Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca- Università del Salento
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In contact with English. Informal media-driven learning among Italian university students
No full textDue to media saturation and linguistic globalisation, Italy is witnessing an unprecedented increase in the presence of English in new and traditional media, in line with the rest of Europe and the world. This evolving scenario has fostered novel modalities of contact with English, allowing L2 users to be immersed in the language and learn it even without moving from their immediate physical surroundings. Drawing on 4,000 questionnaires and lexical tests collected at four universities across the country, the volume presents the results of the first large-scale study in Italy to investigate the impact of emerging language environments on the linguistic habits of university students and their informal learning of English in leisure time. The study adopts an input-centred, spatial perspective on second language acquisition by recognising that informal engagement with English occurs in diverse, often private, spaces – including online platforms, entertainment media and in-person interactions. The research findings provide a detailed view on the multifaceted patterns of use and learning of English ‘in the wild’. They shed light on the reasons behind students’ choices and illuminate the evolving role of English among young generations. The volume ultimately adds new insights into autonomous, media-driven second language acquisition and its potential to create fair language learning opportunities for all
Bretton Woods Organisations in a Changing World: A Single Seat for the European Union?
Get PDFThe European Union represents a new type of regional organisation within the context of international relations. It is also an uncomfortable presence in the internal balances of the so-called “Bretton Woods” organisations – namely, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank – because it raises several questions and issues. Foremost among these is the legitimacy of expecting that the economic and monetary integration within the EU should be reflected in its political and voting representation within these institutions. Secondly, the creation of a single representation of the EU (or the “Euro Area”) encounters numerous legal challenges, both within the framework of EU law and in international law regulating these international organisations. Thirdly, any potential solution must take into account the historical relationships among the EU Member States, as well as their interactions with third countries. However, addressing these problems appears to be an unavoidable knot not only in the process of remodelling the two organisations, but also in updating them to meet the needs of the new millennium. It is a knot which must be untied both by considering the European Union a possible precursor of other regional aggregations that are evolving along the same model in other key regions of the world, and by accepting the EU’s unique characteristics, which to date make it an unparalleled model of state integration. The European Union, as a subject of international law and a potential member of the Bretton Woods institutions, exhibits characteristics that significantly deviate from the classical definition of a state. These distinctive features render the Union, as articulated by its Court of Justice in the landmark 1963 van Gend & Loos case, a “legal order of a new kind in the field of international law”. This characterisation positions the Union as a laboratory for the development of innovative solutions, particularly in the realm of external representation, and as an unprecedented phenomenon in the domain of international relations
Optimal timing for lumen-apposing metal stent removal following endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage of pancreatic fluid collections: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackground: Lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMSs) are widely used for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided drainage of pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). Safety is a major concern and the timing of LAMS removal is debated owing to the risk of adverse events (AEs). Previous studies showed early stent removal was associated with a reduced risk of AEs, but data are still conflicting. The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to identify the optimal timing for LAMS removal. Methods: Major databases were systematically searched until May 2024. The outcome assessed was the cumulative incidence of AEs related to the early (within 3-4 weeks) versus late (after 3-4 weeks) removal of the LAMS. A random-effects (DerSimonian-Laird) model was used to pool the results. Results: Eight studies (1820 patients; mean age 54-61.6 years; 63 % men) were included in the analysis. PFCs included walled-off necrosis (WON; 58.2 %) and pseudocysts (41.8 %). Pooled LAMS-related AEs rate were similar in the late versus early removal groups (risk ratio [RR] 1.03, 95 %CI 0.47-2.28; P = 0.94). Sensitivity analysis, including only studies applying a 4-week cut-off, confirmed a comparable AEs rate (RR 0.80, 95 %CI 0.38-1.65; P = 0.59). The mean (SD) follow-up of the studies was 208 (88) days. Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis showed no difference in the incidence of AEs between early and late removal of LAMSs in the presence of moderate heterogeneity across studies. Removal within 4 weeks is not warranted, and it may instead be planned on a clinical case-by-case basis according on the patient's condition
Sustainable Finance Disclosure Versus Performance: A Clustering Approach
Get PDFThe Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) imposes on investment companies the
publication of sustainability-related profiles of the portfolio creation process. This obligation
seeks to enhance the information provided to customers on financial products with regard to the
