Conceptualising Digital Transformation in Cities: A Multi-Dimensional Framework for the Analysis of Public Sector Innovation

Digital transformation within local public administration is often conceived as the result of technological advancements, with scarce attention being paid to framing these processes within multi-level organisational settings. Against this background, this article introduces a framework for exploring the different dimensions of digital innovation in the public sector at the urban scale. It proposes conceptual categories that capture digital transformation drivers and mechanisms, encouraging reflections about their capacity to resonate in specific (urban) contexts. After examining frameworks seeking to deconstruct digital transformation in its multiple dimensions, the study proposes a conceptual model and validates it against the result of the literature review. By identifying conceptual categories and their interactions, the study seeks to support a more comprehensive understanding of transformation processes, specifically focusing on public service provision and delivery and their relationship with endogenous and exogenous innovation drivers. At the same time, the study aims to support local public authorities in gaining awareness of their transformative potential and helping them “steer” local digital transformation dynamics

Culture and the City: Towards a Context-Aware Assessment Framework

How to assess the capacity of cultural initiatives to generate social value in urban contexts? Which lenses allow capturing dynamics that affect their transformative potential? Assuming that the social value of cultural actions goes far beyond their direct impacts and depends on their capacity to intercept broader trajectories of change, the contribution identifies observation lenses capable of rendering a complex picture of relations between actors, actions, and context-specific variables. Through a process-oriented approach, the authors put contexts back at the centre and look not so much at impacts per sè as at impact generation mechanisms. Moving beyond economic impact evaluation, they look at culture-driven social value generated in three impact domains: health and well-being, urban regeneration, and social cohesion. Without proposing a comprehensive evaluation scheme, the contribution identifies obstacles and enabling factors influencing the transformative capacity of cultural actions on an urban scale. In line with the conceptual and methodological setting of the research - carried out within the H2020 MESOC (MEasuring the SOcial impacts of Culture) Project - the authors reflect on these evaluative objects and question whether (and to what extent) they support a reflection on specific cultural actions but also on the capacity of urban contexts with different characteristics to welcome and promote transformation dynamics towards social impact generation

Translating data into narratives: Designing semantic interpretations for reflexive policy practices

Today more than ever, it is evident the role that data can play when designing policies. Not only can understandable data orient better strategies, but they can also enable reflexive practices within Public Administrations, giving directions for knowledge management and smarter governance. However, multiple gaps concur to affect data understanding and interpretation, hindering their subsequent translation into policy-valuable information. To tackle challenges related to data interpretation and usage, the article (i) illustrates a narrative approach for building profiles of cities as narrative feedback from sets of data and (ii) investigates their potential as a (self-)evaluation and a decision-making support device. The feedback structure relies on the conceptual model built for the DIGISER Project, which investigated multidimensional digital transition processes across European cities. Dynamic feedback retrieves data from the project dataset, translating them into discursive form. The effectiveness of the approach and its device is validated through a qualitative enquiry on a textual excerpt provided to three different departments of one of the cities that participated in the survey. The study corroborates that designing narrative feedback as semantic interpretations can trigger understanding, (self-)reflection and support policy change, informing policy formulation and facilitating cross-silo interactions across administrative units engaged in digital transformation processes

Selective arterial embolization for a high-flow priapism following perineal trauma in a young gymnast

Introduction. High-flow priapism is a rare condition in children, usually due to a perineal trauma. Materials and methods. We present a case of traumatic highflow priapism investigated by Doppler ultrasound and managed by angiography and selective embolization of a branch of the internal pudendal artery. Results. A 13-year-old gymnast underwent perineal trauma during training and developed a high-flow priapism. The first ultrasound (immediately after the trauma) showed the presence of an inhomogeneous area of 3 x 2 cm associated with an anechoic vascularized area (pseudoaneurysm) in the right corpus cavernosum. On the left side there was a similar finding, but of smaller size. After 3 weeks the pseudoaneurysm on the left was completely obliterated while the right one was still present. Angiography and superselective catheterization of a branch of the left pudendal artery and its embolization with microspheres and with metal microcoils were performed. After the procedure, ultrasound showed that the right pseudoaneurysm was completely obliterated and there were no more branches reaching it. The cavernous arteries were both pervious. Conclusions. Selective arterial embolization is a safe treatment that can also be used in pediatric patients

Candidate genes of Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia: current evidence and research

Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM) is a relatively uncommon, indolent malignancy of immunoglobulin M-producing B cells. The World Health Organization classifies it as a lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma and patients typically present with anemia, hepatosplenomegaly and diffuse lymphadenopathies. Historically, the genetic characterization of the disease has been hampered by the relatively low proliferative rate of WM cells, thus making karyotyping challenging. The use of novel technologies such as fluorescence in situ hybridization, gene array, and whole genome sequencing has contributed greatly to establishing candidate genes in the pathophysiology of WM and to identifying potential treatment targets, such as L265P MYD88. The discovery of microRNAs and the recognition of epigenetics as a major modulatory mechanism of oncogene expression and/or oncosuppressor silencing have aided in further understanding the pathogenesis of WM. Once thought to closely resemble multiple myeloma, a cancer of terminally differentiated, immunoglobulin-secreting plasma cells, WM appears to genetically cluster with other indolent B-cell lymphomas such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small cell lymphoma. The relative high incidence of familial cases of WM and other B-cell malignancies has been helpful in identifying high-risk gene candidates. In this review, we focus on the established genes involved in the pathogenesis of WM, with special emphasis on the key role of derangement of the nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway and epigenetic mechanisms

NEW MOHO MAP OF ITALY

In complex tectonics regions, seismological, geophysical, and geodynamic modeling require accurate definition of the Moho geometry. Various active and passive seismic experiments performed in the central Mediterranean region revealed local information on the Moho depth, in some cases used to produce interpolated maps. In this paper, we present a new and original map of the 3-D Moho geometry obtained by integrating selected high-quality controlled source seismic and teleseismic receiver function data. The very small cell size makes the retrieved model suitable for detailed regional studies, crustal corrections in teleseismic tomography, advanced 3-D ray tracing in regional earthquake location, and local earthquake tomography. Our results show the geometry of three different Moho interfaces: the European, Adriatic-Ionian, and Tyrrhenian. The three distinct Moho are fashioned following the Alpine and Apennines subduction, collision, and back-arc spreading and show medium- to high-frequency topographic undulations reflecting the complexity of the geodynamic evolution

Bulk Band Structure of Bi2_2Te3_3

The bulk band structure of Bi$_2$Te$_3$ has been determined by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and compared to first-principles calculations. We have performed calculations using the local density approximation (LDA) of density functional theory and the one-shot $GW$ approximation within the all-electron full-potential linearized augmented-plane-wave (FLAPW) formalism, fully taking into account spin-orbit coupling. Quasiparticle effects produce significant changes in the band structure of \bite~when compared to LDA. Experimental and calculated results are compared in the spectral regions where distinct differences between the LDA and $GW$ results are present. Overall a superior agreement with $GW$ is found, highlighting the importance of many-body effects in the band structure of this family of topological insulators.Comment: 8 pages, 5 Figure

PIC developing from odontogenic cysts: Clinical and radiological considerations on a series of 6 cases

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this work is to describe the peculiarities of clinical and radiological behavior in SCCs arising from odontogenic cyst (PIOSCC). Material & methods Our computer based records were retrospectively reviewed looking for patients who underwent radical surgery for PIOSCC from December 2001 to January 2016 with a minimum post-operative follow-up of 2 years. Information obtained from radiological findings and treatment outcome were collected. Results From 2001 to 2016, 6 out of 560 SCC's patients (1,07%) were diagnosed PIOSCC. 5 females and 1 male, mean age was 55,2 years (range, 28–82 years). 4 PIOSCC were located in the mandible while 2 in the maxilla. Orthopantomography (OPT) has not given specific signs of malignancy. CT methods (msCT/CONE BEAM-CT/contrast-enhanced CTs) provided more information: unilocular lesions with multiple and excessive cortical interruptions, periosteal reaction far beyond the lesion in all directions, dislocation or disappearance of the IAN, intense peripheral remineralization. In all cases, the treatment involved incisional biopsy of the suspect lesions and subsequent surgical excision of the primary tumor with neck dissection in continuity in the mandibular PIOSCC and in discontinuity in PIOSCC of the maxilla. Recurrence or distant metastases was not observed until now (follow-up from 48 months to 168 months) Conclusions Carcinomas on cysts have radiological "red flag" characteristics (bone erosion, large dimension, involvement of IAN..) that must be taken into consideration in order to perform an early diagnosis and a correct treatment. Accurate radiological study can reduce misdiagnosis and improper treatment. PIOSCC have a progression of the disease and a different prognosis from real intraosseus carcinomas (PIC) and although it is a rare entity it must be considered in the differential diagnosis of larger osteolytic lesions