Second homes in Italy: every household’s dream or (un)profitable investments?

The use of a second home may result in different outcomes for households, ranging from financial profit and holiday use to uses that are clearly unprofitable. We contribute to the literature on second homes by exploring the case of second homes that are not let out, representing the least profitable outcome from an economic viewpoint. The empirical investigation relies on the 2002–2012 Bank of Italy Survey on Household Income and Wealth (SHIW), which also provides extensive information on property, including the actual use. Our results highlight: a gender gap, whereby the unprofitable use of second homes tends to be more clearly associated with male decision-makers; a lack of association with the economic characteristics of the household; and a strong association with the specific characteristics of the property, with inherited property more likely to be used unprofitably. In addition to casting doubt on the effectiveness of second homes as an investment vehicle, our results may have important policy or regulatory implications for housing and rental markets.     

S100A4 Is Involved in Stimulatory Effects Elicited by the FGF2/FGFR1 Signaling Pathway in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Cells

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast tumor subtype characterized by poor clinical outcome. In recent years, numerous advancements have been made to better understand the biological landscape of TNBC, though appropriate targets still remain to be determined. In the present study, we have determined that the expression levels of FGF2 and S100A4 are higher in TNBC with respect to non-TNBC patients when analyzing “The Invasive Breast Cancer Cohort of The Cancer Genome Atlas” (TCGA) dataset. In addition, we have found that the gene expression of FGF2 is positively correlated with S100A4 in TNBC samples. Performing quantitative PCR, Western blot, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, promoter studies, immunofluorescence analysis, subcellular fractionation studies, and ChIP assays, we have also demonstrated that FGF2 induces in TNBC cells the upregulation and secretion of S100A4 via FGFR1, along with the ERK1/2–AKT–c-Rel transduction signaling. Using conditioned medium from TNBC cells stimulated with FGF2, we have also ascertained that the paracrine activation of the S100A4/RAGE pathway triggers angiogenic effects in vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) and promotes the migration of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Collectively, our data provide novel insights into the action of the FGF2/FGFR1 axis through S100A4 toward stimulatory effects elicited in TNBC cells.     

Abiotic Stress Response of Near-Isogenic Spring Durum Wheat Lines under Different Sowing Densities

A detailed study was made of changes in the plant development, morphology, physiology and yield biology of near-isogenic lines of spring durum wheat sown in the field with different plant densities in two consecutive years (2013–2014). An analysis was made of the drought tolerance of isogenic lines selected for yield QTLs (QYld.idw-2B and QYld.idw-3B), and the presence of QTL effects was examined in spring sowings. Comparisons were made of the traits of the isogenic pairs QYld.idw-3B++ and QYld.idw-3B−− both within and between the pairs. Changes in the polyamine content, antioxidant enzyme activity, chlorophyll content of the flag leaf and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of the plot were monitored in response to drought stress, and the relationship between these components and the yield was analyzed. In the case of moderate stress, differences between the NIL++ and NIL−− pairs appeared in the early dough stage, indicating that the QYld.idw-3B++ QTL region was able to maintain photosynthetic activity for a longer period, resulting in greater grain number and grain weight at the end of the growing period. The chlorophyll content of the flag leaf in phenophases Z77 and Z83 was significantly correlated with the grain number and grain weight of the main spike. The grain yield was greatly influenced by the treatment, while the genotype had a significant effect on the thousand-kernel weight and on the grain number and grain weight of the main spike. When the lines were compared in the non-irrigated treatment, significantly more grains and significantly higher grain weight were observed in the main spike in NIL++ lines, confirming the theory that the higher yields of the QYld.idw-3B++ lines when sown in spring and exposed to drought stress could be attributed to the positive effect of the “Kofa” QTL on chromosome 3B.     

Housing Inequality and Social Class in Europe

On the basis of European Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) data, this paper conducts a comparative analysis of housing conditions in different European countries by focusing on social class. The variance in housing conditions by social class could provide further insights about the divergence/convergence hypotheses stemming from the comparative analysis of living conditions of European countries. To support this claim, two main dimensions of housing inequality will be identified: tenure and housing well-being. A micro-level data analysis was performed, in order to take account of individual and family costs of access and maintenance of ownership in settings and in periods (such as the present day) of rising housing prices and income resources that decrease in terms of amount and stability. The aim is thus to demonstrate that, despite the difference in well-being in Europe between owners and non-owners (on the average the firsts are better off), homeowners cannot be regarded as a privileged category per se.     

Development and Experimental Testing of an Optical Micro-Spectroscopic Technique Incorporating True Line-Scan Excitation

Multiphoton micro-spectroscopy, employing diffraction optics and electron-multiplying CCD (EMCCD) cameras, is a suitable method for determining protein complex stoichiometry, quaternary structure, and spatial distribution in living cells using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging. The method provides highly resolved spectra of molecules or molecular complexes at each image pixel, and it does so on a timescale shorter than that of molecular diffusion, which scrambles the spectral information. Acquisition of an entire spectrally resolved image, however, is slower than that of broad-bandwidth microscopes because it takes longer times to collect the same number of photons at each emission wavelength as in a broad bandwidth. Here, we demonstrate an optical micro-spectroscopic scheme that employs a laser beam shaped into a line to excite in parallel multiple sample voxels. The method presents dramatically increased sensitivity and/or acquisition speed and, at the same time, has excellent spatial and spectral resolution, similar to point-scan configurations. When applied to FRET imaging using an oligomeric FRET construct expressed in living cells and consisting of a FRET acceptor linked to three donors, the technique based on line-shaped excitation provides higher accuracy compared to the point-scan approach, and it reduces artifacts caused by photobleaching and other undesired photophysical effects.     

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and fractionation of oregano oleoresin

The leaves of Origanum vulgare L. (Lamiaceae) harvested in different countries, three samples from Hungary and one from Turkey, were extracted with carbon dioxide in a high pressure apparatus with a 5 l extractor vessel volume. Total extractions with stagewise precipitation of the extracts were carried out in order to obtain essential oil-rich liquid and pasty products. A fractionated extraction with a stepwise increase of the extraction pressure was also performed to obtain portions of extracts of different quality. The extraction with carbon dioxide was compared to conventional steam distillation and to Soxhlet extraction with hexane, whith the goal of recovering essential oils and oleoresin products, respectively.     

Selective Growth of α-Sexithiophene by Using Silicon Oxides Patterns

A process for fabricating ordered organic films on large area is presented. The process allows growing sexithiophene ultra-thin films at precise locations on patterned Si/SiO(x) substrates by driving the orientation of growth. This process combines the parallel local anodic oxidation of Si/SiO(x) substrates with the selective arrangement of molecular ultra-thin film. The former is used to fabricate silicon oxide arrays of parallel lines of 400 nm in width over an area of 1 cm(2). Selective growth arises from the interplay between kinetic growth parameters and preferential interactions with the patterned surface. The result is an ultra-thin film of organic molecules that is conformal to the features of the fabricated motives.     

Effect of porogen residue on electrical characteristics of ultra low-k materials

Porogen residue (sp² hybridized carbon) formed during UV curing of low-k materials increases leakage current and decreases breakdown voltage of low-k materials. The amount of porogen residue increases with increasing porosity of PECVD low-k films because of larger amount of co-deposited porogen. Electrical characteristics of PECVD ultra low-k films are significantly worse in comparison with CVD and SOG low-k film prepared without porogen. SOG low-k films prepared by self-assembling of nanocrystalline silica demonstrate very low leakage current. Removal of porogen residue significantly improves the electrical characteristics. Therefore, preparation of porogen residue free low-k films is an important challenge of future scaling of low-k materials.