University of Bari Aldo Moro
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Multidimensional Statistical Indicators for the Analysis of Sustainable Tourism
No full textThe objective of this work is to have the analysis of the environmental impacts
that the tourism sector produces are explored. Often the development of this sector is useful for facilitating growth in less developed areas, but the effects on the environment are not considered. The integrated approach is also essential to study in a new and appropriate way the multidimensionality and complexity of the phenomena of territorial sustainability and tourism. The available data will be analyzed at a provincial level using multivariate statistical methodologies (Totally Fuzzy and Relative Method) and density-based spatial clustering methods (DBSCAN), which allow identifying contiguous areas with high levels of sustainable tourism. These aspects should guide the way for the distribution of resources and investments, as currently not all Italian provinces startfrom the same conditions
Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic insights of lumpy skin disease in cattle from diverse agro-ecological regions of Punjab, Pakistan
No full textLumpy skin disease (LSD) is an emerging, highly contagious transboundary disease of bovines caused by the Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), responsible for substantial economic losses to the dairy, meat, and leather industries in Pakistan as well as various countries around the world. Epidemiological information on LSD is scarce in Punjab, Pakistan. Therefore, a molecular epidemiological study was conducted in two agro-ecologically diverse districts (Bhakkar and Jhang) of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 800 blood samples were randomly collected from the jugular vein of clinically suspected cattle with nodular lesions using a multistage cluster sampling technique. The sampling unit was indigenous, crossbred, and exotic breeds of cattle. Four hundred samples were collected from each district. Ten union councils (UC) were selected from each district, and two villages were selected from each union council. From each village, twenty cattle were selected for sample collection. The PCR-based overall prevalence of LSDV in clinically suspected cattle using the P32 gene was 36.25% (36.25%; 290/800). The multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that animals who were not treated with acaricide (P = 0.014; OR = 1.459; C.I = 1.079–1.972), body condition score (emaciated animals; P = 0.019; OR = 1.573; CI = 1.076–2.301), and gender (female; (P = 0.016; OR = 1.435; CI = 1.072–1.969) were significantly at higher risk for LSDV infection in cattle. The phylogenetic insights revealed that our isolates were linked to Kenya, China, Russia, Egypt, India, Zimbabwe, Iraq, and Iran. It can be concluded that LSD is widely distributed in the study area, with evidence of genetic diversity. Further studies are required on genetic composition using variable genetic markers for effective control and eradication of LSDV in Pakistan
La ricognizione di debito nel sistema del Testo Unico Registro tra (incerte) qualificazioni civilistiche e riflessi di natura tributaria – Parte Seconda
No full textPer declinare correttamente il regime dell’imposta di registro applicabile alla ricognizione di debito, è decisiva la ricostruzione civilistica della fattispecie. Questa ricostruzione, nell’escludere qualsiasi (usuale) valenza patrimoniale, porta a ritenere congruo l’assoggettamento ad imposta fissa di registro. Tuttavia, qualora, in sede di qualificazione della fattispecie concreta, si dovesse riconoscere alla dichiarazione ricognitiva un effetto modificativo della situazione preesistente, risulterà applicabile l’aliquota proporzionale dell’1% (art. 3, Tariffa, parte prima, allegata al T.U.R.).In order to correctly determine the regime of registration tax applicable to the acknowledgement of debt, the civil law reconstruction of the case is decisive. This reconstruction, in excluding any (customary) patrimonial value, leads to the conclusion that it is appropriate to subject the obligation to fixed registration duty. However, if, in the qualification of the concrete case, it should be recognised that the declaration of recognition has a modifying effect on the pre-existing situation, the proportional rate of 1% will be applicable (Article 3, Tariff, Part One, annexed to the Consolidated Register Law)
The systemic evolutionary theory of the origin of cancer (SETOC): an update
