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Drought-induced mortality of seedlings and young plants is critical for the assessment of forest vulnerability in Mediterranean environments where increasing frequency of extreme events, such as heat waves, are expected. Adult plants of Mediterranean shrub and tree species show very plastic responses to fluctuating climate parameters due to physiological adjustments, as well as to the occurrence of structural hydraulic traits (throughout the whole root-stem-leaf system), which allow adaptation and survival under limiting conditions. However, compared to adult plants, seedlings and young plants are more vulnerable to environmental constraints. Species-specific sensitivity to stressors during the early stages of seedling establishment is expected to affect vegetation dynamics and forest productivity. Within this framework, there is increasing interest in understanding if, how, and to what extent, saplings are able to tolerate prolonged water deficit combined with high temperature regimes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a simulated heat wave (prolonged water stress combined with high temperatures) on growth and eco-physiological behaviour of one-year-old plants of Quercus ilex and Arbutus unedo. The experiment was conducted under a plastic tunnel where rooted cuttings were transplanted in April and subjected to two irrigation treatments (100 and 50% water reintegration). After 115 days, irrigation was suspended for three weeks (maximum registered temperature), and later restored. Mortality, plant growth (including plant height, morphological parameters, biomass) and eco-physiological traits (e.g. leaf gas exchanges, plant water potentials and photochemistry) were analysed. Although in both species, pre-acclimation to water shortage allowed better surviving capability, Q. ilex and A. unedo showed different adaptation mechanisms. Understanding the behaviour of young tree and shrub species under severe fluctuations in climate parameters furnishes useful information for the management of not only natural ecosystems but also urban green areas.

The chapter aims to deepen the emerging issue of cyber-risk that, among non-financial (NF) risks, represents a major threat for organizations due to the growing sophistication and variety of data breaches and cyber attacks. The research provides a general background for NF risks disclosure illustrating the path that led from external voluntary to mandatory frameworks for the disclosure of NF risks following the EU Directive. Then, we move on to describe the role of internal auditors for the management and disclosure of the digital risk. In order to better understand the effectiveness of corporate governance mechanisms for digital risk disclosure, we conduct a review of literature and a visualization to provide the most frequent topics and their chronological evolution. The chapter contributes to the risk disclosure and corporate governance literature, by providing some theoretical and practical implications.

Purpose: Different mechanisms allow intellectual capital (IC) to affect performance. In this paper, we set out to analyze the value of relations for the academic performance effect of IC and explore how the university’s reliance on digital technologies facilitates the contribution of IC to the overall academic performance. Design/methodology/approach: We develop a model linking elements of IC to academic performance in the form of teaching, research, and entrepreneurial activity. Our model is centred on relational capital that is supposed to directly fuel performance and mediate the link between the other two IC dimensions and performance. From a methodological point of view, we base our empirical investigation on a sample of Italian public universities and applied structural equation modeling to test the mediation and a group comparison to disentangle the effect of universities’ digitalization. Findings: We find a significant and positive effect of relational capital on performance. Relational capital fully mediates the relationship between structural capital and academic performance whereas, it only partially mediates the link between human capital and academic performance. We also suggest that digital technologies guide the prominence of the relationship in the university ability to fulfil teaching, research and entrepreneurship missions through IC. Originality/value: This study offers a representation of how the relational dimension of IC is the mean through which the stock of knowledge inside IC can be translated into entrepreneurial, education and research achievements and how digital technologies are essential for the exploitation of the performance effect of IC in the digital era.

