System In Italy Research Articles

Periodic technical inspection system in Italy

Paper present organization of the system of Periodic Technical Inspection in Italy. Supervision is an important element of the system. It is based on direct statistic analysis of data of results and deficiencies from running online IT system. The periodic technical inspection system is coherent and enforces good quality of inspections and its elements could provide an inspiration to improve Polish PTI system.

Introducing Global Citizenship Education into Classroom Practice: A Study on Italian 8th Grade Students

The implementation of global citizenship education (GCE) represents a challenge for the school system in Italy in terms of curriculum planning, teaching methods and contents. After a thorough overview of the Italian educational scenario on GCE, this article aims to present a learning unit on GCE related issues implemented in an Italian 8th-grade class. The study then highlights the educational implications in translating GCE international models into the Italian classroom practice. Its main assumptions focus on the key elements for students’ effective learning and on the limitations that characterise the Italian educational system in relation to GCE at the curriculum, school and teaching levels. The implications highlighted in this article are strongly intertwined with the need to plan and implement GCE jointly, within a whole-school approach, and the relevance of the modalities in which GCE instructional contents are selected and presented.

Italy: the ‘illegality factory’? Theory and practice of refugees’ reception in Sicily

ABSTRACTThe recent surge of migrants crossing the Mediterranean in search of protection has presented a major challenge for the whole European Union. What has been labelled as a ‘refugee crisis’ is first and foremost a crisis of international politics and the result of inadequate response mechanisms at local level. This paper focuses on the case of Sicily, the second main area of arrival, after Greece, when migration to the Mediterranean reached its peak. With a long history of immigration, since 2015 the Italian island has seen the implementation of a new approach based on ‘hotspots’: designated areas for the separation of those deemed as economic migrants from ‘genuine asylum seekers’. In the view of some, this has made Italy into a model of migration management, as opposed to the chaotic situation of the Greek islands. The hotspot approach, however, has been also criticised for being engrained on practices that many deem unlawful, actively producing discrimination and condemning many migrants to an illegal status on the Italian soil. Informed by findings from an international research project (EVI-MED), this paper examines this complex scenario, exploring the social, legal and human implications of the refugees’ reception system in Italy.

Space and time variations of watershed N and P budgets and their relationships with reactive N and P loadings in a heavily impacted river basin (Po river, Northern Italy)

The aim of the present study is to analyze relationships between land uses and anthropogenic pressures, and nutrient loadings in the Po river basin, the largest hydrographic system in Italy, together with the changes they have undergone in the last half century. Four main points are addressed: 1) spatial distribution and time evolution of land uses and associated N and P budgets; 2) long-term trajectories of the reactive N and P loadings exported from the Po river; 3) relationships between budgets and loadings; 4) brief review of relationships between N and P loadings and eutrophication in the Northern Adriatic Sea.Net Anthropogenic N (NANI) and P (NAPI) inputs, and N and P surpluses in the cropland between 1960 and 2010 were calculated. The annual loadings of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) exported by the river were calculated for the whole 1968–2016 period.N and P loadings increased from the 1960s to the 1980s, as NAPI and NANI and N and P surpluses increased. Thereafter SRP declined, while DIN remained steadily high, resulting in a notable increase of the N:P molar ratio from 47 to 100. In the same period, the Po river watershed underwent a trajectory from net autotrophy to net heterotrophy, which reflected its specialization toward livestock farming.This study also demonstrates that in a relatively short time, i.e. almost one decade, N and P sources were relocated within the watershed, due to discordant environmental policies and mismanagement on the local scale, with frequent episodes of heavy pollution. This poses key questions about the spatial scale on which problems have to be dealt with in order to harmonize policies, set sustainable management goals, restore river basins and, ultimately, protect the adjacent coastal seas from eutrophication.

