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BACKGROUND: Do-it-yourself technologies such as 3D printing offer interesting opportunities for creating custom-made assistive devices for people with disabilities. Although these opportunities are increasingly acknowledged, it remains unclear how 3D printing technology should be implemented in assistive devices delivery processes. OBJECTIVE: In three separate action research projects carried out in Belgium, Italy and The Netherlands, workflows were designed and evaluated that incorporate 3D printing as a standard option for providing clients with suitable assistive devices. METHODS: In this paper we describe and compare the three workflows that were conceived simultaneously, yet independently from each other. RESULTS: Based on the evaluations of these workflows, and the experiences of the researchers who developed the workflows, we provide recommendations for implementing 3D printing as a common approach in assistive device delivery processes in practice. Most importantly, designing and manufacturing should be done by means of a client-centered co-creation process by interdisciplinary teams of clinicians, clients, and 3D printing experts. We provide several recommendations for facilitating and supporting collaborations within such teams. CONCLUSIONS: The three workflows presented in this paper are strikingly similar and therefore provide a convincing starting point for interdisciplinary design teams who wish to embark on 3D printing custom-made assistive devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we critically reevaluate Koch and Okamura's (2020) conclusions on the conformity of Chinese COVID-19 data with Benford's Law. Building on Figueiredo et al. (2022), we adopt a framework that combines multiple tests, including Chi-square, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Euclidean Distance, Mean Absolute Deviation, Distortion Factor, and Mantissa Distribution. The primary rationale behind employing multiple tests is to enhance the robustness of our inference. The main finding of the study indicates that COVID-19 infections in China do not adhere to the distribution expected under Benford's Law, nor does it align with the figures observed in the U.S. and Italy. The usefulness of deviations from Benford's Law in detecting misreported or fraudulent data remains controversial. However, addressing this question requires a more careful statistical analysis than what is presented in the Koch and Okamura (2020) paper. By employing a combination of several tests using fully transparent procedures, we establish a more reliable approach to evaluating conformity to the Newcomb-Benford Law in applied research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The Global Health Summit was held in Rome on 21 May 2021, co-hosted by the European Commission and Italy, as chair of the G20. Leaders, heads of regional and international organizations met to share lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and to define the path ahead. OBJECTIVE: The present paper analyses the Rome Declaration as the first global health programme shared among the G20 Member States and based on the One-Health approach. METHODS: Documents such as preparatory work, official documents and observations from international organizations were analysed in order to provide a comprehensive review of the Rome Declaration. RESULTS: Core principles of the Rome Declarations have emerged as well as the goal to improve cooperation among existing international organisations and national authorities. CONCLUSIONS: Governments' future decisions will be the key to determine the end of the pandemic. The interconnected impacts on health, the environment, and social and economic dimensions will be a central theme of the overall narrative aiming at bringing the G20 process towards achieving a more inclusive and sustainable society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Tendinopathies are overuse tendon injuries showing load-dependant pain, stiffness, weakness of movement in the affected area, and impairment in the movements. The scientific interest on the role of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) for the management of tendinopathies has been increased due to its anti-inflammatory and lubricative properties. OBJECTIVE: To collect evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of HA injections in reducing pain in patients affected by tendinopathies. METHODS: A scientific literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Medline and PEDro electronic databases. The databases were searched since their inception until July 2021. The search was limited to English language articles. Different combinations of the terms and MeSH terms "tendinopathy", "tendinosis", "tendinitis", "hyaluronic acid", "hyaluronate", "infiltration", "hyaluronic injections", "viscosupplementation" connected with various boolean operators were used for other electronic databases. RESULTS: One hundred and one records were identified from the selected databases plus three additional papers identified by the authors through other sources. After removing duplicated papers and title/abstract screening, 19 studies were included in our review (eight papers on shoulder, three on elbow, four on hand, one on knee, and three on ankle). CONCLUSION: The results showed that none of the studies report severe adverse effects and most of them support the use of HA injections in tendinopathies, with a special attention to pain reduction and functional assessment. Further studies are warranted to better investigate effects and methods of administration of HA in tendinopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Digital applications have been vital to ensuring business continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, digital transformation is considered key to shaping Europe's future, including the opportunity for hybrid work. Consequently, a central issue is the experience and perception of workers and the effect on their mental well-being. OBJECTIVE: Building on the assumption that the more 'digitalized' and 'experienced with working from home (WFH),' the more positive peoples' perceptions are, this paper explores how workers in Italy and Denmark perceived WFH during the first COVID-19 lockdown from a psychosocial perspective and what lessons could be drawn for policy and industry. METHODS: Ranking top and bottom respectively on the European Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) and different pre-pandemic experiences of WFH, data about WFH perceptions and mental well-being were collected among Danes and Italians via a survey from March to May 2020. