Trento City MicroClimate changes

The “Trento City MicroClimate Changes Research Project” is a master dissertation that seeks to define urban strategies capable of mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) of Trento. The aim of the dissertation is the reuse of existing spaces and surfaces of the city to regenerate them and make them more comfortable. The project uses climatological data to set the basis of an urban planning based on the knowledge of vulnerabilities and opportunities related to the UHI effect. The mitigation process is based on the green infrastructure approach, since it reaches several ecosystem services related to ecology, social life and economy and it has the highest cost-benefit ratio. Moreover, the proposed solutions involve strategies that make cities resilient to climate change effects. The project also seeks to define how to implement such strategies in the urban planning. In fact, the definition of guidelines for a mitigation plan at the urban scale, providing the devices and defining the actors involved, is completed by zooming in on a pilot neighbourhood to test the efficiency of the mitigation devices in the urban environment like roads, open spaces and buildings. UHI mitigation is an opportunity to rethink the city in its structure, in order to develop it into a more sustainable manner by increasing environmental and social quality parameters for its inhabitants. The project defines a clear vision and common goals for the future of Trento, which are necessary to implement the tactics and to trace a framework through which future transformations of the city can be evaluated

Salivary pH, calcium, phosphorus and selected enzymes in healthy dogs: A pilot study

Abstract Background Saliva in dogs, as in humans, is a complex fluid secreted by different salivary glands in the oral cavity to protect the oral mucosa and teeth. The use of saliva as a substitute for blood in diagnosing and prognosticating disease in humans is widely accepted. Salivary biochemistry has also been used as a marker for periodontal disease in humans. No studies have as yet investigated the relation between salivary biochemistry and periodontal disease in dogs, however; neither has the salivary composition of healthy dogs with no oral disease been assessed. The purpose of this study was to obtain an overview on pH distribution and a set of salivary biochemical analytes (calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, lysozyme and amylase) commonly related to oral health in humans in a subset population of healthy young dogs with no periodontal disease or previous oral disease. Data were analyzed to gather salivary reference ranges for pH and each parameter and to assess a possible correlation between salivary and serum analytes. Results Twenty-nine adult client-owned dogs were recruited for the study. Lactate dehydrogenase and lysozyme showed higher concentrations in saliva than in serum, whereas amylase showed the contrary. Salivary biochemistry values did not differ between males and females or between non-neutered and neutered individuals. No significant correlations between salivary and serum calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, amylase and lysozyme were identified in this study. Data allowed intervals for the salivary pH and other analytes investigated to be obtained from healthy dogs with healthy oral conditions. Conclusions These preliminary data can contribute to enlarge our understanding of the functional role of saliva and its relation to oral health in dogs

Positives, Potential, and Preparation: Pre-service Special Educators’ Knowledge About Teaching Reading to Children with Down Syndrome

In this era of reading as a priority, research has indicated that children with Down syndrome (DS) can indeed learn to read, attaining functional levels of literacy and beyond. Families of children with DS are also increasingly advocating for reading instruction for their children. However, few studies have examined what beginning educators know about reading and DS. This study explored the knowledge and perceptions of pre-service special educators about the reading needs and abilities of children with DS. Participants were 225 university students, enrolled in special education teaching credential programs in two southern California universities, who completed a survey designed to assess their knowledge of teaching reading to children with DS, as well as to describe their approach to reading instruction with these students. Results showed promising knowledge on the part of these future teachers, but also highlight the importance of adequate teacher preparation in teaching reading to children with DS

New sulfurated derivatives of cinnamic acids and rosmaricine as inhibitors of STAT3 and NF-kappa B transcription factors

A set of new sulfurated drug hybrids, mainly derived from caffeic and ferulic acids and rosmaricine, has been synthesized and their ability to inhibit both STAT3 and NF-kappa B transcription factors have been evaluated. Results showed that most of the new hybrid compounds were able to strongly and selectively bind to STAT3, whereas the parent drugs were devoid of this ability at the tested concentrations. Some of them were also able to inhibit the NF-kappa B transcriptional activity in HCT-116 cell line and inhibited HCT-116 cell proliferation in vitro with IC50 in micromolar range, thus suggesting a potential anticancer activity. Taken together, our study described the identification of new derivatives with dual STAT3/NF-kappa B inhibitory activity, which may represent hit compounds for developing multi-target anticancer agents

Telemedicine as a Strategic Tool to Enhance the Effectiveness of Care Processes: Technological and Regulatory Evolution over the Past Two Decades

Digital innovation represents one of the largest areas of investment in healthcare. The application of technologies pertaining to the ever-evolving infrastructure of information and communication technology (ICT) aims to making the many processes and services related to healthcare delivery more effective and efficient. In the complex and articulated panorama of e-health, telemedicine certainly represents one of the key strategic tools to support and improve numerous care processes. For many of these processes, distance is a critical factor for access to care. For this reason, e-health has become the subject of numerous interventions and initiatives by international policies for decades now

