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In the last three decades, inclusive disability legislation has led to an increasing number of students with disabilities entering higher education. However, barriers to the full participation of students remain. This article presents evidence from studies conducted in two Italian universities. Drawing on the Capability Approach, the goal is to analyse the experiences of students with disabilities and to assess their capabilities in academic life. Participatory research methods were adopted using structured focus group discussion techniques. Fifty students with different types of disability participated in the study. Two major findings emerged from the data: (a) the essential value, in the experience of the students, of being able to use educational spaces, move around off campus and socialise with others; and (b) the tendency of capability achievements to vary according to context and type of disability, especially for students with visual disabilities, who experience relatively lower levels of mobility and respect.

Educators have long sought how to prepare students to develop a global mind set and to work under conditions of complexity and uncertainty common in many world markets. The purpose of this study was to support educators in this cause by providing them with a "hands-on" exercise readily adaptable across the business curriculum to identify how culture shapes business concepts/practices of interest. Details are presented in a step-by-step procedure based upon a recognized "parallel-emic" research model developed to study cross-cultural differences to ensure analytical rigor. A Key-Word-In-Context (KWIC) indexing tool was employed to add precision and efficiency to the search process to help students readily identify common (etic-derived) and unique factors (emic-specific) shaping business concepts/practices cross-culturally.

The paper proposes the experimental characterization of a wall package made of geopolymer concrete and phase change materials (PCMs) in the climate of south Italy. Data collected from May to July 2021 were presented by elaborating surface temperatures and heat fluxes with the introduction of several new indices as the thermal stress reduction amplitude, the percentage of time in melting range and the extreme surface solicitations. The results indicate that the PCMs reduce the thermal solicitation and preserve the geopolymer blocks. The indoor surface temperature can be lowered also of 3°C during the hours with maximum sol-air temperatures and this could contribute to reduce the local discomfort phenomenon. Globally, the heat flux monitored on the geopolymer layer behind the PCM is attenuated and its trend is more regular; this reduction implies a reduction of heat gains through the opaque building envelope and finally a reduction of the energy demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2008, the Italian government passed a law that introduced a new school subject: Citizenship and Constitution. The law requires all students between the ages of 3 and 16 to attend almost 400 hrs. of Citizenship Education during their 13 years of compulsory schooling. The law is part of an increasingly wider international effort that focuses on improving pupils' knowledge of and involvement in society by exposing them to history and civic content. The aim of this article was to present a Citizenship Curriculum and its possible implementation in schools and other areas. Taking into account the Curriculum Transposition model, we propose both an External Transposition, which analyses international and national documents about Citizenship Education, and an Internal Transposition, in order to design a curriculum that will enable children to participate in decision-making processes and improve their complex thinking. The Implemented Citizenship Curriculum ("Poli§ophia" project) was introduced into the Municipal Council of Children, and the Philosophy for Children method was applied in order to help children make moral judgments, a fundamental component of democratic thinking.

