Value allocations in economies with coalition structure

We embody a notion of stability for coalition structures by Hart and Kurz (1983) into the framework of general equilibrium, by generalizing the classical value allocation notion (Shapley, 1969) to situations where: (a) agents organize themselves voluntarily into coalition structures (b) the process of coalition formation is treated as endogenous. To this end we introduce the definition of stable coalition structure value allocation and provide, under standard hypotheses, a preliminary existence result for the three player case in an exchange economy.

On core solutions in economies with asymmetric information

In a scenario with a continuum of asymmetrically informed agents, we analyze how the initial information of a trader may be altered when she becomes a member of a coalition. In contrast to a perfect competition frame, we first show that neither arbitrarily small coalitions nor large coalitions are enough to block an allocation which is not in the core, due to the market failure produced by asymmetric information. However, under mild assumptions, we extend the characterizations of the core provided by Vind and Schmeidler (1972) to economies with asymmetrically informed traders. We then focus on information sharing rules based on the coalitions' size. Assuming the existence of coalitions to which the sharing rule associates an information finer than all the others, we show that the corresponding cores coincide with the one defined by this finest information. Finally, characterizations for the weak fine, the fine and the private core are obtained as particular cases of this equivalence theorem.Coalitions, asymmetric information economies, information sharing, blocking mechanisms, core

Spatio-temporal distribution of pufferfish (Tetraodontidae) along the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea

Pufferfish represent a serious threat to the marine ecosystem in the Mediterranean Sea. To better understand the population dynamics of pufferfish and their relation with ecological parameters, six pufferfish species were studied in two fishing and one non-fishing zone in one of the most oligotrophic regions of the Mediterranean Sea during 2014 and 2015, including different habitats of vegetated and non-vegetated and seasons. The results provide information on pufferfish ecological status compared with more eutrophic zones in which these species could potentially worsen their impact. Four species were common in the study area and two were rare. The dominant species was Lagocephalus suezensis, reaching abundances of 11,000 ind/km2 at 25 m in October, followed by Lagocephalus sceleratus, Lagocephalus guentheri, and Torquigener flavimaculosus. The rarest species, Tylerius spinosissimus and Sphoeroides pachygaster, reached higher abundance and biomass in October and February than the other sampling months. The riverine and meadow habitats played a crucial role for nursing and reproduction in the population dynamics of Lagocephalus species, while T. flavimaculosus was absent in these areas. Sex ratios changed depending on season and location. The occurrence of larger individuals of Lagocephalus spp. and T. flavimaculosus at greater depths evidenced an ontogenetic migration. Overall, length-weight (L-W) relationships indicate isometric growth for each of the species studied. Pufferfish populations were primarily a function of habitat and depth of seafloor and secondarily with water productivity

Stable Sets for Exchange Economies with Interdependent Preferences

We introduce the notion of stable sets with externalities and address the existence problem. The importance of this solution concept is related to the fact that the existence of core allocations for exchange economies is not in general assured in a framework with more than two traders

Design of hybrid gels based on gellan-cholesterol derivative and P90G liposomes for drug depot applications

Gels are extensively studied in the drug delivery field because of their potential benefits in therapeutics. Depot gel systems fall in this area, and the interest in their development has been focused on long-lasting, biocompatible, and resorbable delivery devices. The present work describes a new class of hybrid gels that stem from the interaction between liposomes based on P90G phospholipid and the cholesterol derivative of the polysaccharide gellan. The mechanical properties of these gels and the delivery profiles of the anti-inflammatory model drug diclofenac embedded in such systems confirmed the suitability of these hybrid gels as a good candidate for drug depot applications

On core solutions in economies with asymmetric information

In a scenario with a continuum of asymmetrically informed agents, we analyze how the initial information of a trader may be altered when she becomes a member of a coalition. In contrast to a perfect competition frame, we first show that neither arbitrarily small coalitions nor large coalitions are enough to block an allocation which is not in the core, due to the market failure produced by asymmetric information. However, under mild assumptions, we extend the characterizations of the core provided by Vind and Schmeidler (1972) to economies with asymmetrically informed traders. We then focus on information sharing rules based on the coalitions' size. Assuming the existence of coalitions to which the sharing rule associates an information finer than all the others, we show that the corresponding cores coincide with the one defined by this finest information. Finally, characterizations for the weak fine, the fine and the private core are obtained as particular cases of this equivalence theorem

On core solutions in economies with asymmetric information

In a scenario with a continuum of asymmetrically informed agents, we analyze how the initial information of a trader may be altered when she becomes a member of a coalition. In contrast to a perfect competition frame, we first show that neither arbitrarily small coalitions nor large coalitions are enough to block an allocation which is not in the core, due to the market failure produced by asymmetric information. However, under mild assumptions, we extend the characterizations of the core provided by Vind and Schmeidler (1972) to economies with asymmetrically informed traders. We then focus on information sharing rules based on the coalitions' size. Assuming the existence of coalitions to which the sharing rule associates an information finer than all the others, we show that the corresponding cores coincide with the one defined by this finest information. Finally, characterizations for the weak fine, the fine and the private core are obtained as particular cases of this equivalence theorem

Preparation of gellan-cholesterol nanohydrogels embedding baicalin and evaluation of their wound healing activity

[EN] In the present work, the preparation, characterization and therapeutic potential of baicalin-loaded nanohydrogels are reported. The nanohydrogels were prepared by sonicating (S nanohydrogel) or autoclaving (A nanohydrogel) a dispersion of cholesterol-derivatized gellan in phosphate buffer. The nanohydrogel obtained by autoclave treatment showed the most promising results: smaller particles ( similar to 362 nm vs. similar to 530 nm), higher homogeneity (polydispersity index = similar to 0.24 vs. similar to 0.47), and lower viscosity than those obtained by sonication. In vitro studies demonstrated the ability of the nanohydrogels to favour the deposition of baicalin in the epidermis. A high biocompatibility was found for baicalin-loaded nanohydrogels, along with a great ability to counteract the toxic effect induced by hydrogen peroxide in cells, as the nanohydrogels re-established the normal conditions (similar to 100% viability). Further, the potential of baicalin-loaded nanohydrogels in skin wound healing was demonstrated in vivo in mice by complete skin restoration and inhibition of specific inflammatory markers (i.e., myeloperoxidase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and oedema.Financial support from University "Sapienza" - Progetti di Ricerca: grant RP116154C2EF9AC8 and grant RM11715C1743EE89 are acknowledged.Manconi, M.; Manca, M.; Caddeo, C.; Cencetti, C.; Di Meo, C.; Zoratto, N.; Nácher Alonso, A.... (2018). Preparation of gellan-cholesterol nanohydrogels embedding baicalin and evaluation of their wound healing activity. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics. 127:244-249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2018.02.015S24424912

Benign dermatoses of the male genital areas: A review of the literature

The male genitalia are a common site of dermatoses. Patients with penile diseases often delay or avoid medical care due to anxiety and embarrassment. In this narrative review, we describe some of the main benign dermatoses localized to male genital, focusing on their epidemiology, clinical and dermoscopic features, as well as available therapies