Knowledge Transfer in Partnering Projects

The general purpose of this research was to investigate the perception of the link between knowledge transfer and partnering within the construction industry. From a comprehensive literature review and a set of qualitative interviews, the presence of an intricate framework emerged, which shows the presence of a strong connection between these two research areas. Specifically, the findings revealed that the link between knowledge transfer and partnering developed in two ways, visualized as a loop. In fact, the presence of a shared collaborative culture in partnering promotes an effective knowledge transfer process in construction projects and, vice versa, an effective knowledge transfer process could set the stage for successful partnering implementation. A preliminary literature review has been conducted on knowledge transfer and partnering, respectively, with the purpose of creating a better understanding of the research purpose and analysing how the link between these topics is considered by the authors. In particular, the theoretical framework shown that some of partnering key elements, like cooperation, open communication, and mutual trust could also enhance effective knowledge transfer in projects. In fact, according to some experts opinions, the presence of these factors promotes the creation of a collaborative shared culture that will most likely favour the transfer of tacit knowledge. Afterwards, a set of ten qualitative interviews provided a more practical insight, showing how the researchers and the project managers recognise the link between knowledge transfer and partnering. In particular, the interview-objects also revealed a need for more practical and concreate contributions both partnering and knowledge transfer. Further researches should then performed in order to exceed the current research limitations and provide an open framework for future project improvement. Finally, it is believable that the analysis of the link between knowledge transfer and partnering could be extremely relevant in influencing the overall project success. Partnering in projects helps to overcome the complexity and the fragmentation of the construction industry, while, at the same time, an effective knowledge transfer process is a method for achieving benefits in projects. The implementation of these elements denotes the perfect system for the achievement of positive projects performances. At the end a new perspective of the link emerges; successful partnering in projects influences effective knowledge transfer

Knowledge Transfer in Partnering Projects

The general purpose of this research was to investigate the perception of the link between knowledge transfer and partnering within the construction industry. From a comprehensive literature review and a set of qualitative interviews, the presence of an intricate framework emerged, which shows the presence of a strong connection between these two research areas. Specifically, the findings revealed that the link between knowledge transfer and partnering developed in two ways, visualized as a loop. In fact, the presence of a shared collaborative culture in partnering promotes an effective knowledge transfer process in construction projects and, vice versa, an effective knowledge transfer process could set the stage for successful partnering implementation. A preliminary literature review has been conducted on knowledge transfer and partnering, respectively, with the purpose of creating a better understanding of the research purpose and analysing how the link between these topics is considered by the authors. In particular, the theoretical framework shown that some of partnering key elements, like cooperation, open communication, and mutual trust could also enhance effective knowledge transfer in projects. In fact, according to some experts opinions, the presence of these factors promotes the creation of a collaborative shared culture that will most likely favour the transfer of tacit knowledge. Afterwards, a set of ten qualitative interviews provided a more practical insight, showing how the researchers and the project managers recognise the link between knowledge transfer and partnering. In particular, the interview-objects also revealed a need for more practical and concreate contributions both partnering and knowledge transfer. Further researches should then performed in order to exceed the current research limitations and provide an open framework for future project improvement. Finally, it is believable that the analysis of the link between knowledge transfer and partnering could be extremely relevant in influencing the overall project success. Partnering in projects helps to overcome the complexity and the fragmentation of the construction industry, while, at the same time, an effective knowledge transfer process is a method for achieving benefits in projects. The implementation of these elements denotes the perfect system for the achievement of positive projects performances. At the end a new perspective of the link emerges; successful partnering in projects influences effective knowledge transfer

Sensory Design in the Birth Environment: Learning from Existing Case Studies

Studies have shown how built environments for hospitals can influence psychological and physiological conditions and status for childbearing women. Sensory attributes of birth spaces can enhance comfort, feelings of wellbeing, and, to some extent, clinical outcomes. Recently, some case studies of multisensory rooms for the birth environment have been developed based on, e.g., Snoezelen room examples. The aim of this research is to develop an overview of how sensory aspects for birth environments are designed, used, and tested in current and recent studies. Case studies were selected according to sensory aspect significance, observing space factors, and relationship with the experience and comfort of users (women, partners, midwives). All case studies were analysed to collect information about the design and validation process. The collected data were organised in categories and compared for the selected case studies. Main findings were summarised in tables with the aim of underlining how sensory design processes and projects can positively influence comfort for birthing. Conclusions about how to bring forward the issue of sensory design so that it can be used and applied to support childbearing women is discussed

Students' academic achievements: clusters based on metacognition, literacy and numeracy skills

