University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
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Sustainable Measures To End gender-based Violence in Academia: What Lies between the ERA Policy Paradigm and Reality?
Get PDFGender-based violence (GBV) and sexual harassment (SH) represent phenomena of social concern that relate to issues of gender equality. This qualitative study explored responses to GBV and SH in academia in the context of the European Research Area (ERA) using the 7P Model: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, Provision, Policies, Partnerships, and Prevalence. Interviews were conducted with key experts at Italian universities to identify the discrepancy between the EU policy framework and its practical implementation in the Italian context. Furthermore, it was investigated how cultural and institutional contexts influence this implementation. The results showed entrenched cultural barriers, in which a patronizing system contributes to the minimization of the problem and hinders open discussion and effective action. In addition, insufficient funding, limited expertise, and reliance on individual efforts weaken systemic initiatives. While significant progress has been made, such as the existence of dedicated services and awareness-raising programs, these measures often lack coherence and broad impact. Comprehensive and well-resourced strategies and cross-college collaboration are needed to promote sustainable change. Finally, work on capacity building, consistent application of strategies, and engagement at all academic levels is crucial to bring efforts in line with international standards
"Al gioco si conosce il galantuomo”. Per una critica della regolazione attuale in tema di gioco d’azzardo
No full textThe almost total prohibition of gambling activities has been reversed in recent decades to a regime of free access to the gambling market. This paper focuses first on the impact of such a drastic regulatory change on the opportunities for organised crime to enter and control the market. Secondly, the essay focuses on the taxation
of gambling in order to show that the main interest pursued with liberalisation is taxation rather than the protection of public health. Finally, the paper concludes with a more general reflection on the interactions between gambling legislation and constitutional interests, the former being radically incompatible with the principles
affirmed by several articles of the Italian Constitution, such as the article 4 or article 41: a reduction in gambling activities is therefore not only opportune to reduce addiction and the criminal presence in the market, but even constitutionally necessary
Vibroacoustic Analysis of an Electric Motor with Reduced Rare Earth Content
No full textThe recent revolution in land vehicle traction systems brings new challenges to manage, such as the vibroacoustic emission generated by electric motors. This study presents a robust strategy for magneto-structural coupling using finite element analysis to investigate the phenomena governing the vibroacoustic emissions of an electric motor. The work focuses on an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor modified from its original layout. Specifically, the number of permanent magnets in the rotor has been significantly reduced to minimize the use of rare earth materials and decrease the environmental impact associated to the electric motor production. The methodology is divided into several phases: initially, the radial forces exerted on the stator teeth are calculated; subsequently, an in-depth modal analysis is performed on the stator and housing; finally, the forcing functions are applied to the structural model to evaluate the vibroacoustic response under the applied excitations. The sound pressure level is estimated in decibels using a boundary element method model, providing a detailed and quantitative assessment of the electric motor's acoustic emissions
Recurrence of group B streptococcal infections in infants: a systematic review
No full textIntroduction: Group-B Streptococcus(GBS) infections may rarely recur after antibiotic treatment. We aimed to fill existing gaps on epidemiology, clinical features, and outcomes of GBS recurrences. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Embase was conducted, covering the period until 1 July 2024. The demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of infants withGBS recurrence were analyzed. Recurrence was defined as > 1 episode of invasiveGBS infection (positive blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid culture), occurring after the completion of treatment for the initial episode. Results: Among the 213 recurrences, 146 reported individual data and were included in the analysis. GBS recurrences developed shortly after the completion of antibiotic treatment for the initial infection (median = 10 days 95%CI 6.0–18.8). Most infants were preterm (63.5%) and had received an adequately long course of antibiotics for the initial infection (median = 13 days, 95%CI 10–14). Serotype III waspredominant. Breast milk yielded GBS in most samples cultured (41/62, 66%); 5/15 (33%) infants who discontinued breastfeeding after recurrence had further GBS recurrence. Case fatalities were 3.7%. Conclusions: Preterm birth is closely associated with GBS recurrences. Adequately long courses of antibiotics or withdrawal of breast milk may not be useful measures to prevent recurrences
I solfeggi di Andrea Basili e la didattica musicale in Italia nel secolo XVIII
No full textIl presente contributo intende approfondire alcuni aspetti della tradizione italiana del solfeggio, attraverso i dati emersi dall’analisi delle raccolte di solfeggi composte da Andrea Basili (1705-1777), che nel corso della sua carriera affiancò all’attività musicale anche l’insegnamento del canto e della composizione. Durante il periodo in cui ricoprì l’incarico di maestro di cappella nella Basilica di Loreto (1740-1777), sede di grande prestigio situata alla periferia dello Stato pontificio, Basili sviluppò un metodo didattico che non può essere completamente assimilato al percorso formativo dei conservatori napoletani e nemmeno alla prospettiva pedagogica di Giambattista Martini. In particolare, l’analisi delle raccolte manoscritte di solfeggi e di altre fonti inedite evidenzia i tratti originali di una riflessione teorico-didattica animata dal tentativo di integrare aspetti provenienti da differenti metodologie didattiche diffuse in Italia tra il XVII e il XVIII secolo.This paper aims to explore some aspects of the Italian solfeggio tradition through the analysis of the solfeggio collections composed by Andrea Basili (1705-1777), who throughout his career combined musical activity with the teaching of singing and composition. During the period in which he held the role of maestro di cappella in the Basilica of Loreto (1740-1777), a highly prestigious venue located on the outskirts of the Papal State, Basili developed a teaching method that cannot be completely assimilated to the training course of the Neapolitan conservatories or even to the pedagogical perspective of Giambattista Martini. In particular, the analysis of manuscript collections of solfeggios and other unpublished sources highlights the original traits of a theoretical-didactic reflection animated by the attempt to integrate aspects from different teaching methodologies widespread in Italy between the 17th and 18th centuries