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA. RESULTS: The combination of high rank and pre-experience of WFH did not result in a positive perception of WFH. Mental well-being of Danes were mostly affected and they experienced WFH to be more challenging than the Italians, where the key disadvantages were related to "Home office constraints" and the isolation that followed. CONCLUSION: When digitalizing Europe and workplaces are likely to offer people the opportunity to have hybrid work, the results highlight how national conditions affect the prospects of the new ways of working including people's mental well-being and where actions are most needed for policy and industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Robot-based treatments are developing in neurorehabilitation settings. Recently, the Italian National Health Systems recognized robot-based rehabilitation as a refundable service. Thus, the Italian neurorehabilitation community promoted a national consensus on this topic. OBJECTIVE: To conceptualize undisclosed perspectives for research and applications of robotics for neurorehabilitation, based on a qualitative synthesis of reference theoretical models. METHODS: A scoping review was carried out based on a specific question from the consensus Jury. A foreground search strategy was developed on theoretical models (context) of robot-based rehabilitation (exposure), in neurological patients (population). PubMed and EMBASE® databases were searched and studies on theoretical models of motor control, neurobiology of recovery, human-robot interaction and economic sustainability were included, while experimental studies not aimed to investigate theoretical frameworks, or considering prosthetics, were excluded. RESULTS: Overall, 3699 records were screened and finally 9 papers included according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. According to the population investigated, structured information on theoretical models and indications for future research was summarized in a synoptic table. CONCLUSION: The main indication from the Italian consensus on robotics in neurorehabilitation is the priority to design research studies aimed to investigate the role of robotic and electromechanical devices in promoting neuroplasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Gait impairments are common disabling symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Among the approaches for gait rehabilitation, interest in robotic devices has grown in recent years. However, the effectiveness compared to other interventions, the optimum amount of training, the type of device, and which patients might benefit most remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review about the effects on gait of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) in PD patients and to provide advice for clinical practice. METHODS: A search was performed on PubMed, Scopus, PEDro, Cochrane library, Web of science, and guideline databases, following PRISMA guidelines. We included English articles if they used a robotic system with details about the intervention, the parameters, and the outcome measures. We evaluated the level and quality of evidence. RESULTS: We included twenty papers out of 230 results: two systematic reviews, 9 randomized controlled trials, 4 uncontrolled studies, and 5 descriptive reports. Nine studies used an exoskeleton device and the remainders end-effector robots, with large variability in terms of subjects' disease-related disability. CONCLUSIONS: RAGT showed benefits on gait and no adverse events were recorded. However, it does not seem superior to other interventions, except in patients with more severe symptoms and advanced disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Census of a nation's people and housing provides statistics about its health, income and social structures at a local level. While the demand for these statistics is unchanged the way they are collected is changing in many nations because of common drivers: cost pressure, web-based collection, decreasing response rates, environmental shocks and the availability of administrative data. Within this context, this paper gives an overview of the evolution of the Census in Israel, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom and thereby provides an insight of the challenges and solutions of the modern Census. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the interest in the right to health, which represents a relatively new concept brought about by progress in medical science and the evolution of societies. The Italian Constitution, in article 32, states the right to health without specifications about the parameter of sex, assuming that this fundamental right is property of women and men indiscriminately. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the right to health has actually been achieved in an equal way from the standpoint of sex, and whether a hypothetically "neutral" approach is actually convincing and profitable in this context. METHODS: This paper analyzes the topic of gender medicine from a scientific and legal perspective, based on current medical literature and its implementation in the Italian and European legal systems. RESULTS: Gender medicine is the only credible response to sex- and gender-based inequalities affecting the right to health, as it provides tools to address persisting inequalities in prevention and treatment, thus pursuing health for all: women and men. CONCLUSIONS: The importance of this path was underlined also by the Summit and the Rome Declaration of 21 May 2021, acknowledging that the topic of sex and gender can no longer be overlooked in focusing a correct and equal healthcare approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic represented a global earthquake that made the review of health policies aimed at strengthening common governance necessary. OBJECTIVE: The paper analyses the reasons for which the One Health approach has become fundamental in the control of pandemic phenomena, by arguing the necessity to place it at the basis not only of health policies but also of intersectoral policies. METHODS: The documents of the world organizations published before and after the pandemic were analyzed and studied in order to unpack the close relationship between new lifestyles and the increase of health risks. RESULTS: It emerged that the One Health approach is a paradigm that has been advanced for more than 30 years, but due to the inadequacy of local and world health policies, this approach was never translated into concrete actions to protect health, feeding problems at the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Having ascertained that the adoption of a One Health approach can no longer be postponed, this must be insisted on several interconnected sectors that establish the new concept of healthcare which, in addition to being interdisciplinary, necessarily takes on a global perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop a mathematical model with a Caputo fractional derivative under fuzzy sense for the prediction of COVID-19. We present numerical results of the mathematical model for COVID-19 of most three infected countries such as the USA, India and Italy. Using the proposed model, we estimate predicting future outbreaks, the effectiveness of preventive measures and potential control strategies of the infection. We provide a comparative study of the proposed model with Ahmadian's fuzzy fractional mathematical model. The results demonstrate that our proposed fuzzy fractional model gives a nearer forecast to the actual data. The present study can confirm the efficiency and applicability of the fractional derivative under uncertainty conditions to mathematical epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to the several thematic papers to be discussed at 2019 Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE) conference in Bologna, Italy. Some of the thematic papers include cognitive accessibility of digital resources; user participation in software development; and making Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) accessible to disabled people.

