A hypothesis for the evolution of the upper layers of the neocortex through co-option of the olfactory cortex developmental program

The neocortex is unique to mammals and its evolutionary origin is still highly debated. The neocortex is generated by the dorsal pallium ventricular zone, a germinative domain that in reptiles give rise to the dorsal cortex. Whether this latter allocortical structure contains homologs of all neocortical cell types it is unclear. Recently we described a population of DCX+/Tbr1+ cells that is specifically associated with the layer II of higher order areas of both the neocortex and of the more evolutionary conserved piriform cortex. In a reptile similar cells are present in the layer II of the olfactory cortex and the DVR but not in the dorsal cortex. These data are consistent with the proposal that the reptilian dorsal cortex is homologous only to the deep layers of the neocortex while the upper layers are a mammalian innovation. Based on our observations we extended these ideas by hypothesizing that this innovation was obtained by co-opting a lateral and/or ventral pallium developmental program. Interestingly, an analysis in the Allen brain atlas revealed a striking similarity in gene expression between neocortical layers II/III and piriform cortex. We thus propose a model in which the early neocortical column originated by the superposition of the lateral olfactory and dorsal cortex. This model is consistent with the fossil record and may account not only for the topological position of the neocortex, but also for its basic cytoarchitectural and hodological features. This idea is also consistent with previous hypotheses that the peri-allocortex represents the more ancient neocortical part. The great advances in deciphering the molecular logic of the amniote pallium developmental programs will hopefully enable to directly test our hypotheses in the next future

In Which Imaginary Places Do Our Flags Fly?

Here it is discussed a 2019 article by A.B. Seligman and D.W. Montgomery, which bears an upsetting title: The Tragedy of Human Right

Il formalismo dei diritti

Nowadays, human rights language turns out to be very confusing, lacking clarity. Actu-ally, one gets the impression that every claim deserves the name of ‘right’ according to a time-honored tradition. Since it goes without saying that this is not the case, we have to introduce the distinction between full-fledged rights and other interests. Full-fledged rights are inextricably linked to each individual and their protection exhibits an intrin-sic formal character. It is therefore deeply inappropriate both to speak of “collective rights” and to establish an essential connexion between human rights and a definite conception of the good

Enrico VII e gli ebrei di Pisa e d'Italia

Il contributo, pensato e scritto congiuntamente, esamina le relazioni esistenti tra l'imperatore Enrico VII e gli ebrei pisani e romani all'epoca del viaggio in Italia, ed evidenzia come la Bilderkronik sia stata utilizzata dal di lui fratello Baldovino, arcivescovo di Trier, per evidenziare la natura dei suoi legami con gli ebrei di Trier e più in generale delle diocesi vicine, in un periodo di grande tensione, dovuto in parte all'immigrazione di un elevato numero di profughi dai regni di Francia e Inghilterra

Communicating the uncertainty of synthetic indicators: a reassessment of the HDI ranking

Composite indicators convert information about different facets of a given phenomenon into a single figure. Unavoidably, the “conversion process” involves a high level of arbitrariness, which, in general, makes the results not robust. The approach to composite indicators used in this paper aims at mitigating this problem and makes final users more aware of the unavoidable uncertainty of the results (e.g. rankings) based on a given composite. We illustrate our approach by applying it to the Human Development Index

A multiscale reassessment of the Environmental Kuznets Curve for energy and CO2 emissions

This paper investigates the environmental Kuznets’ curve hypothesis for total primary energy supply and CO2 from fuel combustion over the period 1971–2015. Our analysis has two distinguishing features. Firstly, it adopts a robustness approach by (a) using both parametric and semi-parametric methods, and (b) analysing different geographical scales. Secondly, it strictly adheres to the EKC narrative by (a) not using control variables and (b) taking Energy and CO2 in absolute rather than in per capita terms, which is consistent with the fact that “Nature cares” about absolute pressures. We show how evidence for EKC changes depending on the model specification, the sample, and the used variables. Hence, this paper contributes to explaining why the literature on the EKC gives mixed results. The multiscale perspective and some theoretical considerations, however, tell how to perform the analysis appropriately. Thus, we can affirm that, both for CO2 and Energy, the fragile evidence of EKC that was emerging at the end of the last century has vanished with the new wave of globalization. There is only evidence of decreasing elasticities for very-high income countries. Interestingly, the great recession might have produced structural reductions in TPES and CO2 in the affected countries. Finally, the case of Germany, which shows EKC patterns, indicates that active energy policies can reduce energy and CO2 without harming the economy

La non sempre garbata violenza del proselitismo e della propaganda

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art. 18: \uabEveryone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance\ubb. Religious propaganda, however, especially when it is balanced with other constitutional values, is a very delicate issue and at present its limits remain an open question

Cittadinanze immaginarie

SOMMARIO: 1. La posta in gioco - 2. La vana ricerca delle radici - 3. Una viad’uscita dall’ossessione simbolica