IMPORTING JOBS AND EXPORTING FIRMS? ON THE WAGE AND EMPLOYMENT IMPLICATIONS OF ITALY’S TRADE AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT FLOWS

International economic integration is often blamed for the deteriorating fortunes of unskilled workers in industrial countries. We look at the labor market impact of trade and foreign direct investment in the case of Italy. Our empirical framework allows for trade, technology and factor supply effects. We find that international trade did not contribute to Italy’s labor market problems. Indeed, given that Italy holds quite a distinct pattern of trade specialization, compared to other industrialized countries, international integration as reflected in falling import prices may have boosted the demand for labor there. We also argue that the inability of the Mezzogiorno’s economy to adjust to the changing international environment is one of the main stumbling blocks in Italy’s economy. Finally, we find that greater firm’s mobility may have weakened the power of trade unions and contributed to wage moderation.international trade, foreign direct investment,wages, employment

10B(n,α)7Li and 10B(n,α1γ)7Li cross section data up to 3 MeV incident neutron energy

The 10 B(n,α) reaction cross-section is a well-established neutron cross-section standard for incident neutron energies up to 1 MeV. However, above this energy limit there are only scarce direct (n,α) measurements available and these few experimental data are showing large inconsistencies with each other. These discrepancies are reflected in the evaluated data libraries: ENDF/B-VII.1, JEFF-3.1.2 and JENDL-4.0 are in excellent agreement up to 100 keV incident neutrons, whereas the 10 B(n,α) data in the different libraries show large differences in the MeV region. To address these inconsistencies, we have measured the cross section of the two branches of the 10 B(n,α) reaction for incident neutron energies up to 3 MeV. We present here the 10 B(n,α) and the 10 B(n,α1 γ) reactions cross section data, their branching ratio and the total 10 B(n,α) reaction cross section. The measurements were conducted with a dedicated Frisch-grid ionization chamber installed at the GELINA pulsed neutron source of the EC-JRC. We compare our results with existing experimental data and evaluations

Design, Synthesis and Characterization of a PEGylated Stanozolol for Potential Therapeutic Applications

Stanozolol (STZ) is a drug used to treat serious disorders like aplastic anemia and hereditary angioedema. It is also indicated as an adjunct therapy for the treatment of vascular disorders and growth failures. Encouraging results obtained using animal models demonstrated that STZ increases bone formation and mineralization, thus improving both density and biomechanical properties. Like natural androgens, such as TST and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT), STZ binds androgen receptor (AR) to activate AR-mediated signalling. Despite its therapeutic effects, this synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS), or 5α-DHT derivative, due to its high lipophilicity, is poor soluble in water. Thus, to increase the water solubility and stability of STZ, as well as its bioavailability and efficacy, an innovative PEGylated STZ (STZ conjugated with (MeO-PEG-NH2)10kDa, (MeO-PEG-NH)10kDa-STZ) was synthesized. As confirmed by chromatography (RP-HPLC) and spectrometry (ATR-FTIR, 1H-NMR, elemental CHNS(O) analysis, MALDI-TOF/TOF) analyses, a very pure, stable and soluble compound was obtained. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) competitive ELISA kit demonstrated that the resulting PEGylated STZ competes against biological TST, especially at lower concentrations. Cytotoxicity of increasing concentrations (1, 10, 25 or 50 µM) of STZ and/or (MeO-PEG-NH)10kDa-STZ was also evaluated for up 80 h by performing the MTT assay on human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells, which express AR and are responsive to STZ. PEGylation mitigated cytotoxicity of STZ, by increasing the cell viability values, especially at higher drug concentrations. Furthermore, these results suggest that (MeO-PEG-NH)10kDa-STZ is a promising and reliable drug to be used in clinical conditions in which TST is required.Peer reviewe

