Competencia entre jurisdicciones y la ineficiencia de los gobiernos locales

In the economics literature there is a standard framework to analyze whether competition among local jurisdictions with mobile populations, ensures efficient public expending. This paper argues that this setting is incomplete, and an alternative model is provided. Though we conclude that, as in the traditional approach, immobile land is a crucial factor preventing the efficiency of local governments, this is not the only reason. In general, we show that governments' efficiency is reached if utility levels do not depend on the size of local populations.

Italian Magnetic Network and magnetic reference fields at 2010.0

The Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) has systematically undertaken the task of making measurements of the Earth's magnetic field in Italy. By tradition and because of the elongated geometric shape of our peninsula and islands, in Italy, a grid of more than 110 points, called the first order repeat stations, with an average spacing around 55-60 km, is in operation. Over this grid the measurements are repeated regularly, every 5 years. A survey of 131 repeat stations of the Italian Magnetic Network (including 2 observatories, 11 stations in Albania, 3 stations in Corsica and 1 in Malta) was carried out between 2009 and 2010 with the main purpose of updating our magnetic cartography. We describe the characteristics of magnetic first and second order networks, the magnetic measurements and the data reduction procedure. In agreement with the recommendations of MagNetE Committee, we report new repeat station data measured and reduced at 2010.0. An analytical expression, a second order polynomial, in latitude and longitude for the field elements, was determined, and coefficients for 2010.0 and average secular variation over the period 2005-2010, were obtained. The new maps for Italy, for D, F, H and Z at the epoch 2010.0, are shown. A selection of stations from the Italian Magnetic Network, based on their low values of anomaly with respect to a 'normal' field, is also proposed for future surveys

Effects of an intravaginal GnRH analogue administration on rabbit reproductive parameters and welfare

Abstract On commercial farms, rabbit does are subjected to a reproductive rhythm that does not account for their welfare or physiology, leading to reduced longevity and consequently high annual replacement. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends limited and infrequent use of hormone treatments, and suggests replacement with alternative methods that do not threaten animal welfare when possible. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether the GnRH analogue lecirelin acetate could be administered by inclusion in the seminal dose during insemination. Twenty 9-month-old does (Grigio del Monferrato, autochthonous Italian breed),each having two previous deliveries, were individually housed and divided into two groups at artificial insemination. The control group received 0.2 mL of intramuscular lecirelin (Dalmarelin, Fatro®, Italy) prior to insemination. The intravaginal group was inseminated with a seminal dose that included 0.3 mL Dalmarelin. The experiment was performed for six consecutive reproductive cycles at 42-day intervals, and included a total of 120 inseminations. Prior to each insemination, the heterospermic pooled semen samples were assessed for sperm motility and morphology. Each ejaculate was divided into two samples, with and without lecirelin addition. Compared to the control group, the does with intravaginal Dalmarelin administration showed equal or greater sexual receptivity, which resulted in a higher fertility rate over increasing cycles. The seminal dose volume was very low, possibly explaining the better results in the intravaginal group, which received a similar amount of hormone (0.3 mL/doe) as the control group (0.2 mL/doe). The negative performance of the control group may have also been due to anti-GnRH formation, and the more stressful method of ovulation induction. The number of live-born kits did not significantly differ between groups. Progressive motility was significantly positively correlated with motility characteristics, including VAP, VSL, ALH, BCF, STR, and LIN. Overall, our present findings supported that the incorporation of GnRH in a seminal dose could be used for ovulation induction in rabbit does. Further studies should identify the optimal dose of GnRH for intravaginal administration, taking into account that the intravaginal absorption capacity is about 10 times smaller than the intramuscular absorption capacity

Cell-Type Specific Oxytocin Gene Expression from AAV Delivered Promoter Deletion Constructs into the Rat Supraoptic Nucleus in vivo

