Libera!

About: Libera! is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Bellman equation & European union. The organization has 501 authors who have published 571 publications receiving 7962 citations.

Describing the Process and Tools Adopted to Cocreate a Smartphone App for Obesity Prevention in Childhood: Mixed Method Study

Abstract: Background: Childhood obesity prevention is a public health priority in industrialized countries. The Reggio Emilia Local Health Authority has implemented a program involving primary and secondary prevention as well as the care of obese children. There are many health-promoting mobile apps, but few are targeted to children and very few are sponsored by public health agencies. Objective: The goal of the research was to describe the process and tools adopted to cocreate a mobile app sponsored by the Reggio Emilia Local Health Authority to be installed in parents’ phones aimed at promoting child health and preventing obesity. Methods: After stakeholder mapping, a consulting committee including relevant actors, stakeholders, and users was formed. Key persons for childhood obesity prevention were interviewed, focus groups with parents and pediatricians were conducted, and community reporting storytelling was collected. The results of these activities were presented to the consulting committee in order to define the functionalities and contents of the mobile app. Results: Three key trends emerged from community reporting: being active, playing, and being outdoors; time for oneself, family, and friends; and the pressures of life and work and not having time to be active and socialize. In focus groups, interviews, and labs, mothers showed a positive attitude toward using an app to manage their children's weight, while pediatricians expressed concerns that the app could increase their workload. When these findings were explored by the consulting committee, four key themes were extracted: strong relationships with peers, family members, and the community; access to safe outdoor spaces; children’s need for age-appropriate independence; and professional support should be nonjudgmental and stigma-free. It should be a dialogue that promotes family autonomy. The app functions related to these needs include the following: (1) newsletter with anticipatory guidance, recipes, and vaccination and well-child visit reminders; (2) regional map indicating where physical activity can be done; (3) information on how to manage emergencies (eg, falls, burns, fever); (4) module for reinforcing the counseling intervention conducted by pediatricians for overweight children; and (5) a function to build a balanced daily diet. Conclusions: The pilot study we conducted showed that cocreation in health promotion is feasible, with the consulting committee being the key co-governance and cocreation tool. The involvement of stakeholders in this committee made it possible to expand the number of persons and institutions actively contributing to the project.

Analysis of the complex phase error introduced by the application of the Fourier transform method

Abstract: The relation between modulus and phase errors introduced by the application of the Fourier transform method to fringe pattern analysis has been established. The theoretical results obtained are proposed for the reconstructed phase error correction. Numerical verification for a one-dimensional fringe pattern, comparison of corrected and non-corrected results obtained for different basic spatial frequencies and an example of application of the proposed correction for real data are given.

Index-Linked Bonds from an Academic, Market and Policy-Making Standpoint

Abstract: The view put forward in this paper is that the index-linking of long-term public debt today represents a financial instrument that fosters a low average rate of inflation In particular, bonds that are fully linked to the prices of a representative basket of goods and services permit a reduction in the inflation volatility risk premium, which weighs significantly on the nominal cost of the public debt and, ex post, gives rise to substantial real costs that distort the mechanisms of allocation and distribution and, ultimately, could lead to the debt becoming unsustainable After re-examining the reasons for the orthodox aversion to index-linking - notably on the part of the monetary authorities of the more stable countries and especially the Bundesbank - the case is put for the leading industrial countries, and notably Italy, to issue index-linked government bonds By issuing such bonds, the Treasuries of the various countries would send a strong stabilizing signal to the markets because recourse to the inflation tax in the future would no longer be advantageous, reduce the real cost of government borrowing by eliminating the inflation risk premium that currently has to be paid on issues with fixed nominal interest rates, benefit from the positive correlation between the quality of revenue and expenditure, and obtain valuable information on forward inflation rates and the real interest rates implicit in the prices of the bonds The long-term real interest rate offered by index-linked bonds would act as a sort of lighthouse set up by the monetary authorities to illuminate the path of economic growth and enable operators and markets to coordinate their actions more effectively