Background: The Human Body Posturizer (HPB), an innovative therapeutic tool able to correct postural changes dynamically, fits perfectly in this framework.Objective: The aim of this paper is to consider the potential economic benefits of using the Human Body Posturizer both in terms of direct and indirect cost reduction in one year.Methods: This study was carried out using an estimation method in order to investigate the possible economic impact related to the adoption of the HBP in subjects with low back pain as an attempt to quantify the costs (direct and indirect) generated at different levels of the path therapeutic.Results: The use of therapy with HBP would generate a saving of € 971.40/year in case of sub-acute LBP and amounted to € 2,922.90/year in case of chronic low back pain.Conclusion: This paper provides guidance on the potential economic benefits resulting from the adoption of the Human Body Posturizer as an innovative therapeutic approach by the Italian Health System. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of public assistive technology (AT) service delivery systems in Europe varies according to each country's culture, disability policy, socio-economic context, health care system organization and history. Though it is recognized by the AT community that it is impossible and not useful to develop a "perfect" or "standard" model for AT service delivery, a way to reduce the fragmentation and increase the collaboration among AT providers has been recently highlighted by the AAATE Position Paper on Service Delivery Systems in Europe. In particular, this document emphasizes the importance for AT providers to share their practices of service delivery in order to "understand to which extent good practices could be exported from one country to another"; and implement common strategies for the evaluation of the quality of the service delivery. In keeping with these recommendations, the present paper illustrates an interdisciplinary AT assessment model targeting children with multiple disabilities which is grounded on the experience of the Centre for Assistive Technology (CAT) operating in the municipality of Bologna, Italy. In addition, a proposal for a conceptual framework for evaluating the quality of service delivery is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on empirical research on the implementation of a series of online services inspired by the logic of the 'social web' in the City of Venice. The empirical research focuses on IRIS, an online platform where citizens can report urban maintenance problems by posting a message on a web page and expect an almost instant reply by local government. The theoretical focus of the paper is the effect that the implementation of web services that require an "Internet-time" response has on the bureaucratic structure of government. The research is mainly based on expert interviews and describes the managers' and representatives' interpretations and sensemaking realized in order to manage the implementation of this kind of Internet service. The paper presents a theoretical analysis of the empirical data and attempts to assess how the provision of an Internet-time service, such as IRIS, and the development of an effective interactive web platform by a local government influences the structure of government. The analysis highlights that the use of this type of technology implies a redefinition of the Weberian structural elements of bureaucracy, such as the principles of legitimacy, hierarchy and specialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at identifying the most promising avenues to maintain and possibly increase the relevance of Official Statistics in the competitive and globally interconnected business data arena. A successful approach should be based upon selective strategies with a strong cooperative attitude towards other institutional and private actors engaged in the production of business data. A Global Value Chain (GVC) approach, developed in the international business literature, is adopted here to identify possible strengths and quickness along all stages of the statistical production process set up and maintained by National Statistical Institutions (NSIs) in order to exploit the "value added" of data produced by Official statistics as compared to other data sources. The adoption of a register based approach to increase both the efficiency and flexibility of statistical production processes, and more active data dissemination strategies finalised to reduce the gap between statistical data and real business information needs are identified as the two most promising avenues. More specifically, NSIs should keep a pivotal position within the business data eco-system not only as direct producers but also as providers of new data infrastructures such as classification schemes, consistency benchmarking services and data integration opportunities. Some concrete examples of high value added new business data developed in Italy are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Institute of Statistics (Istat) is moving from a decennial census to a permanent census, which will produce census data every year. The georeferencing of statistical information will allow Istat, through the integrated system of registers, to release statistical and geographical information with a strong territorial detail and will allow users to know more on the structure and composition of the territory of Italy. The new Statistical Base Register of territorial and geographical entities of Istat (RSBL) is a multidimensional register integrating several components: addresses, regular grids and micro zones, buildings and housing units, administrative zones, statistical and functional zones. In the panorama of statistical registers, it represents an innovative way of considering in an integrated way all the most relevant components of territorial data. In this paper, we present some of the main features of the register. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In order to plan a trip, tourists with disabilities need to gather and analyse a broad range of information concerning the features of the places and services with which they are going to interact. For these people, guidebooks may represent an important source of information for gaining prior knowledge about the various critical situations they may experience as tourists. Generally, disabled people find tourist information on dedicated communication tools; guidebooks for the disabled often provide information for wheelchair users only. OBJECTIVE:The aim of the research project was to develop a mainstream guidebook with supplementary tourist information both for people with impaired vision and for people with reduced mobility. METHODS: The communication project behind "The Florence Experience" guidebook is inspired by both the Universal Design approach and the Performance Design approach. This article describes a case study and provides suggestions for planning in similar situations. It is also part of a broader research project relating to the communication about urban spaces accessibility. RESULTS: The main outcome of the research project is a multimedia and multisensory bilingual guidebook (in Italian and English) that provides information in four separate coordinated forms: a paper-based guidebook, web pages, MP3 audio files, and portable tactile maps. CONCLUSIONS: Creating a guidebook for all is a tough challenge that requires a highly articulated vision and the cooperation of different fields of knowledge and skills. Despite the limits described in the paper, "The Florence Experience" guidebook is, in our opinion, a considerable step forward with respect to the majority of available guidebooks both because it is a unique information tool for disabled and non-disabled people and because, unlike the majority of the guidebooks for disabled people, it does not only consider the needs of wheelchair users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open