Economic growth and equality of opportunity

In this paper we argue that a better understanding of the relationship between inequality and growth can be obtained by shifting the analisys from the space of final achievements to the space of opportunities. To this end, we introduce the Opportunity Growth Incidence Curve, that can be used to evaluate the income dynamics of specific groups of the population and to infer the role of growth in the evolution of inequality of opportunity over time. By employng a rank dependent social welfare function we provide a rigorous normative justification for the use of the OGIC: we obtain suitable dominance conditions and we show how they can be interpreted in terms of OGIC dominance. We also propose an index that can be used to measure the impact of growth in terms of ooopotunity redistribution. Finally, we provide two empirical illustrations, for Italy and for Brasil, which show the potentials of the tools we have introduced.INCOME INEQUALITY, INEQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, ECONOMIC GROWTH

Sustainable use of genetic resources: the characterization of an Italian local grapevine variety (‚Grechetto rosso') and its own landscape

Biodiversity and landscape are two tightly liked environmental traits, so that the loss in traditional agricultural landscapes imply the erosion of precious  local germplasm. The on-farm conservation of local cultivars assure the preservation of optimized environment-genotype interactions, unique multifunctional agro-ecosystems and landscapes. Therefore, the safeguard of endangered genetic resources has to consider genotyping, phenotyping, but also the characterization  of the related landscapes. The objective of this study was to provide the characterization of a local Italian grapevine, i.e. 'Grechetto rosso' through an integrated approach based on conventional ampelographic and molecular determinations and on the characterization of the landscape in the innate environment. 'Grechetto rosso' has affinity with 'Sangiovese', of which keeps the main ampelographic characters. Nonetheless, its diversity is prevalently expressed in berry characters, like the occasional presence of a not uniformly pigmented pulp, week epicuticular waxes and a red-coloured skin. This berry characters appeared to be related to the micro-environmental variables, i.e. the occurrence of cold-temperate nights during the ripening period and a rather temperate climate of the innate area. The 'Grechetto rosso' wine-grape-growing area is characterized by high naturality, and the 47 % of the 'Grechetto rosso' vineyards are still mixed with olive groves (traditional arrangement), while the remaining surface is represented by either specialized (46 %) or neglect (residual/relict) (7 %) vineyards. 'Grechetto Rosso' vineyards are distributed even in steep and extremely steep slope areas. The resulting description represents an example of useful information for promoting a sustainable use of grapevine genetic resources based on the in situ conservation on farm

Experimental measurement of the biomass of Olea europaea L.

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is an evergreen tree extensively cultivated for its fruit in many warm parts of Southern Europe, North Africa, South Asia and Oceania. The objective of this paper was to obtain information on the total biomass productivity of the olive grove as well as on individual tree biomass productivity and the proportions of the tree components. The study was carried out in Central Italy and estimation of tree woody biomass and total biomass was made by direct measurement and through Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology. To determine the biomass of all the tree parts (including fruits and prunings) of the olive grove, the forestry estimation methodology named “model tree” was adopted and one representative tree was felled and uprooted; the biomass of main trunk, branches, leaves, twigs and roots was determined separately, using their volume, weight and density; also fruits and prunings of this tree were recorded. Wood density, biomass expansion factor, root/shoot ratio, carbon fraction of dry matter and carbon content of the single tree and tree component were calculated. The study showed that “model tree” methodology is suitable for olive grove; IPCC method can be successfully used with good reliability when direct measurement of biomass expansion factor and carbon fraction are obtained from a representative tree of the olive grove. The C stock evaluation methodology made in this research and the calculation of biomass expansion factor can be considered as the first scientific contribution in estimating productivity, CO2 sequestration, carbon stocks and yield of olive groves.Key words: Biomass, biomass expansion factor, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), tree volume, root/shoot ratio, Olea europaea, CO2 sequestration

Выбор оптимальных технических решений для улавливания углеводородных паров от резервуарных парков нефти

San Francisco, CA - US

Practical indications for the prevention and management of SARS-CoV-2 in ambulatory dialysis patients : lessons from the first phase of the epidemics in Lombardy

Confronting the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has allowed us to appreciate how efficiently highly-resourced settings can respond to crises. However even such settings are not prepared to deal with the situation, and lessons are only slowly being learnt. There is still an urgent need to accelerate protocols that lead to the implementation of rapid point-of-care diagnostic testing and effective antiviral therapies. In some high-risk populations, such as dialysis patients, where several individuals are treated at the same time in a limited space and overcrowded areas, our objective must be to ensure protection to patients, the healthcare team and the dialysis ward. The difficult Italian experience may help other countries to face the challenges. The experience of the Lombardy underlines the need for gathering and sharing our data to increase our knowledge and support common, initially experience-based, and as soon as possible evidence-based position to face this overwhelming crisis

Templated folding of intrinsically disordered proteins

Much of our current knowledge of biological chemistry is founded in the structure-function relationship, whereby sequence determines structure that determines function. Thus, the discovery that a large fraction of the proteome is intrinsically disordered, while being functional, has revolutionized our understanding of proteins and raised new and interesting questions. Many intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) have been determined to undergo a disorder-to-order transition when recognizing their physiological partners, suggesting that their mechanisms of folding are intrinsically different from those observed in globular proteins. However, IDPs also follow some of the classic paradigms established for globular proteins, pointing to important similarities in their behavior. In this review, we compare and contrast the folding mechanisms of globular proteins with the emerging features of binding-induced folding of intrinsically disordered proteins. Specifically, whereas disorder-to-order transitions of intrinsically disordered proteins appear to follow rules of globular protein folding, such as the cooperative nature of the reaction, their folding pathways are remarkably more malleable, due to the heterogeneous nature of their folding nuclei, as probed by analysis of linear free-energy relationship plots. These insights have led to a new model for the disorder-to-order transition in IDPs termed “templated folding,” whereby the binding partner dictates distinct structural transitions en route to product, while ensuring a cooperative folding

