Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor polymorphism rs2229765 and circulating interleukin-6 level affect male longevity in a population-based prospective study (Treviso Longeva--TRELONG)

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling modulation has been associated with increased lifespan in model organisms, while high levels of circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) are a marker of disability and mortality. In the prospective, population-based "Treviso Longeva"--TRELONG Study from Italy (n = 668, age range 70-105.5 years at baseline, followed for seven years) we investigated the effects of survival on the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) gene polymorphism rs2229765, the IL-6 gene promoter polymorphism rs1800795, and plasma concentrations of IGF-1 and IL-6, alone or in combination. We found a sex-dependent effect for the IGF-1R rs2229765 polymorphism, as male carriers of the homozygous A/A genotype survived longer, while the IL-6 rs1800795 genotype did not influence overall or sex-specific longevity. Higher IL-6 levels were more detrimental for survival among males than females, while IGF-1 had no dose-response effect. These findings sustain the hypothesis that sex-specific longevity relies on detectable differences in genetic and biochemical parameters between males and females.     

Business Diversification in the Securities Industry: Implications for the Exchanges

The growth strategies of the listed exchanges affect the morphology of the securities industry as they are focused on the consolidation of trading infrastructures and, on the other hand, on the diversification of the business model. New “conglomeral exchanges” are characterized by a far-reaching production function. Since they integrate product-service lines which are complementary, they potentially herald competitive distorsions limiting the investor’s freedom of choice and prejudicing the interest for the best result from the investment.

The moderating effects of corporate and national factors on lean projects barriers: a cross‐national study

Abstract

Despite companies’ efforts to develop lean thinking in their industrial context, the implementation of many lean projects has not been consistently successful, often resulting in delay, failure, abandonment or rejection. Whereas some authors emphasised that company characteristics, like the product demand profile, are significant factors in lean projects, other studies analysed the impact of national culture. This paper aims to study the combined effect of various factors related to national culture and company characteristics of lean implementation barriers in order to determine whether the environmental context in which the company operation can affect the outcome of lean project implementation. A survey has been conducted to collect information about companies of various sizes (small–medium–large) in all industry fields. Data from companies, including manufacturing firms, in 23 different countries, were analysed in depth by a combination of Association Rules and Network Analysis. The results show that some national culture dimensions, such as Performance Orientation and Gender Egalitarianism, influence lean management success and help to maintain a lean culture. Maintaining a lean culture is even more critical than developing it. Furthermore, if the implementation of lean practices is an arduous task for large organisations, it becomes even greater for SMEs. Other cultural factors of individuals such as Uncertainty Avoidance, Future Orientation and Institutional Collectivism also help to support a lean culture and overcome human and cultural barriers.     

The Dark,and Independent,Side of the Italian Labour Market

Abstract. This paper presents an empirical investigation of the two faces of the Italian labour market, the dark and the regular. Results from ‘exhaustive’ VAR/VEC models suggest that there are no connections (causal relationships, feedback, contemporaneous correlation) between them. In this sense, we could correctly refer to undeclared work as an ‘independent’ side of the market. I interpret these results as providing empirical support for the ineffectiveness of labour policies in converting black economy employment into regular over the last two decades.     

Compulsivity and Impulsivity in Pathological Gambling: Does a Dimensional–Transdiagnostic Approach Add Clinical Utility to DSM-5 Classification?

Although the phenomenology of Pathological Gambling (PG) is clearly characterized by impulsive features, some of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-5) criteria for PG are similar to those of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Therefore, the compulsive–impulsive spectrum model may be a better (or complementary) fit with PG phenomenology. The present exploratory research was designed to further investigate the compulsive and impulsive features characterizing PG, by comparing PG individuals, alcohol dependents (ADs), OCD patients, and healthy controls (HCs) on both self-report and cognitive measures of compulsivity and impulsivity. A better understanding of the shared psychological and cognitive mechanisms underlying differently categorized compulsive and impulsive disorders may significantly impact on both clinical assessment and treatment strategies for PG patients. With respect to self-report measures, PG individuals reported more compulsive and impulsive features than did HCs. As regards motor inhibition ability indices, PG individuals and HCs performed similarly on the Go/No-go task and better than AD individuals and OCD patients. Results from the Iowa Gambling Task highlighted that PG, AD, and OCD participants performed worse than did HCs. An in-depth analysis of each group’s learning profile revealed similar patterns of impairment between PG and AD individuals in decision-making processes. Current findings support the utility of adopting a dimensional–transdiagnostic approach to complement the DSM-5 classification when working with PG individuals in clinical practice. Indeed, clinicians are encouraged to assess both compulsivity and impulsivity to provide individualized case conceptualizations and treatment plans focusing on the specific phenomenological features characterizing each PG patient.     

A Bayesian bivariate hierarchical model with correlated parameters for the analysis of road crashes in Italian tunnels

Statistical Methods & Applications - An analysis of crashes occurring in 252 unidirectional Italian motorway tunnels over a 4-year monitoring period is provided to identify the main causes of...     

Hierarchical disjoint principal component analysis

AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis - Dimension reduction, by means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), is often employed to obtain a reduced set of components preserving the largest possible...