173 research outputs found
A Mixed Geographically Weighted Approach to Decoupling and Rural Development in the EU-15
The CAP reform and the recent EC communication aimed at preparing its Health Check emphasise the need for interventions locally based where agricultural policy integrates with a broader policy for rural areas growth. In this context, the paper investigates the possible different sets policy indicators affecting agricultural productivity at the regional level considering spatial heterogeneity by means of a Mixed Geographically Weighted Regression approach. The analysis is based on a set of policy sensitive indicators selected according to the key component of the CAP reform and referred to a sample of 164 EU-15 regions at NUTS2 level. The methodology adopted, new for the empirical literature on the topic, allows for a more accurate understanding of spatial relationship of the agricultural and socio-economic factors affecting agricultural productivity at the local level providing useful information for policy making.CAP reform, agricultural productivity, spatial analysis, cluster analysis, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,
Agricultural and Economic Convergence in the EU Integration Process: Do Geographical Relationships Matter?
In the light of the reaffirmed importance of agricultural convergence within the integration process, the paper provides a preliminary investigation of the impact of the enlargement from the EU-15 to the EU-27 on agricultural real b-convergence and, with reference to the EU-27, of its relationship with economic catching-up process. The empirical analysis, based on a GWR approach, takes into account the regional spatial interdependences in estimating local parameters of convergence. The approach adopted allows to overcome the contradictory results from OLS estimations and parametric spatial econometric models pointed out by the literature and primarily connected to the existence of no unique convergence rate all over Europe. The analysis is based on a sample of 259 EU-27 regions at NUTS 2 level and is referred to the time period from 1991-2007.Regional convergence, Spatial analysis, GWR approach, International Relations/Trade,
Pump and Dumps in the Bitcoin Era: Real Time Detection of Cryptocurrency Market Manipulations
In the last years, cryptocurrencies are increasingly popular. Even people who
are not experts have started to invest in these securities and nowadays
cryptocurrency exchanges process transactions for over 100 billion US dollars
per month. However, many cryptocurrencies have low liquidity and therefore they
are highly prone to market manipulation schemes. In this paper, we perform an
in-depth analysis of pump and dump schemes organized by communities over the
Internet. We observe how these communities are organized and how they carry out
the fraud. Then, we report on two case studies related to pump and dump groups.
Lastly, we introduce an approach to detect the fraud in real time that
outperforms the current state of the art, so to help investors stay out of the
market when a pump and dump scheme is in action.Comment: Accepted for publication at The 29th International Conference on
Computer Communications and Networks (ICCCN 2020
Chaos at the Gates: The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and energy price shocks on South Korea's gas industry amid energy transition
South Korea was one of the first countries to be hit by the coronavirus infections. Having rapidly contained the health emergency in the immediate period, Seoul arguably mitigated the economic fallouts more successfully than the majority of advanced economies but could not avoid substantial losses. The far-reaching fallout of COVID-19 has been testing the country's energy transition pathway, as actors involved are facing difficult decisions amid more stringent financial constraints to deliver their ambitious targets, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Amid the combined effects of the pandemic and the global energy prices shocks, addressing the nexus between energy security on the supply side, affordability, and the safety of people's lives and property, has become even more pressing. Against this backdrop, natural gas has tailored a special role to bridge the low carbon re-alignment of the entire Korean energy system, also in the face of the current and future challenges to Korea's energy security. But long-drawn hurdles stemming from rather unsuccessful efforts to reform the gas system risk weakening its ability to cope with present uncertainties and heightened volatilities
INDUSTRIAL AREAS. A SURVEY, ANALYSIS AND APPRAISAL OF THE POTENTIAL FOR CONVERSION OF DISUSED INDUSTRIAL AREAS IN TICINO
This research, promoted by the UniversitĂ della Svizzera italiana, Accademia di architettura di Mendrisio, through i.CUP (Institute for the Contemporary Urban Project) laid the ground for establishing an observatory of industrial buildings that would give special attention to their fall into disuse and â at the same time â explore the scenarios for appraising the scope for converting potentially disused buildings and land. The study of disused industrial buildings in Ticino revealed considerable scope for the reuse of potentially disused industrial buildings. The data on buildings put to industrial use show that the number of industrial premises in Ticino is 3,681 and that they occupy 2,743 land parcels. The surface area covered by these buildings amounts to 2,503,335 square metres, corresponding to 8.7% of the total area of land built on in the canton. Land parcels accommodating at least one building put to a mainly industrial use account for 14,349,282 square metres of land in Ticino, equal about to 6% of the overall building area of Ticino Canton. Of the above land and building stock, 1,120 buildings (casting off 30.4%) covering a total surface area of 804,591 square metres (casting off 32.1%) (corresponding to the built surface of Bellinzona commune) qualify as potentially disused and the land parcels accommodating them number 813 (casting off 29.6%), 7,058,532 sq m (casting off 49.1%), equating to about half the surface area of Bellinzona commune. An approximate estimate of the volume of the buildings surveyed (the average height is 6 metres) yields a value of 5,000,000 cubic metres.industrial areas, disused buildings, diused land
