Patterns of Early Urbanisation in Swat: A Reassessment of the Data from the Recent Excavations at Barikot

The study presents a set of new data, all coming from recent excavations in the ancient urban site of Barikot (Swat, Pakistan), which may allow a new look at phenomena hitherto considered certain, such as the delay of protohistoric phases, the so-called marginalization of Swat, and the beginning of urban phases seen in association with the Indo-Greek colonial power. In our reconstruction, the protohistoric phases end around 800 BCE, while, after a phase of negative interface, i.e. of significant abandonment, towards the middle of the first millennium, there are conditions for the establishment of an urban settlement in Barikot. At this stage, very significantly, for the first time, the local ceramic tradition is replaced by Gangetic and Iranian forms, which are interpreted as markers of a growing process of trans-regional trade relations. In this ongoing process of historical reconstruction, the silence of the archaeological component towards the so-called Mauryan phase, of which field archaeology has not yet managed to provide a clear picture, remains strident

Swat after the Indo‑Greeks. The City, the Sanctuaries and the Economy. An Archaeological Overview on the Saka‑Parthian period

The article presents an overview of the archaeological data (updated to 2021) from the recent excavations at Barikot, Swat (Pakistan), and preliminary results from ongoing studies of the other archaeological evidence related to the post‑Indo‑Greek phases in Swat and Gandhara (ca. 50 BC–50 AD). The article introduces some of the most distinctive markers of material culture in this context, as well as the evidence of new fortifications and building activity both in urban centres and Buddhist sanctuaries. The data collected thus far underpin a new interpretation of this little‑known historical phase of ancient northwestern India. The phase is characterized by a building program and political vibrancy, which do not correspond with the model of an economic recession advanced by scholars thus far. Indeed, in this framework, the so‑called ‘Great Debasement’ attributed to Azes II, might have had alternative implications

The Gandharan region (NW Pakistan) from the Iron Age to the Hellenistic period: a study in the rise of a complex culture across local traditions, Iranism and Hellenism based on ceramics

This dissertation attempts to give some insights into the complexity of the Gandharan cultural identity during the Early Historic Period (5th-1st centuries BCE) through the study of the ceramic material. The excavations carried out during these three years of research at the site of Barikot(Swat, Pakistan),within the framework of the ISMEO Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan, have finally allowed to set a taxonomic and chronological sequence of the Early Historic ceramic corpus anchored to a substantial set of radiocarbon dates. The pottery markers identified for each Early Historic phase (Achaemenid, Mauryan, Graeco-Bactrian, Indo-Greek) were used as practical tools in order to obtain a reassessment of the fuzzy chronological sequences of the sites previously excavated in Gandhara, mainly Charsadda and Taxila. Cross-linking the data from the various excavations allowed to reconstruct the interaction trends, and their long term implications, between the various Gandharan areas during the second half of the 1st millennium BCE. The contextualization of this set of data within a broader geopolitical context enabled to reframe the emulation processes and the socio-cultural shifts triggered by the political developments which took place in Gandhara during the Early Historic Period, thus revealing the extremely dynamic ground on which the Gandharan cultural identity was constructed

Estimating Causal Effects on the Entire Distribution of Wages. An application to italian temporary contracts during the economic crisis

Our research question arise from an empirical problem regarding the introduction and spread of new, more flexible, contractual forms in the Italian labour market in the aftermath of the economic crisis. The aim of the work is the decomposition of changes in the distribution of wages using a semi-parametric methodology to estimate counterfactual densities in order to analyse the role of various explanatory factors (composition and discrimination effects). Using data from from Eurostat, the Italian cross-sectional EU-SILC surveys 2007 and 2013, results show that a wage penalty at the bottom of distribution of wages is most important explanations accounting for pay differences between temporary and permanent contracts while changes in the distribution of wages across time are due to the job-polarisation of the labour market in which low paid jobs are the most affected. Disclaimer: The responsibility for all conclusions drawn from the data lies entirely with the autho

Laboratorio di ristorazione sostenibile. Rilevazione nelle scuole. Protocollo di ricerca per l’implementazione di uno studio controllato randomizzato nelle scuole primarie dell’Emilia-Romagna

Il Laboratorio di Ristorazione Sostenibile è un tavolo di lavoro partecipato con l’obbiettivo di migliorare la sostenibilità integrata nel servizio di ristorazione collettiva ed in particolare quella scolastica. Il Laboratorio si occupa di definire pasti più sostenibili a livello di consumo e di scelta delle forniture, ridurre lo spreco alimentare e incentivare la donazione delle eccedenze nelle mense collettive attraverso una serie di interventi. Il Laboratorio si pone dunque l’obiettivo di valutare l’efficacia di un intervento nelle mense scolastiche regionali, per ridurre lo spreco alimentare degli alunni e delle alunne delle classi terze che frequentano il servizio. Capire quali interventi possono portare a una diminuzione dello spreco, in particolare quello di verdure, può infatti portare il duplice beneficio da una parte di aumentare la sostenibilità generale dei servizi e all’altra, influenzare positivamente il profilo nutrizionale del pasto. L’intervento consisterà in una modifica di servizio del pasto, cioè nell'anticipare il contorno di verdura inserendolo come prima portata. Questo documento contiene il protocollo di ricerca per l’implementazione di uno studio controllato randomizzato

Tell Me What You Waste and I’ll Tell You Who You Are: An Eight-Country Comparison of Consumers’ Food Waste Habits

