1. ESG, Risk Management and SMEs : What Are the Potential Links? An Empirical Analysis of Friulia S.p.A.’s Investment PortfolioTommaso Cortivo, 2015, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: This paper examines the determinants of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) adoption in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) financed by Friulia S.p.A., a privately managed institutional investor under public control of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. Using data collected through a structured questionnaire, we build a synthetic indicator of ESG activation through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which captures the degree to which firms internalise sustainability practices. The first three principal components extracted through PCA represent distinct ESG dimensions and are used, separately, as dependent variables in Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions, with environmental certification and firm size as explanatory factors. Results show that the presence of an environmental certification is significantly associated with stronger ESG activation – particularly along the operational dimension – confirming its role as a key driver of structured sustainability practices. By contrast, firm size does not emerge as a significant predictor, suggesting that financial support (equity, specifically) from a professional investor may offset resource disparities across SMEs. Secondary ESG dimensions related to governance and residual social behaviours are not explained by structural variables, pointing instead to cultural and organisational factors. The findings contribute to the literature on SME sustainability by demonstrating that certifications serve as both signalling and learning tools, while also providing practical guidance for policymakers and public investors on how to design effective strategies to support the ESG transition of SMEs.
Keywords: SMEs, ESG, certification, PCA, risk management, sustainability, Friulia S.p.A.
Published in RUP: 04.03.2026; Views: 536; Downloads: 31
 Full text (1,54 MB)
This document has more files! More... |
2. Governance failure and wildfire escalation : a multi-level analysis of institutional preparedness, corruption, and emergency responseDaraz Umar, Štefan Bojnec, Younas Khan, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Wildfire escalation is increasingly threatening ecosystems and communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan, particularly in forest and rangeland landscapes where eco- logical flammability interacts with human activity. While environmental and climatic drivers are well studied, governance factors remain underexplored despite their decisive role in shaping how ecological risk translates into disasters. Regional forests show consid- erable ecological diversity, including chir pine-dominated stands, mixed temperate conifer forests, broadleaved oak-associated systems, and shrub rangeland mosaics, each differing in fuel structure and fire behavior. Dependence on fuelwood collection, grazing, and forest access further influences ignition probability and fire spread. This study examines how governance failures influence wildfire risk and severity through a Governance-Fire Risk Framework. Governance is treated as a determining institutional condition affecting prevention capacity, regulation of hazardous land use, fuel management, and emergency response effectiveness. A cross-sectional survey of 540 stakeholders from rural (Dir Lower, Dir Upper) and peri-urban districts (Swat, Mansehra, Abbottabad) was analyzed using SPSS (version 26) and AMOS (version 24) (CFA and SEM). Governance failure significantly escalates wildfire risk through delayed emergency response, regulatory non-compliance, political interference, and weak institutional coordination. Institutional preparedness and response capacity reduce risks, whereas corruption intensifies them. Corruption functions through illegal land conversion, diversion of fire management resources, procurement irregularities, nepotistic staffing, and selective enforcement, increasing ignition sources, fuel accumulation, and response delays. Rural districts show stronger governance-fire linkages. Wildfire escalation in KP is governance-driven in interaction with ecological conditions and community dependence on forest resources. Effective mitigation requires anti-corruption measures, rapid response systems, stronger enforcement, and improved preparedness. The study offers a transferable governance-focused framework for wildfire management in fire-prone developing regions.
Keywords: wildfires risk escalation, governance failure, institutional preparedness, corruption, emergency response, fire management, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Published in RUP: 27.02.2026; Views: 676; Downloads: 11
Full text (345,38 KB)
This document has more files! More... |
3. Disease severity affects knee range of motion but not strength deficits in knee osteoarthritis : a systematic review and meta-analysisManca Zupančič Opara, Nejc Šarabon, 2026, review article Abstract: Objectives: To compare knee range of motion and muscle strength between individuals with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and healthy controls, and to assess how Kellgren–Lawrence grade and measurement protocols affect these outcomes.Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science identified studies comparing knee flexion/extension range of motion or flexor/extensor strength between patients with knee osteoarthritis and controls. Risk of bias was assessed with Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Pooled mean and standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using random-effects meta-analyses.Results: Thirty studies were included. Compared with healthy controls, individuals with knee osteoarthritis showed significantly reduced knee flexion [MD = 16.30°, 95%CI (11.40, 21.21)] and extension [MD = 4.25°, 95%CI (2.30, 6.19)], with greater flexion loss in advanced KL grades. Knee osteoarthritis participants also demonstrated significantly lower strength across all contraction types: isometric [extensors: SMD = 0.86, 95%CI (0.57, 1.14); flexors: SMD = 0.52, 95%CI (0.30, 0.74)], concentric [extensors: SMD = 1.07, 95%CI (0.65, 1.50); flexors: SMD = 0.77, 95%CI (0.43, 1.12)], and eccentric extensor strength. Strength deficits were consistent across Kellgren–Lawrence grades, knee joint angles, and angular velocities during testing.Conclusions: Individuals with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis present with marked reductions in knee range of motion and strength. While range of motion impairments worsen with disease severity, strength deficits are stable across Kellgren–Lawrence grades and measurement protocols. Given the very low to low certainty of evidence, results should be interpreted with caution. 1 Introduction
