What determines the share of labour in national income? A cross-country analysis

Recent evidence on functional income distribution suggests that the shares of capital and labour in national income vary considerably both over time and across countries. Specifically, there seems to be a general reduction in the labour share around the world, in particular from the mid-1980s onwards. Using fixed effects regression methods on a panel dataset covering 89 countries - both developing and developed - over the period 1970-2009, this study examines the mechanisms underlying the variability in the labour share. In particular, it focuses on the relationships between the labour share and measures of international trade and technological change. The results are robust across different specifications, for yearly data as well as 3- and 5-year averages, and after performing instrumental variable estimation. They suggest that trade openness and technological innovation have a positive and significant effect on the labour share. However, Foreign Direct Investments inflows and mechanisation seem to be negative drivers. Moreover, other factors, such as the level of economic development, education, and the strength of the regulations in the labour market, seem to also significantly influence functional distribution of income

Ovarian Adnexal Reporting Data System (O-RADS) for Classifying Adnexal Masses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to assess the pooled diagnostic performance of the so-called Ovarian Adnexal Report Data System (O-RADS) for classifying adnexal masses using transvaginal ultrasound, a classification system that was introduced in 2020. We performed a search for studies reporting the use of the O-RADS system for classifying adnexal masses from January 2020 to April 2022 in several databases (Medline (PubMed), Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science). We selected prospective and retrospective cohort studies using the O-RADS system for classifying adnexal masses with histologic diagnosis or conservative management demonstrating spontaneous resolution or persistence in cases of benign appearing masses after follow-up scan as the reference standard. We excluded studies not related to the topic under review, studies not addressing O-RADS classification, studies addressing MRI O-RADS classification, letters to the editor, commentaries, narrative reviews, consensus documents, and studies where data were not available for constructing a 2 × 2 table. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were calculated. The quality of the studies was evaluated using QUADAS-2. A total of 502 citations were identified. Ultimately, 11 studies comprising 4634 masses were included. The mean prevalence of ovarian malignancy was 32%. The risk of bias was high in eight studies for the "patient selection" domain. The risk of bias was low for the "index test" and "reference test" domains for all studies. Overall, the pooled estimated sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and DOR of the O-RADS system for classifying adnexal masses were 97% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 94%-98%), 77% (95% CI = 68%-84%), 4.2 (95% CI = 2.9-6.0), 0.04 (95% CI = 0.03-0.07), and 96 (95% CI = 50-185), respectively. Heterogeneity was moderate for sensitivity and high for specificity. In conclusion, the O-RADS system has good sensitivity and moderate specificity for classifying adnexal masses

Dosimetry optimization system and integrated software (DOSIS) : a comparison against Fluka code results over a standard phantom

Trabajo presentado en el X Latin American Symposium on Nuclear Physics and Applications (X LASNPA), 1-6 diciembre 2013. Montevideo, Uruguay.Actually, dual-imaging facilities allow obtainance of both mass and activity patient-specific distributions perfectly correlated, which are important to improve dose distributions estimations and radioimmunotherapy treatment planifications accuracy. Calculus methods at voxel level require both quantitative and qualitative validation to obtain improvements in patient-specific dosimetry. The present work presents advances on the development of a novel computational tool dedicated to 3D patient-specific dosimetry at voxel level; and its results analysis and visualization. With the aim of providing a dosimetric tool for planar and tridimensional methods at voxel level, as well as the development of a platform based on fullstochastic methods for α-, β- and γ-emitters used in radiopharmaceutical applications. DOSIS is based on the Boltzmann radiation transport equation to realize energy delivering calculations. Procedures for 2D and 3D dosimetry have been designed tacking into accont established formalism and standards on MIRD Pamphlets. Anatomic and metabolic images, and dose maps resulting of this calculus are analysed and procesed by a special developed and designed software. DOSIS has been preliminary validated on some standard clinic cases in comparison whith other standard procedures used commonly in radionuclide treatments, showing great accordance on its results and a friendly user usability. Finally, a dose calculation over a standard phantom is performed using DOSIS calculation code and FLUKA, validating the radiation transport code of DOSIS.publishedVersionFil: Pérez, Pedro Antonio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina.Fil: Pérez, Pedro Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina.Fil: Pérez, Pedro Antonio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Laboratorio de Investigación e Instrumentación en Física Aplicada a la Medicina e Imágenes por Rayos X; Argentina.Fil: Pérez, Pedro Antonio. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Física; Argentina.Fil: Botta, Francesca. European Institute of Oncology; Italia.Fil: Cremonesi, Marta. European Institute of Oncology; Italia.Fil: Ferrari, Mahila. European Institute of Oncology; Italia.Fil: Guerriero, Francesco. European Institute of Oncology; Italia.Fil: Malano, Francisco Mauricio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina.Fil: Malano, Francisco Mauricio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina.Fil: Malano, Francisco Mauricio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Laboratorio de Investigación e Instrumentación en Física Aplicada a la Medicina e Imágenes por Rayos X; Argentina.Fil: Pedroli, Guido. European Institute of Oncology; Italia.Fil: Scarinci, Ignacio Emanuel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Laboratorio de Investigación e Instrumentación en Física Aplicada a la Medicina e Imágenes por Rayos X; Argentina.Fil: Valente, Mauro Andrés. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina.Fil: Valente, Mauro Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina.Fil: Valente, Mauro Andrés. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Laboratorio de Investigación e Instrumentación en Física Aplicada a la Medicina e Imágenes por Rayos X; Argentina.Física Atómica, Molecular y Química (física de átomos y moléculas incluyendo colisión, interacción con radiación, resonancia magnética, Moessbauer Efecto.

