Trade collapse, quality and food exports

This article revisits the so-called \u2018Collapse in Quality\u2019 hypothesis, according to which, during the 2008\u20132009 crisis, higher quality goods experienced a stronger export reduction compared to low-quality ones. Using disaggregated trade data from three European countries that traditionally export high-quality food products \u2013 France, Italy and Spain \u2013 we do not find any econometric evidence supporting this hypothesis. In contrast, we provide preliminary evidence for the concurrent hypothesis, namely that firms reduced their markup to preserve market shar

Do food standards affect the quality of EU imports?

This paper investigates the relationship between the diffusion of EU standards and product quality upgrading using highly disaggregated import data to the EU in the food industry. Results show that, on average, the diffusion of EU voluntary standards boosts the rate of quality upgrading. However, the results are heterogeneous when moving from primary to processed foods, and from ISO to non-ISO standard

Gut bacteria facilitate adaptation to crop rotation in the western corn rootworm

11917-11922Insects are constantly adapting to human-driven landscape changes; however, the roles of their gut microbiota in these processes remain largely unknown. The western corn rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is amajor corn pest that has been controlled via annual rotation between corn (Zea mays) and nonhost soybean (Glycine max) in the United States. This practice selected for a 'rotation-resistant' variant (RR-WCR) with reduced ovipositional fidelity to cornfields.When in soybean fields, RRWCRs also exhibit an elevated tolerance of antiherbivory defenses (i.e., cysteine protease inhibitors) expressed in soybean foliage. Here we show that gut bacterial microbiota is an important factor facilitating this corn specialist's (WCR's) physiological adaptation to brief soybean herbivory. Comparisons of gut microbiota between RR- and wild-type WCR (WT-WCR) revealed concomitant shifts in bacterial community structure with host adaptation to soybean diets. Antibiotic suppression of gut bacteria significantly reduced RR-WCR tolerance of soybean herbivory to the level of WT-WCR, whereas WTWCR were unaffected. Our findings demonstrate that gut bacteria help to facilitate rapid adaptation of insects inmanaged ecosystems

Architecture and permeability structure of the Sibillini Mts. Thrust and influence upon recent, extension-related seismicity in the central Apennines (Italy) through fault-valve behavior

The central Apennines are a fold-thrust belt currently affected by post-orogenic ex-tensional seismicity. To constrain the influ-ence that the inherited thrust-related struc-tures exert on the present seismic behavior of the belt, we provide the high-resolution structural and hydraulic characterization of one of the most external exposed thrust fault systems of the central Apennines, the Sibil-lini Mts. Thrust Front (STF). We integrate structural mapping, multiscale structural analysis, and in situ air permeability on the brittle structural facies of the thrust zone. We also performed K-Ar dating of selected fault rocks to better constrain structural in-heritance. The STF is defined by a complex, similar to 300-m-thick deformation zone involving Meso-Cenozoic marl and limestone that re-sults from the accommodation of both seis-mic and aseismic slip during shortening. Permeability measurements indicate that the low permeability (10-2 divided by 10-3 D) of the marly rich host rock diminishes within the thrust zone, where the principal slip surfaces and associated S-C structures represent efficient hydraulic barriers (permeability down to similar to 3 x 10-10 D) to sub-vertical fluid flow. Field data and K-Ar dating indicate that the STF began its evolution ca. 7 Ma (early Messin-ian). We suggest that the studied thrust zone may represent a barrier for the upward migration of deep fluids at the hypocentral depth of present-day extensional earth-quakes. We also speculate on the influence that similar deformation zones may have at depth on the overall regional seismotectonic pattern by causing transient fluid overpres-sures and, possibly, triggering cyclic exten-sional earthquakes on normal faults prone to slip while crosscutting the earlier thrust zones (as per a classic fault valve behavior). This mechanism may have controlled the ori-gin of the 2016-2017 central Apennines dev-astating earthquakes

