Acta Orientalia Vilnensia
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Doing What the Law Requires by Breaking Mandatory Laws
No full textIn this work, I contribute to the debate on the status and legitimacy of principled disobedience in a democratic polity. After introducing the notion, I move to argue that principled disobedience can be framed not only as a moral and political stance but also, and without contradiction, as a legal requirement. As a result, it will be maintained that not only can we engage in principled disobedience without necessarily violating our legal obligations, but these obligations may actually mandate principled disobedience. This framing of the problem of principled lawbreaking makes the proposed discussion distinctive and original in virtue of its claim—namely, that we may have not only a moral justification to disobey the law but a legal obligation to do
so, an obligation to break the law on principled legal grounds
Predictors of Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Machine Learning Analysis After a 7-Year Follow-Up
No full textBackground: Ischemic heart disease is a major global health problem with significant morbidity and mortality. Several cardiometabolic variables play a key role in the incidence of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to apply a machine learning approach to investigate factors that can predict acute coronary syndrome in patients with a previous episode. Methods: We recruited 652 patients, admitted to the hospital for acute coronary syndrome, eligible if undergoing immediate coronary revascularization procedures for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization procedures within 24 h. Results: Baseline pulse wave velocity appears to be the most predictive variable overall, followed by the occurrence of left ventricular hypertrophy and left ventricular end-diastolic diameters. We found that the potential of machine learning to predict life-threatening events is significant. Conclusions: Machine learning algorithms can be used to create models to identify patients at risk for acute myocardial infarction. However, great care must be taken with data quality and ethical use of these algorithms
Un modello in discussione. Nuove prospettive di ricerca sulla chiesa di San Francesco di Cortona, atti del convegno (Cortona, Scuola Normale Superiore, Palazzone e Centro Studi Frate Elia da Cortona, Convento di San Francesco, 8-9 febbraio 2020), a cura di Simone Allegria e Giovanni Giura, Pisa, Edizioni della Normale, 2025
No full textIllocutionary conditionals and discourse strategies in aphasia: A corpus-based analysis
No full textThis study investigates illocutionary conditionals—conditional constructions that modulate speech acts such as requests, offers, and warnings—in speakers with aphasia. Previous clinical research has mainly focused on the morphosyntactic properties of conditional constructions, largely overlooking illocutionary conditionals and their pragmatic functions. To highlight the importance of this structure in everyday communication and address this research gap, the study is organized into two parts. The first part provides a comprehensive overview of the syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic features of illocutionary conditionals. The second part presents a corpus-based analysis of how speakers with aphasia use these constructions. Preliminary findings indicate that individuals with aphasia are capable of producing illocutionary conditionals using strategies broadly similar to those of neurotypical speakers, though some differences emerge. These results underscore the need to consider the pragmatic dimensions of conditional constructions in clinical research and suggest that more fine-grained theoretical distinctions from linguistics should be integrated into experimental studies
Peritumoral MRI findings and brain herniations in epileptic dogs with prosencephalic brain tumors: a multicentre retrospective study
No full textProsencephalic brain tumors (PBTs) are frequently associated with epileptic seizure in dogs, yet the incidence and characteristics of brain herniations (BHs) in this context remain poorly described. This multicentre retrospective study aimed to evaluate the incidence and distribution of BHs and other associated MRI findings in 80 dogs presenting with epileptic seizures secondary to PBTs. MRI studies were assessed for peritumoral edema, lateral ventricular compression, midline shift (MS), subfalcine herniation (SH), caudal transtentorial herniation (CTH), foramen magnum herniation (FMH), and displacement of the quadrigeminal lamina (DQL). Peritumoral edema and lateral ventricular compression were observed in 85 and 77.5% of cases, respectively. MS was observed in 87.5% of cases. SH and CTH were the most common BHs, present in over 75 and 31% of cases, respectively. DQL was observed in 57% of cases, including dogs with tumors anatomically distant from the midbrain. Although tumor volume did not significantly differ between groups, larger lesions were positively correlated with the presence of edema, lateral ventricular compression and laminar displacement. These findings demonstrate that MRI features reflecting mass effect-particularly peritumoral edema, MS, and specific types of BHs-are highly prevalent in dogs with seizure-associated PBTs and may contribute to epileptic seizures generation. The MRI features identified in this study may have prognostic value for potential epileptic seizures development, and should therefore be considered during the clinical evaluation of affected dogs
Italian EoExpert panel recommendation for disease control, switching criteria, and follow-up in eosinophilic esophagitis from pediatric to adult age
