The city of Matera and the Sassi: smart places with a Dantean attraction

In Matera, in the course of millennia, there have been favorable and stable conditions that allowed the development of a specific architectural language, juxtaposition of materials, interpenetration of spaces and conformation of volumes, thus creating a unique urban phenomenon. The distribution of similar building artifacts in symbiotic unity with the connective texture of limestone, led to a spontaneous figurative harmonious balance between man and nature that characterizes the building, the techniques distribution and morphological solutions and that is based on a wise use of resources. Certainly, since several years, the Sassi does not longer reserve the experience of a “descent into hell” for those who take narrow streets and steep stairways. The conditions of misery and lack of hygiene described in 1945 by Carlo Levi in his novel “Christ Stopped at Eboli” and, then, the long abandonment and decay of the rupestrian settlement following the displacement of its population, in fact, seem to belong to a very remote time. So, by the end of the forties, critical reading and semantic analysis of the urban complex and environmental structure made up of Sassi and the “murgico” highland was configured as a real construction site of experiments, investigations and research and has involved different disciplines. The work of geo-graphy in the Sassi, that means writing on the ground, in fact, takes on a deep meaning and a great importance given by the complexity of the built environment development in the three dimensions, that determines a unique image of a biunivocal relationship between natural landscape and human settlement. This complexity reveals itself in a high density of buildings, and then in a clear prevalence of the full on the vacuum, configuring a compact urban space as negative of the built, defined by the complex system of connective elements such as streets, stairways and squares. It is due to this complexity of urban and domestic spaces, tangled one into the other, that the open space of the Sassi assumed a significant role in the development of settlement models. In fact, the urban space of the Sassi is often configured as an extension of the residence in the so called “urban rooms”, with an essential form and enclosed by more housing units, that defines a special type of collective space. It is just for the socializing and community vocation of these places which is possible to prefigure future uses similar to the most modern examples of Social Housing and generally to the Smart settlement models. The city of Matera, in fact, is going to take action on its neighbourhoods, including “Rione Sassi”, with the project named “Clara” (Cloud platform for Landslide Risk Assessment), who achieved the second place in the final ranking of the call “Smart Cities and Communities and Social Innovation”, issued by the Ministry of Education, University and Research and funded with € 20 million. In addition, the city will also benefit from the project of the Basilicata Region “Smart Basilicata” funded by the same announcement, which will allow a systematic approach to the region as a “city-region”, including the Val d'Agri, Matera and the metropolitan area of Potenza, in order to make it an “intelligent community” through the use of technologies of Information and Communication and participatory planning as part of the most recent paradigm of the Internet of things. There is also a significant experimentation taking place in the Palace “Rione Sassi” of Matera with the first “unMonastery” in the world, co-living and co-working space and place of technological and social innovation, which will accommodate not monks, but hackers, artists, designers and developers throughout Europe. The project, supported by the network of activists Edgeryders and the European Commission, aims to identify sustainable, cultural and smart alternatives, to make the city more beautiful, livable and attractive. It will also support the candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2019 of Matera (entered in the short-list of the six finalists cities), one of the most complex example of redevelopment of urban community and first southern site entered in the UNESCO list

Perioperative allergy: therapy.

Perioperative allergic reactions manifest in various ways. The majority of systemic reactions occur during anesthesia within minutes of intravenous induction; however, agents which are administered via other routes may cause reactions after more than 15 minutes. Anaphylaxis during anesthesia may present in many different ways and the signs and symptoms, which do not vary from those of anaphylactic reactions in general, may be masked by hypovolemia, light, deep anesthesia or extensive regional blockade. Recommendations for treatment are based on available evidence in the literature. A treatment algorithm is suggested, with emphasis on the incremental titration of adrenaline and fluid therapy as first-line treatment. Increased focus on this subject will hopefully lead to prompt diagnosis and rapid, correct treatment

The systemic dimension of success (or failure?) in the use of data and AI during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-country comparison on contact tracing apps

During the COVID-19 pandemic, public attention turned to contact tracing apps as a possible solution to the spread of the virus. Many countries have moved in this direction, adopting contact tracing apps, while respecting personal data protection and, for EU countries, adhering to a number of fundamental principles: voluntariness, interoperability, regulatory coverage, purpose specification, minimisation, transparency, protection, security, and timeliness. In spite of timely public policy efforts, tracking apps have not been a success in many countries, and today, when their use could be of great importance, it seems appropriate to open a reflection on the success and unsuccessfulness of a public policy that has resolutely supported the use of digital technologies for public utility purposes. This working paper proposes a comparative analysis of nine OECD countries: Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, Spain. It outlines the specific factors in each country's public policy that made the use of tracking apps possible, in terms of policy design with respect to: objectives, instruments, public procurement selection criteria, resources and the context in which the policy was implemented. The working paper concludes with three lessons learned from the comparative analysis: the privacy paradox, the choice of a public interest technology, and the systemic interweaving that the implementation of a public policy must take into account to enhance the effectiveness of a public interest action