The magnocellular neurons (MCNs) in the hypothalamus selectively express either oxytocin (OXT) or vasopressin (AVP) neuropeptide genes, a property that defines their phenotypes. Here we examine the molecular basis of this selectivity in the OXT MCNs by stereotaxic microinjections of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors that contain various OXT gene promoter deletion constructs using EGFP as the reporter into the rat supraoptic nucleus (SON). Two weeks following injection of the AAVs, immunohistochemical assays of EGFP expression from these constructs were done to determine whether the EGFP reporter co-localizes with either the OXT- or AVP-immunoreactivity in the MCNs. The results show that the key elements in the OT gene promoter that regulate the cell-type specific expression the SON are located −216 to −100 bp upstream of the transcription start site. We hypothesize that within this 116 bp domain a repressor exists that inhibits expression specifically in AVP MCNs, thereby leading to the cell-type specific expression of the OXT gene only in the OXT MCNs

Prevalenza della sclerosi multipla nell'isola d'Elba

Introduzione Le variazioni temporali e geografiche della frequenza di Sclerosi Multipla (SM) sono state molto studiate. Negli ultimi 30 anni, gli studi epidemiologici hanno evidenziato come la distribuzione della SM nei paesi dell’area mediterranea sia più complessa di quanto ritenuto in passato quando era comunemente accettato il modello correlato alla latitudine. Scarsi sono i dati di prevalenza relativi all’Italia centrale e in particolare ad oggi non sono noti dati pubblicati sulla dimensione della SM nella popolazione dell’isola d’Elba. Obiettivi Calcolare la prevalenza della SM nell’isola d’Elba dal momento che non ci sono dati disponibili in letteratura. Metodi L'isola d'Elba è l’isola più grande dell'Arcipelago Toscano. Al giorno di prevalenza, ovvero il 31/12/2010, la popolazione residente nell’isola era pari a 31.943 ab. I casi di SM sono stati identificati consultando le cartelle cliniche dell’ospedale e dell’ambulatorio di riferimento neurologico dell’isola. Sono stati arruolati nello studio tutti i pazienti con diagnosi di SM secondo i criteri di McDonald, residenti nell’isola al giorno di prevalenza. Sono stati calcolati i tassi di prevalenza grezzi e specifici (sesso e età) e il tasso standardizzato rispetto alla popolazione italiana del 2001. Gli intervalli di confidenza al 95% dei tassi di prevalenza sono stati calcolati assumendo una distribuzione di Poisson. Risultati Al giorno di prevalenza erano residenti nell’isola 42 soggetti con SM. Di questi il 40,5% era nato fuori dall’isola, e 4 soggetti avevano origine sarda. Il rapporto F:M è risultato pari a 2,8: infatti il 73,8% era di sesso femminile rispetto al 26,2% di sesso maschile. L’età media dei soggetti era di 49,8±12,6 anni e non si osservano differenze significative tra i sessi riguardo all’età. Per quanto riguarda le forme di malattia, il 16,7% dei pazienti aveva una forma CIS, il 61,9% una RR, il 16,7% una SP e il 4,8% una PP. Il grado di disabilità (EDSS) è risultato correlato (trend crescente) con la forma di malattia: EDSS pari a 1,5 per le forme CIS, 2,0 per le forme RR e 6,0 per le forme SP e PP. La durata di malattia, in media, era di 15,0±9,8 anni, con un range tra 0 e 37 anni. La durata media di malattia è risultata più alta per i maschi (19,3±9,5 anni) rispetto alle femmine (13,6±9,6 anni), ma tale differenza non è statisticamente rilevante. Il tasso di prevalenza grezzo era pari a 131,5 (IC 95%: 99,8-177,7) per 100.000 (maschi 70,7; femmine 189,2 per 100.000). Il tasso di prevalenza standardizzato era pari a 131,5 (IC 95%: 91,8-171,2) per 100.000

Understanding Remote Patient Monitoring as an Infrastructure Framework

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) refers to clinicians’ capabilities for maintaining and adjusting their patients’ plan of care by utilizing remotely gathered data such as vital signs to proactively make medical decisions that improve health outcomes and well-being. The focus of this healthcare capability has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic as it allows for patients to remain at home and thwart the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus and payee policies were quickly changed to adapt to the novel situation. We synthesize the literature and present a four-component digital infrastructure framework to think through the design and implementation of remote patient monitoring projects. We identify research questions that emerge from our description of each component. We believe this framework will be useful to research studying remote patient monitoring as it provides a holistic viewpoint of the technologies involved and how those core elements may interact