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Exploring the role of business models in degrowth-oriented socio-ecological transformations: insights from small and medium enterprises in the Fashion sector in Italy
No full textThis contribution explores the role of businesses in socio-ecological transformations towards degrowth based on empirical data from the business models (BSMs) of three small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the textile, apparel, and fashion sector (TAF) in Italy. Although the role of businesses in socio-ecological transformations is receiving increasing attention, including emerging studies in the fashion sector, degrowth researchers have just recently started to study private companies. We started from the assumption that businesses are both structures and agents of change, recognising that transformations go beyond the action of individual companies towards the impact in broader societal structures at different scales. Our case studies were chosen because of their alignment against overproduction and their environmental commitments. We built an extended business model canvass and conducted a qualitative content analysis of primary data sources (i.e., field visits, interviews, documents, social media) to study the processes through which the companies create, deliver, and capture value. Our preliminary results are focused on three topics: growth ethos, networking and activism, and spatial relations. First, our cases aim at reducing the size of the fashion market and show alignment with degrowth in their value propositions, e.g., prioritisation of product’s durability and strong sustainability communication. However, they struggle with economic viability and consider their own growth as necessary to have a transformative impact. Second, although they are founders or participants in business networks aimed at changing the fashion sector, such networking is almost exclusively based on a strong engagement with consumers, while public institutions and civil society organisations are rarely approached. Third, the companies are strongly embedded within their territories and seem to be creating social value through the provision of good quality work to local communities, the revitalisation of traditional production practices, and the construction of fair relations with their suppliers. Nevertheless, they source materials in distant locations and sell their products to third countries in other continents. These results show promising dynamics and limitations emerging from our cases’ competitive disadvantage in unequal global supply chains, characterised by the lack of regulations and the creation of socio-ecological externalities as a competitive strategy. The limitations are discussed as barriers of fashion SMEs to translate their inner transformation into broader impact on societal structures without external support. These insights help enrich the reflection about the social conditions needed for businesses to foster degrowth-oriented transformative change
Pupillometric signature of implicit learning of statistical regularities
No full textAnimals learn about the statistical regularities of their environment by a process of implicit learning, a powerful mechanism that may operate by mere exposure.1 Implicit learning supports processes such as speech acquisition but also learning about the spatial and temporal structure of the world more generally, which is essential for effective interaction.2 Here, we used a frequency-tagging technique to demonstrate a pupillometric signature of the learning of the temporal structure (pairing of numerosities) of sequential arrays. Although the numerosity pairings were unnoticed by all participants, the pupil responded clearly to their repetition frequency (1 Hz). Pupillometry allowed us to track the learning as it unfolded (the response became significant after less than 3 min of passive viewing), without ever directing attention to the temporal structure of the stimuli. Diverting attention away from the numerosity feature did not prevent learning, but it did affect the dynamics of the response acquisition. A clear pupillometric response was also elicited by pairing dyads of digits. In all our stimuli, the local features were randomized, implying that learning successfully generalized across stimuli that were locally different and only acquired a temporal structure once their global statistics (overall shape or numerosity) were extracted
Quantum Dynamics Simulations Reveal Ultrafast and Coherent Charge Transfer in the Lhca4 Antenna of Photosystem I
