Trade, migration, and environment: a general equilibrium analysis, Chapter 2.3

Two major trends in the world economy are international migration and environmental degradation. The object of the paper is to analyze the connection between these two trends, which have generally been analyzed in isolation. Here we represent a world economy in which the exploitation of natural resources as well as the migration of labor have a global character. We discuss the welfare impact of migration and exploitation of natural resources and policies to address these issues. The main results of the paper are as follows. Migration is prompted by wage differentials as technology is different across countries. We show that migration from the South induces a decrease in the exploitation of the resource in the South. This increases the welfare of the South but can decrease that of the North. Migration can lead to higher prices ofresources in the North and in the South, setting up a process of induced technical change in the North and better terms of trade for the South, altogether a positive outcome. As is intuitively obvious, migration reduces the wage differential between North and South in a model where, contrary to Heckscher-Ohlin assumptions, technologies differ between countries. Finally, we show that it is possible that a tax on the use of the resource in the South induces an increase in its extraction rather than a decrease. Trade policies could have a positive impact on resource extraction, could reduce the wage gap and therefore decrease the economic incentive to the mobility of labour.general equilibrium; migration; international trade; environment; labor migration; wage differentials; resource extraction; welfare; policy

Techniques in Neuroscience

Microdialysis cerebral technique has been widely employed in order to study neurotransmitter release. This technique presents numerous advantages such as it allows work with sample in vivo from freely moving animals. Different drugs in different points implanted probes in several brain areas can be infused simultaneously by means of microdialysis. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is primarily characterized by the degeneration of dopamine (DA) neurons in the nigrostriatal system, which in turn produces profound neurochemical changes within the basal ganglia, representing the neural substrate for Parkinsonian motor symptoms. Over the years, a broad variety of experimental models of the disease have been developed and applied in diverse animal species. The two most common toxin models used employ 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine/1-methyl-4-phenilpyridinium ion (MPTP/MPP+), either given systemically or locally applied into the nigrostriatal pathway, to resemble PD features in animals. Both neurotoxins selectively and rapidly destroy catecholaminergic neurons, although with different mechanisms. Since in vivo microdialysis coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is an established technique for studying physiological, pharmacological, and pathological changes of a wide range of low molecular weight substances in the brain extracellular fluid, here we describe a rapid and simple microdialysis technique that allows the direct quantitative study of the damage produced by 6-OHDA and MPP+ toxins on dopaminergic (DAergic) striatal terminals of rat brain.peer-reviewe

New drugs on the Internet : the case of Camfetamine

Copyright © 2014 Eduardo Cinosi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly citedThe number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) advertised for sale online is constantly increasing and it has become a phenomenon of global concern. Among NPS, Camfetamine has been rediscovered as recreational drug in 2011. Very little information is still available in the scientific literature on its nature and potential health risks. Methods. Data in scientific literature were integrated with a multilingual qualitative assessment of a range of online resources over the period of 32 months (May 2011–January 2014). Results. N-Methyl-3-phenyl-norbornan-2-amine (Camfetamine) may act as an indirect dopaminergic agonist in the central nervous system and may have mild-moderate opioid activity too. There are no current epidemiological data about recreational use of Camfetamine; our research shows that it is indeed used especially by individuals with a history of recreational polydrug misuse. It facilitates mental alertness, induces relaxation, and, unlike many other stimulants, seems not to be associated with severe physical effects. Valid causes for concern issued in our research may be Camfetamine intravenous or intramuscular administration as well as its use in conjunction with other psychoactive substances. Conclusions. It is here highlighted that more large-scale studies need to be carried out to confirm and better describe both the extent of Camfetamine misuse and possible psychotropic/adverse effectsPeer reviewedFinal Published versio

