Economics, Politics, and the International Principles for Sound Compensation Practices: An Analysis of Executive Pay at European banks

In this Article, we submit that the compensation structures at banks before the financial crisis were not necessarily flawed and that recent reforms in this area largely reflect already existing best practices. In Part I we review recent empirical studies on corporate governance and executive pay at banks and suggest that there is no strong support for regulating bankers\u27 compensation structures. We also argue that detailed regulation of incentives would subtract essential decisionmaking powers from boards of directors and make compensation structures too rigid. In Part II we note that political support for regulating bankers\u27 pay has been strong and led to reforms promoting long- term incentives to executives on the assumption that short-term incentives were a cause of the crisis. The Financial Stability Board Principles for Sound Compensation Practices (the Principles\u27) follow this trend, at the same time representing a political compromise between the various interest groups concerned. They pick up traditional compensation criteria from pre-crisis best practices, adapting them to the post-crisis setting, while leaving some flexibility in pay structures. We suggest that a certain degree of flexibility should be kept when implementing the Principles in national jurisdictions. In Part III we analyze the regulatory developments concerning executive pay at banks in Europe and find variations in the implementation of the Principles. We also show that remuneration policies at large European banks are converging toward the international Principles, while varying in the implementation of individual standards. However, recent EU reforms may change the situation considerably by imposing detailed requirements as to pay structures in the financial sector. The analysis in Parts I, II, and III speaks directly to this issue by explaining why historic baselines will prove effective in certain applications but decidedly problematic in others

European overview of sustainable policies and approaches in COST C25 member countries

The implementation of the principles and methods towards a Sustainable Construction varies across different countries in Europe. In some countries, the sustainability of the construction sector has been effectively taken into consideration over the last years, while in other its implementation is at an initial stage. Many reasons may be pointed out for this situation. Different countries have different understandings of what is entailed in Sustainable Construction. Different cultural and educational backgrounds, along with different priorities in each country, are also contributing for the lack of a common European approach. General frameworks, aiming to cover every aspect of Sustainable Construction and to provide a consistent and integrated approach, such as Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction, gave a major advance in the search for a common approach for the construction sector. However, general agreed methodologies and tools to make this common approach operational are still missing.European Science Foundation - COST Action C2

DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France

We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.39–3.02, p < 0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.18–0.99, p = 0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700

Adsorption of Ni(II) from Aqueous Media on Biodegradable Natural Polymers—Sarkanda Grass Lignin

Heavy metals are pollutants that pose a risk to living systems due to their high toxicity and ability to accumulate and contaminate. This study proposes an alternative approach to the static adsorption of Ni(II) from aqueous media using Sarkanda grass lignin crystals, the non-cellulosic aromatic component of biomass, as an adsorbent substrate. To determine the best experimental conditions, we conducted tests on several parameters, including the initial and adsorbent solution pH, the concentration of Ni(II) in the aqueous solution, the amount of adsorbent used, and the contact time at the interface. The lignin’s adsorption capacity was evaluated using the Freundlich and Langmuir models to establish equilibrium conditions. The Lagergren I and Ho–McKay II kinetic models were used to determine the adsorption mechanism based on surface analyses and biological parameters such as the number of germinated seeds, energy, and germination capacity in wheat caryopses (variety Glosa) incorporated in the contaminated lignin and in the filtrates resulting from phase separation. The results suggest that Sarkanda grass lignin is effective in adsorbing Ni(II) from aqueous media, particularly in terms of adsorbent/adsorbate dosage and interfacial contact time

Agriculture 4.0: Polymer Hydrogels as Delivery Agents of Active Ingredients

The evolution from conventional to modern agricultural practices, characterized by Agriculture 4.0 principles such as the application of innovative materials, smart water, and nutrition management, addresses the present-day challenges of food supply. In this context, polymer hydrogels have become a promising material for enhancing agricultural productivity due to their ability to retain and then release water, which can help alleviate the need for frequent irrigation in dryland environments. Furthermore, the controlled release of fertilizers by the hydrogels decreases chemical overdosing risks and the environmental impact associated with the use of agrochemicals. The potential of polymer hydrogels in sustainable agriculture and farming and their impact on soil quality is revealed by their ability to deliver nutritional and protective active ingredients. Thus, the impact of hydrogels on plant growth, development, and yield was discussed. The question of which hydrogels are more suitable for agriculture—natural or synthetic—is debatable, as both have their merits and drawbacks. An analysis of polymer hydrogel life cycles in terms of their initial material has shown the advantage of bio-based hydrogels, such as cellulose, lignin, starch, alginate, chitosan, and their derivatives and hybrids, aligning with sustainable practices and reducing dependence on non-renewable resources

Effects of Hybrid Polymeric Material Based on Polycaprolactone on the Environment

Polymers are of great interest in areas such as agriculture, medicine and pharmacy, the food and cosmetic industries, and the chemical and construction industries. However, many polymers are nonbiodegradable and are not environmentally friendly. They are highly resistant to degradation and therefore can lead to waste disposal problems. In recent years, the interest in the microbial degradation of polymeric materials has grown due to the desire for less waste pollution in the environment. In this study, the biodegradable polymer that was obtained by the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (CL) using an aminopropyl-polydimethylsiloxane (APDMS) oligomer and the effects of the polymer towards the growth and development of tomato plants (Lypercosium esculentum) were investigated. The obtained product was characterized using FTIR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDX) analysis, and the effects of this compound on the evolution of tomato plants (Lypercosium esculentum) were studied. We also studied the biological stability of the product by identifying some of the microorganisms that developed on the surface, given its susceptibility to biodegradation

Comparison Adsorption of Cd (II) onto Lignin and Polysaccharide-Based Polymers

Given the predominantly negative impact of heavy metals on living organisms, the present study proposed to evaluate the adsorption performances under static conditions of Cd (II) from aqueous solutions on unmodified Sarkanda grass lignin compared to the adsorption performances of polysaccharide polymers chemically functionalized, obtained by synthesis and in their native state, but which, although effective, have a cost price that does not allow for large-scale expansion. To improve the retention of Cd (II) on this aromatic component of the biomass resulting from the processing of lignocellulosic materials, different experimental conditions (pH, concentration, dose and contact time) were followed. The Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were used to describe the equilibrium conditions. Adsorption kinetics were assessed using the Lagergren I and Ho and McKay II kinetic models, furnishing informative insights into the process mechanism. Lignin adsorption capacity was also analyzed by performing biological tests on tomato seeds (Lypercosium esculentum), since heavy metals are known to be a stress factor for seeds by disturbing the osmotic equilibrium. Through the prism of the investigated parameters and under precisely established experimental conditions, unmodified Sarkanda grass lignin—an aromatic biopolymer—can be recommended as a promising adsorbent for the retention of Cd (II) from aqueous solutions, successfully replacing polysaccharide, especially cellulose-based polymers