Come ci vediamo e come ci vedono gli altri. Un’analisi empirica sulla rappresentazione dell’expertise sociologica in contesti di crisi

L’elaborato propone uno studio sulle rappresentazioni delle funzioni della sociologia e di come viene percepito il ruolo del sociologo, in qualità di esperto, in contesti di crisi. La storia più recente si caratterizza per il rapido susseguirsi, in alcuni casi fino al sovrapporsi, di differenti stati di crisi, eventi che irrompono nella quotidianità degli individui, e in generale della società, scardinandone gli equilibri. Si pensi, ad esempio, alla pandemia da Covid-19, crisi sanitaria senza precedenti che ha mutato il modo di vivere delle persone in tutto il mondo. Oppure, ai conflitti armati come, ad esempio, quello Russo – Ucraino o quelli in Medio Oriente che, oltre alle tragiche conseguenze per le parti coinvolte sul campo, destabilizzano gli equilibri geopolitici tra i vari Paesi del mondo. Gli esempi di eventi di crisi riguardano anche quelli di carattere ambientale, soprattutto rispetto alle conseguenze dettate dal cambiamento climatico. Scenari di crisi come quelli citati costituiscono lo sfondo nel quale si inseriscono i percorsi conoscitivi, teorici ed empirici, intrapresi nel progetto di ricerca. Ed è in tali scenari che si rivela centrale l’intervento degli esperti, cioè individui equipaggiati con una profonda conoscenza in uno specifico campo del sapere, cioè l’expertise, che può rivelarsi determinante nell’elaborazione di adeguate strategie risolutive con cui affrontare la complessità di un evento crisi. L’obiettivo perseguito con il lavoro di ricerca presentato consiste nel comprendere quali sono le rappresentazioni delle funzioni che un sociologo può esercitare in un contesto di crisi in virtù della sua expertise. Per raggiungere tale obiettivo cognitivo, sono state analizzate due differenti prospettive del tema indagato. La prima è una prospettiva esterna al campo sociologico, cioè di coloro che non appartengono alla comunità sociologica. La seconda è invece interna, e riguarda il punto di vista di sociologi e sociologhe che applicano la propria expertise sociologica nelle proprie esperienze di ricerca e professionali. Tali prospettive hanno dato origine alle due fasi empiriche presenti nel disegno della ricerca, fasi distinte ma complementari, in un approccio mixed methods. La prima fase della ricerca è costituita dalla somministrazione di un questionario online in cui, oltre a quesiti sociodemografici, sono state inserite cinque storie narranti ciascuna un differente contesto di crisi immaginario, il quale trae però ispirazione da una crisi realmente accaduta. Ciascuna storia è seguita dalle medesime tre domande, proposte nello stesso ordine, con le quali si chiede ai rispondenti di scegliere, da una lista presentata in cui figura anche l’expertise sociologica, gli esperti, secondo loro, maggiormente indicati a risolvere ciascuna crisi e di motivare tali scelte. Le cinque storie differiscono per la natura della crisi raccontata ma condividono la medesima struttura narrativa, il cui scopo è far immedesimare il rispondente nello scenario narrato. Il questionario è stato rivolto a studenti universitari, provenienti da diverse Università italiane, di diversi corsi di studio e appartenenti ad eterogenei settori scientifico-disciplinari, studenti di dottorato, di scuole di specializzazione e master, scelti poiché interpareti in qualità di esperti in formazione. Dalle 332 risposte raggiunte, sono state rilevate le rappresentazioni delle funzioni della sociologia che, secondo i rispondenti, gli esperti sociologi possono esercitare nella risoluzione della crisi. I risultati del questionario costituiscono inoltre il punto di giunzione con la seconda fase della ricerca, nella quale sono state condotte dodici interviste in profondità a esperti sociologi e sociologhe scelti poiché hanno applicato la propria expertise sociologica nell’elaborazione di strategie risolutive in circostanze di crisi. Nel corso di ciascuna intervista, sono stati mostrati i risultati della precedente fase e, nello specifico, è stato chiesto agli intervistati e alle intervistate di esprimere le loro considerazioni in merito alle rappresentazioni delle funzioni della sociologia emerse dall’analisi delle risposte al questionario. Durante le interviste, sono stati esplorati ulteriori temi che interessano, più da vicino, l’expertise sociologica e di come questa viene oggi percepita, sia da una prospettiva interna alla comunità, e sia esternamente ad essa. I risultati delle analisi condotte mostrano alcuni punti di sovrapposizione tra le due prospettive. I sociologi e le sociologhe intervistati/e hanno riconosciuto alcune delle funzioni richiamate dai rispondenti al questionario come appartenenti all’expertise sociologica. Allo stesso modo però, dalle interviste emergono delle divergenze con le rappresentazioni degli studenti rispondenti poiché non sono emerse, dalle opinioni dei rispondenti, delle funzioni che invece appartengono all’expertise sociologica. In considerazione di quanto rilevato, emerge una non completa sovrapposizione tra le prospettive interpretative, esterna e interna alla sociologia, prese in esame. Al di fuori, la sociologia è percepita come una disciplina dai confini opachi diversamente da altre expertise che risultano più riconoscibili. Dalla prospettiva interna, la disciplina sociologica non si caratterizza per una coesa identità disciplinare. L’elaborato si propone dunque come occasione di riflessione sullo stato della sociologia e di come questa è percepita, da una prospettiva interna ed esterna alla disciplina

