Portfolio Structuring Model for Urban Infrastructure Investments

The objective of this work is to propose a new methodology based on the concept of portfolio structuring for urban infrastructure investment. We argue that city investments need to be treated as an integrated and interdependent entity and from this perspective, the portfolio methodology is proposed in order to assess the non-financial impacts of infrastructure projects and then combine them in a portfolio of investments from a financial perspective. The methodology is applied for a set of project under the EIB JESSICA Initiative. The methodology shows that not only is it possible to develop a practical decision support system to assist stakeholders in assessing the performance of individual urban infrastructure projects, but also how it is possible to combine projects into a portfolio. The method exceeds the simple analysis of returns of individual investment schemes and capitalizes on effective and integrated management of projects/investment. And this is the key to devising a focused response which will enable therefore cities to be globally competitive, via innovative financial and business models

Zeus e Asclepio nel terzo stasimo dell'Agamennone (Aesch. Ag. 1022-1024)

At Aesch. Ag. 1022-1024 the lack of responsion between the trasmitted Ζεὺς αὔτ’ ἔπαυσε and v. 1007 ἀνδρὸς ἔπαισεν reveals a corruption. Hartung emended long ago the passage by writing Ζεὺς ἀπέπαυσεν, but many interpreters have rejected this conjecture by pointing out the difficulty it entails with οὐδέ, which should be interpreted as adverbial (‘not even the man who had the right knowledge to resurrect from the dead was stopped by Zeus without arm’). Objections have been raised also to the too flat litote and to the excessive emphasis on ἐπ’αβλαβείᾳ resulting from this interpretation. However, the text of the passage, as emended by Hartung, can be regarded as perfectly satisfying once we recognize in it a peculiar use of οὐδέ introducing a mythical paradigm which illustrates the consequences of violating the boundaries between gods and men. This kind of expression is richly exemplified by the final verses of the Hymn to Artemis of Callimachus (Dian. 260-267), where four sentences beginning with οὐδέ (one of them containing a litote very similar to Ag. 1022-1024) explain through mythical paradigms what happens to mortals who do not appropriately worship Artemis. Callimachus was probably picking up an epic expression of the hymnic tradition, that Aeschylus too reuses and adapts here to the particular case of Asclepius

Self-propagating high-temperature reactions: remarks and recent results

Solid-solid and gas-solid self-propagating high temperature reactions are exploited for interesting and relatively new technological applications based on the so called Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis (SHS) technique This paper reviews the recent results obtained, also in the framework of national and international collaborations, by Cao and coworkers in the field of self-propagating high-temperature reactions with particular emphasis on SHS fundamentals and applications. In particular, the research activity conducted so far can be divided into three main topics: Macrokinetics studies on SHS using structural statics as well as dynamics approaches; Modeling studies on SHS, with the aim of developing analytical expressions of combustion front velocity and simulating experimental techniques applied for macrokinetics investigations; Technological applications related to the synthesis of centrifugal coatings and environmental protection. The activities outlined above will be described in this review paper in separate sections as discussed next

Adsorption of malachite green and alizarin red s dyes using fe-btc metal organic framework as adsorbent

Synthetic organic dyes are widely used in various industrial sectors but are also among the most harmful water pollutants. In the last decade, significant efforts have been made to develop improved materials for the removal of dyes from water, in particular, on nanostructured adsorbent materials. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are an attractive class of hybrid nanostructured materials with an extremely wide range of applications including adsorption. In the present work, an iron-based Fe-BTC MOF, prepared according to a rapid, aqueous-based procedure, was used as an adsorbent for the removal of alizarin red S (ARS) and malachite green (MG) dyes from water. The synthesized material was characterized in detail, while the adsorption of the dyes was monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy. An optimal adsorption pH of 4, likely due to the establishment of favor-able interactions between dyes and Fe-BTC, was found. At this pH and at a temperature of 298 K, adsorption equilibrium was reached in less than 30 min following a pseudo-second order kinetics, with k” of 4.29 × 10−3 and 3.98 × 10−2 g∙mg−1 min−1 for ARS and MG, respectively. The adsorption isotherm followed the Langmuir model with maximal adsorption capacities of 80 mg∙g−1 (ARS) and 177 mg∙g−1 (MG), and KL of 9.30∙103 L∙mg−1 (ARS) and 51.56∙103 L∙mg−1 (MG)

Demographic Decline, Population Ageing and Modern Financial Approaches to Urban Policy

This article discusses the interaction between demographic aging, population decline, and various aspects of the local development challenges facing public authorities. In particular, this article examines some of the financial issues arising from population aging and decline and the ways in which new approaches to public finance are being used in support of European Union regional and urban policy. In this context, it is argued that a comprehensive portfolio investment approach has the potential to significantly improve policy effectiveness

Chronically Sun-damaged Melanomas Express Low Levels of Nuclear Glutathione-S-transferase-π: An Epidemiological and Clinicopathological Study in Italy