Non-GAAP reporting has become popular in the capital market over the last two decades and has generated considerable concerns among external users of the financial report. Since the 1990s, academics and practitioners have started questioning the usefulness of non-GAAP metrics. Most of the studies on pro-forma indicators advocates that managers are mainly driven by the desire to provide more precise information to stakeholders on core earnings, in particular on permanent earnings. However, other researchers find that opportunism might be the reason behind the voluntary disclosure of non-GAAP indicators, especially before the regulatory intervention. Therefore, two opposing theoretical perspectives have emerged: informativeness and opportunism. The informative perspective suggests that non-GAAP earnings tend to be more permanent than GAAP earnings and are more useful in the prediction of future firm performance. Other research plays importance on the value relevance of non-GAAP earnings compared to GAAP results, as they are strongly associated with stock price. Further studies highlight that companies which voluntarily disclose non-GAAP results present a lower quality of GAAP earnings and the non-GAAP reporting serves the purpose to compensate for the lower informativeness of GAAP results. Finally, more recent research has highlighted the positive link between non-GAAP disclosure and the reduction of information asymmetries. Differently, the opportunistic perspective assumes that non-GAAP disclosure serves the purpose of misleading the users of financial statements, presenting a higher business performance compared to that emerging from the use of GAAP metrics. Empirical evidence shows that managers disclose pro forma earnings to conceal losses, to report positive earnings growth, to meet or beat analysts’ expectations and to increase investor perceptions of earning credibility. Although most of the studies have examined the US setting, the phenomenon of non-GAAP earnings is not confined exclusively to the US. Additional research has recently been conducted also in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Europe. Studies in the European settings have shown that almost 80% of companies in the largest cities reports at least one non-GAAP metric in their earning releases. With reference to the UK setting the percentage of companies that communicate non-GAAP earnings has increased from 40% in 1993 to 75% in 2001, reaching a peak of 90% after the transition to IFRS in the 2005. In spite of the relevance of non-GAAP earnings, there are several differences among countries related to both institutional and economic factors. For example, in the US context the non-GAAP earnings are mainly reported by hi-tech companies, while outside US there is no sector specificity. Furthermore, European companies are more consistent in non-GAAP reporting policies than their US counterparts and are less prone to opportunistically exclude recurring items, such as depreciation. Moving from the dual nature of non-GAAP reporting, this study provides a systematic review of the literature with the aim to identify the main empirical evidence supporting the informative or the opportunistic perspective, pointing out the areas that need further investigation by scholars and practitioners.

Background: Italy has one of the world’s oldest populations, and suffered one the highest death tolls from Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide. Older people with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and in particular hypertension, are at higher risk of hospitalization and death for COVID-19. Whether hypertensionmedicationsmay increase the risk for death in older COVID 19 inpatients at the highest risk for the disease is currently unknown. Methods: Data from 5,625 COVID-19 inpatients were manually extracted from medical charts from 61 hospitals across Italy. From the initial 5,625 patients, 3,179 were included in the study as they were either discharged or deceased at the time of the data analysis. Primary outcome was inpatient death or recovery. Mixed effects logistic regression models were adjusted for sex, age, and number of comorbidities, with a random effect for site. Results: A large proportion of participating inpatients were ≥65 years old (58%), male (68%), non-smokers (93%) with comorbidities (66%). Each additional comorbidity increased the risk of death by 35% [adjOR = 1.35 (1.2, 1.5) p < 0.001]. Use of ACE inhibitors, ARBs, beta-blockers or Ca-antagonists was not associated with significantly increased risk of death. There was a marginal negative association between ARB use and death, and a marginal positive association between diuretic use and death. Conclusions: This Italian nationwide observational study of COVID-19 inpatients, the majority of which ≥65 years old, indicates that there is a linear direct relationship between the number of comorbidities and the risk of death. Among CVDs, hypertension and pre-existing cardiomyopathy were significantly associated with risk of death. The use of hypertension medications reported to be safe in younger cohorts, do not contribute significantly to increased COVID-19 related deaths in an older population that suffered one of the highest death tolls worldwide.

