School insertion of foreign students of first and second generation in Italy

The aim of the paper is the analysis of the immigrants' school insertion paths in Italy. The analysis focuses on the immigrants' school participation in the secondary school, considering also the first and the second generation. The data has been extracted from official statistical databases, mainly of the Ministry of Education and Istat (Italian National Statistics Institute). The analysis points out that the participation rates of foreign students in the secondary school are lower than those of the Italian students and both of them are different among regions and provinces. Five territorial areas are distinguished through some social and economic indicators (sectoral added value and number of industrial districts) in order to show the determinants of different participation rates between foreign and Italian students. A multivariate analysis by territorial areas reveals that the main factors affecting the education choices are related to the local characteristics and the economic variables, such as total families' income and gross national product (GNP) per capita. These results suggest that the immigrant students face with many difficulties in educational attainment preferring a fast entrance in the labour market.immigrant students, educational territorial pattern, professional path, schooling determinants, seemingly unrelated regressions

ANALISI DELLO STATO TENSIONALE IN RESINE EPOSSIDICHE SOTTOPOSTE AD INVECCHIAMENTO IDROTERMICO MEDIANTE TECNICA FOTOELASTICA

In questo lavoro si è analizzato lo stato tensionale che nasce in sistemi epossidici DGEBA quando sono sottoposti ad invecchiamento idro-termico, tramite la tecnica fotoelastica a trasmissione, basata sul metodo a variazione di fase di Compensazione di Tardy. I provini, monitorati ad intervalli di tempo regolari durante i processi di assorbimento e desorbimento di acqua, sono stati osservati al polariscopio circolare. La tecnica ha permesso di analizzare, sia qualitativamente, sia quantitativamente, lo stato tensionale indotto dal non uniforme “swelling” durante l’intero processo di invecchiamento. Inoltre, lo studio ha analizzato anche provini criccati di tipo Single Edge Notched Bending; l’analisi fotoelastica ha evidenziato come all’apice della cricca si crea un sistema di frange fotoelastiche peculiari, influenzato dalla presenza della singolarit

Nonischemic Donor Heart Preservation: New Milestone in Heart Transplantation History

Heart transplantation is considered the gold standard for the treatment of advanced end-stage heart failure. However, standard donors after brain death are decreasing, whereas patients on the heart transplant waitlist are constantly rising. The introduction of the ex vivo machine perfusion device has been a turning point; in fact, these systems are able to significantly reduce ischemic times and have a potential effect on ischemia-related damage reduction. From a clinical standpoint, these machines show emerging results in terms of heart donor pool expansion, making marginal donors and donor grafts after circulatory death suitable for donation. This article aims to review mechanisms and preclinical and clinical outcomes of currently available ex vivo perfusion systems, and to explore the future fields of application of these technologies

Water diffusion and swelling stresses in highly crosslinked epoxy matrices

The present work investigates the swelling induced stresses arising in two epoxy systems during water uptake. The analysed systems are two epoxy resin based on DGEBA monomer and DGEBF monomer respectively, both fully cured by DDS amine. The systems achieve different cross-link density degrees, and are characterised by high glass transition temperatures ranging between 200 and 230 °C. Both epoxies have been conditioned in deionized water baths at two different temperatures (50 °C and 80 °C). A desorption process at room temperature in a dry airborne environment was performed after saturation. Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis, carried out at the various stages of hydrothermal conditioning, has allowed to characterise the modifications occurring in the network structures during aging. Photoelastic Stress Analysis is adopted to monitor the evolution of stresses on rectangular beam samples during absorption and desorption of water. Correlation of water uptake, dynamic mechanical behaviour and transitory stress fields, has allowed to make some assumptions about the influence of the epoxy network on the swelling behaviour

Comparative study of seminal parameters between samples collected in 1992 and samples collected in 2010

Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct a comparative study of semen quality in two large populations; one evaluated in 1992 and another in 2010, in order to evaluate any possible decline in male fertility due, at least in part, to environmental factors. Material and Methods: A total of 701 subjects in 1992 (TOTAL group 1992) and a total of 626 subjects in 2010 (TOTAL group 2010) were enrolled in our Andrology Unit. Each group was subdivided into 3 subgroups: Subfertile, Pathology and Control. Standard semen analysis was performed using the Superimposed Image Analysis System, according to WHO guidelines 1987 (for TOTAL group 1992) and WHO guidelines 1999 (for TOTAL group 2010). Results: The mean values of sperm number (concentration/ml as well as the total ejaculate) and progressive motility were significantly higher in TOTAL group 2010 than TOTAL group 1992. Atypical forms in TOTAL group 1992 semen samples were significantly lower than TOTAL group 2010. The mean age of TOTAL Group 2010 was significantly higher compared with TOTAL Group 1992. In particular, the mean age gap was more evident in Subfertile subjects. Conclusions: In conclusion, environmental factors have not determined a significant decline in seminal parameters in the past 18 years

Compreensão da referência espacial e comprometimento cognitivo pela Doença de Alzheimer

This research aims to examine how Brazilian Portuguese speakers understand and interpret the linguistic-visual representation of a locative scene, in which two objects are arranged in different spatial relationships. Research participants are divided into two age groups (young adults and older adults) and two levels of cognitive impairment (participants with mild to moderate cognitive impairment due to probable Alzheimer's disease and participants without cognitive impairment). To demonstrate a possible correlation between cognitive decline in the elderly group and changes in the linguistic-visual understanding of spatiality, we conducted a pilot study on the interpretation of spatial scenes, whose ambiguity can be resolved by adopting a Vantage Point over the Figure-Ground relationship and, consequently, the application of a Spatial Frame of Reference. By comparing different age groups, we intend to monitor how these two domains of cognition are preserved in the aging process and whether memory deficits affect the linguistic description of space. Our preliminary results allow us to make inferences about the costs of processing spatial information which, as expected, were considerably higher in older age and cognitive impairment groups; in addition, the scale ratings for the different response options indicate a maintenance in the type of Frame of Reference applied to resolve the spatial ambiguity. Furthermore, we found a general preference among speakers of Brazilian Portuguese for a Frame of Reference different from that adopted by other languages ​​of European origin, which we have subsequently replicated in other analyses.Esta pesquisa pretende examinar de que forma os falantes do Português Brasileiro compreendem e interpretam a representação linguístico-visual de cenas locativas, nas quais dois objetos estão dispostos em relações espaciais diferentes. Os participantes da pesquisa foram distribuídos em dois grupos etários (adultos jovens e adultos idosos) e dois níveis de comprometimento cognitivo (idosos com comprometimento cognitivo leve ou moderado devido a provável doença de Alzheimer e pessoas sem comprometimento cognitivo). Para demonstrar uma possível correlação entre o declínio cognitivo dos grupos de idosos e alterações na compreensão linguístico-visual da espacialidade, conduzimos um estudo-piloto sobre a interpretação de cenas espaciais, cuja ambiguidade pode ser resolvida pela adoção de um “Ponto de Vantagem” sobre a relação Figura-Fundo e, consequentemente pela aplicação de um “Frame de Referência” espacial. Ao comparar grupos com idades diferentes, pretendemos monitorar como estes dois domínios cognitivos estão preservados no processo de envelhecimento e verificar como os déficits provocados pela demência afetam a descrição linguística de espaço. Nossos resultados preliminares nos permitem tecer considerações a respeito dos custos de processamento das informações espaciais que, como esperado, foram consideravelmente mais altos em grupos com maior faixa etária e com comprometimento cognitivo; além da qualidade das respostas aos testes, que indicam uma manutenção no tipo de Frame aplicado para resolver a ambiguidade espacial. Além disso, como achado desta pesquisa, encontramos uma preferência geral do falante do português brasileiro por um Frame de Referência diferente daquele adotado por outras línguas de origem europeia