government is emerging as a core issue for increasing, on the one hand, participation of citizens, and, on the other hand, accountability, transparency, and the capability of delivering digital services by Public Administrations, with a consequent interest into public and social value as final outcomes. However, most of the open government initiatives actually concern the provision of public data under an open license and in an open and accessible format. From a policy as well as from a research point of view, open government raises a set of questions about how to manage and evaluate their quality, also considering the compliance with enforced legal frameworks, if any available focused specifically on open government issues. Thus, the paper discusses a quality-based framework for open government data compliance assessment, made up of quality dimensions and a set of criteria contributing to the measurement of a compliance index. The framework is then applied for the evaluation of the open government data initiatives of a sample of local public administration in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to contribute to the debate on the role of e-government in spurring the reorganisation of the public sector and broader economic development in a period when financial austerity reduces the public resources available to drive change. The overarching argument here is that the past constrains what can be done in the future. In other words, the administrative patterns and attitudes of old determine the speed and breadth of the new practices championed by the stimulus packages. The paper analyses the Digital Agenda launched in 2012 by Italy's bipartisan government and discusses the consequences of this path dependency 'on the ground'. Our findings indicate that the potential of e-government as an engine of growth and a driver of large-scale change is thwarted by the policy makers overplaying of cost-cutting targets rather than transformational targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More advanced resources needed to provide a service portfolio that responds to the rapid growth of an ageing population is a concern for many governments in developed countries. This paper explores the convergent insights of three conceptual frameworks to identify where age-aware e-Government is more likely to be designed effectively. It shows how the social and relational capital of the Italian "industrial districts" make them ideal settings, receptive to the implementation of age aware e-Government services, thanks to both the innovative mindset of the business community and their rich social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The OCRA method is the reference method chosen in ISO (ISO 11228-3) and CEN (EN 1005-5) standards regarding risk assessment and management of upper limbs repetitive movements and exertions. The method consists of two specific tools (OCRA index and OCRA checklist). In this paper special attention will be devoted to the procedures for the analysis of multiple repetitive tasks. When computing the OCRA index (checklist score) considering the presence of more than one repetitive task, a 'traditional' procedure has been previously proposed. This approach, whose results could be defined as 'time weighted average', seems to be appropriate when considering rotations among tasks that are performed almost once every hour. On the contrary, when rotation among repetitive tasks is less frequent the 'time weighted average' approach could result into an underestimation of the exposure level. For those scenarios an alternative approach is based on a concept that the most stressful task is the minimum starting point. A peculiar procedure allows to exactly estimate the resulting index within this range of minimum to maximum values. It is possible to apply this approach also for job rotation with weekly or monthly or annual cycle typical of agriculture, supermarket, cleaning sectors. This paper shows criteria and results in two working situation: cleaning (weekly cycle) and packaging of fruit (annual cycle). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an applied research aimed at understanding the relevance and the applicability of human related criteria in sustainability assessment of construction materials. Under a theoretical perspective, human factors consideration is strongly encouraged by building sustainability assessment methods, but the practice demonstrates that current models for building sustainability assessment neglect ergonomic issues, especially those ones concerning the construction phase. The study starts from the observation that new construction techniques for high energy efficient external walls are characterized by elements generally heavier and bigger than traditional materials. In this case, high sustainability performances connected with energy saving could be reached only consuming high, and then not very much sustainable, human efforts during setting-up operations. The paper illustrates a practical approach for encompassing human factors in sustainability assessment of four block types for energy efficient external walls. Research steps, from block selections to bricklaying task analysis, human factors indicators and metrics formulation, data gathering and final assessment are going to be presented. Finally, open issues and further possible generalizations from the particular case study will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the growth of video surveillance in Italy through a focus on the legislative framework and the politics, in particular urban security policies. The paper explores whether the decentralization of security polices has impacted on the implementation of surveillance cameras within national urban contexts. A specific emphasis will also be given to the limited empirical data available, namely a qualitative research carried out in the city of Milan in 2005 [4]. Efforts are made to understand potential discrepancies between the national Data Protection Authority provisions on video surveillance and the reception of it by the camera operators. This contribution also seeks to shed light on "lost surveillance studies" [15] within a non-Anglophone framework in order to sketch out an approach to surveillance that differs from countries where the issue has been broadly explored (inter alia [21]). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to provide new insights concerning the role of Information Systems (IS) in the theoretical and practical debate on New Public Management (NPM) and Public Governance (PG) reforms. If NPM aims to increase efficiency in order to reduce costs and to improve performance, PG suggests to rebuild the relationship with society and to increase public participation. In order to be implemented, NPM and PG reforms require the introduction of new work practices with fundamental changes in public organizations. The paper argues that IS can be regarded as enablers of the two streams of reforms: on the one hand IS are used for in-house government applications, on the other hand they assist in the push toward providing more user-oriented services. To explore this theoretical argument, the 'life-stories' of 44 bureaucrats, operating in four different regional branches of an Italian public agency, have been collected and analyzed. The results show that: a) IS support the planning, control and evolution of activities related with to the achievement of goals; b) IS sustain an increase in administrative responsibility and citizen participation. Empirically, the paper demonstrates that IS support everyday