A INFLUÊNCIA DA IDEOLOGIA NO ESTADO DE DIREITO

A pesquisa objetiva analisar o Estado de Direito e a influência da ideologia em sua formação e conformação. O Estado de Direito, embora busque a promoção da liberdade e da igualdade, não se desvincula da ideologia que levou à sua criação, representada pelo domínio da vontade de uma determinada classe sobre as demais, normalmente baseada no poder econômico. O método utilizado é o dialético. Em síntese, tem-se que a ideologia é ínsita a qualquer Estado de Direito e, embora haja sempre o predomínio de uma sobre as demais, é possível sua convivência com ideologias minoritárias no âmbito do próprio Estado

Coherent backscattering of light by an anisotropic biological network.

The scattering strength of a random medium relies on the geometry and spatial distribution of its components as well as on their refractive index. Anisotropy can, therefore, play a major role in the optimization of the scattering efficiency in both biological and synthetic materials. In this study, we show that, by exploiting the coherent backscattering phenomenon, it is possible to characterize the optical anisotropy in Cyphochilus beetle scales without the need to change their orientation or their thickness. For this reason, such a static and easily accessible experimental approach is particularly suitable for the study of biological specimens. Moreover, estimation of the anisotropy in Cyphochilus beetle scales might provide inspiration for improving the scattering strength of artificial white materials

Health research and the importance of European networks: the Grant Office's experience of Alessandria's Hospital

The aim of this paper is to describe the experience of the SS. Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo Hospital of Alessandria (AO AL) in its approach to European projects. The AO AL, through its Research & Innovation Department (DAIRI), promotes a strategy for accessing European funding, involving, and accompanying hospital professionals in research design activities. The aim of this initiative is to make the most of the opportunities offered to state members for the development of health research and its impact on health care and public health. DAIRI uses the "Grant Office" with the aim of promoting initiatives to obtain national and international funding and to train healthcare professionals in the drafting of projects. DAIRI has taken the opportunity to become part of the European planning context by participating in networks (Enterprise Europe Network, European Reference Network) and European platforms (European Research Infrastructure of Biobanks and BioMolecular Resources, Water Europe)

Planeamiento estratégico para el uso de digital farming en Colombia

Este trabajo propone un plan estratégico para la implementación del Digital Farming (de ahora en adelante DF) en Colombia. El trabajo introduce el DF como una poderosa herramienta que se conjuga con el IoT (Internet de las cosas) que ayuda a los productores de alimentos enfrentar los retos de la creciente demanda de sus bienes, junto con la creciente preocupación por la sostenibilidad del medio ambiente. El DF es una red de dispositivos de medición que le suministra a los productores información en tiempo real relacionada con sus ciclos de producción, estado de salud de los cultivos y de los animales, tasas de crecimiento y permite una optimización en el uso de insumos tales como agroquímicos y agua. Este trabajo procede luego a caracterizar el estado actual de adopción de esta tecnología en Colombia, argumentando que los pequeños y medianos productores no cuentan con los recursos financieros necesarios para diseñar e implementar planes robustos de DF, lo cual representa una interesante oportunidad de negocios. El resto de este trabajo se encarga de explorar detalladamente esto último, con ayuda de la metodología propuesta por Fernando D’Alessio Ipiza.This paper proposes a business case for the implementation of Digital Farming (henceforth DF) in Colombia. It introduces the general concept of DF as a powerful IoT (Internet of Things) tool to help food producers overcome the difficult challenges posed by an ever-growing demand of goods, coupled by increasing concerns over environmental sustainability. At its most general, DF is a network of measuring devices that provides producers real-time information on metrics relevant to their production cycles. The paper then proceeds to characterize the current state at which this technology has been adopted in Colombia, arguing that small and medium producers don’t have the financial capabilities to design and deploy robust DF plans. This fact poses an interesting business opportunity, which is then thoroughly discussed with the aid of the methodological guidelines formulated by Fernando D’Alessio Ipiza.Tesi

Real-world survival outcomes of wedge resection versus lobectomy for cT1a/b cN0 cM0 non-small cell lung cancer: a single center retrospective analysis

BackgroundJCOG0802/WJOG4607L showed benefits in overall survival (OS) of segmentectomy. CALGB 140503 confirmed that sublobar resection was not inferior to lobectomy concerning recurrence-free survival (RFS) but did not provide specific OS and RFS according to the techniques of sublobar resections. Hence, we retrospectively analyze the survival differences between wedge resection and lobectomies for stage IA lung cancer.MethodsWe reviewed the clinical records of patients with clinical stage IA NSCLC over 20 years. The inclusion criteria were: preoperative staging with CT scan and whole body CT/PET; tumor size <20 mm; wedge resections or lobectomies with or without lymph node dissection; NSCLC as the only primary tumor during the follow-up period. We excluded: multiple invasive lung cancer; positive resection margin; preoperative evidence of nodal disease; distant metastasis at presentation; follow-up time <5 years. The reverse Kaplan – Meier method estimated the median OS and PFS and compared them by the log-rank test. The stratified backward stepwise Cox regression model was employed for multivariable survival analyses.Results539 patients were identified: 476 (88.3%) lobectomies and 63 (11.7%) wedge resections. The median OS time for the whole cohort was 189.7 months (range: 173.7 – 213.9 months). The 5-year wedge resection and lobectomy OS were 82.2% and 87.0%. The 5-year RFS of wedge resection and lobectomy were 17.8% and 28.9%. The log-rank test showed no significant differences (p = 0.39) between wedge resections and lobectomies regarding OS and RFS (p = 0.23).ConclusionsLobectomy and wedge resection are equivalent oncologic treatments for individuals with cN0/cM0 stage IA NSCLC <20 mm. Validating the current findings requires a prospective, randomized comparison between wedge resection and standard lobectomy to establish the prognostic significance of wedge resection

