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This paper proposes an analysis of occupational accidents in Italy at the regional level. For this purpose, our panel is composed of 20 regions over the 2010–2019 time span.

We apply different econometric estimation techniques (pooled OLS model, panel fixed and random effects models and semiparametric fixed model) using INAIL and ISTAT data. Our models investigate workplace accidents at the regional level by accounting for socioeconomic, labour market and productive system variables and controlling for possible underreporting bias.

Overall results reveal the existence of a relevant under-notification phenomenon of accidents at work with respect to moderate accidents, that is higher especially for the southern regions of Italy. However, when considering as outcome variable an alternative set of more severe workplace accidents our model specification remains highly jointly statistically significant. Among our main findings, the analysis shows that worker skills (blue collar) strongly affect the regional pattern of workplace accidents, i.e. an increase of 1% of low paid employees generates about an increase of 1.8 severe workplace accidents per thousand workers. Moreover, we provide evidence that the size of the firm is inversely related to the occupational accident rates. Finally, our results highlight a nonlinear relationship between GDP and occupational accidents for the Italian regional context, confirmed by the high statistical significance of the quadratic term in all the estimated linear models and by the semi-parametric analysis.

A first element of originality of our study consists of investigating the macro determinants of occupation accidents at a regional Italian level. Second, the empirical literature (Boone and Van Ours, 2006) highlights the possible bias of underreporting behaviours on nonfatal accidents in contrast to fatal accidents that are always reported. From this perspective, we have identified a few analyses (namely, Boone et al., 2011) considering different accident sets characterised by different severity degrees. Thus, this paper contributes to the literature considering five alternative subsets of accidents stratified by degree of severity (i.e. moderate, severe, moderate plus severe, severe plus fatal and total accident rates) to test for possible underreporting bias affecting our econometric model.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for the existence, uniqueness and globally robust stability of the equilibrium point for Cohen–Grossberg neural networks with time-varying delays, continuous distributed delays and a kind of discontinuous activation functions.

Based on the Leray–Schauder alternative theorem and chain rule, by using a novel integral inequality dealing with monotone non-decreasing function, the authors obtain a delay-dependent sufficient condition with less conservativeness for robust stability of considered neural networks.

It turns out that the authors’ delay-dependent sufficient condition can be formed in terms of linear matrix inequalities conditions. Two examples show the effectiveness of the obtained results.

The novelty of the proposed approach lies in dealing with a new kind of discontinuous activation functions by using the Leray–Schauder alternative theorem, chain rule and a novel integral inequality on monotone non-decreasing function.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the relationship between migratory status, the use of legal and illegal psychoactive substances and psychological disorders perceived in a sample of minors.

A transversal multicentre study was carried out with interviews with young people aged 13-16 years recruited from middle and high schools in Italy.

The results show the implementation of a process of normalization in terms of the presence of legal and illegal psychoactive substances in the living contexts of the minors, of their widespread early use and of a substantial indifferentiation in the reasons for use (e.g. pleasure, curiosity, fun). Youths born in Italy with at least one non-native parent are noteworthy for an elevated prevalence of perceived psychological disorders and for particular lifestyles linked to the use of marijuana, alcohol abuse and the intensive consumption of tobacco. Second-generation minors show symptoms of psychological malaise, anxiety and depression before which the use of substances appears to realize a particular form of self-cure.

This study presents some objective limits that indicate prudence in generalizing the results: only those who obtained consent from their parents were interviewed and the information communicated in the interviews could have been influenced by various factors, including the situation and the location. The authors used a standard definition of binge-drinking (Valencia-Martín et al., 2008). Actually, different criteria (i.e. number of drinks, time of consumption, etc.) and formulations of the question are used in different surveys, showing that there is as yet no consensus definition of binge-drinking. Nevertheless, the term has become somewhat confusing as it is often used as a synonym of drunkenness, making cross-cultural comparisons difficult (Beccaria et al., 2014). These are aspects that limit the generalizability of the results to the interviews alone and do not allow for prevalence estimates. Nevertheless, the results offer useful indications for future prevention projects specifically oriented to early adolescence.

The results of the study, on the one hand, document the growing use of legal and illegal proactive substances among minors and the relative cultural trend in this particular age band, testified to by the high number of those who have been present in situations of consumption to whom the substances were offered; on the other, they evidence a subpopulation of youths born in Italy with at least one non-native parent (i.e. second generation of immigrants). These youths stand out for an elevated prevalence of perceived psychological disorders and for their particular lifestyles connected to the use of marijuana, alcohol abuse and the intensive consumption of alcohol. This is also the group with the highest percentage of mothers alone in the family.