Background: Integrase inhibitor (INSTI) use has been associated with greater weight gain (WG) among people living with HIV (PLWH), but it is unclear how this effect compares in magnitude to traditional risk factors for WG. We assessed the population attributable fractions (PAFs) of modifiable lifestyle factors and INSTI regimens in PLWH who experienced a ≥5% WG over follow-up. Methods: In an observational cohort study from 2007 to 2019 at Modena HIV Metabolic Clinic, Italy, ART-experienced but INSTI-naive PLWH were grouped as INSTI-switchers vs non-INSTI. Groups were matched for sex, age, baseline BMI and follow-up duration. Significant WG was defined as an increase of ≥5% from 1st visit weight over follow-up. PAFs and 95% CIs were estimated to quantify the proportion of the outcome that could be avoided if the risk factors were not present. Results: 118 PLWH switched to INSTI and 163 remained on current ART. Of 281 PLWH (74.3% males), mean follow-up was 4.2 years, age 50.3 years, median time since HIV diagnosis 17.8 years, CD4 cell count 630 cells/µL at baseline. PAF for weight gain was the greatest for high BMI (45%, 95% CI: 27–59, p < 0.001), followed by high CD4/CD8 ratio (41%, 21–57, p < 0.001) and lower physical activity (32%, 95% CI 5–52, p = 0.03). PAF was not significant for daily caloric intake (−1%, −9-13, p = 0.45), smoking cessation during follow-up (5%, 0–12, p = 0.10), INSTI switch (11%, −19-36; p = 0.34). Conclusions: WG in PLWH on ART is mostly influenced by pre-existing weight and low physical activity, rather than switch to INSTI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different moderators/mediators of risk are involved in developmental dyslexia (DD), but data are inconsistent. We explored the prevalence of season of birth and its association with gender and age of school entry in an Italian sample of dyslexic children compared to an Italian normal control group. The clinical sample included 498 children (345 boys, mean age 10.3 [plus or minus] 2.1 years) with DD, the control sample 1,276 children (658 boys, mean age 10.8 [plus or minus] 2.2 years) from four elementary schools from the same urban area, and with the same socio-economic status level. A prevalence of birth in autumn was found among children with DD compared to controls (34% versus 24%, p less than 0.0001). Children with DD were more frequently males (p less than 0.0001) and had a lower mean age of school entry (p less than 0.0001). Regarding the distribution of ages, 11.4% of children with DD, but none of the subjects in the control group, started school before 5.7 years. Therefore, greater risk of DD was related to age of school entry (OR = 2.72), gender (OR = 2.16), and season of birth (OR = 1.21). Significant interactions between boys with DD born in autumn, and correct school of entry (OR = 2.56) were joint predictors of higher risk of DD. The association between birth in autumn and DD may be explained by the earlier age of school entry, which may be a critical element in the youngest children with DD or at risk to DD. Whether Italian school policy is oriented to anticipate the school entry, a closer detection of early learning disorders and associated risk factors (familial load, specific language disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) should be warranted.

Objective: According to DSM-IV, bipolar disorders (BDs) include four subtypes, BD I, BD II, cyclothymic disorder, and BD not otherwise specified (NOS). We explore the clinical implications of this subtyping in a naturalistic sample of referred youths with BD I, BD II, and BD-NOS. Method: The sample consisted of 217 patients, 135 males and 82 females, ages between 8 and 18 years (mean age, 13.6 [+ or -] 2.9 years), diagnosed according to historical information, prolonged observations, and a structured clinical interview (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime version). The location of the study was the Stella Maris Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry of Pisa (Italy). Results: Seventy-eight patients (35.9%) had BD I, 97 (44.7%) had BD II,and 42 (19.4%) had BD-NOS. Patients with BD I presented more frequently psychotic symptoms and elated rather than irritable mood. Patients with BD II were less severely impaired, presented more frequently depression as the intake affective episode, and had the highest comorbidity with anxiety disorders. Patients with BD-NOS presented an earlier onset of the disorder, a chronic rather than episodic course, an irritable rather than an elated mood, and a more frequent comorbidity with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. Conclusions: DSM-IV categorization of BD may have meaningful implications in youths, but needs to be detailed further. (Contains 3 tables.)

