Forecasting inflation: a comparison of linear Phillips curve models and nonlinear time serie models

The aim of this paper is to analyze the forecasting performance of alternative model for the US inflation rate over the period 1950.1-2002.7. NAIRU Phillips curve models forecasts are contrasted with those obtained by a special class of nonlinear time series models, the threshold autoregressive models. The forecast evaluation is conducted on point and density forecasts. The results show that overall the non linear specification are better able to capture the distributional features of the series, although in terms of MSFE the Phillips curve specification can yield noticeable forecasting gains for medium and long term horizons. Previous finding on the forecasting superiority of the simple naïve model are confuted

L’imposta sul valore aggiunto: regime ordinario e regime del margine a confronto. Il caso del mercato dell’arte

In letteratura, il confronto tra i metodi di calcolo dell’imposta sul valore aggiunto (regime ordinario e regime del margine) è limitato: si riduce al risultato di equivalenza ottenuto con aliquote identiche e uniformi nelle diverse fasi della produzione e dello scambio. In questo lavoro proponiamo un’analisi comparativa generale per stabilire la desiderabilità di un metodo rispetto all’altro in relazione alla struttura delle aliquote, alla tipologia dei soggetti coinvolti, alle politiche di commercializzazione. I risultati sono applicati per valutare il meccanismo di formazione dei prezzi nel mercato dell’arte. Si propongono degli interventi di riforma per rendere il regime fiscale neutrale e trasparente, incentivando scambi e investimenti

V CONGRESSO DEL COORDINAMENTO UNIVERSITARIO PER LA COOPERAZIONE E LO SVILUPPO (CUCS)

La cooperazione allo sviluppo oggi è chiamata a rispondere a nuove emergenze derivanti dai tanti mutamenti degli assetti sociali, politici e ambientali sulle comunitàin molte parti del mondo con particolare riferimento alle aree fragili.La cooperazione deve essere sempre più strumento valoriale della politica di un paese. Più cooperazione per combattere la povertà, ma anche per perseguire la pace, per garantire lo sviluppo, per governare in modo sano ed equo le migrazioni.Le frontiere della cooperazione si estendono a nuovi orizzonti e diventa quanto mai indispensabile sistematizzare l’azione facendo sì che gli attori coinvolti, dalle istituzioni pubbliche al mondo delle imprese, dalla società civile al sistema universitario trovino linguaggi comuni e strumenti condivisi idonei a elaborare politiche e azioni efficaci ad affrontare vecchie e nuove povertà, crescenti instabilità, inaspettati bisogni sociali.Alcune Università Italiane, in sinergia con la CRUI e la DGCS del MAECI hanno avviato d  tempo una riflessione sul ruolo della formazione e della ricerca nello sviluppo. Riflessione che ha trovato risposte a livello nazionale nella Legge 125 dell’Agosto 2014 e a livello internazionale nell’Agenda 2030 che riconosce il mondo accademico come un attore chiave nello sviluppoQuesto il cuore del dibattito che si è svolto a Milano in occasione del V Congresso Nazionale del CUCS il Coordinamento Universitario per la Cooperazione e lo Sviluppo organizzato e ospitato dall’Università degli Studi e il Politecnico di Milano

Ross-Kabbani Operation in an Infant with Mitral Valve Dysplasia

Background. Mitral valve replacement can be very difficult to obtain in infants because the valve annulus diameter can be smaller than the available prosthesis. Case Report. We describe the case of a 2-month-old female weighing 3.5 kg affected by mitral valve dysplasia leading to severe valve stenosis. Despite full medication, the clinical conditions were critical and surgery was undertaken. The mitral valve was unsuitable for repair and the orifice of mitral anulus was 12 mm, too small for a mechanical prosthesis. Therefore, a Ross-Kabbani operation was undertaken, replacing the mitral valve with the pulmonary autograft and reconstructing the right ventricular outflow tract with an etherograft. Results. The postoperative course was uneventful and the clinical conditions are good at 4-month follow-up. Conclusion. The Ross-Kabbani operation can be an interesting alternative to mitral valve replacement in infants when valve repair is not achievable and there is little space for an intra-annular mechanical prosthesis implant

Microbiological characteristics of poultry meats - Results of inspections carried out in the province of Milano, Italy

