Globalization and wage polarization

In the 1980s and 1990s, the US labour market experiences a remarkable polarization along with fast technological catch-up, as Europe and Japan improve their global innovation performance. Is foreign technological convergence an important source of wage polarization? To answer this question, we build a multi-country Schumpeterian growth model with heterogeneous workers, endogenous skill formation and occupational choice. We show that convergence produces polarization through business stealing and increasing competition in global innovation races. Quantitative analysis shows that these channels can be important sources of US polarization. Moreover, the model delivers predictions on the US wealth-income ratio consistent with empirical evidence

Extra-abdominal cryptorchidism associated with gastroschisis and impacted urethral calculus: two uncommon urologic conditions in one patient

The testis is rarely encountered within the organs prolapsed outside the abdominal wall defect of patients with gastroschisis. Optimal treatment strategy of this unusual type of cryptorchidism remains undefined, with less than 30 cases reported to date. We describe a new case where simple relocation of the testis into the abdomen was followed by spontaneous testicular descent. Additionally, he developed a urinary calculus impacted in the navicular fossa 4 years later. Given the rarity of the 2 conditions, the probability of their co-occurrence is exceptionally rare, especially considering that they seem to be causally and temporally unrelated to one another

Age-related changes in the primary motor cortex of newborn to adult domestic pig sus scrofa domesticus

The pig has been increasingly used as a suitable animal model in translational neuroscience. However, several features of the fast-growing, immediately motor-competent cerebral cortex of this species have been adequately described. This study analyzes the cytoarchitecture of the primary motor cortex (M1) of newborn, young and adult pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus). Moreover, we investigated the distribution of the neural cells expressing the calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs) (calretinin, CR; parvalbumin, PV) throughout M1. The primary motor cortex of newborn piglets was characterized by a dense neuronal arrangement that made the discrimination of the cell layers difficult, except for layer one. The absence of a clearly recognizable layer four, typical of the agranular cortex, was noted in young and adult pigs. The morphometric and immunohistochemical analy-ses revealed age-associated changes characterized by (1) thickness increase and neuronal density (number of cells/mm2 of M1) reduction during the first year of life; (2) morphological changes of CR-immunoreactive neurons in the first months of life; (3) higher density of CR-and PV-immunopositive neurons in newborns when compared to young and adult pigs. Since most of the present findings match with those of the human M1, this study strengthens the growing evidence that the brain of the pig can be used as a potentially valuable translational animal model during growth and development

Searching for the Profitability of Energy Crops: An Agroecological–Economic Land Use Suitability (AE-landUSE) Model

The current geopolitical and energy market instability calls for speeding up the EU clean energy transition to increase energy security in all the European regions and make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Among renewable energies, modern bioenergy is a promising near-zero-emission fuel for increasing energy security in the heating, electricity and transport sectors while promoting growth and job creation, especially in rural areas. In such a context, energy crops will continue to play a key role. Since agricultural planning is a complex issue, especially when energy crops could compete with food ones, we propose an agroecological–economic land use suitability model (AE-landUSE model) to promote the sustainable use of land resources. The AE-landUSE model was developed by integrating cost–benefit analysis (CBA) and land use suitability analysis (LSA) within geographic information systems (GISs). Tested in the Basilicata region (Southern Italy), comparing two different energy crops (rapeseed and cardoon), the results show the model’s utility in identifying suitable areas for energy crops where the investments will be cost-effective. The proposed model will help decision-makers in energy-agricultural planning to increase energy security sustainably

Flow cytometry for feline lymphoma : a retrospective study regarding pre-analytical factors possibly affecting the quality of samples

Objectives: Flow cytometry (FC) is becoming increasingly popular among veterinary oncologists for the diagnosis of lymphoma or leukaemia. It is accurate, fast and minimally invasive. Several studies of FC have been carried out in canine oncology and applied with great results, whereas there is limited knowledge and use of this technique in feline patients. This is mainly owing to the high prevalence of intra-abdominal lymphomas in this species and the difficulty associated with the diagnostic procedures needed to collect the sample. The purpose of the present study is to investigate whether any pre-analytical factor might affect the quality of suspected feline lymphoma samples for FC analysis. Methods: Ninety-seven consecutive samples of suspected feline lymphoma were retrospectively selected from the authors\u2019 institution\u2019s FC database. The referring veterinarians were contacted and interviewed about several different variables, including signalment, appearance of the lesion, features of the sampling procedure and the experience of veterinarians performing the sampling. Statistical analyses were performed to assess the possible influence of these variables on the cellularity of the samples and the likelihood of it being finally processed for FC. Results: Sample cellularity is a major factor in the likelihood of the sample being processed. Moreover, sample cellularity was significantly influenced by the needle size, with 21 G needles providing the highest cellularity. Notably, the sample cellularity and the likelihood of being processed did not vary between peripheral and intra-abdominal lesions. Approximately half of the cats required pharmacological restraint. Side effects were reported in one case only (transient swelling after peripheral lymph node sampling). Conclusions and relevance: FC can be safely applied to cases of suspected feline lymphomas, including intra-abdominal lesions. A 21 G needle should be preferred for sampling. This study provides the basis for the increased use of this minimally invasive, fast and cost-effective technique in feline medicine