work, putting in practice and combining NPM and PG reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decade debate on progress and well-being has stressed the necessity of putting people first, also within the national accounts (NAs) system. The sub-sectoring of Households accounts by groups of households would certainly represent a way of pursuing such objective. Two methods can be used: the top-down method, which breaks down NAs totals (top) according to a set of indicators derived from micro data on household economic resources; the bottom-up method, which uses micro data (bottom) to derive NAs totals. In this paper, we discuss pros and cons of the two methods especially from a practical point of view. Particularly, we present an application of the top-down method for Italy and describe the on-going process towards a full-fledged bottom-up approach for the building of Italian National Accounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IRI ("Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale") is the largest mixed-state enterprise of Italy: because of its size and scope, the question has often arisen on how IRI's policy decisions are influenced and in turn influence the Italian economy. This paper attempts to indicate a method for the evaluation of this interrelationship via input-output techniques. A dynamic input-output model partitioned between IRI and the Rest Of the Country has been built in order to endogenize investments, such a crucial factor in corporate strategies. Moreover, the I/O framework has been used to analyze the effects of corporate shifts in the sectoral portfolio diversification, where acquisition and selling policies can substantially modify the production structure of a large company. The policy exercise presented here builds on the compilation of an extensive database, mainly focused on evaluating sectoral capital stocks from establishment data. The results of the model are discussed to envisage how 1991-95 IRI's sectoral investments and production plans will be affected by the macroeconomic scenarios. On the other hand, since IRI plans are adjusted annually, an application of the proposed methodology may point out to policy-makers which changes are needed in investment outlays in order to achieve economic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: It is well known that the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are important to assist people with disability in the workplace. OBJECTIVE: In this context, this paper sheds light on the state of ICT accessibility for Italian employees with disabilities in private sector companies by mapping and critically analyzing the assistive role of ICT. METHODS: To do this, empirical evidence was drawn from a multi-methods research with middle and top managers from 97 medium and large Italian companies. Quantitative data was collected using a survey was directed at personnel identified as Human Resource (HR) and Information System (IS) managers, followed by a qualitative study with selected firms whose aim was to understand the inner workings of assistive technology and the decision making process related to assistive technology acquisition and use. RESULTS: The main results show the role and the integration level of people with disabilities, and the presence and effectiveness of specific assistive technologies. DISCUSSION: Ways to improve the inclusion of people with disability in the workplace, as well as the use of assistive technologies are discussed. CONCLUSION: ICT could be more disseminated within companies and best used with modifications to improve usability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper shows how to leverage RFID technology in fresh fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, and, in particular, to optimally manage stock levels on shelves, shelves replenishment, and shrinkage prevention for fresh perishable products. We deployed a pilot project on a FMCG retail supply chain, encompassing a distribution centre and two stores of a major Italian retailer. About 60 products have been RFID tagged at case level. We real time tracked cases of products for 4 months, through the distribution chain all the way to the stores, where the RFID deployment made it possible to punctually monitor shelves stock levels, backroom stock levels and product shrinkage. We demonstrate that the out of stock (OOS) problem is just one piece of a broader picture, that is shelves stock optimization. The higher the stock level on the shelves, the lower the need for shelf replenishment, and thus the likelihood of an OOS. However, the capital holding costs and the risk for product shrinkage increase. The latter issue is particularly relevant for fresh perishable products. This pilot demonstrates that a retailer could reduce OOS, shrinkage and capital holding costs all together, by means of efficient RFID data management. Potential savings for fresh products account approx 1.7% of sale turnover. This study is the first pilot project which assesses the impact of RFID technology on the supply chain of fresh perishable products; a full roll-out of the project is being planned for the next future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Service robots may offer an innovative assistive solution to improve the quality of life of frail elderly people, by assisting them in specific situations identified as relevant to maintain independence. Objective: This paper describes the results of a qualitative and quantitative research based on a user-centered methodology carried out within the EU-funded project "Multi-Role Shadow Robotic System for Independent Living" (SRS), aiming to generate user requirements and realistic usage scenarios maximizing the alignment with users' needs, perceptions, feelings and rights. Methods: A qualitative and quantitative research - based on focus groups (59 participants) and questionnaires (129 respondents) - was carried out in three countries: Italy, Spain and Germany. The survey involved prospective end-users (elderly people and family members who care for them), caregivers, and geriatric experts. Results: Results show that despite elderly people encounter difficulties in many activities of daily life, a semi-autonomous remotely-controlled and self-learning service robot has been judged an interesting solution only in some circumstances. Monitoring and managing emergency situations, helping with reaching, fetching and carrying objects that are too heavy or positioned in unreachable places: these are tasks for which robotic support has been widely accepted, while tasks involving direct physical contact between the person and the robot are not appreciated instead. Relatives of the elderly could act as remote operators; however, family psychological burden and time restrictions should be considered too. Conclusions: A tele-operated robotic system may be of help for frail elderly people. In certain cases this solution may be effective only in conjunction with a 24-hour professional Service Centre able to manage tele-operation when relatives are not available. This survey adds further tokens of knowledge to previous literature studies on this subject; it compares the potential users' and the professionals' views; it helps identifying potentially successful applications of tele-operated robots in the care of elderly people living at home. The results obtained by the present study, generated specific requirements and the first versions of concrete usage scenarios, enabling designers and technologists to start with a first development phase of the SRS concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teleoperation has been widely applied in modern industry because of a variety of advantages, such as providing replaceable surrogates for humans in dangerous or difficult working environments over long distances. In this paper, a usability evaluation study of a teleoperation system for a compost spreader robotic machine is presented. The machine has been designed for the application of compost in small and stepping parcels of hilly vineyards. Driving and working tasks can be controlled remotely by a portable piloting unit, reducing the risk for the operator in the event of machine overturning. Participants of the study were asked to perform a series of tasks and sub-tasks and to vocalize their thoughts while working with the machine. The tasks were designed to simulate typical user experience. Once all the tasks were accomplished each participant was asked to fill a questionnaire. The evaluation considered aspects such as learnability, ease of use, understandability, controllability, frustration, mental effort, distraction, clarity of presentation, perceived usefulness, temporal efficiency and machine aesthetic. Results show that usability evaluation helped detecting design deficiencies in the teleoperated compost spreader machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a study about the role of different variables in the process of attributing mental states to technological systems, variables such as the number of figural elements displayed in the system and the personality traits of the subjects interacting with the systems. In an experiment, participants were interacting with a computer on whose screen several disks of various sizes and colours were blinking at different rates. Each time a disk reappeared on the screen its position was randomly varied. As in a videogame, participants had to click on the disks to increase their score. The results showed that, even in the case of such a simple system, subjects believed that the figural elements they were interacting with had some form of mental states, although their confidence in these beliefs varied in the different experimental conditions. The confidence level of the attributions, in fact, was not the same for all the different mental states considered, and it varied also both with the number of elements being displayed as well as with some personality traits of the subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with research areas and actions thanks to which the theoretical and methodological content of the 'Ergonomics in Design' project can give a concrete contribution to the 'Design for All' project, in particular with regards to the assessment and design of environments, the design of everyday products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutical plants are usually characterized by workplaces with quality levels generally higher than in other manufactoring sectors since healthcare products need to be produced in special conditions, keeping under a strong control hygiene, chemical and biological contaminants, and giving a particular emphasis on equipment maintenance. Limited physical work load, a low rate of injuries and work related pathologies together with a high level of quality process control contribute to consider pharma work conditions as generally light and safe. In this kind of contexts risk assessment cannot be based on factors individually considered, neither work load can be essentially measured on material handling and physical effort. Risk assessment and work environment improvements, on the contrary, have to be studied by an integrated view point. The paper presents methodologies and results of the applied research project IntegrARE (INTEGRated Assessment of Risks within Ergonomics) aimed at analyzing, in a big solid forms pharmaceutical plant, three different risk categories - architectural, ergonomic and active pharmaceutical ingredients risks - in order to highlight possible interactions on workers health, safety and wellbeing. After a detailed risk situations survey, singularly analyzed by a number of ad-hoc procedures, the study presents a methodology for integrated assessment of risks, aimed at identifying and evaluating integrated effects increasing or triggering risk situations for workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to the role of Assistive technology in classification of functioning, disability and health and the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. Topics discussed include sustainability of the Assistive technology; need of recognizing persons with disabilities in legislations and policies; and transformation of the power-relations illuminating discrimination and injustices within the current AT systems.

The article offers recommendations for using Assistive Technologies for inclusive media education in kindergartens. Topics discussed include role of assistive technologies in inclusive media education; potential of digital media for the participation of children with disabilities; and aim of assistive technology to identify the issues of accessibility of content according to the Doing Disability Concept, to identify ways in which identified problems can be solved using assistive technologies.

Aim of this paper is to explore poverty patterns and differentials across Italian provinces for several objective dimensions of life-style deprivation according to a multidimensional and fuzzy approach. We propose a joint analysis of monetary and supplementary deprivation to point out the extent to which the two aspects of poverty overlap for the population concerned, to look into their potential background determinants and to sketch a territorial poverty profile. Since traditional direct estimators, based on ECHP data, cannot provide adequate precision due to smallness of domain-specific sub-sample, we test Rao-Yu models, as extension of Fay-Herriot estimator, to handle time-series data. In addition to a diversity of deficiencies found throughout Italy, empirical evidence clearly emphasize higher degrees of overlap in "poorer" southern provinces and lower degrees in "richer" northern ones, justifying the implementation of different approaches to poverty measurement to identify those areas which, more than others, need structural interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Survey on violence against women originates from the need to disclose the problem on violence against women in Italy in terms of its prevalence, incidence, rate and nature. This is an important topic that still needs further investigation. Women rarely disclose what has happened to them and even more rarely report to the police or seek help in the crisis centres or from other social services. It is important to study domestic violence by using dedicated surveys that take into consideration all relevant aspects with regard to the variables measured, way of posing questions, funnelling effects, use of specific terms. Surveys on violence against women are designed in such a way that helps to put the woman at ease so that she can build confidence with the interviewer. Interviewers are trained to deal with these cases and to identify them, as it is quite common that women victims of domestic violence are not always aware of what happens to them, especially in cases of more subtle forms of violence such as psychological and economic violence. The paper describes the different phases for the implementation of the Italian Violence against Women Survey, focusing special attention on the qualitative relevance of the data collected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The