Capability of national reference laboratories in Latin America to detect emerging resistance mechanisms

Fil: Corso, Alejandra. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Antimicrobianos; Argentina.Fil: Guerriero, Leonor. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Antimicrobianos; Argentina.Fil: Pasterán, Fernando. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Antimicrobianos; Argentina.Fil: Ceriana, Paola. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Antimicrobianos; Argentina.Fil: Callejo, Raquel. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Prieto, Mónica. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Bacteriología Especial; Argentina.Fil: Tuduri, Ezequiel. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Antimicrobianos; Argentina.Fil: Lopardo, Horacio. Hospital de Pediatría S.A.M.I.C. "Prof Dr. Juan Garrahan"; Argentina.Fil: Vay, Carlos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín"; Argentina.Fil: Smayevsky, Jorgelina. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; Argentina.Fil: Tokumoto, Marta. Fundación Favaloro; Argentina.Fil: Alvarez, Jorge Matheu. Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Área de Vigilancia de la Salud y Prevención y Control de Enfermedades; Estados Unidos.Fil: Ramón Pardo, Pilar. Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Área de Vigilancia de la Salud y Prevención y Control de Enfermedades; Estados Unidos.Galas, Marcelo. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Bacteriología. Servicio Antimicrobianos; Argentina.OBJETIVO: Evaluar la capacidad de 17 laboratorios nacionales de referencia que participan en el Programa Latinoamericano de Control de Calidad en Bacteriología y Resistencia a los Antimicrobianos (LA-EQAS) para detectar mecanismos de resistencia emergentes, a saber: resistencia de enterobacterias a carbapenemes por presencia de Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemasa (KPC); resistencia de enterobacterias a carbapenemes por presencia de metalobetalactamasas (MBL) tipo IMP, y resistencia intermedia a vancomicina de aislamientos de Staphylococcus aureus (VISA). MÉTODOS: Se enviaron los siguientes tres aislamientos a los 17 laboratorios participantes del LA-EQAS: Klebsiella pneumoniae OPS-161 productor de KPC, Enterobacter cloacae OPS-166 productor de IMP y S. aureus OPS-165 con resistencia intermedia a vancomicina. Se evaluó la interpretación de las pruebas de sensibilidad y detección del mecanismo de resistencia y el tamaño de los halos de inhibición (método de difusión por discos) o valor de la concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM). RESULTADOS: La concordancia en la detección de los mecanismos de resistencia fue de 76,4%, 73,3% y 66,7% con respecto a la cepas K. pneumoniae OPS-161, E. cloacae OPS-166 y S. aureus OPS-165, respectivamente. La concordancia entre las zonas de inhibición obtenidas por los laboratorios participantes y los rangos establecidos por el laboratorio coordinador fue aceptable en los tres aislamientos, ya que alcanzó 90,8%, 92,8% y 88,9%, respectivamente, para cada cepa. CONCLUSIONES: La concordancia global en la detección de los mecanismos de resistencia KPC, MBL y VISA fue de 72,1%. Consideramos que los laboratorios nacionales de referencia de América Latina son capaces de reconocer estos mecanismos de resistencia emergentes y se espera que en el futuro la concordancia alcance su nivel máximo

