137 research outputs found
Bank Capital and Lending Behaviour: Empirical Evidence for Italy
This paper investigates the existence of cross-sectional differences in the response of lending to monetary policy and GDP shocks owing to a different degree of bank capitalization. The effects on lending of shocks to bank capital that are caused by a specific (higher than 8 per cent) solvency ratio for highly risky banks are also analyzed. The paper adds to the existing literature in three ways. First, it considers a measure of capitalization (the excess capital) that is better able to control for the riskiness of banksĂâ portfolios than the well-known capital-to-asset ratio. Second, it disentangles the effects of the "bank lending channel" from those of the "bank capital channel" in the case of a monetary shock; it also provides an explanation for asymmetric effects of GDP shocks on lending based on the link between bank capital and risk aversion. Third, it uses a unique dataset of quarterly data for Italian banks over the period 1992-2001; the full coverage of banks and the long sample period helps to overcome some distributional bias detected for other available public datasets. The results indicate that well-capitalized banks can better shield their lending from monetary policy shocks as they have easier access to non-deposit fund-raising consistently with the "bank lending channel" hypothesis. A "bank capital channel" is also detected, with stronger effects for cooperative banks that have a larger maturity mismatch. Capitalization also influences the way banks react to GDP shocks. Again, the credit supply of well-capitalized banks is less pro-cyclical. The introduction of a specific solvency ratio for highly risky banks determines an overall reduction in lending.Basel standards; monetary transmission mechanisms; bank lending; bank capital
Bank heterogeneity and interest rate setting: what lessons have we learned since Lehman Brothers?
A substantial literature has investigated the role of relationship lending in shielding borrowers from idiosyncratic shocks. Much less is known about how lending relationships and bank-specific characteristics affect the functioning of the credit market in an economy-wide crisis, when banks may find it difficult to perform the role of shock absorbers. We investigate how bank-specific characteristics (size, liquidity, capitalization, funding structure) and the bank-firm relationship have influenced interest rate setting since the collapse of Lehman Brothers. Unlike the existing literature, which has focused chiefly on the amount of credit granted during the crisis, we look at its cost. The data on a large sample of loans from Italian banks to non-financial firms suggest that close lending relationships kept firms more insulated from the financial crisis. Further, spreads increased by less for the customers of well-capitalized, liquid banks and those engaged mainly in traditional lending business.bank interest rate setting, lending relationship, bank lending channel, financial crisis.
Prodotti alternativi con carne di Podolica
La sostenibilitĂ economica delle aree interne deve essere
governata da una migliore valutazione e relativa riqualificazione dei prodotti agricoli, in modo particolare per quelli piĂč apprezzati dal consumatore che misura la qualitĂ del prodotto come il rapporto fra i contenuti quanti-qualitativi di nutrienti e le proprie esigenze. In questo contesto, Ăš stato
condotto uno studio mirato a valutare le caratteristiche qualitative
della carne di vitelloni Podolici e la possibilitĂ di unâutilizzazione
della carne con modalitĂ alternative a quelle corrent
Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of donkey milk kefir fortified with sulla honey and rosemary essential oil during refrigerated storage
The aim of this work was to evaluate the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of donkey keïŹrfortiïŹed with sulla honey and rosemary essential oil, during refrigerated storage. The type ofïŹavouring strongly inïŹuenced the antioxidant activity of the keïŹr: rosemary essential oil keïŹrshowed the highest 2,20-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid values; sulla honey keïŹrshowed the highest ferric-reducing antioxidant power values but, at the same time, in both fortiïŹedkeïŹrs, the thiol content decreased, probably because of the formation of polyphenol-protein com-plexes that would have inïŹuence the availability of bioactive components. The antioxidant activityincreased signiïŹcantly during refrigerated storage, showing the highest values after 15 days. Sen-sory analysis highlighted the fact that the donkey keïŹr was well accepted by consumers. Addition ofsulla honey resulted in the highest acceptability, while addition of rosemary essential oil keïŹr wasless accepted by consumers. This knowledge provides a basis that could lead to the production offortiïŹed donkey keïŹr with speciïŹc nutraceutical characteristics
Effect of species on the distribution and oxidative stability of milk added of lead and cadmium
