Estimating the returns to educational mismatch with panel data: the role of unobserved heterogeneity

Using longitudinal data from the Swiss Household Panel, this analysis suggests that the cross-sectional estimates of the returns to educational mismatch are significantly biased when unobserved heterogeneity is omitted in the wage equation. The results of the standard fixed effects model indeed demonstrate that the wage returns to education are independent of the job requirements. Hence, this empirical analysis supports the human capital interpretation of the Swiss labour market.Educational mismatch, wages, panel data analysis, human capital

Is there still a wage penalty for being overeducated but well-matched in skills? A panel data analysis of a Swiss graduate cohort

Using two periods’ panel data from the Swiss Graduate Survey, this study examines the incidence and wage effects of overeducation. Contrary to most prior research, we account for graduate heterogeneity in perceived skills mismatch when measuring overeducation and correct for potential omitted ability bias in the estimated pay penalty associated with overeducation. We find that graduates who are overeducated and mismatched in skills (i.e. genuinely overeducated) are the most penalized in terms of earnings. This evidence is still valid when using the fixed effects approach, while the pay penalty is no more significant for graduates who are overeducated but matched in skills (i.e. apparently overeducated). This indicates that the wage effects for apparently overeducated graduates are mainly due to the omission of unobserved ability.Overeducation, skills mismatch, wages, panel data analysis

Investigation on Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships of 1,3,4 Oxadiazole Derivatives as Potential Telomerase Inhibitors

The published manuscript is available at EurekaSelect via http://www.eurekaselect.com/164022/article, DOI : 10.2174/1570163815666180724113208. © 2018 Bentham ScienceA series of 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives with significant broad-spectrum anticancer activity against different cell lines, and demonstrated telomerase inhibition, was subjected to Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR) analysis. Validated models with high correlation coefficients were developed. The Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) models, by Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), showed good robustness and predictive capability, according to the Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM = 0.8352), a technique that simultaneously enhances the performances of a certain number of criteria. The descriptors selected for the models, such as electrotopological state (E-state) descriptors, and extended topochemical atom (ETA) descriptors, showed the relevant chemical information contributing to the activity of these compounds. The results obtained in this study make sure about the identification of potential hits as prospective telomerase inhibitors.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

A quantitative structure-permeability relationship model for split-thickness skin absorption, reasoning for the choice of the database.

The skin is the largest organ in the human body, protecting the body from xenobiotic invasion (1). Local and systemic drugs may also be administered through the skin, therefore the need to measure the permeability of the skin to chemicals has long been apparent. The use of in vivo or in vitro techniques is time-consuming, since it is not only necessary to conduct a permeation study, but also to optimize experimental conditions and build analytical methods for each chemical. Moreover, it is not possible to assess the permeability of compounds not yet synthesised. An alternative option can be the development of Quantitative Structure-Permeability Relationships (QSPRs). These in silico models aim to form a relationship between the absorption of chemicals through the skin and their physico-chemical and/or structural properties (2). Knowing that permeability can be affected by different experimental conditions, the aim of this study is to build a QSPR based on uniform and consistent experimental conditions, but with a significant database size. Two different databases were compared: the first one was obtained only from Zhang et al (3), the second one was created from multiple literature sources, fulfilling the following conditions: - Data (log Kp values) were obtained by an in vitro diffusion system; - The membrane was human stratum corneum and viable epidermis; - The donor solvent was an aqueous solution; - No permeation enhancement technologies were used; - No association with other chemicals were considered. The geometrical structures of all chemicals were optimized with MM2 forcefield. Molecular descriptors and fingerprints were generated where possible. For each database, a wide range of Multi Linear Regression models were built using QSARins (4, 5) through a stepwise forward regression process. The models have been validated according to Golbraikh and Tropsha (6) criteria and the best ones have been selected according to the Multi-Criteria Decision Making (7). The model calculated from the data obtained from a single source shows better correlation, robustness, and predictivity, revealing a grade of uncertainty coming from an inter laboratory variability of the different sources used to build the database. REFERENCES 1. Baba H, Takahara J-i, Mamitsuka H. In Silico Predictions of Human Skin Permeability using Nonlinear Quantitative Structure–Property Relationship Models. Pharmaceutical Research. 2015;32(7):2360-71. 2. Moss GP, Cronin MTD. Quantitative structure–permeability relationships for percutaneous absorption: re-analysis of steroid data. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 2002;238(1):105-9. 3. Zhang K, Chen M, Scriba GKE, Abraham MH, Fahr A, Liu X. Human Skin Permeation of Neutral Species and Ionic Species: Extended Linear Free Energy Relationship Analyses. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2012;101(6):2034-44. 4. Gramatica P, Chirico N, Papa E, Cassani S, Kovarich S. QSARINS: A new software for the development, analysis, and validation of QSAR MLR models. Journal of Computational Chemistry. 2013;34(24):2121-32. 5. Gramatica P, Cassani S, Chirico N. QSARINS-chem: Insubria datasets and new QSAR/QSPR models for environmental pollutants in QSARINS. Journal of Computational Chemistry. 2014;35(13):1036-44. 6. Golbraikh A, Tropsha A. Beware of q2! Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling. 2002;20(4):269-76. 7. Keller HR, Massart DL, Brans JP. Multicriteria decision making: A case study. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems. 1991;11(2):175-89.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Chronic hyponatremia in a patient with renal salt wasting and without cerebral disease: relationship between RSW, risk of fractures and cognitive impairment

