Factor analysis, knowledge management and value creation

When companies face with the effort to comply with customer needs, their prior necessity is to acquire knowledge about the most sensitive variables that can condition customer satisfaction perceptions better than others. However the analysis of the firm-customer relationships seem to be very complex, given the high number of variables that potentially influence customer satisfaction, and hence the stability of their relationship with the company. Through a case study this paper describes a process to generate explicit knowledge about the main strategic customer satisfaction\u2019s value drivers. This process can be considered as a knowledge management tool to support the planning of specific actions about strategic resources and competencies supposed to improve customer satisfaction. The paper discusses about contributions of the study, as well as managerial implications, findings, limitations, and directions for further research

Evaluating risks-based communities of Mafia companies: a complex networks perspective

This paper presents a data-driven complex network approach, to show similarities and differences-in terms of financial risks-between the companies involved in organized crime businesses and those who are not. At this aim, we construct and explore two networks under the assumption that highly connected companies hold similar financial risk profiles of large entity. Companies risk profiles are captured by a statistically consistent overall risk indicator, which is obtained by suitably aggregating four financial risk ratios. The community structures of the networks are analyzed under a statistical perspective, by implementing a rank-size analysis and by investigating the features of their distributions through entropic comparisons. The theoretical model is empirically validated through a high quality dataset of Italian companies. Results highlights remarkable differences between the considered sets of companies, with a higher heterogeneity and a general higher risk profiles in companies traceable back to a crime organization environment

Source and dynamics of a volcanic caldera unrest : Campi Flegrei, 1983–84

Acknowledgements We thank Tiziana Vanorio, Antonella Amoruso, Luca Crescentini, Nicholas Rawlinson, Yasuko Takei, and David Cornwell for the valuable suggestions regarding the methodology and interpretation. Reviews from Tim Greenfield and two anonymous reviewers helped improving both clarity of the manuscript and interpretation. The Royal Society of Edinburgh - Accademia dei Lincei Bilateral Agreement, the Santander Mobility Award of the College of Physical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, and the TIDES EU COST action granted L.D.S. travel grants for the realisation of this study. E.D.P. has been supported by the EPHESTO and KNOWAVES projects, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Spontaneous low-protein intake in older CKD patients: one diet may not fit all

BackgroundProtein restriction has been extended to stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) regardless of age in the latest K-DOQI guidelines for the dietary management of patients with CKD. However, in elderly CKD patients there is a tendency to a spontaneous reduction in protein and energy intake that may impair the overall nutritional status. The aim of our study is to assess whether there are differences in malnutrition, exercise capacity and inflammatory status in elderly CKD patients with spontaneously low protein intake (sLPI) compared with patients with normal protein intake (NPI).MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional analysis of 123 incident patients. Malnutrition was assessed using Malnutrition Inflammation Score (MIS) and serum markers; As for physical performance, we used Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and handgrip strength.ResultsWe found that in older patients with advanced CKD, as many as 68% had low spontaneous protein intake, and they were more malnourished evaluated with MIS (25% vs. 10%, p = 0.033), protein-energy wasting (PEW) (43% vs. 14%, p = 0.002) and nPCR (0.63[0.51–0.69] vs. 0.95[0.87–1.1], p < 0.0001). They also had worse body composition, in terms of lower mid-arm muscular circumference (MAMC), fat tissue index (FTI) and higher overhydration (OH). sLPI patients also had higher levels of IL6 (4.6[2.9–8.9] vs. 2.8[0.8–5.1], p = 0.002). Moreover, sLPI patients were frailer (33% vs. 24%, p = 0.037) and had poorer physical performance especially when assessed with (SPPB) (7[5–9] vs. 9[7–10], p = 0.004) and gait test time (6.08 + 2 vs. 7.22 + 2.7, p = 0.04). sLPI was associated with lower physical performance [SPPB OR, 0.79 (0.46–0.97), p = 0.046] and malnutrition [MIS 1.6 (1.05–3.5), p = 0.041] independently from patients’ age and eGFR.ConclusionWe found that in older patients with advanced CKD, up to 68% had low spontaneous protein intake and were frailer, more malnourished and with lower physical performance. These findings emphasize the importance of assessing patients’ needs, and personalized approaches with individual risk–benefit assessments should be sought. To achieve the best possible outcomes, targeted interventions should use all available tools

ORANGE: Outcome-Oriented Predictive Process Monitoring Based on Image Encoding and CNNs

The outcome-oriented predictive process monitoring is a family of predictive process mining techniques that have witnessed rapid development and increasing adoption in the past few years. Boosted by the recent successful applications of deep learning in predictive process mining, we propose ORANGE, a novel deep learning method for learning outcome-oriented predictive process models. The main innovation of this study is that we adopt an imagery representation of the ongoing traces, which delineates potential data patterns that arise at neighbour pixels. Leveraging a collection of images representing ongoing traces, we train a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to predict the outcome of an ongoing trace. The empirical study shows the feasibility of the proposed method by investigating its accuracy on different benchmark outcome prediction problems in comparison to state-of-art competitor methods. In addition, we show how ORANGE can be integrated as an Intelligent Assistant into a CVM realized by MTM Project srl company to support sales agents in their negotiations. This case study shows that ORANGE can be effectively used to smartly monitor the outcome of ongoing negotiations by early highlighting negotiations that are candidate to be completed successfully

Recurrence of immunoglobulin A nephropathy after kidney transplantation: a narrative review on incidence, risk factors, pathophysiology and management of immunosuppressive therapy

