Privatization and policy competition for FDI

In this paper, we provide an explanation of why privatization may attract foreign investors interested in entering a regional market. Privatization turns the formerly-public firm into a less aggressive competitor since profit- maximizing output is lower than the welfare-maximizing one. The drawback is that social welfare generally decreases. We also investigate tax/subsidy competition for FDI before and after privatization. We show that policy competition is irrelevant in the presence of a public firm serving just its domestic market. By contrast, following privatization, it endows the big country with an instrument which can be used either to reduce the negative impact on welfare of an FDI-attracting privatization or to protect the domestic industry from foreign competitors

On the observation of π-mesons emitted in the interaction in emulsion of K--mesons

SCOPUS: le.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

The value of MRI in quantification of parametrial invasion and association with prognosis in locally advanced cervical cancer: the “PLACE” study

Objective: This retrospective observational study aims to evaluate the association between the extent of parametrial invasion (PMI) and disease-free survival (DFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Materials and methods: This study included patients with LACC showing parametrial invasion at Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). They were treated with neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (CT/RT) before undergoing radical hysterectomy. The staging MRIs were reviewed retrospectively. Measurements of maximum PMI (PMImax) and parametrial length were taken bilaterally. After that, PMIratio was calculated by dividing PMImax by parametrial length. Analysis was conducted on homogeneous subsets of patients, grouped based on their pathological lymph nodal evaluation (N- and N+). Correlations between PMImax and PMIratio with DFS and CSS were evaluated in both the N- and N+ groups, employing univariable Cox regression analysis. Results: Out of 221 patients, 126 (57%) had non-metastatic lymph nodes (N-), while 95 (43%) had metastatic lymph nodes (N+). The median observation period for all these patients was 73 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 66–77). The 5-year DFS and CSS probability rates were 75% and 85.7%, respectively, for the N- group and 54.3% and 73.6%, respectively, for the N+ group. A higher PMImax (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.09) and PMIratio (HR = 1.04) correlated with worse overall survival in patients in the N- group (p = 0.025 and p = 0.042). These parameters did not show a significant statistical association in the N+ group. Conclusions: The degree of PMI evaluated on MRI affects outcome in N- patients with LACC. Clinical relevance statement: The degree of MRI parametrial invasion affects disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival in patients with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIB cervical cancer. This MRI finding can be easily incorporated into routine clinical practice. Key Points: • Visual assessment of parametrial invasion on MRI was not significantly associated with prognosis in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). • A greater degree of parametrial invasion is associated with poorer disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival in patients with LACC without metastatic lymph node involvement. • The degree of parametrial invasion at MRI has no correlation with prognosis in LACC with metastatic lymph nodes

Short- and long-term considerations concerning the management of plaque psoriasis with low-dose cyclosporin

In an open multicenter study, cyclosporin (CsA) at low doses (3 mg/kg/day adjusted during the course of treatment on the basis of clinical response and tolerability up to a maximum of 5 mg/kg/day) was given to 293 evaluable patients with severe plaque-form psoriasis (M/F 215/78, aged 19–80 years, 2–53 years from diagnosis) in order to evaluate its safety and efficacy over a median follow-up of 7 months of treatment and 3 months after treatment. All patients were unsatisfactory responders to conventional topical therapy and had indications for systemic treatment. Patients entered the study only if they were within the normal range for renal an hepatic function and blood pressure, and were free of any clinically obvious immunodeficiencies, malignancies or blood dyscrasia. All gave their informed consent. After remission (defined as reduction ≥ 75% of the body area involved and an improvement of at least 2 points on a 4-point scale for desquamation, erythema and infiltration) CsA was slowly tapered off (0.5 mg/kg/day every 2 weeks) until total discontinuation or the reappearance of signs of the disease; the dose of CsA was also varied in the case of any important modification in renal and hepatic function of blood pressure. As concomitant treatment, white petrolatum was allowed, as well as specific local therapy after CsA discontinuation. Considerable improvement ( > 50% reduction in the skin area affected) was observed in 98% and only 2% (5 patients) did not respond. Clinical remission was achieved in 225 patients (77%): of these, 73% after a median of 2 months at CsA doses of 2.5–3.49 mg/kg/day, 8% after 4 months at doses < 2.49 mg/kg/day and 19% after 3 months at doses ≥ 3.5 mg/kg/day. After remission, the gradual withdrawal of the drug over a period of 3 months (0.5 mg/kg/day every 2 weeks) allowed control over the disease (the absence of relapse) to be maintained for a median of 8 months in 133 patients (59%). The topical therapies permitted after remission and during the maintenance phase (steroids, inert topical agents and exposure to UVB radiation) were used in less than 50% of cases. Disease relapse (the reappearance of skin involvement over more than 50% of the area affected at baseline) occurred in 92 of the 225 patients achieving remission, 24 of whom relapsed a median of 6 months after remission, when CsA had been completely withdrawn; the remaining relapses occurred about 4 months after remission, during the gradual withdrawal of the drug. In none of the patients was any ‘rebound’ effect observed. In 11 patients who relapsed twice during the course of observation, the administration of successive cycles of equal doses of CsA proved to be equally efficacious. The adverse events reported by 26% of the patients were mild or moderate and reversible with the adjustment of posology or discontinuation of the treatment (3% of cases). In conclusion, CsA at 3 mg/kg/day given to carefully selected and closely monitored severe psoriatic patients produces constantly favourable results within 2-3 months. After remission, it seems advisable to withdraw the drug gradually, to evaluate the usefulness, effectiveness and tolerability of a low-dose maintenance regimen aimed at preventing the recurrence of the disease or an intermittent therapy which allows a relapse-free period of 6–8 months in 70% of patients