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In the near future, we will be surrounded in our daily lives by a multitude of small and relatively inexpensive computing devices that are equipped with wireless communication and sensing featuring the concept of 'pervasive intelligence,' a basis from which we can envision our future world as an Internet of Things/Internet of Everything (IoT/IoE) in terms of both a consumer IoT/IoE and the Industrial IoT. One of the key desired characteristics of an IoT wireless sensor node is its ability to operate autonomously by means of energy harvesting (EH) rather than relying on bulky batteries, which have a limited lifetime. Furthermore, for many of the aforementioned scenarios, wearable solutions are foreseen to further increase the pervasive diffusion of the IoT paradigm, enabling a multitude of devices and individuals to be connected to each other.

The location quotient (LQ), a ratio of ratios, is a widely known geographic index (Isard, 1960). It is used to measure and map relative distributions or relative concentrations of a character in a sub-area compared to the area as a whole (Wheeler, 2005). It has been recently proposed as a local index in the study of residential segregation of foreign population (Apparicio et al., 2008; Benassi et al., 2016). The LQs are particularly useful when applied to a metropolitan area where they allow to identify the spatial units in which a population group is under-represented (LQ1). Despite their apparent simplicity, the location quotients present some slippery features this contribution tries to reflect on. This paper examines some different ways to compute the LQs and their results, by using data on residents by citizenship in the metropolitan area of Milan. We analyse and compare the statistical distributions of the LQs of selected foreign population’s groups. Finally, we propose an alternative measure, the Locational Differential Index, to take account of density, conveying the spatial component, absent in location quotients.

Background: Sleep is a significant dimension of daily life. However, only a few studies have examined the sleep quality of asthmatics in a real-world clinical settings. Objective: This study is aimed to estimate the prevalence of sleep impairments among asthmatic patients and examine the relationship between sleep quality, asthma control, rhinitis symptoms, and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: The present study adopted the observational cross-sectional research design that has been designed by the Italian Respiratory Society and used valid assessments to measure the study variables. Results: Data from 1150 asthmatic patients (mean age 51.01 years ± 16.03) were subjected to analysis. 58.3% of the patients had impaired sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] total scores > 5), and their mean PSQI score was 5.68 (SD = 3.4). A significant correlation emerged between sleep quality and asthma control (p = 0.0001) and a significant albeit weak correlation emerged between PSQI total scores and Total 5 Symptoms Score (r = 0.24, p = 0.0001). Sleep quality was significantly associated health-related quality of life [HRQoL]. (r = 0.50, p < 0.001). After exclusion of patients at risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) and Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), the most important determinants of PSQI score were HRQoL, In the entire sample asthma control is the strongest predictor of both sleep quality and HRQoL. Conclusions: The results of this real-world study highlight the prevalence, impact and predictors of sleep disturbances in asthmatic patients and suggest the need for physicians to detect poor sleep quality.

Spatially unequal demographic dynamics lead to a progressive fragility of a territory and its socio-economic system. In Italy, municipalities in demographic malaise tend to be increasingly small in size and peripheral in location, and their local spatial aggregation increased over time. A spatial approach is here proposed to investigate the dynamics across time and space of the population variations in Italian municipalities. Global and local spatial autocorrelation analysis and several models of regression were run using as study variable the average growth rates at municipality level. The spatial autocorrelation of the study variable is quite high and stable over time. The regression results show that spatial models (SAM and SAR) outperform the non-spatial model (OLS) and that SAR is the best model. The results also underline that the variation of population is significantly affected by its values in the neighbouring municipalities, confirming the spatial nature of the phenomenon. The presence of schools in the municipality emerges as a key factor for the increase/decrease of the population. Moreover, the decomposition of the effects into direct and indirect effects shows that all the independent variables produce their effects almost 70% directly and 30% indirectly.

