The impact of the Board of Director's composition on companies performance

The impact of the Board of Directors’ composition on companies’ performance This paper studies the impact that the board of directors’ composition has on companies’ performance in the Italian market. The research has been carried out by using a sample of 10 Italian companies, across different market sectors, over a period of 10 years (2005-2014). The characteristics of the BoD taken into consideration are the following: board size, board diversity (% of female directors), board independence and CEO duality. Results from the sample data collected concluded that these factors have a statistically significant impact on the performance of the companies that have been analysed

Una lectura biorregional de los paisajes rurales de las zonas interiores italianas y el potencial regenerativo del turismo rural. El caso del proyecto VENTO

Talking about abandonment means talking about fragile territories that need a regeneration territorial project. In this paper the phenomenon of abandonment becomes an opportunity to identify relationships between unused resources, anthropic dynamics, original landscapes. Bioregionalism is proposed as a possible theoretical approach that guides actions of project, reveals and holds together tangible and intangible resources and identifies the most suitable spatial scale for regeneration of depopulated territories. VENTO project, the 780 km cycle route financed by Italian Ministries that connects northern Italy, becomes a case study to investigate the potential of the slow line to be a bioregional project.Hablar de abandono significa hablar de territorios frágiles que necesitan un proyecto de regeneración territorial. En este artículo, el fenómeno del abandono se convierte en una oportunidad para identificar relaciones entre recursos no utilizados, dinámicas antrópicas y paisajes originales. El biorregionalismo se propone como un posible enfoque teórico que guíe las acciones del proyecto, revele y mantenga unidos los recursos tangibles e intangibles e identifique la escala espacial más adecuada para la regeneración de los territorios despoblados. El proyecto VENTO, una ruta ciclista de 780 km, financiada por Ministerios italianos, que conecta el norte de Italia, se convierte en un estudio de caso para investigar el potencial de la línea lenta para ser un proyecto biorregional

Agroturismo y “líneas lentas”: prácticas híbridas para un modelo de diseño de paisaje para apoyo a la agricultura de las regiones de montaña. El caso de Vermont desde la perspectiva italiana

The recent pandemic has brought mountain areas back to the centre of many political and academic debates. Amid the increasing desertification of these areas, the need to protect the cultural and natural heritage has become an emergency. In this perspective, the growing social sensitivity towards mountain areas can contribute to a new landscape design model capable of being the driving force for sustainable development. A combination of agritourism and slow tourism can serve as an opportunity to support the rural economy of mountain areas. To explore this possibility, the case of Vermont (USA) is analysed by exploring some specific practices that lead to concrete reflections on new landscape synergies. In the light of the great debate underway, there are the premises beacause mountains returns to the center of citizens and politics choices, not to be appendages to cities but places rich in resources to be valued in all their authenticity. In this perspective, the growing social sensitivity towards mountain areas can contribute to tourism capable of being the driving force for low-impact development of territory. We are talking about a tourism that allows the tourist to appreciate landscape and cultural resources and the local communities to activate micro-economies that make it possible to stabilize the social roots in territories that have long been subject to depopulation. This means a tourism which, avoiding the romantic rhetoric of mountain places, proposes concrete actions that fall within a clear planning framework oriented towards resource-based development. The combination of mountain agriculture and slow tourism on the line (trails, paths and cycle paths) can be an opportunity not only to support the rural economy of the mountain areas, but also to provide a physical infrastructure for the territorial protection of the farm landscape. To explore this possibility, the case of the state of Vermont (USA) is analyzed, where it has been possible to make marginality a strong point. By comparing Vermont with some Italian mountainous regions and exploring some specific practices and their impact on the territory, it will be possible to identify some scenarios and perspectives useful for a common policy for supporting mountain agriculture.La reciente pandemia ha vuelto a situar las zonas de montaña en el centro de muchos debates políticos y académicos. En un contexto de creciente desertización de estas zonas, la necesidad de proteger el patrimonio cultural y natural se convierte en una emergencia. En esta perspectiva, la creciente sensibilidad social hacia las zonas de montaña puede contribuir a un nuevo modelo de diseño del paisaje capaz de ser el motor de un desarrollo sostenible. La combinación de agroturismo y “turismo lento” puede ser una oportunidad para apoyar la economía rural de las zonas de montaña. Para explorar esta posibilidad se analiza el caso de Vermont (Estados Unidos de América), explorando algunas prácticas específicas que conducen a reflexiones concretas sobre nuevas sinergias paisajísticas

Liver involvement in patients with COVID-19 infection: A comprehensive overview of diagnostic imaging features

During the first wave of the pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has been considered mainly as a pulmonary infection. However, different clinical and radiological manifestations were observed over time, including involvement of abdominal organs. Nowadays, the liver is considered one of the main affected abdominal organs. Hepatic involvement may be caused by either a direct damage by the virus or an indirect damage related to COVID-19 induced thrombosis or to the use of different drugs. After clinical assessment, radiology plays a key role in the evaluation of liver involvement. Ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to evaluate liver involvement. US is widely available and it is considered the first-line technique to assess liver involvement in COVID-19 infection, in particular liver steatosis and portal-vein thrombosis. CT and MRI are used as second- and third-line techniques, respectively, considering their higher sensitivity and specificity compared to US for assessment of both parenchyma and vascularization. This review aims to the spectrum of COVID-19 liver involvement and the most common imaging features of COVID-19 liver damage

