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This paper aims to examine the effect of cultural dimensions such as the power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence on the Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) commitment effect of corporate social responsibility reports by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) banks. Adopting the stakeholder theory and the Hofstede's cultural dimension, we investigated the GRI commitment level and its determinants, using a sample of 819 firm-year observations from 2012 to 2018 belonging to 27 countries. Thus, we collected data from BvD BankFocus database, selecting 180 OECD banks. Applying a statistical regression analysis, our findings show a significant influence of masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence on the GRI commitment level in the context of corporate social responsibility. Additionally, our results highlight the effect of cultural dimensions of countries in the application of the GRI guidelines and investigate the reasons for this different commitment effect. Results of this paper are directed to academic community, practitioners, and policymakers as theoretical and practical advances.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to estimate bleeding prevalence and postoperative peri-oral purpura after full-arch immediate implant rehabilitation according to the 'All-on-four' technique, in patients on different oral anticoagulant therapies (warfarin and rivaroxaban). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 patients (47 women, 73 men, mean age 66.4 years) presented with edentulous or partially edentulous arches. All patients were treated with immediate full-arch fixed prostheses (28 maxillary, 34 mandibular), each supported by four implants (two vertical, two distally tilted). Participants were divided in three groups: 40 patients under treatment with warfarin formed group A, 40 patients under treatment with rivaroxaban composed group B, and 40 healthy subjects composed the control group. As the primary outcome measure, mild, moderate and severe postoperative bleeding was recorded. As the secondary outcome measure, the presence of postoperative petechiae, ecchymoses and haematomas in oral and peri-oral tissues was recorded. RESULTS: Patients under treatment with warfarin (group A) showed a higher prevalence of postoperative bleeding (P = 0.002) and purpura (P = 0.012) in comparison with other groups. No severe bleeding took place and no haematomas appeared in any patient. Prefabricated metal-reinforced, screw-retained, acrylic resin provisional restorations were delivered in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary results of this prospective case-control study showed how immediate rehabilitation according the 'All-on-four' technique could be a safe and predictable procedure in anticoagulated patients where anticoagulation therapy is not discontinued or modified.

The European Climate Research Alliance (ECRA) is an association of leading European research institutions in the field of climate research (http://www.ecra-climate.eu/, last access: 6 December 2018). ECRA is a bottom-up initiative and helps to facilitate the development of climate change research, combining the capacities of national research institutions, and inducing closer ties between existing national research initiatives, projects and infrastructures. ECRA works as an open platform to bring together climate researchers, providing excellent scientific expertise for policy makers and of societal relevance. The ECRA Board consists of representatives of ECRA partners and decides on governance, scientific priorities, and organisational matters. Currently organized into four Collaborative Programmes, climate scientists share their knowledge, experience and expertise to identify the most important research requirements for the future, thus developing a foresight approach. The CPs cover the topics: (1) Arctic variability and change, (2) Sea level changes and coastal impacts, (3) Changes in the hydrological cycle and (4) High impact events. The CP activities are planned in workshops and participation is open to all interested scientists from the relevant research fields. In particular, young researchers are actively encouraged to join the network. Each CP develops its joint research priorities for shaping European research into the future. Because scientific themes are interconnected, the four Collaborative Programmes interact with each other, e.g.Through the organization of common workshops or joint applications. In addition, the Collaborative Programme leads attend the Board meetings. The different formats of ECRA meetings range from scientific workshops to briefing events and side events at conferences to involve different groups of interests. This facilitates the interaction of scientists, various stakeholder groups and politicians. A biennial open ECRA General Assembly that is organised in Brussels represents an umbrella event and acts as a platform for discussion and contact with stakeholders. This event is an excellent opportunity to jointly discuss research priorities of high societal relevance. 2019