It is argued that the organization of services by local authorities should take into account both the demographic features of the usually resident population and the spatial dimension of the territory involved. Focusing on the Italian region of Tuscany, the paper seeks to identify homogeneous and spatially contiguous areas between the municipal and regional levels. Demographic indexes of usually resident population and spatial attributes of each Tuscan municipality are used as the input of a spatial clustering and regionalization model in order to obtain nareas that minimize the internal heterogeneity of the demographic structure under the constraint of spatial contiguity

We propose an application of a new method of regionalization and spatial clustering called RedCap. Firstly we describe this method and how it works and then we propose a possible application of it: finding homogenous and spatially contiguity areas in Italy with the regard of spatial segregation of foreign population. The results obtained offer first indications about the spatial dimension of foreign population in Italy and could be a start point to develop new and more deeply analysis in the future applying this kind of method.

Silvia Scurati1, Franco Frati1, Gianni Passalacqua2, Paola Puccinelli1, Cecile Hilaire1, Cristoforo Incorvaia3, Italian Study Group on SLIT Compliance 1Scientific and Medical Department, Stallergenes, Milan, Italy; 2Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Genoa; 3Allergy/Pulmonary Rehabilitation, ICP Hospital, Milan, ItalyObjectives: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a viable alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy to treat allergic rhinitis and asthma, and is widely used in clinical practice in many European countries. The clinical efficacy of SLIT has been established in a number of clinical trials and meta-analyses. However, because SLIT is self-administered by patients without medical supervision, the degree of patient adherence with treatment is still a concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perception by allergists of issues related to SLIT adherence.Methods: We performed a questionnaire-based survey of 296 Italian allergists, based on the adherence issues known from previous studies. The perception of importance of each item was assessed by a VAS scale ranging from 0 to 10.Results: Patient perception of clinical efficacy was considered the most important factor (ranked 1 by 54% of allergists), followed by the possibility of reimbursement (ranked 1 by 34%), and by the absence of side effects (ranked 1 by 21%). Patient education, regular follow-up, and ease of use of SLIT were ranked first by less than 20% of allergists.Conclusion: These findings indicate that clinical efficacy, cost, and side effects are perceived as the major issues influencing patient adherence to SLIT, and that further improvement of adherence is likely to be achieved by improving the patient information provided by prescribers.Keywords: adherence, sublingual immunotherapy, efficacy, cost, side effects

Background It has been suggested that withdrawal of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in COPD patients on maintenance treatment results in deterioration of symptoms, lung function and exacerbations. The aim of this real-life, prospective, multicentric study was to investigate whether withdrawal of ICS in COPD patients at low risk of exacerbation is linked to a deterioration in lung function and symptoms and to a higher frequency of exacerbations. Methods 914 COPD patients, on maintenance therapy with bronchodilators and ICS, FEV1>50% predicted, and

Southern European studies of migrants’ spatial distribution within metropolitan cities (MCs) are increasingly relevant to understanding residential segregation and marginalisation, particularly of foreign nationals. This paper leverages original and partially unpublished data to examine overall and foreign national specific segregation over two decades in Rome MC and Milan MC, the two largest Italian MCs. We introduce a 5-class concentric ring typology to describe and uncover geographical patterns within the MCs and focus on the spatial and temporal distribution of four selected foreign nationalities: Romanian, Bangladeshi, Chinese, and Filipino. Results reveal heterogeneity in overall and foreign national specific distributions over time both within and between Rome MC and Milan MC. Comparing across groups and MCs we identify similarities but also unique patterns. These results shed light on the peculiarity of the urban demographic Italian landscape and raise questions regarding recent theories about residential segregation in the urban contexts of Southern Europe.

The Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm is currently highly demanded in multiple scenarios and in particular plays an important role in solving medical-related challenges. RF and microwave technologies, coupled with wireless energy transfer, are interesting candidates because of their inherent contactless spectrometric capabilities and for the wireless transmission of sensing data. This article reviews some recent achievements in the field of wearable sensors, highlighting the benefits that these solutions introduce in operative contexts, such as indoor localization and microwave sensing. Wireless power transfer is an essential requirement to be fulfilled to allow these sensors to be not only wearable but also compact and lightweight while avoiding bulky batteries. Flexible materials and 3D printing polymers, as well as daily garments, are widely exploited within the presented solutions, allowing comfort and wearability without renouncing the robustness and reliability of the built-in wearable sensor.

