COVID-19 in rheumatic diseases in Italy: first results from the Italian registry of the Italian Society for Rheumatology (CONTROL-19)

OBJECTIVES: Italy was one of the first countries significantly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. The Italian Society for Rheumatology promptly launched a retrospective and anonymised data collection to monitor COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), the CONTROL-19 surveillance database, which is part of the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance. METHODS: CONTROL-19 includes patients with RMDs and proven severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) updated until May 3rd 2020. In this analysis, only molecular diagnoses were included. The data collection covered demographic data, medical history (general and RMD-related), treatments and COVID-19 related features, treatments, and outcome. In this paper, we report the first descriptive data from the CONTROL-19 registry. RESULTS: The population of the first 232 patients (36% males) consisted mainly of elderly patients (mean age 62.2 years), who used corticosteroids (51.7%), and suffered from multi-morbidity (median comorbidities 2). Rheumatoid arthritis was the most frequent disease (34.1%), followed by spondyloarthritis (26.3%), connective tissue disease (21.1%) and vasculitis (11.2%). Most cases had an active disease (69.4%). Clinical presentation of COVID-19 was typical, with systemic symptoms (fever and asthenia) and respiratory symptoms. The overall outcome was severe, with high frequencies of hospitalisation (69.8%), respiratory support oxygen (55.7%), non-invasive ventilation (20.9%) or mechanical ventilation (7.5%), and 19% of deaths. Male patients typically manifested a worse prognosis. Immunomodulatory treatments were not significantly associated with an increased risk of intensive care unit admission/mechanical ventilation/death. CONCLUSIONS: Although the report mainly includes the most severe cases, its temporal and spatial trend supports the validity of the national surveillance system. More complete data are being acquired in order to both test the hypothesis that RMD patients may have a different outcome from that of the general population and determine the safety of immunomodulatory treatments

Traduzioni mediterranee. Due interpreti in America Latina tra narrazione e progetto

The essay will develop an investigation on how the Mediterranean imaginary has influenced the cultures which are far away from the original geographical basin. The theme of the patio houses is widely reflected in the contemporary architectural debate, considering the patio as an archetypal element, the core of the mediterranean house that defines and controls nature and frames the landscape. The Latin American case is emblematic. The Latin American culture has always had an affinity with the Mediterranean one. The tools behind the reasoning will move with a double interpretative key: the first one arises from Le Corbusier's influence on Latin American architecture, especially in Brazil. His lessons held in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay and then collected in "Précisions sur un état présent de l'architecture et de l'urbanisme", can be considered as a paradigm of Latin American modernism, with the mixture of new inputs that will show a strong bond with the Mediterranean culture. The second interpretation refers to the years when Gio Ponti conducted on Domus a research on the types and features of the Mediterranean architecture, starting from his projects and the exchanges he had with Bernard Rudofsky. The Mediterranean influence brought and still brings prolific results in the architecture of Latin America, especially in the characteristics that are examined here, and develop continuous reinterpretations that keep this idea of living

A Multi-Variable DTR Algorithm for the Estimation of Conductor Temperature and Ampacity on HV Overhead Lines by IoT Data Sensors

The transfer capabilities of High-Voltage Overhead Lines (HV OHLs) are often limited by the critical power line temperature that depends on the magnitude of the transferred current and the ambient conditions, i.e., ambient temperature, wind, etc. To utilize existing power lines more effectively (with a view to progressive decarbonization) and more safely with respect to the critical power line temperatures, this paper proposes a Dynamic Thermal Rating (DTR) approach using IoT sensors installed on some HV OHLs located in different Italian geographical locations. The goal is to estimate the OHL conductor temperature and ampacity, using a data-driven thermo-mechanical model with the Bayesian probability approach, in order to improve the confidence interval of the results. This work highlights that it could be possible to estimate a space-time distribution of temperature for each OHL and an increase in the actual current threshold values for optimizing OHL ampacity. The proposed model is validated using the Monte Carlo method

Progetto di riuso delle Concerie Riganti, parte del Museo nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia in Roma.