Automated yield prediction in vineyard using RGB images acquired by a UAV prototype platform
Get PDFIn viticulture, accurate yield estimation is crucial for enhancing vineyard management and improving the quality of commercial grapes. However, traditional monitoring methods, which rely on visual assessments or destructive sampling, face significant limitations, including subjectivity and lengthy processing times. Additionally, these methods often fail to capture the spatial variability within vineyards, potentially leading to unrepresentative observations. This article describes the development of a fast and automated method based on aerial digital image analysis for yield quantification in vineyards with different slopes and scenarios. In this work, digital images of vines were acquired by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and coloured tags of a known size were placed in the vineyards to automate image processing. To properly extract quantitative data from the images, the geometric distortion due to deformation between the aerial image and the real world was first corrected using a control points tool. For grape detection, colour thresholds and image filtering were applied and tested in different scenarios. Then, the number of grape pixels was converted in yield (kg/vine) using a linear regression model calculated between the bunch surface derived from image analysis and the bunch weight observed by ground measurements on representative vines. The yield estimated from UAV images was validated against ground truth measurements and the R2 in two seasons was equal to 0.85 and 0.89, respectively. Future prospects are to improve image processing by exploiting the identification of objects present in the environment to avoid the installation of the tags in the field, extend the developed approach to other agricultural contexts, and create easy-to-use tools that do not require any specific skills for the agronomist
Iron species in cerebrospinal fluid and dementia risk in subjects with mild cognitive impairment: A cohort study
Get PDFBackground: Iron dysregulation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of dementia, since it is an essential nutrient for neuronal function, but also contributes to oxidative stress and neurotoxicity at elevated levels. Methods: We enrolled 56 individuals with newly-diagnosed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and followed over a 47-month period to monitor conversion to dementia according to baseline percentage concentrations of cerebrospinal fluid iron species. Results: In this cohort, 28 participants developed Alzheimer's dementia, 5 frontotemporal dementia, 2 Lewy body dementia, and 2 vascular dementia during the follow-up. Higher Fe-Ferritin was associated with a higher though statistically unstable dementia risk (hazard ratio-HR 1.36 for 10-unit % increase, 95 % confidence interval-CI 0.88–2.11), while Fe-Transferrin was linked to a lower risk (HR 0.65, 95 % CI 0.21–2.08) and inorganic Fe showed little association (HR 1.06, 95 % CI 0.80–1.40). Patterns of association were non-linear: inorganic Fe had a U-shaped association, with reduced risk at 25–40 % and increased risk above 45 %; Fe-Ferritin showed an inverted U-shaped relation with higher risk between 10 % and 20 %; Fe-Transferrin showed almost no relation with dementia risk. When considering conversion to Alzheimer's dementia only, the relation was similarly U-shaped for inorganic Fe and almost null for Fe-Transferrin, while Fe-Ferritin showed a positive relation with risk above 15 %. Conclusions: Despite the statistical imprecision of the estimates, our study provides novel evidence linking iron species in cerebrospinal fluid to dementia risk in individuals with MCI. These findings also underscore the importance of elemental speciation in dementia research
Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio is associated with worse outcomes in patients with cirrhosis: insights from the PRO-LIVER Registry
Get PDFBackground Liver cirrhosis (LC) is a leading global cause of morbidity and mortality, with inflammation playing a key role in disease progression and clinical complications of LC. The Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), a readily available marker of systemic inflammation, has been linked to short-term adverse outcomes in LC, but data on long-term follow-up are limited. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between NLR and long-term all-cause mortality in an unselected cohort of LC patients. Methods Data were gathered from the Italian multicenter observational study "PRO-LIVER". Patients with available data to calculate NLR at baseline were included. Baseline clinical determinants of NLR and the association of NRL with all-cause mortality at 2-year follow-up were evaluated. Results From the overall cohort (n = 753), 506 patients with LC (31% female, mean age 64.8 +/- 11.9 years) were included in the analysis. Median value of NLR was 2.42 (Interquartile Range [IQR]: 1.61-3.52). At baseline, patients with NLR >= 2.42 were more likely to have Child-Pugh B or C, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or portal vein thrombosis (PVT). After a median follow-up of 21 months, 129 patients died: 44 (17%) with NLR < 2.42 and 85 (34%) with NLR >= 2.42 (p < 0.001). At multiple-adjusted Cox regression analysis, NLR >= 2.42 was independently associated with all-cause mortality (HR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.12-2.44; p = 0.012), along with age, Child-Pugh C class, HCC and PVT. Conclusions NLR is associated with long-term all-cause mortality in LC. NLR may serve as a potentially easily available tool to aid risk refinement in LC. Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01470547
