Students' opinions on teaching and services provided by the Italian Universities: a proposal for a new evaluation scheme

In Italy, the evaluation of the internal effectiveness of academic training courses has been substantiated, for over 20 years, in periodical surveys on students' opinions on teaching and related services. The first proposal to homogenize the various measurement methods adopted by the Universities was advanced by the former National Committee for the Evaluation of the University System in 2000 and it was the reference model until 2011, when the first Board of Directors of the National Evaluation of University and Research Agency (ANVUR) took over. The Agency's attempt, within the AVA (Self-assessment, Periodic Evaluation and Accreditation) methodological framework, to enrich and update the survey highlighted a number of critical issues, essentially linked to the ways and times of participation of students, compared to the modalities in which the training offers of the universities are organized. Taking a cue from these critical issues, the purpose of this paper is to propose a new, simpler and more rational evaluation model, which still maintains substantial continuity with the inspiring principles of the past plants, and tries to consolidate the monitoring efforts made by the universities to date

Introduzione alla Statistica Computazionale con R

Nowadays, the information transfer speed (on the web, but not only) requires the predisposition of ever more adequate analysis tools for working with data and increasingly faster algorithms, in order to allow the so-called decision maker to make decision based on information which can become obsolete very quickly with time. In the current situation, analysing this information in order to simulate complex decision-making scenarios could prove fundamental to secure an advantage over competitors. This text introduces the true art of Statistical Computing. In other words, it illustrates how computer programming skills in the development of algorithms can be used within Statistics for the virtual simulation and replication of realities and experiments of varying complexity. In order to do so, it uses the excellent development environment “R”

Measuring logical competences and soft skills when enrolling in a university degree course

Logical abilities are a ubiquitous ingredient in all those contexts that take into account soft skills, argumentative skills or critical thinking. However, the relationship between logical models and the enhancement of these abilities is rarely explicitly considered. Two aspects of the issue are particularly critical in our opinion, namely: (i) the lack of statistically relevant data concerning these competences; (ii) the absence of reliable indices that might be used to measure and detect the possession of abilities underlying the above-mentioned soft skills. This paper aims to address both aspects of this topic by presenting the results of a research we conducted in the period October – December 2020 on students enrolled in various degree courses at the University of Florence. To the best of our knowledge, to date this is the largest available database on the subject in the Italian University System. It has been obtained by a three-stage initiative. We started from an “entrance” examination for assessing the students' initial abilities. This test comprised ten questions, each of which was centered on a specific reasoning construct. The results we have collected show that there is a widespread lack of understanding of basic patterns that are common in the everyday way of arguing. Students then underwent a short training course, using formal logic techniques in order to strengthen their abilities, and afterwards took an “exit” examination, replicating the structure and the questions difficulty of the entrance one in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the course. Results show that the training was beneficial

Chapter A structural equation model to measure logical competences

Logical abilities are a ubiquitous ingredient in all those contexts that take into account soft skills, argumentative skills or critical thinking. However, the relationship between logical models and the enhancement of these abilities is rarely explicitly considered. Two aspects of the issue are particularly critical in our opinion, namely: (i) the lack of statistically relevant data concerning these competences; (ii) the absence of reliable indices that might be used to detect and measure the possession of abilities underlying the aforementioned skills. This paper addresses both aspects of this topic by presenting the results of a research that we conducted between October and December 2020 on students enrolled in various degree courses at the University of Florence. The dataset has been collected by a three-stage initiative. We started from an entrance examination to assess the students' initial abilities. This test included ten questions, each regarding a specific aspect of logical reasoning. Then, students underwent a short training course to strengthen their knowledge of logic. At the end of the short course, students underwent a final examination to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. To verify the effectiveness of the training program we used students’ characteristics into a Structural Equation Model comparing the distribution of abilities before and after the training

Perceived Economic Uncertainty and Fertility Intentions in Couples: A Dyadic Extension of the Theory of Planned Behaviour

By adopting a dyadic extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), this study examined whether perceived economic uncertainty afects fertility intentions. Three-hundred thirty one heterosexual couples living in Italy participated in a randomized between-group experimental study, in which we manipulated perceived economic uncertainty (low vs. high vs. control). The participants subsequently completed a questionnaire measuring their attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and fertility intentions. We employed Structural Equation Modelling in estimating the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model. The model showed a good ft to the data. Women’s attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were infuenced by the high economic uncertain scenario, whereas among men these variables were afected only by the positive economic scenario. Attitudes and perceived behavioral control were signifcant predictors of fertility intentions for both sexes. Signifcant partner efects were observed as well. These fndings suggest that fertility plans should be examined by adopting a dyadic perspective, as individuals’ intentions are afected not only by their own beliefs, but also by those of their partners.Perceived Economic Uncertainty and Fertility Intentions in Couples: A Dyadic Extension of the Theory of Planned BehaviourpublishedVersio

Perceived Economic Uncertainty and Fertility Intentions in Couples: A Dyadic Extension of The Theory of Planned Behavior

By adopting a dyadic extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), this study examined whether perceived economic uncertainty affects fertility intentions. Three-hundred thirty one heterosexual couples living in Italy participated in a randomized between-group experimental study, in which we manipulated perceived economic uncertainty (low vs. high vs. control). The participants subsequently completed a questionnaire measuring their attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and fertility intentions. We employed Structural Equation Modelling in estimating the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model. The model showed a good fit to the data. Women’s attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were influenced by the high economic uncertain scenario, whereas among men these variables were affected only by the positive economic scenario. Attitudes and perceived behavioral control were significant predictors of fertility intentions for both sexes. Significant partner effects were observed as well. These findings suggest that fertility plans should be examined by adopting a dyadic perspective, as individuals’ intentions are affected not only by their own beliefs, but also by those of their partners

