Constraints on the trilinear Higgs self coupling from precision observables

We present the constraints on the trilinear Higgs self coupling that arise from loop effects in the $W$ boson mass and the effective sine predictions. We compute the contributions to these precision observables of two-loop diagrams featuring an anomalous trilinear Higgs self coupling. We explicitly show that the same anomalous contributions are found if the analysis of $m_{ \scriptscriptstyle W}$ and \mbox{\sin^2 \theta^{{\rm lep}}_{{\rm eff}}} is performed in a theory in which the scalar potential in the Standard Model Lagrangian is modified by an (in)finite tower of $(\Phi^\dagger \Phi)^n$ terms with $\Phi$ the Higgs doublet. We find that the bounds on the trilinear Higgs self coupling from precision observables are competitive with those coming from Higgs pair production.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures; V2: References added, version published on JHE

Optimal Investment and Financial Strategies under Tax Rate Uncertainty

In this paper we apply a real-option model to study the effects of tax rate uncertainty on a firm's decisions. In doing so, we depart from the relevant literature, which focuses on fully equity-financed investment project. By letting a representative firm borrow optimally, we show that debt finance not only encourages investment activities but can also substantially mitigate the effect of tax rate uncertainty on investment timing.capital levy, corporate taxation, default risk, real options

Optimal Investment and Financial Strategies under Tax Rate Uncertainty

In this paper we apply a real-option model to study the effects of tax rate uncertainty on a firm's decisions. In doing so, we depart from the relevant literature, which focuses on fully equity-financed investment projects. By letting a representative firm borrow optimally, we show that debt finance not only encourages investment activities but can also substantially mitigate the effect of tax rate uncertainty on investment timing.Capital Levy, Corporate Taxation, Default Risk, Real Options

Moonlighting Politicians: Motivation Matters!

In this paper we study optimal choices of self-selection into politics and commitment once in office on the part of citizens with heterogeneous abilities and heterogeneous motivations. Politicians can moonlight, i.e., they can work in the market sector while appointed in parliament. Our theoretical framework shows that high-ability citizens may enter politics. Yet while high-ability non-motivated (market-fit) politicians are likely to shirk, high-ability motivated (public-fit) ones are more committed to parliamentary activity. We test our predictions by using a unique database of Italian parliamentarians for the period 1996-2006. We find evidence of advantageous selection of the market-fit and the public-fit politicians in that they both display a pre-election income greater than that of the Italian population. We also show that the commitment of the market-fit parliamentarians in terms of voting attendance is negatively affected by income opportunities, whilst this is not the case for the public-fit ones

Corporate Taxation and Financial Strategies Under Asymmetric Information

In this article we study the corporate tax effects on credit market equilibria. In particular, we develop a model that accounts for five pieces of evidence: i) the existence of a tax incentive to borrow, ii) the negative relationship between leverage and profitability, iii) the existence of asymmetric information in credit markets, iv) the screening activity of lenders and v) the business cycle effects on the spread between the high-yield and the investment-grade interest rates on corporate loans. Assuming the existence of two types of firms, we show that either a separating or a pooling credit market equilibrium can arise. More importantly, the equilibrium is crucially affected by corporate taxation. Given these results, we also provide a welfare analysis and discuss corporate tax policy implications

Genetic Polymorphisms and Ischemic Heart Disease

Although the progression in diagnostic tools, prevention strategies, and therapies, ischemic heart disease still represents the major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide that globally represents an important problem for individuals and healthcare resources. By convention, ischemic heart disease is associated with the presence of an atherosclerotic plaque that is able to limit the flow in large-medium-sized coronary arteries. Nevertheless, several findings suggest a more complex pathophysiology of ischemic heart disease. At this time, there is no well-defined assessment of myocardial ischemia pathophysiology. Moreover, several data have identified genetic variations at different loci that are linked with ischemic heart disease susceptibility. This chapter aims to examine this complicated disease and to review the evidence on the genetic heritability acting with other factors in determining the presence of ischemic heart disease, due to either an obstruction in epicardial vessels or a dysfunction of coronary microcirculation

Dealing with Multilingualism in EU Institutions: The Implications of Enlargement from a Managerial Perspective

The European Union is a particularly complex experiment in the management of multilingualism, as compared to other international and supranational organizations, since each Member State has the right to have its own Language recognized as an official language. The 2004 enlargement proved especially challenging, with eight new official languages joining the list. The study compares the ways in which this challenge was met in different EU institutions. Good planning and differentiated managerial solutions, coherent with the mandate and constraints of different institutions, allowed the EU to manage a complex transition in such a way to balance successfully the pressure to control costs and the need to ensure democratic participation to all EU citizens, irrespective of their Language skills

Diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease. the role of ion channels

Diabetes mellitus is one the strongest risk factors for cardiovascular disease and, in particular, for ischemic heart disease (IHD). The pathophysiology of myocardial ischemia in diabetic patients is complex and not fully understood: some diabetic patients have mainly coronary stenosis obstructing blood flow to the myocardium; others present with coronary microvascular disease with an absence of plaques in the epicardial vessels. Ion channels acting in the cross-talk between the myocardial energy state and coronary blood flow may play a role in the pathophysiology of IHD in diabetic patients. In particular, some genetic variants for ATP-dependent potassium channels seem to be involved in the determinism of IH

Il ruolo delle risorse immateriali nell'esercizio della funzione di public governance: da modello teorico a pratica gestionale

In ricordo del professor Roberto Gusmani (1935-2009), gi\ue0 Rettore e storico Decano dell'Universit\ue0 di Udine, prestigioso glottologo di fama internazionale e stimatissimo docente nelle Facolt\ue0 di Lingue e di Lettere, \ue8 riunita in quest'opera in due volumi una cospicua serie di rigorosi e importanti saggi, sia di docenti udinesi che di autorevoli studiosi di linguistica italiani e stranieri. Nel primo volume numerosi docenti delle Facolt\ue0 di Lingue e di Lettere dell'Ateneo udinese si sono impegnati, con passione e acribia, nelle rispettive discipline. I saggi cos\uec raccolti spaziano, con rigore e vivacit\ue0, dalla storia alla letteratura inglese, dalla geografia alla letteratura italiana, dalla pedagogia alla letteratura francese. Nel secondo volume (in due tomi) la comunit\ue0 scientifica dei linguisti ha testimoniato con la sua larga e qualificata partecipazione la continuit\ue0 della lezione di Gusmani