Immigration flows and social inequalities reflect increased social and multi-ethnic segregation in contemporary urban Europe. For a better understanding of these processes, the present study investigates the main strengths of the multi-group residential indices, testing sensitivity and reliability under different metropolitan contexts in five European countries. These indices focus on different research dimensions and approach multi-group residential segregation conceptually and mathematically in a different way. A multivariate exploratory data analysis was adopted to classify the observed segregation patterns into a few homogeneous types and to delineate the multivariate relationship between the indices. The results of principal component analysis demonstrate that the indices assessing uniformity and disproportionality of the social groups analysed (H and D) contribute largely to the diversification in today's multi-ethnic communities, clarifying the importance of the dimension of evenness. Our results highlight how segregation is more evident in economically disadvantaged metropolitan regions with high levels of social vulnerability.

An original approach to spatial economic analysis is here proposed with reference to Italy. A granularity approach is applied on microdata related to a panel of firms that have been active during 2007–2017. At each firm is therefore associated a coefficient of exposure to the economic cycle of four major foreign economies: Germany, UK, USA, and China. This information is then linked to territorial level and analyzed at two geographical scales: regional and sub-regional. The autocorrelation spatial analysis carried out lead us to appreciate geography of exposure to positive or negative shocks coming from each of the four foreign economies. This geography is very different from the administrative one and can represent a tool for planning future strategies of economic investments and territorial planning.

This paper offers an analysis of the supply of Airbnb accommodation in Rome, one of the main tourist destinations in the world, the third-largest city in Europe, by the number of Airbnb listings. The aim is to focus on the recent spatial trend of Airbnb listings, including the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlight the main housing and socioeconomic characteristics of the neighbourhoods associated with a strong presence of Airbnb listings. The study is developed with quantitative methods and spatial regression (spatial lag and spatial error using OLS as a benchmark), based on data collected from the Inside Airbnb and Tomslee websites. In the period 2014–2019, the listing trend in Rome has been increasing in absolute numbers. After the start of the pandemic, the trend became negative, and the decline of Airbnb offerings is more substantial for shared accommodation. Airbnb supply is related to the distance from the city centre, the average income of the area, empty apartments, singles and the share of foreign residents coming from high-income countries. A signal of spatial diffusion of Airbnb listings emerges in the coastal area, even if they are increasingly concentrated in the historic centre, where there is a monoculture of short-term renting.

This study presents a spatial analysis of suburban inequalities (residential concentration and income inequalities) among the main foreign-born population groups resident in Spain (Italians, Britons, Chinese, Moroccans and Romanians) in Madrid and Barcelona. Through a local spatial approach at census tract level, a number of relevant issues are highlighted, including the existence, both in Madrid and in Barcelona, of a divided space that shows a marked contrast between the city of the rich and that of the poor. The former includes the foreign-born population from more developed countries, while the latter contains Moroccans and Romanians. The Chinese population seem to follow their own pattern, which cannot be compared to that of the other population groups. It therefore seems that country of birth determines the outcome of spatial distributions and the degree of integration in spatially divided, and therefore more fragile, contexts. The emergent theme of divided cities, especially in its ethnic and spatial dimension, is gaining increased importance in ‘old Europe’.

This essay considers the rural-to-urban transition and correlates it with urban energy demands. Three distinct themes are inspected and interrelated to develop awareness for an urbanizing world: internal urban design and innovation, technical transition, and geopolitical change. Data were collected on the use of energy in cities and, by extension, nation states over the last 30 years. The\ud urban population boom continues to pressure the energy dimension with heavily weighted impacts\ud on less developed regions. Sustainable urban energy will need to reduce resource inputs and environmental impacts and decouple economic growth from energy consumption. Fossil fuels continue to\ud be the preferred method of energy for cities; however, an increased understanding is emerging that\ud sustainable energy forms can be implemented as alternatives. Key to this transition will be the will to\ud invest in renewables (i.e., solar, wind, hydro, tidal, geothermal, and biomass), efficient infrastructure,\ud and smart eco-city designs. This essay elucidates how the technical transition of energy-friendly technologies focuses on understanding the changes in the energy mix from non-renewable to renewable.\ud Smart electricity storage grids with artificial intelligence can operate internationally and alleviate\ud some geopolitical barriers. Energy politics is shown to be a problematic hurdle with case research\ud examples specific to Central and Eastern Europe. The energy re-shift stressed is a philosophical\ud re-thinking of modern cities as well as a new approach to the human-energy relationship.

