Multinationality, R&D and productivity: evidence from the top R&D investors worldwide

This paper investigates the effects of multinationality on firm productivity, and contributes to the literature in two respects. First, we argue that multinationality affects productivity both directly and indirectly, through higher incentives to invest in R&D. Second, we maintain that the multinational depth and breadth have different direct effects on productivity and R&D. Using data from the top R&D investors in the world, we propose an econometric model with an R&D and a productivity equation that both depend on multinationality. We find: i) multinational depth has a positive effect on productivity, while the effect of multinational breadth is negative; ii) multinationality (along both dimensions) has a positive effect on R&D intensity, translating into an indirect positive effect on productivity; iii) the positive indirect effect is however not large enough to compensate the negative direct effect of multinational breadth

Epidemiological patterns of asbestos exposure and spatial clusters of incident cases of malignant mesothelioma from the Italian national registry

Abstract BACKGROUND: Previous ecological spatial studies of malignant mesothelioma cases, mostly based on mortality data, lack reliable data on individual exposure to asbestos, thus failing to assess the contribution of different occupational and environmental sources in the determination of risk excess in specific areas. This study aims to identify territorial clusters of malignant mesothelioma through a Bayesian spatial analysis and to characterize them by the integrated use of asbestos exposure information retrieved from the Italian national mesothelioma registry (ReNaM). METHODS: In the period 1993 to 2008, 15,322 incident cases of all-site malignant mesothelioma were recorded and 11,852 occupational, residential and familial histories were obtained by individual interviews. Observed cases were assigned to the municipality of residence at the time of diagnosis and compared to those expected based on the age-specific rates of the respective geographical area. A spatial cluster analysis was performed for each area applying a Bayesian hierarchical model. Information about modalities and economic sectors of asbestos exposure was analyzed for each cluster. RESULTS: Thirty-two clusters of malignant mesothelioma were identified and characterized using the exposure data. Asbestos cement manufacturing industries and shipbuilding and repair facilities represented the main sources of asbestos exposure, but a major contribution to asbestos exposure was also provided by sectors with no direct use of asbestos, such as non-asbestos textile industries, metal engineering and construction. A high proportion of cases with environmental exposure was found in clusters where asbestos cement plants were located or a natural source of asbestos (or asbestos-like) fibers was identifiable. Differences in type and sources of exposure can also explain the varying percentage of cases occurring in women among clusters. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates shared exposure patterns in territorial clusters of malignant mesothelioma due to single or multiple industrial sources, with major implications for public health policies, health surveillance, compensation procedures and site remediation programs

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Studio dei meccanismi della metallotolleranza nell'organismo modello scenedesmus acutus (Chlorophyta - alghe verdi)

Scuola di Dottorato "Life Sciences", Ciclo XXVII, a.a. 2014Università della Calabri

Ultrastructural features, chromium content and in situ immunodetection of the 5-methylcytosine following Cr (VI) treatment in two strains of Scenedesmus acutus M. (Chlorophyceae) with different chromium sensitivity

Two strains of the unicellular green alga Scenedesmus acutus (F.J.F. Meyen) with different sensitivity to chromium (VI) were compared to evaluate their ultrastructural morphology in chromium-free and -supplemented medium with a sub-lethal concentration of Cr(VI) for 72 hours. The ultrastructural alteration in different cytological compartments indicated that Cr(VI) induced earlier and stronger alterations in the wild type (wt) compared with the chromium-tolerant strain (Cr-t). After Cr treatments, ICPMS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) showed a higher Cr accumulation in the wild type than in the Cr-tolerant strain, suggesting a more efficient chromium-exclusion mechanism in the latter. The Cr treatment induced an increase in the nuclear area and a rearrangement in the eu-heterochromatic fraction, suggesting that chromatin remodelling could be at the basis of differential gene expression and metal tolerance. To gain additional information on the remodelling of the nuclear chromatin, we analysed DNA methylation by immunolocalization of 5-methyl-cytosine, before and after Cr exposure. Significant differences in the quantification of the immunolabelling of DNA cytosine-rich zones between the two strains were observed. These data suggest that an epigenetic mechanism could be at the basis of the Cr tolerance in S. acutus, as supported by previous data reporting that the acquired tolerance was inherited and maintained through the progeny

How neuroscience and behavioral genetics improve psychiatric assessment:report on a violent murder case

