Regionalization of ports as a strategic leverage to improve competitiveness. A study on central italy ports and related hinterland

Nowadays, the success of a maritime port does not depend anymore on its traditional intrinsic points of strength, such as the internal capacity, but also on its ability to effectively integrate the development of its hinterland into business relations and supply chains. Mediterranean ports can get competitive, if specific "regionalization" processes are launched and supported. Key point for this strategy is the hinterland involvement: logistics and transports integration, railways, realization and development of dryports, terminals, distribution centres. All these are core elements for this purpose. The overall focus has changed from port performances to performance of the entire supply chain in the port-hinterland relationship. This is what it is going to do the Port of Civitavecchia, the most important port in Lazio Region, would like to become the central point into commercial, industrial and infrastructural development of central Italy. The development of railway terminal and of regional road network for the developing of intermodal logistics chain, of the industrial port activities (shipbuilding sector and oil bunkering), of trade relations with Fiumicino Airport and with the roman agroindustrial sector, of logistics relations with the dryport of Orte and with the intermodal terminal (road-railway) of Pomezia Santa Palomba, are some of the activities planned and undertaken by the port for improving the regionalization of Civitavecchia. Aim of this paper is to show and underline how these regionalization processes can increase the development, and so benefit the entire regional hinterland and the competitiveness and attraction of the entire port system. A model to estimate the regionalization effect has been designed by the authors and implemented to make a comparison analysis between Civitavecchia and competing ports. © 2021 Georg Thieme Verlag. All rights reserved

Long-Term COVID: Case Report and Methodological Proposals for Return to Work

Almost two years after the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the knowledge of which in the infectious and therapeutic spheres is constantly evolving, attention paid to the medicolegal aspects linked to this emergency phenomenon has mainly focused on the liability implications falling on healthcare personnel. With regard to the medicolegal assessment of the outcomes of COVID-19 illness, although it is a procedure that is commonly used, and although references in the assessment tables in force have been adhered to, a specific assessment protocol has not been standardized that takes into account, from an objective point of view, the degree of severity of the long-term residual outcomes and their impact on the social and working lives of subjects. This shortcoming appears to be attributable to the immediate need to categorize the results of COVID-19, but, in our opinion, it deserves an in-depth study and protocols to enable evaluation committees to draw up an assessment as precisely as possible and that is free of gaps, which could be the subject of legal disputes. The aim of the present work, in light of a worldwide problem, is to arrive at specific and univocal evaluation criteria for COVID-19 disease outcomes, applicable in different operational contexts of reemployment

A pilot study of occupational exposure to ultrafine particles during 3D printing in research laboratories

Introduction3D printing is increasingly present in research environments, and could pose health risks to users due to air pollution and particulate emissions. We evaluated the nanoparticulate emissions of two different 3D printers, utilizing either fused filament fabrication with polylactic acid, or stereolithography (SLA) with light curing resin. MethodsNanoparticulate emissions were evaluated in two different research environments, both by environmental measurements in the laboratory and by personal sampling. ResultsThe SLA printer had higher nanoparticulate emissions, with an average concentration of 4,091 parts/cm(3), versus 2,203 particles/cm(3) for the fused filament fabrication printer. The collected particulate matter had variable morphology and elemental composition with a preponderance of carbon, sulfur and oxygen, the main byproducts. DiscussionOur study implies that when considering the health risks of particulate emissions from 3D printing in research laboratories, attention should be given to the materials used and the type of 3D printer

Cooking Particulate Matter: A Systematic Review on Nanoparticle Exposure in the Indoor Cooking Environment