The detoxifying enzyme glutathione–s–transferase pi (GST–π) is present in keratinocytes and melanocytes and exerts a protective role against tumour progression. Melanomas close to melanocytic naevus remnants occur less frequently on sun-exposed areas, whereas solar dermal elastosis, hallmark of chronic sun-damage, characterise melanomas on sun-exposed skin. We evaluated the expression of GST-π in 113 melanomas associated to melanocytic naevus remnants or to solar dermal elastosis, classified according to clinical characteristics, history of sun exposure, histological subtypes and AJCC staging. Chronically sun-damaged melanomas, identified by moderate–severe solar dermal elastosis, showed a lower nuclear GST-π expression and a higher thickness than those related to melanocytic naevus remnants (p < 0.03). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that male gender and chronic sun-exposure are independent risk factors significantly associated to melanomas localised on the trunk (OR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.31–8.65; OR = 5.97, 95% CI: 1.71–20.87). If confirmed on a larger series, lower expression of nuclear GST-π in melanom

The dynamical association between physical activity and affect in the daily life of individuals with ADHD

ADHD, Mood; Physical activityTDAH; Estado anímico; Actividad físicaTDAH; Estat anímic; Activitat físicaExercise interventions in mental disorders have evidenced a mood-enhancing effect. However, the association between physical activity and affect in everyday life has not been investigated in adult individuals with ADHD, despite being important features of this disorder. As physical activity and affect are dynamic processes in nature, assessing those in everyday life with e-diaries and wearables, has become the gold standard. Thus, we used an mHealth approach to prospectively assess physical activity and affect processes in individuals with ADHD and controls aged 14–45 years. Participants wore accelerometers across a four-day period and reported their affect via e-diaries twelve times daily. We used multilevel models to identify the within-subject effects of physical activity on positive and negative affect. We split our sample into three groups: 1. individuals with ADHD who were predominantly inattentive (n = 48), 2. individuals with ADHD having a combined presentation (i.e., being inattentive and hyperactive; n = 95), and 3. controls (n = 42). Our analyses revealed a significant cross-level interaction (F(2, 135.072)=5.733, p = 0.004) of physical activity and group on positive affect. In details, all groups showed a positive association between physical activity and positive affect. Individuals with a combined presentation significantly showed the steepest slope of physical activity on positive affect (slope_inattentive=0.005, p<0.001; slope_combined=0.009, p<0.001; slope_controls=0.004, p = 0.008). Our analyses on negative affect revealed a negative association only in the individuals with a combined presentation (slope=-0.003; p = 0.001). Whether this specifically pronounced association in individuals being more hyperactive might be a mechanism reinforcing hyperactivity needs to be empirically clarified in future studies

Methyl 5-phenyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,5a,13c-octahydro-6H-benzo[f]chromeno[3,4-b]indolizine-5a-carboxyl­ate

In the title compound, C27H27NO3, the pyrrolidine ring exhibits a twist conformation and the piperidine ring exhibits a chair conformation. The pyrrolidine ring makes dihedral angles of 54.47 (5), 51.50 (5) and 73.37 (6)° with the napthalene ring system and the tetra­hydro­pyran and phenyl rings, respectively. The structure is stabilized by intra­molecular C—H⋯O and C—H⋯N inter­actions

Modest genetic influence on bronchodilator response: a study in healthy twins.

AIM: To determine the reasons for large standard deviation of bronchodilator response (BDR) and establish whether there is a potential heritable component in healthy subjects. METHODS: 67 monozygotic and 42 dizygotic adult twin pairs were assessed for bronchodilator response (% change in FEV1 after inhaling 400 microg salbutamol). Univariate quantitative genetic modeling was performed. RESULTS: Multiple regression modeling showed a significant association between BDR and sex and baseline FEV1 (P<0.05), while no association was found with smoking habits, body mass index, or age. Within pair correlation in monozygotic twins was modest (0.332), but higher than in dizygotic twins (0.258). Age-, sex-, and baseline FEV1-adjusted genetic effect accounted for 14.9% (95% confidence interval, CI 0%-53.1%) of the variance of BDR, shared environmental effect for 18.4% (95% CI 0%-46.8%), and unshared environmental effect for 66.8% (95% CI 46.8%-88.7%). CONCLUSION: Our twin study showed that individual differences in BDR can be mostly explained by unshared environmental effects. In addition, it is the first study to show low, insignificant hereditary influences, independently from sex, age, and baseline FEV1

Interaction of alcohol intake and cofactors on the risk of cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the interaction between alcohol intake and cofactors [hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), body mass index] and coffee consumption on the risk of cirrhosis. DESIGN: Seven hundred and forty-nine consecutive patients with chronic liver disease referring to units for liver or alcohol diseases in Italy during a 6-months period. Teetotalers were excluded. The odds ratios (OR) for cirrhosis were evaluated using chronic hepatitis cases as the control group. RESULTS: An alcohol intake of more than 3 units/day resulted associated with the likelihood of cirrhosis both in males (OR 4.3; 95% CI=2.5-7.3) and in females (OR 5.7; 95% CI=2.3-14.5). A multiplicative interaction on the risk of cirrhosis between risky alcohol intake and HBsAg or HCV-Ab/HCV-RNA positivity was observed. A reduction of cirrhosis risk was observed in subjects consuming more than 3 alcohol units/day with increasing coffee intake. The OR for the association with cirrhosis decreased from 2.3 (95% CI=1.2-4.4) in subjects drinking 0-2 cups of coffee/day to 1.4 (95% CI=0.6-3.6) in those drinking more than 2 cups/day. CONCLUSIONS: In subjects with an alcohol intake >3 units/day the coexistence of HBV or HCV multiplies the risk of cirrhosis. Coffee represents a modulator of alcoholic cirrhosis risk