Renal salt wasting syndrome (RSW) is defined as a renal loss of sodium leading to hyponatremia and a decrease in extracellular fluid volume (ECV). Differentiation of this disorder from the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), a common cause of hyponatremia, can be difficult because both can present with hyponatremia and concentrated urine with natriuresis. Our clinical case about a 78-year-old woman with a recent fracture of the right femur not only confirms that this syndrome can occur in patients without intracranial pathologies (CT documented), but depicts how the hyponatremia caused by RSW can show a chronic, oscillating course. This is an interesting point of view because it suggests to us to consider RSW in the differential diagnosis of patients with chronic hyponatremia

Weighing in on teacher attitudes of obese students: a descriptive correlational design

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate teacher attitudes towards obese students. The investigation focused on the correlation between (a) attitudes and beliefs about obese students; and (b) predictive abilities of participant\u27s self-esteem with attitudes and beliefs. The three surveys utilized in this study were: (a) Attitudes Toward Obese Persons Scale (Allison, Basile, & Yuker, 1991) (b) Beliefs About Obese Persons (Allison et al., 1991); and (c) Rosenberg Self-Esteem Survey (Rosenberg, 1965). The sample size was 893 certified educators representing all grade levels in Central, Northern, and Southern New Jersey school districts. Respondents were emailed a survey link, which included all three surveys and a demographics questionnaire. Analysis procedures used with the collected data were Pearson Product-Moment (two-tailed) and Simple Linear Regression Analysis. Data indicated a statistically significant relationship between attitudes toward obese students and beliefs about the controllability of obesity. Also, data showed self-esteem is a predictor of educator\u27s attitudes towards obese students; however, it is not a predictor of beliefs about obesity. Implications were suggested for policy makers, school districts, and for future research

Quantification of ploidy in proteobacteria revealed the existence of monoploid, (mero-)oligoploid and polyploid species

Bacteria are generally assumed to be monoploid (haploid). This assumption is mainly based on generalization of the results obtained with the most intensely studied model bacterium, Escherichia coli (a gamma-proteobacterium), which is monoploid during very slow growth. However, several species of proteobacteria are oligo- or polyploid, respectively. To get a better overview of the distribution of ploidy levels, genome copy numbers were quantified in four species of three different groups of proteobacteria. A recently developed Real Time PCR approach, which had been used to determine the ploidy levels of halophilic archaea, was optimized for the quantification of genome copy numbers of bacteria. Slow-growing (doubling time 103 minutes) and fast-growing (doubling time 25 minutes) E. coli cultures were used as a positive control. The copy numbers of the origin and terminus region of the chromosome were determined and the results were in excellent agreement with published data. The approach was also used to determine the ploidy levels of Caulobacter crescentus (an alpha-proteobacterium) and Wolinella succinogenes (an epsilon-proteobacterium), both of which are monoploid. In contrast, Pseudomonas putida (a gamma-proteobacterium) contains 20 genome copies and is thus polyploid. A survey of the proteobacteria with experimentally-determined genome copy numbers revealed that only three to four of 11 species are monoploid and thus monoploidy is not typical for proteobacteria. The ploidy level is not conserved within the groups of proteobacteria, and there are no obvious correlations between the ploidy levels with other parameters like genome size, optimal growth temperature or mode of life

China's Strategy in North Africa : New economic challenges for the Mediterranean region

El WP té com a objectiu examinar per què els països del nord d'Àfrica estan augmentant les seves importacions de Xina i per què la Xina està augmentant les seves inversions estrangeres directes a la zona. la avantatges per als països del nord d'Àfrica es troben en els actuals acords de lliure comerç, el absència de barreres aranzelàries i la seva ubicació geogràfica summament beneficiosa com Hub de la Mediterrània. El paper de la Unió per la Mediterrània és clau per identificar aspectes de la política regional, tenint en compte la participació xinesa a la zona. com conseqüència, concloem que els actors polítics han de trobar un equilibri entre sostenible desenvolupament i els interessos econòmics de la regió.The WP aims to examine why North African countries are increasing their imports from China and why China is increasing its foreign direct investments in the area. The advantages for North African countries lie in the existing free-trade agreements, the absence of tariff barriers and its highly beneficial geographical location as a Mediterranean hub. The role of the Union for the Mediterranean is to identify key aspects of regional policy taking into account the Chinese involvement in the area. As a result we conclude that political actors should find a balance between sustainable development and economic interests in the region

Extra-ribosomal functions of ribosomal protein uL3 in response to drug-induced nucleolar stress in colon cancer cells lacking p53

Beyond its canonical role in ribosome biogenesis, the nucleolus operates as a first-responder to stress stimuli that impair cell growth leading to a cellular condition, known as nucleolar stress, that is able to activate p53-dependent or p53-independent stress response signaling pathways. In this condition a subset of RPs translocates to the nucleoplasm where can exert their extra-ribosomal functions leading to cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis. Among these RPs, we have indicated ribosomal protein uL3 (RPL3) as a key mediator of nucleolar stress pathway induced by chemotherapeutics as 5-Fluorouracile, Actinomycin D, and Oxaliplatin independently from p53 status. Here, we investigated more in depth the extra-ribosomal functions of uL3 in response to drug-induced nucleolar stress in colon cancer cells lacking p53 (HCT 116p53-/-). In addition, we have identified a strictly correlation between uL3 expression levels and drug sensitivity. Specifically, in our experimental model, the lower expression of uL3 is associated to enhancement of autophagic flux and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype resulting in Actinomycin D resistance. These observations imply a possibility that silencing of uL3 might increase the resistance of p53-deleted colon cancer cells to drug treatment through autophagy activation, enhancement in cell motility and EMT phenotype. In conclusion, our data might have a considerable value in the development of new targeted anticancer therapies for colorectal tumors lacking functional p53 and showing low expression levels of uL3 protein