The systemic dimension of success (or failure?) in the use of data and AI during the covid-19 pandemic. A cross-country comparison on contact tracing apps

Durante la pandemia da Covid-19, l’attenzione pubblica si è rivolta alle app di tracciamento dei contatti come possibile soluzione alla diffusione del virus, e molti Paesi si sono mossi in questa direzione. Nel rispetto della protezione dei dati personali, i Paesi dell’UE hanno aderito a una serie di principi fondamentali: volontarietà, interoperabilità, copertura normativa, specificazione dello scopo, minimizzazione, trasparenza, protezione, sicurezza e tempestività. Nonostante i tempestivi sforzi delle politiche pubbliche, le app di tracciamento non sono state un successo in molti Paesi, ed è quindi opportuno aprire una riflessione sull’insuccesso di una politica pubblica che ha sostenuto con decisione l’uso delle tecnologie digitali per scopi di pubblica utilità.During the Covid-19 pandemic, public attention turned to contact tracing apps as a possible solution to the spread of the virus. Many countries have moved in this direction, thereby adopting contact tracing apps while respecting personal data protection. EU countries also adhered to a number of fundamental principles: voluntariness, interoperability, regulatory coverage, purpose specification, minimisation, transparency, protection, security, and timeliness. In spite of timely public policy efforts, tracking apps have not been a success in many countries, and it seems appropriate to open a reflection on the unsuccessfulness of a public policy that has resolutely supported the use of digital technologies for public utility purpose

Imaging of benign solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura: a pictorial essay

Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura (SFTP) is a mesenchymal tumor that tends to involve the pleura, and is also described in other thoracic and extrathoracic sites. SFTP usually presents as a peripheral mass abutting the pleural surface, to which it is attached by a broad base or by a pedicle that allows it to be mobile. SFTPs exist in benign and malignant forms. A precise pre-operative diagnosis can be arrived at with a cutting-needle biopsy, although most cases are diagnosed with postoperative histology and immunohistochemical analysis. In this pictorial essay, we review a large series of cases, with emphasis on the radiographic appearance of these lesions and their findings from computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography and positron emission tomography

Modeling the electronic transport in FinFET-like lateral Ge-on-Si pin waveguide photodetectors for ultra-wide bandwidth applications

We determined the velocities of photogenerated electrons and holes in FinFET-like lateral Ge-on-Si waveguide photodetectors with Monte Carlo transport simulation. The calculated carrier velocities were used in a 3D multiphysics model focused on the investigation of the electro-optic frequency response. The good match between the bandwidths predicted by the model and the corresponding experimental values available from the literature, larger than 200 GHz, indicates the importance of moving beyond conventional drift-diffusion models for a realistic description of next-generation high-speed integrated photodetectors

Palliative splenic irradiation in primary and post PV/ET myelofibrosis: outcomes and toxicity of three radiation schedules

Splenectomy and splenic irradiation (SI) are the sole treatment modalities to control drug resistant splenomegaly in patients with myelofibrosis (MF). SI has been used in poor surgical candidates but optimal total dose and fractionation are unclear. We retrospectively reviewed 14 MF patients with symptomatic splenomegaly. Patients received a median of 10 fractions in two weeks. Fraction size ranged from 0.2–1.4 Gy, and total dose varied from 2–10.8 Gy per RT course. Overall results indicate that 81.8% of radiation courses achieved a significant spleen reduction. Splenic pain relief and gastrointestinal symptoms reduction were obtained in 94% and 91% of courses, respectively. Severe cytopenias occurred in 13% of radiation courses. Furthermore patients were divided in three groups according to the radiation dose they received: 6 patients in the low-dose group (LDG) received a normalized dose of 1.67 Gy; 4 patients in the intermediate-dose group (IDG) received a normalized dose 4.37 Gy; the remaining 4 patients in the high-dose group (HDG) received a normalized dose of 9.2 Gy. Subgroup analysis showed that if no differences in terms of treatment efficacy were seen among dose groups, hematologic toxicity rates distributed differently. Severe cytopenias occurred in 50% of courses in the HDG, and in the 14.3% and in 0% of the IDG and LDG, respectively. Spleen reduction and pain relief lasted for a median of 5.5 months in all groups. Due to the efficacy and tolerability of the low-dose irradiation 4 patients from the LDG and IDG were retreated and received on the whole 12 RT courses. Multiple retreatments did not show decremental trends in terms of rates of response to radiation nor in terms of duration of clinical response. Moreover, retreatment courses did not cause an increased rate of adverse effects and none of the retreated patients experienced severe hematologic toxicities. The average time of clinical benefit in retreated patients was much longer (21 months, range 44–10) than patients who were not retreated (5.75 months, range 3–6)