No full textAmong the peripheral antenna complexes of Photosystem I, Lhca4 exhibits the most striking signatures of low-lying exciton states, such as red-shifted absorption and fluorescence bands. These so-called “red forms” arise from strong coupling between locally excited (LE) and charge-transfer (CT) states within the a603-a609 chlorophyll (Chl) dimer. We employ ML-MCTDH quantum dynamics simulations and first-principles calculated Hamiltonians to investigate the CT mechanism between the two Chls. Our simulations reveal ultrafast (∼50 fs) population transfer, finely modulated by the protein environment via the LE–CT energy gap. Our analysis reveals the adiabatic and coherent nature of the process, providing mechanistic insight into the CT process in Lhca4. The system relaxes toward a coherent exciton-CT mixture with partial charge separation, a low lying state that still supports bright emission and energy transfer
Tertullian, acris et vehementis ingenii: An evaluation of his style in literature and scholarship
No full textLe cause di esclusione tra tassatività e massima partecipazione
No full textIL CONTRIBUTO, NELL'AMBITO DEL VOLUME COLLETTANEO IN CUI E' INSERITO, ESAMINA I PRINCIPI DI TASSATIVITA' DELLE CAUSE DI ESCLUSIONE E DI MASSIMA PARTECIPAZIONE CHE REGOLANO LA MATERIA DEI CONTRATTI PUBBLICI, COSI' COME SANCITI DALL'ART. 10 DEL "CODICE DEGLI APPALTI" NELL'AMBITO DEI "PRINCIPI GENERALI" DELLA MATERIA DEI CONTRATTI PUBBLICI REGOLATA DAL D.LGS. N. 36/2023, NELLA VERSIONE AGGIORNATA DAL C.D. "DECRETO CORRETTIVO
Fostering the EU Energy Transition through Participatory Digital Sovereignty
No full textThis essay examines the emergence of European energy sovereignty in the context of the EU’s twin digital and green transitions, against the backdrop of recent geopolitical and energy crises. Building on the evolution of EU energy law, the analysis shows how the principle of solidarity has progressively shifted from a tool of economic integration to the foundation of a participatory and multilevel governance framework. Within this context, the contribution explores the role of blockchain technology as an enabling infrastructure for decentralised, inclusive and democratic energy systems, capable of bridging energy sovereignty and digital sovereignty. Drawing on theoretical insights and selected case studies, the essay argues that blockchain can move beyond its conventional portrayal as a neoliberal technology and instead function as a catalyst for an inclusive energy transition, empowering citizens, local communities and public authorities while reinforcing the EU’s strategic autonomy and sustainability objectives
Characteristics of entrepreneurial teams: a literature review of human and social capital
No full textAN ANCIENT GLOSSARY
No full textreviews the first edition of a newly discovered ancient text, originally written in 5th century Africa by a Roman stenography teacher. This text is now shown to have been drawn from piecemeal by various early Medieval AngloSaxon glossaries, and was preserved in its pristine form in an 11century Italian manuscript with other miscellaneous grammatical texts
Adherence to enhanced recovery protocol in emergency general surgery: a prospective observational study
No full textEnhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) are evidence-based, multimodal strategies designed to promote early recovery and to optimize surgical outcomes. While extensively implemented in elective surgery, their adaptation to emergency general surgery (EGS) raises challenges due to patient instability and limited preoperative time. The study aimed to evaluate the adherence to each ERPs item and the impact on short-term outcomes in patients undergoing emergency general surgery. This is a multicenter observational prospective study carried out in 13 Italian centers. Inclusion criteria targeted adults undergoing surgery for intestinal occlusion or perforation. Patients re-operated after elective surgery were excluded. The primary endpoints were the adherence to intraoperative ERP items and the compliance to the postoperative recovery pathway. Secondary endpoints were postoperative mortality, morbidity, and length of hospital stay. Between March 2023 and March 2024, 760 patients were analyzed. The highest adherence was observed for active warming (97%), PONV prevention (92%), and long-acting opioid avoidance (87%). The lowest adherence was found for invasive arterial pressure monitoring (35%), depth of anesthesia monitoring (34%), locoregional analgesia (31%), and minimally invasive surgery (26%). By postoperative day 3, 66% of patients tolerated solid diets and 58% had discontinued intravenous fluids. Postoperative mortality, morbidity, and major complications occurred in 3%, 33%, and 9% of patients, respectively. Median hospital stay was 7 days. This study underscores the adherence to ERP in EGS, highlighting the potential of ERP to improve perioperative outcomes in a high-risk population. Future research should prioritize strategies to enhance adherence, particularly to underutilized components as goal-directed fluid therapy and minimally invasive surgery and further optimize ERP protocols for emergency settings