148790 research outputs found
Sort by
Modeling Water and Salt Dynamics by HYDRUS 2D/3D Under Drip- and Surface-Irrigated Carrot in Arid Regions
No full textUnderstanding the distribution of water and salt in the crop’s root zone and predicting
future soil degradation requires specific monitoring to establish guidelines for irrigation
management and system performance. Two field experiments were conducted in the arid
region of Southern Tunisia to assess soil water and salt dynamics under surface- and dripirrigated
carrots using HYDRUS 2D/3D simulations in the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 crop
seasons. The soil water contents and bulk soil electrical conductivities were measured at
three distinct soil layers: 0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, and 40–60 cm, where TDR probes were
located. Statistical indicators (nRMSE, IA, and PBIAS) suggest that HYDRUS 2D/3D is
reliable in simulating field hydro-saline dynamics for irrigated carrots. The results
obtained for the two crop seasons exhibit a strong correlation between the simulated and
measured values for both soil water contents and electrical conductivities. The study also
shows that HYDRUS 2D/3D allows more accurate simulations of soil water dynamics than
soil salinity under these conditions. Overall, these results provide valuable insights for
understanding the hydrological processes in arid regions and can help in improving the
management of water resources in these areas
Reframing the Problem: Why ‘Non-Recommended Journals’ Is Preferable To ‘Predatory’ in Academic Publishing
No full textThe term "predatory journals" is widely used to describe publishing practices that exploit authors, compromise research quality, and mislead readers. Its use, however, has frequently led to legal threats and professional conflicts for individuals and institutions who call out such deceptive practices. Most notably, Jeffrey Beall, the creator of Beall’s List, faced legal threats and personal harassment, which ultimately led him to discontinue his work. To address these challenges, scholars have proposed replacing “predatory journals” with more neutral alternatives, such as “questionable journals”. This study recommends using the term “non-recommended journals,” which similarly avoids accusatory language while signaling the need for caution by scholars and institutions. By avoiding direct allegations of unethical conduct, the term "non-recommended" reduces the likelihood of legal repercussions and professional disputes. Adopting this terminology enables researchers and institutions to continue addressing concerns about low-quality or deceptive publishing practices while fostering a more constructive dialogue. This reframing encourages constructive dialogue, broader institutional engagement, and stronger collective efforts to uphold high ethical publishing standards and protect academic integrity
Unveiling national culture’s influence on non-financial reporting: a systematic literature review
No full textPurpose
This study investigates how national culture influences non-financial reporting (NFR) by reviewing existing studies on the topic and proposing a research agenda. The review addresses two research questions: (1) What are the main characteristics of studies examining the influence of national culture on NFR? (2) Which themes and cultural factors have received attention and can be systematised to guide future research and address regulatory and implementation challenges?
Design/methodology/approach
We conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) of 60 academic articles indexed in Scopus from 1999 to 2024 to identify conceptually relevant themes, from which we derive a conceptual framework and avenues for future research.
Findings
The review reveals a fragmented yet growing body of literature and organises its insights into a conceptual framework based on three key stages of NFR: adoption, content and assurance. Five themes and six subthemes emerge, highlighting the recurring influence of some cultural dimensions. The review also reveals notable research gaps, including an overreliance on Hofstede's cultural framework, a lack of methodological diversity, a limited focus on strategic and governance-related disclosures and language use, and the underexplored interplay between NFR, national culture and regulatory contexts. Future research is encouraged to examine how cultural traits interact with regulation in the adoption of NFR, influence reporting quality and narratives, and affect the credibility and effectiveness of assurance practices.
Originality/value
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first SLR to focus specifically on the role of national culture in NFR. The study advances prior work on cultural influences in accounting by narrowing the focus to the NFR domain. In addition, it enriches the literature on NFR determinants by isolating national culture as a key factor. In doing so, the study lays the groundwork for future research on how cultural traits may support or challenge the effectiveness of mandatory NFR frameworks across countries
Dietro l’altra metà di New York Il racconto di Jacob Riis e l'immaginario razziale dei tenements tra scrittura visuale e verbale
No full textLa presente ricerca vuole dare delle risposte a una serie di quesiti riguardo la figura di Jacob August Riis (1849-1914) e le sue opere, in particolare la collezione di immagini pubblicate in How the Other Half Live: Studies among the Tenements of New York (1890). Lo scopo della ricerca è comprendere l’influenza e il contributo di Riis nella costruzione dell’immaginario collettivo americano nei confronti delle comunità migranti di New York, in particolare quella italiana, il suo ruolo nella costruzione di una narrazione epica nazionale egemonica, e l’eredità lasciata da Riis in termini di archivio pubblico nazionale. La ricerca decostruisce la figura complessa e controversa di Jacob Riis.The research aims to provide answers to a series of questions concerning the figure of Jacob August Riis (1849–1914) and his works, in particular the collection of images published in How the Other Half Lives: Studies among the Tenements of New York (1890). The purpose of the research is to understand Riis’s influence and contribution to the construction of the American collective imagination regarding migrant communities in New York, especially the Italian one; his role in shaping a hegemonic national epic narrative; and the legacy left by Riis in terms of a national public archive. The research deconstructs the complex and controversial figure of Jacob Riis
Storia e memoria nelle collezioni dell’Università di Palermo. Le targhe commemorative a Stanislao Cannizzaro, Arnaldo Trambusti e Giovanni Alfredo Cesareo
No full textThe essay studies the commemorative plaques to Stanislao Cannizzaro,
Arnaldo Trambusti, and Giovanni Alfredo Cesareo, part of the collections of the University of Palermo
Mitigate the tourism-scape: an ANP model to address a conservation and revitalisation strategy for the Tonnara del Secco (San Vito lo Capo, Italy)
