The Experts below are selected from a list of 483390 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Giovanni Gulisano - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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evaluation of sustainable innovations in olive growing systems a life cycle sustainability Assessment Case study in southern italy
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018Co-Authors: Anna Irene De Luca, Giacomo Falcone, Teodora Stillitano, Nathalie Iofrida, Alfio Strano, Giovanni GulisanoAbstract:Abstract Innovations are increasingly needed by companies to engage in new market competitiveness. Conscientious consumers are demanding sustainable products and services, and “new qualities” are requested, such as environmental protection, social equitability and economic viability. To satisfy this demand, companies are struggling to find innovative solutions to sustainability concerns. The present paper proposes an innovative and integrated approach, i.e., the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, a methodology that is still under development within the conceptual framework of Life Cycle Thinking (Klopffer, 2008). Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing and social Life Cycle Assessment are integrated here by means of a multicriterial and participative method, the Analytic Hierarchy Process. This Case study is about growing Calabrian olives, which is the most important crop in terms of surface area at a regional level. The study focuses on an important agronomic practice, i.e., weeding. The functional unit is 1 ha of cultivated surface, and the system boundary is “from cradle to farm gate”. The time boundary considered here is the expected life of an olive tree corresponding to 50 years. All of the primary data have been gathered through specific in-field surveys with semi-structured questionnaires to farmers and workers. Nine impact categories and quantitative indicators, direct and/or proxy, cover the three primary sustainability dimensions, i.e., environment, economy and society. Three scenarios have been chosen for their relevance to the Calabrian panorama as follows: - a control scenario (CS), which is represented by the conventional and traditional farming system, that commonly recurs according to the use of chemicals for weed and pest control; - a low-dosage/no-tillage (LDNT) scenario, as represented by a reduced use of chemicals; and. - a zero chemical weeding (ZCW) scenario, representing the organic farming system. The results of the multicriterial analysis revealed that the greatest stakeholder concerns are environmental and social sustainability, especially in terms of toxicity and worker health. According to these preferences, low-dosage/no-tillage was the best scenario, with better performance for all of the selected categories except for job opportunities. Holistic sustainability Assessments, especially those involving relevant stakeholders, are essential strategies for successfully satisfying and retaining customers, and the present epistemological hybrid proposal to the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment could serve this purpose.
C Cooper - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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reprint of the impact of fragility fracture and approaches to osteoporosis risk Assessment worldwide
International Journal of Orthopaedic and Trauma Nursing, 2017Co-Authors: Elizabeth M Curtis, Rebecca J Moon, Nicholas C Harvey, C CooperAbstract:Osteoporosis constitutes a major public health problem, through its association with age-related fractures, particularly of the hip, vertebrae, distal forearm and humerus. Substantial geographic variation has been noted in the incidence of osteoporotic fractures worldwide, with Western populations (North America, Europe and Oceania), reporting increases in hip fracture throughout the second half of the 20th century, with a stabilisation or decline in the last two decades. In developing populations however, particularly in Asia, the rates of osteoporotic fracture appears to be increasing. The massive global burden consequent to osteoporosis means that fracture risk Assessment should be a high priority amongst health measures considered by policy makers. The WHO operational definition of osteoporosis, based on a measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), has been used globally since the mid-1990s. However, although this definition identifies those at greatest individual risk of fracture, in the population overall a greater total number of fractures occur in individuals with BMD values above threshold for osteoporosis diagnosis. A number of web-based tools to enable the inclusion of clinical risk factors, with or without BMD, in fracture prediction algorithms have been developed to improve the identification of individuals at high fracture risk, the most commonly used globally being FRAX®. Access to DXA, osteoporosis risk Assessment, Case finding and treatment varies worldwide, but despite such advances studies indicate that a minority of men and women at high fracture risk receive treatment. Importantly, research is ongoing to demonstrate the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of osteoporosis Case finding and risk Assessment strategies worldwide. The huge burden caused by osteoporosis related fractures to individuals, healthcare systems and societies should provide a clear impetus for the progression of such approaches.
