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Resilience Practices and Environmental Sustainability in the Bangladeshi Fashion Supply Chain: The Moderating Role of Digital Tools
No full textThere is growing demand for environmental sustainability in fashion supply chains (FSC), particularly to face risks related to
climate change and pollution of suppliers in developing nations. Hence, supply chain (SC) actors must reconcile environmental
sustainability from two perspectives: waste management and pollution/emissions. This study investigates how resilience
constructs—specifically visibility, agility, flexibility, and collaboration—influence waste management and pollution/emissions
in the FSC and how digital tools moderate these relationships. The digital tools considered include blockchain, the Internet of
Things (IoT), big data predictive analytics (BDPA), artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud-based
platforms (CBP), all recognized
for their strong potential to transform the fashion industry. Using a cross-sectional
design, data were collected via questionnaire
from 190 actors in the Bangladeshi FSC. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed using Smart-PLS
4.0 to test the
proposed hypotheses. The results reveal that visibility, agility, and collaboration positively influence both waste management
and the pollution/emissions dimension of environmental sustainability. SC actors that prioritize transparent information flow,
effective data sharing, and collaborative practices tend to achieve better environmental sustainability outcomes. Additionally,
digital tools were found to moderate these relationships, strengthening the positive impact of visibility while diminishing the
influence of agility. This study provides empirical evidence for the role of digital tools in enhancing environmental sustainability
in the FSC, offering valuable insights for both academia and practitioners
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Management of Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis: A Population-Based Study in Italy
Get PDFBackground: Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis (MTVT) is an exceedingly rare tumor. We performed a registry-based study on MTVT patient management and survival in Italy. Methods: Cases were extracted from the dataset of the Italian National Mesothelioma Registry. A descriptive analysis of patient characteristics, including asbestos exposure, clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up and therapeutic management, was performed. Overall survival was evaluated. We calculated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for selected variables by fitting univariate and multivariable Cox models. Results: Overall, 104 patients with MTVT were included. Median age was 72 years (range 17-92). Epithelioid histotype was the most frequent. Previous asbestos exposure was identified in two thirds of cases. Data on diagnostic and therapeutic management were available for 74 patients (71%). The most frequent presentations were scrotal swelling/mass, hydrocele and inguinal pain. All patients underwent surgery, mostly with orchi-funicolectomy. Adjuvant therapy was administered to 15 patients (20%). Overall median survival was 26.2 months (95% CI 22.1-52.1); 3-, 5- and 10-year survival was 49%, 30% and 18%. Older age at diagnosis and presence of distant metastasis (HR 1.91, CI: 0.85-4.26) were negative prognostic factors. Adjuvant therapy was associated with higher mortality (HR 2.54, CI: 1.25-5.15), indicating a more advanced stage at diagnosis. Conclusions: Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for MTVT; adjuvant therapy in our study did not improve outcome. Data from cancer registries are essential for rare cancers, but they should be integrated routinely with additional diagnostic and therapeutic information
Euclid: Detecting Solar System objects in Euclid images and classifying them using Kohonen self-organising maps
Get PDFThe ESA Euclid mission will survey more than 14 000 deg2 of the sky in visible and near-infrared wavelengths, mapping the extragalactic sky to constrain our cosmological model of the Universe. Although the survey focusses on regions further than 15 from the ecliptic, it should allow for the detection of more than about 105 Solar System objects (SSOs). After simulating the expected signal from SSOs in Euclid images acquired with the visible camera (VIS), we describe an automated pipeline developed to detect moving objects with an apparent velocity in the range of 0.1a-10′′ h-1, typically corresponding to sources in the outer Solar System (from Centaurs to Kuiper-belt objects). In particular, the proposed detection scheme is based on SExtractor software and on applying a new algorithm capable of associating moving objects amongst different catalogues. After applying a suite of filters to improve the detection quality, we study the expected purity and completeness of the SSO detections. We also show how a Kohonen self-organising neural network can be successfully trained (in an unsupervised fashion) to classify stars, galaxies, and SSOs. By implementing an early-stopping method in the training scheme, we show that the network can be used in a predictive way, allowing one to assign the probability of each detected object being a member of each considered class
Smart but Unlivable? Rethinking Smart City Rankings Through Livability and Urban Sustainability: A Comparative Perspective Between Athens and Zurich
Get PDFWhile the ‘smart city’ concept is central to urban innovation, promising enhanced efficiency and livability, this paper interrogates a critical paradox: can cities be ‘smart’ yet ‘unlivable’?