Purpose: This prospective study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes of 'All-on-four' rehabilitations in controlled human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients. Materials and methods: Edentulous patients requiring an implant prosthetic restoration of one or both jaws were enrolled in the present study. Each patient received at least one fixed full-arch prosthesis. Four implants, immediately loaded, were placed in each jaw using the 'All-on-four' protocol. Marginal bone loss, implant and prosthetic failure, biological and mechanical complications, and serological levels (CD4 cell count, CD4/CD8 ratio, and HIV viral load) were recorded up to 7-year follow-up. Results: A total of 116 implants were placed in 24 patients, and 29 rehabilitations based on the 'All-on-four' concept were achieved. Implant failures were registered in four patients (10 of 116implants), and the implant survival rate was 91.37%. At the 7-year radiographic evaluation, peri-implant crestal bone loss averaged 1.91 ± 1.3 mm for upright maxillary implants (n = 30 implants) and 1.79 ± 1.28 mm for tilted maxillary implants (n = 30 implants). In the mandible, mean peri-implant crestal bone loss was 1.54 ± 1.27 mm for upright implants (n = 28) and 1.5 ± 1.3 mm for tilted implants (n = 28). No statistically significant correlation was found between serological parameters and marginal bone levels at 6 months, or through 7 years of annual follow-up (P>0.05). A statistically significant linear correlation (P< 0.001) was found between early implant failure and HIV viral load. The CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly correlated with late implant failure (P= 0.009). Conclusions: Within the limitations of this prospective 7-year longitudinal study, HIV-positive patients with a stable immune system can be candidates for the 'All-on-four' treatment concept. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this prospective 7-year longitudinal study, HIV-positive patients with a stable immune system can be candidates for the 'All-on-four' treatment concept.

(THE EXTENT AND DETERMINANTS OF NON FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE UNDER ITALIAN LEGISLATIVE DECREE NO. 254/2016: FIRST EVIDENCE IN ITALIAN BANKING SECTOR). In this study, we analyze the extent of Non- Financial Disclosure (NFD) compliant with the GRI Reporting Framework in the Italian banking sector, according to Directive 2014/95/EU, implemented in our country by Legislative Decree No. 254/2016. The NFD regards to the provision of information on banks’ economic, environmental and social performance. The NFD level is different from bank to bank, so this study focuses, in the perspective of the agency, stakeholders and legitimacy theories, on the level of compliance with the standards in force and on the investigation of the determinants influencing the level/type of information provided to stakeholders. Using content analysis, we constructed an NFD index based on the Global Reporting Initiative Reporting Framework, to determine the degree of the extent of the NFD and to understand the determinants of the banks that affect the non-financial information. The observation period is 2017, the date of the first application of the relevant provisions. The study is conducted on the NFD of 42 listed and non-listed Italian banks. It has demonstrated that the examined Italian banks tend to disclose more information in the presence of higher dimensions and performance (the latter measured by ROE), but not with a higher risk, consistent with previous literature. This paper contributes to the existing literature about the determinants of voluntary disclosure level, shedding new light on banks’ CSR disclosure practices.

We depict the relative sea-level rise scenarios for the year 2100 from eight areas of the Italian peninsula. Our estimates are based on the Rahmstorf (2007) and IPCC-AR5 reports 2013 for the RCP-8.5 scenarios (www.ipcc.ch) of climate change, adjusted for the rates of vertical land movements (isostasy and tectonics). These latter are inferred from the elevation of MIS 5.5 deposits and from late Holocene sea-level indicators, matched against sea-level predictions for the same periods using the glacio-hydro-isostatic model of Lambeck et al. (2011). We focus on a variety of tectonic settings: the subsiding North Adriatic coast (including the Venice lagoon), three tectonically stable in Sardinia coastal plains (Oristano, Colledonia and Cagliari coastal plain), Marche (Tronto), Abruzzo (Pescara and Sangro coastal areas), Apulia (Lesina), Granelli (Sicily), and Marina di Campo (Tuscany) and the slightly uplifting Taranto coastal plain. Maps of ooding scenarios are shown on high-resolution Digital Terrain Models mostly based on Lidar data. The expected relative sea-level rise by 2100 will change dramatically the present-day morphology, potentially ooding up to about 6000 km2 of coastal plains at elevations close to present-day sea level. The subsequent loss of land will impact the environment and local infrastructures, suggesting land planners and decision makers to take into account these scenarios for a cognizant coastal management. Our method developed for the Italian coast can be applied worldwide in other coastal areas expected to be a ected by marine ingression due to global climate change.

