Archivio istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi di Parma
Not a member yet
127980 research outputs found
Sort by
What is in a Rating? Exploring the Link Between the Italian Legality Rating and Earnings Management
No full textCorporate legality is a key dimension of business strategy. However, due to the difficulties associated with its measurement, little has been done to study the activities and behaviors that legally responsible companies enact towards their stakeholders. To address this gap, we consider the Italian Legality Rating (LR) as a proxy for corporate legality to study the earnings quality of legally responsible companies. Considering the theoretical framework of stakeholder theory and agency theory, we hypothesize that the LR scores and the presence of LR are associated with higher earnings quality. Based on a dataset of over 126,000 companies, the results of the analyses confirm our hypotheses and highlight the role of the LR as an effective tool to recognize ethically responsible companies. Our study provides valuable practical insights to private companies and public institutions
Imprese e istruzione, un rapporto da costruire. Il ruolo della concorrenza e della proprietà intellettuale
No full textLe maestre di «Cordelia». Storie e rappresentazioni in un periodico femminile di fine Ottocento
No full textLa rivista femminile «Cordelia» (1881-1942) riservò sempre ampio spazio alle tematiche scolastiche e pedagogiche. In particolare, durante la longeva direzione di Ida Baccini, la maestra di scuola elementare appare come protagonista in pezzi di vario genere: cronache, racconti, articoli di opinione, editoriali della direttrice, lettere dei lettori etc. Il saggio offre una panoramica di questi testi per l’annata 1895, evidenziando come la rivista trasmettesse al suo pubblico un modello ideale di maestra (e, indirettamente, di maestro) insistendo sul collegamento fra i requisiti morali della professione e l’attitudine morale delle donne come individui e cittadine
Multi-structural characterization of sorghum flour addition on bread staling dynamics: texture, thermal properties and molecular mobility
No full textThe effect of sorghum flour inclusion (0 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 %) on the quality and staling of composite wheat-sorghum bread was investigated, to explore its potential as a sustainable alternative in breadmaking. Fresh bread samples were characterized for color, specific volume, and stored up to 8 days at 25 degrees C. Staling was evaluated at different structural levels, from the macroscopic to the mesoscopic, and molecular levels (water activity and moisture content, texture, thermal properties by DSC, and 1H molecular mobility and dynamics by 1H NMR Relaxometry). Sorghum addition resulted in darker bread and reduced specific volume compared to standard wheat bread. Sorghum-containing breads exhibited higher frozen water content, reflecting weaker waterbiopolymer interactions at the mesoscopic level. Texture analysis revealed increased hardness and decreased cohesiveness with higher sorghum levels, while 10 % sorghum enhanced springiness. Molecular mobility assessments indicated that sorghum inclusion increased the rigidity of the starch-gluten-water network, which was associated with hardness. DSC analysis showed increased amylopectin retrogradation during storage, though no clear trend was associated with sorghum content. This multilevel structural approach revealed that sorghum addition generally intensified staling in composite bread, with 10 % inclusion partially mitigating staling-promoting effects. Integrated structural analyses are key to understanding staling dynamics and guiding strategies to enhance sorghum-based bread quality and shelf life
Towards a new Value-based scenario for the management of dementia in Italy: a SINdem delphi consensus study
No full textAbstract: This national expert-based Delphi-consensus aims at formulating recommendations on the management of dementia care in Italy. This effort seems important and timely given in light of a new scenario arising from a new biological definition of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the availability of disease-modifying treatments (DMTs). Methods: the Steering Committee of the Italian Neurological Society for dementia (SINdem) created appropriate statements. Invited SINdem experts were requested to vote on the statements according to a modified three-round Delphi method. Only those statements reaching Grade A (full agreement ≥ 75%) or B (overall agreement ≥ 80% and full disagreement < 5%) were included in the final document. Round answers’ consistency was graded using the Cohen’s k and within-class correlation coefficient. Results: Forty-six experts voted on 20 statements, which focused on the following aspects: i) organization of care services from early diagnosis to the management of advanced clinical stages; ii) access to biomarkers for a biological diagnosis of AD; iii) requirements necessary for the administration of DMTs; iv) main actors and pathways for the management of patients suffering from cognitive disorders. At the end of the process, 4 statements (20%) received a Grade A consensus, while 16 (80%) reached a Grade B consensus. Although the responses reflect heterogeneity among Italian regions, there was a fair degree of consistency for all statements. Conclusion: The high strength of this expert-based Delphi-consensus may offer guidance for improving the patient’s journey of individuals with cognitive decline from a biological diagnosis to DMTs administration and may possibly offer hints to the Health Systems on dementia
