Job competition and entry wages of highly educated workers: are there differences between Great Britain and Finland?

This paper analyses the impact that local labour market conditions have on entry wages of highly educated workers in Great Britain and Finland. In both countries, workers entering the labour market in regions with (or periods of) tighter job competition obtain lower wages. Competition from employed job seekers has a negative impact on entry wages in both countries, while competition from unemployed job seekers has a negative impact only in Finland. Overall, the wage elasticity is larger in Great Britain than in Finland, suggesting that centralised collective bargaining might mitigate the impact that local labour market conditions have on entry wages

Franz Kafka, estetica in nuce

Kafka’s brief Eintrag, written in February 1906, is firstly understood with respect to its typology and structure, so as to subsequently delineate the aesthetica in nuce that anticipates his more mature aesthetics and poetics.Keywords: Aesthetica in nuce; typology; structure; poetic

La sfida del male: donne naziste nella letteratura tedesca. Tre tesi su romanzo e violenza

This study links one scandal with another: that of the Nazi genocide and the role of women as active collaborators. In the works of Stephan Hermlin, Hans Lebert, Bernhard Schlink, Lukas Hartmann and Helga Schneider these women are mentioned as witnesses in their own prosecution, for the sake of a present and a future capable of coming to terms with the violence. Not only do the authors highlight a pat hay of meaning in their actions, they also tend to apply leverage on our inevitably limited moral judgements by way of these “evil women”. The aim is not that of seeking forgiveness, but rather that of stimulating the elaboration of the “evil” that lies within every individual. The current author argues that the productivity of the aesthetic experience of the negative is, at least potentially, transformative. The widening of the conscience, in fact, boosts the possibility of discovering the processes that allow us to communicate with other human beings, in such a way that a person endowed with a capacity to make moral judgements is, by the same token, one that is harder to manipulate, as well as being more peaceful

Hans Keilson e Georg Büchner: ricezione creativa sub specie utopiae

La morte di Danton (1835) di Georg Büchner contrappone la ricerca da parte di Camille Desmoulin della “x sconosciuta”, capace di porre fine allo scontro con l’altro, esterno e interno in nome del principio della possibilità, al principio di realtà cui si ispira l’azione dei Giacobini e degli Indulgenti, basata sul precetto di Carneade. La morte dell’avversario (1959) di Hans Keilson, concepito nel 1942, radicalizza l’impostazione dicotomica del dramma di Büchner. Nonostante l’antagonista sia ispirato ad Adolf Hitler, il protagonista, un giovane ebreo in esilio, oppone all’inimicizia l’utopia-ucronia del qui ed ora, un’alternativa autenticamente morale in cui la scelta interiore ed esteriore coincidono. Nei drammatici anni del regime hitleriano riprende la “ricerca della x sconosciuta”, di forme di umana convivenza che neghino le dinamiche della violenza. Sostenere questa sfida nel con-fronto con Hitler, consente non solo ai tedeschi di intravedere le matrici di ogni conflitto. Infine, al-cune pagine hegeliane del periodo jenese (1801-1806), esemplificano la valenza sociale del vincolo nemicale tra il protagonista e B. nel romanzo di Keilson

La Tipologia dei personaggi nel teatro di Lessing

In "Von Miss Sara Sampson zu Emilia Galotti" ho evidenziato in rapporto alle forme del mito di Medea nel teatro di Lessing lo sviluppo di uno statuto dei personaggi che va da Henzi del 1749 a Emilia Galotti del 1772. In studi successivi avevo inserito anche Nathan der Weise nell'ottica di un'opera teatrale concepita come un work in progress, tant'è che era stato possibile dare nuova risposta ai vecchi nodi della critica e proporre una differente decifrazione dello statuto dei personaggi del dramatisches Gedicht di Lessing. La lettura del teatro di Lessing che qui proponiamo si discosta da quella tradizionale, e non solo per l'interpretazione del mancato matrimonio in Nathan der Weise. Muovendosi su un duplice piano, essa decifra la tipologia dei personaggi dalle opere giovanili al Nathan non solo secondo un'ottica storico-letteraria, ma anche secondo la prospettiva sub specie aeternitatis dell'individuazione simbolica

Leonardo e il '900

Negli ultimi decenni l’immagine di Leonardo da Vinci quale genio universale e polimorfo, straordinario anticipatore (quando non fondatore) della scienza moderna, ideatore di macchine che la tecnica avrebbe concretamente realizzato solo secoli più tardi, è stata messa radicalmente in discussione e anzi svelata nella sua natura essenzialmente ‘mitica’. Gli studi improntati ai più aggiornati criteri di rigore filologico e a una rinnovata attenzione all’analisi linguistica, hanno cercato di rimuovere gli stereotipi che avevano a lungo impedito una comprensione storicamente fondata della ricchissima riflessione affidata dall’artista filosofo al suo lascito manoscritto. Il volume mostra come alcune delle figure chiave del Novecento europeo hanno affrontato l’opera di Leonardo talvolta combattendo il mito talvolta incoraggiandolo

Fatty acid composition and antioxidant capacity in linseed grown as forage in Mediterranean environment

This research was aimed at studying the bromatological traits, fatty acid profile, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) shoots harvested at six codified morphological stages. Quality traits were significantly related to cumulated growing degree days from seedling emergence to senescence. The crude protein and ash contents exhibited a gradual decrease and were negatively correlated with morphological stages, whereas cell wall components such as neutral, acid detergent fibers and lignin (NDF, ADF, and ADL) and ether extract (EE) showed a positive correlation. Both ABTS [(2,2'-azinobis (3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt] and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assays indicated a reduction in antioxidant capacities from stem extension to senescence, from 16 to 7.1, and 19 to 7 mmol TEAC/100g DW, for ABTS and DPPH, respectively. Significant linear correlation among the antioxidant activity, phenolics, NDF, ADF, ADL, and EE were found showed usually. Total phenolic (9.6-26.4 g GAE kg–1) and total flavonoid (5.2-16.7 g CE kg–1) contents were negatively related with morphological stages. The morphological stage was significantly correlated with oil content, although individual fatty acid content did not. Research gives new insights into the evolution of chemical composition of linseed shoot. Remarkable variations in quality traits, fatty acid contents, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity evidence the possibility to use green linseed in animals' diet, also suggesting the exploitation of linseed plant as forage source

Characterization of native perennial ryegrasses for persistence in mediterranean rainfed conditions

Forage varieties of Lolium perenne L. (perennial ryegrass) available on the seed market generally show low persistence in rainfed Mediterranean conditions. Eleven native populations of perennial ryegrass from Corsica and Sardinia, previously chosen for their ability to re-grow after summer drought, were grown in a 3-year field experiment in Sardinia (Italy). The objective was to characterize these populations for traits linked with persistence in rainfed conditions under low input management. Their differentiation and stability over time were assessed for some morphological traits (tiller, spike and flag leaf length, number of spikelets spike-1, spikelet and glume length). In addition, some agronomic traits (canopy height, dry matter and seed yield, spike emergence date) and physiological traits (canopy temperature and leaf area index) were observed to identify, using a multivariate approach, correlations with persistence. A significant variability between accessions was observed for all the morphological traits over the three years of observation; a significant Accession × Year interaction was found for tiller length, flag leaf length and number of spikelet/spike with a plastic adaptation to weather conditions of some populations, these traits being the most important contributors to persistence. The most persistent perennial ryegrass accession proved to be the most vigorous and early flowering one. Some contrasting accessions represent valuable resources to be exploited into breeding programs based on Mediterranean germplasm, in order to provide farmers with perennial ryegrass varieties adapted for different purposes and which are able to survive to more frequent hot and dry summer conditions in a context of climate change

Out-of-Frame Mutations in ACTN2 Last Exon Cause a Dominant Distal Myopathy With Facial Weakness

Background and Objectives To clinically, genetically, and histopathologically characterize patients presenting with an unusual combination of distal myopathy and facial weakness, without involvement of upper limb or shoulder girdle muscles. Methods Two families with a novel form of actininopathy were identified. Patients had been followed up over 10 years. Their molecular genetic diagnosis was not clear after extensive investigations, including analysis of candidate genes and FSHD1-related D4Z4 repeats. Results Patients shared a similar clinical phenotype and a common pattern of muscle involvement. They presented with a very slowly progressive myopathy involving anterior lower leg and facial muscles. Muscle MRI finding showed complete fat replacement of anterolateral compartment muscles of the lower legs with variable involvement of soleus and gastrocnemius but sparing thigh muscles. Muscle biopsy showed internalized nuclei, myofibrillar disorganization, and rimmed vacuoles. High-throughput sequencing identified in each proband a heterozygous single nucleotide deletion (c.2558del and c.2567del) in the last exon of the ACTN2 gene. The deletions are predicted to lead to a novel but unstructured slightly extended C-terminal amino acid sequence. Discussion Our findings indicate an unusual form of actininopathy with specific molecular and clinical features. Actininopathy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of distal myopathy combined with facial weakness.Peer reviewe

Out-of-Frame Mutations in ACTN2 Last Exon Cause a Dominant Distal Myopathy With Facial Weakness

Background and ObjectivesTo clinically, genetically, and histopathologically characterize patients presenting with an unusual combination of distal myopathy and facial weakness, without involvement of upper limb or shoulder girdle muscles.MethodsTwo families with a novel form of actininopathy were identified. Patients had been followed up over 10 years. Their molecular genetic diagnosis was not clear after extensive investigations, including analysis of candidate genes and FSHD1-related D4Z4 repeats.ResultsPatients shared a similar clinical phenotype and a common pattern of muscle involvement. They presented with a very slowly progressive myopathy involving anterior lower leg and facial muscles. Muscle MRI finding showed complete fat replacement of anterolateral compartment muscles of the lower legs with variable involvement of soleus and gastrocnemius but sparing thigh muscles. Muscle biopsy showed internalized nuclei, myofibrillar disorganization, and rimmed vacuoles. High-throughput sequencing identified in each proband a heterozygous single nucleotide deletion (c.2558del and c.2567del) in the last exon of the ACTN2 gene. The deletions are predicted to lead to a novel but unstructured slightly extended C-terminal amino acid sequence.DiscussionOur findings indicate an unusual form of actininopathy with specific molecular and clinical features. Actininopathy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of distal myopathy combined with facial weakness.</p