Strategies of Italian firms in Romania. Evidence from selected case studies

The aim of this paper is to analyze the internationalization of Italian firms in Romania, operating in the sectors of footwear, furniture and industrial refrigeration. After describing and quantifying the internationalization process between Veneto and Romania, we discuss for each of the sectors, the changes that occurred in the organisation of the production processes within the firms, and particularly how such processes have been fragmented. This article draws on numerous case studies, posits different models of value chain governance, and discusses their implications for regional development and sustainabilityInternationalization, Romania, Italy, Organization of Production

Estrategias de internacionalización productiva de la producción y los distritos del Véneto

Los procesos de deslocalización al extranjero de partes del proceso productivo en la industria del calzado están motivados por la búsqueda de la reducción del coste del trabajo. Las empresas del mueble se han internacionalizado para realizar un control sobre la adquisición de su materia prima, la madera. Las empresas de la refrigeración, en su avance hacia el Este, miran al mercado rumano por su potencialidad de venta, y desde éste a otros mercados. El presente trabajo retoma una serie de investigaciones basadas en el análisis de una treintena de empresas, teniendo por objeto analizar el grado de interacción entre las empresas italianas y las rumanas a lo largo de la cadena de producción, así como valorar los principales cambios sucedidos en la gestión de las cadenas globales del valor. Se dará cuenta de las discusiones acerca de los cambios en la organización de los procesos productivos y la gestión de las relaciones entre las empresas en las diversas fases de la cadena de producción. Por fin, sobre la base de estas experiancias se criticará a la teoria de las cadenas del valor propuesta por Gereffi, Humphrey y Sturgeon.production organization, global value chains, fragmentation, internationalization, footwear, furniture, refrigeration industry Italy

AVANÇOS E DESAFIOS DAS APLICAÇÕES DA REALIDADE AUMENTADA NA CIRURGIA

Augmented Reality (AR) has emerged as a transformative technology in the field of surgery, offering potential breakthroughs in several specialties. This article critically reviews the current literature to explore the advances and challenges of AR applications in surgery. The introduction highlights the growing relevance of AR as an innovative tool aimed at improving accuracy, efficiency and clinical outcomes in surgical procedures. The methodology adopted in this study is based on an integrative literature review, involving a comprehensive analysis of selected scientific articles. Using Vancouver style guidelines, relevant publications addressing the application of AR in surgery were examined, with particular attention to the references provided previously. The search covered scientific journals, conferences and specialized reviews to ensure a comprehensive approach. The results of this review indicate a wide range of successful applications of AR in different surgical procedures. Studies such as that by Maruyama et al. (2014) highlight the development of real-time navigation systems for liver surgeries using indocyanine green fluorescence projection mapping. In addition, research such as Pratt et al. (2018) and Vávra et al. (2019) emphasizes the effective use of AR in orthopedic procedures, providing precise navigation and improving the surgeon's efficiency. However, the results also reveal significant challenges, as discussed by Khor et al. (2019). Ethical, legal and safety issues related to the implementation of AR in surgery need to be carefully considered. The interactivity between humans and AR systems, as explored by Pratt et al. (2016), highlights the need to enhance the user experience to optimize clinical benefit. This integrative review highlights the advances and challenges of Augmented Reality applications in surgery. The convergence of robotic systems, advanced imaging technologies and enhanced interactivity demonstrates transformative potential in surgical practice. However, it is crucial to address the ethical and legal challenges to ensure responsible and ethical adoption of AR. Understanding these advances and challenges provides a solid basis for guiding future research and clinical implementation to improve the efficacy and safety of surgical procedures.A Realidade Aumentada (RA) tem emergido como uma tecnologia transformadora na área da cirurgia, oferecendo potenciais avanços em diversas especialidades. Este artigo revisa criticamente a literatura atual para explorar os avanços e desafios das aplicações da RA na cirurgia. A introdução destaca a crescente relevância da RA como uma ferramenta inovadora que visa melhorar a precisão, eficiência e resultados clínicos em procedimentos cirúrgicos. A metodologia adotada neste estudo é baseada em uma revisão integrativa da literatura, envolvendo uma análise abrangente de artigos científicos selecionados. Utilizando as diretrizes do estilo Vancouver, foram examinadas publicações relevantes que abordam a aplicação da RA em cirurgias, com especial atenção às referências fornecidas anteriormente. A busca abrangeu periódicos científicos, conferências e revisões especializadas para garantir uma abordagem abrangente. Os resultados desta revisão indicam uma ampla gama de aplicações bem-sucedidas da RA em diferentes procedimentos cirúrgicos. Estudos, como o de Maruyama et al. (2014), destacam o desenvolvimento de sistemas de navegação em tempo real para cirurgias hepáticas, utilizando projeção de mapeamento com fluorescência de verde de indocianina. Além disso, pesquisas como as de Pratt et al. (2018) e Vávra et al. (2019) enfatizam o uso efetivo da RA em procedimentos ortopédicos, proporcionando uma navegação precisa e melhorando a eficiência do cirurgião. Contudo, os resultados também revelam desafios significativos, como discutido por Khor et al. (2019). Questões éticas, legais e de segurança relacionadas à implementação da RA na cirurgia precisam ser cuidadosamente consideradas. A interatividade entre humanos e sistemas de RA, conforme explorado por Pratt et al. (2016), destaca a necessidade de aprimorar a experiência do usuário para otimizar o benefício clínico. Esta revisão integrativa destaca os avanços e desafios das aplicações da Realidade Aumentada na cirurgia. A convergência de sistemas robóticos, tecnologias de imagem avançada e interatividade aprimorada demonstra um potencial transformador na prática cirúrgica. No entanto, é crucial abordar os desafios éticos e legais para garantir uma adoção responsável e ética da RA. A compreensão desses avanços e desafios fornece uma base sólida para orientar futuras pesquisas e implementações clínicas, visando aprimorar a eficácia e segurança dos procedimentos cirúrgicos