Aging, European Union consolidation, and human mobility across countries are three entangled processes making the Mediterranean region of Europe an attractive retirement place thanks to mild climate and lower costs of living. Residential mobility of retired workers in Europe has grown rapidly since the 1980s because of increased wealth, transportation improvements, and flexibility of working lives. However, residential mobility after retirement was occasionally investigated in relation with economic cycles; recession was hypothesized to negatively impact residential mobility from Northern/Western/Central Europe to Mediterranean countries. Considering economic and population dynamics over the last three decades, the present work documents the drastic reduction in the number of European immigrants in Greece after the 2007 recession, with the exception of retirees. Job shortage and worse socioeconomic conditions were demonstrated to alter settlement patterns and location preferences of migrants at both younger and older ages. Results of our study suggest a rethinking of the role of spatial planning and developmental measures in local communities less organized to host increasing flows of retirees from Northern Europe. Being increasingly required to provide services for aging population, social policies should reconcile retirement migration with internal demographic dynamics and the specificity of local contexts, promoting finely tuned taxation systems and appropriate spatial infrastructures.

Fertility is a key process shaping long-term population dynamics. Distinctive fertility trends have characterized demographic transitions, exhibiting sequential periods of spatial convergence and divergence. This descriptive study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of Total Fertility Rate (TFR) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR) at different geographical scales in Italy between 2002 and 2018. Descriptive statistics of the TFR and CBR values across geographical scales were computed and the associated maps were prepared for the most detailed spatial levels available; specifically, down to the municipality level. Spatial analysis at the provincial and municipality level was based on both global and local Moran's indexes. Southern Italy, a mostly disadvantaged region, was characterized by relatively stable fertility patterns; fertility then decreased following an opposite trend with respect to economic conditions. The reverse relationship was observed in Northern Italy. As such, economic expansion and recession impacted fertility more intensively in Northern Italy.

Studies on residential segregation of foreign population in Southern Europe usually focus on capital cities, omitting the metropolitan dimension and paying less attention to use of comparable analysis’ spatial scales. These issues, together with the dominant use of two-group segregation indexes, prevent identification and classification of metropolitan patterns of residential segregation in such contexts. To overcome these key issues, the spatial segregation of foreign population in 16 Functional Urban Areas (FUAs) was investigated in Italy and Spain using global and local multi-group segregation indexes based on a regular geometry (100 m grid) and confronted with socioeconomic indicators profiling the local context. Results of this study reveal the absence of common metropolitan patterns of residential segregation in both countries. In turn, a greater level of residential segregation is correlated with a lower presence of immigrant population and depressed socioeconomic conditions of each FUA, suggesting the existence of a downward spiral toward social vulnerability in the most disadvantaged cities. These results finally indicate the increasing difficulties faced by foreigners in order to access the real estate market in Southern European cities.

In 1885, Ravenstein formulated his “laws” of migration, based on the experience of the British Isles. In a further 1889 paper, he extended his analysis as a tour d’horizon of migration and population changes in other nations, including Italy. Even if social and economic processes including globalisation and rising mobility have changed the world since then, Ravenstein’s “laws” remain a point of reference today. Harnessing theoretical and methodological advances made since the 19th century, this paper describes and seeks to explain the role of international and internal migration in regional population change in Italy from 2002-2017. This paper provides the first geographically detailed migration analysis for the country’s 611 Local Labour Market Areas (LLMAs), using register-based migration and population data. Our contribution focuses on several of Ravenstein’s “laws” relating to gender (differences between men and women), natives and non-natives (differences between the Italian and the foreign population), distance migrated from origin to destination, and the role of the economy in shaping push and pull factors of migration. The results show that international migration is more prominent among men than women. In the case of internal moves, the rates of migration among men and women are similar, and internal migration is more prominent among the foreign than the native Italian population. Overall, international migration gains contribute substantially more to population change than internal migration gains and losses do. In Italy, the effects of persistent economic imbalances and of distance on migration patterns are not in line with Ravenstein’s hypotheses: not all areas with high unemployment show an effect of dispersion, nor does distance always act as a deterrent to migration. The geographically detailed analysis presented here illustrates the temporal and spatial coexistence of diverse international and internal migration processes depending on local characteristics, as well as the importance of the economic or administrative centres as the driving force behind national patterns. Our results show that, even 130 years after their formulation, Ravenstein’s migration “laws” (more accurately called “hypotheses” today) are still a valuable starting point in assessing and understanding migration processes and their role in regional population change. * This article belongs to a special issue on “Internal Migration as a Driver of Regional Population Change in Europe: Updating Ravenstein”.