Central serotonin2C receptor : from physiology to pathology

Since the 1950s, when serotonin (5-HT) was discovered in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), an enormous amount of experimental evidence has revealed the pivotal role of this biogenic amine in a number of cognitive and behavioural functions. Although 5-HT is synthesized by a small group of neurons within the raphe nuclei of the brain stem, almost all parts of the CNS receive serotonergic projections. Furthermore, the importance of 5-HT modulation and the fine-tuning of its action is underlined by the large number of 5-HT binding sites found in the CNS. Hitherto, up to 15 different 5-HT receptors subtypes have been identified. This review was undertaken to summarize the work that has explored the pathophysiological role of one of these receptors, the 5-HT2C receptor, that has been emerged as a prominent central serotonin receptor subtype. The physiology, pharmacology and anatomical distribution of the 5-HT2C receptors in the CNS will be firstly reviewed. Finally, their potential involvement in the pathophysiology of depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and drug abuse will be also discussed.peer-reviewe

Trade, migration, and environment: a general equilibrium analysis, Chapter 2.3

Two major trends in the world economy are international migration and environmental degradation. The object of the paper is to analyze the connection between these two trends, which have generally been analyzed in isolation. Here we represent a world economy in which the exploitation of natural resources as well as the migration of labor have a global character. We discuss the welfare impact of migration and exploitation of natural resources and policies to address these issues. The main results of the paper are as follows. Migration is prompted by wage differentials as technology is different across countries. We show that migration from the South induces a decrease in the exploitation of the resource in the South. This increases the welfare of the South but can decrease that of the North. Migration can lead to higher prices ofresources in the North and in the South, setting up a process of induced technical change in the North and better terms of trade for the South, altogether a positive outcome. As is intuitively obvious, migration reduces the wage differential between North and South in a model where, contrary to Heckscher-Ohlin assumptions, technologies differ between countries. Finally, we show that it is possible that a tax on the use of the resource in the South induces an increase in its extraction rather than a decrease. Trade policies could have a positive impact on resource extraction, could reduce the wage gap and therefore decrease the economic incentive to the mobility of labour

Trade, migration, and environment: a general equilibrium analysis, Chapter 2.3

Two major trends in the world economy are international migration and environmental degradation. The object of the paper is to analyze the connection between these two trends, which have generally been analyzed in isolation. Here we represent a world economy in which the exploitation of natural resources as well as the migration of labor have a global character. We discuss the welfare impact of migration and exploitation of natural resources and policies to address these issues. The main results of the paper are as follows. Migration is prompted by wage differentials as technology is different across countries. We show that migration from the South induces a decrease in the exploitation of the resource in the South. This increases the welfare of the South but can decrease that of the North. Migration can lead to higher prices ofresources in the North and in the South, setting up a process of induced technical change in the North and better terms of trade for the South, altogether a positive outcome. As is intuitively obvious, migration reduces the wage differential between North and South in a model where, contrary to Heckscher-Ohlin assumptions, technologies differ between countries. Finally, we show that it is possible that a tax on the use of the resource in the South induces an increase in its extraction rather than a decrease. Trade policies could have a positive impact on resource extraction, could reduce the wage gap and therefore decrease the economic incentive to the mobility of labour

Serotonin modulation of the basal ganglia circuitry : therapeutic implication for Parkinson’s disease and other motor disorders

Several recent studies have emphasized a crucial role for the interactions between serotonergic and dopaminergic systems in movement control and the pathophysiology of basal ganglia. These observations are supported by anatomical evidence demonstrating large serotonergic innervation of all the basal ganglia nuclei. In fact, serotonergic terminals have been reported to make synaptic contacts with both substantia nigra dopamine-containing neurons and their terminal areas such as the striatum, the globus pallidus and the subthalamus. These brain areas contain a high concentration of serotonin (5-HT), with the substantia nigra pars reticulata receiving the greatest input. In this chapter, the distribution of different 5-HT receptor subtypes in the basal ganglia nuclei will be described. Furthermore, evidence demonstrating the serotonergic control of basal ganglia activity will be reviewed and the contribution of the different 5-HT receptor subtypes examined. The new avenues that the increasing knowledge of 5-HT in motor control has opened for exploring the pathophysiology and pharmacology of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders will be discussed. It is clear that these avenues will be fruitful, despite the disappointing results so far obtained by clinical studies with selective 5-HT ligands. Nevertheless, these studies have led to a great increase in the attention given to the neurotransmitters of the basal ganglia and their connections.peer-reviewe