23 research outputs found
Erogazione di contenuti e valutazioni comparative della qualità per architetture e-learning scalabili
No full textMasseteric cooptation and crossfacial nerve grafting: Is it still applicable 22 months after the onset of facial palsy?
No full textBackground: Eighteen months is usually considered the cutoff time within which recovery of the mimic muscle remains possible using facial nerve cooptation. Few reports on the use of cooptation after this interval have appeared. Purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of this procedure also after 22 months. Methods: Six patients treated via crossfacial nerve grafting between healthy and paralyzed middle and middle-upper facial nerve branches and masseteric cooptation of the main trunk of the paralyzed facial nerve between 20 and 24 months after the onset of palsy were analyzed. Population consisted of two males and four females ages 8-42 years (mean 24 years). Facial palsy developed after acoustic neuroma resection in three patients, after the removal of a cerebellopontine angle astrocytoma in one, and as a consequence of Bell's palsy or cerebral hemorrhage in the other two (one each). House-Brackman and Sunnybrook clinical evaluation systems and FDI questionnaire were used to assess results. Results: House-Brackman scores changed from VI before the operation for all patients to II for two patients and III for four patients. Sunnybrook scores were 0-10 before the operation, but 62-84 at the last visit. Mean FDI scores moved from 24 to 38.5 meaning a statistical high significant improvement (P < .01). Conclusions: Masseteric/crossfacial nerve grafting is feasible for patients with palsies 20-24 months in duration, affording satisfactory functional and esthetic results and a dramatic improvement in quality of life
Does Corporate Social Responsibility Affect the Performance of Firms?
No full textOver the last two decades in OECD countries increasingly more firms are certifying as Socially Responsible (CSR is the acronym for Corporate Social Responsibility). This kind of certification is assigned by private companies that guarantee that a certain firm’s behaviour is environmentally and sociologically correct. Some papers (including Preston and O’Bannon, 1997; Waddock and Graves, 1997; McWilliams and Sieger, 2001; Ullman, 1985) tried to establish if there exists a link between Social Responsibility certification and the performance of firms. Their results were ambiguous and did not show any common connection. This ambiguity depends mainly on the static nature of their analyses and on the problem of whether performance is affected more by certification costs or by increasing sales due to an effect on reputation. Our work would like to discover whether certain performance indicators are affected by a firm’s social responsible behaviour and their certifications by looking at panel data. The novelty of our analysis is due to its dynamic aspect and from a CSR index that intersects two of the three main international indices (Domini 400 Social Index, Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, FTSE4Good Index), to be objective and obtain a representative sample. The main results seem to support the idea that CSR firms which are more virtuous, have better long run performance. They have some initial costs but obtain higher sales and profits due to several causes reputation effect, a reduction of long run costs and increased social responsible demand.Corporate Social Responsibility, Growth
Masseteric nerve for gracilis muscle re-innervation in unilateral facial palsy: Impact on quality of life
No full textUnilateral established or congenital facial palsies are usually treated with neuromuscular transplantation to reanimate the impaired side of the face. One of the most debated points is the motor nerve to choose for the reinnervation of the transplant. Contra-lateral healthy facial nerve is usually preferred, but in selected cases motor nerve to masseter is considered a valuable option. However only a few clinical studies focused on quality of life in this subset of patients are available in literature
Evaluation of HeartWare HVAD Appearance on Serial Chest Radiographs: Pump Position and Migration Influence Adverse Outcomes
No full textAge-Related Risk of Adverse Events after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: A Device-Specific Comparison
No full textCoastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean: Legal and Economic Perspectives
No full textThis paper examines existing measures taken to protect the coastal zones of the Mediterranean Sea and assesses their success. A summary of the main pressures facing these zones is given, followed by an analysis of the legislation covering coastal zone development in ten countries: Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, France, Israel, Italy, Malta, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey. We find that not all of these states have legislation specifically covering coastal zones, but there is concern in all areas that the legislation is not working, We also look at the costs and benefits of controlling coastal development. Firstly, a literature review of valuation studies identifies a range of values placed on developed and undeveloped coastline for both users and local property owners. These values were then used in a model to evaluate policy options to control development of a stretch of coastline. The model indicates that a stricter control regime of coastal development may provide significant benefits.Coastal Zone Management, Legislation, Littoral, Mediterranean, Recreation
Nuclear versus Coal plus CCS: A Comparison of Two Competitive Base-load Climate Control Options
No full textIn this paper we analyze the relative importance and mutual behavior of two competing base-load electricity generation options that each are capable of contributing significantly to the abatement of global CO2 emissions: nuclear energy and coal-based power production complemented with CO2 capture and storage (CCS). We also investigate how, in scenarios from an integrated assessment model that simulates the economics of a climate-constrained world, the prospects for nuclear energy would change if exogenous limitations on the spread of nuclear technology were relaxed. Using the climate change economics model WITCH we find that until 2050 the resulting growth rates of nuclear electricity generation capacity become comparable to historical rates observed during the 1980s. Given that nuclear energy continues to face serious challenges and contention, we inspect how extensive the improvements of coal-based power equipped with CCS technology would need to be if our model is to significantly scale down the construction of new nuclear power plants.Economic Competition, Electricity Sector, Nuclear Power, Coal Power, CCS, Renewables, Climate Policy
SMEs in Argentina: Who are the Exporters
No full textThere exists a growing body of literature which looks at export decisions made by firms. Most studies focus on developed countries and do not explore whether different behavioral patterns prevail over the firm size distribution. This paper aims at filling this gap in the literature by analyzing the export behavior of a statistically representative sample of 192 Small and Medium-Size Enterprises (SMEs) in a developing country, Argentina, over the period 1996-1998. We find that the level of employment, sourcing from abroad, investment in product improvement and average productivity are associated with a higher probability of exporting. Training activities for employees are important to export outside of MERCOSUR.SME, Exports, Argentina
Factors associated with climacteric symptoms in women around menopause attending menopause clinics in Italy
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