Abstract Glomerulonephritis (GN) is the underlying cause of end-stage renal failure in 30–50% of kidney transplant recipients. It represents the primary cause of end-stage renal disease for 25% of the dialysis population and 45% of the transplant population. For patients with GN requiring renal replacement therapy, kidney transplantation is associated with superior outcomes compared with dialysis. Recurrent GN was previously considered to be a minor contributor to graft loss, but with the prolongation of graft survival, the effect of recurrent disease on graft outcome assumes increasing importance. Thus the extent of recurrence of original kidney disease after kidney transplantation has been underestimated for several reasons. This review aims to provide updated knowledge on one particular recurrent renal disease after kidney transplantation, immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). IgAN is one of the most common GNs worldwide. The pathogenesis of IgAN is complex and remains incompletely understood. Evidence to date is most supportive of a several hit hypothesis. Biopsy is mandatory not only to diagnose the disease in the native kidney, but also to identify and characterize graft recurrence of IgAN in the kidney graft. The optimal therapy for IgAN recurrence in the renal graft is unknown. Supportive therapy aiming to reduce proteinuria and control hypertension is the mainstream, with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive treatment tailored for certain subgroups of patients experiencing a rapidly progressive course of the disease with active lesions on renal biopsy and considering safety issues related to infectious complications

Dietary Phytoestrogen Intake and Cognitive Status in Southern Italian Older Adults

Background: Aging society faces significant health challenges, among which cognitive-related disorders are emerging. Diet quality has been recognized among the major contributors to the rising prevalence of cognitive disorders, with increasing evidence of the putative role of plant-based foods and their bioactive components, including polyphenols. Dietary polyphenols, including phytoestrogens, have been hypothesized to exert beneficial effects toward brain health through various molecular mechanisms. However, the evidence on the association between dietary phytoestrogen intake and cognitive function is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between phytoestrogen intake and cognitive status in a cohort of older adults living in Sicily, Southern Italy. Methods: Dietary information from 883 individuals aged 50 years or older was collected through a validated food frequency questionnaire. Cognitive status was assessed through the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. Results: The highest total isoflavone (including daidzein and genistein) intake was inversely associated with cognitive impairment compared to the lowest (odds ratio (OR) = 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.20–0.92). Higher intake of total lignans and, consistently, all individual compounds (with the exception of secoisolariciresinol) were inversely associated with cognitive impairment only in the unadjusted model. Conclusions: A higher intake of phytoestrogens, especially isoflavones, was associated with a better cognitive status in a cohort of older Italian individuals living in Sicily. Taking into account the very low intake of isoflavones in Italian diets, it is noteworthy to further investigate selected populations with habitual consumption of such compounds to test whether these results may be generalized to the Italian population

XRD analysis of patinas on the monument dedicated to Saint Oronzo, Lecce

The monument dedicated to Saint Oronzo is placed in the homonymous square in the city centre of Lecce (Southern Italy). This monument consists of an internal wooden structure that is completely covered with copper sheets, lying on a concrete base about 1.5 meters high, which is placed on a Roman column about 29 meters high. The restoration of this manufact started in June 2018 and, first of all, non-destructive analyses are planned as proposed in the time-schedule. In this paper, we show the results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the patinas both of the statue and of the column in order to evaluate their composition

IFRS adoption. Evidences from Italian companies

Nowadays Italian listed and non listed companies adopt two distinct set of accounting principles. Starting from 2005 the mandatory adoption of IFRS for all listed companies stimulated a huge process of change which involves not only the technicalities about recognition, measurement and disclosure of accounting events, but also entails a cultural revolution in our accounting tradition developed through more than 100 years. In this paper are shown the findings of a research project whose purpose was to identify the most relevant impacts produced by IFRS adoption on company information systems and performance analysis and management. The basic research hypothesis is that the differences between domestic accounting principles and IFRS determine changes in company information systems. This changes involve the whole information production process: collection of data, manipulation and communication of information. Just as example we could think at impairment test: its application require the acquisition of conjectured information, from internal information sources i.e. the management information system, or from external sources. Moreover, as a second research hypothesis, IFRS adoption improve the company disclosure with a wider set of management information (i.e. about business combination, segmental reporting, or transactions with related parties) this should create a convergence tendency between external reporting with those required by internal users. The research was developed through a first step of deep analysis of both the theoretical contributions and the set of IFRS, in order to identify the range of possible implication induced on Italian listed companies, in their management control systems, information systems, and performance indicators. Afterwards the hypothesis about the implications of IFRS adoption have been tested employing the case studies technique. In brief the results show that only a limited number of IFRS generate significant implications on management control systems, because increase the diffusion of dimensions and indicators formerly not widely employed (at least on Italian context). Instead by the side of information systems is possible to determine more relevant implications caused by the introduction of new applications useful to produce the new set of mandatory information. Finally, a limited set of research hypothesis, not even confirmed by the empirical test, drew possibilities for IFRS adoption to stimulate changes on management information processes: for example the adoption of fair value accounting for property, plants and equipments, should produce consequences on product costing methodologies. The results don\u2019t confirm this hypothesis, showing the existence of a kind of double track in elaboration processes which keep separate external from internal reporting: the former IFRS compliant, the second still connected with the traditional accounting principles. This paper gives a deeper description of the implications related to the adoption of IAS 1 for what concern the construction and analysis of the income statement