La dimensione sistemica del successo (o insuccesso?) nell'uso dei dati nella pandemia da COVID-19. Risultati dall'analisi comparata relativa alle app di tracciamento in nove paesi OECD

Durante la pandemia da COVID-19 l'attenzione pubblica si è rivolta verso le app di tracciamento dei contatti come una possibile soluzione alla diffusione del virus. In questa direzione si sono mossi molti paesi che hanno adottato app di tracciamento dei contatti, nel rispetto della protezione dei dati personali e, per i paesi dell’Unione Europea, attenendosi ad una serie di principi fondamentali: volontarietà, intero-perabilità, copertura normativa, esplicitazione delle finalità, minimizzazione, trasparenza, protezione, sicurezza, temporaneità. Nonostante lo sforzo di tempestività nella politica pubblica, in molti paesi però le app di tracciamento non hanno avuto un successo e oggi, che il loro impiego potrebbe risultare di gran-de rilievo, ci sembra opportuno aprire una riflessione sul successo e l'insuccesso di una politica pubblica che con determinazione ha sostenuto l'uso di tecnologie digitali per obiettivi di pubblica utilità. Questo working paper propone un'analisi comparata su nove paesi OCSE: Australia, Corea, Fran-cia, Germania, Irlanda, Italia, Nuova Zelanda, Russia, Spagna. Vengono delineati gli specifici fattori che, nella politica pubblica di ciascun paese, hanno reso possibile l'uso di app di tracciamento, per quel riguar-da il disegno delle politiche in termini di obiettivi, strumenti, criteri di selezione di un appalto pubblico, ri-sorse e contesto in cui la politica è stata messa in atto. Il working paper si conclude con un tre lezioni ap-prese dall'analisi comparata: il paradosso della privacy, la scelta di una tecnologia di interesse pubblico e gli intrecci sistemici di cui l'implementazione di una politica pubblica deve tener conto per valorizzare l'ef-ficacia di un'azione di interesse pubblico.During the COVID-19 pandemic, public attention turned to contact tracing apps as a possible solution to the spread of the virus. Many countries have moved in this direction, adopting contact tracing apps, while respecting personal data protection and, for EU countries, adhering to a number of fundamental principles: voluntariness, interoperability, regulatory coverage, purpose specification, minimisation, transparency, protection, security, and timeli-ness. In spite of timely public policy efforts, tracking apps have not been a success in many countries, and today, when their use could be of great importance, it seems appropriate to open a reflection on the success and unsuccessfulness of a public policy that has resolutely supported the use of digital technologies for public utility purposes. This working paper proposes a comparative analysis of nine OECD countries: Australia, Korea, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, Spain. It outlines the specific factors in each country's public policy that made the use of tracking apps possible, in terms of policy design in terms of objectives, instruments, public procurement selection criteria, re-sources and the context in which the policy was implemented. The working paper concludes with three lessons learned from the comparative analysis: the privacy paradox, the choice of a public interest technology, and the systemic interweaving that the implementation of a public policy must take into account to enhance the effectiveness of a public interest action

Chronic cough in childhood: A systematic review for practical guidance by the Italian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology

The current systematic review presented and discussed the most recent studies on pediatric chronic cough. In addition, the Italian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology elaborated a comprehensive algorithm to guide the primary care approach to a pediatric patient with chronic cough.Several algorithms on chronic cough management have been adopted and validated in clinical practice; however, unlike the latter, we developed an algorithm focused on pediatric age, from birth until adulthood. Based on our findings, children and adolescents with chronic cough without cough pointers can be safely managed, initially using the watchful waiting approach and, successively, starting empirical treatment based on cough characteristics. Unlike other algorithms that suggest laboratory and instrumental investigations as a first step, this review highlighted the importance of a "wait and see" approach, consisting of parental reassurance and close clinical observation, also due to interprofessional collaboration and communication between general practitioners and specialists that guarantee better patient management, appropriate prescription behavior, and improved patient outcome. Moreover, the neonatal screening program provided by the Italian National Health System, which intercepts several diseases precociously, allowing to treat them in a very early stage, helps and supports a "wait and see" approach.Conversely, in the presence of cough pointers or persistence of cough, the patient should be tested and treated by the specialist. Further investigations and treatments will be based on cough etiology, aiming to intercept the underlying disease, prevent potentially irreversible tissue damage, and improve the general health of patients affected by chronic cough, as well as the quality of life of patients and their family. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to validate this algorithm's performance in real clinical practice