Despite the advances in the understanding of neural and genetic foundations of violence, the investigation of the biological bases of a mental disorder is rarely included in psychiatric evaluation of mental insanity. Here we report on a case in which cognitive neuroscience and behavioral genetics methods were applied to a psychiatric forensic evaluation conducted on a young woman, J.F., tried for a violent and impulsive murder. The defendant had a history of multidrug and alcohol abuse and non-forensic clinical evaluation concluded for a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. We analyzed the defendant’s brain structure in order to underlie possible brain structural abnormalities associated with pathological impulsivity. Voxel-Based Morphometry indexed a reduced gray matter volume in the left prefrontal cortex, in a region specifically associated with response inhibition. Furthermore, J.F.’s DNA was genotyped in order to identify genetic polymorphisms associated with various forms of violence and impulsive behaviour. Five polymorphisms that are known to be associated with impulsivity, violence, and other severe psychiatric illnesses were identified in J.F.’s DNA. Taken together, these data provided evidence for the biological correlates of a mental disorder characterized by high impulsivity and aggressive tendencies. Our claim is that the use of neuroscience and behavioral genetics do not change the rationale underlying the determination of criminal liability, which must be based on a causal link between the mental disorder and the crime. Rather, their use is crucial in providing objective data on the biological bases of a defendant’s mental disorder

Protein corona for proteome fingerprinting

Proteome modifications in a biological system can potentially mirror the occurrence of pathologies, even if the individuation of the proteome fingerprint correlated to a specific disease represents a very complex task. When a nanomaterial is introduced in a biological fluid, protein compete for the formation of a protein corona on the nanoparticle surface, thus, depending on the specific proteome, different patterns of proteins will form the final protein corona shell, depending on their affinity for the nanoparticle surface. Novel surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs) display a remarkable selectivity toward protein corona formation, thus they are able to concentrate proteins and peptides presenting high affinity for their surface even if present in very low amount. Among 3000 proteins present in fetal calf serum, SAMNs lead to the formation of a selfassembled corona shell with 22 selected proteins, representing minor plasma proteins, conversely bovine serum albumin (BSA), representing 80% of the total serum proteins, shows negligible absorption. Moreover, SAMNs were introduced in milk samples from healthy cows and from animals affected by mastitis, and the selectively bound protein corona shell was easily analyzed and quantified by gel electrophoresis and characterized by mass spectrometry. Upon incubation in mastitic milk, SAMNs were able to selectively bind \u3b1s2-casein fragments containing the FALPQYLK sequence, which were not present in healthy samples. The present report proposes protein competition for SAMN protein corona formation as a mean for mirroring proteome modifications, thus the selected protein shell on nanoparticles can result in a fingerprint of a specific pathology

Enzyme-iron nanoparticle direct interactions: complex formation and application for a coulometric biosensor for aminoaldehydes

Recombinant aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase from tomato (LeAMADH1) was used as a model protein for studying the intimate interaction at the interface between proteins and surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs). SAMNs represent a new class of maghemite nanoparticles, displaying great colloidal behavior and specific surface chemical properties, as well as, peculiar electrochemical characteristics and specificity toward protein binding [1-2]. A potential anchor zone was individuated in a carboxylic rich surface area of the protein structure by molecular modeling. LeAMADH1 was successfully bound to the surface of bare SAMNs and its enzymatic activity was preserved, leading to a magnetic drivable enzymatic hybrid (SAMN@LeAMADH1). The catalytic parameters of SAMN@LeAMADH1 were determined, and exploited for the construction of a coulometric biosensor for the determination of aminoaldehydes in alcoholic beverages. A suspension of SAMN@LeAMADH1, used inside a low volume (1 µL) electrochemical flow cell, fabricated in-house, led to the complete oxidation of aminoaldehydes, producing a correspondent amount of NADH. The hybrid nanomaterial was magnetically removed after the enzymatic reaction allowing its reutilization. At the same time, a SAMN modified carbon paste electrode, inserted in the microcell was used for the direct electro-oxidation of NADH, leading to the coulometric determination of NADH produced during the enzymatic process. The novel biosensor showed a series of peculiarities: a) SAMN modified carbon paste electrode was used for NADH electro-oxidation; b) the complete enzymatic oxidation of sample aminoaldehydes, producing NADH, was carried out in a colloidal suspension, inside a low volume electrochemical flow cell, optimizing reactant diffusion; c) NADH, produced during the complete enzymatic oxidation of aminoaldehydes, was coulometrically determined at the SAMN modified lectrode; d) the capture of the hybrid, by the application of an external magnet, makes it reusable. 1)Baratella et al., Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2013, 45, 13–18. 2)Magro et al., Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2014, 52, 159–165