ARUd’A (Università “G. d’Annunzio CHIETI -PESCARA)
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Reading and Designing Galata’s waterfront
No full textThe workshop focused on the architectural survey and redesign of the urban blocks of the Galata waterfront: we should not conceive these blocks as arbitrary objects, like in most contemporary architectural production, but rather as living organisms within the formation process of urban tissues. The single building designed by each student is therefore part of a larger scale organism and contributes with its physical consistence to the definition of a part of the city. The projects will therefore adhere to the principles of the construction of an environment suitable not only for private functions, but also for social activities. The workshop focuses on the theme of Galata-Beyoğlu Waterfront considering its ongoing transformatio
Low‐pay work and the risk of poverty: a dynamic analysis for European countries
No full textThis paper explores how householders’ and partners’ low-pay conditions affect the risk of poverty of European households. We use 2016–2019 longitudinal European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions data, model poverty and labour market outcomes, and account for possible endogeneity of low-pay work in the poverty equation. Low-pay work is defined on gross hourly wage basis. We find that low-pay work increases the risk of poverty compared to high-pay conditions. Notably, when compared to non-employment, the effect of low-pay work on poverty differs between householders and partners. The effect tends to be stronger for the former and smaller for the latter, which stresses the leading role of householders in income formation and the added-worker role of partners in households. The risk of poverty for low-pay workers is even reinforced by their higher probability of being employed in job positions with fewer annual working hours, such as part-time and temporary contracts. The magnitude of low pay effects on poverty appears to be associated with institutions capable of sustaining the wage floor, earnings and income inequalities, and the generosity of social transfers. We find evidence of feedback effects from poverty on future labour market outcomes, suggesting a self-reinforcing mechanism between poverty and poor labour conditions, which along with limited upward mobility in the labour markets, may lead societies toward persistent income segmentation
Relaxed core stability in hedonic games
No full textThe core is a well-known and fundamental notion of stability in games intended to model coalition formation such as hedonic games: an outcome is core stable if there exists no blocking coalition, i.e., no set of agents that may profit by forming a coalition together. The fact that the cardinality of a blocking coalition, i.e., the number of deviating agents that have to coordinate themselves, can be arbitrarily high, and the fact that agents may benefit only by a tiny amount from their deviation, while they could incur in a higher cost for deviating, suggest that the core is not able to suitably model practical scenarios in large and highly distributed multi-agent systems. For this reason, we consider relaxed core stable outcomes where the notion of permissible deviations is modified along two orthogonal directions: the former takes into account the size q of the deviating coalition, and the latter the amount of utility gain, in terms of a multiplicative factor k, for each member of the deviating coalition. These changes result in two different notions of stability, namely, the q-size core and k-improvement core. We consider fractional hedonic games, that is a well-known subclass of hedonic games for which core stable outcomes are not guaranteed to exist and it is computationally hard to decide non-emptiness of the core; we investigate these relaxed concepts of stability with respect to their existence, computability and performance in terms of price of anarchy and price of stability, by providing in many cases tight or almost tight bounds. Interestingly, the considered relaxed notions of core also possess the appealing property of recovering, in some notable cases, the convergence, the existence and the possibility of computing stable solutions in polynomial time
Gamma oscillation modulation for cognitive impairment: A systematic review
No full textBackground Gamma oscillation modulation has emerged as a potential non-invasive treatment to counteract cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques like transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), gamma sensory stimulation (GSS), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) show promise in supporting specific cognitive functions. Objective To review and evaluate the efficacy of gamma oscillation modulation techniques in benefiting cognitive functions among individuals with AD and MCI. Methods A systematic review was conducted, analyzing studies from 2015 to 2023 across databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria focused on studies involving tACS, GSS, or TMS applied to older adults with MCI or AD. A total of 438 articles were screened, of which 10 met the eligibility criteria. Results Findings suggest that gamma tACS, especially targeting the precuneus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, benefits episodic memory and cognitive performance. GSS also showed potential in supporting memory and attention, while TMS exhibited inconsistent but promising results when applied to the angular gyrus. However, heterogeneity in study designs and small sample sizes limit the generalizability of these outcomes. Conclusions Gamma oscillation modulation offers potential cognitive benefits for patients with AD and MCI, particularly in memory support. Further studies with larger samples and well-designed protocols are needed to confirm its therapeutic efficacy and optimize intervention parameters
La regola che cambia le regole. Sociologia dei processi creativi e degli ecosistemi innovativi.
