Empowering refugees and asylum seekers in the Italian agriculture sector by linking social cooperative entrepreneurship and social work practices

The present study investigated the potential of social cooperative activities and social work practices in the Italian agriculture sector in promoting sustainable integration forms for refugees and asylum seekers. The study adopted a qualitative approach using case study as the main research method. As the results show, the complexity and diversity of needs of refugees and asylum seekers make collaboration between formal and informal actors increasingly necessary for generating a common knowledge and support networks. The article argues that integrated approaches to refugees’ socio‐economic integration are needed to free them from the need for assistance and thereby help them regain their autonomy. The case study presented gives insight into the potential of small‐step experiences towards sustainable development and, linked to this, the integration of refugees and asylum seekers based on self‐organisation and cooperation, considering the well‐being of all citizens in the broader context.     

Housing crowding effects on children’s wellbeing

The degree to which children grow up in crowded housing is a neglected but potentially important aspect of social inequality. Poor living conditions can serve as a mechanism of social stratification, affecting children’s wellbeing and resulting in the intergenerational transmission of social inequality. This paper reports an investigation of housing crowding on children’s academic achievement, behavior, and health in the US and Los Angeles, a city with atypically high levels of crowding. We use data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics’ Child Development Supplement and the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey to explore the effect of living in a crowded home on an array of child wellbeing indicators. We find that several dimensions of children’s wellbeing suffer when exposed to crowded living conditions, particularly in Los Angeles, even after controlling for socioeconomic status. The negative effects on children raised in crowded homes can persist throughout life, affecting their future socioeconomic status and adult wellbeing.     

Indirect Inference for Lévy‐driven continuous‐time GARCH models

We advocate the use of an Indirect Inference method to estimate the parameter of a COGARCH(1,1) process for equally spaced observations. This requires that the true model can be simulated and a reasonable estimation method for an approximate auxiliary model. We follow previous approaches and use linear projections leading to an auxiliary autoregressive model for the squared COGARCH returns. The asymptotic theory of the Indirect Inference estimator relies on a uniform strong law of large numbers and asymptotic normality of the parameter estimates of the auxiliary model, which require continuity and differentiability of the COGARCH process with respect to its parameter and which we prove via Kolmogorov's continuity criterion. This leads to consistent and asymptotically normal Indirect Inference estimates under moment conditions on the driving Lévy process. A simulation study shows that the method yields a substantial finite sample bias reduction compared with previous estimators.     

On estimands and the analysis of adverse events in the presence of varying follow‐up times within the benefit assessment of therapies

The analysis of adverse events (AEs) is a key component in the assessment of a drug's safety profile. Inappropriate analysis methods may result in misleading conclusions about a therapy's safety and consequently its benefit‐risk ratio. The statistical analysis of AEs is complicated by the fact that the follow‐up times can vary between the patients included in a clinical trial. This paper takes as its focus the analysis of AE data in the presence of varying follow‐up times within the benefit assessment of therapeutic interventions. Instead of approaching this issue directly and solely from an analysis point of view, we first discuss what should be estimated in the context of safety data, leading to the concept of estimands. Although the current discussion on estimands is mainly related to efficacy evaluation, the concept is applicable to safety endpoints as well. Within the framework of estimands, we present statistical methods for analysing AEs with the focus being on the time to the occurrence of the first AE of a specific type. We give recommendations which estimators should be used for the estimands described. Furthermore, we state practical implications of the analysis of AEs in clinical trials and give an overview of examples across different indications. We also provide a review of current practices of health technology assessment (HTA) agencies with respect to the evaluation of safety data. Finally, we describe problems with meta‐analyses of AE data and sketch possible solutions.     

Face-to-Face wird überbewertet – Telefoncoaching aus Klienten- und Beraterperspektive

Claudia Bredt talks to Dr. Andreas Knierim about her experiences with telephone coaching from a client and consultant perspective. Claudia Bredt has been using the medium telephone for several years as a format for supervision and coaching. She combines face-to-face sessions with telephone consulting. At the same time, she has also experienced the good effects of telephone coaching herself as a client.     

Complexity and inapproximability results for the Power Edge Set problem

We consider the single channel PMU placement problem called the Power Edge Set problem. In this variant of the PMU placement problem, (single channel) PMUs are placed on the edges of an electrical network. Such a PMU measures the current along the edge on which it is placed and the voltage at its two endpoints. The objective is to find the minimum placement of PMUs in the network that ensures its full observability, namely measurement of all the voltages and currents. We prove that PES is NP-hard to approximate within a factor (1.12)-\(\epsilon \), for any \(\epsilon > 0\). On the positive side we prove that PES problem is solvable in polynomial time for trees and grids.     

Ergonomic assessment methodologies in manual handling of loads--opportunities in organizations

The present study was developed based on the analysis of workplaces in the engineering industry, particularly in automotive companies. The main objectives of the study were to evaluate the activities present in the workplace concerning manual handling, using assessment methodologies NIOSH Ergonomic Equation [1] and Manual Material Handling [2], present in ISO 11228 [3-4], and to consider the possibility of developing musculoskeletal injuries associated with these activities, an issue of great concern in all industrial sectors. Similarly, it was also shown the suitability of each method to the task concerned. The study was conducted in three steps. The first step was to collect images and information about the target tasks. As a second step proceeded to the analysis, determining the method to use and to evaluate activities. Finally, we found the results obtained and acted on accordingly. With the study observed situations considered urgent action, according to the methodologies used, and proceeded to develop solutions in order to solve the problems identified, eliminating and / or minimizing embarrassing situations and harmful to employees.     

Aesthetic taste versus utility: the emotional and rational of the individual

This article explores the development of an aesthetics framework that aims to provide designers with parameters to understand emotion, taste, and aesthetic judgment under their own cultural influence. This framework will equip designers with tangible criteria for judging cultural influences that have an impact on industrial design while preventing designers from adopting subjective options or being "followers of the current trend." To address the complexity of the topic, a systemic approach is taken so as to be able to capture its several elements. Therefore, the aesthetics framework adopts a systemic approach, which enables its constituents to be compared and the interplay or "links" between these different elements to be identified.     

Job satisfaction among control room operators of electrical systems

Shift workers from control centers of electrical systems are a group that has received little attention in Brazil. This study aimed to compare workers' job satisfaction at five control centers of a Brazilian company electrical system, and according to their job titles. Method: The Organization Satisfaction Index (OSI) questionnaire to assess job satisfaction was used. ANOVA was used to compare OSI means, according to job title and control center. The results showed that there is no difference in job satisfaction among job titles, but a significant difference was found according to the control center. A single organizational culture cannot be applied to several branches. It is required to implement actions that would result in job satisfaction improvements among workers of all studied control rooms centers. The high level of education of operators working in all centers might have contributed to the similar values of perceived satisfaction among distinct job titles.     

Unfinished Business: Disentangling Sex,Gender, and Sexuality in Sociological Research on Gender Stratification

Focusing on two major strands of research on gender stratification, labor market inequality and health disparities, we argue that cisnormativity and heteronormativity obscure the rich variation in how people experience their own sense of gender and sexuality, as well as how others perceive them. Although researchers’ reliance on static notions of gender and sexuality is starting to shift, there is room for improvement, especially in the area of gender inequality. To highlight the advancements in researchers’ thinking, we spotlight exemplary work that incorporates gender expansive realities using empirically and/or theoretically grounded approaches. We conclude by outlining best practices to measure gender identity, sexual identity, gender expression, gender conformity, and other facets of gender and sexuality.