income policy agreement of July 1993 – the so-called Accordo di Luglio – has considerably changed the industrial relations framework in Italy. The adoption of company agreements, linking workers' compensation to company performance, opened up a new phase in bargaining, increasing the growth of decentralised negotiation between workers' trade union organisations and companies. Previous empirical investigations have mainly analysed this phenomenon at national level, focussing on the factors behind this practice. Less attention has been devoted to the investigation of the diffusion of these negotiating practices at local level. The aim of this paper is to analyse this phenomenon at this level, investigating decentralised bargaining carried out in Emilia Romagna, one of the most industrialised and unionised regions of Italy. In particular, company bargaining on performance-related pay (PRP) and/or pay for participation (PFP) is analysed during the period 1994–1997 within this region. First of all, forms of agreement on PRP/PFP are investigated to find out the incentive, risk-sharing, and participation mechanisms as predicted by economic theory and embodied within each contract. Secondly, an econometric investigation is carried out to identify the variables that can explain their introduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of global networking on Italian industrial districts (IDs). Today, in many Italian IDs we can observe a trend towards opening up the local system of value and moving beyond the pre-existent links, which district firms had little control over and were basically limited to the purchase of raw materials and the sale of finished products. These IDs are becoming an integral part of a network economy. The opening up process is particularly evident in several areas of north-east Italy. Our analysis is based on four empirical cases and indicates the IDs have responded in different ways to the change in the competitive environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Teachers are a category at high risk for co-occurring mental diseases. OBJECTIVES: The purpose was to assess well-being of schoolteachers and psychological effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHOD: Data were collected in April 2021, during the partial re-opening of public schools in Italy, from 838 schoolteachers who complete a battery of psychological tests on a multimedia platform. RESULTS: In females, school closure increases anxiety (BAI, p < 0.001), depression (BDI-II, p < 0.05), stress-related insomnia (FIRST, p < 0.001), and perceived stress (PSS, p < 0.05). In males, on the contrary, rises perceived health (p < 0.001) and vitality (p < 0.001), also in terms of total score (PWBI p < 0.05). In addition, having a family member with COVID in the past month increased anxiety (BAI, p < 0.05), reduced perceived physical health (PWBI, p < 0.05) and vitality (PWBI, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The main results of this pilot study showed that female teachers had a worse well-being perception with respect to men, in terms of health and vitality and an increase in negative emotional reactivity, that impaired when a family member was affected by COVID. The results emphasize the need to invest in prevention and wellness promotion programs in this professional category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near Field Communication (NFC) is currently perceived as one of the most promising technologies for, and will most likely become a standard in, mobile devices in the years to come. Due to the novel nature of this technology, the assessment of its importance for one of the most relevant sectors in the Italian economy, the wine industry, is still relatively unclear. The present study investigates customer acceptance in using NFC technology as an anti-counterfeiting tool using the established traditional Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) together with other variables derived from other studies. To reach this result, a survey has been used, completed by 216 respondents. In order to analyze the data, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and a Structural Equation Model (SEM) using the statistical software SPSS have been carried out. The findings of this study show that Perceived Security (PS) and Perceived Compatibility (PC) are determinants in the customer's future intention to use NFC as an anti-counterfeiting tool, highlighting the necessity for the wine producers to invest in communication and marketing programs in order to spread the adoption of this technology in the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate on climate change has increasingly attracted attention, especially among young people, since the foundation of the movement Friday for Future and the raising fame of Greta Thunberg. Social media websites can be used as a data source for mining public opinion on a variety of subjects including climate change. Twitter, in particular, allows for the evaluation of public opinion across time. Although it is a known problem that Twitter population is biased with respect to the whole population, it is also true that Twitter users are more likely to be young people. For this reason, the sentiment analysis of Twitter textual data on climate topics provides valuable insights into the climate discussion and could be considered as representative of the rising climate movement. In this study, a large dataset of Italian tweets between 2016 and 2022 containing a set of keywords related to climate change (e.g. Global warming, sustainable development, etc.) is analysed using volume analysis and text mining techniques such as topic modelling and sentiment analysis. Topic modelling, performed using word embedding, allows validating the keywords' set and providing the prevalent discussion in Italy about the climate agenda and the major concerns related to climate emergency. Both daily volume and sentiment of tweets series have been analysed. The first series allows assessing the Italian participation to the climate debate, while the latter provides useful insights on the overall evolving mood during these years. In particular, we show that the major Italian concerns are related with global warming with a negative mood while a positive mood is recorded when public policies on environment are implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: "Science Dissemination for Scholars with Disabilities" is a noteworthy topic which is still sparse and needs more attention by the scientific community. OBJECTIVE: In order to increase interest in the study of science and on access to research without exclusion emphasis needs to be paid towards innovation within a scientific environment. Our hope is to encourage further consideration by the scientific community and present strategies that promote the full inclusion of scholars with disabilities in society. METHODS: This work is the result of research experiences in the field of Science and Inclusion within the activities carried out at the ICTP Scientific Fabrication Laboratory of Trieste, in Italy, over the last eight years. Description of some issues on the use of open source digital technologies available at Scientific FabLabs to support education and scientific know-how for all are assessed, and a collection of interesting novel approaches developed in our SciFabLab are given as examples. The discussion is presented to motivate further research and give technological priorities. RESULTS: We discuss and show concrete examples on how to make "almost anything" through Scientific FabLabs to disseminate