Accessibility and Conservation in Contemporary Cities: A(n) (Im)possible Coupling

Cities are built by and for able-bodied people and are often composed of a range of elements that make them partially (or not) accessible to disabled people. Architectural barriers within and around buildings can limit disabled people’s access to structures and services, precluding their full participation in a social life. It is not possible to talk about making further social progress until disabled people are no longer victims of marginalisation caused by our urban architecture. In order to identify some specific problems and possible solutions, a qualitative research study was carried out in a city in northern Italy, involving people with sensory and physical impairments. Findings indicate that cities in general, and the oldest ones in particular, can present an important problem: some historic centres and buildings are not (or cannot be) restored to become more accessible. This lack of accessibility will increase the exclusion of disabled people by imposing limitations and restrictions, from mobilising around urban centres, to use of pavements, entry into shops or workplaces, through to accessing treatment and health services. Moreover, this research demonstrates that, in many cases, relatively inexpensive and simple measures and arrangements might be enough to help tackle and solve many of these problems. This paper argues that a first, fundamental step in looking to improve access should be to involve disabled people in participatory planning. These users will be the best experts of their own needs and some of the best informed about the attributes and particularities of any alterations or adaptations needed to help them negotiate, manage and plan the areas in which they live

Ranking and clustering of nodes in networks with smart teleportation

Random teleportation is a necessary evil for ranking and clustering directed networks based on random walks. Teleportation enables ergodic solutions, but the solutions must necessarily depend on the exact implementation and parametrization of the teleportation. For example, in the commonly used PageRank algorithm, the teleportation rate must trade off a heavily biased solution with a uniform solution. Here we show that teleportation to links rather than nodes enables a much smoother trade-off and effectively more robust results. We also show that, by not recording the teleportation steps of the random walker, we can further reduce the effect of teleportation with dramatic effects on clustering.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

Design of a hydraulic servo-actuation fed by a regenerative braking system

Many conventional truck and working machines are equipped with additional hydraulic tooling or manipulation systems which are usually fed through a mechanical connection with the internal combustion engine, involving a poor efficiency. In particular, this is a common situation for industrial vehicles whose mission profiles involves a relevant consumption of energy by the on board hydraulic systems, respect to the one really needed for only traction purpose. In this work it is proposed an innovative solution based on the adoption of a system aimed to recover braking energy in order to feed an efficient on board hydraulic actuation system. The proposed system is then adopted to a real application, an Isuzu truck equipped with a hydraulic tooling for garbage collection. A prototype of the system has been designed, assembled and tested showing a relevant improvement of system efficiency and the feasibility of the proposed approach. In the paper the proposed solution is presented, showing the simulation models and preliminary validation results including experimental devices assembled to perform the tests

A comparison of charcoal- and slag-based constructed wetlands for acid mine drainage remediation

Subsurface-flow constructed wetlands (CW) with charcoal- or slag-based bed matrices were investigated for their potential use in remediating acid mine drainage (AMD). A CW is effectively a reactor in which some components of the wastewater are broken down by the organisms occurring within the CW, whilst others may be degraded by physico-chemical processes or a combination thereof. Two 200 ℓ small-scale CWs were built at the University. Commercially available charcoal and <19 mm basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag were used as the bed matrices and the units were planted with a variety of plants. The units were exposed to an artificial AMD. The results showed that the systems removed almost all soluble iron and more than 75% of the sulphate. Both CWs were able to increase the pH of the AMD.Keywords: AMD, charcoal, slag, constructed wetlands, remediatio

Reference values for spirometry and their use in test interpretation: A Position Statement from the Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science

Traditionally, spirometry testing tended to be confined to the realm of hospital-based laboratories but is now performed in a variety of health care settings. Regardless of the setting in which the test is conducted, the fundamental basis of spirometry is that the test is both performed and interpreted according to the international standards. The purpose of this Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science (ANZSRS) statement is to provide the background and recommendations for the interpretation of spirometry results in clinical practice. This includes the benchmarking of an individual's results to population reference data, as well as providing the platform for a statistically and conceptually based approach to the interpretation of spirometry results. Given the many limitations of older reference equations, it is imperative that the most up-to-date and relevant reference equations are used for test interpretation. Given this, the ANZSRS recommends the adoption of the Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) 2012 spirometry reference values throughout Australia and New Zealand. The ANZSRS also recommends that interpretation of spirometry results is based on the lower limit of normal from the reference values and the use of Z-scores where available