Using an original survey conducted in eight countries in 2021 (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, the UK, and the USA), this study explored the relationship between household food waste and dietary habits through a cross-country comparative perspective. In total, 8000 questionnaires were recorded from samples representative of the adult population of each country through an online survey conducted between the 13th and the 24th of August. The questionnaires were developed from the Waste Watcher International Observatory on Food and Sustainability, an international study of the social, behavioral, and lifestyle dynamics behind household food waste. The relationships between the per capita self-reported amount of food waste (expressed in kilocalories) and self-declared dietary habits (traditional, healthy and sustainable, vegetarian, smart, and confused) were estimated using multiple linear regression models. The results showed that smart diets are associated with higher values of food waste in Canada, Spain, the UK, and the USA. Vegetarian diets are associated with lower food waste values in China, Germany, the UK, and the USA, but not in Italy, Russia, and Spain. The share of the population adopting a smart diet was, on average, 2.7% of the sample; therefore, interventions for food waste reduction should focus on these specific types of consumers, who are often associated with larger amounts of food waste

Swat after the Indo‑Greeks – the City, the Sanctuaries and the Economy. An Archaeological Overview on the Saka‑Parthian period

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Deliverable 3.2 0FLW interventions

The CHORIZO project aims to improve the understanding of the impact of social norms on behaviours related to food waste generation. This document starts from the list of actions against Food Loss and Waste (FLW) collected within the CHORIZO project (Deliverable 1.2). It establishes the foundation for the conceptualization of interventions in relation to social norms and 'what-if' scenarios with a perspective of modelling effective 0FLW interventions. This work emphasises the importance of targeted and customised interventions that include considerations on specific context-related social norms. A pivotal aspect in behavioural change interventions involves recognizing diverse social roles and settings. Here, we define the concept of social roles as expected behavioural patterns in specific contexts, exploring potential conflicts within or between these roles. In the context of the six Case Studies of the CHORIZO project, this work explores the relevant social norms within and beyond each setting, their targets groups and networks of influence. Furthermore, this report introduces potential 'what-if' scenarios emerging in the Case Studies, highlighting possible awareness-raising interventions, economic incentives and 'nudging' strategies related to social norms for 0FLW interventions. The importance of the co-design process is highlighted for the definition of possible settings (e.g., in-home settings, out-of-home settings and alternative settings) for the modelling of interventions, basing this segmentation on the similarities with the case studies in which to model interventions. In summary, this work presents a new conceptualization for behavioural interventions in FLW reduction, integrating the identification and exploitation of social norms and social roles in the settings of their influence. This report serves as a basis for upcoming modelling activities, paving the way for a deeper understanding of how social norms influence food waste generation or reduction within the CHORIZO project

Deliverable 3.1 Conceptual framework for behavioural change understanding

CHORIZO aims to improve the understanding about how social norms (rules and expectations that are socially enforced) influence behaviour related to food waste generation. In order to provide effective interventions for food loss and waste (FLW) actions, the project conducts a comprehensive analysis and construction of behavioural intervention model building. Deliverable 3.1 outlines the conceptual framework for behavioural change understanding in the CHORIZO project. This work aims at setting out the theoretical framework which represents the starting point for the modelling activities, which will focus on the effects of interactions among food supply chain actors and the influence of social norms towards zero food losses and wastes (FLW). The theoretical framework will be here presented by first outlining the complexity underpinning social systems – and food systems more specifically – and the methods available to investigate them Then, the MOA and HUMAT behavioural frameworks will be presented: the former considers food waste as an unintended consequence of iterative decisions, adaptation and behaviours driven both by internal and external factors, the latter explores agents’ behavioural decision mechanisms. The following section will provide an operational definition of social norms. Finally, the last section will supply a set of challenges and attention points to be considered when incorporating MOA and HUMAT into agent-based models and pave the way forward for the understanding of how social norms influence the generation or reduction of food waste. The document starts with an introduction on the overall project objectives and structure and highlights the framework we propose for understanding and exploring behavioural change in the CHORIZO project. In the following chapters (2 to 6), complex social systems, social norms, and model construct are explained. The document ends with a conclusion and steps to follow to ensure timely attainment of the project’s objectives

Effect of image registration on 3D absorbed dose calculations in 177 Lu-DOTATOC Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy

Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is an effective MRT (molecular radiotherapy) treatment, which consists of multiple administrations of a radiopharmaceutical labelled with 177Lu or 90Y. Through sequential functional imaging a patient specific 3D dosimetry can be derived. Multiple scans should be previously co-registered to allow accurate absorbed dose calculations. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of image registration algorithms on 3D absorbed dose calculation. A cohort of patients was extracted from the database of a clinical trial in PRRT. They were administered with a single administration of 177Lu-DOTATOC. All patients underwent 5 SPECT/CT sequential scans at 1 h, 4 h, 24 h, 40 h, 70 h post-injection that were subsequently registered using rigid and deformable algorithms. A similarity index was calculated to compare rigid and deformable registration algorithms. 3D absorbed dose calculation was carried out with the Raydose Monte Carlo code. The similarity analysis demonstrated the superiority of the deformable registrations (p < .001). Average absorbed dose to the kidneys calculated using rigid image registration was consistently lower than the average absorbed dose calculated using the deformable algorithm (90% of cases), with percentage differences in the range [−19; +4]%. Absorbed dose to lesions were also consistently lower (90% of cases) when calculated with rigid image registration with absorbed dose differences in the range [−67.2; 100.7]%. Deformable image registration had a significant role in calculating 3D absorbed dose to organs or lesions with volumes smaller than 100 mL. Image based 3D dosimetry for 177Lu-DOTATOC PRRT is significantly affected by the type of algorithm used to register sequential SPECT/CT scans