Social impact as an intangible driver in assessing economic value: an application to the italian third sector

Many studies have focused on Intellectual Capital (IC) applied to the Third Sector in the past few years. Despite the growing interest in intellectual capital in the field, the concept remains unclear. Few scholars and practitioners deal with the subject, however, as far as we know there are no studies that show the relationship between social impact generated by non-profit organizations and IC. This is the first study to be focused on this topic. This paper aims to fill the gap in the literature and demonstrate the relation between social impact and IC in the Social Work Integration Cooperatives (SWICs). This paper contributes to the literature by theoretically arguing that the measurement of social value improves SWICs’ economic value as a consequence of improvements of relationships and trust with external stakeholders (intangible assets). To ground our theoretical hypothesis, we measure the social impact value achieved by Italian SWICs through an aggregate analysis. That is the starting point and the findings can generate further research from both non-profit practitioners and scholars through the measurement of hypotheses over time

A novel disulfide-containing monomer for photoinitiator-free self-healable photocured coatings

Disulfide-containing coatings are gaining importance due to the peculiar properties and responsiveness of S-S bonds, which make them suitable for several applications, first among them self-healable materials. Herein, a novel UV-curable diacrylated polyurethane monomer containing disulfide bonds (DSPDA) was synthesized through a one-step process without the need for further purification, as assessed by NMR and HPLC analyses. The photopolymerization kinetics of the monomer was studied through real-time FTIR, highlighting a fast and complete conversion even in the absence of a photoinitiator, thus demonstrating the self-initiating capabilities of the synthesized monomer based on the disulfide cleavage upon UV light exposure. Clear coatings having a Tg = 72 °C were obtained. The self-healing ability of the films was assessed: thanks to the presence of disulfide bonds in the cured coating, a recovery of the damage was obtained in only 10 min by heating at 100 °C

A Novel t(8;14)(q24;q11) Rearranged Human Cell Line as a Model for Mechanistic and Drug Discovery Studies of NOTCH1-Independent Human T-Cell Leukemia

MYC-translocated T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a rare subgroup of T-ALL associated with CDKN2A/B deletions, PTEN inactivation, and absence of NOTCH1 or FBXW7 mutations. This subtype of T-ALL has been associated with induction failure and aggressive disease. Identification of drug targets and mechanistic insights for this disease are still limited. Here, we established a human NOTCH1-independent MYC-translocated T-ALL cell line that maintains the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of the parental leukemic clone at diagnosis. The University of Padua T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia 13 (UP-ALL13) cell line has all the main features of the above described MYC-translocated T-ALL. Interestingly, UP-ALL13 was found to harbor a heterozygous R882H DNMT3A mutation typically found in myeloid leukemia. Chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with high-throughput sequencing for histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) acetylation revealed numerous putative super-enhancers near key transcription factors, including MYC, MYB, and LEF1. Marked cytotoxicity was found following bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) inhibition with AZD5153, suggesting a strict dependency of this particular subtype of T-ALL on the activity of super-enhancers. Altogether, this cell line may be a useful model system for dissecting the signaling pathways implicated in NOTCH1-independent T-ALL and for the screening of targeted anti-leukemia agents specific for this T-ALL subgroup

Candidosis en subplaca protésica en relación con el diámetro del poro del acrílico : estudio comparativo

Los pacientes edéntulos portadores de prótesis total removible, desarrollan con gran frecuencia candidosis en subplaca protésica. En algunos adquiere severidad, por producir lesiones en mucosa oral, que pueden repercutir sobre los tejidos de soporte, en el resto de los tejidos orales y provocar un estado de gran inflamación, que genere reabsorción en el hueso contiguo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue establecer posibles correlaciones entre la calidad de los acrílicos utilizados (textura, porosidad, diámetro del poro) y la mayor o menor incidencia de candidosis, con el objeto de mejorar la prevención y la salud buco dental sobre la base del control de los materiales utilizados.The patients that were wearing a totally removable denture developed a high frequency of Candida on the base denture and, in some cases, developed a severe condition producing injury in the oral mucous membrane, which can rebound over and around the supporting tissues and cause inflammation that can also lead to extensive bone reabsorption. The aim of this work was to establish the possible relationship between the quality of the acrylic, from which the prosthesis is made (texture, porosity, and pores diameter), and the majar or minor Candidosis incidences.The purpose of this study was also to seak improvement in buccal dental health based upon the dental materials test control setting.Fil: Patiño Ramos, Irma. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de OdontologíaFil: Bongiovanni, Isabel. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de OdontologíaFil: Telechea, Adriana del Valle. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Área MicrobiologíaFil: Godoy, Diego. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de OdontologíaFil: Martín, Alberto José. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de OdontologíaFil: Lottero, Graciela. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Odontologí

Preliminary studies of elemental spatial redistribution in breast tumors

Ponencia presentada en la XXIII Reunião Anual de Usuários do LNLS/CNPEM. Campinas, Brasil, 26 al 27 de febrero de 2013.Synchrotron radiation combined with capillary optics has been used as an optimal x-ray source for microanalysis. It can be used to excite x-ray fluorescence and this approach leads to very low detection limits on micrometric areas on very small samples. Synchrotron microscopic XRF (μ-SRXRF) allows quantitative study of the nature and degree of heterogeneity of inorganic constituents in biological samples. This microbeam method, due to intrinsic characteristics of SR, is able to implement multielemental spectrochemical analysis with spatial resolution on the micrometer scale. It shows high efficiency for element determination and short time of analysis requirements. In the present work, we applied μ-SRXRF to study spatial distribution of elements on normal and cancerous human breast tissue in order to identify possible correlations induced by the desease. Several authors have shown that there is a significant increase of Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn and Br in breast tumors compared to normal tissues. Since until now the research were mainly going to macroscopic level, it is interesting to study the spatial distribution of these elements to extend the knowledge to the microscopic scale. In these studies spatial redistribution of trace elements due to biochemical changes in tumors may be observed.Fil: Sosa, Carlos Manuel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Sbarato, Viviana María. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Pérez, Carlos Alberto. Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron; Brasil.Fil: Bongiovanni, Guillermina Azucena.Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Sánchez, Héctor Jorge. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Pérez, Roberto Daniel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina

