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Consumer Spending and Fiscal Consolidation: Evidence from a Housing Tax Experiment
A major change of the property tax system in 2011 generated significant variation in the amount of housing taxes paid by Italian households. Using new questions added to the Survey on Household Income and Wealth (SHIW), we exploit this variation to provide an unprecedented analysis of the effects of property taxes on consumer spending. A tax on the main dwelling leads to large expenditure cuts among households with mortgage debt and low liquid wealth but generates only small revenues for the government. In contrast, higher tax rates on other residential properties reduce private savings and yield large tax revenues
Subfractionation of human very low density lipoproteins by heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography.
Very low density lipoproteins obtained from normolipidemic subjects were fractionated into subclasses by means of affinity chromatography on a heparin-Sepharose column in the presence of MnCl2. The four subfractions eluted at 0.05, 0.12, 0.20, and 0.38 M NaCl and they differed in chemical composition and apoprotein pattern. The relative amounts of apoB and apoE in subfractions increased with increasing concentrations of the NaCl eluant. Modification of the arginyl residues with 1-2 cyclohexadione demonstrated that arginine plays an important role in determining the elution pattern of VLDL. In vitro studies indicated that only fractions eluted at 0.2 and 0.5 M NaCl compete with LDL for cellular receptors. These data suggest that the various subfractions may represent VLDL at different stages of catabolism
Sementes como fonte alternativa de substĂąncias quĂmicas com atividade alelopĂĄtica.
Na literatura mundial, observa-se predominĂąncia das folhas como meio preferencial de estudos de compostos quĂmicos promissores, embora informaçÔes sobre outras fraçÔes da planta tambĂ©m sejam encontradas. Essa tendĂȘncia se deve ao fato de que a maioria dos estudos mostra as folhas com atividade potencialmente alelopĂĄtica de intensidade superior Ă das demais fraçÔes. Nesta revisĂŁo, procurou-se compilar e analisar as informaçÔes disponĂveis sobre a importĂąncia das sementes como fonte alternativa de compostos quĂmicos com atividade alelopĂĄtica. SĂŁo discutidas as variaçÔes na produção e na alocação de aleloquĂmicos em função do estĂĄdio ontogenĂ©tico das sementes presentes no banco de sementes. Ă discutido tambĂ©m o papel dos aleloquĂmicos produzidos por sementes na repelĂȘncia de insetos, na inibição do desenvolvimento de patĂłgenos nas sementes, na inibição do desenvolvimento inicial de plantas daninhas e como sinalizador positivo para a simbiose com microrganismos do solo. Apresenta-se ainda a atividade alelopĂĄtica de diversas substĂąncias isoladas de sementes, destacando-se os alcaloides, flavonoides, benzoxazinoides e resinas glicosĂdicas. Os estudos de aleloquĂmicos produzidos por sementes podem contribuir expressivamente para o melhor entendimento do papel ecolĂłgico que essas substĂąncias desempenham na ecologia quĂmica dos agro e ecossistemas
The microbiome-gut-brain axis in acute and chronic brain diseases
The gut microbiome â the largest reservoir of microorganisms of the human body â is emerging as an important player in neurodevelopment and ageing as well as in brain diseases including stroke, Alzheimerâs disease and Parkinsonâs disease. The growing knowledge on mediators and triggered pathways has advanced our understanding of the interactions along the gut-brain axis. Gut bacteria produce neuroactive compounds and can modulate neuronal function, plasticity and behavior. Furthermore, intestinal microorganisms impact the hostâs metabolism and immune status which in turn affect neuronal pathways in the enteric and central nervous systems. Here, we discuss the recent insights from human studies and animal models on the bi-directional communication along the microbiome-gut-brain axis in both acute and chronic brain diseases
pure analgesics in a rheumatological outpatient clinic
Objective: Pure analgesics are only rarely used by Italian clinicians and this holds true also for rheumatologists. This work is concerned with an evaluation of the use of analgesics in a rheumatological outpatient clinic during the period 1989-1999. Methods: The records of 1705 patients consecutively seen at the clinic were downloaded on a specifically built website. Results: 4469 visits were considered. In 260 of them (5.8%), analgesics were prescribed to 234 (13.7%) patients. The number of patients with a prescription of analgesics steadily increased during the years 1989-1999. The diagnoses in patients assuming analgesics were: osteoarthritis (47.1%), inflammatory arthritis (24.2%), soft tissue rheumatisms (13.7%), nonspecific arthralgia/myalgia (7.5%), and connective tissue diseases (2.6%). Peripheral analgesics were used in 188 (82.5%) patients and central analgesics were used in the remaining 40 patients (17.5%). Analgesic drugs were used mainly in degenerative joint conditions. The indications for analgesics in the 55 patients with inflammatory arthrits were: (a) partial or total remission of arthritis; for this reason non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were no longer required in 18 patients; (b) to increase the analgesic effect of NSAIDs in 23 patients; (c) contraindications to NSAIDs in 14 patients (renal failure in 2 patients, gastritis in 10, allergy and bleeding in the remaining two). Conclusions: About 14% of our outpatients were treated with analgesics with an increasing trend in the examined period. The main indications for analgesics are degenerative conditions but they can be used also in selected patients with arthritis
Tracing U mobility in deep groundwater using Ra isotopes
The mobility of natural U is compared among four boreholes in a fractured granite using Ra isotopes and geochemical modelling. Rn-222/Ra-226 activity ratios (ARs) spanning an order of magnitude underline differences in reactive surface area. (Ra-224/Ra-228)(ARs) up to 9 indicate recent changes in hydrogeochemistry, and (Ra-226/Ra-228)(ARs) 0.6-30 indicate variable deposition of U. Dissolved U is related to dissolution of a solid U(VI) phase by groundwater with HCO3- > 20 mg.L-1. U reduction is hindered by Ca2UO2(CO3)(3)(0)
Blood flow characteristics after aortic valve neocuspidization in paediatric patients: a comparison with the Ross procedure.
