Policy advisers repeatedly call on Western European countries to reform their employment protection legislation (EPL) by switching to a layoff tax model of unemployment insurance (UI) funding. This ...new design, partly based on the existing “experience-rating” (ER) system in the U.S., should induce firms to internalize layoff fiscal costs and hence reduce unemployment. However, its success remains uncertain in economies with a collective wage-setting system, as do those of many Western European countries. Using a matching model with endogenous job destruction, we provide an ex-ante evaluation of this policy reform’s effects on labor market outcomes and aggregate welfare in firm-level and sector-level bargaining economies. Our numerical analyses yield two main results. First, compared to simply increasing firing/dismissal costs, implementing an ER system improves labor market outcomes in both types of economies. Second, the design of the reform has to be adapted to the level of wage bargaining in the economy. Because firms can adjust most of the terms and conditions of employment (including wages) in decentralized negotiations, adding ER to existing EPL yields the largest reduction in unemployment under firm-level bargaining, while with sector-level bargaining, ER is better implemented with a relaxation of existing EPL. However, if the aim is to increase aggregate welfare, it is better under both bargaining regimes to relax existing EPL when implementing ER.
Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy in females in terms of both incidence and mortality. Underlying the high mortality rate is the presence of cancer stem cells, which divide indefinitely ...and are resistant to conventional chemotherapies, so causing tumor relapse. In the present study, we identify miR-216a-5p as a downregulated microRNA in breast cancer stem cells vs. the differentiated counterpart. We demonstrate that overexpression of miR-216a-5p impairs stemness markers, mammosphere formation, ALDH activity, and the level of
(
), which plays a significant role in breast cancer progression and metastasis by leading to the release of pro-inflammatory molecules, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6). Indeed, miR-216a regulates the crosstalk between cancer cells and the cells of the microenvironment, in particular cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), through regulation of the TLR4/IL6 pathway. Thus, miR-216a has an important role in the regulation of stem phenotype, decreasing stem-like properties and affecting the cross-talk between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of different human processes that represent a new promising class of cancer therapeutics or therapeutic targets. Indeed, in several tumor types, including ...non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), the deregulated expression of specific miRNAs has been implicated in cell malignancy. As expression levels of the oncosuppressor miR-34c-3p are decreased in NSCLC compared to normal lung, we show that reintroduction of miR-34c-3p reduces NSCLC cell survival in vitro. Further, in order to deliver the miR-34c-based therapeutic selectively to tumor cells, we took advantage of a reported nucleic acid aptamer (GL21.T) that binds and inhibits the AXL transmembrane receptor and is rapidly internalized in the target cells. By applying methods successfully used in our laboratory, we conjugated miR-34c to the GL21.T aptamer as targeting moiety for the selective delivery to AXL-expressing NSCLC cells. We demonstrate that miR-34c-3p and the GL21.T/miR-34c chimera affect NSCLC cell proliferation and are able to overcome acquired RTK-inhibitor resistance by targeting AXL receptor. Thus, the GL21.T/miR-34c chimera exerts dual inhibition of AXL at functional and transcriptional levels and represents a novel therapeutic tool for the treatment of NSCLC.
Dihydroberberine (DHBER), the partially reduced form of the alkaloid berberine (BER), is known to exhibit important biological activities. Despite this fact, there have been only few studies that ...concern the biological properties of functionalized DHBER. Attracted by the potentiality of this latter compound, we have realized the preparation of new arylhydrazono-functionalized DHBERs, starting from BER and some α-bromohydrazones. On the other hand, also the fully reduced form of BER, namely tetrahydroberberine (THBER), and its derivatives have proven to present different biological activities. Therefore, the obtained arylhydrazono-functionalized DHBERs were reduced to the corresponding arylhydrazono-THBERs. The antiproliferative activity of both arylhydrazono-DHBERs and -THBERs has been evaluated on NCI-H1975 lung cancer cells.
On 25 August 2018, a G3-class geomagnetic storm reached the Earth’s magnetosphere, causing a transient rearrangement of the charged particle environment around the planet, which was detected by the ...High-Energy Particle Detector (HEPD) on board the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES-01). We found that the count rates of electrons in the MeV range were characterized by a depletion during the storm’s main phase and a clear enhancement during the recovery caused by large substorm activity, with the key role played by auroral processes mapped into the outer belt. A post-storm rate increase was localized at L-shells immediately above ∼3 and mostly driven by non-adiabatic local acceleration caused by possible resonant interaction with low-frequency magnetospheric waves.
Neutrino telescopes are moving steadily toward the goal of detecting astrophysical neutrinos from the most powerful galactic and extragalactic sources. Here we describe analysis methods to search for ...high energy point-like neutrino sources using detectors deep in the ice or sea. We simulate an ideal cubic kilometer detector based on real world performance of existing detectors such as AMANDA, IceCube, and ANTARES. An unbinned likelihood ratio method is applied, making use of the point spread function and energy distribution of simulated neutrino signal events to separate them from the background of atmospheric neutrinos produced by cosmic ray showers. The unbinned point source analyses are shown to perform better than binned searches and, depending on the source spectral index, the use of energy information is shown to improve discovery potential by almost a factor of two.
