Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca- Università del Salento
Not a member yet
80217 research outputs found
Sort by
Exploring the Role of Oleic Acid in Muscle Cell Differentiation: Mechanisms and Implications for Myogenesis and Metabolic Regulation in C2C12 Myoblasts
No full textOccupational zoonoses, neurological diseases, and public health: A one health approach
No full textZoonotic diseases, which constitute 60% of all human infectious diseases, present substantial risks to public health, economies, and livelihoods. These diseases emerge at the human-animal-environment interface, with occupational exposure representing a critical yet underexamined dimension of zoonotic risk. Workers in high-risk sectors such as agriculture, wildlife management, and laboratory research face elevated exposure to zoonotic pathogens, often under conditions of inadequate preventive measures and resource constraints. Neurological disorders resulting from zoonotic infections, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, encephalitis, and meningitis, illustrate the severe health consequences for occupational groups. Cases linked to swine hepatitis E virus, West Nile virus, Streptococcus suis, and Baylisascaris procyonis underscore the urgent need for robust surveillance and targeted interventions. The Ecohealth approach, integrated with the One Health framework, provides a transformative model for managing zoonotic risks by addressing the upstream drivers of disease emergence. By emphasizing environmental stewardship, ecological balance, and socio-economic equity, Ecohealth fosters sustainable preventive strategies. Occupational medicine is crucial in linking workplace safety with public health through tailored risk management, enhanced surveillance, and targeted education. Despite these frameworks, significant barriers persist, including data gaps, underreporting of occupational diseases, and insufficient coordination among health sectors. Addressing these challenges requires implementing standardized occupational health surveillance systems, enhancing reporting mechanisms through digital tools, and promoting cross-sectoral data-sharing initiatives. Successful models, such as sentinel surveillance programs in agricultural sectors and integrated biosurveillance networks, demonstrate the feasibility of these strategies. Leveraging these approaches can facilitate early detection, improve reporting accuracy, and support evidence-based interventions
US corporations and the corporate sustainability reporting directive. A textual analysis on 10-K filings
No full textThe Prognostic Role of miR-375 in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Trial Sequential Analysis
Full text linkHead and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is a heterogeneous group of malignancies with poor survival outcomes, particularly in advanced stages. Identifying prognostic biomarkers could help improve patient management. miR-375, a small non-coding RNA, has been shown to influence tumor growth and immune responses, making it a candidate biomarker. This study aims to evaluate the role of miR-375 expression in predicting survival outcomes in HNSCC patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, incorporating data from six studies and the TGCA cohort, encompassing 452 patients. Fixed-effects models were applied to calculate aggregated hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS). Kaplan–Meier curves were analyzed using the Tierney method, and Trial Sequential Analysis (TSA) was performed to assess statistical power. Low miR-375 expression was associated with poorer OS, with an aggregated HR of 1.23 (95% CI: 1.10–1.37). Subgroup analysis showed consistent trends across oral and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Sensitivity analysis confirmed these findings. TSA revealed that although the number of patients was sufficient, statistical power was insufficient to confirm a predefined risk reduction ratio (RRR) of 49%. Data from the TGCA cohort supported the meta-analysis findings, with an HR for OS of 1.32 (95% CI: 0.96–1.8). Low miR-375 expression is associated with worse survival outcomes in HNSCC patients, indicating its potential as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. However, the retrospective nature of the included studies underscores the need for prospective research to validate these findings
Design of an innovative solution to integrate and orchestrate IoT technologies with chatbots for smart home automation
No full textNowadays, smart homes are rapidly gaining popularity but significant challenges still affect the sector. For instance, optimizing energy usage is essential to fully harness their potentiality. Many existing solutions rely on conventional control methods that require user interaction or need experts to configure complex automatic rules. This paper presents an innovative framework that exploits multiple chatbots to autonomously manage operations in smart homes. The framework acts at all the levels of an IoT system by autonomously: collect real-time data from sensors, interpret data, make decisions based on revealed situations, actuate strategies through actuators, and contact users in case of criticalities. Such an automation is performed through three different types of chatbots, i.e., AutomationBot, SensorBot, and ActuatorBot, each performing dedicated roles in real-time system monitoring, decision-making, and operation management. They autonomously manage and coordinate operations, only escalating issues to the user in critical scenarios, ensuring efficient system functioning with minimal user involvement 24 h a day, 7 days a week. It can be programmed by every kind of user through the provided no-code platform. The system’s effectiveness has been assessed through a series of experiments conducted in a simulated smart home environment developed through various technologies (i.e., MQTT, RabbitMQ, Raspberry Pi, Tiledesk-Chat21) focusing on heat pump management and indoor environmental condition regulation. Our results highlight that the chatbot system could independently monitor, control, and optimize operation of critical devices, maintaining operational reliability and user comfort with manual intervention. The framework represents a significant step toward realizing fully autonomous chatbot-driven smart homes