AIMS: The aortic valve (AV) neocuspidization (Ozaki procedure) is a novel surgical technique for AV disease that preserves the natural motion and cardiodynamics of the aortic root. In this study, we sought to evaluate, by 4D-flow magnetic resonance imaging, the aortic blood flow characteristics after AV neocuspidization in paediatric patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Aortic root and ascending aorta haemodynamics were evaluated in a population of patients treated with the Ozaki procedure; results were compared with those of a group of patients operated with the Ross technique. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance studies were performed at 1.5 T using a 4D flow-sensitive sequence acquired with retrospective electrocardiogram-gating and respiratory navigator. Post-processing of 4D-flow analysis was performed to calculate flow eccentricity and wall shear stress. Twenty children were included in this study, 10 after Ozaki and 10 after Ross procedure. Median age at surgery was 10.7âyears (range 3.9-16.5âyears). No significant differences were observed in wall shear stress values measured at the level of the proximal ascending aorta between the two groups. The analysis of flow patterns showed no clear association between eccentric flow and the procedure performed. The Ozaki group showed just a slightly increased transvalvular maximum velocity. CONCLUSION: Proximal aorta flow dynamics of children treated with the Ozaki and the Ross procedure are comparable. Similarly to the Ross, Ozaki technique restores a physiological laminar flow pattern in the short-term follow-up, with the advantage of not inducing a bivalvular disease, although further studies are warranted to evaluate its long-term results
22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Impact of Genetics in the Treatment of Conotruncal Heart Defects
Congenital heart diseases represent one of the hallmarks of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. In particular, conotruncal heart defects are the most frequent cardiac malformations and are often associated with other specific additional cardiovascular anomalies. These findings, together with extracardiac manifestations, may affect perioperative management and influence clinical and surgical outcome. Over the past decades, advances in genetic and clinical diagnosis and surgical treatment have led to increased survival of these patients and to progressive improvements in postoperative outcome. Several studies have investigated long-term follow-up and results of cardiac surgery in this syndrome. The aim of our review is to examine the current literature data regarding cardiac outcome and surgical prognosis of patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. We thoroughly evaluate the most frequent conotruncal heart defects associated with this syndrome, such as tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary atresia with major aortopulmonary collateral arteries, aortic arch interruption, and truncus arteriosus, highlighting the impact of genetic aspects, comorbidities, and anatomical features on cardiac surgical treatment
Neutron-induced background by an alpha-beam incident on a deuterium gas target and its implications for the study of the 2H(alpha,gamma)6Li reaction at LUNA
The production of the stable isotope Li-6 in standard Big Bang
nucleosynthesis has recently attracted much interest. Recent observations in
metal-poor stars suggest that a cosmological Li-6 plateau may exist. If true,
this plateau would come in addition to the well-known Spite plateau of Li-7
abundances and would point to a predominantly primordial origin of Li-6,
contrary to the results of standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis calculations.
Therefore, the nuclear physics underlying Big Bang Li-6 production must be
revisited. The main production channel for Li-6 in the Big Bang is the
2H(alpha,gamma)6Li reaction. The present work reports on neutron-induced
effects in a high-purity germanium detector that were encountered in a new
study of this reaction. In the experiment, an {\alpha}-beam from the
underground accelerator LUNA in Gran Sasso, Italy, and a windowless deuterium
gas target are used. A low neutron flux is induced by energetic deuterons from
elastic scattering and, subsequently, the 2H(d,n)3He reaction. Due to the
ultra-low laboratory neutron background at LUNA, the effect of this weak flux
of 2-3 MeV neutrons on well-shielded high-purity germanium detectors has been
studied in detail. Data have been taken at 280 and 400 keV alpha-beam energy
and for comparison also using an americium-beryllium neutron source.Comment: Submitted to EPJA; 13 pages, 8 figure
Experimental trials and theoretical background about foaming, slag refractory interaction and feasibility of crude magnesium carbonate injection as foaming agent and its use for EAF refractory protection
A theoretical overview about the slag structure, their compatibility with the refractories and their foaming behaviorhas been realized. Such a theoretical background is the basis for the performed experimental trials focused onthe use of crude MgCO3 injected within the slag. This raw material can develop the gaseous phases (CO2) neededfor the slag foaming and it can provide the MgO useful to make the slag compatible with the refractories. Theexperimentation has been performed through the injection of different specific quantities of MgCO3 and theobtained results pointed out a significant decrease of refractory wear, a saving of the specific electric energy, adecrease of the lime injection and of the anthracite powder needed to induce the foaming effect
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