The professional development of VET teachers in Italy: participation, needs and barriers. Statistical quantifications and benchmarking in an international perspective

BackgroundIn a context of scarce statistical information, this paper focuses on the professional development of Vocational Education and Training teachers in Italy, namely those teaching vocational subjects. It provides a statistical picture of it, in an international perspective and along three dimensions (participation, needs and barriers).MethodsData used in this article originate from the 2013 Teaching and Learning International Survey and they are subject to its methodology. The analysis is carried at upper secondary level of education and adopts a comparative perspective at national and international level. Results for teachers of vocational subjects are compared with those for teachers of general subjects working in schools with and without vocational programmes (used as two distinct groups for contrasts and comparisons). Results for Italy are compared with those for other six countries. Differences across countries and teachers groups are presented, analyzed and discussed, also considering a number of background characteristics of the teachers and of the context in which they work. Methods for statistical analysis rely on inference statistics. Key descriptive findings are highlighted and further investigated by means of logistic regression models.ResultsThe article quantifies, qualifies and internationally benchmarks a core set of figures, which can be used, in a comparative approach, to characterize the VET system in Italy and to report on its future progress in the field of teachers’ professional development.ConclusionsThe article discusses policy relevant implications and advocates for collecting and further developing comparable data in future.

An Analysis of the Level of Qualitative Efficiency for the Equity Research Reports in the Italian Financial Market

Corporate reports issued by various financial intermediaries play a major role in investment decisions. For this reason, it is particularly interesting to understand the accuracy of the forecasts, by carrying out an empirical analysis of the "equity research" system in Italy, identifying structural features, degree of reliability and incidence in the market. The choice of the analysis of the efficiency level information on the Italian market proposes to assess the interest of equity research of a niche market (339 listed companies in 2017) but with characteristics of potential growth such as having been acquired by LSEGroup in 2007, the 6th stock-exchange group at international level for the number of listed companies and the 4th for capitalization.The analysis was carried out on the reports issued on companies belonging to the Ftse Mib stock index during a period of 5 years.It aims to analyse the composition of the equity research system in Italy as well as the analysts' ability to properly evaluate the stocks' fair price, so as to test their degree of reliability and detect possible anomalies in recommendations to the investors.

Performance indicators of District Heating Systems in Italy – Insights from a data analysis

District Heating Systems (DHS) are a solution for the supply of heating and cooling in urban areas. Thanks to the possibility of exploiting multiple energy sources, a well-designed and well-operated DHS can allow primary energy savings, CO2 emissions reduction and integration of renewable energy sources for the heat generation. However, each DHS has its own peculiarities and its conversion and distribution efficiency is affected by several factors, including design parameters as well as operational choices and potential unexpected behaviours. Performance indicators calculated on a statistically relevant set of DHS can provide useful insights on their range of variability. This paper analyzes the performance of several DHS, by calculating the primary energy factor and the CO2 emission factor of the heat supplied to the users, using the current methodology defined by the European Standards. The results show that the efficiency of DHS is mainly affected by the energy source and the conversion technologies, but also the network losses have a crucial impact on the overall performance. The majority of the DHS included in this analysis supply heat to the users with a primary energy factor in the range 0.9–1.8 and a CO2 emission factor between 0 and 0.30 kg/kWh. The operation of Combined Heat and Power generation units connected to DHS needs to be analyzed with reference to the characteristics of the electricity available on the National Power Grid.

Digital Media, Contentious Politics and Party Systems in Italy and Spain

In this contribution, we discuss the role of the digital public sphere in social and political mobilisations in Italy and Spain since the beginning of 2000. Both countries experienced the emergence of successful parties relying heavily on digital media, linked to previous social mobilisations and protest milieu. We highlight the changing role of digital media and their shifting function from facilitating protest cycles with limited impact on party politics to becoming a tool for challenging the established political actors. Our main questions concern the extent to which digital media allowed social movements to express grievances that were later incorporated into the electoral programmes of new political parties.

Patient satisfaction, patients leaving hospital against medical advice and mortality in Italian university hospitals: a cross-sectional analysis

