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This article describes the important role of the co-operative sector in the Italian labour market. It presents original data concerning the dimension of the co-operative sector, its structure and the productivity trend among co-operative firms. The difference between the employment and productivity trends of co-operative firms and the corresponding data for the Italian economy in general provides a good opportunity to maintain the usefulness of an institutional approach to studying the labour market and the organization of the economy. A brief review of the literature on the organization of work was conducted and some interpretations of the diversity of cooperative organisations are presented. In order to provide a better explanation of the performance of co-operative firms, non-mainstream models of the labour market were employed that refer to the institutional and legal diversity of co-operatives, to motivational factors and to the social capital endowment of the co-operative sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the role of menopause on the regional composition and distribution of fat in women and eventual correlations with the oxidative state., Design: In this observational clinical investigation, 90 women (classified for menopause status according to Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop criteria) were evaluated for body mass composition and fat distribution by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and for oxidative status by determination of serum hydroperoxide levels and residual antioxidant activity., Results: Total body fat mass increases significantly in postmenopause (P < 0.05) by 22% in comparison with premenopause, with specific increases in fat deposition at the level of trunk (abdominal and visceral) (P < 0.001) and arms (P < 0.001). Concomitantly, the antioxidant status increases significantly (P < 0.001) by 17%. When data were adjusted for age by analysis of covariance, statistical significance disappeared for the increase in fat mass, but it was retained for antioxidant status (P < 0.05). Both antioxidant status and hydroperoxide level increased with trunk fat mass, as shown by linear correlation analysis (r = 0.46, P < 0.001 and r = 0.26, P < 0.05, respectively)., Conclusions: The results of our investigation demonstrate that fat content increases in the upper part of the body (trunk and arms) in postmenopause and that age is the main determinant of this increase. During the comparison of premenopausal and postmenopausal women, we also detected a significant increase in antioxidant status. Apparently this change is mainly related to menopausal endocrine and fat changes.