Fatality rate and predictors of mortality in an Italian cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Clinical features and natural history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) differ widely among different countries and during different phases of the pandemia. Here, we aimed to evaluate the case fatality rate (CFR) and to identify predictors of mortality in a cohort of COVID-19 patients admitted to three hospitals of Northern Italy between March 1 and April 28, 2020. All these patients had a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection by molecular methods. During the study period 504/1697 patients died; thus, overall CFR was 29.7%. We looked for predictors of mortality in a subgroup of 486 patients (239 males, 59%; median age 71 years) for whom sufficient clinical data were available at data cut-off. Among the demographic and clinical variables considered, age, a diagnosis of cancer, obesity and current smoking independently predicted mortality. When laboratory data were added to the model in a further subgroup of patients, age, the diagnosis of cancer, and the baseline PaO2/FiO2 ratio were identified as independent predictors of mortality. In conclusion, the CFR of hospitalized patients in Northern Italy during the ascending phase of the COVID-19 pandemic approached 30%. The identification of mortality predictors might contribute to better stratification of individual patient risk

Beta-Blocker Use in Older Hospitalized Patients Affected by Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Italian Survey From the REPOSI Register

Beta (β)-blockers (BB) are useful in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) and concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nevertheless, the use of BBs could induce bronchoconstriction due to β2-blockade. For this reason, both the ESC and GOLD guidelines strongly suggest the use of selective β1-BB in patients with HF and COPD. However, low adherence to guidelines was observed in multiple clinical settings. The aim of the study was to investigate the BBs use in older patients affected by HF and COPD, recorded in the REPOSI register. Of 942 patients affected by HF, 47.1% were treated with BBs. The use of BBs was significantly lower in patients with HF and COPD than in patients affected by HF alone, both at admission and at discharge (admission, 36.9% vs. 51.3%; discharge, 38.0% vs. 51.7%). In addition, no further BB users were found at discharge. The probability to being treated with a BB was significantly lower in patients with HF also affected by COPD (adj. OR, 95% CI: 0.50, 0.37-0.67), while the diagnosis of COPD was not associated with the choice of selective β1-BB (adj. OR, 95% CI: 1.33, 0.76-2.34). Despite clear recommendations by clinical guidelines, a significant underuse of BBs was also observed after hospital discharge. In COPD affected patients, physicians unreasonably reject BBs use, rather than choosing a β1-BB. The expected improvement of the BB prescriptions after hospitalization was not observed. A multidisciplinary approach among hospital physicians, general practitioners, and pharmacologists should be carried out for better drug management and adherence to guideline recommendations

The “Diabetes Comorbidome”: A Different Way for Health Professionals to Approach the Comorbidity Burden of Diabetes

(1) Background: The disease burden related to diabetes is increasing greatly, particularly in older subjects. A more comprehensive approach towards the assessment and management of diabetes’ comorbidities is necessary. The aim of this study was to implement our previous data identifying and representing the prevalence of the comorbidities, their association with mortality, and the strength of their relationship in hospitalized elderly patients with diabetes, developing, at the same time, a new graphic representation model of the comorbidome called “Diabetes Comorbidome”. (2) Methods: Data were collected from the RePoSi register. Comorbidities, socio-demographic data, severity and comorbidity indexes (Cumulative Illness rating Scale CIRS-SI and CIRS-CI), and functional status (Barthel Index), were recorded. Mortality rates were assessed in hospital and 3 and 12 months after discharge. (3) Results: Of the 4714 hospitalized elderly patients, 1378 had diabetes. The comorbidities distribution showed that arterial hypertension (57.1%), ischemic heart disease (31.4%), chronic renal failure (28.8%), atrial fibrillation (25.6%), and COPD (22.7%), were the more frequent in subjects with diabetes. The graphic comorbidome showed that the strongest predictors of death at in hospital and at the 3-month follow-up were dementia and cancer. At the 1-year follow-up, cancer was the first comorbidity independently associated with mortality. (4) Conclusions: The “Diabetes Comorbidome” represents the perfect instrument for determining the prevalence of comorbidities and the strength of their relationship with risk of death, as well as the need for an effective treatment for improving clinical outcomes