science and remove practical barriers offering people with disabilities more independence and opportunities to study science. Standard theories of Disability in the STEM context are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: This contribution is relevant from the point of view of the social model in that supportive digital tools developed at Scientific FabLabs can be manufactured with participation, assistance and presence by people with a disability. Through this class of Fablabs, we aim to sustain new generations of scientists without any exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In the arboriculture sector, some activities are still manually performed by forestry workers, which result consequently exposed to a high risk of developing muscle skeletal disorders. The Italian Compensation Authority reported an increase of work-related tendinopathies and carpal tunnel syndrome in loggers, but screening protocols are not available yet. OBJECTIVES: The objectives were: a) to evaluate the prevalence of tendinopathies and carpal tunnel syndrome in a sample of loggers and b) identify a sound screening approach. METHODS: 41 loggers and 41 paired control workers were recruited for a total of 164 hands. The protocol included 1) demographic data; 2) medical history; 3) identification of CTS symptoms through a questionnaire and a hand-chart; 4) upper limbs clinical examination; 5) Raynaud's diseases questionnaire; 6) wrists ultrasound; 7) NCS of the distal median nerve. RESULTS: The prevalence of tendinopathies was statistically significant only in the non-dominant hand (75, 5% in the exposed group and 53, 6% in the non-exposed group). The prevalence of CTS was 32, 2% in the exposed group and 15, 5% in the non-exposed group. The questionnaire had a sensitivity of 56, 7% and a specificity of 75%. The hand-chart had a sensitivity of 30% and a specificity of 92%. The clinical examination had sensitivity of 30% and specificity of 80%. The ultrasound had a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 56%. CONCLUSIONS: Loggers are a population at risk of occupational hand and wrist disorders. The hand-chart could be considered, together with the questionnaire, as the best secondary prevention tool to diagnose CTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Technological progress improves health care efficiency, quality, safety, and cost, supporting clinical activity in various scenarios, such as Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A timely response to alarms from monitors and other ICU electromedical devices is therefore crucial. The number of false alarms tend to desensitize care providers increasing the risk of experiencing alarm fatigue and, at times, lead to severe consequences for patients. OBJECTIVES: To assess the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire and to explore the phenomenon of alarm fatigue among nurses working in intensive care settings. METHODS: The CVI-I was calculated to evaluate the validity of the content of the tool. Construct validity was investigated through exploratory factor analysis. Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α) was used to examine the internal consistency of the scale and Spearman's rho coefficient to test for stability. We designed a multicentre cross-sectional survey. A convenience sample of nurses from 4 Major Italian hospitals was recruited. The nurses completed the Italian version of the Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire. RESULTS: The content validity index CVI-S of the scale (CVI-S) was 91.11%; Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.71. The Italian version of the tool explained 67.18%of the overall variance. 396 nurses were enrolled (79.84%). The overall level of alarm fatigue was Me = 29 [22;30]. 42.17%of the sample reported prior experience with alarm fatigue incidents. CONCLUSIONS: The extension of alarm fatigue requires the adoption of a preventive intervention plan. The Italian version of the Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire shows promising psychometric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) have a large impact on the quality of life of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Few studies have compared BPSD between early-onset (EOAD) and late-onset (LOAD) patients, finding conflicting results.Objective: The aims of this study were to: 1) characterize the presence, overall prevalence, and time of occurrence of BPSD in EOAD versus LOAD; 2) estimate the prevalence over time and severity of each BPSD in EOAD versus LOAD in three stages: pre-T0 (before the onset of the disease), T0 (from onset to 5 years), and T1 (from 5 years onwards); 3) track the manifestation of BPSD sub-syndromes (i.e., hyperactivity, psychosis, affective, and apathy) in EOAD versus LOAD at T0 and T1.Methods: The sample includes 1,538 LOAD and 387 EOAD diagnosed from 1996 to 2018. Comprehensive assessment batteries, including the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), were administered at the first medical assessment and at different follow-up period.Results: The overall prevalence for the most of BPSD was significantly higher in EOAD compared to LOAD whereas most BPSD appeared significantly later in EOAD patients. Between the two groups, from pre-T0 to T1 we recorded a different pattern of BPSD prevalence over time as well as for BPSD sub-syndromes at T0 and T1. Results on severity of BPSD did not show significant differences.Conclusion: EOAD and LOAD represent two different forms of a single entity not only from a neuropathological, cognitive, and functional level but also from a psychiatric point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: To examine the associations of animal and plant protein intake with all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality risk in middle-aged Italian men and women with substantially lower animal protein intake than North Americans. METHODS AND RESULTS: Food consumption was assessed by validated Epic semiquantitative FFQs. Multivariable Cox models stratified by center, age, and sex, and adjusted for confounders, estimated associations of animal and plant protein consumption with mortality for all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. After a median follow-up of 15.2 years, 2,449 deaths were identified in 45,009 participants. No significant association between intake of total, animal or plant protein and mortality was found in the fully adjusted models. Substitution of plant protein for animal protein was inversely associated with cardiovascular mortality (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.24–0.92) only in people with at least 1 unhealthy lifestyle risk factor and poor adherence to a Mediterranean diet. Participants in the highest quintile group of animal protein intake had higher glucose, total and LDL cholesterol levels than those in the lowest quintile. In contrast, higher plant protein intake was negatively associated with fasting insulin and cholesterol, despite higher BMI, physical inactivity and starch consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Replacing plant protein for animal protein was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality among individuals with unhealthy lifestyle risk factors. High animal but not plant protein intake is associated with impaired fasting glucose and hypercholesterolemia, despite lower calorie and carbohydrate intake, suggesting that protein source plays crucial roles in modulating cardiometabolic health independently of body weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]