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders in neuronal xenotransplanted macaques

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoid proliferations that occur in the setting of depressed T-cell function due to immunosuppressive therapy used following solid organ transplantation, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and also xenotransplantation. In the present study, 28 immunosuppressed parkinsonian Macaca fascicularis were intracerebrally injected with wild-type or CTLA4-Ig transgenic porcine xenografts to identify a suitable strategy to enable long-term cell survival, maturation, and differentiation. Nine of 28 (32%) immunosuppressed primates developed masses compatible with PTLD, located mainly in the gastrointestinal tract and/or nasal cavity. The masses were classified as monomorphic PTLD according to the World Health Organization classification. Immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses revealed that the PTLDs were associated with macaca lymphocryptovirus as confirmed by double-labeling immunohistochemistry for CD20 and Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA-2), where the viral protein was located within the CD20+ neoplastic B cells. In sera from 3 distinct phases of the experimental life of the primates, testing by quantitative PCR revealed a progression of the viral load that paralleled the PTLD progression and no evidence of zoonotic transmission of porcine lymphotropic herpesvirus through xenoneuronal grafts. These data suggest that monitoring the variation of macaca lymphocryptovirus DNA in primates could be used as a possible early diagnostic tool for PTLD progression, allowing preemptive treatment such as immunosuppression therapy reduction

SAM multipliers and subsystems: Structural analysis of the Basilicata’s agri-food sector

Local agri-food products are conceived as a form of cultural capital, representing potentially fruitful resources for rural development. Italy and its regions offer a rich and diverse agricultural and food heritage that has led to the creation of numerous quality agri-food systems. Despite their ability to absorb disturbances and maintain their functions, it is important to develop economic models targeted to analyse the relationships among the components of food systems, in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses and drive the implementation of sectoral policies. In view of the new Rural Development Programme (2014-2020), the aim of this work is to analyse the structure of the Basilicata’s agri-food system using a multi-sector model based on a two-region SAM, specifically developed for Basilicata, an Italian region charac-terised by a highly specialised agri-food sector. Results show that the availability of a highly disaggregate multi-sector model of the regional economy may be a valuable supporting tool to design regional policies for innovation and for the development of rural areas, laying the foundation for further analysis

HEBE, a novel positive regulator of senescence in Solanum lycopersicum

Leaf senescence and plant aging are traits of great interest for breeders. Senescing cells undergo important physiological and biochemical changes, while cellular structures such as chloroplasts are degraded with dramatic metabolic consequences for the whole plant. The possibility of prolonging the photosynthetic ability of leaves could positively impact the plant\u2019s life span with benefits for biomass production and metabolite accumulation; plants with these characteristics display a stay-green phenotype. A group of plant transcription factors known as NAC play a pivotal role in controlling senescence: here we describe the involvement of the tomato NAC transcription factor Solyc12g036480, which transcript is present in leaves and floral buds. Since its silencing delays leaf senescence and prevents plants from ageing, we renamed Solyc12g0364 H\u1e16B\u112, for the Greek goddess of youth. In this manuscript we describe how HEB downregulation negatively affects the progression of senescence, resulting in changes in transcription of senescence-promoting genes, as well as the activity of enzymes involved in chlorophyll degradation, thereby explaining the stay-green phenotype

DMD Analysis of Experimental PIV Data of a Swirled Jet

This paper concerns the study of high Reynolds and high swirl number flow through the use of PIV measurements and Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) analysis. Principles governing DMD are briefly recalled, then the use of DMD is demonstrated by analysing the acquired PIV data in order to study the dominant dynamics of the system and extracting relevant morphology via DMD modes, focusing the attention on phenomenon known as Precessing Vortex Core (PVC)