464 research outputs found
Endogenous Constitutions
No full textWe present a theory of the choice of alternative democratic constitutions, a majoritarian or a consensual one, in an unequal society. We show that a consensual system turns out to be preferred by society when "ex ante" income inequality is relatively low, while a majoritarian system is chosen when income inequality is relatively high. We also find that consensual democracies should be expected to be ruled more often by centre-left coalitions while the right should have an advantage in majoritarian constitutions. The implications for the relationship between inequality and redistribution are discussed. Historical evidence and a cross-sectional analysis support our results. Copyright � The Author(s). Journal compilation � Royal Economic Society 2009.
Warfare, Taxation, and Political Change: Evidence from the Italian Risorgimento
No full textWe examine the relationships between warfare, taxation, and political change in the context of the political unification of the Italian peninsula. Using a comprehensive new database, we argue that external and internal threat environments had significant implications for the demand for military strength, which in turn had important ramifications for fiscal policy and the likelihood of constitutional reform and related improvements in the provision of non-military public services. Our analytic narrative complements recent theoretical and econometric works about state capacity. By emphasizing public finances, we also uncover novel insights about the forces underlying state formation in Italy
Management of Severe Wound Infections after Body Contouring Procedures in Post-Bariatric Surgery Patients with Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation
No full textPseudolymphoma, lymphocytic lymphoma, immunoblastic lymphoma: Disease progression [Pseudolinfoma, linfoma linfocitico, linfoma immunoblastico; progressione di malattia]
No full text
Stable muscle atrophy in long-term paraplegics with complete upper motor neuron lesion from 3- to 20-year SCI.
No full textSpinal Cord. 2008 Apr;46(4):293-304. Epub 2007 Oct 23.
Stable muscle atrophy in long-term paraplegics with complete upper motor neuron lesion from 3- to 20-year SCI.
Kern H, Hofer C, Mödlin M, Mayr W, Vindigni V, Zampieri S, Boncompagni S, Protasi F, Carraro U.
Source
Department of Physical Medicine, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrostimulation and Physical Rehabilitation, Wilhelminenspital, Vienna, Austria.
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN:
Unrandomized trial.
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the structural and functional relationships and the progression of muscle atrophy up to 20 years of spastic paraplegia.
SETTING:
Clinical follow-up in Vienna, Austria; muscle biopsies analyzed by light microscopy in Padova and by electron microscopy (EM) in Chieti, Italy.
METHODS:
Force was measured as knee extension torque; trophism by computer tomography scan; tissue composition and fiber morphology by histopathology and EM.
RESULTS:
In the long-term group of patients (17.0+/-2.6 years), force and size of thigh muscles were only slightly different from those of mid-term subjects (2.2+/-0.5 years). Histology and ultrastructure confirm that the difference in average size of muscle fibers between long-term and mid-term paralyzed leg muscles is actually very small. In addition, muscle fibers maintain the striated appearance characteristic of normal skeletal fibers even after 14-20 years of paralysis. Ultrastructural alterations of the activating and metabolic machineries, and the presence of fibers with lower motor neuron denervation features, may explain the low-force output and the reduced endurance of paretic muscles.
CONCLUSION:
The stable muscle atrophy that characterizes long-lasting spastic paraplegia suggests that there are no upper-time limits to begin a training program based on functional electrical stimulation.
PMID:
17955034
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE
Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AILD). Histopathologic and immunohistochemical study in three cases
No full textIn three cases of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AILD) immunohistochemistry was performed. The results were correlated with histopathology. Immunohistochemical studies seem to be of great utility in AILD for diagnostic purpose, for differential diagnosis, for the prognosis and, finally for the comprehension of some pathogenetic mechanisms
The Core Domain of Hirudin from the Leech Hirudinaria manillensis: Chemical Synthesis and Characterization of a Trp-3 Analog of Fragment 1-47
No full textHirudin is a small (approximately 7 kDa) disulfide-cross-linked polypeptide known as the most potent and specific thrombin inhibitor. We have previously shown that the N-terminal proteolytic fragment 1-47 of hirudin HM2 from Hirudinaria manillensis maintains inhibitory action toward thrombin [Vindigni, A., et al. (1994) Eur. J. Biochem. 226, 323-333]. Here we report the solid-phase chemical synthesis of an analog of fragment 1-47 bearing a Tyr3-->Trp exchange (Y3W analog). The crude, reduced peptide was purified by reverse-phase HPLC and subjected to oxidative folding to the disulfide-cross-linked species. The folding process of the Y3W analog was slower than that of the natural fragment 1-47, but nevertheless still occurred almost quantitatively as the natural species. The overall final yield of the synthetic product was approximately 35%, and its identity and homogeneity was established by a number of analytical techniques, including electrospray mass spectometry. The unique alignment of the three disulfide bridges of the Y3W analog was established by peptide mapping as Cys6-Cys14, Cys16-Cys28, and Cys22-Cys37 and shown to be identical to that of the natural fragment. The results of far- and near-ultraviolet circular dichroism and fluorescence emission measurements provided evidence that the Y3W analog retains the structural features of the natural species. The thermodynamic quantities (delta GD, delta Hm, delta Sm, and delta Cp) characterizing the reversible and cooperative thermal unfolding processes of the Y3W analog (Tm = 60.5 degrees C) and the natural fragment species (Tm = 62.5 degrees C) were evaluated. Despite the relatively high Tm values, the stability of both fragment species at 37 degrees C was only approximately 10 kJ mol-1, well below the average 50 kJ mol-1 typical of single-domain globular proteins. The synthetic Y3W species was found to be approximately 5-fold more active (KI = 30 +/- 5 nM) than the natural fragment 1-47 (KI = 150 +/- 20 nM) in inhibiting thrombin. Of interest was that the difference in the free energies of binding to thrombin at 37 degrees C, delta delta Gb, between the Y3W analog and natural species (4.2 kJ mol-1) was that expected for the difference in hydrophobicity between the two polypeptides resulting from the Tyr-->Trp exchange. The results of this study indicate that solid-phase chemical synthesis represents a convenient and high-yield procedure to prepare analogs of the biologically active, N-terminal core domain of hirudin with improved functional properties
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