Keywords: osteoarthritis, knee, arthritis, risk factors, rehabilitation
Published in RUP: 18.02.2026; Views: 635; Downloads: 5
Full text (6,93 MB)
This document has more files! More... |
4. High prevalence of probable sarcopenia and its associations with nutrition, cognitive, and physical function in hospitalized patients with Alzheimer’s clinical syndrome : a cross-sectional studyVesna Simič, Nina Mohorko, Polona Rus Prelog, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Background: Probable sarcopenia, indicated by low handgrip strength, is a prevalent condition among hospitalized older adults and may reflect broader functional and nutritional decline. Methods: We examined differences in nutritional, functional, and cognitive status between Alzheimer’s clinical syndrome (ACS) patients with probable sarcopenia and those without sarcopenia. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 194 hospitalized older adults with ACS. Probable sarcopenia was defined using European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) handgrip strength thresholds. Results: Patients with probable sarcopenia (n = 137) had significantly lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), albumin, hemoglobin, and gait speed compared to those without. After age and sex adjustment, MMSE (p = 0.023), GNRI (p = 0.002), hemoglobin (p = 0.022), albumin (p = 0.003), and gait speed (p < 0.001) remained significantly different. In the sex- and age-adjusted multivariable model (adjusted R2 = 0.442), higher nutritional risk (β = 0.26, p = < 0.001), lower MMSE scores (β = 0.17, p = 0.029), polypharmacy (β = −4.20, p = 0.002), and slower gait speed (β = 4.12, p = 0.010) were associated with reduced handgrip strength. In the multivariable binary logistic regression model (adjusted for age and sex), moderate or high nutritional risk and slow gait speed emerged as independent predictors of probable sarcopenia, with OR 5.14 (95% CI 1.34–19.75; p = 0.017) and OR 3.13 (95% CI 1.30–7.52; p = 0.011), respectively. Conclusions: Probable sarcopenia in hospitalized older adults with ACS is highly prevalent and is associated with higher nutritional risk, poorer cognitive and physical function, and polypharmacy; its early recognition may help to guide more targeted nutritional and functional interventions.
Keywords: sarcopenia, muscle strength, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive function, gait speed, nutrition risk
Published in RUP: 25.01.2026; Views: 778; Downloads: 7
Full text (653,67 KB)
This document has more files! More... |
5. Identifying risk factors for sarcopenia using machine learning : insights from multimodal dataFelicita Urzi, Domen Šoberl, Ornella Caputo, Marco Vincenzo Narici, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Purpose This study aims to identify key risk factors for sarcopenia using machine learning models, leveraging anthropomet- ric, biochemical, functional, nutritional, and genetic data. By developing predictive models, the research seeks to improve early detection, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and facilitate personalized interventions for individuals at risk of sarcopenia. Methods We analysed multimodal data from 484 older adults. Two scenarios: Set-a (including SARC–CalF, excluding SARC-F) and Set-b (including SARC-F, excluding SARC–CalF) were applied in a three-stage modeling process with progressively reduced features and optimized predictive performance using machine learning models. Key predictors were ranked using SHAP values, and model performance was evaluated using AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Internal validation and DeLong’s test were applied to assess robustness and statistical differences. Results The most predictive risk factors included functional measures (chair stand, gait speed), nutritional indicators (pro- tein, folate, copper, vitamin B7), clinical conditions (diabetes, comorbidities, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)), and anthro- pometric markers (body mass index (BMI), calf circumference). Genetic features also contributed to risk stratification. The best-performing model Set-b (with screening test SARC-F) achieved an AUC of 0.951 and an accuracy of 93.62%. While SARC–CalF showed higher individual feature importance, the model achieved an AUC of 0.945 and accuracy of 92.2%. Conclusions This study highlights that traditional sarcopenia screening can be enhanced by capturing complex interplay of functional, nutritional, clinical, and genetic factors, offering clinicians a more accurate and tailored tool for early detec- tion and risk stratification. Future research should focus on validating these models in larger, independent, and longitudinal cohorts to assess their predictive utility across diverse populations and over time.
Keywords: genetics, nutrition, risk factors, sarcopenia
Published in RUP: 23.07.2025; Views: 1386; Downloads: 22
Full text (965,36 KB)
This document has more files! More... |
6. |
7. |
8. Excessive and pathological Internet use - risk-behavior or psychopathology?Michael Kaess, Johanna Klar, Jochen Kindler, Peter Parzer, Romuald Brunner, Vladimir Carli, Marco Sarchiapone, Christina W. Hoven, Vanja Gomboc, Vita Poštuvan, 2021, original scientific article Keywords: internet addiction, pathological Internet use, excessive Internet use, adolescents, risk-behavior, psychopathology, SEYLE
Published in RUP: 30.07.2021; Views: 4599; Downloads: 35
 Link to full text |
9. Factors associated with loneliness : an umbrella review of observational studiesMarco Solmi, Nicola Veronese, Daiana Galvano, Angela Favaro, Edoardo G. Ostinelli, Vania Noventa, Elisa Favaretto, Florina Tudor, Matilde Finessi, Diego De Leo, 2020, original scientific article Keywords: loneliness, meta-analysis, risk factor, health outcome, umbrella review
Published in RUP: 02.12.2020; Views: 3456; Downloads: 40
Link to full text |
10. |