The Mediterranean community represented in this paper is the result of more than 30 years of EU and nationally funded coordination, which has led to key contributions in science concepts and operational initiatives. Together with the establishment of operational services, the community has coordinated with universities, research centers, research infrastructures and private companies to implement advanced multi-platform and integrated observing and forecasting systems that facilitate the advancement of operational services, scientific achievements and mission-oriented innovation. Thus, the community can respond to societal challenges and stakeholders needs, developing a variety of fit-for-purpose services such as the Copernicus Marine Service. The combination of state-of-the-art observations and forecasting provides new opportunities for downstream services in response to the needs of the heavily populated Mediterranean coastal areas and to climate change. The challenge over the next decade is to sustain ocean observations within the research community, to monitor the variability at small scales, e.g., the mesoscale/submesoscale, to resolve the sub-basin/seasonal and inter-annual variability in the circulation, and thus establish the decadal variability, understand and correct the model-associated biases and to enhance model-data integration and ensemble forecasting for uncertainty estimation. Better knowledge and understanding of the level of Mediterranean variability will enable a subsequent evaluation of the impacts and mitigation of the effect of human activities and climate change on the biodiversity and the ecosystem, which will support environmental assessments and decisions. Further challenges include extending the science-based added-value products into societal relevant downstream services and engaging with communities to build initiatives that will contribute to the 2030 Agenda and more specifically to SDG14 and the UN's Decade of Ocean Science for sustainable development, by this contributing to bridge the science-policy gap. The Mediterranean observing and forecasting capacity was built on the basis of community best practices in monitoring and modeling, and can serve as a basis for the development of an integrated global ocean observing system. © Copyright © 2019 Tintoré, Pinardi.

The submerged sill in the Strait of Messina, which is located today at a minimum depth of 81 m below sea level (bsl), represents the only land connection between Sicily and mainland Italy (and thus Europe) during the last lowstand when the sea level locally stood at about 126 m bsl. Today, the sea crossing to Sicily, although it is less than 4 km at the narrowest point, faces hazardous sea conditions, made famous by the myth of Scylla and Charybdis. Through a multidisciplinary research project, we document the timing and mode of emergence of this land connection during the last 40 kyr. The integrated analysis takes into consideration morphobathymetric and lithological data, and relative sea-level change (both isostatic and tectonic), resulting in the hypothesis that a continental land bridge lasted for at least 500 years between 21.5 and 20 cal ka BP. The emergence may have occurred over an even longer time span if one allows for seafloor erosion by marine currents that have lowered the seabed since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Modelling of palaeotidal velocities shows that sea crossings when sea level was lower than present would have faced even stronger and more hazardous sea currents than today, supporting the hypothesis that earliest human entry into Sicily most probably took place on foot during the period when the sill emerged as dry land. This hypothesis is compared with an analysis of Pleistocene vertebrate faunas in Sicily and mainland Italy, including a new radiocarbon date on bone collagen of an Equus hydruntinus specimen from Grotta di San Teodoro (23–21 cal ka BP), the dispersal abilities of the various animal species involved, particularly their swimming abilities, and the Palaeolithic archaeological record, all of which support the hypothesis of a relatively late land-based colonization of Sicily by Homo sapiens.

