Consumers’ Attitudes on Services of General Interest in the EU: Accessibility, Price and Quality 2000-2004

The research question addressed by this paper is a simple one: are European consumers happy with the services provided by the utilities after two decades of reforms? We focus on electricity, gas, water, telephone in the EU 15 Member States. The variables we analyse are consumers’ satisfaction with accessibility, price and quality, as reported in three waves of Eurobarometer survey, 2000-2002-2004, comprising around 47,000 observations. We use ordered logit models to analyze the impact of privatization and regulatory reforms, as represented by an OECD dataset, controlling for individual and country characteristics. Our results do not support a clear association between consumers’ satisfaction and a standard reform package of privatization, vertical disintegration, liberalization.Consumers’ Satisfaction, Gas, Electricity, Telephone, Water, Eurobarometer

Sensory-motor integration in focal dystonia.

Traditional definitions of focal dystonia point to its motor component, mainly affecting planning and execution of voluntary movements. However, focal dystonia is tightly linked also to sensory dysfunction. Accurate motor control requires an optimal processing of afferent inputs from different sensory systems, in particular visual and somatosensory (e.g., touch and proprioception). Several experimental studies indicate that sensory-motor integration - the process through which sensory information is used to plan, execute, and monitor movements - is impaired in focal dystonia. The neural degenerations associated with these alterations affect not only the basal ganglia-thalamic-frontal cortex loop, but also the parietal cortex and cerebellum. The present review outlines the experimental studies describing impaired sensory-motor integration in focal dystonia, establishes their relationship with changes in specific neural mechanisms, and provides new insight towards the implementation of novel intervention protocols. Based on the reviewed state-of-the-art evidence, the theoretical framework summarized in the present article will not only result in a better understanding of the pathophysiology of dystonia, but it will also lead to the development of new rehabilitation strategies

Dados espectrais orbitais e de laboratório na otimização da análise do solo

Traditional soil analyses are time-consuming with high cost and environmental risks, thus the use of new technologies such as remote sensing have to be estimulated. The purpose of this work was to quantify soil attributes by laboratory and orbital sensors as a non-destructive and a non-pollutant method. The study area was in the region of Barra Bonita, state of São Paulo, Brazil, in a 473 ha bare soil area. A sampling grid was established (100 × 100 m), with a total of 474 locations and a total of 948 soil samples. Each location was georeferenced and soil samples were collected for analysis. Reflectance data for each soil sample was measured with a laboratory sensor (450 to 2,500 nm). For the same locations, reflectance data was obtained from a TM-Landsat-5 image. Multiple linear regression equations were developed for 50% of the samples. Two models were developed: one for spectroradiometric laboratory data and the second for TM-Landsat-5 orbital data. The remaining 50% of the samples were used to validate the models. The test compared the attribute content quantified by the spectral models and that determined in the laboratory (conventional methods). The highest coefficients of determination for the laboratory data were for clay content (R² = 0.86) and sand (R² = 0.82) and for the orbital data (R² = 0.61 and 0.63, respectively). By using the present methodology, it was possible to estimate CEC (R² = 0.64) by the laboratory sensor. Laboratory and orbital sensors can optimize time, costs and environment pollutants when associated with traditional soil analysis.Analises de solos tradicionais consomem tempo com alto custo e riscos ambientais. Dessa forma, o uso de novas tecnologias como o sensoriamento remoto tem sido estimulado. O objetivo do trabalho foi quantificar atributos dos solos por um método não destrutivo e não poluente utilizando sensor de laboratório e orbital. A área de estudo localiza-se na região de Barra Bonita, Brasil, com 473 ha com solo exposto. Foi estabelecida uma malha de amostragem (100 m × 100 m) com 474 pontos de amostragem e um total de 948 amostras de solos. Os pontos de amostragem foram georreferenciados, e amostras de solos coletadas e enviadas para análises. Os dados de Reflectância foram obtidos para cada amostra de solo com o sensor em laboratório (450 a 2500 nm). Nos mesmos locais de amostragem de solos, foram obtidos dados de reflectância de imagens orbitais TM-Landsat-5. Equações lineares de regressão múltiplas foram desenvolvidas com 50% das amostras. Dois modelos foram desenvolvidos: o primeiro com dados de espectroradiometria de laboratório e o segundo para os dados orbitais da imagem TM Landsat-5. O restante das amostras, 50% foram utilizadas para validar o modelo. O teste comparou os valores dos atributos quantificados pelos modelos espectrais e os determinados em laboratório (método convencional). Os maiores coeficientes de determinação para os resultados de laboratório foram para argila (R² = 0,86) e areia (R² = 0,82) e para os dados orbitais (R² 0,61 e 0,63, respectivamente). Também foi possível com o presente método estimar CTC (R² = 0,64) para o sensor de laboratório, podendo otimizar tempo, custos e poluições ambientais associadas com as análises de solos tradicionais.FAPESPCNP

Bio-material polylactic acid/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) blend developed for extrusion- based additive manufacturing