Background: Cooking and fuel combustion in the indoor environment are major sources of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM), which is an excellent carrier of potentially harmful absorbed inorganic and organic compounds. Chronic exposure to RSPM can lead to acute pulmonary illness, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and lung cancer in people involved in cooking. Despite this, questions remain about the harmfulness of different particulate matter (PM) sources generated during cooking, and the factors influencing PM physico-chemical properties. The most reliable methods for sampling and analyzing cooking emissions remain only partially understood. Objectives: This review aims to comprehensively assess the risks of PM generated during cooking, considering the main sources of PM, PM chemical composition, and strategies for PM physico-chemical analysis. We present the first systematic analysis of PM sources and chemical composition related to cooking. We highlight significant differences between studies using different experimental conditions, with a lack of a standard methodology. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement rules and the Patient, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) strategy for scientific research, three different scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were screened to find scientific articles that measure, collect, and analyze the chemical composition of nanometer-and micrometer-sized PM generated during cooking activities under different conditions. Data are summarized to assess risk, evaluating the main sources and factors influencing PM generation, their chemical composition, and how they have been collected and analyzed in changing experimental conditions. Results: From 2474 search results, there were 55 studies that met our criteria. Overall, the main variable sources of PM in cooking activities relate to the stove and fuel type. The concentration and chemical–physical properties of PM are also strongly influenced by the food and food additive type, food processing type, cooking duration, temperature, and utensils. The most important factor influencing indoor PM concentration is ventilation. The PM generated during cooking activities is composed mainly of elemental carbon (EC) and its derivatives, and the porous structure of PM with high surface-to-volume ratio is a perfect carrier of inorganic and organic matter. Conclusions: This review reveals a growing interest in PM exposure during cooking activities and highlights significant variability in the chemical–physical properties of particles, and thus variable exposure risks. Precise risk characterization improves possible preventive strategies to reduce the risk of indoor pollutant exposure. However, comprehensive PM analysis needs proper sampling and analysis methods which consider all factors influencing the physico-chemical properties of PM in an additive and synergistic way. Our analysis highlights the need for method standardization in PM environmental analyses, to ensure accuracy and allow deeper comparisons between future studies

Electronic structure of REREAuMg and REREAgMg (RERE = Eu, Gd, Yb)

We have investigated the electronic structure of the equiatomic EuAuMg, GdAuMg, YbAuMg and GdAgMg intermetallics using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The spectra revealed that the Yb and Eu are divalent while the Gd is trivalent. The spectral weight in the vicinity of the Fermi level is dominated by the mix of Mg $s$, Au/Ag $sp$ and $RE$ $spd$ bands, and not by the $RE$ $4f$. We also found that the Au and Ag $d$ bands are extraordinarily narrow, as if the noble metal atoms were impurities submerged in a low density $sp$ metal host. The experimental results were compared with band structure calculations, and we found good agreement provided that the spin-orbit interaction in the Au an Ag $d$ bands is included and correlation effects in an open $4f$ shell are accounted for using the local density approximation + Hubbard $U$ scheme. Nevertheless, limitations of such a mean-field scheme to explain excitation spectra are also evident.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Brief Repor

Distance follow-up by a remote medical care centre improves adherence to CPAP in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea over the short and long term

Background: Adherence to continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) has remained invariably low over the last decades. Remote monitoring of the nocturnal CPAP treatment, within telemedicine (TM)-based follow-up programs, in these patients has been suggested as a potential tool to improve adherence and release the workload of sleep units. The aim of this study was therefore to assess whether a follow-up program carried out by a Remote Medical Care Centre (RMCC), outside the sleep unit, improves adherence to CPAP in the short and long term in patients with OSA. Methods: In this pilot protocol, we enrolled 37 patients starting CPAP in our Sleep Centre (SC). After three months of standard care in our SC, patients initiated a six-month remote follow-up carried out by the RMCC, functioning as an intermediary between patients and SC. Monthly reports and indication for face-to-face visits were sent to the SC for six months. After this period patients returned to usual care for one year. Results were compared with those obtained in 38 patients (controls) followed with usual care over the same time range. Results: Mean nightly use of CPAP increased from 3.2 ± 2.4 h pre-RMCC to 5.2 ± 1.9 h post-RMCC (p < 0.0001). Nights/month of CPAP use improved from 19.8 ± 9.2 to 25.2 ± 2.5 (p < 0.05) and nights/month with CPAP use >4 h from 12.5 ± 10 to 21.03 ± 8.9 (p < 0.05). This improvement remained stable after 12 months from the return of patients to usual care. No significant changes in CPAP use were observed in controls over the time. Conclusion: A six-month follow-up through a remote facility can significantly improve adherence to CPAP in the short and long term. This pilot study provides a solid base for the design of multicentre randomized trials focusing on new models which are able to increase the long-term efficacy of TM programs

Musculoskeletal disorders and incongruous postures in workers on ropes: A pilot study