Work Ability in Healthcare: Vulnerable Groups and Organizational Factors

The recent pandemic, along with heavy workloads and staff shortages, has placed significant pressure on healthcare workers. Maintaining adequate work ability is vital for ensuring favorable working conditions, mitigating stress, preventing related illnesses, and safeguarding worker performance and patient safety. This article assesses the work ability and working conditions of healthcare professionals at the University Hospital of Modena through a questionnaire administered between August 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022, to identify vulnerable groups and organizational factors influencing work ability. Among workers with reduced work ability, the majority are over 45 years old and female, 52% are obese, 64% have 3 or more illnesses, 47% report a poor work-life balance, and 50% have at least one dependent adult. Work characteristics are also highlighted as relevant: supervisor support and cooperation with colleagues, autonomy in decision-making processes, participation in the improvement of work processes, possession of skills appropriate to the tasks required, are associated with high levels of work ability. Finally, nurses and nurses aides are associated with lower work ability. Emergency and medical wards are particularly critical in terms of work ability when gender and age differences are taken into account

Patterns of differential gene expression in adult rotation - resistant and wild - type western corn rootworm digestive tracts

692-704The western corn rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) is an important pest of corn. Annual crop rotation between corn and soybean disrupts the corn-dependent WCR life cycle and is widely adopted to manage this pest. This strategy selected for rotation-resistant (RR) WCR with reduced ovipositional fidelity to corn. Previous studies revealed that RR-WCR adults exhibit greater tolerance of soybean diets, different gut physiology, and host-microbe interactions compared to rotation-susceptible wild types (WT). To identify the genetic mechanisms underlying these phenotypic changes, a de novo assembly of the WCR adult gut transcriptome was constructed and used for RNA-sequencing analyses of RNA libraries from different WCR phenotypes fed with corn or soybean diets. Global gene expression profiles of WT- and RR-WCR were similar when feeding on corn diets, but different when feeding on soybean. Using network- based methods, we identified gene modules transcriptionally correlated with the RR phenotype. Gene ontology enrichment analyses indicated that the functions of these modules were related to metabolic processes, immune responses, biological adhesion, and other functions/processes that appear to correlate to documented traits in RR populations. These results suggest that gut transcriptomic divergence correlated with brief soybean feeding and other physiological traits may exist between RR- and WT-WCR adults

Heart rate variability in sleeping neonates

Projet SOSSORésumé disponible dans le fichier PD

How physical exercise changes rat myotendinous junctions : an ultrastructural study

Myotendinous junctions can be easily injured by overloading or trauma, and exercise training may be a way of increasing their resistance to mechanical stress. To this end, we examined herein the morphological changes induced by moderate exercise training in the myotendinous junctions of extensor digitorum longus and gastrocnemius muscles in rats. Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this investigation. Six of them were trained to run on a treadmill for 1 h/day, 3 days/week over 10 weeks in order for them to achieve a running rate of 25 m/min at the end of the training period. Six age-matched sedentary rats were used as controls. The rats were sacrificed 24 h after the final training session, and the extensor digitorum longum (EDL) and the gastrocnemium were excised; the myotendinous junctions (MTJ) were then prepared and observed with electron microscopy. Digitation branching was evaluated by counting the bifurcations in the MTJ protrusions. Our observations indicate that exercise does indeed induce changes in MTJ morphology. In both muscles the number of bifurcated interdigitations increased significantly, as well as, in gastrocnemius, the branching of the finger-like processes. It was demonstrated that the MTJ is able to adapt to an increase in tensile force by enlarging the muscle-tendon contact area and, consequently, mechanical resistance

Surgical site infection after caesarean section. Space for post-discharge surveillance improvements and reliable comparisons

Surgical site infections (SSI) after caesarean section (CS) represent a substantial health system concern. Surveying SSI has been associated with a reduction in SSI incidence. We report the findings of three (2008, 2011 and 2013) regional active SSI surveillances after CS in community hospital of the Latium region determining the incidence of SSI. Each CS was surveyed for SSI occurrence by trained staff up to 30 post-operative days, and association of SSI with relevant characteristics was assessed using binomial logistic regression. A total of 3,685 CS were included in the study. A complete 30 day post-operation follow-up was achieved in over 94% of procedures. Overall 145 SSI were observed (3.9% cumulative incidence) of which 131 (90.3%) were superficial and 14 (9.7%) complex (deep or organ/space) SSI; overall 129 SSI (of which 89.9% superficial) were diagnosed post-discharge. Only higher NNIS score was significantly associated with SSI occurrence in the regression analysis. Our work provides the first regional data on CS-associated SSI incidence, highlighting the need for a post-discharge surveillance which should assure 30 days post-operation to not miss data on complex SSI, as well as being less labour intensive