Quali modelli e framework possono guidare la ricerca che indaga il legame tra metacognizione, literacy, numeracy e successo universitario? Lo studio che qui presentiamo descrive una ricerca che ha coinvolto 107 studenti iscritti al corso di laurea in Educazione Digitale dell’Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia nella quale abbiamo messo in relazione i risultati ottenuti in tre questionari sulla consapevolezza della metacognizione (MAI), la literacy e la numeracy con i risultati universitari e i profili personali degli studenti. Utilizzando la cluster analysis, abbiamo identificato gruppi di studenti con risultati simili nei tre questionari e, in seguito, abbiamo verificato se i cluster risultano contraddistinti da diverse prestazioni accademiche. Nella cluster analysis è stata utilizzata la distanza euclidea e il metodo del Complete-linkage. Si propone una soluzione a sei cluster che ci permette di avanzare alcune osservazioni. In particolare, i risultati positivi nei 3 test influenzano la qualità e non la quantità degli esami superati; gli studenti con voti d’esame più alti appartengono ai gruppi in cui i risultati dei test di numeracy sono più alti; le percentuali di crediti universitari acqui- siti sembrano più alte quando c’è meno uniformità nei risultati dei test d’ingresso degli studenti.Which models and frameworks can guide research investigating the link between metacognition, literacy, numeracy, and academic success? The study we present here is based on research involving 107 students enrolled in the Digital Education degree course at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. We put in relation the results of three questionnaires on metacognition awareness (MAI), literacy, and numeracy to the students’ university achievement and profiles. Using cluster analysis, we identified groups of students with similar results in the three questionnaires. After, we verified if different values on academic performances characterized the clusters. The Euclidean distance best fits our data, the method chosen to aggregate the groups is the Complete-linkage. A six-clusters solution was proposed. Positive test results affect the quality and not the quantity of the exams passed. Students with higher exam grades be- long to the groups in which numeracy test results are higher. The percentages of university credits acquired seemed higher when there was less uniformity in the students’ entry test results

Characterization of natural clays from italian deposits with focus on elemental composition and exchange estimated by edx analysis: potential pharmaceutical and cosmetic uses

Purification processes performed on natural clays to select specific clay minerals are complex and expensive and can lead to over-exploitation of some deposits. The present study aimed to examine physicochemical (mineralogy, morphology, size, surface charge, chemical composition, cation exchange capacity [CEC], and pH) and hydration (swelling, wettability, water sorption, and rheological behavior) properties of three native clays from Italian deposits for potential pharmaceutical and cosmetic uses due to the presence of phyllosilicate minerals. Particular emphasis was placed on energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis coupled with the ‘cesium method’ to assay clay elemental composition and CEC. One bentonite of volcanic origin (BNT) and two kaolins, one of hydrothermal origin (K-H) and another of lacustrine-fluvial origin (K-L), were evaluated in comparison with a commercial, purified bentonite. The CEC assay revealed the complete substitution of exchangeable cations (Na+ and Ca2+) by Cs+ in BNT samples and CEC values consistent with those of typical smectites (100.64 7.33 meq/100 g). For kaolins, partial substitution of Na+ cations occurred only in the K-L samples because of the interstratified mineral component which has small CEC values (11.13 5.46 meq/100 g for the K-H sample and 14.75 6.58 meq/100 g for the K-L sample). The degree of isomorphous substitution of Al3+ by Mg2+ affected the hydration properties of BNT in terms of swelling, water sorption, and rheology, whereas both of the poorly expandable kaolins exhibited significant water-adsorption properties. The EDX microanalysis has proved to be of considerable interest in terms of providing more information about clay properties in comparison with other commonly used methods and to identify the role played by both chemical and mineralogical composition of natural clays for their appropriate use in pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields

Alexithymia, Metacognition, and Theory of Mind in Children and Preadolescents With Migraine Without Aura (MWoA): A Case-Control Study

Background: Some studies have demonstrated the high impact of headache and migraine in several areas of children and adolescents’ life. In recent years, there has been an increase in scientific interest in the relationship between migraine and emotional regulation, investigating the possible consequences of emotional dysregulation on physical and mental health. While some studies have been carried out on the relationship between alexithymia and headache or migraine (especially in adults), no data exist on relationship between Theory of Mind (TOM), metacognition, and alexithymia in children and adolescents with migraine. Methods: Children with diagnosis of migraine without aura (MWoA) (36 males and 34 females) were compared to a healthy control group (31 males and 39 females). The age range was from 8 to 13 years in both groups. All children completed the Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children (AQC) for the assessment of alexithymia levels and the Domain of Social Perception included in the NEPSY-II to evaluate levels of TOM. Metacognitive development was evaluated with Io e La Mia Mente for children aged between 8 and 10 years and with Metacognitions Questionnaire for Children (MCQ-C) for children from 11 to 13. Results: There were no differences between children with MWoA and the control group in metacognitive abilities; only in the subscale “Negative Meta Worrying” of MCQ-C girls scored higher than boys, regardless of the group they were part of. Also, in the NEPSY-II subscale there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. Children with MWoA scored higher in the AQC subscales “Difficulty Identifying Feelings” and “Difficulty Describing Feelings” than controls. Moreover, children between 8 and 10 years statistically differed from older children in “Difficulty Identifying Feelings” and in Total Score. Conclusion: Our data suggest that children with MWoA have no metacognitive and TOM problems compared to a healthy group. The experimental group showed higher traits of alexithymia, confirming what suggested by other studies in the literature. Future research will have to focus on migraine with aura and tension-type headache to evaluate any differences with children with MWoA

