Private equity and venture capital markets in Europe

This review article provides a comprehensive outlook of the European Venture Capital and Private Equity markets. Venture Capital investments are a fundamental pillar for the future of European firms and European innovation. They are increasing at an unforeseen rate, leveraging on the unprecedented size of the resources available and the huge opportunities, as the ESG paradigm, arising in the continent. The literature entangling venture capital in Europe is relatively young. Nevertheless, Europe represents an excellent ground to test research ideas, as the venture capital markets considered are mature but rich in variety of specificities withi

The Cuticular Hydrocarbons of Dasineura Oleae Show Differences Between Sex, Adult Age and Mating Status

: In insects, cuticular lipids prevent water loss and act as semiochemicals. Because of their ecological function, the profile change across the insects' sex and development offers insight into insect biology and possible tools for pest management. Here, the first work on cecidomyiid cuticular extracts is proposed considering Dasineura oleae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) males and females at different adult ages (0-12 h, 12-24 h, 24-36 h) and distinct sexual conditions (virgin and mated). A set of 49 compounds were recorded (12 alkanes, 1 monomethyl alkane, 11 fatty acids, 4 esters, 1 aldehyde, 1 allylbenzene, 1 amine, 1 flavonoid, 1 ketone, 1 phenol, 1 steradiene, 1 sterol, 1 terpene, 1 triterpene and 11 unknown compounds), and 18 of them showed significant differences between groups. Among alkanes, hexacosane (nC26) exhibited a decreasing trend from the youngest to the oldest females, while pentacosane (nC25) and nonacosane (nC29) showed a decreasing trend from 0 to 12 h to 12-24 h virgin females. In addition, nonadecane (nC19) was significantly more abundant in the youngest males compared to older males and females. The alkanes nC25, nC26 and nC29 have been reported to be age-related also in other dipterans, while nC19 has been described as gender-specific chemical cue for platygastrid parasitoids. Further behavioural trials and analyses are required to assign the specific ecological roles to the characterized compounds. Our results may contribute to develop new low-impact control strategies relying on the manipulation of D. oleae's chemical communication (e.g. disruption of mating or species recognition). HIGHLIGHTS: • Cuticular hydrocarbons are often involved in dipteran intraspecific communication. • We explored the cuticular profile of D. oleae at different age, sex, mating condition. • Five alkanes and one mono-methyl alkane showed differences among groups. • Linoleic acid is the most abundant compound in virgins, absent in mated insects. • Eleven compounds disappear in mated insects, but were present in all virgins

First evidence of yawn contagion in a wild monkey species

Yawn contagion occurs when individuals yawn in response to the yawn of others (triggers). This is the first account of yawn contagion in wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada), a monkey species that shows yawn contagion in captivity and is organized in core units (one-male/bachelor groups) forming multilevel associations. In a population of geladas from the Kundi plateau (Ethiopia) we found that the yawning response was highest when geladas could perceive a triggering yawn, which confirms that yawn contagion is present in the wild. Yawn duration, mouth-opening degree and presence/absence of vocalisation (possibly modulating yawn detectability) did not affect the likelihood of contagion. Males and females, known to be both implicated in movement initiation within groups, were similarly powerful as yawn triggers. Instead, group membership and responder sex had a significant role in shaping the phenomenon. Yawn contagion was highest between individuals belonging to different core units and males were most likely to respond to others’ yawns. Because males have a non-negligible role in inter-group coordination, our results suggest that yawn contagion may have a communicative function that goes beyond the basic unit leve

Orientamento e valorizzazione delle competenze trasversali, negli under 20:: il Progetto “Barriere” della Andrea Bocelli Foundation

The paper focuses on the reference framework, context, objectives, methodologies and results of the pilot edition of “Barriere” Project, promoted by the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF) between October and December 2021. The Project, valid for the purposes of Italian school PCTO , involved 58 pupils of the 4th and 5th grades of three Secondary schools in the Provinces of Florence and Pisa, together with their teachers. The Project goal was to promote, in pupils, reflection on the topic of “conflict”, understood in a strictly war or terrorist sense, but also from a broader perspective: consider for example conflicts that can take place in everyday life; or also with ourselves. This aim was pursued by offering the pupils a series of lectures, held at ABF in Florence (Italy), held by experts on the subject, coming from the world of arts, pedagogy, psychology, photography, etc. Finally, a Project-evaluation questionnaire was administered; their results are summarized in the third paragraph of the paper.L’articolo illustra cornice di riferimento, contesto, obiettivi, metodologie ed esiti dell’edizione-pilota del Progetto “Barriere” , promosso dalla Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF) tra ottobre e dicembre 2021. Il Progetto, valido ai fini del PCTO, ha coinvolto 58 tra ragazze e ragazzi delle classi 4a e 5a di tre istituti secondari della Provincie di Firenze e Pisa, insieme ai docenti. Obiettivo del percorso è stato quello di promuovere nei ragazzi la riflessione sul tema del “conflitto”, inteso in senso strettamente bellico o terroristico, ma anche in ottica più ampia: pensiamo, ad es., alla conflittualità che può avere luogo nel quotidiano; o, ancora, con sé stessi. Tale obiettivo è stato perseguito offrendo ai ragazzi una serie di laboratori, tenute presso ABF nel capoluogo fiorentino, da esperti sul tema, provenienti dal mondo delle arti, della pedagogia, della fotografia ecc. Infine, è stato somministrato un questionario di valutazione del percorso, i cui esiti sono sintetizzati nel terzo paragrafo del contributo