A Review of Model Predictive Controls Applied to Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems

Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADASs) are currently gaining particular attention in the automotive field, as enablers for vehicle energy consumption, safety, and comfort enhancement. Compelling evidence is in fact provided by the variety of related studies that are to be found in the literature. Moreover, considering the actual technology readiness, larger opportunities might stem from the combination of ADASs and vehicle connectivity. Nevertheless, the definition of a suitable control system is not often trivial, especially when dealing with multiple-objective problems and dynamics complexity. In this scenario, even though diverse strategies are possible (e.g., Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy, Rule-based strategy, etc.), the Model Predictive Control (MPC) turned out to be among the most effective ones in fulfilling the aforementioned tasks. Hence, the proposed study is meant to produce a comprehensive review of MPCs applied to scenarios where ADASs are exploited and aims at providing the guidelines to select the appropriate strategy. More precisely, particular attention is paid to the prediction phase, the objective function formulation and the constraints. Subsequently, the interest is shifted to the combination of ADASs and vehicle connectivity to assess for how such information is handled by the MPC. The main results from the literature are presented and discussed, along with the integration of MPC in the optimal management of higher level connection and automation. Current gaps and challenges are addressed to, so as to possibly provide hints on future developments

MetApprendo. Il primo caso di social blockchain su larga scala. Formazione continua, contrattazione collettiva e aspetti di innovazione digitale

With an interdisciplinary approach this essay investigates the implementation of a social blockchain that has the form of a digital wallet created for the metalworkers subject to the 2021 NCBA and the related paritiarian institution MetApprendo. This is considered a special pilot project aimed at modernizing the labor market activation and the application of person-centric. Section 3 describes, under the legal viewpoint, the digital wallet functioning in relation to the 2021 NCBA for metalworkers and MetApprendo. By means of the Section 4 the tech viewpoint of the digital wallet functioning is delineated. Section 5 encompasses the future application of the social blockchain and the pilot project MetApprendo

Short-term results of a randomized trial examining timing of carotid endarterectomy in patients with severe asymptomatic unilateral carotid stenosis undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the timing of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in the prevention of stroke in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis >70% receiving a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).MethodsFrom January 2004 to December 2009, 185 patients with unilateral asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis >70%, candidates for CABG, were randomized into two groups. In group A, 94 patients received a CABG with previous or simultaneous CEA. In group B, 91 patients underwent CABG, followed by CEA. All patients underwent preoperative helical computed tomography scans, excluding significant atheroma of the ascending aorta or aortic arch. Baseline characteristics of the patients, type of coronary artery lesion, and preoperative myocardial function were comparable in the two groups. In group A, all patients underwent CEA under general anesthesia with the systematic use of a carotid shunt, and 79 patients had a combined procedure and 15 underwent CEA a few days before CABG. In group B, all patients underwent CEA, 1 to 3 months after CABG, also under general anesthesia and with systematic carotid shunting.ResultsTwo patients (one in each group) died of cardiac failure in the postoperative period. Operative mortality was 1.0% in group A and 1.1% in group B (P = .98). No strokes occurred in group A vs seven ipsilateral ischemic strokes in group B, including three immediate postoperative strokes and four late strokes, at 39, 50, 58, and 66 days, after CABG. These late strokes occurred in patients for whom CEA was further delayed due to an incomplete sternal wound healing or because of completion of a cardiac rehabilitation program. The 90-day stroke and death rate was 1.0% (one of 94) in group A and 8.8% (eight of 91) in group B (odds ratio [OR], 0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01-0.91; P = .02). Logistic regression analysis showed that only delayed CEA (OR, 14.2; 95% CI, 1.32-152.0; P = .03) and duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.11; P = .004) reliably predicted stroke or death at 90 days.ConclusionsThis study suggests that previous or simultaneous CEA in patients with unilateral severe asymptomatic carotid stenosis undergoing CABG could prevent stroke better than delayed CEA, without increasing the overall surgical risk