Bio-material polylactic acid and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) were blended to achieve increased ductility of the blend. Cloisite was added to improve the stiffness of the blend. The blends were made into filament suitable for extrusion-based additive manufacturing. Melt flow index of the filament and mechanical properties of the printed bars were tested. Preliminary results showed that the melt flow index increases significantly with cloisite and the modulus of polylactic acid/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) improved slightly. The notched impact strength of the blend increased with increasing content of cloisite, and it increased significantly after annealing, especially for blends without cloisite

A multiscale hybrid model for pro-angiogenic calcium signals in a vascular endothelial cell

Cytosolic calcium machinery is one of the principal signaling mechanisms by which endothelial cells (ECs) respond to external stimuli during several biological processes, including vascular progression in both physiological and pathological conditions. Low concentrations of angiogenic factors (such as VEGF) activate in fact complex pathways involving, among others, second messengers arachidonic acid (AA) and nitric oxide (NO), which in turn control the activity of plasma membrane calcium channels. The subsequent increase in the intracellular level of the ion regulates fundamental biophysical properties of ECs (such as elasticity, intrinsic motility, and chemical strength), enhancing their migratory capacity. Previously, a number of continuous models have represented cytosolic calcium dynamics, while EC migration in angiogenesis has been separately approached with discrete, lattice-based techniques. These two components are here integrated and interfaced to provide a multiscale and hybrid Cellular Potts Model (CPM), where the phenomenology of a motile EC is realistically mediated by its calcium-dependent subcellular events. The model, based on a realistic 3-D cell morphology with a nuclear and a cytosolic region, is set with known biochemical and electrophysiological data. In particular, the resulting simulations are able to reproduce and describe the polarization process, typical of stimulated vascular cells, in various experimental conditions.Moreover, by analyzing the mutual interactions between multilevel biochemical and biomechanical aspects, our study investigates ways to inhibit cell migration: such strategies have in fact the potential to result in pharmacological interventions useful to disrupt malignant vascular progressio

Resposta da cultura do milho a adubação nitrogenada após cultivo de tremoço branco (Lupinus albus) em duas unidades de solos.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo estudar a influência de dois fertilizantes nitrogenados na produção de grãos e de matéria seca do milho nos solos Podzolico Vermelho Amarelo Latossolico eutrofico (PVLe) e Podzolico Vermelho Amarelo Latossolico distrofico (PVLd), cultivados previamente com tremoço branco

Beyond variability: Subjective timing and the neurophysiology of motor cognition.

Movement simulation helps increasing the chances to reach goals. A cognitive task used to study the neuro-behavioral aspects of movement simulation is mental rotation: people mentally re-orient rotated pictures of hands. However, the involvement of the primary motor cortex (M1) in mental rotation is largely controversial. Such inconsistency could arise from potential methodological flaws in experimental procedures and data analysis. In particular, until now, the timing of M1 activity has been computed in absolute terms: from the onset of mental rotation (onset-locked), neglecting intra- and inter-subject variability. A novel phase-locked approach is introduced to synchronize the same phases of cognitive processing among different subjects and sessions. This approach was validated in the particular case of corticospinal excitability of the motor cortex during mental rotation. We identified the relative time-windows during which the excitability of M1 is effector-specifically modulated by different features of mental rotation. These time windows correspond to the 55%-85% of the subjective timing. In sum, (i) we introduce a new method to study the neurophysiology of motor cognition, and (ii) validating this method, we shed new light on the involvement of M1 in movement simulation

INvolvement of breast CAncer patients during oncological consultations: a multicentre randomised controlled trial--the INCA study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Studies on patient involvement show that physicians make few attempts to involve their patients who ask few questions if not facilitated. On the other hand, the patients who participate in the decision-making process show greater treatment adherence and have better health outcomes. Different methods to encourage the active participation during oncological consultation have been described; however, similar studies in Italy are lacking. The aims of the present study are to (1) assess the effects of a preconsultation intervention to increase the involvement of breast cancer patients during the consultation, and (2) explore the role of the attending companions in the information exchange during consultation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: All female patients with breast cancer who attend the Oncology Out-patient Services for the first time will provide an informed consent to participate in the study. They are randomly assigned to the intervention or to the control group. The intervention consists of the presentation of a list of relevant illness-related questions, called a question prompt sheet. The primary outcome measure of the efficacy of the intervention is the number of questions asked by patients during the consultation. Secondary outcomes are the involvement of the patient by the oncologist; the patient's perceived achievement of her information needs; the patient's satisfaction and ability to cope; the quality of the doctor-patient relationship in terms of patient-centeredness; and the number of questions asked by the patient's companions and their involvement during the consultation. All outcome measures are supposed to significantly increase in the intervention group. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the local Ethics Committee of the Hospital Trust of Verona. Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01510964

Migration and public finances in the EU

We provide novel and comprehensive evidence on the net fiscal contributions of natives and migrants to the governmental budgets of EU countries. We account for income taxes and cash benefits, along with indirect taxes and in-kind benefits, which are often missing in standard datasets. We find that on average, migrants were net contributors to public finances over the period of 2014–2018 in the EU and, moreover, that they contribute approximately €1.5 thousand more per capita each year than natives. We also show that this difference is partly due to the selection on characteristics that make migrants net fiscal contributors, such as demographic factors and employment probability