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria. In order to understand to which extent
this information is relevant for investment decisions, the reliability of the classification among
funds with a different ESG focus (articles 6, 8, and 9) is studied from a financial perspective
and verified through a hierarchical cluster analysis on principal components of the performance
measures of various funds distributed in Europe
A Conceptual framework for Digital Twin in healthcare: evidence from a systematic meta-review
Get PDFDigital Twin (DT) technology monitors, simulates, optimizes, models, and predicts the behavior of physical entities. Healthcare is a significant domain where a DT can be functional for multiple purposes. However, these diverse uses of DTs need a clear understanding of both general and specific aspects that can affect their adoption and integration. This paper is a meta-review that leads to the development of a conceptual framework designed to support the high-level evaluation of DTs in healthcare. Using the PRISMA methodology, the meta-review synthesizes insights from 20 selected reviews out of 1,075 studies. Based on this comprehensive analysis, we extract the functional, technological, and operational aspects that characterize DTs in healthcare. Additionally, we examine the structural (e.g., hierarchical) relationships among these aspects to address the various complexity scales in digital health. The resulting framework can promote the effective design and implementation of DTs, offering a structured approach for their assessment
Winnie Mice: A Chronic and Progressive Model of Ulcerative Colitis
No full textRecent trends show a continuous worldwide rise in the incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC), leading to increased interest in its etiology and pathogenesis, which is currently unknown. To gain a better mechanistic understanding of this disease, many mouse models have been developed over the last several years, with variations of dextran sodium sulfate administration representing the most widely employed. The Winnie mouse strain was created through elicited random mutations in Muc2, resulting in a progressive, chronic intestinal inflammation localized to the colon that worsens over time. Moreover, Winnie mice display immunologic and microbiota features that are similar to those that can be found in UC patients. Phenotypically, the presence, albeit rare, of rectal prolapse and other complications impacting quality of life can be observed in Winnie mice, as well as extraintestinal manifestations that are often associated with UC. While Winnie mice are currently less studied compared to other more established models of colitis, much has been discovered in the initial years of its use as a UC-like model. In summary, the use of Winnie mice adds to the growing armamentarium that is required to develop precision-based medicine for its future application in treating complex multifactorial diseases, such as UC
Gioacchino Toma, Il refettorio delle cieche
No full textScheda in Catalogo Mostra MUST (Museo Storico Lecce) - 18 aprile 2025 - 18 ottobre 202
Il culto di Astarte/Era/Giunone nel santuario di Tas-Silġ a Malta: continuità e/o trasformazione?
No full textPlatform-Based Ecosystems and Knowledge Management for the Circular Economy: An In-depth Analysis of Italian Cases
No full textPurpose – The paper sought to examine how platform-based ecosystems can enable the creation of knowledge flows supporting the creation of circular economy value. Despite the growing interest in digital platforms, their meaning and implications in terms of ecosystems remain an underexplored and evolving area, especially concerning their contribution to the circular transition. Through the lens of the knowledge management perspective, this study explored the dynamics undertaken by platform stakeholders as well as their contribution to generating purposive knowledge flows supporting the achievement of circularity.
Design/Methodology/Approach – This paper embraced an explorative qualitative approach based on analyzing multiple case studies listed by the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform as good practices related to the Italian context. Data collection relied on primary sources, including interviews with key informants, as well as secondary sources resulting from the consultation and analysis of various web resources.
Findings – Analyzed through a multi-perspective investigative framework to identify the contribution of platform-based ecosystems as enablers for the creation of knowledge, the analysis of four cases revealed interesting insights for understanding the knowledge dynamics of networks supporting the achievement of circular value creation. In representing a valid context for the comprehension of ecosystem dynamics (with evidence related to the categories of actors involved, their impact on the industrial and/or institutional context, and the different typologies of knowledge shared), the cases revealed the crucial role of digital platforms in supporting the creation of knowledge-intensive networks in line with the quintuple helix principle for leading the challenges of the circular economy.
Originality/Value – The originality and value of this study lie in its knowledge management–based exploration of the role of platform-based ecosystems in creating specialized ecosystems for the circular economy. The exploration of platforms’ contribution to the domain of social innovation policies can expand the debate on the circular economy at the intersection of managerial, institutional, and technological perspectives, thus inspiring future research and the practical implementation of strategic actions at both the organizational and institutional levels. This study also advances the academic debate on platform thinking by demonstrating the opportunities for enlarging our understanding of the dynamics of knowledge and innovation management based on digital platforms