A group of adolescents living in a monoparental family, that is, with the mother alone emerges, and as the literature has shown, family structure and poverty are linked (Landale et al., 2011; Svensson and Hagquist, 2009). In fact, such mothers, even those with a high level of education, are mostly unemployed. Adolescents with a single parent often not only face resource deficits but also other risk factors, such as high family stress, inadequate supervision, multiple family transitions and frequent residential moves. Specifically, these second-generation adolescents are female and they manifest sensation-seeking behaviours, but without drug abuse.

The results of the study show new and little-known aspects of the multicultural Italian society that is changing profoundly that should be explored in more detail by targeted research that also focussed on structural factors relatable to specific social positions. In this framework, a particular subgroup, i.e. the second-generation minors, shows symptoms of psychic malaise, anxiety and depression in terms of which substance use seems to realize a form of self-cure.

The menopausal transition (MT) is a period when there may be an increase in visceral fat mass and a worsening of cardiometabolic risk factors. Few studies have evaluated the efficacy of plant-based low-calorie diets on groups of women at different stages of MT. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a high plant-to-animal protein ratio diet in women of similar age but with different fertility statuses.

Subjects were divided into three groups according to their fertility status at the baseline: “premenopausal” (n = 11), “perimenopause” (n = 14) and “postmenopause” (n = 18). Body composition (BC) was measured at the beginning and after eight months of treatment. Individualised lifestyle treatment included a strong component of plant-based foods.

Forty-three overweight or obese Caucasian women (age 52.3 ± 4.5 years, body mass index 30.6 ± 5.4 kg/m2, fat mass 33.1 ± 9.3 kg data presented as means ± SD) were included in the study. Mean physical activity was 8.4 ± 7.6 metabolic equivalent of tasks/week. Subjects had an improvement in BC (fat mass −5.6 ± 4.0 kg, p < 0.001 protein −0.3 ± 0.5 kg, p < 0.001), HDL-C and systolic blood pressure values. Waist circumference and hip circumference decreased by 4.1 ± 3.1 cm and −6.0 ± 4.3 cm, respectively. Weight loss resulted in a significant improvement in some blood lipid values, such as total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Adherence to a high plant protein diet helps adult women with different fertility statuses to improve BC and reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Long-term studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.

In pre-peri- and post-menopausal adult women, a diet high in plant proteins improves body composition and reduces cardiovascular risk factors.

This paper aims to know the dimension and scope that research on the district effect has had in the literature about industrial districts, as well as to shed some light on the connection between industrial districts and business results; or expressed differently, on how being located in an industrial district or not affects or might influence the performance of the firms located therein.

The purpose of this paper has been achieved through an exhaustive review of the empirical literature dedicated to the so-called district effect. The papers selected in the analysis were selected on the basis of the following criteria: (1) publications in scientific journals; (2) studies carried out in Spain and Italy; and (3) works published between 1994 and 2017.

The outcome of the literature review suggests, on the one hand, that the debate on the extent to which the territory influences the competitiveness of firms located in industrial districts still remains a topic of great interest. It can additionally be observed that most of the works dedicated to measuring the district effect have done so using three dimensions: (1) productivity/efficiency; (2) international competitiveness; and (3) innovation.

From a theoretical perspective, the findings of this paper make it possible to carry out an integrating proposal for the measurement of the district effect which revolves around three dimensions (productivity/efficiency; international competitiveness; and innovation).

This paper makes a twofold contribution to the literature: (i) it brings together the most important empirical contributions that measure the competitive advantages obtained by firms located in industrial districts through the district effect; and (ii) it theoretically and empirically establishes the essential dimensions of that effect.

Within the theoretical framework of global value chains (GVCs), much importance has been given to industrial districts (IDs) and their role as localized manufacturing systems. The regionalization of GVC has opened new questions on the location of manufacturing activities and the potential consequences at the ID level. The reshoring phenomenon challenges internationalization processes, changing the configuration in trade dynamics for IDs. This paper aims to investigate which are the main internationalization patterns followed by district small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under the perspective of the regionalization of GVCs. This will help both practitioners and policymakers to better understand internationalization trajectories aimed at sustaining the economic development of district firms and territories.

The analysis has been conducted using a survey carried out on 210 ID SMEs in the furniture, mechanics and fashion industries located in Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions, in northeastern Italy. Moreover, data released from the Italian Customs Agency have been merged to detect the trends of interviewed firms’ internationalization between 2005 and 2019.

The results highlight how the geography of internationalization has changed over time, in particular following the regionalization of the GVCs. There are also differences among the industry specializations of IDs. This could be attributable to the strategy pursued by each firm to control the competition both in the domestic market and abroad, also in relation to GVC lead firms’ location strategies.

This paper applies new data on the analysis of ID SMEs related to international transactions over a long period of time. In doing this, this paper adds new insights to the GVC literature and future policies to be implemented to foster the participation of district firms in the global scenario.

The research objective was twofold: first, to propose a novel framework for composing an organization’s aggregate risk appetite, and second, to demonstrate the application of this framework in a suitable organization.