Transparent reporting of recruitment and informed consent approaches in clinical trials recruiting children with minor parents in sub-Saharan Africa: a secondary analysis based on a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Standardised checklists of items to be addressed in clinical study protocols and publications are promoting transparency in research. However, particular specifications for exceptional cases, such as children with minor parents are missing. This study aimed to examine the level of transparency regarding recruitment and informed consent approaches in publications of clinical trials recruiting children with minor parents in sub-Saharan Africa. We thereby focused particularly on the transparency about consenting persons (i.e. proxy decision-makers) and assessed the need to expand reporting guidelines for such exceptional cases. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of clinical trial publications previously identified through a systematic review. Multiple scientific databases were searched up to March 2019. Clinical trial publications addressing consent and potentially recruiting children with minor parents in sub-Saharan Africa were included. 44 of the in total 4382 screened articles met our inclusion criteria. A descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: None of the included articles provided full evidence on whether any recruited children had minor parents and how consent was obtained for them. Four proxy decision-maker types were identified (parents; parents or guardians; guardians; or caregivers), with further descriptions provided rarely and mostly in referenced clinical trial registrations or protocols. Also, terminology describing proxy decision-makers was often used inconsistently. CONCLUSIONS: Reporting the minimum maternal age alongside maternal data provided in baseline demographics can increase transparency on the recruitment of children with minor mothers. The CONSORT checklist should require clinical trial publications to state or reference exceptional informed consent procedures applied for special population groups. A standardized definition of proxy decision-maker types in international clinical trial guidelines would facilitate correct and transparent informed consent for children and children with minor parents. STUDY REGISTRATION: CRD42018074220

Updated distribution and characterization of crayfish plague and microsporidiosis affecting Austropotamobius pallipes complex in Trentino (Northeast Italy)

One of the causes of the decline in distribution and abundance of the endangered white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes complex throughout Europe is the widespread invasion of alien crayfish and the associated spread of infectious diseases, primarily crayfish plague caused by Aphanomyces astaci. Although this disease usually causes mass mortality in A. pallipes, some wild populations appear tolerant towards A. astaci. Another relevant disease is microsporidiosis (porcelain disease), caused by the parasites Astathelohania contejeani and/or Nosema austropotamobii. In 2021-2024, we conducted a monitoring survey, aimed at mapping the distribution of A. astaci, A. contejeani and N. austropotamobii in wild populations of A. pallipes in Trentino (Northeast Italy). We applied non-invasive sampling methods to collect cuticular swabs from 31 of the 46 known populations, investigate the presence of A. astaci and if possible, identify its genotype through molecular analyses. Aphanomyces astaci was detected in 8 populations, and the presence of a low pathogenic genotype (genotype A) was confirmed in one of them. Thirty-three specimens from 10 populations showed macroscopic signs of porcelain disease, abdominal muscle tissues were collected and subjected to molecular evaluation. The presence of A. contejeani was identified in 23 individuals from 9 populations and N. austropotamobii was detected in 3 individuals, from 3 populations. 8 specimens collected from 6 populations were co-infected by the two microsporidians. This study was partly supported by the EU LIFE Programme: LIFE-CLAW, Crayfish Lineages Conservation in North-western Apennine (LIFE18 NAT/IT/000806), and by the SAGA and SAGA2 collaborative projects between FEM and IZSVe

Communication in struggle: the role of educators and scientists

[EN] This paper analyses on the integration of ICT in education as a space for citizenship education in digital culture. This integration presents a special opportunity to promote a re-signification of the role of educational institutions in the required paradigm shift in education. The founding principles of the new paradigm are presented through the description and analysis of the challenges posed to educators and scientists who should effectively assume the role of knowledge and culture producers that incorporates the communicative dimension of modern society. Among the challenges, we examine the reach of digital presence as long as the universality is a goal not yet achieved, and the appropriation of digital communication stands on large corporations with global capital concentration. Therefore, severe restrictions on democracy and neutrality issues arise, both in mass media as well as in digital networks, as exposed by the new modes of social manipulation through controlled algorithms designed by these corporations. For this reason, a strong articulation between education and communication is required which should be part of the university revitalization, as a path committed to the education of citizens for social emancipation. The proposal presented is based on the defense of public intellectuals who assume a communicative and political stance which embrace the hacker culture. That means to explore alternatives in the hegemonic structure as much as to construct networks for dissemination of information for collaborative learning which is open and engaged with social transformation.[ES] El artículo propone una reflexión sobre la integración de las TIC a la educación como un espacio de posibilidad de formación para la ciudadanía. Dicha integración en los espacios educativos se concibe como una oportunidad para promover una resignificación del papel de las instituciones con el fin de generar los cambios necesarios en el paradigma actual de la educación. Los principios fundantes del nuevo paradigma son señalados a través del análisis de los desafíos para los educadores y científicos, quienes deberían asumir, más efectivamente, una postura de productores de culturas y conocimientos con fuerte dimensión comunicativa. Entre los retos, se analiza la presencia de lo digital, todavía no universalizado y, lo más grave, concentrado en poderosas corporaciones, lo que desemboca en severas restricciones para la democracia en los medios y en las redes. Asimismo, se destacan los nuevos modos de manipulación en las redes digitales, que condicionan los accesos y usos por medio de algoritmos y prácticas comunicativas en línea. En ese sentido, se apuesta por una articulación entre educación y comunicación, con miras a una resignificación de la universidad, con el objetivo de comprometerse con la formación de ciudadanos para la emancipación social. Esta propuesta interpela a los educadores y científicos a ser intelectuales públicos con una postura comunicativa y política a través de la acción hacker, en el sentido de explorar las brechas de la estructura hegemónica para construir redes que tratan de diseminar la información y producción de conocimiento colaborativo, abierto y comprometido con la transformación social.Lapa, A.; Pretto, N. (2019). La comunicación en disputa: el rol de educadores y científicos. REDU. Revista de Docencia Universitaria. 17(1):33-43. https://doi.org/10.4995/redu.2019.11240SWORD334317