166 research outputs found
Corporate governance and performance: An analysis of Italian listed companies
In recent years, both corporate governance and performance
management have been subjected to considerable changes. In
this dynamic context, it is interesting to study the evolution of
the relationship between performance and governance. Does
governance still affect performance? The purpose of this paper
is to verify the presence and intensity (extent) of the
relationship between corporate governance and performance in
Italian listed companies by using both accounting and nonaccounting performance measures. The purpose of this paper is
to investigate the effects of prior firm performance on board
composition and governance structure of some companies
listed on the Italian stock exchange, analysing how a governance
approach influences the performance of sample companies. For
the research the methodology used is quantitative and we used
regression analysis on a sample of 23 Italian listed companies:
mechanical companies and public utilities to find that the
company's performance was positively related to the size of the
board. The empirical analysis conducted allowed us to verify the
hypothesis according to which the increase in Corporate
Governance Best Practices influences company performance.
However, the results we have received do not allow us to arrive
at completely unequivocal interpretations. The results showed
we have received do not allow us to arrive at completely
unequivocal interpretations; the main limit is the sample size
used in this study was relatively small
A Janus Molecule for Screen-Printable Conductive Carbon Ink for Composites with Superior Stretchability
Inspired by decades of research in the compatibilization of fillers into elastomeric composites for high-performance materials, a novel polyurethane-based stretchable carbon ink is created by taking advantage of a Janus molecule, 2-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)propane-1,3-diol (serinol pyrrole, SP). SP is used to functionalize the carbon and comonomer in the polymer phase. The use of SPs in both the organic and inorganic phases results in an improved interaction between the two phases. When printed, the functionalized material has a factor 1.5 lower resistance-strain dependence when compared to its unfunctionalized analogue. This behavior is superior to commercially available carbon inks. To demonstrate the suitability of ink in an industrial application, an all-printed, elastomer-based force sensor is fabricated. This “pyrrole methodology” is scalable and broadly applicable, laying the foundation for the realization of printed functionalities with improved electromechanical performance.</p
repair of congenital mitral valve dysplasia in infants and children is it always possible
Objectives: Surgical management of congenital malformation of the mitral valve (MV) in the pediatric age group remains a therapeutic challenge for the wide spectrum of the morphological abnormalities and the high incidence of associated cardiac anomalies. We reviewed our experience so as to assess whether MV conservative surgery is always advisable and its results are superior to MV replacement. Methods: Thirty-four consecutive children (20 male and 14 female) with a mean age of 5.9 years (range 45 days‐18 years) treated surgically for congenital MV disease between January 1987 and June 1999. Four patients (11.7%) were under 12 months of age, while 21 patients (62%) were younger than 5 years. Twenty-two patients presented with MV incompetence (or prevalent incompetence), while 12 presented with stenosis (or prevalent stenosis). Associated cardiac lesions were present in 22 patients (62.8%). Results: Mitral valve reconstruction was possible in all. There were no operative deaths. Three patients required reoperation for MV restenosis (a re-repair in one and MV replacement with mechanical prosthesis in two) 4 months, 27 months and 5.6 years after repair with no operative deaths. There was only one late death for prosthetic valve thrombosis. Follow-up data reveal that the 33 surviving patients are asymptomatic and well 4 months‐12 years (mean 72 months) after surgery. At 12 years, actuarial survival and freedom from reoperation are 96.8 and 85.9%, respectively. Echocardiography performed in all of them shows no or mild incompetence or stenosis in 26 (78%), while residual moderate MV incompetence persists in six. Conclusions: Our experience indicates that MV reconstructive procedures in infants and children with congenital MV dysplasia may be effective and reliable with low mortality and low incidence of reoperation rate. Mitral valve repair should always be attempted, especially in infants, despite the frequent severity of MV dysplasia, to avoid the drawbacks of the currently available prostheses. q 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
Minimally invasive implantation of continuous flow left ventricular assist devices: the evolution of surgical techniques in a single centre experience
To evaluate the evolution of our surgical experience with the implantation of a continuous flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD), from the original full sternotomy approach to less invasive surgical strategies including mini-sternotomy and/or mini-thoracotomies
Functionalization of graphene related materials with biosourced C-3 and C-6 building blocks. From synthesis to applications
The functionalization of sp2 carbon allotropes is one of the hot research topics in advanced research
on materials. Nowadays, carbon nanotubes and graphene related materials are extensively studied
due to their exceptional mechanical and electrical properties. They are capable of substantially
improving the properties of polymeric materials. Their functionalization is a crucial step, for allowing
an even dispersion in the matrix.
In this research, the functionalization of graphene related materials was performed with biosourced
C-3 and C-6 molecules. They were glycerol and galactaric acid derivatives: pyrrole
compounds (PyC) and 2-pyrones. The reactions for their synthesis and for the carbon
allotrope functionalization were green and characterized by high atom efficiency, with a yield up to
96%. Indeed, the reactions were carried out in the absence of solvents and catalysts and adducts were
obtained by simply mixing, with the help of either thermal or mechanical energy. The developed
functionalization methods were successful for: carbon black, carbon nanotubes, few layers graphene.
The bulk structure of the carbon substrate was left substantially unaltered: functionalization occurred
in peripheral positions, at the edges of the graphene layers. Functional groups of defined chemical
structure were covalently bound to the carbon material and stable adducts, up to very high
temperature, were formed. Reliable hypotheses for the functionalization mechanisms were
elaborated. In Figure 1b the supposed domino reaction based on the pyrrole compound, with the Diels
Alder cycloaddition as the last step is represented.
Such functionalization technique was developed as a pervasive technology, which allowed to pursue
a variety of applications: (i) decoration with metals to obtain catalysts for the selective deuteration of
pharmaceutical molecules as well as antibacterial ingredients (ii) rubber compounds for
dynamic-mechanical applications (tires) (iii) conductive inks
A Difficult Case of Ventriculitis in a 40-Year-Old Woman with Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Ventriculitis and nosocomial meningitis caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative and vancomycin-resistant Gram-positive bacteria represent a growing treatment challenge. A case of ventriculitis and bacteremia caused by carbapenem-resistant, KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a young woman with acute leukemia who was successfully treated with meropenem/vaborbactam (MVB), rifampicin, and linezolid is described in this paper. This case report emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary strategy, including infectious focus control, for the treatment of device-associated central nervous system (CNS) infections from multidrug-resistant bacteria. Considering the novel resistance patterns, more research on drug penetration into the central nervous system, as well as on the necessity of association therapies, is needed
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