Existing indices, such as the IMD Smart City Index and the IESE Cities in Motion Index, while standard references, tend to prioritize technological and economic metrics, potentially failing to fully capture urban quality of life and sustainability. This study presents a
preliminary attempt, based on an analysis of scientific literature, to critically examine current smart city indicators and propose a set of alternative indicators more representative of quality of life (QoL) and livability. The objective is not to overturn the rankings of
cities like Zurich (high-ranking) and Athens (low-ranking), but to explore how a livabilityfocused approach, using more representative QoL indicators, might narrow the perceived gap between them, thereby highlighting diverse dimensions of urban performance. This
research critically evaluates current smart city rankings. It aims to determine if livabilitybased indicators, supported by scientific literature, can provide a more balanced view of urban performance.
This paper details how these alternative indicators were chosen, justifying their relevance to QoL with scientific support, and maps them to established smart city verticals (Smart Mobility, Smart Environment, Smart Governance, Smart Living, Smart People, Smart Economy). Finally, it outlines future research directions to further develop and validate this human-centric approach
Approfondimenti biologici e caratterizzazione genetica di un mimaride in grado di parassitizzare le uova di Barbitistes vicetinus (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) nel terreno
No full textIl mimaride Platystethynium triclavatum (Hymenoptera, Mymaridae) è stato recentemente segnalato come importante parassitoide oofago di Barbitistes vicetinus (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae), ortottero forestale endemico dell’Italia nord-orientale. Da circa 15 anni, intense pullulazioni di B. vicetinus si sono ripetute nel suo areale collinare, causando gravi defogliazioni a boschi e colture limitrofe. Nonostante le prime informazioni su questo parassitoide suggeriscano una stretta associazione con il suo ospite all’interno dell’areale dei Colli Euganei, alcune caratteristiche biologiche di P. triclavatum devono ancora essere definite. I tassi di parassitizzazione in campo e il numero di individui emergenti da un singolo uovo di B. vicetinus sono stati studiati estraendo le uova dal terreno in cinque siti nella principale area di outbreak dei Colli Euganei. Un esperimento di laboratorio è stato condotto per analizzare la preferenza del parassitoide nei confronti di uova di diversa età. Inoltre, il periodo naturale di sfarfallamento è stato determinato tramite ispezioni periodiche di uova precedentemente parassitizzate sepolte nel terreno. Sugli esemplari raccolti è stata condotta la caratterizzazione genetica delle sottopopolazioni dei Colli Euganei attraverso l’analisi di frammenti di DNA nucleare e mitocondriale. Abbiamo riscontrato bassi tassi di parassitizzazione in tutti i cinque siti oggetto di indagine. Il parassitoide è riuscito a ovideporre nelle uova di B. vicetinus di età diverse, evidenziando tuttavia una preferenza per le uova vecchie di un anno rispetto a quelle deposte l’anno stesso. Il numero medio di individui (n= 95 ± 4.8) che possono emergere da un singolo uovo di B. vicetinus suggerisce un potenziale impatto di questo parassitoide nella regolazione delle popolazioni dell’ospite. Il periodo di sfarfallamento è andato dalla fine di luglio ad agosto. I due frammenti di DNA analizzati (COI e ITS2 rRNA) sono stati amplificati e sequenziati con successo in 29 campioni, con una media di circa sei esemplari per ogni sito. Per quanto riguarda il COI, le sottopopolazioni analizzate hanno mostrato bassi livelli di diversità aplotipica, con due principali aplotipi diffusi in quasi tutti i siti. L'ITS2, invece, ha mostrato sequenze identiche tra loro in tutti i campioni analizzati. L'assenza di una struttura geografica e un'ampia distribuzione all’interno dei Colli Euganei suggeriscono una naturale capacità di dispersione di P. triclavatum
Il mondo Auditivo degli Animali: Percezione, Localizzazione e Reazioni Emotivi ai Suoni. Attraverso le Orecchie di Cani e Delfini
No full textUnderstanding the sensory perception of companion animals and captive species is crucial for enhancing their welfare and providing suitable resources to meet their needs and improve their quality of life. Hearing is a key aspect of sensory perception, and studying auditory capabilities in animals is essential for understanding how species interact with their environment and communicate. Research on dogs has gained prominence due to their co-evolution with humans, improving welfare in working, training, and everyday interactions. Similarly, there is growing interest in enhancing the welfare of captive species, particularly through environmental enrichment. However, studies on auditory perception remain limited, and sound-based enrichment has often been applied using inadequate methods. Addressing these gaps is critical to developing effective welfare practices.