The paper aims to examine the influence of gender diversity among hospital directors on the adoption of innovation. To this aim, it empirically analyses a sample of 108 Italian public hospitals, including general, teaching and research hospitals, for the 2015-2016 time-frame. Findings from our OLS regression analysis show that female directors enable hospitals to successfully face the innovation challenge. In particular, female directors bring specific skills to executives and enhance their knowledge base. In addition, the results of our analysis suggest that work-abroad experience promote the implementation of innovative solutions as it provides women directors with a global view and open-mindedness that enrich their intercultural skills, and therefore their attitude towards innovation. The results contribute to the existing empirical research on women in governance by providing insights into the healthcare sector that is still under-explored. Moreover, the paper suggests that policy makers should pay attention to combine a stronger participation of female in hospital leadership, and call for proper normative actions able to improve the background requirements for the recruitment of directors.

Nell’ultimo decennio, il settore pubblico è stato interessato da un significativo processo di innovazione indotto dalla spinta delle riforme di New Public Management. Tali misure hanno coinvolto le innovazioni di prodotto, di servizio e di governo aziendale, interessando lo sviluppo di nuovi processi volti a superare le criticità esistenti e a favorire azioni di miglioramento dell’attività amministrativa, anche attraverso l’avanzamento tecnologico. Similmente, il ricorso all’innovazione digitale può essere circoscritto all’ambito di operatività dell’azienda pubblica ovvero investire le relazioni tra di essa, i cittadini, le imprese private e, più in generale,gli utenti. . L’innovazione di cui si discute, infatti, prende ipicamente forma attraverso il cambiamento delle procedure e delle routine di front e back office, accompagnandosi frequentemente all’introduzione di nuovi servizi e/o al miglioramento della qualità di quelli in essere allo scopo di soddisfare i bisogni degli utenti attraverso l’uso delle tecnologie digitali. Partendo da queste premesse, il capitolo si concentra sul setting delle aziende sanitarie pubbliche e indaga il grado di diffusione dell'e-health. Nonostante la rilevanza del tema in ambito nazionale e l’interesse del legislatore verso l’implementazione dell’e-health, come sottolineato anche dalle recenti riforme legislative, si rileva una scarsità di studi empirici volti ad indagare il grado di diffusione delle soluzioni digitali in sanità. Al fine di contribuire al dibattito su questo tema, è stata condotta una analisi esplorativa di carattere descrittivo su un campione di 108 aziende ospedaliere pubbliche italiane, osservate nell’anno 2016. L’indagine condotta mostra che il grado di diffusione dell’e-health in Italia è soddisfacente ma disomogenea e dipende da una molteplicità di fattori organizzativi e di contesto.

International audience; The data provided features all light curves from the 5 October 2017 event. The names of the files are the same names, in lower caps and with no spaces, that are presented in Figures C.1 and C.2. The first column of all files is the time in seconds, starting on 5 October 2017 00:00:00 UTC. The second column of all files is the normalised flux, where the unocculted flux oscillates around 1. (2 data files).

Context. A stellar occultation by Neptune's main satellite, Triton, was observed on 5 October 2017 from Europe, North Africa, and the USA. We derived 90 light curves from this event, 42 of which yielded a central flash detection. Aims. We aimed at constraining Triton's atmospheric structure and the seasonal variations of its atmospheric pressure since the Voyager 2 epoch (1989). We also derived the shape of the lower atmosphere from central flash analysis. Methods. We used Abel inversions and direct ray-tracing code to provide the density, pressure, and temperature profiles in the altitude range ∼8 km to ∼190 km, corresponding to pressure levels from 9 μbar down to a few nanobars. Results. (i) A pressure of 1.18 ± 0.03 μbar is found at a reference radius of 1400 km (47 km altitude). (ii) A new analysis of the Voyager 2 radio science occultation shows that this is consistent with an extrapolation of pressure down to the surface pressure obtained in 1989. (iii) A survey of occultations obtained between 1989 and 2017 suggests that an enhancement in surface pressure as reported during the 1990s might be real, but debatable, due to very few high S/N light curves and data accessible for reanalysis. The volatile transport model analysed supports a moderate increase in surface pressure, with a maximum value around 2005-2015 no higher than 23 μbar. The pressures observed in 1995-1997 and 2017 appear mutually inconsistent with the volatile transport model presented here. (iv) The central flash structure does not show evidence of an atmospheric distortion. We find an upper limit of 0.0011 for the apparent oblateness of the atmosphere near the 8 km altitude. ©

