Backward Elastic p3He Scattering at Energies 1 - 2 GeV

The two-body transfer amplitude for the rearrangement process i+(jkl) - j+(ikl) is constructed on the basis of technique of 4-dimensional covariant nonrelativistic graphs. The developed formalism is applied to describing backward elastic $p^3He$ scattering in the energy range 0.5 - 1.7 GeV. Numerical calculations performed using the 5- channel wave function of the $^3He$ nucleus show that the transfer of a noninteracting np- pair dominates and explains satisfactorily the energy and angular dependence of the differential cross section at energies 0.9 - 1.7$GeV. A weak sensitivity to high momentum components of the$~^3He$ wave function in spite of large momentum transfer as well as a very important role of rescatterings in the initial and final states are established.Comment: 7 pages, Latex, 3 Postscript figure

Governance Structures in Italian Family SMEs

This paper is focused on governance structures, which are analyzed in a two-fold theoretical perspective, that is both contractual (agency theory) and relational (social capital theory), and in the context of Italian family and non-family SMEs The paper intends to offer three types of contributions to governance literature. First, we focus on the whole set of bodies which can be involved in governance and not only on boards of directors. Family firms of small and medium size are generally supposed to feature quite simple governance structures. The paper shows that, on the contrary, they can be fairly elaborate and identifies basic archetypes. Second, we explore archetypes of governance structures. Literature on SMEs and family business governance generally assumes that bodies like the shareholders meeting and the board of directors are often paper ones. This study highlights - for the first time in Italy - to what extent governance structures simply exist and to what extent they are actually used. We posit that increasing ownership complexity and company size induce companies to set up more articulated governance structures in terms of both existence and functioning. Another hypothesis we make is that governance structures are utilized less in family firms than in non-family firms. Third, family business governance literature shows that governance structures may serve either the purpose of reducing agency threats (which is particularly true for \u201cofficial\u201d corporate bodies) or the purpose to create trust, unity and commitment in the firm (which is especially the case of \u201cunofficial\u201d ones like the family council). Our study shows how in family firms official and unofficial bodies can be both present; particularly, it tests the hypothesis that the former are less used than the latter. All the hypotheses have been tested on a statistically representative sample of 546 Italian small and medium-sized businesses, returned from an 15157 mailing sample to an initial population of 94,504 SMEs. Questionnaires were sent to company leaders

Phenotype of early cardiomyopathic changes induced by active immunization of rats with a synthetic peptide corresponding to the second extracellular loop of the human β(1)-adrenergic receptor

In the failing human heart, due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, it has been suggested that the β(1)-adrenergic receptor (β(1)AR) is a potential pathogenic autoantigen. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether immunization of rats with a synthetic peptide corresponding to the second extracellular loop of the β(1)AR (β(1)AR EC(II)) was able to induce the early stage of cardiomyopathy and also to investigate immunological and receptor functional parameters at a transcriptional level to permit insights into the autoimmune mechanism in cardiomyopathy. Eleven Whistar Fur rats were immunized with a β(1)AR EC(II) peptide (H26R) once a month during 12 months and seven control rats were injected with vehicle according to the same procedure used for the immunized group. Cardiac function, β(1)AR autoantibodies and their functional effects on cardiomyocytes were analysed. β(1)AR receptor signalling, immunological and cardiomyocyte stretch markers were determined on transcriptional level. In H26R immunized rats, β(1)AR autoantibodies were shown to be present and functionally active, cardiac functions in terms of fractional shortening were decreased and β(1)-adrenergic receptor kinase (GRK2) mRNA were increased compared with the control group. These data have shown that immunization of rats with a putative antigenic peptide was able to induce an early stage phenotype of cardiomyopathy in the form of cardiac dysfunction and up-regulation of GRK2 as the first step in the desensitization process of the β(1)AR, implying the pathological importance of the β(1)AR autoantibody