This PhD consists of four main studies. The first study assessed hearing thresholds in five dogs using the staircase method, determining thresholds at low, medium, and high frequencies. Results demonstrated the method's feasibility and revealed dogs' sensitivity to higher ultrasound frequencies than previously reported. The second study used the staircase method to assess dogs’ sound localization abilities through the Minimal Audible Angle (MAA) test, revealing a broader range of MAA and perceptual learning which had not been previously examined due to methodological constraints. The third study examined dogs' preference and emotional reactions to various sounds, including conspecific vocalizations, classical music, relaxing music and dog-directed speech. Although none of the sounds elicited a clear preference, we observed that music, in general, promoted calmness. Additionally, dogs previously exposed to classical music stayed in the sound zone twice as long as those unfamiliar with it. The final study tested classical music as enrichment for captive bottlenose dolphins compared to other types of enrichments (auditory vs visual; novel vs non-novel; complex vs simple sound), revealing positive effects of classical music on affiliative behaviors, indicating its potential in improving welfare for captive marine mammals.
These studies contribute to our understanding of auditory perception and highlight the importance of sound as a tool for improving the welfare of both companion animals and captive species
The effect of resilience practices on environmental sustainability and the moderating role of digital tools in the fashion supply chain
No full textThere is growing demand for an environmentally sustainable fashion supply chain from consumers,
workers, unions, NGOs and regulators to improve the working conditions of suppliers in developing
nations. Hence, SC actors must reconcile the environmental sustainability from two perspectives (waste
management, and pollution & emission). This paper investigates how resilience constructs influence on
waste management and pollution & emission in the fashion supply chain and how digital tools moderate
the relationship. Specifically, it focuses on four resilience constructs—visibility, agility, flexibility, and
collaboration—and several digital tools, such as blockchain, IoT, big data predictive analytics (BDPA),
artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud-based platforms (CBP), which are commonly cited in the supply
chain (SC) literature. This cross-sectional study collects data from 190 actors in the fashion supply
chain (FSC) in Bangladesh through a questionnaire. The structural equation model (SEM) was
conducted using Smart-PLS4.0 to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that visibility,
agility, and collaboration positively influence waste management and emission & pollution dimension
of environmental sustainability. SC actors emphasizing transparency in information flow, data sharing,
and collaboration are more likely to achieve better environmental sustainability outcomes. Digital tools
were found to moderate the relationship, reinforcing the positive effects of visibility practices and the
negative effects of agility. This study provides empirical evidence for the role of digital tools in
enhancing environmental sustainability within the FSC, offering valuable insights for both academia
and practitioners
Geophysical Prospecting for the Detection of Buried and Shallow Submerged Archaeological Sites of Roman Period in the Lagoon of Venice (Italy)
No full textWe present a study that combines several marine geophysical techniques to detect and map archaeological sites from the Roman period in the shallow waters of the Venice Lagoon, Italy. We employed marine electrical resistivity tomography (M-ERT), a drone-based unmanned surface vehicle (USV) multibeam sonar, and subbottom profiler technology to overcome the challenges posed by low visibility in the inland waters. These methods were particularly effective in the shallow lagoon environment, where traditional boat-based surveys are often impractical. The study focused on the northern part of the Venice Lagoon, successfully mapping both known and suspected archaeological sites. The effectiveness of this combined approach was subsequently verified through direct underwater investigations conducted by archaeologists, demonstrating the potential of these geophysical techniques for underwater archaeological research in challenging shallow water environments