The genetic variation in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces with different growth habits, which are grown over a wide and environmentally heterogeneous area in southern Italy, was studied to help define strategies for conservation of genetic resources. Accessions of three landraces, a'Marrozzo and Poverella with indeterminate growth habits, and Verdolino with a determinate growth habit, were scored for 30 simple sequence repeat (SSR) and 393 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci using eight primer combinations. Very low heterozygosity was observed, and all 73 plants analyzed showed different genotypes when comparing their alleles at the SSR or AFLP loci. The analyzed genotypes were clustered first according to plant growth habit and then in distinct groups according to landrace classification. Genetic differentiation among landraces was higher for AFLP (FST = 0.64) than for SSR loci (FST = 0.31), and variation within landraces was higher in a'Marrozzo, which is widely distributed over four river catchment basins. The proportion of alleles common to all three landraces was much larger for AFLP (62.34%) than for SSR (27.13%), while the alleles found in only one landrace were more frequent for SSR (47%) than for AFLP (8.14%). The large number of SSR and AFLP alleles shared between a'Marrozzo and Poverella (both with indeterminate growth habits) indicates their common evolutionary history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent COVID-19 emergency has shaped economic performance across all sectors, and the fisheries and aquaculture sector did not come out unscathed. The need to protect against risks has always been primary for economic operators, but COVID-19 has accentuated the need to obtain coverage for health risks. In this regard, the European Union has moved quickly with an amendment art. 35 of European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (Regulation [EU] No. 508/2014), including "public health crises" among the causes considered valid for compensation in mutual funds. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of Regulation 508, focusing on Article 35 and its most recent amendments, to understand if the new reform is adherent to the needs of the fisheries sector in Italy, one of the only two States that have documented in their Operational Plans the intention to implement mutual funds. The work involved an empirical analysis through the use of multivariate statistics carried out on 61 Italian stakeholders. Several company profiles were identified and then the likelihood of subscribing to a mutual fund was estimated based on their focus on health crises. The work underlines that the amendments meet the demands of the sector for improved mutual fund clauses, but it's not yet an attractive tool for the Italian market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: In Italy, vaccination against hepatitis B virus infection was strongly recommended for healthcare workers since 1985. Update findings on vaccination coverage are lacking. Aim: To assess current vaccination coverage against hepatitis B in this job category. Methods: In 2006, 1632 healthcare workers randomly selected in 15 Italian public hospitals completed a self-administered precoded questionnaire. Results: The overall vaccination coverage was 85.3%, a figure higher than the 64.5% observed in 1996. Vaccine coverage showed a significant downtrend (p <0.01) from the Northern (93.1%) to the Southern (77.7%) areas. Logistic regression analysis showed that residence in the North (Odds ratio 4.2; 95% confidence interval 2.6–6.7) and youngest age (Odds ratio 4.5; 95% confidence interval 2.6–7.8), both were independent predictors of vaccine acceptance. Conclusions: Ten years apart, vaccine coverage has markedly increased, closely paralleling the downtrend in the incidence of acute B hepatitis among healthcare workers in Italy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The performance of "Benevento" Nearly Zero Energy Building is discussed. • The dynamic behaviour of the walls and the comfort conditions are measured. • The optimal management of the internal and external shades is evaluated. • The effectiveness of pre-treatment of ventilation air by means of geothermal probes is studied. • The hourly energy balance is analyzed with some new indexes. The paper discusses the results of a monitoring campaign performed during the spring and autumn with the purpose to evaluate the operational energy performance of an existing nearly zero energy building (nZEB). It is located in Benevento, a middle-size city of South Italy with typical Mediterranean climate. A methodology for real-time nZEB performance analysis is proposed by taking into consideration the implications of the continuous interplay between external conditions and indoor occupant requirements as well as between on-site generation and the building loads with the resulting interaction with the energy grid. It takes into account the inertial properties of building envelope and the occupant perception in term of thermo-hygrometric and visual comfort as well as of indoor air quality. Compilation and assessment of appropriate quantitative indicators are proposed basing on data with hourly time step for finding the optimal management of the internal and external shades and the ventilation system. Moreover it is discussed how daily variations can influence the efficiency of the whole building-HVAC system with particular attention to the pre-handling system based on an earth-water heat exchanger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Precision farming tools are gaining ground in recent policies for sustainable agriculture. • Adoption of precision