Spatial multiple criteria decision aiding approach to enhance cultural heritage in fragile vulnerable contexts

The introduction of the concept of sustainable development in the field of cultural heritage preservation has stressed the importance of a holistic approach. Achieving a balance among cultural significance retention and economic development is a challenging policy and design territorial issue, even more in fragile and vulnerable contexts with limited resources, low return expectations and a huge tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Given such a complexity, decisions require to be based on robust methodologies in order to address choices toward a balanced trade-off between conflictual goals. In this perspective, Spatial Multicriteria Decision Aiding methodologies can support decision makers along all the steps of the process, moving from intelligence to design and, finally, to choice phase. Within this approach, we have focused on the intelligence phase with the purpose of defining a multi- dimensional analytical framework aimed at mapping cultural heritage with a special attention to the territorial features. The proposed frame- work points out the challenge of structuring a decision problem related to cultural heritage widespread along slow mobility routes. The pi- lot case study is represented by an on-going cycle route that crosses Northern Italy transversely. The results obtained are value maps that provide recommendations for the definition of potential regeneration strategies to be transferred to similar territorial contexts

Echocardiography findings in COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units: a multi-national observational study (the ECHO-COVID study)

Purpose: Severely ill patients affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) develop circulatory failure. We aimed to report patterns of left and right ventricular dysfunction in the first echocardiography following admission to intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: Retrospective, descriptive study that collected echocardiographic and clinical information from severely ill COVID-19 patients admitted to 14 ICUs in 8 countries. Patients admitted to ICU who received at least one echocardiography between 1st February 2020 and 30th June 2021 were included. Clinical and echocardiographic data were uploaded using a secured web-based electronic database (REDCap). Results: Six hundred and seventy-seven patients were included and the first echo was performed 2 [1, 4] days after ICU admission. The median age was 65 [56, 73] years, and 71% were male. Left ventricle (LV) and/or right ventricle (RV) systolic dysfunction were found in 234 (34.5%) patients. 149 (22%) patients had LV systolic dysfunction (with or without RV dysfunction) without LV dilatation and no elevation in filling pressure. 152 (22.5%) had RV systolic dysfunction. In 517 patients with information on both paradoxical septal motion and quantitative RV size, 90 (17.4%) had acute cor pulmonale (ACP). ACP was associated with mechanical ventilation (OR > 4), pulmonary embolism (OR > 5) and increased PaCO2. Exploratory analyses showed that patients with ACP and older age were more likely to die in hospital (including ICU). Conclusion: Almost one-third of this cohort of critically ill COVID-19 patients exhibited abnormal LV and/or RV systolic function in their first echocardiography assessment. While LV systolic dysfunction appears similar to septic cardiomyopathy, RV systolic dysfunction was related to pressure overload due to positive pressure ventilation, hypercapnia and pulmonary embolism. ACP and age seemed to be associated with mortality in this cohort

Agritourism and slow lines: hybrid practices for a landscape design model to support agriculture in mountain regions. Vermont as read from an Italian perspective

The recent pandemic has brought mountain areas back to the centre of many political and academic debates. Amid the increasing desertification of these areas, the need to protect the cultural and natural heritage has become an emergency. In this perspective, the growing social sensitivity towards mountain areas can contribute to a new landscape design model capable of being the driving force for sustainable development. A combination of agritourism and slow tourism can serve as an opportunity to support the rural economy of mountain areas. To explore this possibility, the case of Vermont (USA) is analysed by exploring some specific practices that lead to concrete reflections on new landscape synergies

Dalla pratica al progetto, verso il 2023. Dieci casi studio per un'applicazione progettuale dell'agroecologia.

Il momento storico di grande fermento sul piano delle politiche agricole Europee e Nazionali rappresenta una soglia storica di opportunità̀ per riflettere sui processi di trasformazione dell’ambiente e del paesaggio. Si tratta di strumenti che si pongono spesso medesimi obiettivi, pur rimandando ad un quadro di azioni apparentemente frammentate. Per rispondere a queste numerose sollecitazioni, il Consiglio Nazionale della Green Economy (in condivisione con la FAO) vede nell’agroecologia un’unica risposta comune, che può facilitare il miglioramento delle prestazioni ambientali, dell’economia circolare e dell’inclusione sociale. In questo contesto, è importante ricordare la complessità dei territori ibridi marginali del nostro Paese, sottoposti a continue pressioni e fragilità̀ (l’uso dei pesticidi, il consumo di suolo, etc). Questa problematicità̀ multidimensionale richiede letture e soluzioni altrettanto sfaccettate, che lavorino sul patrimonio dell’agricoltura in maniera sistemica. In questo contesto si inserisce il seguente lavoro, il cui obiettivo generale è una riflessione sul ruolo dell’agroecologia nella strutturazione di un nuovo modello rurale, transcalare e integrato. Per affrontare questo tema verranno presentati parte di alcuni risultati di una ricerca condotta con l’University of Vermont, che ha visto l’indagine di 10 aziende periurbane milanesi e romane. La ricerca aveva come obiettivo quello di analizzare il ruolo potenziale del progetto di paesaggio nella valorizzazione dei servizi ecosistemici di aziende agricole agroecologiche situate in contesti complessi