This paper explores epistemological tensions arising from a 2023 Community-Driven Research (CDR) initiated by the civic group 'ViviAmo Marghera' in an open drug scene in Venice, Italy. We focus on qualitative data drawn from field diaries kept by citizen-researchers, using them as a lens to analyse the tensions of participatory research, conceived as a form of social action with transformative potential. Results show how community members negotiated their dual roles as observers and participants in a context marked by stigma and proximity, highlighting the emotional labour involved in balancing engagement and analytical distance, the moral tensions encountered, and the role of shifting social imaginaries in shaping social relations. We further discuss how reflexivity functions as an indispensable tool for managing these emotional demands. Finally, we consider the broader implications of conducting CDR in fragile urban environments. We contend that participatory research rooted in community leadership and reflexive engagement can disrupt fear and stigma by recognising the agency and self-determination of those often regarded as 'other'. Through this analysis, we argue that the transformative potential of CDR depends on sustained reflexivity and on the epistemological, relational, and institutional conditions that enable knowledge production to advance epistemic justice and social inclusion.
PurposeThis study aims to systematically map the employability skills the agri-food sector (AFS) requires to support its twin transition (TT) towards digitalisation and circularity. Grounded in employability theories, it proposes a dual-dimensional framework that classifies these skills into thematic clusters and cognitive topics, offering strategic insights for workforce development and policy design.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a big-data-driven approach leveraging Large Language Models and Transformers. Text mining and topic modelling techniques were applied to a large corpus of job advertisements collected via web scraping from major employment platforms, specifically focusing on the European agri-food labour market.FindingsThe analysis generated a taxonomy of employability skills articulated along two dimensions: semantic topics (hard, soft, and transversal skills) and cognitive clusters (industry-specific, circular, and digital). Industry-specific skills prevail in the early stages of the supply chain, digital skills peak in logistics and traceability, while circular skills are concentrated in upstream and downstream phases. Hard skills dominate technical roles, soft skills emerge in customer-facing functions, and transversal skills are central to end-of-life stages.Originality/valueThis is the first study profiling employability skills for the TT in the AFS using a large-scale, data-intensive methodology. Integrating employability theories with empirical labour market signals, this study develops an original taxonomy aligning sectorial transformation with individual career readiness.
BACKGROUND:Sarcopenia and delirium are two highly prevalent clinical syndromes among hospitalized elderly patients, both independently associated with adverse outcomes such as increased risk of falls, disability and mortality. Although a correlation between sarcopenia and delirium has been previously reported, past studies have often relied on less reliable surrogate markers for sarcopenia, leading to potential inaccuracies in diagnosis and assessment. This study aims to address these limitations by utilizing a more precise and reliable diagnostic tool for sarcopenia, specifically, muscle ultrasound (US) to measure the quadriceps femoris muscle and its pennation angle, to accurately evaluate the correlation between sarcopenia and delirium in acutely admitted geriatric patients. METHODS:We used muscle US to measure sarcopenia with reliable markers, specifically the Ultrasound Sarcopenia Index (USSI). This index evaluates the ratio between vastus lateralis thickness and fascicle length (L/f), offering a detailed view of muscle structure that is not affected by sex or body size. RESULTS:In 194 patients (mean age 86.5 years; 46.4% women; 81.4% with delirium), USSI correlated with MMSE (r = -0.619, p < 0.001), 4AT (r = 0.844, p < 0.001), ADL/IADL (r ≈ -0.32, p < 0.001), BMI, grip strength and muscle thickness (all p < 0.001). Women had higher USSI and worse cognitive/frailty scores; patterns were consistent across sexes. CONCLUSION:Our findings are expected to support the implementation of more targeted assessments and interventions, emphasizing the crucial role of accurate sarcopenia diagnosis in improving outcomes for elderly patients and highlighting its interconnectedness with delirium in comprehensive geriatric care.
Advancing athlete health requires a shift from reactive sports medicine toward proactive, personalized, and longitudinal care. This article presents a conceptual framework for an Interdisciplinary AI Center for Longevity and Well-Being designed to integrate Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT), wearable sensing, and multimodal analytics into a unified athlete health ecosystem. The manuscript contextualizes the proposed framework with relevant literature across key technical domains and presents a reference edge–fog–cloud architecture together with a proof-of-concept dashboard pipeline to illustrate technical feasibility. Within this framework, heterogeneous data streams from wearable physiological sensors, biomechanical devices, non-invasive biomarker monitors, and environmental trackers are organized to support multimodal analysis and individualized performance intelligence. The paper outlines five target application domains: real-time health monitoring, injury risk assessment, performance optimization, holistic well-being evaluation, and longevity-oriented health management. Privacy-preserving and interpretable AI components, including federated learning, differential privacy, and explainability-oriented design considerations, are presented as key architectural priorities, while several elements are explicitly identified as future development directions. Rather than claiming full real-world validation, this work provides an interdisciplinary blueprint and prototype-informed foundation for future research and implementation at the intersection of computer science, biomedical engineering, and sports science.
BACKGROUND:Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a role in neuroplasticity, appetite regulation, and reward processing. Its possible involvement in eating disorders (EDs) has been investigated; however, contradictory findings and substantial methodological heterogeneity have prevented definitive conclusions. OBJECTIVE:To systematically evaluate peripheral BDNF levels in individuals with EDs, healthy controls and recovered individuals. METHODS:A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement (CRD420250654199). Observational studies and randomized controlled trials comparing BDNF levels in individuals with and without EDs were included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials were used. RESULTS:Twenty-one studies were included. BDNF serum levels were significantly lower in acute anorexia (AN) compared with healthy controls (Standardized Mean Difference [SMD] = -0.49;p < 0.001,n = 17), with significance maintained after excluding outliers (SMD = -0.41; p < 0.001,n = 8). No significant difference was found between recovered AN and controls. Bulimia nervosa (BN) individuals showed significantly lower BDNF serum levels (SMD = -0.72;p < 0.001,n = 4). Longitudinal studies showed a significant increase in serum BDNF levels after recovery (SMD = 1.78;p = 0.003,n = 6). DISCUSSION:These findings support a predominantly state-related association between peripheral BDNF levels and illness stage in AN and BN, rather than a stable condition-specific. Evidence for binge-eating disorders is extremely limited, relying on a single eligible study. Interpretation is constrained by methodological heterogeneity, variability in recovery definitions, and the largely correlational nature of the evidence. Further standardized, high-quality longitudinal studies are needed to clarify whether peripheral BDNF alterations reflect state-related mechanisms, trait vulnerability, or dynamic biological changes across illness stages.