No full textThe “Tonnara” is intended as a historical architectural complex to support traditional tuna fishing (the “mattanza”) and processing; it is a significant construction that characterizes the Mediterranean and Sicilian coastal landscape and has a high identity value for local communities. Deprived of their original economic function, Sicilian tuna fisheries are mainly used as museums, but also for tourist accommodation or catering activities as they allow to reach financial feasibility, covering the significant maintenance costs. To guarantee the conservation and transmission of the architectural heritage, defining the correct use therefore remains one of the most relevant issues, which can be managed by combining the restoration intervention, aimed at preserving the material testimony, with other analysis tools such as multi-criteria evaluation models. These models support the selection of the refunctionalization proposals, not only according to economic efficiency criteria, but including environmental, social and cultural sustainability ones. The environmental sustainability of the new functions is an essential aim, especially when tuna fisheries take place in fragile natural areas and are under strong anthropic pressure deriving from touristification phenomena, together with the aims of maintaining or re-semantizing the identity values that the architectural asset has for the local community. In this context, the Tonnara del Secco in San Vito Lo Capo (Italy), currently unused, represents an emblematic case study to define an experimental approach to the issues of conservation, reuse and management of the site using an ANP Analytic model Network Process. This study proposes two hypotheses for the revitalisation of the architectural complex, as tourist-accommodation or educational and cultural centre, that are compared by applying a ANP model, structured to analyse the environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts, and to consider the interrelationships between various elements. This model is submitted to some local stakeholders to verify how the two alternatives are perceived by different subjects and to identify areas of potential conflict in a participatory decision-making process
Variability Survey at Different Genetic Markers as Effective Tools for the Management of the Endangered Breeds: The Case of the Sicilian Native Donkeys
No full textDomestic donkeys (Equus africanus asinus) are an important livestock genetic resource that is currently considered at risk. The number of donkey breeds worldwide is declining due to their loss of function as working animals in rural communities. Local breeds with small populations, which are threatened by genetic erosion and are at risk of extinction, require urgent action to characterize and preserve their genetic diversity. As microarrays containing thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are not yet available for these species, traditional molecular markers such as microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) remain valuable tools for genetic monitoring and management. This study uses different molecular markers to assess and manage genetic variability in endangered Sicilian donkey breeds. This information can support breeding plans and mating schemes, as well as in situ and ex situ conservation programs. The practical application of molecular information in the conservation strategies for these breeds is briefly discussed, and the proposed approach is considered transferable to other threatened breeds
Surgeon preferences and practice patterns in rectopexy: Results of an international survey
No full textAim: Rectopexy is the preferred abdominal intervention for rectal prolapse. Despite similar procedural steps - rectal mobilisation, prolapse reduction, and fixation - techniques vary widely, and onsensus on the optimal approach is lacking. This study aimed to assess global surgeon preferences and practices in rectopexy. Methods: An international 28-item online survey was distributed between November 2023 and March 2024 through professional networks and social media. Questions addressed surgeon demographics, perioperative strategies, and technical approaches to rectopexy. Responses were analysed descriptively and stratified by region and specialty. Results: A total of 226 surgeons from 36 countries across four continents completed the survey. Most respondents (79.6%) administered preoperative intravenous antibiotics, and 80.5% used some form of mechanical bowel preparation. Minimally invasive approaches predominated (81%), with laparoscopy being most common. Posterior dissection was preferred by 61.5%, while 38.5% favoured ventral (anterior) dissection. Two-thirds (68.1%) routinely used mesh, predominantly synthetic. Only 15% performed rectopexy as a day-case procedure. Regional and specialty-related variations were evident in approach, mesh type, and perioperative protocols. Conclusion: This international survey reveals marked variability in rectopexy practice worldwide. Despite common principles, surgeon preference and regional factors strongly influence decision-making. The findings emphasise the need for updated international guidelines to harmonise technique selection and perioperative management in rectal prolapse surgery
Un incontro necessario: la giustizia relazionale come intersezione tra abolizionismo e questione di genere
No full textStarting from a broadly abolitionist standpoint, this contribution aims to offer an analysis of what will be defined as “relational justice”, a category that opens up possibilities for the identification of forms of conflict resolution that are alternative to the penal system framework. After outlining the necessary theoretical premises, the analysis engages with La trama alternativa by Giusi Palomba, which explores the field of the so-called transformative justice – starting from an episode of gender-based violence. Within this framework, the gender issue emerges as both intertwined and compatible with an abolitionist approach, given the various forms the latter can take. Through the encounter between these two perspectives, the goal is to uncover deeper meaning in relation to alternative practices of engaging with conflicts with criminal relevance. By moving beyond an offender-centered perspective, the multiple subjectivities involved in what the criminal justice system reduces to a mere criminal act can emerge, thus opening the way to strategies for reclaiming conflict
Cybersecurity in the age of generative AI: A systematic taxonomy of AI-powered vulnerability assessment and risk management
No full textThe article discusses the transformative impact of Generative AI (GenAI) to the field of vulnerability assessment (VA) and risk management (RM) right from the beginning of their life cycle to the end in cybersecurity (CS). Through a systematic review of over 100 publications (2021-2025), we develop a comprehensive taxonomy classifying GenAI's dual offensive and defensive applications in VA/RM. The survey spells out the dominant techniques of GenAI and also points towards challenging aspects, which include security, explainability, and trustworthiness. The resultant findings reinforce the belief that GenAI could help resolve many traditional VA/RM challenges, thus providing fertile ground for research and practice in this area