A new female-like morph of juvenile male Levant Sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes) – Sexual mimicry to avoid intra-specific predation?

In migrant Levant Sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes) at Eilat, Israel, we noted that juvenile males had two different morphs – the one described to date in literature; and a second, previously undescribed morph, with femalelike barring on the chest and flanks interspersed with tear-shaped elongated spots, giving an overall female-like appearance. Here we forward the hypothesis that explain the evolutionary consequences for the female-like plumage of juvenile males as that of intra-specific sex mimicry developed to avoid intra-specific predation by the larger females

From acute to chronic pain: tapentadol in the progressive stages of this disease entity

OBJECTIVE: Chronic pain is now recognized as a neural disease, which results from a maladaptive functional and structural transformation process occurring over time. In its chronic phase, pain is not just a symptom but also a disease entity. Therefore, pain must be properly addressed, as many patients still report unsatisfactory pain control despite on-going treatment. The selection of the therapy - taking into account the pathophysiological mechanisms of pain - and the right timing can result in a successful analgesic outcome. This review will present the functional and structural modifications leading to chronification of pain, focusing on the role of tapentadol in this setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For inclusion in this review, research studies were retrieved via a keyword-based query of multiple databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane). The search was last updated in November 2016; no limitations were applied. RESULTS: Functional and structural abnormalities of the nervous system associated with pain chronification have been reported in several conditions, including osteoarthritis, chronic back pain, chronic pelvic pain and fibromyalgia. Correct identification and treatment of pain in recurrent/progressive stage is crucial to prevent chronification and related changes in neural structures. Among analgesic drugs, tapentadol, with its dual mechanism of action (opioid agonist and noradrenaline reuptake blocker), has recently resulted active in pain control at both central and spinal level. CONCLUSIONS: Tapentadol represents a suitable candidate for patients at early progressive stage of pain who have developed neuroplasticity with modification of pain pathways. The availability of different doses of tapentadol may help clinicians to tailor treatment based on the individual need of each patient, with the aim to enhance therapeutic appropriateness in the treatment of musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain

KNOWLEDGE AND POWER IN MEASURING THE SUSTAINABLE CORPORATION: STOCK EXCHANGES AS REGULATORS OF ESG FACTORS DISCLOSURE

“Sustainability” surely figures amongst the most discussed themes by corporate lawyers and policymakers at the global level in the last years. In particular, much attention has been devoted to the performance of firms managed in a “sustainable” way and on how to design an ESG (environmental, social, governance) factors disclosure framework that provides meaningful information to investors. At the same time, policymakers around the world believe that non-financial factors disclosure would foster a reallocation of capital to “sustainable” firms, contributing to the solution of some of the most pressing issues of our time. However, what should be measured and how to measure it is not a merely technical issue but depends on political choices: the concept of sustainability should be declined as plural. In order to assess which concept of sustainability is embedded into indicators it is necessary to understand the institutional structures and dynamics of the single reporting frameworks, and which issues they purport to disclose. This paper tackles these issues providing the first academic analysis of the ESG factors disclosure framework elaborated by the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative – a project developed since 2009 under the aegis of the United Nations – and the World Federation of Exchanges – the stock exchanges and clearing houses trade association. In order to understand how and why the analyzed disclosure framework was produced, the paper develops an original conceptual framework that takes into account the nature of indicators as technologies of global governance, the “four actors” model advanced by Büthe and the role of transnational financial associations in the production of global governance rules. Using this theoretical framework, three distinct contributions are made. First, the paper provides a historical and political analysis of this new framework that is able to explain its adoption and implementation, disentangling ESG factors disclosure from corporate social responsibility and socially responsible investment. Second, it analyzes how the articulated structure of the actors involved in the production of the framework determined its content and the underlying concept of sustainability. Finally, it analyses why the structure of the actors involved and the specific conception of ESG factors disclosure hinder full and accurate information disclosure and narrow down the concept of sustainability embedded into the indicators. While the analysis is specific to the Sustainable Stock Exchange Initiative and the World Federation of Exchanges indicators, the theoretical model can be deployed to approach other sustainability frameworks as well

Gender Balance Above Corporate Governance Quotas

Aim of the Study: The paper tries to examine how the evolution of the principles of corporate governance can promote improvement in other fields as well. Specifically, it aims to investigate whether the imposition of quotas on the boards of big corporations encourage gender balance outside the companies themselves Design/Methodology: Through qualitative analysis and descriptive statistics, the paper investigates the secondary effect of the introduction of quota law in Italy. The analysis verified two hypotheses. First is about the under- representation of women within the board of companies not covered by quota law. Second about the percentage of women in key decision-making positions, after the approval of quota law. Findings: The study shows that the imposition of a quota law has an excellent effect on the societies to which the law is addressed directly, but insufficient results in terms of cultural change. Practical Implications: For scholars, this research intends to verify the effectiveness of a coercive systems for the achievement of gender equality. Board members and practitioners could exploit the findings of this research to trace the future path of their companies in the gender area. Policy makers and authorities have a valid tool at their disposal to develop an effective gender policy, basing the choices on objective results, net of political conditioning and bias. Originality/value: Scholars have highlighted the positive effects of quota law in economic terms, while others have outlined the potential in social terms. This last aspect, only generically studied, represents a gap in the literature. For this reason, the paper deepens and investigates the secondary effects of this regulatory approach, about relevant roles of key decision-making positions in the economic, political, and social fields