farming tools is constrained by various context-related elements of complexity. • The AKAP model provide good tools for evaluating this complexity. • AKAP model lets to describe different groups of farms with different propensity to adopt precision farming tools. This paper deals with precision farming tools (PFTs), a way of farming which relies on specialized equipment, software and information technologies services, whose importance is underlined in recent documents of the European Union. Precision farming is an integrated and sustainable farm management system making use of modern technologies to increase farm's profitability, by reducing environmental impact. In this paper we explore the complex mechanisms that affect PFT's adoption by Italian farmers. More precisely, we try to analyse the context-related factors affecting adoption of PFTs in the Italian farms. Little research has been carried out in Italy on this topic, therefore our paper tries to fill a gap in literature. In order to investigate the process of technology adoption related to precision agriculture, a questionnaire was submitted to a sample of Italian farms. The questionnaire has been structured in order to apply the AKAP (Awareness, Knowledge, Adoption, Product) sequence. Our analysis underlines that context-related factors are fundamental dimensions to be explored in order to specify uptake of PFTs. Therefore, the paper has relevant policy implications, within the context of a new participatory approach to agricultural innovation characterized by bottom-up processes boosted by farmers, which has informed the recent policies of agricultural innovation at the EU level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary electrophoresis was used to characterize glutenin proteins from ancient varieties of Southern Italy common wheat and to determine the technological properties of wheat flours based on a glutenin index. Three zones were identified in the electropherograms, indicated as A, B, and C according to electroelution order. The three zones corresponded to the low molecular weight glutenin subunits and to the y- and x-type high molecular weight subunits, respectively. The ratio B/C was correlated to the alveographic parameter P/L. These results indicated that flours resulting in a B/C ratio lower than 2 produced elastic doughs whereas flours resulting in a B/C ratio higher than 2 produced doughs more resistant to extension. This study showed that capillary electrophoresis is useful for determining the types and quantities of gluten proteins in the evaluation of wheat-flour technological properties of a limited number of noncommercial varieties as evidenced by the x-type content which seems to strongly influence the flour technological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate whether the sensitivity to capsaicin had an effect on pungency perception of pasta filata cheeses. In addition, we assessed the effect of several individual variables (gender, age, consumer provenance, PROP status and personality traits) on both consumer liking and choice for pasta filata cheeses. Four pasta filata cheeses at two ripening times and 272 subjects from three different Italian locations were used. Based on sensory data, the PCA discriminated sweet (ripened at 2 months) from pungent cheeses (ripened at 12 months). Cheese pungency perception increased with increasing sensitivity to capsaicin (P < 0.001). There was no clear relationship between sensitivity to capsaicin or sensitivity to cheese pungency with cheese liking, whereas a number of other aspects, including sensory attributes and individual consumer characteristics, such as consumer provenance (P < 0.001), gender (P < 0.001) and food neophobia (P < 0.05), affected the liking for different pasta filata cheeses. Consumers who were younger (18-30 y.o.; P < 0.05), female (P < 0.001), unfamiliar with pungent foods (P < 0.0001) and consumers from Potenza (P = 0.001) more often declared to prefer sweet over pungent cheese, whereas in terms of real choice supertasters and neophobic subjects chose the sweet option more often (P = 0.01). In conclusion, sensitivity to capsaicin affected pungency perception in pasta filata cheese, whereas no clear relationship was observed between pungency perception and liking. The contribution of cheese and consumer characteristics on cheese liking and choice in addition to pungency, was confirmed by the differences in declared and real choice for sweet or pungent cheeses., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The authors analyse two years' activities at the outpatient clinic set up for the prevention of menopause-related disorders at Mazzacorati Family Planning Clinic (USL 29-Bologna). They emphasise the fact that menopause is characterised by a complex interaction of biological, psychic and socio-cultural aspects with the result that requests for consultancy are extremely varied and sometimes, at least apparently, even contradictory. From these findings it emerges that in a sample of 440 women attending the centre, 28% requested information sessions and a further 10% expressed the need for a discussion focused on sexual problems. Moreover, while "hormone" therapy is currently positively accepted by the majority of women, the percentage of women refusing or suspending treatment is not negligible. It is worth recalling that 38% of women in pre-menopause, albeit strongly motivated to use an oral contraceptive, did not start treatment or suspended it within the first 6 months, although no collateral effects were reported, and 24% of women in spontaneous postmenopause did not commence hormone replacement therapy or suspended it in spite of having reached an acceptable level of wellbeing.