No full textThe Systemic Evolutionary Theory of the Origin of Cancer (SETOC) is a recently proposed theory founded on two primary principles: the cooperative and endosymbiotic process of cell evolution as described by Lynn Margulis, and the integration of complex systems operating in eukaryotic cells, which is a core concept in systems biology. The SETOC proposes that malignant transformation occurs when cells undergo a continuous adaptation process in response to long-term injuries, leading to tissue remodeling, chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and ultimately cancer. This process involves a maladaptive response, wherein the 'endosymbiotic contract’ between the nuclear-cytoplasmic system (derived from the primordial archaeal cell) and the mitochondrial system (derived from the primordial α-proteobacterium) gradually breaks down. This ultimately leads to uncoordinated behaviors and functions in transformed cells. The decoupling of the two cellular subsystems causes transformed cells to acquire phenotypic characteristics analogous to those of unicellular organisms, as well as certain biological features of embryonic development that are normally suppressed. These adaptive changes enable cancer cells to survive in the harsh tumor microenvironment characterized by low oxygen concentrations, inadequate nutrients, increased catabolic waste, and increased acidity. De-endosymbiosis reprograms the sequential metabolic functions of glycolysis, the TCA cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). This leads to increased lactate fermentation (Warburg effect), respiratory chain dysfunction, and TCA cycle reversal. Here, we present an updated version of the SETOC that incorporates the fundamental principles outlined by this theory and integrates the epistemological approach used to develop it
Il cinema di Sapere: il documentarismo scientifico italiano nel prisma di una rivista (1936-1943)
No full textDalla sua fondazione, nel 1935, Sapere prestò molta attenzione al cinema
scientifico. Questo, ‘divulgato’ sulla rivista, non era oggetto di una analisi
meramente cinematografica, ma indagato anche riguardo a tecniche e tecnologie
adoperate. L’articolo intende ricostruire quale fosse il cinema proposto
ai lettori, allo scopo di individuare discipline, approcci e ‘immagini della
scienza’ comunicati. Per l’abbondanza di riferimenti filmici sulle pagine della
rivista, un’attenzione particolare sarà concessa ai documentari entomologici e
alla retorica ideologica di cui essi erano ammantanti; alle collaborazioni con
la Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn di Napoli; ai documentari biotipologici.
Tutto ciò, anche per meglio chiarire i rapporti tra Sapere e Istituto Luce,
quindi il regime
Social and relationship capital and idiosyncratic volatility: is there a nexus? Evidence from the European financial market
No full textThis study investigates the impact of social and relationship capital (SRC) on the volatility of stock returns for financial companies in the European Union. While prior research has examined the link between SRC and market returns, this study uniquely explores its influence on both systematic and idiosyncratic components of volatility. Using a sample of 140 EU banking, insurance, and asset management firms from 2002 to 2021, we apply Marshall’s (2015) model to decompose total volatility. The findings reveal that firms with high SRC typically exhibit greater total volatility, largely driven by systematic risk, whereas low-SRC firms are more influenced by idiosyncratic factors. These results are robust across various specifications, including lagged data and sectorspecific analyses. This study underscores the importance of SRC for financial intermediaries. Its implications are multifaceted. For investors, high-SRC firms align more closely with market movements, facilitating market-oriented strategies but offering fewer diversification benefits, whereas low-SRC firms expose portfolios to greater firm-specific risks. For regulators, the evidence underscores the role of SRC in shaping risk profiles, informing supervisory practices that increasingly incorporate ESG considerations. Finally, for financial institutions, SRC emerges as a driver of stakeholder trust and reputation and a determinant of exposure to systematic shocks
Iron Oxides on Waste Steel Slags as Catalyst for the Transfer Hydrogenation of Nitrobenzene Using iso‐Propanol as Hydrogen Source
No full textIron oxide-based catalysts have been widely investigated due to their high catalytic activity and operational availability. However, in the perspective of commercial application, performance and cost are two crucial parameters for the development of catalysts. To reduce the cost, it is possible to use industrial wastes, such as steel slags, as effective support for iron oxide catalysts, which are also able to assist the catalytically active sites during their performances. Currently, steel slags are mainly used as building materials, nevertheless, sustainable reuse technologies are still desirable. Herein, the synthesis and characterization of several materials constituted of iron oxides onto steel slags in different mass ratio are reported. Their catalytic activity is also investigated in the reduction of nitrobenzene using iso-propanol as the hydrogen source in the absence of any added base
Physical and Chemical Parameters Driving the Direct Blue-78 Adsorption from Water Using Chitosan/ZnO Hybrid Sponges Engineered via Atomic Layer Deposition
No full textThis study presents hybrid sponges composed of
zinc oxide and chitosan, engineered via atomic layer deposition