Examinations were conducted in terms of microbiological quality/quantity (TMC, Coliforms, E. coli, S. aureus, Sulphate-reducing Clostridia, B. cereus, Salmonella spp. and Lysteria spp. and Campylobacter spp.) on 240 poultry meat samples (chicken, turkey and quail) acquired pursuant to the standards set by the Regional Plan of programming and coordination in the field of operations concerning official inspections of Lombardia animal origin and by a few private companies for self-inspection. The TMC was consistently low and in line with reports in the literature, as was the case with coliforms, E. coli, S. aureus, sulphatereducing Clostrides and B. cereus. In the case of Salmonella spp., only 5 samples tested positive: one for S. typhimurium and one for S. enteritidis (chicken); only one sample from turkey tested positive for S. blokley, and two out of five samples analysed from quail tested positive result for S. typhimurium. About 3% of the samples analyzed tested positive for Listeria monocitogenes, but they were within the legal limits. Research on Campylobacter thermophiles has involved only 50 samples, of which only 5 have tested positive. These results confirm the high quality of hygiene and cleanliness of poultry meat, in accordance with that reported in the national literature and with respect to EU norms

Cortisol Secretion in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Relationship With Chronic Complications

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Club drugs

Club drugs is aimed not only at sector specialists but also at a broader public. It addresses the highly topical issue of the drugs and substances of abuse commonly used in social venues and clubs for recreational or socialising purposes. Garbed in a discursive and communicative language, albeit thoroughly supported by scientific evidence, the results of the research on the most widespread "recreational" drugs - ecstasy, GHB, Rohypnol, crack, cannabis and cocaine - are presented. The book takes its place within the debate on a social phenomenon in continual growth, replacing the Manicheism of prohibitionist and anti-prohibitionist positions with the most up-to-date results of scientific research

Autophagy generates citrullinated peptides in human synoviocytes: a possible trigger for anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies

OBJECTIVES: Autophagy may represent a functional processing event that creates a substrate for autoreactivity. In particular, autophagy may play a role in the pathogenesis of RA, since autophagy is a key cellular event involved in the generation of citrullinated peptides, with consequent breakage of tolerance. Thus, in RA, autophagy may be the common feature in several situations (including smoking, joint injury and infection) that may drive the adaptive responses to citrullinated self-proteins. The aim of this study was the analysis, in vitro, of the role of autophagy in the generation of citrullinated peptides and, in vivo, of the relationship between autophagy and the production of anti-CCP antibodies (Abs). METHODS: For autophagy induction, fibroblast-like synoviocytes, primary fibroblasts and monocytes were stimulated with tunicamycin or rapamycin. Peptidyl arginine deiminase activity was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and protein citrullination was evaluated by western blotting. The main citrullinated RA candidate antigens, vimentin, α-enolase and filaggrin, were demonstrated by immunoprecipitation. The relationship between autophagy and anti-CCP Abs was analysed in 30 early-active RA patients. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated in vitro a role for autophagy in the citrullination process. Cells treated with tunicamycin or rapamycin showed peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 activation, with consequent protein citrullination. Immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation experiments, using specific Abs, identified the main citrullinated proteins: vimentin, α-enolase and filaggrin. In vivo, a significant association between levels of autophagy and anti-CCP Abs was observed in treatment-naïve early-active RA patients. CONCLUSION: These findings support the view that the processing of proteins in autophagy generates citrullinated peptides recognized by the immune system in RA

Quantitative Approach for the Analysis of Fusional Convergence Using Eye-Tracking and SacLab Toolbox

Fusional vergence is a disjunctive movement of the eyes that is made in order to obtain single vision. (e aim of the study was to provide a quantitative and objective approach for analyzing the fusional convergence response using eye tracking (ET) technology and automatic data analysis provided by the intuitive SacLab toolbox previously developed by our group. We evaluated the proposed approach in a population of 26 subjects with normal binocular vision, who were tested with base-out prisms (magnitudes 4\u394, 6\u394, and 10\u394) in order to elicit fusional convergence response. Eye movements were recorded using the Viewpoint ET and analyzed using SacLab. Parameters describing both the vergence and the version components of the fusional response (convergence duration, CD; peak convergence velocity, PCV; number of intrusive saccades, NS; and mean saccadic amplitude, MSA) were automatically calculated and provided to clinicians for an objective evaluation. Results showed that the number of subjects achieving fusional convergence decreased with prism magnitude. For subjects achieving fusion CD and PCV increased significantly (p < 0.05) when increasing the prism magnitude. For NS and MSA, there were no significant changes when passing to 6\u394, but a significant increase resulted when passing to 10\u394 (p < 0.05). Noninvasive ET associated with the intuitive SacLab toolbox may represent a valid option to objectively characterize the fusional vergence response in clinical setting. (e analysis may be extended to patients with vergence disorders