Density-dependent population growth regulates long-term urban expansion and shapes distinctive socioeconomic trends. Despite a marked heterogeneity in the spatial distribution of the resident population, Mediterranean European countries are considered more homogeneous than countries in other European regions as far as settlement structure and processes of metropolitan growth are concerned. However, rising socioeconomic inequalities among Southern European regions reflect latent demographic and territorial transformations that require further investigation. An integrated assessment of the spatio-temporal distribution of resident populations in more than 1,000 municipalities (1961&ndash, 2011) was carried out in this study to characterize density-dependent processes of metropolitan growth in Greece. Using geographically weighted regressions, the results of our study identified distinctive local relationships between population density and growth rates over time. Our results demonstrate that demographic growth rates were non-linearly correlated with other variables, such as population density, with positive and negative impacts during the first (1961&ndash, 1971) and the last (2001&ndash, 2011) observation decade, respectively. These findings outline a progressive shift over time from density-dependent processes of population growth, reflecting a rapid development of large metropolitan regions (Athens, Thessaloniki) in the 1960s, to density-dependent processes more evident in medium-sized cities and accessible rural regions in the 2000s. Density-independent processes of population growth have been detected in the intermediate study period (1971&ndash, 2001). This work finally discusses how a long-term analysis of demographic growth, testing for density-dependent mechanisms, may clarify the intrinsic role of population concentration and dispersion in different phases of the metropolitan cycle in Mediterranean Europe.

Metropolitan regions in Europe experienced intense demographic change from accelerated population expansion sustained by high fertility and immigration to zero (or negative) growth and aging. Such transformations are particularly complex in Southern Europe and lead to a shift from the impressive urban growth driven by industrialization to a more recent de-concentration of inner cities and scattered metropolitan expansion. Based on long-term population data, the present study assumes that urban expansion and demographic trends in Southern Europe no longer follow sequential phases of growth and decline, being characterized by non-linear urban expansion and distinctive demographic trends. Such hypothesis was tested considering a complete urban cycle and the associated population trends over a sufficiently long time interval (1848–2011) in metropolitan Athens, Greece. Population increase was assessed through the analysis of long-term census data made available on a district scale. Such analysis provided information on the spatial distribution of resident population and allowed identification of multiple expansion waves only partly aligned with predictions of the urban cycle model. The complex interplay between long-term fertility-mortality dynamics and short-term migration trends in Athens justifies deviations from model’s predictions. A long-term analysis of population trends at local scale contributes to re-contextualize urban cycles within the (more general) debate on demographic transitions, evidencing together the multi-scalar influence of population dynamics on metropolitan expansion and the importance of a historical analysis of population growth from the beginning of the modern urban experience.

Population decline is a major issue impacting environmental sustainability, economic growth and social well-being. Although earlier studies evaluated demographic factors, social forces and economic aspects associated with population decline in Europe, the role of territorial factors was less considered when investigating the spatial linkages between rural depopulation and the local context. As demographic patterns are the result of past dynamics depending on place-specific factors, this study hypothesizes that (time-invariant) territorial characteristics (altitude, geographical area, proximity to the sea, and urban hierarchy) are important drivers of the spatial variability in depopulation rates on a local scale. To verify this assumption, changes over time (1981–2011) in resident populations of Italian municipalities were investigated and a regression model aimed at identifying the relevant factors shaping the population decline in Italy was run separately for three decades (1981–1991, 1991–2001, 2001–2011) with depopulation rate as the dependent variable. Model estimation was based on a system of simultaneous equations where the dependent variable at time t is an explanatory variable of the model at a subsequent time (t + 1). Results show that basic territorial factors – and especially altitude - impacted significantly on local-scale depopulation rates. North-south differences in population decline emerged more clearly in the last decade. Municipalities with a declining population at a given time were more likely to experience depopulation also in the subsequent decade. These findings highlight the relevant role of territorial factors in shaping depopulation across Italy and the importance of a spatially explicit analysis of demographic dynamics for local development research and policy.