Climate change is one of the main challenges for future agriculture since it can severely affect plant growth and development. The Mediterranean area is one of the most vulnerable regions where climatic models have forecasted a significant increase in frequency and severity of drought events. Ongoing climate change is aggravating some critical issues in the production of the autochthonous grape variety Greco, widely cultivated in the Campania Region (southern Italy) and used alone or blend in many quality label wines.Nowadays, there is a high risk for the economic sustainability of Greco cultivation due to the following main issues: reduced vine productivity, low selling price of grapes, and territory fragmentation. Such criticisms induce the abandonment of small/medium-sized farms due to either crop conversion or consolidation into larger farms.The Greco variety may represent a study model to introduce innovative and integrated management of cultivation techniques, such as pruning and soil management, with the aim to resolve similar problems affecting other autochthonous regional cultivars. They include issues, such as low fertility, that cause an unbalanced ratio among sugars, acids, and affect grape metabolites important for the oxidative stability and sensory quality of wine.The GREASE project, funded by Campania Region within the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, falls within the framework of sustainable management of vineyards (from economic, environmental and social viewpoints) with an insight to climate change. The general objective to improve the potential production of Greco concerns the management of major cultivation practices in viticulture by the realization of a cultivar-specific model for vine canopy and soil management. Optimization of parameters is important in order to achieve a good vegetative and reproductive balance that enhances grape and wine quality, improves farm profitability and environmental sustainability. This project is conducted in a vineyard of Vitis vinifera L. subsp. vinifera ‘Greco’ located in southern Italy (Feudi di San Gregorio farm).The projects has 3 main inter-disciplinary actions: A1) to determine the effect of diverse vine pruning systems on plant resource use, through the reconstruction of vine eco-physiological history (dendro-anatomical and -isotopic analyses); A2-A3) to analyse the effect of soil management and of vine training systems on the continuum soil-plant-atmosphere system. Specific activities include: pedoclimatic, vegetative and reproductive, physiological and hydraulic characterization; microvinification and characterization of grapes and wine produced in the different trials; evaluation of resources use efficiency, pests, footprint family markers; model development.The impact of the project on other wineries of the Campania Region will be significant due to an increased understanding of how cultivation systems influence the efficient use of available resources in the Greco vineyard. Such knowledge would be useful to design simple modifications to the presently used agronomical practices, to achieve production and economic gains without long-term structural investments. This know-how will also favour other downstream technologies and biotechnologies of viticulture and enology production, as well as the associated companies (e.g., producers of fertilizers, seeds for green manure) to realize products and services better adapted to the development of cultivar-specific viticultural and enological production systems.

In letteratura è ampiamente riconosciuta la rilevanza delle risorse intangibili del capitale mediante cui le università generano e diffondono conoscenza. La definizione del capitale intellettuale si è evoluta alla luce del nuovo ruolo economico e pubblico che l’università è chiamata a svolgere nei confronti dell’ambiente istituzionale di riferimento. Ciononostante, la creazione di valore del capitale intellettuale nelle tre missioni di didattica, ricerca e territorio risulta tutt’ora poco investigata. Impiegando il framework teorico della publicness e considerando la rilevanza del ruolo economico, pubblico e sociale il presente studio si propone di individuare un modello di public value accounting del capitale intellettuale delle università in grado di coniugare la creazione e la gestione del valore generato nelle tre missioni con gli strumenti di monitoraggio e misurazione delle performance. Il lavoro offre contribuiti al dibattito della letteratura sul capitale intellettuale e suggerisce alcune implicazioni pratiche.