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora 6

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions of taxa in the genera Acalypha, Acer, Canna, Cardamine, Cedrus, Chlorophytum, Citrus, Cyperus, Epilobium, Eucalyptus, Euphorbia, Gamochaeta, Hesperocyparis, Heteranthera, Lemna, Ligustrum, Lycium, Nassella, Nothoscordum, Oenothera, Osteospermum, Paspalum, Pontederia, Romulea, Rudbeckia, Salvia, Sesbania, Setaria, Sicyos, Styphnolobium, Symphyotrichum, and Tradescantia. Nomenclature and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as supplementary material

Contribution to the floristic knowledge of eastern Irpinia and Vulture-Melfese area (Campania and Basilicata, southern Italy)

In order to improve the floristic knowledge of the Italian territory, we report the inventory of the taxa collected during the annual field trip of the working group for Floristics, Systematics and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society held in 2015 in eastern Irpinia and Vulture-Melfese area (South Italy). The investigated territories are located in southern Apennines, along the border between the Campania and Basilicata administrative regions. These areas are scarcely known in terms of vascular flora. The floristic samplings were performed in 19 sites selected as representative of the local environmental diversity as regards to climate, litho-morphology and land-use. The research led to the identification of 4,137 specimens of vascular plants, belonging to 815 species and subspecies, 399 genera, and 85 families. Among these taxa, 42 were endemic to Italy, 38 were included in the IUCN Red List of the Italian Flora, 28 were alien and 5 were cryptogenic in Campania and/ or Basilicata administrative regions. Two taxa, Aquilegia coerulea (casual alien, native to North America) and Lolium ×boucheanum (native), were found to be new for Italy. On the basis of the available floristic literature the first one is also to be considered new for the European flora. At regional scale, we have found 18 taxa new for the Campania and 15 new for the Basilicata region. Finally, 10 taxa were confirmed for Campania. Data obtained during this study, confirmed the important role of a collaborative approach among botanists and the great relevance of these territories for plant diversity

A new biogenerated Rh-based catalyst for aqueous biphasic hydroformylation

A new bio-generated rhodium based system embedded in a peculiar polysaccharide matrix (Rh-EPS), was obtained and purified from cultures of bacterial cells of Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614. The product was analyzed with different techniques to obtain information on its structure-property correlation. In order to determine its catalytic activity and selectivity in the aqueous biphasic hydroformylation some olefins were chosen as model substrates, obtaining fine-good results.A new bio-generated rhodium based system embedded in a peculiar polysaccharide matrix (Rh-EPS), was obtained and purified from cultures of bacterial cells of Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614. The product was analyzed with different techniques to obtain information on its structure-property correlation. In order to determine its catalytic activity and selectivity in the aqueous biphasic hydroformylation some olefins were chosen as model substrates, obtaining fine-good results

10

The 10B(n,α) reaction cross-section is a well-established neutron cross-section standard for incident neutron energies up to 1 MeV. However, above this energy limit there are only scarce direct (n,α) measurements available and these few experimental data are showing large inconsistencies with each other. These discrepancies are reflected in the evaluated data libraries: ENDF/B-VII.1, JEFF-3.1.2 and JENDL-4.0 are in excellent agreement up to 100 keV incident neutrons, whereas the 10B(n,α) data in the different libraries show large differences in the MeV region. To address these inconsistencies, we have measured the cross section of the two branches of the 10B(n,α) reaction for incident neutron energies up to 3 MeV. We present here the 10B(n,α) and the 10B(n,α1γ) reactions cross section data, their branching ratio and the total 10B(n,α) reaction cross section. The measurements were conducted with a dedicated Frisch-grid ionization chamber installed at the GELINA pulsed neutron source of the EC-JRC. We compare our results with existing experimental data and evaluations

The Italian National Project of Astrobiology-Life in Space-Origin, Presence, Persistence of Life in Space, from Molecules to Extremophiles

The \u2018\u2018Life in Space\u2019\u2019 project was funded in the wake of the Italian Space Agency\u2019s proposal for the development of a network of institutions and laboratories conceived to implement Italian participation in space astrobiology experiments