Downregulation of RWA genes in hybrid aspen affects xylan acetylation and wood saccharification

High acetylation of angiosperm wood hinders its conversion to sugars by glycoside hydrolases, subsequent ethanol fermentation and (hence) its use for biofuel production. We studied the REDUCED WALL ACETYLATION (RWA) gene family of the hardwood model Populus to evaluate its potential for improving saccharification. The family has two clades, AB and CD, containing two genes each. All four genes are expressed in developing wood but only RWA-A and -B are activated by master switches of the secondary cell wall PtNST1 and PtMYB21. Histochemical analysis of promoter:: GUS lines in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula x tremuloides) showed activation of RWA-A and -B promoters in the secondary wall formation zone, while RWA-C and -D promoter activity was diffuse. Ectopic downregulation of either clade reduced wood xylan and xyloglucan acetylation. Suppressing both clades simultaneously using the wood-specific promoter reduced wood acetylation by 25% and decreased acetylation at position 2 of Xylp in the dimethyl sulfoxide-extracted xylan. This did not affect plant growth but decreased xylose and increased glucose contents in the noncellulosic monosaccharide fraction, and increased glucose and xylose yields of wood enzymatic hydrolysis without pretreatment. Both RWA clades regulate wood xylan acetylation in aspen and are promising targets to improve wood saccharification.Peer reviewe

Italian Guidelines in diagnosis and treatment of alopecia areata

Alopecia areata (AA) is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder that targets anagen phase hair follicles. The course is unpredictable and current available treatments have variable efficacy. Nowadays, there is relatively little evidence on treatment of AA from well-designed clinical trials. Moreover, none of the treatments or devices commonly used to treat AA are specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The Italian Study Group for Cutaneous Annexial Disease of the Italian Society of dermatology proposes these Italian guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Alopecia Areata deeming useful for the daily management of the disease. This article summarizes evidence-based treatment associated with expert-based recommendations

The Determinants of Suppliers' Performance in E-Procurement: Evidence from the Italian Government's E-Procurement Platform

Participation of small businesses in the market for public contracts is widely recognized as a key policy issue. It is also commonly held that the adoption of e-procurement solutions can be effective in pursuing such an objective. To this end, we analyze the transactions completed in the period 2004-2007 through the Italian Government's e-procurement platform, that is, the marketplace managed by the Italian Public Procurement Agency (Consip S.p.A.). Although descriptive statistics indicate that micro suppliers are the most represented group of firms in the marketplace, our econometric treatment provides some evidence that the former are less successful than all other suppliers in getting public contracts. Degree of loyalty with buyers, location and the use of other MEPA negotiation tools, also emerge as relevant factors of success in the e-procurement market

The New Economic Case for Migration Restrictions: An Assessment

For decades, migration economics has stressed the effects of migration restrictions on income distribution in the host country. Recently the literature has taken a new direction by estimating the costs of migration restrictions to global economic efficiency. In contrast, a new strand of research posits that migration restrictions could be not only desirably redistributive, but in fact globally efficient. This is the new economic case for migration restrictions. The case rests on the possibility that without tight restrictions on migration, migrants from poor countries could transmit low productivity ("A" or Total Factor Productivity) to rich countries – offsetting efficiency gains from the spatial reallocation of labor from low to high-productivity places. We provide a novel assessment, proposing a simple model of dynamically efficient migration under productivity transmission and calibrating it with new macro and micro data. In this model, the case for efficiency-enhancing migration barriers rests on three parameters: transmission, the degree to which origin-country total factor productivity is embodied in migrants; assimilation, the degree to which migrants' productivity determinants become like natives' over time in the host country; and congestion, the degree to which transmission and assimilation change at higher migrant stocks. On current evidence about the magnitudes of these parameters, dynamically efficient policy would not imply open borders but would imply relaxations on current restrictions. That is, the new efficiency case for some migration restrictions is empirically a case against the stringency of current restrictions