Different domains cooperate to target the human ribosomal L7a protein to the nucleus and to the nucleoli.

The human ribosomal protein L7a is a component of the major ribosomal subunit. We transiently expressed in HeLa cells L7a-β-galactosidase fusion proteins and studied their subcellular localization by indirect immunofluorescence staining with anti-β-galactosidase antibodies. We have identified three distinct domains responsible for the nuclear targeting of the protein: domain I, amino acids 23-51; domain II, amino acids 52-100; domain III, amino acids 101-220, each of which contains at least one nuclear localization signal (NLS). Through subcellular localization analysis of deletion mutants of L7a-β-galactosidase chimeras, we demonstrate that domain II plays a special role because it is necessary, although not sufficient, to target the chimeric β-galactosidase to the nucleoli. In fact, we demonstrate that the nucleolar targeting process requires the presence of domain II plus an additional basic domain that can be represented by an NLS or a basic stretch of amino acids without NLS activity. Thus, when multiple NLS are present, each NLS exerts distinct functions. Domain II drives nucleolar accumulation of a reporter protein with the cooperative action of a short basic amino acid sequence, suggesting a mechanism requiring protein-protein or protein-nucleic acid interactions

A new procedure to analyze RNA non-branching structures

RNA structure prediction and structural motifs analysis are challenging tasks in the investigation of RNA function. We propose a novel procedure to detect structural motifs shared between two RNAs (a reference and a target). In particular, we developed two core modules: (i) nbRSSP_extractor, to assign a unique structure to the reference RNA encoded by a set of non-branching structures; (ii) SSD_finder, to detect structural motifs that the target RNA shares with the reference, by means of a new score function that rewards the relative distance of the target non-branching structures compared to the reference ones. We integrated these algorithms with already existing software to reach a coherent pipeline able to perform the following two main tasks: prediction of RNA structures (integration of RNALfold and nbRSSP_extractor) and search for chains of matches (integration of Structator and SSD_finder)

The evolution of inequality in productivity and wages: panel data evidence

There has been a remarkable increase in wage inequality in the US, UK and many other countries over the past three decades. A significant part of this appears to be within observable groups (such as age-gender-skill cells). A generally untested implication of many theories rationalizing the growth of within-group inequality is that firm-level productivity dispersion should also have increased. Since the relevant data do not exist in the US we utilize a UK longitudinal panel dataset covering the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors since the early 1980s. We find evidence that productivity inequality has increased. Existing studies have underestimated this increased dispersion because they use data from the manufacturing sector which has been in rapid decline. Most of the increase in individual wage inequality has occurred because of an increase in inequality between firms (and within industries). Increased productivity dispersion appears to be linked with new technologies as suggested by models such as Caselli (1999) and is not primarily due to an increase in transitory shocks, greater sorting or entry/exit dynamics

Key factors and barriers to the adoption of cold ironing in europe

The first cases of successful implementation of cold ironing can be found in Alaska about twenty years ago. In that case, the energy cost was lower than in Europe where cold ironing has been developed only in the latest years at few ports. The present paper investigates the innovative process of cold ironing at European level. Firstly, its recent development in Europe is documented as well as the main concern of its corresponding legislation. Then, the adoption of this initiative by the “green ports” concept is discussed. Secondly, the technical barriers, such as lack of standardization of electricity parameters are mentioned. And given that port electrical infrastructure needed onshore represents a huge investment that not all ports are financially able to do, the financial problematic is treated explicitly taking into account the cost of energy at ports (directly provided by electric centrals or converted) against the energy cost onboard. Finally, conclusions are drawn covering the main barriers confronted by this technology and the future premises of cold ironing at European ports considering the social and environmental benefits in terms of air and noise pollution.cold ironing, energy cost, technology barrier, European ports, environmenta

Inequality of individual wages and the dispersion of firm productivity.

Many blame globalisation for growing wage inequality in the UK. But according to research by Giulia Faggio, Kjell Salvanes and John Van Reenen, the rise in inequality is better explained by increasing dispersion in the productivity of firms related to their use of new technology. Their study finds that much of the rise in wage inequality is driven by increasing differences in wages among firms in the same industry. A major driver of such differences is firms’ varying ability to make use of new technology. This is particularly felt in the service sector.

