Research trends in pedestrian safety: topics, methodologies, techniques, and data insights

This research has been carried out to make a thorough examination of the existing literature on the subject of pedestrian safety, more in detail on the construction of vulnerability curves. Emphasis was placed on key methodologies such as impact testing, finite element modelling, and predictive analysis needed to define risk mitigation measures for vulnerable road users, particularly in research such as pedestrians. Pedestrian safety has become an increasingly important area of research in recent decades, due to the increase in accidents where pedestrians are injured and/or die, especially as regards the urban environment. Understanding the main factors that influence accidents involving pediatricians is therefore essential to define mitigations to reduce this problem, which today has an increasing impact. The consultation of 93 key studies aims to highlight the latest advances in pedestrian safety research, assessing innovations to be undertaken in vehicle design, urban planning, and policy development

Statistical analysis of experimental crossing speed on vertical traffic calming devices: influence of vehicle category and road safety implications

The growing number of accidents involving pedestrians every year represents a critical issue for road safety in urban areas. These accidents are often caused by excessive speed and risky behaviour by the drivers of the vehicles involved. In this context, traffic calming devices, especially raised pedestrian crossings (RPCs), are installed to reduce the transit speed of vehicles and allow pedestrians to cross safely. This study aims to determine whether the transit speeds of vehicles on a traffic calming device depend on the category of the vehicle itself. To this end, an experimental data collection was conducted on an RPC case study, considering different collection days, in various time slots. Statistical tests, including ANOVA (F-test), Student’s t-test, and Tukey’s correction, were carried out on these data, showing a significant correlation between the crossing speed of the traffic calming device and the vehicle category. This study, therefore, lays the foundations for urban planning dedicated to pedestrian safety, enabling the adaptation of traffic calming device characteristics according to the vehicle fleet, maximizing their effectiveness

Prefazione

Prendere atto del cambiamento, anticiparne i contenuti quando questo è in corso, non è cosa facile. Lo è ancor meno per un governo, appena insediato, decidere, nel 2022, di correre il rischio di cambiare, promuovendo una diversa politica di coesione destinata al Mezzogiorno italiano attraverso la Zona Economica Speciale Unica (ZESU). Tracciare una strada per portare a compimento questo processo è il motivo per cui il libro di Michele Pigliucci è di particolare rilevanza ed attualità. Consapevole della necessità di indirizzare l’Amministrazione pubblica verso un percorso virtuoso che consenta di raggiungere, in tempi brevi, obiettivi di alto valore politico, economico ed istituzionale (sostenibilità e fiscalità, occupazione e sviluppo imprenditoriale, territorio e accessibilità), l’Autore analizza criticamente tutti gli aspetti, anche strumentali, perché la ZES Unica possa ricondurre il Mezzogiorno alla sua passata centralità economico-culturale nel Mediterraneo

Management of genetically determined kidney stone disease: consensus from a panel of urologists and nephrologists

Background: Available evidence suggests that monogenic causes of kidney stones are likely under-diagnosed, particularly in young adults, needing expert multidisciplinary recommendations to improve diagnosis, management and therapeutic outcomes. To increase the awareness among the medical community on the recognition of the signs and symptoms of genetically determined kidney stone disease in adult patients, with a special focus on primary hyperoxaluria (PH), a group of nephrologists and urologists started a consensus process through the Delphi method. Methods: A list of 40 statements (23 regarding genetically determined stone disease and 17 regarding primary hyperoxaluria) was defined by the authors and included in an online Delphi survey, which was sent to 16 urologists and 22 nephrologists with expertise in managing patients with kidney stone disease. An agreement threshold of 75% was established for consensus. Results: After two rounds of Delphi voting, consensus was reached for 33 statements, 18 regarding genetically determined stone disease and 15 regarding PH. Conclusions: The Delphi process highlighted several areas of agreement with regard to the characteristic or anamnestic data suggesting diagnostic investigation, optimal diagnostic patterns, treatment strategies and management of patients with genetically determined nephrolithiasis. The process also highlighted some grey areas, which deserve further investigation and highlight the need for educational initiatives focused on rare diseases in the field of kidney stones

The Role of IVUS in Coronary Complications

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is an essential tool in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of coronary artery disease. In daily practice, IVUS is particularly useful for plaque characterization, optimizing stent implantation, and identifying the cause of in-stent restenosis. In acute coronary syndromes, it helps to detect culprit lesions that are not clearly visible on angiography and plays a key role in the diagnostic algorithm for myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). Additionally, IVUS is frequently used in complex and calcified lesions to guide optimal plaque modification strategies and improve procedural and long term outcomes. Beyond these common applications, IVUS is crucial in managing coronary complications, such as coronary dissection, perforation, intramural hematoma, and side-branch occlusion. In these challenging cases, IVUS allows us to overcome some of the limitations of angiography. This review explores the role of IVUS in bail out situations, offering practical tips and techniques for navigating coronary complications and improving procedural success in a safer and more refined manner

Ultrafast Photodissociation and Recombination Dynamics of Methyl p-Tolyl Sulfoxide in Solution: Insights from Transient Absorption Spectroscopy and Computational Studies

When molecular fragmentation takes place in solution, solute–solvent interactions introduce additional pathways for radical recombination and secondary chemical transformations, adding complexity to the photodissociation dynamics in comparison to the dynamics observed in isolated systems. In this study, we investigate the ultrafast photodynamics of methyl p-tolyl sulfoxide (Metoso) in the 1-300 picosecond time range in dimethyl sulfoxide and ethanol solutions using ultrafast Transient Absorption Spectroscopy. Density functional theory calculations have assisted in the interpretation of the experimental data. Upon UV irradiation, Metoso undergoes homolytic cleavage of one of the sulfur–carbon (S–CH3) bonds, leading to the formation of methyl and para tolylsulfinyl radicals. We explore the competition between geminate recombination, diffusional separation, and alternative reaction pathways. Our results provide insights into the early-stage photochemistry of alkyl-aryl sulfoxides, highlighting the role of solvent interactions influencing radical lifetimes, recombination, and reaction dynamics. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of sulfoxide photoreactivity, which is relevant to medicinal chemistry and organic synthesis