BackgroundHealthcare systems are increasingly focusing on outcomes that are the endpoints of care: patient health status and patient satisfaction. The availability of patient satisfaction (PS) data has encouraged research on its relationship with other outcomes, such as mortality. In Italy, an inter-regional performance evaluation system (IRPES) provides 13 regional healthcare systems with a multidimensional assessment of appropriateness, efficiency, financial sustainability, effectiveness, and equity. For university hospitals, IRPES includes the percentage of patients leaving hospital against medical advice (PLHAMA) and mortality rates at the ward level. This paper investigates the relationship between PS and PLHAMA across and within regional healthcare systems in Italy. Secondly, PLHAMA is used as a PS proxy to investigate its relationship with mortality at the ward level in the IRPES university hospitals.MethodsPLHAMA and mortality rates were gathered from administrative data, and PS scores from patient surveys. We explored the association between PS and PLHAMA through a correlation analysis, using data for the 13 IRPES regions. We tested this relationship also at the clinical directorate level in 28 hospitals in Tuscany (5482 interviewed patients in 100 clinical directorates). Secondly, we explored the association between PLHAMA and mortality at the ward level through correlation and regression analyses, using data of 405 wards of eight clinical specialties within 24 IRPES university hospitals.ResultsLower PLHAMA rates were associated with a higher PS in both regional and clinical directorate levels. A positive association between PLHAMA and mortality was shown at the ward level for IRPES university hospitals, with different results for medical and surgical clinical specialties.ConclusionsPS is an important performance dimension that provides healthcare managers and professionals with useful insights for improving care quality and effectiveness. Based on the study results, the PLHAMA rate could be regularly measured to highlight patient dissatisfaction. Due to the association between PLHAMA and mortality, this study also provides evidence of the importance of the patient perspective in assessing the quality of healthcare services. This relationship proved to be significant for surgical clinical units, suggesting the need for further analysing outcomes considering their different determinants in medical and surgical care.

Editorial: Challenging issues and fundamental concepts of corporate governance

The recent volume examines several relevant topics in the international framework such as the role of corporate governance in financial institutions both in Italy and in international contexts, the governance system in Italy, with a specific focus on the adoption of gender quotas and on risk disclosure. Two very interesting researches that highlight, respectively, the determinants of the voluntary disclosure and the importance of international accounting standards in South America, complete the issue.

Effects on Clinical Outcomes of a 5-Year Surgical Safety Checklist Implementation Experience: A Large-scale Population-Based Difference-in-Differences Study.

The adoption of a surgical checklist is strongly recommended worldwide as an effective practice to improve patient safety; however, several studies have reported mixed results and a number of issues are still unresolved. The main objective of this study was to explore the impact of the first 5-year period of a surgical checklist-based intervention in a large regional health care system in Italy (4 500 000 inhabitants). We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study on 1 166 424 patients who underwent surgery in 48 public hospitals between 2006 and 2014. The adherence to the checklist was measured between 2011 and 2013 through a computerized database. The effects of the intervention were explored through multivariable logistic regression and difference-in-differences (DID) approaches, based on current administrative data sources. In-hospital and 30-days mortality, 30-days readmissions and length-of-stay (LOS) ⩾8 days were the observed outcomes. Adherence to the checklist showed marked variations across hospitals (0%-93.3%). A pre/post analysis detected statistically significant differences between surgical interventions performed in hospitals with higher adherence to the checklist (⩾75% of the surgeries) and those performed in other hospitals, as for the 30-days readmissions rate (odds ratio [OR]: 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.94-0.98) and LOS ⩾ 8 days rate (OR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.87-0.89). These findings were confirmed after risk adjustment and DID analysis. No association was observed with mortality outcomes. On the whole, our study attained mixed results. Although a protective effect of the surgical checklist use could not be proved over the first 5 years of this regional implementation experience, our research offers some methodological insights for practical use in the evaluation process of large-scale implementation projects.

From Fixed to Flexible? Wage Coordination and the Collective Bargaining System in Italy

This article analyses the rules on wage coordination and their effectiveness in the Italian two-tier bargaining system. It seeks to cast light on bargaining coordination by starting from the analysis of collective agreements, rather than focusing exclusively on normative and institutional aspects of wage bargaining. Accordingly, the study examines a dataset of 498 company-level collective agreements concluded between 2012–2015 in three sectors – metalworking, food, banking and finance – to analyse wage developments in company-level bargaining. The study considers the extent to which local wage negotiations are consistent with the rules on wage bargaining coordination laid down in economy-wide agreements and national collective labour agreements. Wage coordination rules are generally respected, though a significant number of company-level agreements still provide fixed-rate pay rises in breach of the rule that wage increases at company level should be linked to productivity and other factors relating to the workers’ and/or the firm’s economic performance. Although the violation of wage bargaining rules between national agreements and company-level collective agreements is in line with the favourability principle, it is argued that local negotiations on fixed-rate pay rises could be regarded as a form of uncoordinated decentralization, diminishing the effectiveness of horizontal coordination policies and the normative role of the social partners.

