docs: @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
      public List<E> list(final int first, final int max, final String sortProperty, final boolean ascending)
      {
          final String jpaql = "select x from " + entityClass.getName() + " x order by x." + sortProperty +
                  (ascending ? " asc" : " desc");
          final Query query = getEntityManager().createQuery(jpaql);
          query.setFirstResult(first).setMaxResults(max);
          return query.getResultList();
      }