Can domestic trade credit insurance contracts be effective collateral for banks? A quantitative study of the Italian market

A domestic credit insurance contract is a policy that covers the risk of the non-payment of future commercial credit as a result of the failure to pay within the agreed terms and conditions (protracted default) or the insolvency of the buyer. To evaluate the effective level of financial protection offered by trade credit policies, we collected a database of contracts issued between 2006 and 2013 by a number of Italian insurance companies, which account for 80-85% of the Italian market.Wefind that, to be considered as able to mitigate credit risk, the policies must have their contract clauses changed. In that case, such a policy, if accepted by the supervisory authority, could permit banks to reduce the capital requirement connected with the discount of trade credits. These results are particularly important for insurance companies

Tevere bene comune ovvero come ritrovare un rapporto fra il fiume e la città

Nell’ambito della call for papers internazionale DIVERSEcity promossa all’interno della programmazione della Biennale dello Spazio Pubblico 2019 sono stati selezionati i migliori contributi saggistici e progettuali su temi e parole chiave inerenti alla programmazione della Biennale, declinati nell’ambito dei 17 obiettivi che l’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite, nel 2015, ha identificato per individuare le ineludibili azioni tese al miglioramento dello sviluppo del pianeta in termini di sostenibilità ed equità, per sollecitare un approccio critico, per favorire un dialogo multidisciplinare a partire dalla relazione tra spazi pubblici e diversità. La partecipazione, aperta alle differenti competenze disciplinari, è stata finalizzata alla realizzazione di una pubblicazione digitale, edita dal CNAPPC, i cui materiali sono consultabili on line (in attesa dell’attribuzione di ISBN) al sito http://www.cittacreative.eu/ Il contributo presentato ha partecipato alla call, è stato presentato nell’ambito delle giornate della Biennale il pomeriggio del 31 maggio (aula Nervi). Il contributo nasce dalla ricerca sul Rapporto fiume città, portata avanti nell'ambito del Contratto di Fiume Tevere da Castel Giubileo alla foce. Il Contratto di Fiume è uno strumento relativamente sconosciuto, non convenzionale, ma occasione in molte Regioni italiane per superare i problemi di coerenza fra livelli di governo e far partecipare i cittadini coinvolgendoli nel processo di costruzione del Contratto. A Roma nel giugno 2017, grazie ad Agenda Tevere onlus, è stato firmato il Manifesto di Intenti del CdF Tevere da Castel Giubileo alla Foce che coinvolge, amministrazioni pubbliche, università, enti di ricerca, ordini professionali, imprenditori privati, ma soprattutto associazioni territoriali e di volontariato. Fra i tavoli di lavoro attivati dopo la stesura del Manifesto, uno, in particolare, coordinato da Antonella Galassi, ricercatore del Dipartimento di Pianificazione Design Tecnologia dell'Architettura, e composto da docenti e dottorandi del Dipartimento PDTA e del Dipartimento DIET, da architetti dell'AIAPP, da Tecnici dell'Autorità di Bacino del Tevere e da responsabili di associazioni culturali e sportive si caratterizza per rispondere all’obiettivo del recupero del Tevere come bene comune e del rapporto tra la città e il suo fiume attraverso quattro temi chiave: il paesaggio urbano, perché il Tevere è un tutt’uno con la città ed è elemento identitario alla scala urbana; lo spazio pubblico, perché il Tevere deve tornare ad essere un luogo della città, componente urbana essenziale e luogo di aggregazione rappresentativo delle eterogenee identità fluviali e urbane; la fruizione sostenibile, perché il Tevere deve essere un luogo per la città, luogo di usi urbani contemporanei, compatibili con le diverse componenti ambientali e paesaggistiche; la partecipazione attiva, perché gli interventi di trasformazione sul Tevere debbono essere condivisi nella città, coinvolgendo le molteplici associazioni che da anni si impegnano per la tutela e la riqualificazione del Fiume e del suo contesto e per un diverso rapporto fiume/città.This chapter is the result of the call for papers Diversecity, promoted within the programming of the Biennale of Public Space 2019. The best essay and design contributions on themes and key words related to the programming of the Biennale were selected, declined in the context of the 17 objectives 'The United Nations Organization, in 2015, choosen to identify the actions for improving the development of the planet (sustainability and equity),soliciting a critical approach, favoring a multidisciplinary dialogue starting from the relationship between public spaces and diversity . The participation, open to the different disciplinary competences, was finalized to the realization of a digital publication, published by the CNAPPC, whose materials can be consulted online (pending the attribution of ISBN) to the site http://www.cittacreative.eu / The present contribution regarding Tiber river and River Contract value participated in the call and explained during the Biennale days. The River Contract is an unconventional planning procedure able to promote participation on issues of recovery and enhancement of rivers. In 2017, in Rome started the procedure for the signing of the River Contract of the Tiber from Castel Giubileo to the Foce by Agenda Tevere. Among the work tables, one aims to recover the Tiber as a common good and the relationship between the city and its river through four key themes: the urban landscape; public space; sustainable use; active participation