Los jóvenes de contextos rurales y su relación con las TIC en San Luis, Argentina: Aproximaciones a las prácticas y tensiones en el proceso de apropiación

Los jóvenes de contextos rurales y su relación con las TIC en San Luis, Argentina. Aproximaciones a las prácticas y tensiones en el proceso de apropiación. Resumen Este artículo aborda las maneras en que las juventudes rurales de la provincia de San Luis, Argentina, hacen significativas las tecnologías de la información y comunicación según sus trayectorias de vida. Muestra, a partir de un estudio de caso, los elementos contextuales, históricos y políticos que inciden en la apropiación y los filtros que construyen las diversas juventudes en la vinculación con estos procesos complejos. Se presentan dos grupalidades juveniles diferentes y las maneras en que experimentan las relaciones con las TIC en el cruce entre las culturas locales y los atravesamientos políticos e institucionales ligados a elementos contemporáneos globalizados. Palabras clave: jóvenes rurales, apropiación social, culturas locales, trayectorias de vida, adjudicación de sentidos.Este artigo discute as maneiras em que as juventudes rurais da província de San Luis, Argentina, fazem significativas as tecnologias da informação e comunicação segundo suas trajectórias de vida. Mostra, com base em um estudo de caso, os elementos contextuais, históricos e políticos que incidem na apropriação e os filtros que constroem as juventudes na vinculação com estes processos complexos. Apresentam-se dois grupalidades juvenis diferentes e as maneiras em que experimentam as relações com as TIC no cruze entre as culturas locais e os atravesamientos políticos e institucionais unidos a elementos contemporâneos globalizado.This article discusses the ways in which rural youth in the province of San Luis, Argentina, become significant technologies of information and communication as their life trajectories. From a case study, evidence contextual, historical and political factors that affect the interpretation and filters that build diverse youths in linking to these complex processes. This paper proposes two categories about rural youth and different ways to experience relationships with ICT at the crossroads between local cultures and globalized contemporary elements.Fil: Fornasari, María Elisa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentin

Covid-19 State Aid in the European Tourism Sector

The tourism sector has been deeply affected by covid-19 due to traveling restrictions to prevent virus diffusion and the consequent prudence of people. The impact on the sector has been pervasive and mined the going concern of a lot of activities, such as hotels, tour operators, museums, spas, beaches, and many others. States, stimulated by the European Union, has introduced economic subsidies and liquidity supports with the aim to face the economic crisis of the sector, mitigating the risk of insolvency and bankruptcy. National governments had the power to choose the tools to face the pandemic: accounts receivable, government guarantees on loans, capital grants, tax relief, etc. The mix of these policies, together with the ability of the different Countries to optimize the efficiency and the effectiveness of such instruments, has enabled the crisis to be tackled from Country to Country. With the aim to evaluate the performance of the policy mix stimulated by the European Union and adopted by the States, aneconomic and financial analysis has been carried out, using the methodology of ratios. The investigation concerns the touristic sector and investigates the balance sheet of all the European hotels and accommodation structures, for the years 2019 and 2020. Already in 2019, data show a varied scenario among European Countries, while, as expected, a generalized worsening occurs, in 2020. The ratio analysis highlighted the ability ofState aid actions to alleviate the impact of the economic crisis on the sector

Family business: innovation and tradition in a global economy

Eighty-five percent of Italian companies are run as a family business. They are considered vital for Italian economy. The purpose of this thesis is to study how these companies challenge the global market to understand if the globalization can cause them disadvantages or benefits. The study explains what a family business is and who are the components that can be part of it. Then it focuses on the structure of the firms, how the families run their businesses and organize the tasks between the family members. This thesis considers the strategies of innovation adopted by the family to remain competitive in the national and global industry as opposite to non-family run businesses. Then it examines how the management of these businesses chooses to innovate and preserve tradition, balancing the need of renovation and the processes that helped the firm rise

Are Gender Quotas Working Properly?

The objective of this article is to investigate the extent to which corporate governance principles can have an impact on other areas, specifically by examining whether the introduction of quotas for women on corporate boards can promote gender balance beyond the companies themselves. Through data collection and analysis, the study examines the secondary effects of quota laws in Italy and tests two hypotheses: first, whether women are underrepresented on boards of companies not covered by quota laws, and second, whether the percentage of women in key decision-making positions increases after the introduction of quota laws. The research methodology adopted for this paper is mixed and starts from a research question, whose answer is the result of the validation of two hypothesis. The study reveals that while quota laws have a positive effect on gender equality within the companies directly affected, they may not necessarily lead to wider cultural change. The research provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of coercive systems for achieving gender equality, which can be used by practitioners and board members to guide their companies' efforts in the area of gender equality, and by policymakers and authorities to develop effective gender policies based on objective results rather than political bias. By exploring the potential social impact of this regulatory approach, specifically on key decision-making positions in the economic, political, and social fields, the paper addresses a gap in the literature that has previously focused mainly on the positive economic effects of gender equality