Study on Distributional Impact Assessment

This study reviews the use of (ex-ante) Distributional Impact Assessment (DIA) in the budgetary processes in the EU Member States. DIA refers to the assessment of the impact of policies on the income distribution, poverty and income inequality. The study also provides suggestions for further increasing the use of DIA. Insights from this study support the preparation of the Commission’s guidance to Member States on making greater use of (ex-ante) DIA, as announced in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. In more detail: This study first presents to what extent and in what way EU Member States make use of (ex-ante) DIA for budgetary measures. It also identifies the main reasons limiting the use of DIA in the preparation of Draft Budgetary Plans (DBPs) and assesses the degree of similarity in the use of DIA among euro area Member States. The study shows that, even if most of the EU Member States performed at least some DIA in recent years for budgetary purposes, there is room for improvement in this respect and that euro area Member States rarely included DIA in their DBPs mostly due to organisational issues. To encourage the use of DIA as well as its inclusion in budgetary documents, such as the DBPs, the study then provides suggestions to both the European Commission and to the Member States aiming to help Member States to increase their use of DIA and ensure its relevance and quality

Toxinology of venoms from five Australian lesser known elapid snakes

Research into Australian elapid venoms has mainly focused on the seven genera of greatest clinical significance: Acanthophis, Hoplocephalus, Notechis, Oxyuranus, Pseudechis, Pseudonaja and Tropidechis. However, even small species represent a potential for causing severe clinical envenoming. Further, owing to taxonomic distinctiveness, these species are a potential source of novel toxins for use in drug design and development. This is the first study to characterize the venoms of Cryptophis boschmai, Denisonia devisi, Echiopsis curta, Hemiaspis signata and Vermicella annulata. MALDI analysis of each venom, over the range of 4–40 kDa, indicated components in the weight range for three finger toxins (6–8 kDa) and phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂; 12–14 kDA). Interestingly, C. boschmai venom was the only venom, which contained components > 25 kDa. All venoms (10 μg/ml) demonstrated in vitro neurotoxicity in the chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation, with a relative rank order of: H. signata ≥ D. devisi ≥ V. annulata = E. curta > C. boschmai. CSL polyvalent antivenom neutralized the inhibitory effects of C. boschmai venom but only delayed the inhibitory effect of the other venoms. All venoms displayed PLA2 activity but over a wide range (i.e. 1–621 μmol/min./mg). The venoms of C. boschmai (60 μg/kg, i.v.), D. devisi (60 μg/kg, i.v.) and H. signata (60 μg/kg, i.v.) produced hypotensive effects in vivo in an anaesthetized rat preparation. H. signata displayed moderate pro-coagulant activity while the other venoms were weakly pro-coagulant. This study demonstrated that these understudied Australian elapids have varying pharmacological activity, with notable in vitro neurotoxicity for four of the venoms, and may produce mild to moderate effects following systemic envenoming