Constitutional referendum in Italy. How people’s vote influence the political system?

This article analyses the impact of constitutional referendums on the political system in Italy. There were three constitutional referendums conducted in 2001, 2006 and 2016. All of them have been organised by the ruling parties, however, only the first one was successful. In the subsequent referendums, the proposals for amending the constitution have been rejected by voters. The article finds that lack of public support for the government resulted in voting „no” in the referendum.

Procedures vs. incentives: the university promotion system in Italy

ABSTRACTWe evaluate two reforms that modified the procedures of recruitment and promotion in Italian academia to balance the preeminent role of the recruiting school and to counter nepotism. We theoretically derive the decision rule of the evaluation committees and test it against data including information from all selections to associate and full professorship that were initiated by the Italian schools of economics between 2004 and 2011. Empirical results suggest that both reforms fell short of their goals.

Post-graduate medical education in public health: the case of Italy and a call for action

SummaryPublic health technical expertise is of crucial importance to inform decision makers’ action in the field of health and its broader determinants. Improving education and training of public health professionals for both practice and research is the starting point to strengthen the role of public health so that current health challenges can be efficiently tackled. At the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) Deans’ & Directors’ 2017 Annual Retreat, we presented the structure and management of public health training system in Italy, and we reported recent data on Italian public health specialists’ educational experience, employment opportunities and job satisfaction. Public health training in Italy is implemented in the context of the post-graduate medical education residency programme in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, delivered by 34 University-based Schools of Public Health. We report relatively high employment rates across the county and wide spectrum of career opportunities for young public health specialists. However, job security is low and training expectations only partially met. We call upon other Schools of Public Health to scale up the survey within the broad ASPHER community in a shared and coordinated action of systematically collecting useful data that can inform the development of public health education and training models, their implementation and fruitful interaction with population health, health systems and services.

‘Generation Nemo’: motivations, satisfaction and career goals of marine biology students

Marine biology is an increasingly preferred study major and career among youth. This is particularly the case of countries with extensive coastlines, such as Italy. In order to understand what exactly is fuelling this trend, and whether it culminates in the successful absorption of marine biologists as valued workforce by society, this study investigated the motivations, satisfaction and career goals of marine biology undergraduate students in Italy. Although it was expected that scientific literacy in formal education plays an important role in motivating marine biology students, the results showed that intrinsic motivations and informal education play a more crucial role. The students consider realistic career options, although these imply having to leave the country. The results of this study were used to make recommendations on the importance of marine and ocean literacy in the formal educational system in Italy, and the general improvement of scientific literacy in formal school education. Recommendations were also made on the potential improvements that can be made by higher education institutions, to better equip marine biologists with the skills required by emerging sectors in society. Finally, considerations were made regarding the dimensioning of supply, offer and marketing of employment opportunities for marine biologists in Italy.

The Economic Feasibility of Residential Energy Storage Combined with PV Panels: The Role of Subsidies in Italy

A solar photovoltaic system produces electricity by converting energy from the sun. By the end of 2016, the global installed solar photovoltaic capacity reached 305 GW. Its growth is impressive in the last years; in fact, it was only equal to 41 GW in 2010. However, Europe has installed only 6.9 GW in 2016 (−1.7 GW in comparison to previous year) and this annual power installed is equal to 9% of global one in according to data released by Solar Power Europe. The profitability of PV systems in mature markets depends on the harmonization between demanded energy and produced one residential energy storage when combined with photovoltaic panels is able to increase the share of self-consumption. This work proposes a mathematical model, in which a Discounted Cash Flow analysis is conducted to evaluate the financial feasibility of photovoltaic-integrated lead acid battery systems in Italy. The indicator used is Net Present Value. Furthermore, a break-even point analysis, in terms of an increase of self-consumption, is conducted. The residential sector is investigated and energy storage system investment is incentivized by fiscal deduction and regional subsidies. The analysis provides several case studies, determined by combinations of the following variables: photovoltaic plant size, battery capacity, the increase of the share of self-consumption, and the useful lifetime of energy storage system. The same case studies are proposed also in four alternative scenarios, where is the modified the structure of subsidies. Results confirm that the profitability can be reached in presence of subsidies.

