The Importance of Sustainability in the Fashion Sector: ADIDAS Case Study

In a society such as the present, characterized by an extremely consumerist lifestyle, the issue of socia

Gender Diversity and Governance: Analysis of Italian Listed Companies

In recent years, many countries have adopted different legislative and self-regulatory initiatives to be able to tackle the problem of the underrepresentation of women on boards. Also, Italy with Law No. 120/2011 introduced the gender issue adopting the normative that 1/3 of the elected members would be women. In this job, a primary aim was to study over the period 2016/2018 the impact of female presence on boards of 50 companies listed on the Italian Stock Exchange. In depth, our results confirm that Italian Law has produced significant effects on the composition of the corporate board. The result of our study shows that women positively influence corporate performance, this is perfectly in line with the literature on gender diversity. The contribution of the work is that the empirical study conducted on the 50 companies listed on the Milan Stock Exchange allows confirming what has been claimed in the literature and that is the importance of the female presence on the boards. An immediate reading of the data allows us to confirm that the female presence in corporate governance has a positive impact on corporate performance and productivity

Age-related changes of the noradrenergic and acetylcholinesterase reactive nerve fibres innervating the pigeon bursa of Fabricius.

Age-dependent changes in the innervation of the pigeon (Columba livia, L.) bursa of Fabricius, from hatching to 120 days of age, were studied by fluorescence-histochemical and neurochemical methods for demonstrating noradrenergic and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-reactive nerve fibres respectively. The distribution of both nerve fibre types was largely perivascular. Furthermore, a few isolated nerve fiber profiles were observed beneath the bursal epithelium, in the interfollicular septa and in the follicular cortex. No nerve fibre profiles reaching the medulla of the lymphoid follicles were observed. In addition to nerve fibres, AChE reactive neuron-like cells were encountered within the capsule and interfollicular septa. AChE reactivity was also found in dendritic-like cells localized in the cortical and cortico-medullary border. No changes in the density of perivascular noradrenergic innervation were noticeable during the ages studied, whereas the density of AChE-reactive fibres supplying vessels reached the adult pattern at 30 days, and then remained unvaried. The density of non-perivascular nerve fiber profiles, specially the AChE reactive type, increased until 30 days, remained unchanged until 75 days and then increased with aging (90-120 days). The interrelationship between the autonomic nervous system and the immune system is discussed

Beta-blocker treatment guided by head-up tilt test in neurally mediated syncope

This study was an open-label, uncontrolled, dose-escalation trial of beta-blockers in patients with a history of syncope without warning or syncope resulting in trauma (malignant vasovagal syncope) who had positive head-up tilt test (HUT) responses, with or without isoproterenol infusion. Thirty patients (mean age, 37 +/- 21 years) with recurrent syncopal and near-syncopal episodes of unexplained origin in the previous year (6 +/- 14 syncopal episodes and 17 +/- 3 near-syncopes) underwent HUT for diagnostic purposes and for guiding prophylactic treatment. After patients were given a 10-minute rest in a recumbent position, rye performed an WT at 70 degrees for 25 minutes; if indicated, isoproterenol testing was performed at incremental dosages (dye steps at 10-minute intervals at 80 degrees), AU patients experienced syncope during HUT, 15 (50%) at baseline HUT and 15 (50%) during isoproterenol infusion (1 to 3 mu g/min; mean, 1.6 mu g/min). Sixteen syncopes were of vasodepressor type, 10 were mixed, and 4 were of cardioinhibitory type. After baseline HUT, betablocking drugs were prescribed to all patients as follows: 1 patient was given propranolol (160 mg daily), and 29 patients were given metoprolol (246 +/- 49 mg daily), with a dose titration period of 14 days. HUT was repeated after 3 weeks, and 24 patients (80%) had negative results (no syncope or anomalous responses). After further dosage adjustment of beta-blockers in nonresponders, a negative HUT was obtained in 28 patients (93%). Overall mean metoprolol daily dose was 262 +/- 60 mg (29 patients), and propranolol was administered at 160 mg daily in 1 patient. Thirteen patients (43%) reported side effects, none of which required drug withdrawal. At an average follow-up of 16 +/- 4 months, none of the patients experienced syncope, a statistically significant reduction. Moreover, a statistically significant reduction in the number of near-syncopal episodes was observed in comparison to the previous year. None of the patients discontinued treatment because of long-term side effects. Beta-blockers were well tolerated and achieved a high rate of efficacy, even in cardioinhibitory syncopes. In conclusion, in selected patients with malignant vasovagal syncope, treatment with metoprolol or propranolol at relatively high doses is feasible and, if guided by HUT results, is associated with a favorable outcome in terms of freedom from syncopal recurrences. Appropriate titration to achieve the full beta-blocking effect appears to be advisable