Immigrazione Senegalese in Italia: stato dell¿arte

È trascorso ormai circa un trentennio da quando i primi immigrati senegalesi giungevano in Italia nella seconda metà degli anni Ottanta. Nel corso di questi tre decenni, essi hanno stabilmente rappresentato la presenza straniera più significativa in provenienza dall’Africa subsahariana. È questo, tuttavia, forse l’unico dato costante, dal momento che in questo arco di tempo non solo la presenza senegalese in Italia è notevolmente cresciuta in termini numerici, ma si è altresì accompagnata a profonde trasformazioni nelle caratteristiche e nei percorsi migratori, nelle dinamiche associative, nelle traiettorie di inserimento nel territorio e nel mercato del lavoro locale da parte dei singoli. Ormai lontani dal modello unitario del migrante dedito alla vendita ambulante e appartenente alla confraternita mussulmana senegalese dei murid, i percorsi di radicamento dei senegalesi nella realtà italiana offrono oggi uno spaccato ben più ricco e diversificato. Questo quadro generale rende particolarmente gradita la comparsa nelle librerie di alcuni recenti volumi frutto di contributi di ricerca sui senegalesi in Italia. I quattro libri illustrati qui di seguito costituiscono un importante corpus di lavori che da un lato fotografa i tratti salienti dell’evoluzione vissuta dall’immigrazione senegalese in Italia e, dall’altro, offre utili spunti di riflessione per la sua migliore comprensione

Ruiseñores y otros músicos “naturales”: Quevedo entre Góngora y Marino

El tan visitado motivo barroco de la música «natural» (o sea provocada por el canto de las aves y por otros sonidos de la naturaleza) se remonta a una tradición tanto clásica como románica. En particular el topos del ruiseñor, ya presente, en su doble vertiente de mensajero de dolor y de regocijo, en Góngora y en Marino, es retomado por Quevedo hasta culminar en un cruce de préstamos e influencias recíprocas. En el propio Quevedo se aprecia la tendencia a no distinguir entre varios cantores «naturales» y a transformar el clásico locus amoenus en una visión más descriptiva y anecdótica del paisaje. Ya no sólo filtrados a través de modelos elegíacos y petrarquistas, los cantores «naturales» (y quizá también artificiales) de Quevedo nos revelan así la evolución que, en las primeras décadas del siglo XVII, sufrió el concepto mismo de naturaleza. The baroque motive of natural music (i. e. provocated by the warbling of the birds and the noise of other natural elements) goes back to a classical and a romance tradition. In particular the topic of the nightingale, present in Góngora and in Marino as a symbol of both pain and joy, is developped by Quevedo in various poems caracterized by many reciproc influences. Moreover Quevedo shows a trend toward the contamination of different natural singers and the transformation of the classical locus amoenus in a descriptive landscape. No more filtered by elegiac and petrarchan models, the various natural (and perhaps artificial) singers of Quevedo reflect the evolution of the same concept of nature in the Golden Age poetry

Diasporas as partners in conflict resolution and peacebuilding

This paper explores the topic of collaboration between diasporas and governmental and non-governmental actors in peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction initiatives. Its purpose is to identify key policy recommendations for external parties wishing to establish working relationships with diasporas specifically in these fields. The paper therefore mainly targets an audience of policy makers, however the considerations in the pages that follow will be of interest also to other practitioners in the development field as well as to diaspora groups themselves. The paper is based on data collected within the DIASPEACE research project, analysing how external actors and diaspora groups interact in peacebuilding initiatives. The results discussed in this paper derive from data collected in five European countries (Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Finland) and focus on the specific case-study of diasporas originating from the Horn of Africa

Key Criteria of "Good Practice" for Constructive Diaspora Engagement in Peacebuilding

This discussion paper focuses on the engagement of diasporas in peacebuilding processes in their countries of origin. The main argument put forward in this paper is that, given certain conditions, diasporas carry a potential to fruitfully engage in the field of peacebuilding. After substantiating this claim with a critical discussion of literature and research insight, the issue is further addressed by identifying and collating a set of key criteria of “good practice” for constructive diaspora engagement. This is to help third parties identify diaspora organisations and groups that have the potential to engage transparently and in long-term processes, while also presenting the capacity to foster the resolution, transformation and management of conflicts in their respective countries of origin. In an endeavour to strengthen cooperation between diaspora organisations and other actors, the aim of this discussion paper is therefore to offer to International Agencies, the European Union and its member states, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders an indicative tool that will assist them in the identification of potential cooperation partners within the diaspora community to work together in conflict settings. Given the particularly sensitive nature of interventions in this field, the suggested criteria take into account factors that are generally related to collaboration with diaspora organisations, as well as factors that take into account a specific concern for their engagement in peacebuilding. In addition, it is hoped that the criteria may also facilitate purposeful self-reflection among diaspora groups on how they operate and on new potential areas for engagement in their countries of origin