On the optimality of the yardstick regulation in the presence of dynamic interaction

This paper proposes a generalization of Shleifer's (1985) model of yardstick competition, to a dynamic framework. Specifically, we consider a differential game and we show that the yardstick mechanism is effective to replicate the first-best solution if players adopt open-loop behaviour rules and they are symmetric at the initial time; in the absence of initial symmetry, the social efficiency is reached only in the asymptotic steady state. On the contrary, if players adopt Markovian behaviour rules, then the yardstick pricing rule is not able to achieve the first-best solution along the equilibrium path of any Markov Perfect Nash Equilibrium

Quality competition in healthcare services with regional regulators: A differential game approach

This article proposes a differential-game model, in order to analyze markets in which regional regulation is operative and competition is based on quality. The case we have in mind is healthcare public service, where consumers (patients) choose the provider mainly basing on the providers' location and the quality of services, while prices play a more limited role. In most European countries, within the same State, regional (or local) providers compete on quality to attract demand. Market regulation is set at national and/or regional level. Our model highlights the features of equilibrium in such a framework, and specifically investigates how the differences in product quality evolve among regions, and how inter-regional demand flows behave. Differently from some available similar models (that do not take into account the regional dimension of the decision process), we find that quality differentials among regions may persist in equilibrium

Strategy for primary prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCD) and mitigation of climate change in Italy

This paper derives from a document commissioned in 2019 by the Italian Minister of Health, and outlines a general strategy for primary prevention of noncommunicable diseases in Italy, with a special focus on cobenefits of climate change mitigation. Given that action against climate change is primarily taken via energy choices, limiting the use of fossil fuels and promoting renewable sources, an effective strategy is one in which interventions are designed to prevent diseases and jointly mitigate climate change, the so-called cobenefits. For policies capable of producing relevant co-benefits we focus on three categories of interventions, urban planning, diet and transport that are of special importance. For example, policies promoting active transport (cycling, walking) have the triple effect of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, preventing diseases related to atmospheric pollution, and increasing physical activity, thus preventing obesity and diabetes. In particular, we propose that for 2025 the following goals are achieved: reduce the prevalence of smokers by 30%, with particular emphasis on young people; reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity by 20%; reduce the proportion of calories obtained from ultraprocessed foods by 20%; reduce the consumption of alcohol by 10%; reduce the consumption of salt by 30%; reduce the consumption of sugary drinks by 20%; reduce the average consumption of meat by 20%; increase the weekly hours of exercise by 10%. The aim is to complement individual health promotion with structural policies (such as urban planning, taxation and incentives) which render the former more effective and result in a reduction in inequality. We strongly encourage the inclusion of primary prevention in all policies, in light of the described cobenefits. Italy\u2019s role as the cohost of the 2020 (now 2021) UN climate negotiations (COP26) presents the opportunity for international leadership in addressing health as an integral component of the response to climate change

Expression of VSX1 in human corneal keratocytes during differentiation into myofibroblasts in response to wound healing

PURPOSE. To characterize the expression of the visual system homeobox gene (VSX1) in human corneal keratocytes both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS. The expression of VSX1 was evaluated through semiquantitative RT-PCR, immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization both in corneas (either freshly obtained or wounded) and in collagenase/hyaluronidase-isolated keratocytes grown in the absence or presence of serum to promote keratocyteto-myofibroblast differentiation. RESULTS. Quiescent or resting keratocytes normally residing in the corneal stroma or cultured in vitro in the absence of serum did not express VSX1. In wounded corneas or when cultured in the presence of serum to mimic wound-healing responses, keratocytes underwent fibroblastic transformation (with appearance of ␣-SMA and disappearance of CD-34 and keratocan signals) and started expressing VSX1. CONCLUSIONS. The results show that VSX1 is expressed in vitro and in vivo during human corneal wound healing, a process in which differentiation of corneal keratocytes into myofibroblasts occurs. These data may help to elucidate the role of VSX1 in cornea physiology suggesting a potential involvement in cornea-related diseases such as keratoconus. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2006;47:5243-5250

How do cardiologists select patients for dual antiplatelet therapy continuation beyond 1 year after a myocardial infarction? Insights from the EYESHOT Post-MI Study

Background: Current guidelines suggest to consider dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) continuation for longer than 12 months in selected patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Hypothesis: We sought to assess the criteria used by cardiologists in daily practice to select patients with a history of MI eligible for DAPT continuation beyond 1 year. Methods: We analyzed data from the EYESHOT Post-MI, a prospective, observational, nationwide study aimed to evaluate the management of patients presenting to cardiologists 1 to 3 years from the last MI event. Results: Out of the 1633 post-MI patients enrolled in the study between March and December 2017, 557 (34.1%) were on DAPT at the time of enrolment, and 450 (27.6%) were prescribed DAPT after cardiologist assessment. At multivariate analyses, a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with multiple stents and the presence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) resulted as independent predictors of DAPT continuation, while atrial fibrillation was the only independent predictor of DAPT interruption for patients both at the second and the third year from MI at enrolment and the time of discharge/end of the visit. Conclusions: Risk scores recommended by current guidelines for guiding decisions on DAPT duration are underused and misused in clinical practice. A PCI with multiple stents and a history of PAD resulted as the clinical variables more frequently associated with DAPT continuation beyond 1 year from the index MI

I Numeri Complessi

L'esigenza di scrivere un libro dedicato esclusivamente ai numeri complessi, nasce dall'esperienza didattica maturata nei corsi di Matematica e Matematica per l'Economia e la Finanza tenuti presso il Dipartimento di Economia dell'Università di Foggia. In questo libro vengono presentate le definizioni principali e le operazioni sui numeri complessi, presentando per ogni caso numerosi esempi ed esercizi. Nella seconda parte del libro si affronta il tema delle applicazioni dei numeri complessi all'algebra dei polinomi. Il libro si chiude con un appendice che presenta spunti di riflessione per ulteriori approfondimenti sulla tema. Questo libro intende essere uno strumento di studio e di approfondimento esaustivo per chiunque intenda affrontare il tema dei numeri complessi ed in particolare è rivolto agli studenti dei corsi di laurea ad indirizzo economico

A Duopoly with Common Renewable Resource and Incentives

In this paper, we study a duopoly model in which two symmetric firms exploit the same public renewable resource as an input for the production of a homogeneous good. We consider the case where the firms are provided with public incentives in order to prevent the resource exhaustion in a finite time horizon which coincides with the harvesting-license period. As a consequence, we consider a differential game in finite time horizon and compute the Open Loop and linear Feedback Nash Equilibria of the game. We study the social welfare and the optimal incentives polices derived from the solutions

A differential game in a duopoly with instantaneous incentives

In this paper, we study a differential game in which two competing firms exploit a public renewable resource that is relevant from a landscape point of view. We consider a policy maker that provides an instantaneous incentive to the firms in order to prevent the resource exhaustion during the whole extraction period, which coincides with the harvesting license period. We compute an open-loop Nash equilibrium of the differential game, showing that it coincides with a linear feedback Nash equilibrium. Finally, we compute the value of the incentive that leads to the maximization of social welfare considering the incentive both as a pure transfer and as a cost