Explaining the discrepancy between design expectations and experiments on a tensile bolted joint for laminated glass
No full textWe discuss a probabilistic methodology to align theoretical strength predictions with experimental results, by establishing quantitative relationships between failure probabilities and applied test loads. This enables reliable safety margin verification for structural designs even when only limited experimental data is available on full-scale prototypes. The methodology is demonstrated through the case study of a structural bolted joints connecting large, non-standard four-ply laminated heat-tempered glass plates. The research combines experimental testing with a theoretical interpretation grounded in probabilistic mechanics. Observing that the expected strength of the joint, derived from semi-probabilistic design, is much lower than the actual test results, our study examines how key factors, primarily lamination effects on redundancy and statistical interference between intrinsic glass strength and heat-induced surface prestress (tempering), can influence structural capacity. While the application is specific, the underlying approach remains applicable to other structural systems. The analysis demonstrates that accounting for the statistical interaction of multiple variables, overlooked in semi-probabilistic methods, can lead to strength predictions up to 125% higher than those obtained through the semi-probabilistic approach, in agreement with experimental findings. This improved approach forms the basis for enhanced verification methodologies, promoting optimized material utilization and mitigating excessive conservatism in structural glass design
Genomic and functional characterization of the novel marine bacterial isolate Lysinibacillus sphaericus PG22 highlights the potential for metalsbiomineralization via urease activity
No full textPotentially toxic elements (PTEs) are cause of environmental concerns due to their accumulation and toxicity in marine and terrestrial environments. The crucial removal of these compounds has stimulated the development of many strategies, including biobased ones such as biomineralization. Microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a biomineralization process that can form high amounts of calcium carbonate in a very short time. MICP is emerging as an eco-friendly strategy to mitigate PTEs pollution through the co-precipitation of metal(oid) carbonates. This study evaluates the MICP potential of Lysinibacillus sphaericus PG22, a marine gram-positive sporulating bacterium isolated from N-Tyrrhenian sediments. Genome analysis revealed the presence of urease and metal resistance genes, confirming its validated ability to tolerate 1600 ppm of Pb(NO3)2. We demonstrated PG22’s ureolytic activity, leading to the biomineralization of 61.7 g/l calcium carbonate in the presence of urea. TGA, XRD, and ESEM-EDX analyses proved calcite polymorph formation already within 16 h of incubation. Additionally, in presence of Pb2+, PG22 promoted the formation of cerussite (PbCO3) and hydrocerussite [Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2], effectively removing 100 % of the Pb in solution, bioaccumulating 2 % and biomineralizing 98 %. The potential involvement of viable spores in the process could guarantee efficiency over time and in extreme conditions. These findings highlight L. sphaericus PG22's potential for MICP-based bioremediation strategies, offering a sustainable solution to restore marine and other polluted environments
[Competencies of Nephrology Nurses in Italy: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study]
No full text: Background. Nurses working in nephrology play a critical role in managing patients with kidney diseases, providing highly personalized care that integrates advanced technical and specialized competencies. However, the absence of a formal professional profile in Italy limits both professional development and the standardization of competencies. This study aims to explore the basic and advanced competencies of nephrology nurses to propose unified educational and professional standards. Design. A cross-sectional study based on an ad hoc questionnaire was conducted between March and May 2024 among nurses working in nephrology within the National Health Service, with dissemination support from the Society of Nephrology Nurses. The questionnaire was structured into three sections: theoretical knowledge, practical competencies, and professional development, and was validated through a pilot phase. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27 software. Results. The study involved 296 nurses, 77% of whom were employed in hemodialysis. Only 14% reported having completed specific post-basic training courses, while 71% expressed interest in further educational opportunities. Technical-specialist competencies in hemodialysis were widely applied, but significant gaps were identified in pharmacological management (37% with moderate or low competency levels) and nutrition (35% with moderate or low competency levels). Decision-making and communication skills scored higher, with 65% of participants perceiving themselves at a high or excellent level in these areas. Conclusion. This study represents an important step towards defining a comprehensive professional profile for nephrology nurses in Italy. The findings underscore the need of standardized educational and professional frameworks to promote formal recognition of this specialization while enhancing the quality of care through advanced competencies, humanized approaches, and personalized patient support