COVID-19 in patients with thoracic malignancies (TERAVOLT): first results of an international, registry-based, cohort study

Background: Early reports on patients with cancer and COVID-19 have suggested a high mortality rate compared with the general population. Patients with thoracic malignancies are thought to be particularly susceptible to COVID-19 given their older age, smoking habits, and pre-existing cardiopulmonary comorbidities, in addition to cancer treatments. We aimed to study the effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on patients with thoracic malignancies. Methods: The Thoracic Cancers International COVID-19 Collaboration (TERAVOLT) registry is a multicentre observational study composed of a cross-sectional component and a longitudinal cohort component. Eligibility criteria were the presence of any thoracic cancer (non-small-cell lung cancer [NSCLC], small-cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, thymic epithelial tumours, and other pulmonary neuroendocrine neoplasms) and a COVID-19 diagnosis, either laboratory confirmed with RT-PCR, suspected with symptoms and contacts, or radiologically suspected cases with lung imaging features consistent with COVID-19 pneumonia and symptoms. Patients of any age, sex, histology, or stage were considered eligible, including those in active treatment and clinical follow-up. Clinical data were extracted from medical records of consecutive patients from Jan 1, 2020, and will be collected until the end of pandemic declared by WHO. Data on demographics, oncological history and comorbidities, COVID-19 diagnosis, and course of illness and clinical outcomes were collected. Associations between demographic or clinical characteristics and outcomes were measured with odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs using univariable and multivariable logistic regression, with sex, age, smoking status, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease included in multivariable analysis. This is a preliminary analysis of the first 200 patients. The registry continues to accept new sites and patient data. Findings: Between March 26 and April 12, 2020, 200 patients with COVID-19 and thoracic cancers from eight countries were identified and included in the TERAVOLT registry; median age was 68·0 years (61·8-75·0) and the majority had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1 (142 [72%] of 196 patients), were current or former smokers (159 [81%] of 196), had non-small-cell lung cancer (151 [76%] of 200), and were on therapy at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis (147 [74%] of 199), with 112 (57%) of 197 on first-line treatment. 152 (76%) patients were hospitalised and 66 (33%) died. 13 (10%) of 134 patients who met criteria for ICU admission were admitted to ICU; the remaining 121 were hospitalised, but were not admitted to ICU. Univariable analyses revealed that being older than 65 years (OR 1·88, 95% 1·00-3·62), being a current or former smoker (4·24, 1·70-12·95), receiving treatment with chemotherapy alone (2·54, 1·09-6·11), and the presence of any comorbidities (2·65, 1·09-7·46) were associated with increased risk of death. However, in multivariable analysis, only smoking history (OR 3·18, 95% CI 1·11-9·06) was associated with increased risk of death. Interpretation: With an ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19, our data suggest high mortality and low admission to intensive care in patients with thoracic cancer. Whether mortality could be reduced with treatment in intensive care remains to be determined. With improved cancer therapeutic options, access to intensive care should be discussed in a multidisciplinary setting based on cancer specific mortality and patients' preference