Caracterização das proteínas caveolinas -1 e -2 na placenta de conceptos bovinos clonados transgênicos

The transgenic application of green fluorescent protein (GFP) as fetal cell marker on cattle cloned placenta could provide an exclusive model for studying the morphologic and immunologic maternal-fetal interactions, providing information about its mapping, distinguishing the fetal from maternal cells. This model will have direct application, mainly because these animals present problems during its development. With this model's support, we intend to verify the substances transport between mother and fetus during endocytosis, through the immunolocalization of protein named caveolae. For these, we used 06 cloned bovine and 30 cattle samples of artificial insemination (AI) with 90 days of pregnancy, which had been their development interrupted by humanitarian slaughter of the recipient and recovery of the pregnant uterus. We collected the placentome and the chorion. A part of the samples was cut and fixed, by immersion, on a solution containing 4% of parafomaldehyde or 10% of formaldehyde on a sodium phosphate buffer (PBS), at 0,1 M pH 7.4, Zamboni solution (4% of paraformaldehyde, 15% of picric acid, on sodium phosphate buffer 0,1 M pH 7.4), metacarn (60% of metanol, 30% of chloroform, and 10% glacial acetic acid), for morphologic and immunohistochemistry verification for caveolinas proteins -1 and -2 (CAV -1 and CAV-2). The caveolins -1 were found in fetal and maternal villi, but its strongest staining was observed in the endometrial stroma. The caveolins -2 had positive staining in trophoblast and chorioallantoic membrane, and specifically in giant trophoblastic binucleated cell. Therefore the results were compared between cloned cattle and from AI or natural mating, for assisting on detection of the reason of many placental alterations, embryonic losses, spontaneous abortion, post-natal mortality and large offspring syndrome on laboratory-manipulated animals. The result suggests that the proteins caveolins -1 and -2 (CAV-1 and CAV-2) are part of the caveolae composition and important structures related to the molecule transfer to the fetus, nourish it through endocytosis and pinocytosis.A utilização da transgenia com a proteína fluorescente verde (GFP) como marcador de células de origem fetal nas placentas de clones bovinos servirá de modelo inédito para estudo morfofisiológico e imunológico da interação materno-fetal, visto que possibilitará o seu mapeamento, diferenciando as células fetais das maternas. Tal modelo terá aplicação direta, principalmente porque estes são animais que apresentam problemas em relação ao seu desenvolvimento. Com o auxílio deste modelo, pretende-se verificar o transporte de substâncias entre a mãe e o feto via endocitose, pela imunolocalização das proteínas chamadas de caveolinas. Para tanto foram utilizados 06 bovinos clonados e 30 bovinos de inseminação artificial (IA) com idade até 90 dias de gestação, os quais tiveram seu desenvolvimento interrompido mediante abate humanitário das receptoras e ovariosalpingohisterectomia, com posterior recuperação do útero gestante. Foram coletados os placentônios e o cório. Uma parte das amostras foi recortada e fixada, por imersão, em solução de parafolmaldeído a 4% ou formoldeído a 10% em tampão fosfato de sódio (PBS) a 0,1M pH 7.4, solução de Zamboni (4% de paraformoldeído, 15% de ácido pícrico, em tampão fosfato de sódio a 0,1M pH 7.4), metacarn (60% de metanol, 30% de clorofórmio, e 10% de ácido acético glacial), para verificação da morfologia e realização de imuno-histoquímica para as proteínas caveolinas -1 e -2 (CAV -1 e CAV-2). As caveolinas -1 foram localizadas nos vilos fetais e maternos, mas sua marcação mais forte foi observada no estroma endometrial. As caveolinas -2 tiveram marcação positiva no trofoblasto e membrana córioalantoide, e, especificamente em célula trofoblástica gigante binucleada. Sendo assim, os resultados mostram que a proteína CAV-1 teve uma maior expressão em relação à proteína CAV-2 e que as proteínas CAV-1 e -2 são parte da composição das cavéolas, sendo estruturas importantes e relacionadas com a transferência de moléculas para o feto, realizando a nutrição do mesmo mediante endocitose e pinocitose

The interval between the emergence of pharmacologically synchronized ovarian follicular waves and ovum pickup does not significantly affect in vitro embryo production in Bos indicus, Bos taurus, and Bubalus bubalis

The aim of the present study was to determine the optimal phase of the follicular wave to perform ovum pickup (OPU) for in vitro embryo production (IVEP) in various genetic groups. For this purpose, 27 heifers-nine Bos taurus (Holstein), nine Bos indicus (Nelore), and nine Bubalus bubalis (Mediterranean)-were maintained under the same nutritional, management, and environmental conditions. Heifers within each genetic group were submitted to six consecutive OPU trials with 14-day intersession intervals, at three different phases of the pharmacologically synchronized follicular wave (Day 1, 3, or 5 after follicular wave emergence), in a 3 x 3 crossover design. When OPU was performed at different phases of the pharmacologically synchronized follicular wave (Day 1, 3, or 5), no differences were found in the percent of oocytes recovered (70.5 +/- 3.1%, 75.0 +/- 3.1%, 76.0 +/- 3.2%, respectively; P = 0.41) or blastocyst production rates (19.4 +/- 2.9%, 16.6 +/- 2.9%, 15.9 +/- 2.6%, respectively; P = 0.36). Comparing genetic groups, B indicus showed a higher blastocyst rate (28.3(a) +/- 2.8%; P < 0.01) than B taurus and B bubalis (14.1(b) +/- 2.9% and 10.2(b) +/- 2.0%, respectively). However, only B indicus heifers showed a variation in the number of visualized follicles and the total and viable oocytes along consecutive OPU sessions. In conclusion, different phases of the pharmacologically synchronized ovarian follicular wave did not affect OPU-IVEP in B indicus, B taurus, and B bubalis heifers. Additionally, B indicus heifers showed greater OPU-IVEP efficiency than did the other genetic groups, under the same management conditions.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Feasibility, efficacy, and functional relevance of automated auditory closed-loop suppression of slow-wave sleep in humans.

Slow-wave sleep (SWS) is a fundamental physiological process, and its modulation is of interest for basic science and clinical applications. However, automatised protocols for the suppression of SWS are lacking. We describe the development of a novel protocol for the automated detection (based on the whole head topography of frontal slow waves) and suppression of SWS (through closed-loop modulated randomised pulsed noise), and assessed the feasibility, efficacy and functional relevance compared to sham stimulation in 15 healthy young adults in a repeated-measure sleep laboratory study. Auditory compared to sham stimulation resulted in a highly significant reduction of SWS by 30% without affecting total sleep time. The reduction of SWS was associated with an increase in lighter non-rapid eye movement sleep and a shift of slow-wave activity towards the end of the night, indicative of a homeostatic response and functional relevance. Still, cumulative slow-wave activity across the night was significantly reduced by 23%. Undisturbed sleep led to an evening to morning reduction of wake electroencephalographic theta activity, thought to reflect synaptic downscaling during SWS, while suppression of SWS inhibited this dissipation. We provide evidence for the feasibility, efficacy, and functional relevance of a novel fully automated protocol for SWS suppression based on auditory closed-loop stimulation. Future work is needed to further test for functional relevance and potential clinical applications

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data