Modelli virtuali, esperienze reali e pratiche didattiche: qualche riflessione
abstract not availabl
Molecular-based tumour subtypes of canine mammary carcinomas assessed by immunohistochemistry
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Human breast cancer is classified by gene expression profile into subtypes consisting of two hormone (oestrogen and/or progesterone) receptor-positive types (luminal-like A and luminal-like B) and three hormone receptor-negative types [human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-expressing, basal-like, and unclassified ("normal-like")]. Immunohistochemical surrogate panels are also proposed to potentially identify the molecular-based groups. The present study aimed to apply an immunohistochemical panel (anti-ER, -PR, -ERB-B2, -CK 5/6 and -CK14) in a series of canine malignant mammary tumours to verify the molecular-based classification, its correlation with invasion and grade, and its use as a prognostic aid in veterinary practice.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-five tumours with luminal pattern (ER+ and PR+) were subgrouped into 13 A type and 22 B type, if ERB-B2 positive or negative. Most luminal-like A and basal-like tumours were grade 1 carcinomas, while the percentage of luminal B tumours was higher in grades 2 and 3 (Pearson Chi-square P = 0.009). No difference in the percentage of molecular subtypes was found between simple and complex/mixed carcinomas (Pearson Chi-square P = 0.47). No significant results were obtained by survival analysis, even if basal-like tumours had a more favourable prognosis than luminal-like lesions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The panel of antibodies identified only three tumour groups (luminal-like A and B, and basal-like) in the dog. Even though canine mammary tumours may be a model of human breast cancer, the existence of the same carcinoma molecular subtypes in women awaits confirmation. Canine mammary carcinomas show high molecular heterogeneity, which would benefit from a classification based on molecular differences. Stage and grade showed independent associations with survival in the multivariate regression, while molecular subtype grouping and histological type did not show associations. This suggests that caution should be used when applying this classification to the dog, in which invasion and grade supply the most important prognostic information.</p
Association between Immunosenescence, Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults
Aging is associated with changes in the immune system, increased inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. The relationship between these phenomena and the clinical phenotype of frailty is unclear. Here, we evaluated the immune phenotypes, T cell functions and mitochondrial functions of immune cells in frail and robust older subjects. We enrolled 20 frail subjects age- and gender-matched with 20 robust controls, and T cell phenotype, response to immune stimulation, cytokine production and immune cell mitochondrial function were assessed. Our results showed that numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were decreased in frail subjects, without impairment to their ratios. Memory and naïve T cells were not significantly affected by frailty, whereas the expression of CD28 but not that of ICOS was decreased in T cells from frail subjects. T cells from robust subjects produced more IL-17 after CD28 stimulation. Levels of serum cytokines were similar in frail subjects and controls. Mitochondrial bioenergetics and ATP levels were significantly lower in immune cells from frail subjects. In conclusion, we suggest that changes in T cell profiles are associated with aging rather than with frailty syndrome; however, changes in T cell response to immune stimuli and reduced mitochondrial activity in immune cells may be considered hallmarks of frailty
Preclinical activity of EGFR and MEK1/2 inhibitors in the treatment of biliary tract carcinoma
The Conspiracy Money Machine: Uncovering Telegram's Conspiracy Channels and their Profit Model
In recent years, major social media platforms have implemented increasingly
strict moderation policies, resulting in bans and restrictions on conspiracy
theory-related content. To circumvent these restrictions, conspiracy theorists
are turning to alternatives, such as Telegram, where they can express and
spread their views with fewer limitations. Telegram offers channels -- virtual
rooms where only administrators can broadcast messages -- and a more permissive
content policy. These features have created the perfect breeding ground for a
complex ecosystem of conspiracy channels.
In this paper, we illuminate this ecosystem. First, we propose an approach to
detect conspiracy channels. Then, we discover that conspiracy channels can be
clustered into four distinct communities comprising over 17,000 channels.
Finally, we uncover the "Conspiracy Money Machine," revealing how most
conspiracy channels actively seek to profit from their subscribers. We find
conspiracy theorists leverage e-commerce platforms to sell questionable
products or lucratively promote them through affiliate links. Moreover, we
observe that conspiracy channels use donation and crowdfunding platforms to
raise funds for their campaigns. We determine that this business involves
hundreds of donors and generates a turnover of over $90 million
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