Freedom from the stigma of oncologic disease: legislative and ethical aspects of the right to be forgotten in oncology

Cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention advances have significantly improved European outcomes, but the stigma surrounding cancer survivorship remains challenging. Discrimination against cancer survivors has a negative impact on their quality of life, autonomy, and financial stability. While some European countries have implemented legislation recognizing the “right to be forgotten” for cancer survivors, Italy has no such protective measures. This leaves cancer survivors in Italy susceptible to discrimination based on their medical history. Both the European Union Cancer Plan and the European Parliament resolution stress the importance of safeguarding the rights of cancer survivors and preventing discrimination. Although implementation of legislation at the European level may take time, it is essential that national legislatures, including Italy’s, act quickly. This article explores the issue of discrimination against cancer survivors in Europe, focusing on the specific case of Italy. It examines existing legislative solutions and assesses their effectiveness in addressing discrimination. It also discusses the ethical considerations associated with the “right to be forgotten” in oncology, emphasizing its role in promoting equality and safeguarding the privacy of cancer survivor

Unilateral condylar hyperplasia recurrence after orthognathic surgery: a case report

Introduction: Unilateral Condylar Hyperplasia (UCH) is an uncommon condition resulting in facial asymmetry and malocclusion. At the time of diagnosis, an accurate evaluation of condylar activity through bone SPECT is necessary to determine the most appropriate surgical treatment. The Authors present a case of a UCH recurrence after orthognathic surgery in order to discuss about the clinical role of condylar SPECT in UCH therapeutic management. Case report: A 60-years old female patient was referred to the Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery of Sapienza University of Rome for a relapse of mandibular laterodeviation. At the age of 24, she underwent orthognathic surgery after a diagnosis of UCH without condylar SPECT evaluation. As part of our clinical routine, condylar SPECT was performed and a significant difference in radiotracer uptake (20%) was found between the left condylar region and the contralateral one. She underwent high condilectomy and Bilateral Mandibular Sagittal Osteotomy. She had no evidence of recurrence till today. Discussion: Optimal surgical management of UCH is still controversial. In the diagnostic phase of UCH, a functional evaluation of condylar growth status by bone SPECT is an essential step to avoid long-term recurrence of mandibular asymmetry. On the basis of condylar metabolic activity, UCH can be classified in an active phase or a stationary phase. Clinical and functional evaluation of patients with mandibular asymmetry should be standardized in order to plan the most appropriate surgical and orthodontic treatment

Vowel variability and contrast in Childhood Apraxia of Speech: acoustics and articulation

none5noPhoneme production may be affected by limited speech motor control in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), with a general instability of acoustic targets across multiple repetitions of speech stimuli. This acoustic and Ultrasound Tongue Imaging (UTI) study shows that increased variability and reduction of contrast in vowel production is found in native Italian speakers with CAS, particularly as far as the height dimension is concerned. The data suggest that vowel production should play a major role in CAS diagnosis and treatment. Moreover, this study shows that a combined acoustic and articulatory approach allows direct observation of lingual dynamics together with an estimation of changes in the acoustic dimension. The two dimensions are shown not to correspond in a straightforward way in the speech of children with CAS, and encourage consideration of articulatory compensation strategies aimed at saving the acoustic identity of vowels.openLenoci, Giovanna; Celata, Chiara; Ricci, Irene; Chilosi, Anna; Barone, VincenzoLenoci, Giovanna; Celata, Chiara; Ricci, Irene; Chilosi, Anna; Barone, Vincenz

How Much Caffeine in Coffee Cup? Effects of Processing Operations, Extraction Methods and Variables

About 80–90% of the adults are regular consumers of coffee brews. Its consumption has positive effect on energy expenditure, power of muscle, while over consumption has negative effects widely debated. Across geographical areas, coffee brews may notably change when preparing Espresso, American, French, Turkish, etc. This chapter reviewed the phases able to affect the amount of caffeine in cup. Three most important areas will be addressed: (1) coffee varieties and environment; (2) coffee processing operations; (3) brewing methods extraction variables. What arises from the state of art is that, although there is a significant agreement on the effect of each critical variable on caffeine extraction, there is also a great difficulty to precisely know how much caffeine is in a coffee cup, although this is the most important information for the consumers. The number of affecting variables is very high, and some of them are inversely related with caffeine content (brewing time and brew volume), while others exhibit a direct relationship (grinding level, dose, and tamping). Finally, some variables under the control of barista rarely are accurately reproduced during brewing. For instance, it was found that the caffeine content in a Starbuck’s coffee cup during different days varied significantly