No full textIncorporating the HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS profiles with the biochemical properties of eight Salvia species
No full textSalvia, a widely recognized genus globally esteemed for its traditional and medicinal applications, prompted our investigation into the methanol and water extracts of eight Salvia species native to Turkey. These species included S. aucheri, S. candidissima, S. divaricata, S. virgata, S. multicaulis, S. palestina, S. trichoclada, and S. cerino-pruinosa. Our study aimed to assess their biological properties and chemical composition. Utilizing HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS, we identified chemical constituents in the extracts, while antioxidant (radical quenching, reducing power, and metal chelating) and enzyme inhibitory (amylase, glucosidase, tyrosinase, and cholinesterase) activities were evaluated for biological activities. One hundred thirty-one compounds were characterized in the tested extracts. Although many compounds belonging to different chemical families were identified, the main compounds in all the extracts were rosmarinic and sagerinic acids, along with several salvianolic acid isomers. Notably, the methanol extracts displayed superior antioxidant properties overall, with S. cerino-pruinosa exhibiting the highest activity among them, except for metal chelating. Similar to the antioxidant test results, the methanol extracts were more active than the water extracts in the enzyme inhibition tests. Multivariate analysis further highlighted the distinctiveness of the water extract of S. cerino-pruinosa. In conclusion, our findings underscore the biopharmaceutical potential of the tested Salvia species, suggesting their significance as sources of bioactive agents for health-promoting applications
To bio or not to bio. A linguistic investigation of green policies in Italian retail products
No full textThis paper examines the linguistic features of a set of brand names, labels, and slogans related to green policies, and analyzes their effectiveness in the Italian retail market. After collecting a microcorpus, we examine, mostly following a qualitative approach, the textual and linguistic data emerging from it, especially focusing on lexical, morphological, and syntactic strategies used to convey messages about product naturalness and environmental impact, in terms of sustainability of the manufacturing process, waste management, and recycling. Moreover, we consider packaging-related semiotic aspects and other linguistic and paralinguistic phenomena, as the integration of different languages. In addition, we analyze consumers’ perception of sustainability messages in the context of sustainable retailing through a questionnaire. Our findings indicate that consumers perceive green messages as calls to action, highlighting a collaborative effort between producers and consumers to promote environmental sustainability
Outperforming esg stocks portfolio: A machine learning ranking model with catboots regressor
Full text linkThe paper investigates whether outperforming ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) stocks can generate alpha over the S&P 500 through a machine learning (ML)-driven simulation. Leveraging advanced ML techniques, particularly the CatBoostRegressor model, the study explores the relationship between ESG factors and financial performance to construct a high performing, ESG-compliant portfolio.
The findings suggest that incorporating ESG criteria not only supports sustainable investing but also enhances return predictability. However, backtesting reveals that portfolios more tolerant of lower ESG scores tend to yield higher short-term returns. A customizable threshold for ESG criteria allows the strategy to accommodate varying risk appetites, demonstrating that strategic flexibility can align ESG values with financial goals. This work highlights the transformative role of machine learning in sustainable investing, illustrating how ethical considerations and profitability can effectively coexist within a robust, ML-powered framework
Finally, an international standard on social life cycle assessment: ISO 14075
Full text linkPurpose This paper aims to present the ISO 14075—Environmental management—Principles and framework for social life cycle assessment(S-LCA) which was developed by the Working Group 15 of ISO/TC 207/SC 5. In this study, we present the main discussion points, insights on the development process, differences in terminology with current literature, and mutual concessions leading to the compromises made.
Methods A period of 3 years was necessary for the WG15 experts to develop the framework and reach consensus on all outstanding points. Several rounds of consultations yielded more than 300 comments for each consultation round, which
were addressed to adjust the standard and satisfy the various stakeholder expectations. This paper looks back at the process, analyzing the documents, meeting proceedings, and communications with the aim to establish similarities, differences, and the added value vis-à-vis prior existing literature and related ISO standards.
Results and discussion The ISO 14075:2024 provides new principles and a framework for S-LCA based on those foreseen for life cycle assessment (LCA) in ISO 14040:2006 and 14,044:2006. Worth mentioning is the decision to differentiate between the types of S-LCA studies and social life cycle inventory (S-LCI) as well as between social life cycle impact assessment (S-LCA) and social life cycle performance assessment (S-LCPA). It is essential to highlight that the ISO 14075:2024 represents a significant milestone for the definition of S-LCA, and it is expected to support the scientific community in developing further the methodology, particularly in the definition of impact pathways
Esketamine Treatment Trajectory of Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression in the Mid and Long-Term Run: Data from REAL-ESK Study Group
No full textINTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: Data on long-term treatment with Esketamine Nasal Spray (ESKNS) in real-world patients with treatment resistant depression (TRD) is scarce. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of ESK-NS treatment at 6 and 12-month follow-ups. METHODS: This is part of an observational, retrospective, multicentric Italian study (REAL-ESK study). Subjects for the present study underwent psychiatric assessments after 6 and 12 months from the start of ESK-NS treatment. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess changes in continuous variables, such as scores on psychometric scales from baseline to follow-up time points. RESULTS: Of 63 patients who maintained ESK-NS treatment for at least 6 months, 48 were responders or remitters (76.2%). Among 15 non-responders at 6 months, 4 significantly improved at 12-month follow-up. At least one side effect was reported by 71.8% of subjects with a 6-month follow-up assessment. An overall reduction of side effects was noticed as treatment progressed (42% of patients who continued the treatment reported side effects at 12 months). The most common side effects were sedation (31.7%) and dissociation (28.6%) during ESK-NS sessions. Only 2 patients discontinued ESK-NS for tolerability reasons. CONCLUSION: The results support the effectiveness and safety of esketamine in the mid and long-term treatment of TRD patients. The late clinical response of a subgroup of patients represents a novel finding. Data needs to be confirmed in larger samples and longer observation periods