The relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and dysfunctional technology use among adolescents

Objectives Since two decades scientific research is studying excessive and dysfunctional new technologies use and its influences on people’s lives, in terms of personal, relational, scholastic and work functioning impairment. The objectives of the present study are to investigate gender differences in problematic new technologies use as well as to examine the relationship between problematic new technologies use, emotional regulation and its specific dimensions. Methods 280 italian adolescents (51.1% males) aged 11 to 18 years (mean age = 13.31; SD = 2.33) were recruited from two italian secondary public schools and involved in this study. Data were collected using the Internet Addiction Test, the Video Game Dependency Scale, the Brief Multicultural Version of the Test of Mobile-Phone Dependence and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Results Results indicate significant association between emotion dysregulation and problematic internet (r = .504; p < .001), videogame (r = .372; p < .001), mobile-phone (r = .424; p < .001) use. These results support hypothesis that adolescents with greater emotion dysregulation are more likely to experience problematic new technologies use. Additionally, stepwise multiple regression analysis pointed out that the lack of effective emotion regulation strategies is a common risk factors between the problematic new technologies use, but regression analysis highlighted specific risk factors for some of the investigated dependent behaviors. Conclusions Findings of this study highlight a link between problematic new technologies use, emotion dysregulation and its specific dimensions. The results are discussed considering scientific advances and the role of emotional dysregulation in determining problematic new technologies use in adolescence. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm our data

Nonlinear acceleration wave propagation in the DKM theory

We study the evolutionary development of an acceleration wave propagating in a saturated porous material according to a Biot theory proposed by Donskoy, Khashanah and McKee. The theory is fully nonlinear, includes dissipation, and the analysis presented is exact. We derive sufficient conditions to show that two distinct waves propagate, a fast wave and a slower wave. A solution for the wave amplitude is presented for a wave moving into an equilibrium region

Corporate Governance, Investment, Profitability and Insolvency Risk: Evidence from Italy

The research aims to study the structural and functional characteristics of food and beverage companies, focusing on corporate governance, investment and financing decisions, innovation, profitability, and risk of insolvency. The analysis is based on a mixed type investigation method carried out on a random stratified sample of 274 firms. The empirical findings reveal that a large prevalence of companies is owned by a single person or by a limited number of partners (often of the same family). Owners and their families centralize decision-making power. The prevalence of companies made investment in innovation. The investments are mainly financed (78%) by the self-financing or by shareholders' capital. The investigation of the causal relationships that link corporate risk, profitability, and the propensity to invest and innovate with the other explanatory variables of business management highlighted further significant aspects

Governance, Innovation, Profitability, and Credit Risk: Evidence from Italian manufacturing firms

The research focuses attention on companies in the chemical-plastic sector, investigating corporate governance, investment and financing decisions, innovation, profitability, and credit risk. The investigation method used is mixed. The data and information were extracted from official databases and from a structured questionnaire. The stratified random method was used for sampling. 178 firms are included in the sample. The results show a prevalence of companies owned by a single person or a limited number of shareholders (in some cases of the same family), where the owners centralize decision-making power. Companies have a strong propensity to invest in innovation. Investments are mainly financed by self-financing or equity capital. The analysis of the causal relationships highlights further significant aspects relating to credit risk, profitability and innovation

Doubly multiplicative error models with long- and short-run components

We suggest the Doubly Multiplicative Error class of models (DMEM) for modeling and forecasting realized volatility, which combines two components accommodating long-run, respectively, short-run features in the data. Three such models are considered, the SPLINE-MEM which fits a spline to the slow-moving pattern of volatility, the Component-MEM which uses daily data for both components, and the MEM-MIDAS which exploits the logic of MIxed-DAta Sampling (MIDAS) methods. The parameters are estimated by the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), for which we establish the theoretical properties and the equivalence with the Quasi Maximum Likelihood (QML) estimator under a Gamma assumption. The empirical application involves the S&amp;P 500, NASDAQ, FTSE 100, DAX, Nikkei and Hang Seng indices: irrespective of the market, the DMEM’s generally outperform the HAR and other relevant GARCH-type models

A Catalytic and Selective Scissoring Molecular Tool for Quadruplex Nucleic Acids

A copper complex embedded in the structure of a water-soluble naphthalene diimide has been designed to bind and cleave G-quadruplex DNA. We describe the properties of this ligand, including its catalytic activity in the generation of ROS. FRET melting, CD, NMR, gel sequencing, and mass spectrometry experiments highlight a unique and unexpected selectivity in cleaving G-quadruplex sequences. This selectivity relies both on the binding affinity and structural features of the targeted G-quadruplexes

GPER agonist G-1 decreases adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) cell growth in vitro and in vivo

We have previously demonstrated that estrogen receptor (ER) alpha (ESR1) increases proliferation of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) through both an estrogen-dependent and -independent (induced by IGF-II/IGF1R pathways) manner. Then, the use of tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), appears effective in reducing ACC growth in vitro and in vivo. However, tamoxifen not only exerts antiestrogenic activity, but also acts as full agonist on the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER). Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a non-steroidal GPER agonist G-1 in modulating ACC cell growth. We found that G-1 is able to exert a growth inhibitory effect on H295R cells both in vitro and, as xenograft model, in vivo. Treatment of H295R cells with G-1 induced cell cycle arrest, DNA damage and cell death by the activation of the intrinsic apoptotic mechanism. These events required sustained extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 activation. Silencing of GPER by a specific shRNA partially reversed G-1-mediated cell growth inhibition without affecting ERK activation. These data suggest the existence of G-1 activated but GPER-independent effects that remain to be clarified. In conclusion, this study provides a rational to further study G-1 mechanism of action in order to include this drug as a treatment option to the limited therapy of ACC

Nanofluids for direct-absorption solar collectors—DASCs : a review on recent progress and future perspectives

Owing to their superior optical and thermal properties over conventional fluids, nanofluids represent an innovative approach for use as working fluids in direct-absorption solar collectors for efficient solar-to-thermal energy conversion. The application of nanofluids in direct-absorption solar collectors demands high-performance solar thermal nanofluids that exhibit exceptional physical and chemical stability over long periods and under a variety of operating, fluid dynamics, and temperature conditions. In this review, we discuss recent developments in the field of nanofluids utilized in direct-absorption solar collectors in terms of their preparation techniques, optical behaviours, solar thermal energy conversion performance, as well as their physical and thermal stability, along with the experimental setups and calculation approaches used. We also highlight the challenges associated with the practical implementation of nanofluid-based direct-absorption solar collectors and offer suggestions and an outlook for the future