Background:Occupational hazards believed to cause musculoskeletal disorders in rope workers are traditionally associated with maintaining incongruous postures for prolonged periods of time. Design and methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 132 technical operators in the wind energy and acrobatic construction sectors, who work on ropes, analysing the ergonomic characteristics of the environments, the way in which tasks are carried out, the strain perceived by individual workers, and assessing the presence of any musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) by means of an objective examination focused on the anatomical districts that were the object of our study. Results:Analysis of the data obtained showed that there were differences in the perception of the level of physical intensity and perceived exertion between the groups of workers. Statistical analysis also revealed a significant association between the frequency of MSDs analysed and perceived exertion. Discussion:The most significant finding to emerge from this study is the high prevalence of MSDs of the cervical spine (52.94%), the upper limbs (29.41%), and the dorso-lumbar spine (17.65%). These values differ from those classically found in those exposed to the risk of conventional manual handling of loads. Conclusions:The high prevalence of disorders of the cervical spine, the scapulo-humeral girdle and the upper limbs, indicates the need to consider the forced position to be assumed for a large part of the work activity, staticity, and the inability to move the lower limbs for long periods as the predominant risk in rope work

The dark and the light side of the expatriate's cross-cultural adjustment: A novel framework including perceived organizational support, work related stress and innovation

The new context of the Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development has reached the attention of the scientific community in recent years, due to its comprehensive approach aimed at enhancing the sustainability of interpersonal and intrapersonal talent, as well as of groups and communities. In this scenario, research on employee cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) is considered a key theme in human resource management. It is known that psychological support in the host country may alleviate distress and facilitate the integration of the expatriate workers. However, there is a lack of research investigating expatriate adjustment as an antecedent of the perceived organizational support. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship among cross-cultural adjustment (CCA), perception of organizational support (POS), work-related stress (WRS), and innovation, considering these factors as a part of a unique innovative framework. A cross sectional study was performed using a sample of 234 expatriate workers of a multinational organization. Data were collected through a monitoring survey for the assessment of work-related stress risk factors of their expatriate staff. The results showed a positive correlation between CCA, POS, and innovation. On the other hand, a negative correlational effect of CCA and WRS, CCA and POS on WRS, and POS and WRS was found. Finally, POS was found to be a significant antecedent of CCA. These findings have implications for both international human resource management researchers and practitioners

The dark and the light side of the expatriate's cross-cultural adjustment: A novel framework including perceived organizational support, work related stress and innovation

The new context of the Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development has reached the attention of the scientific community in recent years, due to its comprehensive approach aimed at enhancing the sustainability of interpersonal and intrapersonal talent, as well as of groups and communities. In this scenario, research on employee cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) is considered a key theme in human resource management. It is known that psychological support in the host country may alleviate distress and facilitate the integration of the expatriate workers. However, there is a lack of research investigating expatriate adjustment as an antecedent of the perceived organizational support. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship among cross-cultural adjustment (CCA), perception of organizational support (POS), work-related stress (WRS), and innovation, considering these factors as a part of a unique innovative framework. A cross sectional study was performed using a sample of 234 expatriate workers of a multinational organization. Data were collected through a monitoring survey for the assessment of work-related stress risk factors of their expatriate staff. The results showed a positive correlation between CCA, POS, and innovation. On the other hand, a negative correlational effect of CCA and WRS, CCA and POS on WRS, and POS and WRS was found. Finally, POS was found to be a significant antecedent of CCA. These findings have implications for both international human resource management researchers and practitioners

On the action potential as a propagating density pulse and the role of anesthetics

The Hodgkin-Huxley model of nerve pulse propagation relies on ion currents through specific resistors called ion channels. We discuss a number of classical thermodynamic findings on nerves that are not contained in this classical theory. Particularly striking is the finding of reversible heat changes, thickness and phase changes of the membrane during the action potential. Data on various nerves rather suggest that a reversible density pulse accompanies the action potential of nerves. Here, we attempted to explain these phenomena by propagating solitons that depend on the presence of cooperative phase transitions in the nerve membrane. These transitions are, however, strongly influenced by the presence of anesthetics. Therefore, the thermodynamic theory of nerve pulses suggests a explanation for the famous Meyer-Overton rule that states that the critical anesthetic dose is linearly related to the solubility of the drug in the membranes.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure