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This study explores the downsizing propensity of family and non-family firms by considering their territorial embeddedness during both periods of economic stability and financial crisis. By drawing on a panel dataset of Spanish manufacturing firms for the period 2002–2015, we show that, all things being equal, family firms have a lower propensity to downsizing than non-family firms. When considering the effect of territorial embeddedness, we found that territorially embedded family firms have an even lower propensity to downsizing than their non-family counterparts. Furthermore, the concern of territorially embedded family firms for their employees’ welfare was particularly pronounced during the years of the global financial crisis. This result is explained by the existence of socially proximate relationships with the firms’ immediate surroundings, based on similarity and a sense of belonging, which push deeply rooted family firms to treat their employees as salient stakeholders during hard times. Overall, our study stresses the importance of local roots in moderating the relationship between family firms and downsizing.

PurposeThis study investigates the relationship between family-managed firms and firm employment growth by considering the effects of location and economic crisis as moderating variables.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses random-effect models on a large panel dataset of Spanish manufacturing firms covering 2003 to 2015 to estimate the joint effects of municipality size and economic crisis on firm employment growth.FindingsThe analysis reveals a positive association between family-managed firms and employment growth. However, this association is not uniform across space and time. When it considers location, the study finds that municipality size positively affects employment growth in family-managed firms but not in non-family firms. Additionally, while the study reveals that both firm types experience negative employment growth during the early stage of the global economic crisis (2007–08), it also finds that family-managed firms located in small municipalities downsize less than their non-family counterparts.Originality/valueThis study provides new evidence on the resilience of family-managed firms during economic crises, particularly those located in geographically bounded settings, such as small municipalities. When an adverse event, such as an economic crisis, jeopardizes employment levels, the embedded and trust-based relationships, between a family firm and its community leads them to prioritize employees' claims. However, family-managed firms' commitment to preserve jobs in small municipalities cannot be maintained over the long term; this effect disappears if the economic crisis is protracted. This study sheds new light on family-managed firms' distinctive behavior toward with local communities.

By combining arguments from regional economics and family business research, the aim of this article is to test the relationships among local export spillovers, management characteristics, and expo...

Family firms are a keystone in many countries as they provide employment opportunities and help the economy grow and prosper. As a result, family firms have been extensively studied; however, there are important aspects that still need to be better understood. One of these is the relationship between family firms and the socio-spatial context in which they act, that is, their local embeddedness. This study adds to existing research by placing family firms in their regional context and assessing whether and to what extent they are more locally embedded than their non-family counterparts. We measure local embeddedness through place tenure and distance to the local firm for key firm stakeholders. Our findings show that family firms rely greatly on more enduring and spatially proximate stakeholders and therefore show a stronger link with the socio-economic milieu in which they dwell. Relevant contributions to family business and regional studies, together with public policy implications, are discussed.

Background: Peach gibberellin-regulated protein (peamaclein) has recently emerged as a relevant food allergen in cypress pollen–hypersensitive patients. Objective: We investigated monosensitization to peamaclein among Italian cypress pollen–allergic patients. Patients: A total of 835 cypress pollen–hypersensitive patients from 28 Italian allergy centers underwent a thorough work-up to determine food-allergic reactions and performed skin prick testing with a commercial peach extract containing peamaclein. IgE to rPru p 3 was measured in peach reactors, and those with negative results were enrolled as potentially monosensitized to peamaclein. IgE reactivity to rPru p 7 was evaluated using immunoblot and an experimental ImmunoCAP with rPru p 7. Results: Skin prick tests were positive to peach in 163 patients (19.5%); however, 127 (77.9%) were excluded because they reacted to Pru p 3. Twenty-four patients (14.7%) corresponding to 2.8% of the entire study population) were considered potentially monosensitized to peamaclein. No geographic preference was observed. Seventeen of the 24 patients (70.8%) had a history of food allergy, mainly to peach (n=15). Additional offending foods included other Rosaceae, citrus fruits, fig, melon, tree nuts, and kiwi. On peach immunoblot, only 3 of 18 putative peamaclein–allergic patients reacted to a band at about 7 kDa; an additional 4 patients reacted at about 50-60 kDa. Ten of 18 patients (56%) had a positive result for Pru p 7 on ImmunoCAP. Conclusion: Allergy and sensitization to peamaclein seem rare in Italy. Most patients react to peach, although other Rosaceae fruits and several citrus fruits may also be offending foods. Peach and cypress pollen probably also share cross-reacting allergens other than peamaclein.

Summary The clinical usefulness of two commercial peach extracts for SPT (by Lofarma SpA and ALK-Abello, respectively) was compared in a multicenter study carried out in Italy. Peach allergic patients were tested with the two extracts in parallel and underwent the detection of IgE specific for all three peach allergens currently available (Pru p1, Pru p3, and Pru p4, respectively). The two extracts were almost identical in terms of sensitivity and specificity, being able to detect virtually all patients sensitized to stable peach allergens (lipid transfer protein (LTP) and, presumably, peamaclein) but scoring negative in patients exclusively sensitive to labile allergens (either PR-10 and/or profilin). Thus, the two extracts represent an excellent tool to carry out a preliminary component-resolved diagnosis of peach allergy at the first patient visit.

According to a recent trend of research, there is a growing interest in applications of machine learning techniques to business analytics. In this work, both supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques are applied to the analysis of a dataset made of both family and non-family firms. This is worth investigating, because the two kinds of firms typically differ in some aspects related to performance, which can be reflected in balance sheet data. First, binary classification techniques are applied to discriminate the two kinds of firms, by combining an unlabeled dataset with the labels provided by a survey. The most important features for performing such binary classification are identified. Then, clustering is applied to highlight why supervised learning can be effective in the previous task, by showing that most of the largest clusters found are quite unequally populated by the two classes.

Clinical relevance of Der p23 in a multicenter Italian study

Key attributes of Embedded Charge Trap (eCTTM) Flash technology are presented. Automotive MCUs with 40nm eCT Flash are currently in volume production at UMC. The eCT technology features industry-leading cell size at the 40nm node, and scaling by more than 30% has been demonstrated at the 22nm node. eCT utilizes source-side injection (SSI) for programming and band-to-band (BTB) hot- hole injection for erasing to meet the high-speed requirements of automotive applications. Furthermore, random access time of 8 ns is achieved across the full range of operational temperature (-40 °C to 150 °C) and voltage (0.99 V to 1.21 V).

Summary The nocebo reaction, namely the undesirable effect of an inert substance (placebo), is a phenomenon rarely investigated in literature. A better knowledge of this reaction may help clinicians in the management of these patients in clinical practice. Patients with drug adverse reactions (ADR) undergoing the drug challenge test are an ideal model for studying the nocebo effect, and the study aims to investigate their clinical and psychological features. One hundred and twenty patients (Mage = 46.59, SD = 15.5; 82% female), of which 90 non responders and 30 with nocebo reactions (25%) were recruited, and completed a battery of psychological measures: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory X1-X2, Beck Depression Inventory II, Symptoms Checklist-90-R, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Clinical features (individual characteristics and ADR clinical history) were collected by clinicians. The results show that older age (p = 0.002), low level of education (p = 0.039) and a depressive tendency (p = 0.030) appear to be potential risk factors for nocebo effects. Although none of the features related to the previous clinical history appear to represent a risk factor for the nocebo reactions (p minor 0.05), significant correlations between some of the clinical and psychological characteristics considered (p values from 0.005 to 0.042) help to better delineate the profile of these reactive patients. A specific training of the sanitary team about psychological aspects is recommendable.

Background and objective Skin prick testing (SPT) with commercial extracts is the first step in the diagnosis of shrimp allergy, although its clinical efficiency is unknown. Objective: To analyze the clinical usefulness of all commercial crustacean extracts available for SPT in Italy. Methods We performed a multicenter study of 157 shrimp-allergic patients who underwent SPT with 5 commercial crustacean extracts and with house dust mite (HDM) extract. Commercial extracts were analyzed using SDS-PAGE and compared with a freshly prepared in-house shrimp extract. IgE to Pen a 1/Pen m 1, Pen m 2, and Pen m 4 was determined, and immunoblot analysis was performed on a large number of sera. Results The skin reactions caused by commercial crustacean extracts were extremely heterogeneous, resulting in 32 clinical profiles, with marked differences in protein content and missing proteins at molecular weights corresponding to those of major shrimp allergens. Only strong Pen a 1/Pen m 1 reactors reacted to both HDM and all 5 commercial extracts in SPT. Most patients, including those who were tropomyosin-negative, reacted to HDM. Patients reacted to a large and variable array of proteins, and IgE reactivity was common at high molecular weights (>50 kDa). Conclusions The in vivo diagnosis of shrimp allergy must continue to be based on SPT with fresh material. Shrimp-allergic patients frequently react to a number of ill-defined high-molecular-weight allergens, thus leaving currently available materials for component-resolved diagnosis largely insufficient. Mites and crustaceans probably share several allergens other than tropomyosin.

Part 8: Modular Design and Products; International audience; In business to business manufacturing, a major competitive advantage comes from the personalization of the product for the customer. In order to customize a product, companies go through a long process of customer interviews and specialized product development processes: this results in a time-consuming design phase and in a highly variable production process. In this paper, a method to improve the efficiency of product development and manufacturing, keeping a high degree of customization, is presented. A standardization effort is performed to identify a set of interchangeable components and to define a set of functional constraints. The consequences of such standardization are a dramatic reduction of the time expected to design and produce an item, as well as in lowered degree of variability of both the manufacturing process and the warehouses content. The presented methodology has been applied to a manufacturer of ink dispensing systems.