The purpose of this retrospective investigation was to evaluate the use of a prefabricated bar system for immediately loaded implants placed and restored according to the All-on-Four concept with up to 24-month follow-up.A total of 51 patients (31 males and 20 females; mean age 63.4 years) presented with edentulous or partially edentulous jaws with severe atrophy of the posterior regions. All patients were treated with full-arch fixed prostheses (28 maxillary, 34 mandibular) each supported by four implants (two vertical, two distally tilted). The implants were immediately loaded with screw-retained full-arch restorations. Each prosthesis was supported by a prefabricated metal bar combined with high-density acrylic resin. Follow-up visits were scheduled at 6, 12, and 24 months after initial prosthetic loading. Intraoral radiographs were obtained immediately after surgery and at each follow-up visit by using a custom radiograph holder and parallel technique. Marginal bone levels were assessed using digital image analysis. Implant and prosthetic survival and success rates were evaluated. Patient satisfaction was further assessed using a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). Data were compared by means of the Mantel-Haenszel test.No drop-outs occurred. The overall implant survival rates were 100% and 98.38% for the vertical and tilted implants respectively. Two of the 62 definitive fixed prostheses were lost during the observation period due to implant failure. Since restoration replacement due to implant failure was not judged a prosthodontic failure according to the survival criteria provided in this study, the overall prosthetic survival rate was 100%. No statistically significant differences in marginal bone levels between vertical and tilted implants were detected at 24-month follow-up evaluation in either jaw. All participants were functionally and esthetically satisfied with their definitive restorations after 2 years functioning, as confirmed by the average VAS scores (masticatory function: 99.7; phonetic function: 99.5, esthetics: 99.2).The preliminary 24-month results indicate that immediate loading of vertical and tilted implants using the evaluated prefabricated bar system may be a viable solution for edentulous jaw rehabilitation; however, more long-term prospective clinical trials are needed to affirm the effectiveness of this surgical-prosthetic protocol.

In this work, we use a set of recent multiyear simulations to develop a simplified sea surface height index (SSH). The index characterizes the dynamics of Ionian upper layer circulation and its links with sea surface height and salinity in the Southern Adriatic and Aegean Seas during the period 1987–2008. The analysis highlights a covariant behavior between Ionian Sea and Aegean Sea associated with a mutual zonal exchange of water masses with different salinity characteristics. Our analysis confirms that the variability observed in the period 1987–2008 in the upper layer circulation of the Ionian was driven by the salinity variability in the Southern Adriatic and Aegean Sea. This study supports and reinforces the hypothesis that two observed BiOS-like reversals reflect the existence of multiple equilibrium states in the Mediterranean Thermohaline circulation in the Eastern Mediterranean and that a complete characterization of observed variability needs to take into account a fully coupled Adriatic-Ionian-Aegean System. © 2017. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

We describe a new, state-of-the-art, Earth System Regional Climate Model (RegCM-ES), which includes the coupling between the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface, as well as a hydrological and ocean biogeochemistry model, with the capability of using a variety of physical parameterizations. The regional coupled model has been implemented and tested over some of the COordinated Regional climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) domains and more regional settings featuring climatically important coupled phenomena. Regional coupled ocean-atmosphere models can be especially useful tools to provide information on the mechanisms of air-sea interactions and feedbacks occurring at fine spatial and temporal scales. RegCM-ES shows a good representation of precipitation and SST fields over the domains tested, as well as realistic simulations of coupled air-sea processes and interactions. The RegCM-ES model, which can be easily implemented over any regional domain of interest, is open source, making it suitable for usage by the broad scientific community.

Subaqueous, asymmetric sand waves are typically observed in marine channel/canyon systems, tidal environments, and continental slopes exposed to strong currents, where they are formed by current shear resulting from a dominant unidirectional flow. However, sand-wave fields may be readily observed in marine environments where no such current exists; the physical processes driving their formation are enigmatic or not well understood. We propose that internal solitary waves (ISWs) induced by tides can produce an effective, unidirectional boundary “current” that forms asymmetric sand waves. We test this idea by examining a sand-wave field off the Messina Strait, where we hypothesize that ISWs formed at the interface between intermediate and surface waters are refracted by topography. Hence, we argue that the deflected pattern (i.e., the depth-dependent orientation) of the sand-wave field is due to refraction of such ISWs. Combining field observations and numerical modelling, we show that ISWs can account for three key features: ISWs produce fluid velocities capable of mobilizing bottom sediments; the predicted refraction pattern resulting from the interaction of ISWs with bottom topography matches the observed deflection of the sand waves; and predicted migration rates of sand waves match empirical estimates. This work shows how ISWs may contribute to sculpting the structure of continental margins and it represents a promising link between the geological and oceanographic communities.