Conjoined lumbosacral nerve roots: observations on three cases and review of the literature

Lumbosacral nerve root anomalies are a rare group of congenital anatomical anomalies. Various types of anomalies of the lumbosacral nerve roots have been documented in the available international literature. Generally speaking, these anomalies may consist of a bifid, conjoined structure, of a transverse course or of a characteristic anastomized appearance. Firstly described as an incidental finding during autopsies or surgical procedures performed for lumbar disk herniations and often asymptomatic, lumbosacral nerve root anomalies have been more frequently described in the last years due to the advances made in radiological diagnosis (metrizamide myelography and CT, MRI). Our study comprised three patients with conjoined lumbosacral nerve roots, representing 0.25% of a total of 1200 patients who underwent lumbosacral CT/MRI procedures in the Addolorata Hospital and in the Service of Neuroradiology of the University of Rome "La Sapienza" during the last three years (March 2001-March 2004). We report our experience with three cases of conjoined lumbosacral nerve roots and analyze the most important literature on this topic. MR imaging is a better diagnostic procedure (in comparison to CT) for the differentiation of nerve root anomalies and, in particular, coronal sections furnish a precise definition of the profile of the conjoined/enlarged rootlets. In fact, the accurate information derived from MRI of multiple planes may be priceless for the preoperative and diagnostic evaluation of lumbosacral nerve root anomalies

Fine-Tuning Roles of Endogenous Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, TrkB and Sortilin in Colorectal Cancer Cell Survival

International audienceBACKGROUND: Neurotrophin receptors were initially identified in neural cells. They were recently detected in some cancers in association with invasiveness, but the function of these tyrosine kinase receptors was not previously investigated in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We report herein that human CRC cell lines synthesize the neural growth factor Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) under stress conditions (serum starvation). In parallel, CRC cells expressed high- (TrkB) and low-affinity (p75(NTR)) receptors at the plasma membrane, whereas TrkA and TrkC, two other high affinity receptors for NGF and NT-3, respectively, were undetectable. We demonstrate that BDNF induced cell proliferation and had an anti-apoptotic effect mediated through TrkB, as assessed by K252a, a Trk pharmacologic inhibitor. It suppressed both cell proliferation and survival of CRC cells that do not express TrkA nor TrkC. In parallel to the increase of BDNF secretion, sortilin, a protein acting as a neurotrophin transporter as well as a co-receptor for p75(NTR), was increased in the cytoplasm of primary and metastatic CRC cells, which suggests that sortilin could regulate neurotrophin transport in these cells. However, pro-BDNF, also detected in CRC cells, was co-expressed with p75(NTR) at the cell membrane and co-localized with sortilin. In contrast to BDNF, exogenous pro-BDNF induced CRC apoptosis, which suggests that a counterbalance mechanism is involved in the control of CRC cell survival, through sortilin as the co-receptor for p75(NTR), the high affinity receptor for pro-neurotrophins. Likewise, we show that BDNF and TrkB transcripts (and not p75(NTR)) are overexpressed in the patients' tumors by comparison with their adjacent normal tissues, notably in advanced stages of CRC. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results highlight that BDNF and TrkB are essential for CRC cell growth and survival in vitro and in tumors. This autocrine loop could be of major importance to define new targeted therapies