The well-documented relationship between sperm oxidation and male infertility strongly encourages the development of assays for reactive oxygen species detection in semen samples. The present study ...aims to apply the microplate-based 2’,7’-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay to the evaluation of oxidative stress in unprocessed whole semen, thus avoiding sample centrifugations and other manipulations that may cause significant reactive oxygen species increments.
The fluorescence assay consisted in the quantification of both intracellular and extracellular reactive oxygen species levels in unwashed semen specimens by using the probe 2’,7’-dichlorofluorescein diacetate into a 96-well plate. The method was useful for the preliminary assessment of the oxidation levels of whole semen samples from men undergoing standard sperm analysis as well as to evaluate the effect of some pro-glutathione molecules on semen oxidative status.
The 2’,7’-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay was successfully adapted to the evaluation of oxidative stress in whole semen, effectively revealing the perturbation of the redox homeostasis of the sample. Accordingly, specimens with abnormal sperm parameters (n = 10) presented oxidation indexes significantly higher than those with normospermia (n = 10) 7729 (range 3407–12769) vs. 1356 (range 470–2711), p < 0.001; in addition, semen oxidation indexes negatively correlated to sperm motility and morphology. Noteworthy, whole semen exposure to pro-glutathione compounds led to reduced semen oxidation levels and sperm protection against oxidative damage.
Based on our pilot experimental data, the microplate-based 2’,7’-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay appears to be a convenient method for the detection of reactive oxygen species levels in whole semen samples, avoiding artifacts due to semen centrifugation steps. At the same time, the test could be a helpful tool for the basic and quick screening of antioxidant molecules able to preserve semen quality.
2’,7’-dichlorofluorescein diacetate; Male infertility; Microplate fluorescence reader; Oxidative stress; Pro-glutathione molecules; Reactive oxygen species; Unwashed whole semen.
The radiation belts in the Earth’s magnetosphere pose a hazard to satellite systems and spacecraft missions (both manned and unmanned), heavily affecting payload design and resources, thus resulting ...in an impact on the overall mission performance and final costs. The NASA AE9/AP9/SPM radiation models for energetic electrons, protons, and plasma provide useful information on the near-Earth environment, but they are still incomplete as to some features and, for some energy ranges, their predictions are not based on a statistically sufficient sample of direct measurements. Therefore, it is of the upmost importance to provide new data and direct measurements to improve their output. In this work, the AP9 model is applied to the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES-01) orbit to estimate the flux of energetic protons over the South Atlantic Anomaly during a short testing period of one day, 1 January 2021. Moreover, a preliminary comparison with proton data obtained from the High-Energy Particle Detector (HEPD) on board CSES-01 is carried out. This estimation will serve as the starting ground for a forthcoming complete data analysis, enabling extensive testing and validation of current theoretical and empirical models.
We assume a world of two countries in a fixed exchange rate system. These countries differ in the features of their labor markets. The home country is characterized by a dual labor market, with ...formal and informal sectors. In the foreign country, a nominal wage rigidity exists. In this context, the situation of the labor markets in each country is not optimal owing to a misallocation of workers between sectors in the domestic economy and unemployment in the foreign economy. We show that a devaluation of domestic currency implies a fall in production in each country and deterioration of labor markets in both countries.
•We consider the possibility for some countries to exit the Monetary Union.•We focus on the role of the labor market, especially when dualism exists.•Currency devaluation would have important negative effects for the overall Union.•Devaluation of domestic currency implies a fall in production in each country.•Moreover, it leads to a deterioration of labor markets in both countries.
Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst. (also known as Linghzhi and Reishi) is the most appreciated and revered medicinal mushroom across many Asian countries, but its properties have also attracted ...interest in Western countries. Indeed, in the West, it is now commercially available as a dietary supplement in preparations mainly made from spores, fruiting bodies and mycelia. It is employed in both nutraceutical and pharmacological formulations either for its immuno-modulating anti-inflammatory properties or as an effective adjuvant therapy in the treatment of several chronic diseases as well as in cancer treatment.
The aim of this investigation was to show the phytochemical composition and antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of an ethanolic extract from an Italian mycelial isolate of Ganoderma lucidum and to assess its effects on nuclear DNA.
LC/ESI-MS and tandem mass spectrometry MSMS were used to obtain structural identification of ethanolic G. lucidum extract constituents. Antioxidant activities were determined by the DPPH method, chelating effect on Fe2+ and lipoxygenase inhibition while cytotoxic activities using the MTT assay. Effects on nuclear DNA were evaluated using the DNA nicking assay in a cell-free system and the fast halo assay performed on oxidatively injured human U937 cells; apoptosis induction was investigated using the non-denaturing fast halo assay and DNA laddering detection.
This extract was rich in several bioactive compounds, mainly phenolic and triterpenic acids. It showed antioxidant activity and protective effects in oxidatively injured DNA in cell-free analyses and antiproliferative, genotoxic, and proapoptotic effects in the cell model.
Italian G. lucidum mycelium isolate appears to be a source of various natural compounds that may have applications as chemopreventive agents or functional foods.
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