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of species on added lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) content in cow, buffalo, and goat milk and their distribution in fat, casein, and whey fractions. In addition, the oxidative stability of the milk was evaluated. Most of the Pb and Cd were recovered in the skimmed milk (96.74 and 94.21%, respectively). The distribution of Cd and Pb in casein and whey fractions, obtained by enzymatic coagulation, highlighted that they were mainly associated with casein (on average 94.77 and 90.54% of Pb and Cd, respectively). The species significantly affected the distribution of Cd and Pb in the casein and fat fractions (p < 0.01). In particular, Cd and Pb levels in fat fraction were the highest in the buffalo milk, whereas casein fraction was the highest in bovine milk. Furthermore, the presence of metals negatively influenced the oxidative stability of the milk and the species influenced its response. The results showed that in the presence of Cd and Pb, bovine milk increased the content of Malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and dithyrosines compared to other species. In addition, there was a significant decrease in the thiol content, highlighting a reduction in the antioxidant capacity of the contaminated milk
Antioxidant activity of different cheese-honey combinations before and after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different cheese-honey combinations on antioxidant activity before and
after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, using the 2,2âČ-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulfonic acid (ABTS),
and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Honey addition significantly enhanced the antioxidant
activity of cheese samples (P < 0.05). The antioxidant activity of in vitro digested samples was significantly
lower than the undigested ones. However, digested cheese-honey combination showed a percentage decrease of
antioxidant activity lower than plain cheese. The cheese and honey types affected the percentage decrease of
antioxidant activity in the digested samples, this is mainly due to the bioaccessibility of the honey polyphenols
after digestion. Sensory analysis showed that all cheese-honey combinations were well accepted by the consumers, the health information on higher antioxidant capacity of dark honeys has not influenced the degree of
acceptability of consumers, who preferred the cheese - clear honey combination
Fatty acids composition, cholesterol and vitamin E contents of Longissimus dorsi and Semitendinosus muscles of Suino Nero Lucano pigs slaughtered at two different weights
The nutritional quality of the lipid fraction of two muscles (Longissimus dorsi and Semitendinous) from Italian
autochthonous genotype Suino Nero Lucano pigs slaughtered at two different weights was evaluated. Meat of Suino Nero
Lucano pig showed a relatively low content of cholesterol and a higher proportion of unsaturated (UFA) than saturated fatty
acids (SFA). Total cholesterol content was influenced by muscle, being higher in Longissimus dorsi (LD) than in
Semitendinous (ST) muscle. No significant effects related to slaughter weight or muscle were found regarding vitamin
Econtent. Slaughter weight strongly influenced n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) contents that decreased with
increasing weight, and consequently, PUFA/SFA ratio. Muscle markedly influenced the contents of SFA, monounsaturated
fatty acids (MUFA), and PUFA, and the dietetic properties of the meat. ST muscle, compared with the LD muscle, showed
higher PUFA/SFA and PUFA n-6/PUFA n-3 ratios, and lower atherogenic and thrombogenic indices
Chemical and Functional Characterization of Propolis Collected from Different Areas of South Italy
This study investigated the chemical and functional characterization of propolis collected
in southern Italy, in particular in Basilicata, a region rich in ecological and vegetative biodiversity.
Sixteen samples of propolis, collected within a radius of 40 km from each other in the Basilicata
region, showed significant differences between the chemical and functional parameters investigated:
color index (L*, a*, b*; p < 0.05) and variation in chemical composition and antioxidant activities by
ABTS and FRAP assays. In general, Lucanian propolis had a low content of waxes (p < 0.05) and a
high content of resin (p < 0.05) and balsams (p < 0.05). The content of the total phenolic compounds
and flavonoids was highly variable, as was the biological capacity. In conclusion, Lucanian propolis
showed remarkable variability, highlighting significant diversification according to the geographical
position and the diversity of the flora surrounding the apiary that the bees use as a source of resin. This
study, therefore, contributes to the enhancement of the quality of propolis, laying the foundations for
the production and marketing of propolis not only in the food industry but also in the pharmaceutical
and cosmetic industries
A comparative study on phenolic profile, vitamin C content and antioxidant activity of Italian honeys of different botanical origin
The aim of our study was to identify and quantify the phenolic acids, flavonoids and vitamin C and to
evaluate the antioxidant activity in ninety Italian honeys of different botanical origins (chestnut, sulla,
eucalyptus, citrus and multifloral). The results showed that total phenolic and flavonoid contents varied
from 11.08 to 14.26 mg GAE per 100 g honey and from 5.82 to 12.52 mg QE per 100 g honey, respectively.
HPLCâUV analysis showed a similar but quantitatively different phenolic profile of the studied
honeys. Vitamin C is present in all samples. Multifloral honey showed the highest amount of the detected
total phenolic compounds and the highest vitamin C content. The DPPH value varied from 55.06 to
75.37%. Among the unifloral honeys, chestnut honey presented the highest levels of phenolic acids, flavonoids
and vitamin C, which are closely associated with its high antioxidant activity. The results show that
honey contains high amount of biologically active compounds, which play an important role in defining
the nutraceutical quality of the product, and that the distribution of these compounds is influenced by the
botanical origin
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