outlook

The paper offers a broad overview of the topics addressed during the Bank of Italy's conference on Household wealth in Italy held in Perugia (Italy) in 2007. It recalls the principal reasons for central bank involvement in the compilation of statistics on wealth, looks at the Bank of Italy's experience in this specific field, provides a brief synopsis of the research to date and compares the new estimates with those previously available. The final section provides some thoughts on the future direction of the research.Households, Wealth, Saving

Silencing of Keratinocyte Growth Factor Receptor Restores 5-Fluorouracil and Tamoxifen Efficacy on Responsive Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND: Keratinocyte growth factor receptor (KGFR) is a splice variant of the FGFR2 gene expressed in epithelial cells. Activation of KGFR is a key factor in the regulation of physiological processes in epithelial cells such as proliferation, differentiation and wound healing. Alterations of KGFR signaling have been linked to the pathogenesis of different epithelial tumors. It has been also hypothesized that its specific ligand, KGF, might contribute to the development of resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in epithelial cancers and tamoxifen in estrogen-positive breast cancers. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Small interfering RNA was transfected into a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT), a breast cancer derived cell line (MCF-7) and a keratinocyte primary culture (KCs) to induce selective downregulation of KGFR expression. A strong and highly specific reduction of KGFR expression was observed at both RNA (reduction = 75.7%, P = 0.009) and protein level. KGFR silenced cells showed a reduced responsiveness to KGF treatment as assessed by measuring proliferation rate (14.2% versus 39.0% of the control cells, P<0.001) and cell migration (24.6% versus 96.4% of the control cells, P = 0.009). In mock-transfected MCF-7 cells, KGF counteracts the capacity of 5-FU to inhibit cell proliferation, whereas in KGFR silenced cells KGF weakly interferes with 5-FU antiproliferative effect (11.2% versus 28.4% of the control cells, P = 0.002). The capacity of 5-FU to induce cell death is abrogated by co-treatment with KGF, whereas in KGFR silenced cells 5-FU efficiently induces cell death even combined to KGF, as determined by evaluating cell viability. Similarly, the capacity of tamoxifen to inhibit MCF-7 and KCs proliferation is highly reduced by KGF treatment and is completely restored in KGFR silenced cells (12.3% versus 45.5% of the control cells, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest that selective inhibition of the KGF/KGFR pathway may provide a useful tool to ameliorate the efficacy of the therapeutic strategies for certain epithelial tumors

Italian Household Wealth: Background, Main Results, Outlook

The paper offers a broad overview of the topics addressed during the Bank of Italy's conference on Household wealth in Italy held in Perugia (Italy) in 2007. It recalls the principal reasons for central bank involvement in the compilation of statistics on wealth, looks at the Bank of Italy's experience in this specific field, provides a brief synopsis of the research to date and compares the new estimates with those previously available. The final section provides some thoughts on the future direction of the research

Italian Household Wealth: Background, Main Results, Outlook

The paper offers a broad overview of the topics addressed during the Bank of Italy's conference on Household wealth in Italy held in Perugia (Italy) in 2007. It recalls the principal reasons for central bank involvement in the compilation of statistics on wealth, looks at the Bank of Italy's experience in this specific field, provides a brief synopsis of the research to date and compares the new estimates with those previously available. The final section provides some thoughts on the future direction of the research

Avviso E' piaciuto a S.E. il sig. co. Cocastelli commissario imperiale di approvare con lettera 5. corrente l'erezione di un tribunale di seconda istanza per questa provincia ..

1 manifesto : 1 stemma ; 38 cm Data di emanazione in calce: li 10. agosto 1799 Data di stampa presunta: 1799 (emanazione) Firmatari in calce In testa stemma xilog

Proclama Li governatori interinali, che secondo le forme del cessato Veneto governo sono stati repristinati in Crema per ordine militare proseguiranno provvisoriamente, e fino a nuova sovrana disposizione nel loro impiego ..

1 manifesto : 1 stemma ; fol Data di emanazione in calce: Milano 10. maggio 1799 Data di stampa presunta: 1799 (emanazione) Firmatario in calce: Cocastelli commissario generale civile In testa stemma xilo

Proclama Lo straordinario incariemento de' grani tanto più riflessibile negli attuali impegni d'una maggiore consumazione ha eccitato lo zelo della congregazione delegata di Milano ..

1 manifesto : 1 stemma ; 50 cm Data di emanazione in calce: Milano 20. dicembre 1799 Data di stampa presunta: 1799 (emanazione) Firmatario in calce: Cocastelli commissario imperiale In testa stemma xilogr Testo disposto su 2 colonn

D'ordine di sua eccellenza co. Cocastelli commissario regio imperiale in Milano il regio tribunale di polizia in Crema

1 manifesto : 1 stemma ; fol Data di emanazione in calce: [Crema] 19. novembre 1799 Data di stampa presunta: 1799 (emanazione) Incipit del testo: Con il presente pubblico proclama fa pubblicamente intendere, e sapere a chiunque, purchè non sia reo principale, che dasse notizia al tribunale di qualche club Firmatari in calce In testa stemma xilog

Gain-of-function defects of astrocytic Kir4.1 channels in children with autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy

Dysfunction of the inwardly-rectifying potassium channels Kir4.1 (KCNJ10) represents a pathogenic mechanism contributing to Autism-Epilepsy comorbidity. To define the role of Kir4.1 variants in the disorder, we sequenced KCNJ10 in a sample of affected individuals, and performed genotype-phenotype correlations. The effects of mutations on channel activity, protein trafficking, and astrocyte function were investigated in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and in human astrocytoma cell lines. An in vivo model of the disorder was also explored through generation of kcnj10a morphant zebrafish overexpressing the mutated human KCNJ10. We detected germline heterozygous KCNJ10 variants in 19/175 affected children. Epileptic spasms with dysregulated sensory processing represented the main disease phenotype. When investigated on astrocyte-like cells, the p.R18Q mutation exerted a gain-of-function effect by enhancing Kir4.1 membrane expression and current density. Similarly, the p.R348H variant led to gain of channel function through hindrance of pH-dependent current inhibition. The frequent polymorphism p.R271C seemed, instead, to have no obvious functional effects. Our results confirm that variants in KCNJ10 deserve attention in autism-epilepsy, and provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of autism and seizures. Similar to neurons, astrocyte dysfunction may result in abnormal synaptic transmission and electrical discharge, and should be regarded as a possible pharmacological target in autism-epilepsy. Supplementary information accompanies this paper in the files section.peer-reviewe