Exposure to novel coronavirus in patients on renal replacement therapy during the exponential phase of COVID-19 pandemic: survey of the Italian Society of Nephrology

Background: Between February and April 2020, Italy experienced an overwhelming growth of the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known, at the country level, where and how patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) have been mostly affected. Methods: Survey of the network of Nephrology centers using a simplified 17 items electronic questionnaire designed by Italian Society of Nephrology COVID-19 Research Group. We used spatial epidemiology and geographical information systems to map SARS-CoV-2 spread among RRT patients in Italy. Results: On April 9th 2020, all nephrology centers (n = 454) listed in the DialMap database were invited to complete the electronic questionnaire. Within 11 days on average, 365 centers responded (80.4% response rate; 2.3% margin of error) totaling 60,441 RRT patients. The surveyed RRT population included 30,821 hemodialysis (HD), 4139 peritoneal dialysis (PD), and 25,481 transplanted (Tx) patients respectively. The proportion of SARS-CoV-2 positive RRT patients in Italy was 2.26% (95% CI 2.14\u20132.39) with significant differences according to treatment modality (p < 0.001). The proportion of patients positive for SARS-CoV-2 was significantly higher in HD (3.55% [95% CI 3.34\u20133.76]) than PD (1.38% [95% CI 1.04\u20131.78] and Tx (0.86% [95% CI 0.75\u20130.98]) (p < 0.001), with substantial heterogeneity across regions and along the latitude gradient (p < 0.001). In RRT patients the highest rate was in the north-west (4.39% [95% CI 4.11\u20134.68], followed by the north-east (IR 2.06% [1.79\u20132.36]), the center (0.91% [0.75\u20131.09]), the main islands (0.67% [0.47\u20130.93]), and the south (0.59% [0.45\u20130.75]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, among SARS-Cov-2 positive RRT patients the fatality rate was 32.8%, as compared to 13.3% observed in the Italian population as of April 23rd. Conclusions: A substantial proportion of the 60,441 surveyed RRT patients in Italy were SARS-Cov-2 positive and subsequently died during the exponential phase of COVID-19 pandemic. Infection risk and rates seems to differ substantially across regions, along geographical latitude, and by treatment modality

Sequence-specific long range networks in PSD-95/discs large/ZO-1 (PDZ) domains tune their binding selectivity.

Protein-protein interactions mediated by modular protein domains are critical for cell scaffolding, differentiation, signaling, and ultimately, evolution. Given the vast number of ligands competing for binding to a limited number of domain families, it is often puzzling how specificity can be achieved. Selectivity may be modulated by intradomain allostery, whereby a remote residue is energetically connected to the functional binding site via side chain or backbone interactions. Whereas several energetic pathways, which could mediate intradomain allostery, have been predicted in modular protein domains, there is a paucity of experimental data to validate their existence and roles. Here, we have identified such functional energetic networks in one of the most common protein-protein interaction modules, the PDZ domain. We used double mutant cycles involving site-directed mutagenesis of both the PDZ domain and the peptide ligand, in conjunction with kinetics to capture the fine energetic details of the networks involved in peptide recognition. We performed the analysis on two homologous PDZ-ligand complexes and found that the energetically coupled residues differ for these two complexes. This result demonstrates that amino acid sequence rather than topology dictates the allosteric pathways. Furthermore, our data support a mechanism whereby the whole domain and not only the binding pocket is optimized for a specific ligand. Such cross-talk between binding sites and remote residues may be used to fine tune target selectivity

Integrating social protection and climate change adaptation: a review

Policymakers are increasingly interested in how social protection is evolving in the context of climate change. This review assesses what the literature tells us about its role in facilitating adaptation in lower income countries. It also explores how far thinking on an integrated “adaptive social protection” (ASP) agenda considers transforming the socioeconomic and political contexts where vulnerability to climate change originates. The review finds that research to date focuses on how instruments such as cash or asset transfers can protect the poor from shocks and stresses, prevent households from falling into poverty as a result of climate change, and promote climate-resilient livelihoods. However, it cautions that such interventions must go beyond helping households to cope against shocks over short time horizons; they should enable the adoption of forward-looking strategies for long-lasting adaptation. Much less attention in the literature is given to whether social protection measures might have transformational effects for recipients. This is despite the fact that the earliest proponents of ASP favored a rights-based approach to social protection to address issues of inequality and marginalization which are at the root of poverty and vulnerability to climate change. Although the role of social protection should not be overstated, it holds promise as a tool for building adaptive capacity. However, the potential of ASP to be truly transformational for its recipients by tackling the structural causes of vulnerability to climate change is not yet harnessed by policymakers. This constitutes a missed opportunity for the agenda to deliver on the international community's promise to “leave no one behind.”. This article is categorized under: Climate and Development > Sustainability and Human Well-Being Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Values-Based Approach to Vulnerability and Adaptation