Cooperatives' performance relative to investor-owned firms: a non-distorted approach for the wine sector
PurposeThis study aims to investigate whether significant performance differences between cooperatives and investor-owned firms (IOFs) may exist.Design/methodology/approachBased on data from a sample of Italian wine firms for the period from 2009 to 2018, an adjusted measure of performance called earnings before interests, taxes, depreciations and amortizations gross the raw materials cost was adopted to consider the different objectives of cooperatives relative to those of IOFs.FindingsEmpirical evidence shows that in the context under analysis, cooperatives have performed better than IOFs.Originality/valueDespite the theoretical literature suggesting that the cooperative form of organizat…
Targeting Nitric Oxide with Natural Derived Compounds as a Therapeutic Strategy in Vascular Diseases
Within the family of endogenous gasotransmitters, nitric oxide (NO) is the smallest gaseous intercellular messenger involved in the modulation of several processes, such as blood flow and platelet aggregation control, essential to maintain vascular homeostasis. NO is produced by nitric oxide synthases (NOS) and its effects are mediated by cGMP-dependent or cGMP-independent mechanisms. Growing evidence suggests a crosstalk between the NO signaling and the occurrence of oxidative stress in the onset and progression of vascular diseases, such as hypertension, heart failure, ischemia, and stroke. For these reasons, NO is considered as an emerging molecular target for developing therapeutic stra…
"Lights and Shades" of Fertility Preservation in Transgender Men Patients: A Clinical and Pathological Review
Fertility preservation (FP) is becoming a critical issue in transgender men who desire biological offspring in the future. The prevalence of transgender individuals in the United States is increasing, and as a result, the demand for gender-affirming surgeries (GAS) and associated FP techniques is rising. Despite the growing demand, there is currently no personalized approach to FP for transgender men, and the available techniques have limitations that require further investigation. In the present review we carefully examine the existing literature on this topic to highlight the shortcomings of current methods and areas where additional research is needed to advance the field. Hormonal thera…
Antioxidant effects of resveratrol in cardiovascular, cerebral and metabolic diseases.
Resveratrol-a natural polyphenolic compound-was first discovered in the 1940s. Although initially used for cancer therapy, it has shown beneficial effects against most cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. A large part of these effects are related to its antioxidant properties. Here we review: (a) the sources, the metabolism, and the bioavailability of resveratrol; (b) the ability of resveratrol to modulate redox signalling and to interact with multiple molecular targets of diverse intracellular pathways; (c) its protective effects against oxidative damage in cardio-cerebro-vascular districts and metabolic disorders such as diabetes; and (d) the evidence for its efficacy and toxicity…