Inovações cirúrgicas na abordagem de doenças neurodegenerativas

This article is an integrative review of surgical innovations in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In response to the growing interest in the intersection between surgery, neuroscience and emerging technologies, it seeks to understand current and future trends in surgical interventions for the treatment of these conditions. The methodology adopted followed strict guidelines for conducting an integrative review. A systematic search was carried out in scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus and Scielo, using specific keywords. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established for the selection of references, taking into account their relevance to surgical innovations in neurodegenerative diseases. Critical analysis of the selected references revealed a wide range of surgical innovations applied in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Approaches such as neurostimulation, brain-machine interfaces, deep brain stimulation and other advanced surgical techniques stand out. Results indicate significant benefits in terms of cognitive improvement, motor control and quality of life for patients undergoing these interventions. The integrative review provided a comprehensive overview of surgical innovations in the approach to neurodegenerative diseases. Technological advances and innovative surgical approaches present promising therapeutic prospects. However, challenges such as personalization of treatments and long-term evaluation still require further investigation. The conclusion underscores the continued importance of research in this field to improve the efficacy and safety of these interventions, thus contributing to advances in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.O presente artigo realiza uma revisão integrativa abordando as inovações cirúrgicas na abordagem de doenças neurodegenerativas. Em resposta ao crescente interesse na interseção entre cirurgia, neurociência e tecnologias emergentes, busca-se compreender as tendências atuais e futuras nas intervenções cirúrgicas para o tratamento dessas condições. A metodologia adotada seguiu diretrizes rigorosas para a realização de uma revisão integrativa. Foi realizada uma busca sistemática em bases de dados científicas, como PubMed, Scopus e Scielo, utilizando palavras-chave específicas. Foram estabelecidos critérios de inclusão e exclusão para a seleção das referências, levando em consideração a relevância para inovações cirúrgicas em doenças neurodegenerativas. A análise crítica das referências selecionadas revelou uma ampla gama de inovações cirúrgicas aplicadas no contexto das doenças neurodegenerativas. Destacam-se abordagens como neuroestimulação, interfaces cérebro-máquina, estimulação cerebral profunda e outras técnicas cirúrgicas avançadas. Resultados indicam benefícios significativos em termos de melhoria cognitiva, controle motor e qualidade de vida para os pacientes submetidos a essas intervenções. A revisão integrativa proporcionou uma visão abrangente das inovações cirúrgicas na abordagem de doenças neurodegenerativas. Os avanços tecnológicos e as abordagens cirúrgicas inovadoras apresentam promissoras perspectivas terapêuticas. Contudo, desafios como a personalização dos tratamentos e a avaliação a longo prazo ainda requerem investigações mais aprofundadas. A conclusão ressalta a importância contínua da pesquisa nesse campo para aprimorar a eficácia e a segurança dessas intervenções, contribuindo assim para o avanço do tratamento de doenças neurodegenerativas

Operationalizing mild cognitive impairment criteria in small vessel disease: The VMCI-Tuscany Study

Introduction Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) prodromic of vascular dementia is expected to have a multidomain profile. Methods In a sample of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) patients, we assessed MCI subtypes distributions according to different operationalization of Winblad criteria and compared the neuroimaging features of single versus multidomain MCI. We applied three MCI diagnostic scenarios in which the cutoffs for objective impairment and the number of considered neuropsychological tests varied. Results Passing from a liberal to more conservative diagnostic scenarios, of 153 patients, 5% were no longer classified as MCI, amnestic multidomain frequency decreased, and nonamnestic single domain increased. Considering neuroimaging features, severe medial temporal lobe atrophy was more frequent in multidomain compared with single domain. Discussion Operationalizing MCI criteria changes the relative frequency of MCI subtypes. Nonamnestic single domain MCI may be a previously nonrecognized type of MCI associated with SVD

The impact of gender norms on female work choices and entrepreneurship in Kenya

The thesis investigates the impact of a society's prevalent gender ideology on women's work decisions and entrepreneurial choices, in the context of Kenya. It begins by setting up a conceptual framework that accounts for the role of gender institutions, which integrates contributions from institutional and behavioural economics and social psychology. Using a nationally representative database I test a set of econometric models of occupational choice. Measures of gender institutions include conventional proxies (like religion and ethnicity), but also innovative proxies like female circumcision, son preference, and gender parity in education. The results show that traditional gender role attitudes are important determinants of women's decisions to work and affect their choice between working within and outside the house. In order to bring into the analysis the impact of social norms on individual women, I also introduce exogenous indexes of personal autonomy, which I construct on the basis of theoretical work on female empowerment and employing different methodologies (namely, as summary indexes and as principal component analytical measures). One interesting result is that women who have higher decisional power may not prefer working, and this result stimulates a reflection on feminist and development literature that assumes that female work is instrumental to women's liberation in any context. Primary data collected during field work are used to test another set of econometric models, which analyse specific entrepreneurial decisions (diversification and formality), and business earnings. The results suggest that differently from men, women who diversify have top educational levels and run relatively good businesses. I argue that women may prefer diversifying because they lack control over the assets needed to expand the existing activity, and because their primary concern may be survival rather than growth. Formality of female firms depends on ability to keep regular accounts and create networks, which may provide capital but also knowledge and information. Finally, while whether women diversify and formalise depend upon gender institutions, how much they earn from the businesses depends (as for men) on purely economic resources.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo