Birds of a feather flock together and get money from the crowd

In constructing online alternative finance instruments as a new form of financial democratization and financial inclusion, this article aims at verifying the presence of similarity effect in equity crowdfunding investments. Discussion focuses on ethnic and gender similarity between the seekers and investors that sustained the project. Our analysis is based on 5,996 personal investors that have participated in 81 equity crowdfunding campaigns, on Crowdcube, a British equity crowdfunding platform from 2011 and 2016. Results show that in equity crowdfunding gender and ethnic similarities play different role based on investors’ characteristics - gender, ethnicity and the combination of two. In particular, ethnic similarity positively influence the level of amount invested by both female and male investors belonging to an ethnic minority. Even if female investors tend to prefer male company, their preference changes if a female proponent belonging to an ethnic minority runs the company. From a practical perspective, our findings shed new light on how individual characteristics can be important factor in financing situations. Results allow entrepreneurs and equity crowdfunding platforms to understand better potential investor behaviour and highlights the role of equity crowdfunding as tool for minorities’ financial inclusion and women entrepreneur empowerment

Combined Management of Groundwater Resources and Water Supply Systems at Basin Scale Under Climate Change

Water stress conditions associated with population growth, climate change, and groundwater contamination, represent a significant challenge for all stakeholders in the water sector. Increasing the resilience of Water Supply Systems (WSSs) becomes of fundamental importance: along with an adequate level of service, sustainability targets must be ensured. A long-term management strategy is strictly connected to a holistic approach, based on analyses at different scales. To this end, both groundwater modeling tools and water management models, with different spatial and temporal scales, are routinely and independently employed. Here, we propose a coupled approach combining: i) groundwater models (MODFLOW) to investigate different stress scenarios, involving climate change and anthropic activities; ii) water management models (Aquator), to assess the water resources availability and the best long-term management strategy for large-scale WSS. The management models are implemented starting from input and output flows derived by groundwater models: this leads to establish a comprehensive framework usually not defined in management models and including a quantitative characterization of the aquifer. The proposed methodology, general and applicable to any study area, is here implemented to the WSS of Reggio Emilia Province, and its main groundwater resource, the Enza aquifer, considering three different stress scenarios for groundwater models (BAU, ST1, and ST2), and for management strategies (BAU, BAURV2, ST2). Among the key results, we observe that coupling the two model types: i) allows evaluating water resources availability in connection with management rules; ii) leads to examining more realistic operation choices; iii) permits planning of infrastructures at basin scale

Thermal, viscoelastic and mechanical behavior of polypropylene with synthetic boehmite alumina nanoparticles

Effects of nanofiller concentration and surface treatments on the morphology, thermal, viscoelastic and mechanical behaviors of polypropylene copolymer (PP)/boehmite alumina (BA) nanocomposites were investigated. Both untreated and treated BA particles with octylsilane (OS) and with sulphonic acid compound (OS2) were added up to 10 wt% to produce nanocomposites by melt mixing followed by film blow molding and hot pressing. Dispersion of BA was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray scattering were adopted to detect changes in the crystalline structure of PP. Thermooxidative degradation of the nanocomposites was assessed by thermogravimetrical analysis. Dynamic mechanical analysis served for studying the viscoelastic, whereas quasi-static tensile, creep and Elmendorf tear tests were used to detect changes in the mechanical performance. BA nanoparticles were finely dispersed in PP up to 10 wt%, even when they were not surface modified. The resistance to thermal degradation was markedly improved by BA nanomodification. Changes observed in the mechanical properties were attributed to BA dispersion, filler/matrix interactions and related effects because the crystalline characteristics of the PP matrix practically did not change with BA modification

Diffusion of biosimilar hemopoietic growth factors use in oncology practice: an Italian experience

Background: Biosimilars of hemopoietic growth factors present an important saving opportunity in oncology. However, while pharmacologists are aware of their potential benefits, biosimilars are still under-used in Italy. Improved information and guided clinical experience may help to increase the clinical acceptance of these drugs. To this aim, a collaborative educational project was set between an Hospital Oncology Unit and the Local Health Care Authority in Pavia, Italy. Methods: The project lasted 12 months. The strategy included an education-information seminar at startup, a reporting meeting at +6$+6$ months, electronic prescription monitoring and implementation of pharmacovigilance. The target was set to reach 90% of all naïve patients treated with biosimilars. Results: At the end of the study (2013), a dramatic relative increase in the prescription of biosimilar drugs was noted, with virtually 100% of new patients receiving biosimilar drugs during the last 4 months, with a positive impact on average per capita drug expenses. Active pharmacovigilance did not report any serious adverse drug reactions. An anonymous questionnaire showed that oncologists judged the experience quite positively, acquired a positive attitude toward these drugs and considered biosimilars a relevant saving opportunity, while adherence to prescription guidelines was maintained. Analysis of the year following the end of the project, 2014, showed a persistent prescription change. Conclusions: Results from this local experience suggests that specifically designed pragmatic interventions focused on information-education and monitoring may help in promoting the use and acceptance of biosimilar drugs in the real clinical setting

Is Eriophyes mali Nalepa present in Italy?

In the last few years, blistering symptoms were observed on apple plants in commercial orchards. Blisters are commonly found on apple leaves as well as on small fruits. This symptom is compatible with that described for apple blister mites belonging to the genus Eriophyes (Eriophyidae). To assess the identity of the etiological agent, leaf blisters and buds of symptomatic apple and, as a control, pear plants were examined under the dissection microscope and eriophyoid mites were collected. Specimens were examined using both molecular and morphological approaches. The analysis of sequences confirmed that eriophyoid mites collected from symptomatic apple and pear plants are genetically different. Our analyses highlight a complex scenario inside the genus Eriophyes that is worth to be studied in more detai

Management of duodenal stump fistula after gastrectomy for malignant disease: A systematic review of the literature

Background: Duodenal stump fistula (DSF) remains one of the most serious complications following subtotal or total gastrectomy, as it endangers patient's life. DSF is related to high mortality (16-20%) and morbidity (75%) rates. DSF-related morbidity always leads to longer hospitalization times due to medical and surgical complications such as wound infections, intra-abdominal abscesses, intra-abdominal bleeding, acute pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis, severe malnutrition, fluids and electrolytes disorders, diffuse peritonitis, and pneumonia. Our systematic review aimed at improving our understanding of such surgical complication, focusing on nonsurgical and surgical DSF management in patients undergoing gastric resection for gastric cancer. Methods: We performed a systematic literature review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases were used to search all related literature. Results: The 20 included articles covered an approximately 40 years-study period (1979-2017), with a total 294 patient population. DSF diagnosis occurred between the fifth and tenth postoperative day. Main DSF-related complications were sepsis, abdominal abscess, wound infection, pneumonia, and intra-abdominal bleeding. DSF treatment was divided into four categories: conservative (101 cases), endoscopic (4 cases), percutaneous (82 cases), and surgical (157 cases). Length of hospitalization was 21-39 days, ranging from 1 to 1035 days. Healing time was 19-63 days, ranging from 1 to 1035 days. DSF-related mortality rate recorded 18.7%. Conclusions: DSF is a rare but potentially lethal complication after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Early DSF diagnosis is crucial in reducing DSF-related morbidity and mortality. Conservative and/or endoscopic/percutaneous treatments is/are the first choice. However, if the patient clinical condition worsens, surgery becomes mandatory and duodenostomy appears to be the most effective surgical procedure