What are the spatial residential patterns of the main foreign groups residing in some large Italian cities? Using data from the last Italian demographic census (2011) at sub-municipality level, the study investigates on this research question. A spatial approach is applied to analyze the geographical distribution of the main foreign groups enumerated in the cities of Milan, Rome, Naples and Palermo. The results provide some interesting insights: the distribution of foreign groups coming from central and eastern European countries is quite scattered and shows a comparative low level of dissimilarity to the spatial distribution of Italians. Conversely, foreign groups coming from more distant countries (like China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka) show spatial distributions characterized by a comparative low level of dispersion and a comparative high level of dissimilarity to the spatial distribution of Italians.

Taylor’s power law (Tpl) is applied to the human population density of Italian regions and provinces for the period 1971–2011. Three different weighting systems are used to estimate Tpl at the national and subnational levels in which seemingly unrelated regression models are adopted. The following results were found: Tpl is suitable for human populations and sensitive to the adopted weighting system; Tpl’s slope is positive and, at a subnational level, has an inverse behaviour with respect to the spatial variability of the weighting variables; and Tpl’s slope can be viewed as an indicator of a population’s spatial distribution homogeneity.

Population movements (international and internal migration) and changing fertility and mortality patterns have significantly affected demographic structures. Investigation of the relationship between (evolving) population structures and economic downturns is a key issue in economic demography. Analysis of compositional changes in regional population structures over a sufficiently long time interval may provide an informed knowledge to better understanding of this relationship and the underlying socioeconomic context in European countries. Based on these premises, Greece was considered a paradigmatic case of sequential economic expansions and recessions, impacting the structure of resident population in the last four decades. In this work, changes over time in population structures by age in Greek regions were explored (1981–2017) using a multi-temporal principal component analysis. A diachronic analysis of compositional effects of economic downturns on regional population structures indicates spatially-heterogeneous demographic processes in Greece. The subsequent recession has represented a turning point in Greek demography, consolidating changes in traditional family structures, while stimulating out-migration at younger ages to Northern and Western European regions and containing immigration from developing countries. Metropolitan areas and coastal districts had more rapid population dynamics, while peripheral rural regions experienced more rapid changes towards aging. Population aging had a short-term impact on regional population structures in Greece, with possibly negative consequences for the ability of the country’s economy to recover from crisis.

In this essay, we tackle the issue of the international mobility of young Italians in relation to regional disparities. Our intention is to determine if and to what extent a relationship exists between regional development and the international mobility of young people. We analyze the international migration of Italian citizens aged 15-34 who left the country in the period 2010-2017 using several variables that reflect the varying conditions found in different NUTS 3-level regions in terms of economic dynamism, labor-market efficiency, social fragility, educational underdevelopment and spatial peripherality. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) models show that the international mobility of young Italians is very much dependent on local conditions and affected by spatial differences. It is greatest in the most economically dynamic areas of the country, in border regions and in metropolitan areas, with factors relating to spatial proximity and peripherality, imbalances in local labor markets, and paucity of human capital proving particularly significant.

Over the last decades there have been important methodological advances in measuring residential segregation, especially concerning spatial indices. After a discussion of the fundamental concepts and approaches some of the numerous indices are introduced. We focus in particular on the most known aspatial and spatial indices in the dimension of evenness namely segregation and dissimilarity indices. The contribution is based on data of the geographic distribution of selected foreign groups resident in the census enumeration areas that form the Local Labour Market Area (LLMA) of Rome. Data refer to the population censuses 2001 and 2011. Applying the indices to the LLMA of Rome serves as a test of the practical and potential usefulness of the proposed measures and their possible interpretation.