Terzo settore e cure palliative

This chapter aims to highlight the role that third sector organizations (foundations, associations of patients’ relatives, users associations, voluntary organizations, social cooperatives and other) play in the context of the Italian network of palliative care. It starts with an analysis of the profound demographic and social changes, which have modified substantially the structure and composition of the population in advanced Western countries. Secondly, data on third sector organizations working in health and social assistance sector, arising from II^ Census on Nonprofit Institutions by Istat, are presented and interpreted. Thirdly, it detects and illustrates the major networks (second level organizations) grouping third sector organizations active in the field of palliative care in Italy. Finally, the paper analyzes the consistency of third sector organizations in both domiciliary and residential palliative care services delivering in Italy. The chapter ends with the recognition of the crucial (key) role played by third sector organizations in the palliative care system in Italy.

Safety of Antiplatelet Agents: Analysis of 'Real-World' Data from the Italian National Pharmacovigilance Network.

IntroductionAccording to the Italian National Report on drug use, thienopyridines (ticlopidine, clopidogrel and prasugrel) and ticagrelor represent the most prescribed antiplatelet agents, beside aspirin. The aim of this study was to analyse the safety profile of these drugs using data from spontaneous reporting of suspected adverse reactions (ADRs).MethodsSuspected ADRs for ticlopidine, clopidogrel, prasugrel and ticagrelor, reported on the Italian National Pharmacovigilance Network between January 2009 and December 2016, were included in the analysis. All suspected ADRs were classified by frequency, seriousness, outcome, age and system organ class.ResultsClopidogrel showed the highest absolute number of suspected ADRs, followed by ticlopidine. However, these data need to be contextualized in view of the differences in marketing authorization dates, prescription rates and a characterization of the relative seriousness of ADRs per each drug. After the correction for prescription rate, ticagrelor showed the highest reporting trend and ticlopidine the lowest. Most ADRs occurred in the elderly, in particular for ticlopidine. Bleeding represents one of the most reported events (ticlopidine 40%, clopidogrel 26%, prasugrel 42%, ticagrelor 30%) and aspirin was the most frequently associated suspected drug. The majority of ADRs had complete recovery and were non-serious, except for ticlopidine (serious ADRs 53%). Prasugrel showed the highest percentage of ‘life-threatening’ events and ‘death’.ConclusionsBased on the analysis conducted on spontaneous ADRs reporting system in Italy, the safety profile of antiplatelet drugs seems favourable. However, the overall risk-benefit ratio of these drugs needs to be reassessed taking into account the appropriateness of use in particular populations at risk, such as the elderly. Based on this information, we believe that more attention from clinicians and/or an implementation of regulatory measures could be useful for clinical practice.

Kleptoparasitism and Scavenging Can Stabilize Ecosystem Dynamics.

Scavenging is ubiquitous in nature, but its implications have rarely been investigated. We used camera traps on wolf kills to investigate the role of scavenging on predator and multiprey dynamics in a northern Apennine system in Italy. In contrast to North American systems, the omnivorous wild boar successfully competes with wolves for the meat of their kills. We developed a deterministic, multitrophic web model (wolf, vegetation, deer, and wild boar), tunable through a parameter that governs the impact of prey sharing between wolves and wild boar. When prey sharing is scarce, populations oscillate, but above a threshold value the trophic web is stabilized, with the regime solution becoming a fixed, stable point. Both deer and wild boar then increase as a function of prey sharing, and the impact of herbivores on the vegetation increases. When prey sharing exceeds another threshold, the system collapses due to the extinction of both wolves and wild boar. Our analysis shows that scavenging is crucial for the dynamics of this ecosystem, and thus it should not be overlooked in food web modeling. The exploitation of wolf kills by wild boar may allow juveniles and yearlings to obtain high-quality resources that are not usually available, helping the wild boar to compensate for losses caused by hunting. This is likely to make them even more invasive and difficult to control.