A conceptual framework for defining an organization’s aggregate risk appetite was developed based on relevant organizational theory and research through the lens of knowledge management. The organizational appetite for risk framework was subsequently implemented at the São Paulo State Technological Research Institute (IPT) using the design science research approach. Finally, the implementation was carefully examined in order to encourage future applications and to further refine the appetite for risk framework.

The composition and application of the proposed appetite for risk framework optimally identified the aggregated risk appetite of the complete test organization. Moreover, organizational differences between bottom-up tolerance and top-down appetite were revealed.

Our main practical contribution is a comprehensive procedure to conduct a risk assessment and achieve an organization-wide aggregate risk appetite through the lens of knowledge management.

Unlike past theory and research that take a strictly top-down approach to risk appetite, our framework integrates dispersed knowledge on risk-taking at various levels of the organization, thereby contributing to the underexplored role of bottom management in shaping aggregate risk appetite.

This study aims to assess the potency and dose of Δ-9-Tetrahidrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) in cannabis joints. This will enable better estimates of the degree of exposure in a user and contribute towards a better understanding of potential harmful effects.

Analysis of intact joints confiscated by law enforcement on the street in the autonomous region of Castilla y León (Spain) during the years 2017–2019.

This study analysed THC, CBN and CBD in marijuana joints (N = 744). Joints contain cannabis and tobacco (N = 729), had a median net weight 0.69 g (IQR = 0.28); concentration THC median was 6.30%(IQR = 4.51) and THC median dose 42 mg (IQR = 32.75). A total of 35.5% mixed joints contained CBN – median percentage 0.61% (IQR = 0.51). CBD was detected 10.3% of mixed joints – median percentage 0.13% (IQR = 0.12) and median dose 1 mg (IQR = 0.92). CBD/THC ratio presented median value of 0.02 (IQR = 0.02). The samples analysed comprised pure cannabis joints (N = 15), with THC median 11.86% (IWR = 6.30) or median dose of 118 mg.

The study found high values for concentration and dose of THC and CBD in cannabis joints, warning of high exposures for the user and associated potential consequences. The results obtained contribute new perspectives on the definition of a standard cannabis unit.

The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical assessment and outline issues in criminal regulation relating to international anti‐money laundering (AML) programs.

In the first part, this paper outlines the serious threats posed by transnational laundering operations in the context of economic globalization, and calls for highly co‐ordinated international responses to such a crime. The second part of the paper centres on elements of international criminal regulation of ML.

The focus is on the phenomenological aspect of ML and highlights that to a large extent it is an economic issue. Economic analysis calls for an accurate legal response, with typical trade‐offs: it should deter criminals from laundering by increasing the costs for such illicit operations, calling for enhanced regulatory and enforcement activities; however, stronger enforcement yields increased costs and reduces privacy. These features have lately inspired the recent paradigm shift from a rule‐based regulatory framework to a risk‐based approach which still represents an extremely delicate regulatory. Both at the international level and within the single domestic legal system, AML law is typically characterised by a multidisciplinary approach combining the repressive profile with preventive mechanisms: an empirical evaluation of the International Monetary Fund‐World Bank AML program is presented, where these two aspects are assessed. The non‐criminal measures recently implemented under the auspices of the main inter‐governmental public organisations with competence in these fields seem to be consistent with the insights of economic analysis. However, some key criminal issues need to be better addressed.

The paper offers insights into international AML programs, focusing on criminal regulation.

The purpose of this study is to describe the implementation of a digital-based team coaching intervention aimed at improving team communication in the workplace through social network visualization. The study examined recipients’ perceptions of the intervention at two time points and assessed the temporal stability of various factors, including the intervention’s integrity, design, transferability, acceptance and the usability of the adopted visualization tool. The moderating role of digital usability was also evaluated.

Four team coaching sessions were delivered to 62 participants from seven teams across three departments within a large public health-care organization in Northern Italy. Perceptions of the intervention dimensions were collected after the second and fourth sessions.

Results indicated that, at both time points, recipients appreciated the intervention’s integrity and usability more than its design, transferability and acceptance. Furthermore, no significant changes in recipients’ perceptions were observed over time. The transferability of the intervention was significantly associated with its acceptance, but only when the usability of the digital tool was high.

The study enriches existing literature on digital interventions in group communication by focusing on process dimensions like recipients’ perceptions of various aspects and the implementation process. Furthermore, the study underscores the potential of integrating specific techniques such as sociomapping and coaching within health-care organizations, encouraging more research and development in these areas.

The study emphasizes the critical role of usability and integrity in digital-based team coaching interventions, suggesting that high-quality, user-friendly tools not only lead to initial effectiveness but also sustain positive impacts over time, while also increasing transferability and acceptance.

The present study uniquely deploys a longitudinal approach to examine recipients’ perceptions of a digital-based intervention that combines social network visualization and team coaching to enhance team communication.