Prediction of seizure recurrence risk following discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs

OBJECTIVE: Discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in seizure‐free patients is an important goal because of possible long‐term side effects and the social stigma burden of epilepsy. The purpose of this work was to assess seizure recurrence risk after suspension of AEDs, to evaluate predictors for recurrence, and to investigate the recovery of seizure control after relapse. In addition, the accuracy of a previously published prediction model of seizure recurrence risk was estimated. METHODS: Seizure‐free patients with epilepsy who had discontinued AEDs were retrospectively enrolled. The frequency of seizure relapses after AED withdrawal as well as prognosis after recurrence were assessed and the predictive role of baseline clinical‐demographic variables was evaluated. The aforementioned prediction model was also validated and its accuracy assessed at different seizure‐relapse probability levels. RESULTS: The enrolled patients (n = 133) had been followed for a median of 3 years (range 0.8–33 years) after AED discontinuation; 60 (45%) of them relapsed. Previous febrile seizures in childhood (hazard ratio [HR] 3.927; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.403–10.988), a seizure‐free period on therapy of less than 2 years (HR 2.313; 95% CI 1.193–4.486), and persistent motor deficits (HR 4.568; 95% CI 1.412–14.772) were the clinical features associated with relapse risk in univariate analysis. Among these variables, only a seizure‐free period on therapy of less than 2 years was associated with seizure recurrence in multivariate analysis (HR 2.365; 95% CI 1.178–4.7444). Pharmacological control of epilepsy was restored in 82.4% of the patients who relapsed. In this population, the aforementioned prediction model showed an unsatisfactory accuracy. SIGNIFICANCE: A period of freedom from seizure on therapy of less than 2 years was the main predictor of seizure recurrence. The accuracy of the previously described prediction tool was low in this cohort, thus suggesting its cautious use in real‐world clinical practice

Genetic characterization of juvenile sudden cardiac arrest and death in Tuscany: The ToRSADE registry

BackgroundSudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in young people represents a dramatic event, often leading to severe neurologic outcomes or sudden cardiac death (SCD), and is frequently caused by genetic heart diseases. In this study, we report the results of the Tuscany registry of sudden cardiac death (ToRSADE) registry, aimed at monitoring the incidence and investigating the genetic basis of SCA and SCD occurring in subjects < 50 years of age in Tuscany, Italy.Methods and resultsCreation of the ToRSADE registry allowed implementation of a repository for clinical, molecular and genetic data. For 22 patients, in whom a genetic substrate was documented or suspected, blood samples could be analyzed; 14 were collected at autopsy and 8 from resuscitated patients after SCA. Next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis revealed likely pathogenetic (LP) variants associated with cardiomyopathy (CM) or channelopathy in four patients (19%), while 17 (81%) carried variants of uncertain significance in relevant genes (VUS). In only one patient NGS confirmed the diagnosis obtained during autopsy: the p.(Asn480Lysfs*20) PKP2 mutation in a patient with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC).ConclusionSystematic genetic screening allowed identification of LP variants in 19% of consecutive patients with SCA/SCD, including subjects carrying variants associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) or AC who had SCA/SCD in the absence of structural cardiomyopathy phenotype. Genetic analysis combined with clinical information in survived patients and post-mortem evaluation represent an essential multi-disciplinary approach to manage juvenile SCD and SCA, key to providing appropriate medical and genetic assistance to families, and advancing knowledge on the basis of arrhythmogenic mechanisms in inherited cardiomyopathies and channelopathies

Introduzione alla Statistica Computazionale con R

Nowadays, the information transfer speed (on the web, but not only) requires the predisposition of ever more adequate analysis tools for working with data and increasingly faster algorithms, in order to allow the so-called decision maker to make decision based on information which can become obsolete very quickly with time. In the current situation, analysing this information in order to simulate complex decision-making scenarios could prove fundamental to secure an advantage over competitors. This text introduces the true art of Statistical Computing. In other words, it illustrates how computer programming skills in the development of algorithms can be used within Statistics for the virtual simulation and replication of realities and experiments of varying complexity. In order to do so, it uses the excellent development environment “R”.La velocit\ue0 con cui si trasferiscono oggi le informazioni (sul web, ma non solo) richiede la predisposizione di strumenti di analisi sempre pi\uf9 adeguati nel trattare moli di dati, di algoritmi sempre pi\uf9 veloci che permettano ai cosiddetti decision maker di operare scelte basate su informazioni che il trascorrere del tempo pu\uf2 rendere obsolete molto velocemente. Nella realt\ue0 attuale, analizzare tali informazioni per poter simulare scenari decisionali complessi potrebbe rivelarsi di fondamentale importanza nell’assicurarsi un vantaggio nei confronti della concorrenza. Questo testo introduce alla vera arte della Computazione Statistica, ovvero illustra come le competenze di programmazione informatica nello sviluppo di algoritmi possano essere messe al servizio della Statistica per la simulazione e replicazione virtuale di realt\ue0 ed esperimenti pi\uf9 o meno complessi. E lo fa avvalendosi dell’ottimo ambiente di sviluppo R