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the impact of fragility fracture and approaches to osteoporosis risk Assessment worldwide
Bone, 2017Co-Authors: Elizabeth M Curtis, Rebecca J Moon, Nicholas C Harvey, C CooperAbstract:Osteoporosis constitutes a major public health problem, through its association with age-related fractures, particularly of the hip, vertebrae, distal forearm and humerus. Substantial geographic variation has been noted in the incidence of osteoporotic fractures worldwide, with Western populations (North America, Europe and Oceania), reporting increases in hip fracture throughout the second half of the 20th century, with a stabilisation or decline in the last two decades. In developing populations however, particularly in Asia, the rates of osteoporotic fracture appears to be increasing. The massive global burden consequent to osteoporosis means that fracture risk Assessment should be a high priority among health measures considered by policy makers. The WHO operational definition of osteoporosis, based on a measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), has been used globally since the mid-1990s. However, although this definition identifies those at greatest individual risk of fracture, in the population overall a greater total number of fractures occur in individuals with BMD values above the threshold for osteoporosis diagnosis. A number of web-based tools to enable the inclusion of clinical risk factors, with or without BMD, in fracture prediction algorithms have been developed to improve the identification of individuals at high fracture risk, the most commonly used globally being FRAX®. Access to DXA, osteoporosis risk Assessment, Case finding and treatment varies worldwide, but despite such advances studies indicate that a minority of men and women at high fracture risk receive treatment. Importantly, research is ongoing to demonstrate the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of osteoporosis Case finding and risk Assessment strategies worldwide. The huge burden caused by osteoporosis related fractures to individuals, healthcare systems and societies should provide a clear impetus for the progression of such approaches.
Emin A Aktan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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use of modal flexibility for damage detection and condition Assessment Case studies and demonstrations on large structures
Journal of Structural Engineering-asce, 2006Co-Authors: Necati F Catbas, David Brown, Emin A AktanAbstract:Displacement coefficients and profiles are presented as promising kernel condition and damage indices along with real-life examples. It is shown that dynamic tests, which do not require stationary reference measurement locations, can also be used to generate data for the computation of modal flexibility. Modal flexibility can then be employed to obtain the displacement profiles. It is also shown that the modal flexibility can be obtained from the frequency response function measurements of the structures. Problems such as environmental effects on measured data and limitations such as incomplete dynamic measurements, spatial and temporal truncation effects are commonly faced in damage detection and condition Assessment of real structures. Possible approaches to mitigate these obstacles are discussed. The level of variation and the uncertainty that may be expected when displacement coefficients are extracted from real civil infrastructure systems are also presented. The methods are demonstrated on two real-life bridges and the findings are validated by independent test results.
Anna Irene De Luca - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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evaluation of sustainable innovations in olive growing systems a life cycle sustainability Assessment Case study in southern italy
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018Co-Authors: Anna Irene De Luca, Giacomo Falcone, Teodora Stillitano, Nathalie Iofrida, Alfio Strano, Giovanni GulisanoAbstract:Abstract Innovations are increasingly needed by companies to engage in new market competitiveness. Conscientious consumers are demanding sustainable products and services, and “new qualities” are requested, such as environmental protection, social equitability and economic viability. To satisfy this demand, companies are struggling to find innovative solutions to sustainability concerns. The present paper proposes an innovative and integrated approach, i.e., the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, a methodology that is still under development within the conceptual framework of Life Cycle Thinking (Klopffer, 2008). Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing and social Life Cycle Assessment are integrated here by means of a multicriterial and participative method, the Analytic Hierarchy Process. This Case study is about growing Calabrian olives, which is the most important crop in terms of surface area at a regional level. The study focuses on an important agronomic practice, i.e., weeding. The functional unit is 1 ha of cultivated surface, and the system boundary is “from cradle to farm gate”. The time boundary considered here is the expected life of an olive tree corresponding to 50 years. All of the primary data have been gathered through specific in-field surveys with semi-structured questionnaires to farmers and workers. Nine impact categories and quantitative indicators, direct and/or proxy, cover the three primary sustainability dimensions, i.e., environment, economy and society. Three scenarios have been chosen for their relevance to the Calabrian panorama as follows: - a control scenario (CS), which is represented by the conventional and traditional farming system, that commonly recurs according to the use of chemicals for weed and pest control; - a low-dosage/no-tillage (LDNT) scenario, as represented by a reduced use of chemicals; and. - a zero chemical weeding (ZCW) scenario, representing the organic farming system. The results of the multicriterial analysis revealed that the greatest stakeholder concerns are environmental and social sustainability, especially in terms of toxicity and worker health. According to these preferences, low-dosage/no-tillage was the best scenario, with better performance for all of the selected categories except for job opportunities. Holistic sustainability Assessments, especially those involving relevant stakeholders, are essential strategies for successfully satisfying and retaining customers, and the present epistemological hybrid proposal to the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment could serve this purpose.
Crystal M Dehle - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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a brief course of cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of misophonia a Case example
The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 2013Co-Authors: Rosemary E Bernstein, Karyn Angell, Crystal M DehleAbstract:Misophonia is a condition of unknown cause characterized by atypically intense negative physiological and emotional reactions to hearing certain sounds – most often those associated with oral functions. Individuals with misophonia often report high levels of psychological distress and avoidance behaviours that seriously compromise their occupational and social functioning. As of yet, no effective treatment of misophonia has been identified, and health care providers often struggle when they encounter clients who have it. This Case report describes the Assessment, Case formulation, and treatment of a client with misophonia using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and serves as an initial contribution to the evidence base for the efficacy of CBT in the treatment of misophonia.