No full textBackground: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic, progressive type 2 inflammatory disorder of the esophagus, characterized by abnormal eosinophil accumulation in esophageal epithelium. Undiagnosed or undertreated EoE leads to increased risk of fibrostenosis, strictures, and food impaction due to persistent inflammation, deeply impacting patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Objectives: To gather insights on comprehensive assessment of EoE, comprising clinical, endoscopic, histological outcomes, adaptive behaviors and HRQoL; to define proper evaluation of disease control and impact of continuous versus noncontinuous treatment to reach full disease control. Finally, to validate an algorithm for disease control, switching criteria, and follow-up. Design: Literature review, survey, and panel expert opinion building by a multidisciplinary Italian EoExpert Panel (EoExpert) of nine specialists from various Italian institutions. Methods: Non-systematic literature review, followed by a survey including 21 questions on the different topics. Results were then discussed and validated by EoExpert. Results: The current diagnostic pathway often does not allow early detection of EoE patients, especially in the presence of adaptive behaviors and unawareness of EoE best practices. In addition, there is a lack of a shared "control" definition. EoExpert reviewed, shared, and recommended two novel management tools for EoE, represented by I.M.P.A.C.T. Questionnaire to uncover adaptive behaviors and S.C.O.P.E. (Symptoms Control, Observation, Pathological Evaluation) scheme for comprehensive treatment efficacy evaluation. EoExpert's recommendations were gathered and turned into a therapeutic management algorithm for the definition of disease control and switching criteria. Conclusion: This document provides a standardized approach to EoE management in pediatric and adult settings, highlighting the importance of timely diagnosis in a multidisciplinary setting, of using unified criteria for assessment of disease control through the adoption of a comprehensive approach and of following up patients. These recommendations highlight the critical role of increased awareness and standardized care in EoE clinical setting for lifelong management
The misconduct ripple: how corruption and unethical practices affect performance across firm age and size
No full textPurpose – Amid conflicting narratives on how mismanagement or corruption shapes corporate performance,
this study examines the uneven ripple effects of managerial misconduct, exploring how its impact varies across
firms of different sizes and ages and how these characteristics amplify or mitigate its consequences. Drawing on
agency theory, it hypothesizes that corruption increases agency costs, thereby reducing performance, particularly in younger and smaller firms with limited resources.
Design/methodology/approach – This study employs a multi-country cross-sectional dataset comprising 3,151
nonfinancial companies from 31 European countries, combining financial data with information on managerial
mismanagement. To address potential endogeneity, it applies a two-stage least squares (2SLS) approach using
instrumental variables.
Findings – Findings indicate that managerial corruption negatively affects firm performance, particularly in
smaller and younger firms. The most notable result is the moderating role of financial constraints, proxied by
firm size and age, in the relationship between corruption and performance. Larger and older firms tend to
experience a less adverse impact, possibly due to economies of scale in managing corruption or the presence of
more robust internal controls. Furthermore, the effects of corruption vary across industries. Robustness tests
confirm these results.
Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of this study is its reliance on a cross-sectional
dataset.
Practical implications – This study highlights the need for tailored anti-corruption strategies, particularly in
smaller and younger firms where the negative impact of corruption is strongest, suggesting that managers and
policymakers should implement robust governance measures.
Social implications – Corruption within companies not only reduces profitability but also erodes trust among
stakeholders, from employees to the public, ultimately affecting communities and societies at large. Therefore, detailed and transparent disclosure of anti-corruption efforts is essential to rebuild trust and demonstrate a commitment to integrity.
Originality/value – This study is original in its firm-level approach to measuring the impact of corruption on performance, using a novel metric based on the percentage of managers facing sanctions, enforcement actions or adverse media coverage. It is also among the first to empirically examine how firm size and age moderate the effects of corruption on performance
Green Design of Biomedical Prosthetic Devices in Additive Manufacturing: A Focus on Energy Method
No full textThis Ph.D. thesis presents a comprehensive study conducted over three years on the mechanical
strength assessment of 3D-printed lattice structures using energy-based methods. The primary
objective was to apply energy-based approaches to evaluate the mechanical behavior of lattice
structures. Specifically, the Static Thermographic Method (STM) was extensively employed to
monitor energy release in a wide range of scaffold designs, providing valuable insights into their
failure mechanisms.
To complement the thermographic investigations, finite element simulations (FEM) and DIC
image correlation were conducted to predict structural failure and establish correlations with
thermographic data. These numerical analyses helped in understanding the stress distribution
and failure initiation points, ensuring a robust validation of experimental results.
As an initial phase of the research, thermographic techniques were applied to 3D-printed openhole
plates and crosshatched specimens to assess their damage initiation and failure
characteristics. Subsequent studies extended this approach to various scaffold configurations,
enhancing the understanding of mechanical performance and energy dissipation in porous
structures. The experimental activities were conducted at the Laboratory of Mechanics at the
University of Messina. Additionally, part of the research was carried out at the Polytechnical
University of Timisoara, under the supervision of Prof. Liviu Marsavina.
This thesis has opened several topics for future research, particularly in refining energy-based
failure assessment methods for additively manufactured materials and optimizing lattice
structures for biomedical and engineering applications. The author intends to further explore
these research directions to advance the integration of thermographic methods in mechanical
characterization and structural integrity assessments