Sustainable Journeys: Navigating the Circular Economy Wave in EU Tourism for a Greener Future
Full text linkThis research explores the complex relationships between tourism, economic factors, environmental sustainability, and transportation infrastructure within the European Union (EU), as the tourist scene changes globally. Our research uses a comprehensive model to investigate the factors that influence the number of tourists arriving in the EU, focusing on the years 1990 to 2022. The model considers transportation infrastructure, environmental sustainability indices, and economic variables as major determinants of tourism flows. Economic variables encompass exchange rates, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and per capita income, while environmental sustainability indicators include carbon footprint and renewable energy usage. Additionally, the model considers transportation infrastructure by assessing the quality and availability of transportation modes. We use a two-way fixed effect to account for any unobserved heterogeneity. Fixed effects give control over nation-specific factors that might affect tourism, as they are a reliable method to deal with potential biases in the estimated parameters. Our study aims to provide insightful information about the sustainable growth of tourism in the European Union, providing policymakers, scholars, and industry stakeholders with a comprehensive understanding of the variables influencing visitor arrivals. This research contributes to the tourism literature by integrating CE principles with behavioral insights from the theory of planned behavior, highlighting how tourists’ pro-environmental attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control influence travel choices. In the framework of the circular economy, the authors hope to inform policy choices and advance a more environmentally conscious travel industry in the EU by examining the points where economic, environmental, and transportation aspects converge
Under-reported data: a simulation study about parameter sensitivity
Full text linkViolence against women (VAW) remains a widespread human rights violation, and its quantification is a complex task due to women reluctance in declaring violence episodes. In order to increase awareness of this issue, the Italian government proposed several initiatives: among the others, the 1522 anti-violence helpline serves as a major tool in preventing and combating violence against women, acting as the first step in disclosing abuse. We examine data on valid calls to the 1522 helpline over time for the period 2013- 2024, aiming to identify the trend and key shifts in service usage. We propose a generalized Negative Binomial dynamic regression model accounting for covariate effects: the model is estimated in a fully Bayesian framework using an Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA) approach to overcome the related computational issues. We find patterns that may reflect an increased awareness of the problem over time and an increased awareness of available resources
Il self-cleaning nel Codice dei contratti pubblici: un’opportunità concreta per il Modello 231
No full textIl decreto legislativo n. 231/2001, nell’ambito della prevenzione della responsabilità amministrativa degli enti, ha introdotto un avanzato strumento organizzativo finalizzato a improntare l’attività aziendale nella direzione della sostenibilità legale d’impresa. In questo contesto, il “Modello 231” assume oggi una rimarcata funzione rimediale. Il procedimento amministrativo riveste la funzione di indiscusso luogo di valutazione delle misure di self-cleaning, le quali trovando nel principio del contraddittorio tra le parti uno dei loro fondamenti. Ne deriva una riflessione sulla disciplina concernente il procedimento di valutazione dei requisiti soggettivi di partecipazione alle gare pubbliche
Clinical features and evolution of paraduodenal (groove) pancreatitis: A multicenter study
No full textIntroduction: The pathogenesis and natural history of paraduodenal (groove) pancreatitis (PP) remain unclear, and treatment includes medical therapy, interventional endoscopy, and surgery. This is a multicenter study to explore the burden of the disease, its clinical course, and response to treatment. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from both academic and nonacademic Italian centers. All patients diagnosed with PP were included in the study. Data were recorded at the time of diagnosis and follow-up. Results: 208 patients (87.5 % male) from 16 centers were recruited. The median age at diagnosis was 50.5 (IQR 13 years), and the mean time from clinical presentation to diagnosis was 18 (±29) months. 90.6 % (n = 107) had a history of alcohol abuse and 90.7 % (n = 185) had smoked. Thirty-six patients (17.9 %) had diabetes at diagnosis, while 80 patients (41.5 %) had chronic pancreatitis. Six (3 %) patients were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after a mean time of 10.3 (±10.8) months from the PP diagnosis. Forty-nine patients (24.9 %) had pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) at diagnosis, while 45(24.3 %) developed PEI during follow-up. Conservative treatment was administered in 103 (54.5 %) cases, surgery in 52 (27.5 %), and endoscopic therapy in 34 (18 %). The mean follow-up was 41.1 (±31.92) months. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption and smoking are major risk factors for PP. Diabetes and PEI commonly develop in these patients. Conservative treatment strategies are often successful