(ALD), as highly efficient adsorbents for the removal of textile dyes
from aqueous environments, including complex dye mixtures. ALD
is a vapor-phase strategy to conformally deposit photocatalytically
active zinc oxide within the porous chitosan matrix, enabling
enhanced water stability and improved structural integrity. The
main aim is to elucidate the influence of key physicochemical
parameters on the adsorption process using Direct Blue-78 as a
model dye. The effects of the adsorbent amount, initial dye
concentration, solution pH, ionic strength, and temperature were
systematically investigated. The process occurred slightly influenced
by changing pH values and ionic strength, revealing the
contribution of both electrostatic forces and hydrophobic interactions. Interestingly, the increased amount of adsorbent and the
reduced concentration of pollutants favored dye removal from water. A very high maximum adsorption capacity of 2000 ± 400 mg/g
was observed, denoting the great performance of the proposed material that retained the same behavior if in the presence of azo-dye
mixtures composed also by Direct Red 83:1 and Direct Yellow 86. Kinetic modeling was carried out, and several adsorption isotherm
models, including Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin−Radushkevich, were used to fit to the experimental data. The results
suggested that the proposed adsorbent had a heterogeneous adsorption surface and a single mathematical model cannot be able to fit
experimental data. Furthermore, thermodynamic parameters were derived, highlighting the spontaneous and endothermic nature of
the adsorption process
Improving Perception of Usability Through User Interface Design Patterns to Optimize Information Architecture for Cognitive Benefits and User Satisfaction in Massive Open Online Courses
No full textThis study explores the impact of user interface design patterns on usability, cognitive load, and user satisfaction for Massive Open Online Courses using small-screen devices. An empirical approach was adopted, involving 232 university students who voluntarily participated in the experiment. Prototypes of three well-known Massive Open Online Courses platforms (i.e., Coursera, Udemy, and edX) were developed to assess how various user interface design patterns influence user experience. The findings revealed that the aesthetic design of Coursera, including color scheme, content organization, was perceived as the most visually appealing, while Udemy received higher ratings for its typography, i.e, font size, type, and button shape. Coursera also outperformed the other platforms in terms of navigation (e.g., tab navigation, hamburger menu, drop-down, floating action button, listview), customization features (e.g., search filters, font, and background settings), and feedback mechanisms (e.g., toast messages, error alerts, progress indicators, confirmation prompts, and system status updates). Overall, participants reported higher satisfaction with Coursera, and its interface was associated with a lower cognitive load compared to Udemy and edX. These results underscore the importance of thoughtful user interface design in enhancing usability and reducing cognitive effort in mobile learning applications
Influence of Pediococcus acidilactici and Bacillus coagulans on In Vitro Ruminal Greenhouse Gas Production of Fermented Devilfish in Livestock Rumen Contents
No full textThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of including silage from devilfish waste (SF-Hypostomus plecostomus) and probiotics (PB-Pediococcus acidilactici BX-B122 and Bacillus coagulans BX-B118) in ruminants on greenhouse gas production. The diets evaluated contained 0, 8, 14 and 20% of silage made from SF and the addition of PB at a dose of 0.2 mL/g of diet, using steers and sheep (rams) as rumen inoculum donors in a completely randomized statistical design with a 2 x 4 x 2 factorial arrangement. Asymptotic gas production (GP) was influenced (p < 0.01) by the interactions between rumen liquor (RL), SF, and PB. The inclusion of SF and PB resulted in a higher (p < 0.01) GP rate in sheep; however, the values were reduced with increasing levels of SF. Asymptotic CH4 in the rumen fluid of steers decreased with an increasing SF percentage up to 14%. Probiotics had different effects on the rumen fluid of sheep and steers. In steers, probiotics substantially reduced (p < 0.01) CH4 synthesis while supplementation increased it in sheep rumen fluid. Similarly, diets with probiotics had higher CO formation (p < 0.05) in sheep and steer liquor. Similarly, CO decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing levels of SF. In the rumen fluid of sheep and steers, the probiotics were found to reduce H2S, while there was an SF-dose-dependent decrease in H2S concentration. The ruminal pH and dry matter digestibility of sheep were higher than in steers. It can be concluded that increasing SF levels generally reduced the total gas and CH4 production, with probiotics further enhancing this reduction, especially in CH4 per unit of gas