Domino reaction for the sustainable functionalization of few-layer graphene

The mechanism for the functionalization of graphene layers with pyrrole compounds was investigated. Liquid 1,2,5-trimethylpyrrole (TMP) was heated in air in the presence of a high surface area nanosized graphite (HSAG), at temperatures between 80°C and 180°C. After the thermal treatments solid and liquid samples, separated by centrifugation, were analysed by means of Raman, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-Rays Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). FT-IR spectra were interpreted with the support of Density Functional Theory (DFT) quantum chemical modelling. Raman findings suggested that the bulk structure of HSAG remained substantially unaltered, without intercalation products. FT-IR and XPS spectra showed the presence of oxidized TMP derivatives on the solid adducts, in a much larger amount than in the liquid. For thermal treatments at T ≥ 150°C, IR spectral features revealed not only the presence of oxidized products but also the reaction of intra-annular double bond of TMP with HSAG. XPS spectroscopy showed the increase of the ratio between C(sp2)N bonds involved in the aromatic system and C(sp3)N bonds, resulting from reaction of the pyrrole moiety, observed while increasing the temperature from 130°C to 180°C. All these findings, supported by modeling, led to hypothesize a cascade reaction involving a carbocatalyzed oxidation of the pyrrole compound followed by Diels-Alder cycloaddition. Graphene layers play a twofold role: at the early stages of the reaction, they behave as a catalyst for the oxidation of TMP and then they become the substrate for the cycloaddition reaction. Such sustainable functionalization, which does not produce by-products, allows us to use the pyrrole compounds for decorating sp2 carbon allotropes without altering their bulk structure and smooths the path for their wider application

Targeted Genomic Profiling and Chemotherapy Outcomes in Grade 3 Gastro-Entero-Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (G3 GEP-NET)

Background: Grade 3 gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (G3 GEP-NET) are poorly characterized in terms of molecular features and response to treatments. Methods: Patients with G3 GEP-NET were included if they received capecitabine and temozolomide (CAPTEM) or oxaliplatin with either 5-fluorouracile (FOLFOX) or capecitabine (XELOX) as first-line treatment (chemotherapy cohort). G3 NET which successfully undergone next-generation sequencing (NGS) were included in the NGS cohort. Results: In total, 49 patients were included in the chemotherapy cohort: 15 received CAPTEM and 34 received FOLFOX/XELOX. Objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were 42.9%, 9.0 months, and 33.6 months, respectively. Calculating a Ki67 cutoff using ROC curve analysis, tumors with Ki67 ≥ 40% had lower ORR (51.2% vs. 0%; p = 0.007) and shorter PFS (10.6 months vs. 4.4 months; p < 0.001) and OS (49.4 months vs. 10.0 months; p = 0.023). In patients who received FOLFOX/XELOX as a first-line treatment, ORR, PFS, and OS were 38.2%, 7.9 months, and 30.0 months, respectively. In the NGS cohort (N = 13), the most mutated genes were DAXX/ATRX (N = 5, 38%), MEN1 (N = 4, 31%), TP53 (N = 4, 31%), AKT1 (N = 2, 15%), and PIK3CA (N = 1, 8%). Conclusions: FOLFOX/XELOX chemotherapy is active as the first-line treatment of patients with G3 GEP-NET. The mutational landscape of G3 NET is more similar to well-differentiated NETs than NECs

Prognostic and Predictive Role of Body Composition in Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Patients Treated with Everolimus: A Real-World Data Analysis

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare neoplasms frequently characterized by an up- regulation of the mammalian rapamycin targeting (mTOR) pathway resulting in uncontrolled cell proliferation. The mTOR pathway is also involved in skeletal muscle protein synthesis and in adipose tissue metabolism. Everolimus inhibits the mTOR pathway, resulting in blockade of cell growth and tumor progression. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of body composition in- dexes in patients with metastatic NETs treated with everolimus. The study population included 30 patients with well-differentiated (G1-G2), metastatic NETs treated with everolimus at the IRCCS Romagnolo Institute for the Study of Tumors (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola (FC), Italy. The body composition indexes (skeletal muscle index [SMI] and adipose tissue indexes) were assessed by measuring on a computed tomography (CT) scan the cross-sectional area at L3 at baseline and at the first radiological assessment after the start of treatment. The body mass index (BMI) was assessed at baseline. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.4–13.7 months). The PFS stratified by tertiles was 3.2 months (95% CI: 0.9–10.1 months) in patients with low SMI (tertile 1), 14.2 months (95% CI: 2.3 months-not estimable [NE]) in patients with intermediate SMI (tertile 2), and 9.1 months (95% CI: 2.7 months-NE) in patients with high SMI (tertile 3) (p = 0.039). Similarly, the other body composition indexes also showed a statistically significant difference in the three groups on the basis of tertiles. The median PFS was 3.2 months (95% CI: 0.9–6.7 months) in underweight patients (BMI 18.49 kg/m2) and 10.1 months (95% CI: 3.7–28.4 months) in normal-weight patients (p = 0.011). There were no significant differences in terms of overall survival. The study showed a correlation between PFS and the body composition indexes in patients with NETs treated with everolimus, underlining the role of adipose and muscle tissue in these patients