IL BUDGET QUALE STRUMENTO DI GESTIONE DI UN'AZIENDA NON PROFIT

Negli ultimi anni il settore delle aziende non profit ha subito un forte sviluppo per effetto di molteplici fattori, uno dei quali è sicuramente individuabile nella crisi del welfare state, che ha aperto la strada alla creazione di aziende che coadiuvano lo Stato nel fronteggiare gli impegni sociali e suppliscono alle carenze di quest’ultimo nel fornire i servizi richiesti dalla collettività. Tali aziende sono denominate aziende non profit. Con questo termine vengono individuate realtà che operano nei settori più svariati, per citarne alcuni, l’educazione, l’assistenza sanitaria, l’assistenza alle persone bisognose, la cultura, la ricerca. Queste realtà sono accomunate non solamente dall’assenza dello scopo di lucro, ma anche e soprattutto da una spiccata responsabilità sociale nello svolgimento della propria azione, che viene svolta nell’ambito di una efficienza non solo economica ma anche e soprattutto sociale, così da ottenere una piena legittimazione da parte dell’ambiente e degli utenti verso i quali tale attività è rivolta La repentina e continua crescita di un settore ampio e variegato come quello in esame ha comportato l’insorgenza di diversi problemi. Uno di questi è sicuramente costituito dalla necessità di dotarsi di una specifica cultura aziendale, volta a gestire persone e risorse con principi e criteri propri ma con caratteri generali abbastanza simili a quelli delle aziende for profit. Infatti le aziende del terzo settore, pur non perseguendo scopo di lucro, hanno sentito la necessità di assicurare, a se stesse ed ai terzi, utenti e mercato, che la gestione fosse svolta nell’osservanza dei criteri dell'economicità, efficienza ed efficacia. E’ nata, quindi, l’esigenza di dotarsi di strumenti di programmazione e di controllo, proprio come nelle aziende for profit, che permettano di utilizzare al meglio le risorse disponibili che rivestono una notevole importanza all’interno del sistema aziendale, poiché costituiscono una realtà complessa che genera processi di interazione tra i soggetti che agiscono nell’ottica del raggiungimento dei comuni obbiettivi sociali. Tali sistemi gestionali, pur con alcune peculiarità, ben si adattano anche alle realtà operanti nel terzo settore, nonostante siano nati e sviluppati per le aziende for profit. Attraverso il controllo, il management delle aziende non profit è in grado di verificare l'efficacia, efficienza, economicità della gestione condotta, mediante il riscontro della validità degli obiettivi fissati in sede di programmazione (e di pianificazione), dell’efficacia delle azioni poste in essere per il loro raggiungimento e conseguentemente dell’individuazione di eventuali scostamenti rispetto a quanto era stato previsto, ricercarne le cause ed adattare di conseguenza la struttura organizzativa aziendale al mutare delle condizioni di mercato. Il controllo di gestione delle aziende operanti nel terzo settore fa sorgere, pertanto, la necessità di un sistema informativo specifico, in quanto la gestione aziendale di questo tipo di imprese è contraddistinta dalla finalità di tipo sociale, non lucrativo, dell’attività svolta. L’adozione di tale strumento permette di passare da una gestione di tipo intuitivo ad una gestione ragionata che individua obbiettivi, responsabilità e modalità di svolgimento delle diverse attività aziendali. Conseguentemente, anche le persone che vi operano vengono orientate verso obbiettivi precisi, con l’individuazione di attività prestabilite e finalizzate al raggiungimento della mission aziendale. Tra gli strumenti di programmazione assume particolare importanza il documento di budget, che il presente lavoro si pone lo scopo di esaminare. In sostanza il processo di formazione del budget, pur con le dovute peculiarità proprie del settore in esame, non manifesta, come sopra accennato, rilevanti differenze rispetto a quello svolto dalle aziende lucrative, se non per la rilevanza che certi aspetti gestionali assumono rispetto ad altri