Practicing resilience in family firms:An investigation through phenomenography

Despite the growing interest in resilience in family business, the current literature overlooks the contribution of owners/managers in practicing resilience. We focus on the experiences and practices of owners/managers of family businesses, and apply phenomenography, an interpretive methodology, to capture variations in how owners/managers understand and practice resilience in longstanding Australian and Italian family wineries. The findings show that owners/managers’ resilience practices are determined by four qualitatively different understandings of resilience. Our understanding-based theory provides a novel interpretation of resilience in the family business field, challenging the rationalistic approach by demonstrating that resilience is not universal but multifarious, such that the owners/managers’ understanding of resilience determines how resilience is practiced

Effect of pyrolysis temperature and feedstock type on agricultural properties and stability of biochars.

Pyrolysis temperature and feedstock type used to produce biochar influence the physicochemical properties of the obtained product, which in turn display a range of results when used as soil amendment. From soil carbon (C) sequestration strategy to nutrient source, biochar is used to enhance soil properties and to improve agricultural production. However, contrasting effects are observed from biochar application to soil results from a wide range of biochar?s properties in combination with specific environmental conditions. Therefore, elucidation on the effect of pyrolysis conditions and feedstock type on biochar properties may provide basic information to the understanding of soil and biochar interactions. In this study, biochar was produced from four different agricultural organic residues: Poultry litter, sugarcane straw, rice hull and sawdust pyrolysed at final temperatures of 350°C, 450°C, 550°C and 650°C. The effect of temperature and feedstock type on the variability of physicochemical properties of biochars was evaluated through measurements of pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, macronutrient content, proximate and elemental analyses, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analyses. Additionally, an incubation trial was carried under controlled conditions to determine the effect of biochar stability on CO2-eq emissions. Results showed that increasing pyrolysis temperature supported biochar stability regardless of feedstock, however, agricultural properties varied widely both as an effect of temperature and feedstock. Animal manure biochar showed higher potential as nutrient source rather than a C sequestration strategy. Improving the knowledge on the influence of pyrolysis temperature and feedstock type on the final properties of biochar will enable the use of better tailored materials that correspond to the expected results while considering its interactions with environmental conditions

Evolução da epilepsia de lobo temporal mesial familiar

OBJECTIVE: To analyze seizure outcome in individuals with familial mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (FMTLE). METHOD: We followed prospectively 64 individuals with FMTLE and 37 asymptomatic individuals belonging to 28 families. RESULTS: Patients with FMTLE had a mean follow up was 93.4 ± 15.8 months. At baseline they were divided in benign (n = 29), remission (n = 28) and refractory (n = 7). At last follow up visit 41.4% patients with benign FMTLE remained classified as benign, 20.7% became refractory and 37.9% were in remission. In the subgroup of FMTLE in remission 21 75% remained without seizures; 21.4% were classified as benign FMTLE, and one died (3.6%) from cause unrelated to epilepsy. All refractory patients remained refractory. From the asymptomatic group, 10.8% became symptomatic (FMTLE). The mean follow up was 76.0 ± 21.2 months. CONCLUSION: Prospective follow up of more than 7 years in patients with FMTLE revealed that it is unlikely to achieve seizure control in those with refractory seizures. Patients with diagnose of more benign forms of FMTLE for more than one year are likely to either remit or remain under well controlled seizures. The majority of patients who had achieved seizure remission remained seizure-free and none became refractory. Asymptomatic individuals had a greater probability to have seizures compared to the general population in a 6 year period of follow up.OBJETIVOS: Analisar a evolução de famílias com epilepsia de lobo temporal mesial familiar (ELTMF). METODOLOGIA: Seguimento prospectivo de 64 pacientes com ELTMF e 37 membros assintomáticos pertencente a 28 famílias. RESULTADOS: A média de seguimento dos pacientes com ELTMF foi de 93,4 ± 15,8 meses. Na avaliação inicial os pacientes foram divididos em benignos (n = 29), remissão (n = 28) e refratários (n = 7). Na última visita disponível, 41,4% dos pacientes com ELTMF benigna permaneceram classificados como benignos, 20,7% tornaram-se refratários e 37,9% entraram em remissão. No grupo em remissão, 75% permaneceram livres de crise, 21,4% foram classificados como benignos e um faleceu (3,6%) de causa não relacionada à epilepsia. Todos pacientes refratários permaneceram refratários. Em relação aos assintomáticos 10,8% evoluíram com crises. A média de seguimento dos assintomáticos foi de 76,0 ± 21,2 meses. CONCLUSÃO: O seguimento prospectivo de mais de 7 anos de pacientes com ELTMF revelou que é improvável ocorrer controle de crises no grupo refratário. No grupo benigno é muito provável que estes indivíduos entrem em remissão ou permaneçam com evolução benigna. A maioria dos pacientes do grupo em remissão permaneceu em remissão e nenhum se tornou refratário. Em relação aos assintomáticos a probabilidade de apresentar uma crise no decorrer de aproximadamente 6 anos foi maior que o observado na população geral.111113Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Hydroxyapatite crystallinity does not affect the repair of critical size bone defects