Semi-quantitative risk assessment of African swine fever virus introduction in pig farms

A semi-quantitative risk assessment was developed to classify pig farms in terms of the probability of introduction of African swine fever virus (ASFV). Following on-farm data collection via a specific checklist, we applied a modified failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) to calculate the risk priority codes (RPC's), indicating increasing risk levels ranging from 1 to 5. The importance of biosecurity measures was attributed by experts. To consider geographic risk factors, we classified pig farms based on local density of farmed pigs, and on the estimated wild boar population density. The combination of RPC's with geographical risk factors resulted into a final ranking of pig farms in terms of the risk of ASFV introduction. Furthermore, the estimation of frequency and levels of non-compliance with biosecurity measures was used to identify weak points in risk prevention at farm level. The outcome of the risk assessment was affected by choices in assigning non-compliance scores and importance to specific components of biosecurity. The method was applied in 60 commercial farms in major pig production areas in Italy. Furthermore, we applied a reduced version of our checklist in 12 non-commercial/small commercial (≤20 pigs) farms in the northern Apennines. In commercial farms, highest RPC's were obtained for biosecurity measures associated with personnel practices and farm buildings/planimetry. Intervention should be addressed to training of personnel on biosecurity and ASF, to avoid contacts with other pig herds, and to improve practices in the entrance into the farm. Sharing trucks with other farms, and loading/unloading of pigs were other weak points. Fencing was classified as insufficient in 70% of the commercial farms. Among these farms, breeding units were characterised by the lowest risk of ASFV introduction (although differences among median ranks were not statistically significant: P-value = 0.07; Kruskal–Wallis test), and increasing herd size was not significantly correlated with a higher risk (Kendall's τ = −0.13; P-value = 0.14). Density of farmed pig was greatest in the main pig production area in northern Italy. Conversely, exposure to wild boars was greatest for non-commercial/small commercial farms on the Apennines, which were also characterised by non-compliance with critical biosecurity measures

Benefit-risk profile of cytoreductive drugs along with antiplatelet and antithrombotic therapy after transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke in myeloproliferative neoplasms

We analyzed 597 patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) who presented transient ischemic attacks (TIA, n = 270) or ischemic stroke (IS, n = 327). Treatment included aspirin, oral anticoagulants, and cytoreductive drugs. The composite incidence of recurrent TIA and IS, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and cardiovascular (CV) death was 4.21 and 19.2%, respectively at one and five years after the index event, an estimate unexpectedly lower than reported in the general population. Patients tended to replicate the first clinical manifestation (hazard ratio, HR: 2.41 and 4.41 for recurrent TIA and IS, respectively); additional factors for recurrent TIA were previous TIA (HR: 3.40) and microvascular disturbances (HR: 2.30); for recurrent IS arterial hypertension (HR: 4.24) and IS occurrence after MPN diagnosis (HR: 4.47). CV mortality was predicted by age over 60 years (HR: 3.98), an index IS (HR: 3.61), and the occurrence of index events after MPN diagnosis (HR: 2.62). Cytoreductive therapy was a strong protective factor (HR: 0.24). The rate of major bleeding was similar to the general population (0.90 per 100 patient-years). In conclusion, the long-term clinical outcome after TIA and IS in MPN appears even more favorable than in the general population, suggesting an advantageous benefit-risk profile of antithrombotic and cytoreductive treatment

Application and uses of electronic noses for clinical diagnosis on urine samples: A review

The electronic nose is able to provide useful information through the analysis of the volatile organic compounds in body fluids, such as exhaled breath, urine and blood. This paper focuses on the review of electronic nose studies and applications in the specific field of medical diagnostics based on the analysis of the gaseous headspace of human urine, in order to provide a broad overview of the state of the art and thus enhance future developments in this field. The research in this field is rather recent and still in progress, and there are several aspects that need to be investigated more into depth, not only to develop and improve specific electronic noses for different diseases, but also with the aim to discover and analyse the connections between specific diseases and the body fluids odour. Further research is needed to improve the results obtained up to now; the development of new sensors and data processing methods should lead to greater diagnostic accuracy thus making the electronic nose an effective tool for early detection of different kinds of diseases, ranging from infections to tumours or exposure to toxic agents

Respiratory physiotherapy in patients with COVID-19 infection in acute setting: a Position Paper of the Italian Association of Respiratory Physiotherapists (ARIR)

Respiratory physiotherapy in patients with COVID-19 infection in acute setting: a Position Paper of the Italian Association of Respiratory Physiotherapists (ARIR) On February 2020, Italy, especially the northern regions, was hit by an epidemic of the new SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus that spread from China between December 2019 and January 2020. The entire healthcare system had to respond promptly in a very short time to an exponential growth of the number of subjects affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) with the need of semi-intensive and intensive care units