Randomized clinical trial on short-time compression with Kaolin-filled pad: a new strategy to avoid early bleeding and subacute radial artery occlusion after percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing use of transradial techniques for cardiac percutaneous procedures, none of the strategies commonly utilized for hemostasis has been able to reduce the occurrence of radial artery occlusion (RAO). The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of 24-hour RAO and the rate of bleeding of a novel hemostatic device for radial closure after percutaneous interventions, in adjunct to short-time compression.METHODS: Once the radial access was obtained, patients were randomized to 3 different strategies of radial closure: a short compression with the QuikClot® Interventional™ pad (Z-Medica Corporation, Wallingford, CT, USA) (15 minutes, group 1), a short compression (15 minutes, group 2), and a conventional prolonged compression (2 hours, group 3) both without QuikClot® utilization.RESULTS: Fifty patients in group 1, 20 in group 2, and 50 in group 3 were enrolled. The three groups were homogenous for baseline and procedural characteristics. None of patients in group 1 developed RAO, 1 (5%) occurred in group 2, and 5 (10%) in group 3 (P = 0.05). Active bleeding after compression removal occurred in 10 patients (20%) in group 1, 18 (90%) in group 2, and 1 (2%) in group 3 (P < 0.001). Among patients in group 1, at univariate analysis, the predictors of acute bleeding resulted in chronic therapy with clopidogrel (Odds Ratio 28.78, 95% Confidence Intervals 4.79-172.82, P < 0.001) and high levels of activated clotting time (ACT) at the time of sheath removal (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.03, P = 0.009). At ROC analysis, the cutoff value of ACT for the risk of bleeding with a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 75% was 287 seconds.CONCLUSIONS: Early sheet removal and short-time compression with QuikClot® Interventional™ can reduce the rate of RAO after diagnostic or interventional procedures especially in patients not on double antiplatelet therapy

Effectiveness and safety of filgotinib in rheumatoid arthritis: a real-life multicentre experience

Objectives: We investigated the effectiveness and safety of filgotinib in a real-life multicentre cohort of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Methods: RA patients were evaluated at baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks and were stratified based on previous treatments as biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (bDMARD)-naive and bDMARD-insufficient responders (IR). Concomitant usage of methotrexate (MTX) and oral glucocorticoids (GC) was recorded. At each timepoint we recorded disease activity, laboratory parameters and adverse events. Results: 126 patients were enrolled. 15.8% were bDMARD-naive (G0), while 84% were bDMARD-IR (G1). In G0, 45% of patients were in monotherapy (G2) and 55% were taken MTX (G3). In G1, 50% of patients were in monotherapy (G4) and 50% used MTX (G5).A significant reduction in all parameters at 12 weeks was observed; in the extension to 24 weeks the significant reduction was maintained for patient global assessment (PGA), examiner global assessment (EGA), visual analogue scale (VAS) pain, VAS fatigue, disease activity score (DAS)28- C-reactive protein (CRP) and CRP values. Filgotinib in monotherapy showed better outcomes in bDMARD-naive patients, with significant differences for patient reported outcomes (PROs) and DAS28-CRP. At 12 weeks, low disease activity (LDA) and remission were achieved in a percentage of 37.2 % and 10.7 % by simplified disease activity index (SDAI), 42.6 % and 5.7 % by clinical disease activity index (CDAI), 26.8 % and 25.2 % by DAS28-CRP, respectively. A significant decrease in steroid dose was evidenced in all patients. We observed a major adverse cardiovascular event in one patient and an increase in transaminase in another. No infections from Herpes Zoster were reported. Conclusions: Our real-world data confirm the effectiveness and safety of filgotinib in the management of RA, especially in bDMARD-naive patients

Covid-19 And Rheumatic Autoimmune Systemic Diseases: Role of Pre-Existing Lung Involvement and Ongoing Treatments

The Covid-19 pandemic may have a deleterious impact on patients with autoimmune systemic diseases (ASD) due to their deep immune-system alterations

How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons

COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p &lt; 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p &lt; 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p &lt; 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p &lt; 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p &lt; 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice

Immuni, ma a quale costo? Tra privacy e individualismo irresponsabile

Per far fronte alla pandemia da SarS-CoV-2, numerosi Paesi hanno implementato strategie tecnologiche innovative di protezione della salute pubblica, come le applicazioni di digital contact tracing per dispositivi mobili, con cui tentare di interrompere la catena dei contagi. Immuni è l’applicazione introdotta in Italia. Questo studio mette in relazione il mancato uso di Immuni, la rappresentazione che i cittadini italiani se ne erano fatti durante la pandemia, con la preoccupazione che l’applicazione violasse la privacy delle persone. Questo lavoro esplora i costi e i benefici percepiti da parte degli individui, in merito alla decisione di non condividere quelle informazioni personali che avrebbero permesso il buon funzionamento di Immuni

Data Quality in Social Survey Research

Social survey researchers need to share criteria for assessing the quality of data. In the tradition of data quality debate, two antithetical positions emerge. One comes from the behaviourist paradigm: the quality of survey data is defined as the absence of distortions in the measurement process. The other was born within the pragmatic paradigm: data quality is the satisfaction of the logical and methodological conditions necessary to achieve the cognitive objectives of the research. The first position largely prevails, but the pragmatic one is more adequate because it looks at the actual research conditions that move the social survey research. This approach rejects the concept of true value; the data of survey research is constructed by the researcher's choices. This article explores the survey data quality in its pragmatic perspective, offering definitions of conceptual map, conversational interview, data fidelity, data quality, formal standardization, semantic standardization, social desirability, response accuracy, pretest, and validity

Forcing the SAFY Dynamic Crop Growth Model with Sentinel-2 LAI Estimates and Weather Inputs from AgERA5 Reanalysis and CM SAF SARAH-3 Radiation Data for Estimating Crop Water Requirements and Yield

The continuous development of both numerical weather model outputs and remote sensing-derived products has enabled a wide range of applications across various fields, such as agricultural water management, where the need for robust gridded weather data and recurring Earth Observations (EO) is fundamental for estimating crop water requirements (CWR) and yield. This study used the latest reanalysis dataset, AgERA5, combined with the up-to-date CM SAF SARAH-3 Satellite-Based Radiation Data as meteorological inputs of the SAFY dynamic crop growth model and a one-step evapotranspiration formula for CWR and yield estimates at the farm scale of tomato crops. The Sentinel-2 (S2) estimates of Leaf Area Index (LAI) were used to force the SAFY model as soon as they became available during the growing stage, according to the satellite passages over the area of interest. The SAFY model was calibrated with ground-based weather observations and S2 LAI data on tomato crops that were collected in several farms in Campania Region (Southern Italy) during the irrigation season, which spans from April to August. To validate the method, the model estimates were compared with field observations of irrigation volumes and harvested yield from a monitored farm in the same region for the year 2021. Results demonstrated that integrating AgERA5 and CM SAF weather datasets with S2 imagery for assimilation into the SAFY model enables accurate estimates of both CWR and yield

Studies on sedum taxa found in Sicily (Italy) for mediterranean extensive green roofs

One type of green roof whose function is ecological and environmental rather than aesthetic is the extensive green roof. Many studies have shown that Sedum performs very well compared to other hardy species in substrates of less than 10 cm. It seems that Sedum species are able to survive in very thin substrates; they tolerate extreme temperatures and sudden variations in temperatures, high levels of solar radiation, strong winds, poor substrate fertility and extreme drought. In particular, this paper looks at the potential of a number of species from the Sicilian taxa of the genus Sedum (Crassulaceae), which are considered to be those xerophytes most suited for use in extensive green roof systems for Mediterranean areas. Each taxon was subject to in situ and ex situ observations to gain phenological and ecological data, information on its vegetative propagation capacity and its plant ground cover capacity. The results of this study have led to greater understanding of Sicilian pluriennal Sedum genus entities of potential use in green roof systems in the Mediterranean. The taxa respond particularly well to agamic propagation, showing characteristics suited to nursery production of green roof systems, with the exception of S. amplexicaule subsp. tenuifolium. Growth indices and plant development (ground cover) demonstrated the capacity of a number of Sedum taxa to form a uniform green mantle over time. S. sediforme and S. album subsp. album. showed interesting results, for because of their ability to colonize the substrate, and they could be fundamental in determining the plant structure of the green systems. However, there are also other plants, such as S. amplexicaule var. tenuifolium, and, to a lesser extent, S. dasyphyllum var. dasyphyllum and S. ochroleucum, which are able to contribute to floral diversification and lead to greater biodiversity in the system. These taxa could be used when creating associations of Sedum at lower percentages compared to the structuring species (≤20%)