OBJECTIVE: The physicochemical properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) granules were observed to affect the biological behavior of graft materials. The aim of this work was to analyze the tissue response of two HA granules with different crystallinity and Ca/P ratio in vivo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The HA granules were produced in the Biomaterials Laboratory (COPPE/UFRJ). The testing materials were HA granules presenting a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.60 and 28% crystallinity (HA-1), and a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.67 and 70% crystallinity (HA-2). Both HAs were implanted into a critical-size calvaria rat defects. RESULTS: To note, in the control group, the bone defects were filled with blood clot only. Descriptive and histomorphometric analyses after 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively showed mild inflammatory infiltrate, mainly comprising macrophage-like and multinucleated giant cells, and an increase in the volume density of the fibrous tissues (p<0.05), which was in contrast to the similar volume density of the newly formed bone and biomaterials in relation to the control group. CONCLUSION: Thus, we concluded that HA-1 and HA-2 are biocompatible and non-degradable, and that crystallinity does not affect bone repair of critical size defects

Technological and provenance study of renaissance earthenware fron Aosta (Italy)

Some archaeological investigations, promoted by Regione Autonoma Valle d’Aosta, Assesorato alla Cultura and Servizio Beni Archeologici, have been carried out in 2005, just in front of the Aosta Cathedral. The excavation revealed the workshop and the kiln where architectural earthenware, used for the Cathedral façade decoration, were produced and fired. The construction of the new Cathedral façade was started in the second half of XV century and finished in 1526. The polychrome earthenware Renaissance Apostle statues are located in the arch entrance which is decorated with flowers tiles. Flower tile sherds, clay mixtures, raw clay bricks and firing scraps have been found in the excavation. These findings suggest that only the tiles for the Cathedral decoration were fired in the kiln, as scraps from the sculptures weren’t excavated and the small size of the kiln suggests that the statues were made in another workshop. Evidences from the clay materials suggest two possible provenances: a local deposit, probably known by Romans, and/or a deposit in the Eporediese (Ivrea region). In this work the manufacture process and the firing conditions are reconstructed through the petrological and mineralogical study of the archaeological findings. Thin sections of tile sherds have been studied to determine their textures and components. Moreover firing tests have been run on mixtures obtained using the original clay materials from the excavation in order to locate the clay provenance area and to compare them with the actual tiles and to reconstruct the technological features of the craftmen. The observation under polarizing light optical microscope allow to correlate the clay mixtures with the scraps. The yellowish clay found in the excavation has been fired at 850°C and compared with three tiles fragments found in the same spot. The fired yellow clay mixture is texturally characterised by alternating bands consisting of layers with a high temper percentage content and layers with high percentage of matrix. The same texture is observed in the tile sherds from the excavation, supporting that tiles were produced using these raw materials. Future development of this work is the examination of the clays, tiles, scarps and mixture firing tests by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Fluorescence

Studio dell'alterazione cromatica di materiali lapidei nell'area cittadina di Aosta: un approccio multianalitico

Il progetto presentato parte dalle attività svolte dalla Direzione ricerca e progetti cofinanziati per lo studio conservativo del Teatro romano di Aosta, prendendo come punto chiave le alterazioni cromatiche (definizione NORMAL 1/88: variazione naturale a carico dei componenti della pietra dei parametri che definiscono il colore)1 cui è soggetta la puddinga, un conglomerato di origine fluviale, impiegata dai Romani per l’edificazione della città e, in particolare, per la Porta Prætoria, una delle quattro porte che permettevano l’accesso alla città romana. L’obiettivo principale dello studio è l’individuazione di una correlazione fra le alterazioni cromatiche della puddinga e l’ambiente, per evidenziare i processi che portano alla variazione dei parametri che definiscono il colore (tinta, saturazione, luminosità), con scopo ultimo la definizione di un piano di conservazione per il monumento