Il progetto è l’esito di un contratto di ricerca stipulato dal Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia (MNETRU) con il Dipartimento di Architettura e Progetto (DiAP) avente per responsabile scientifico il prof. Andrea Grimaldi, con l’obiettivo di sviluppare studi di fattibilità per il recupero della struttura delle ex concerie Riganti in un quadro complessivo di relazioni con la vicina villa Poniatowski e villa Giulia. L’esito della ricerca progettuale ipotizza la possibilità di recuperare come spazio coperto l’intera area della corte dove si immagina di poter realizzare tramite la costruzione di una struttura mista un locale polivalente a tutta altezza illuminato dall’alto e circondato da un percorso anulare che potrebbe svolgere il doppio ruolo di semplice spazio di distribuzione o piccola galleria espositiva. Questo anello dovrebbe contemplare un ulteriore livello con funzione di balconata interna e/o ulteriore spazio espositivo. L’idea architettonica, sostanzialmente introversa nella sua ultima definizione perché tutta contenuta entro l’altezza dei parapetti della terrazza, sviluppa un organismo capace di accogliere diversi scenari d’uso: da quello che ipotizza l’uso articolato e frammentato tra diversi piccoli eventi, alla grande mostra che invade tutti gli ambienti sino all’utilizzo dello spazio come grande sala conferenze, servizio di cui il Museo è in questo momento sprovvisto. Il progetto di ricerca individua anche le modalità di connessione tra i diversi livelli della struttura e prefigura l’esigenza di ridisegnare il corpo scala contenuto nella manica lunga degli antichi essiccatoi. In questa porzione dell’edificio il progetto generale prevede la possibilità di collocare, oltre ad un nucleo di servizi, uno spazio laboratoriale/didattico e soprattutto un ristorante con relative cucine capace di sfruttare al meglio la splendida terrazza che copre gli ambienti sottostanti. Lo spazio della terrazza ha delle incredibili potenzialità e potrebbe prestarsi benissimo come location per grandi eventi estivi, dalle rassegne letterarie agli spettacoli teatrali e/o musicali. Lo spazio inferiore voltato è la parte del progetto maggiormente approfondita in cui si è pensato di lavorare sui sistemi che attrezzano lo spazio e ne consentono la facile allestibilità ed interpretazione estetico figurativa senza stravolgerne i caratteri spaziali e fisico-materici. Cifra estetica fondamentale è quella generata dal sistema della climatizzazione (dispositivi di immissione e di ripresa) che ribattono il passo dei pilastri e vengono uniti da un doppio sistema di binari superiori, funzionali alla interpretazione spaziale degli ambienti. I binari fungono da alimentazione per un sistema d’illuminazione e cablaggio dello spazio nonché da supporto, nella parte inferiore, per dispositivi ostensivi e superfici schermanti con le quali poter immaginare articolazioni sempre diverse degli ambienti e dunque dei possibili allestimenti

Intraosseous Cavernous Hemangioma of the Neurocranium: A Review of the Literature

Skull primary intraosseous cavernous hemangiomas (PICHs) are uncommon, benign, and slowgrowing tumors. These lesions are not widely known, specifically as regards the pathogenesis. The researchers wanted to describe the clinical presentations and radiological characteristics through a literature review of 140 cranial patients who received surgical treatment and histological diagnosis. Although PICH is uncommon, it should always be considered when a hard, steadily expanding skull lesion is seen. Surgical resection should be the first line of therapy for symptomatic individuals and aesthetic motivation, and their long-term results following complete removal are excellent. Moreover, we describe four patients with PICH to enrich the literature

Telomere Length Modulation in Human Astroglial Brain Tumors

Background: Telomeres alteration during carcinogenesis and tumor progression has been described in several cancer types. Telomeres length is stabilized by telomerase (h-TERT) and controlled by several proteins that protect telomere integrity, such as the Telomere Repeat-binding Factor (TRF) 1 and 2 and the tankyrase-poli-ADP-ribose polymerase (TANKs-PARP) complex. Objective: To investigate telomere dysfunction in astroglial brain tumors we analyzed telomeres length, telomerase activity and the expression of a panel of genes controlling the length and structure of telomeres in tissue samples obtained in vivo from astroglial brain tumors with different grade of malignancy. Materials and Methods: Eight Low Grade Astrocytomas (LGA), 11 Anaplastic Astrocytomas (AA) and 11 Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) samples were analyzed. Three samples of normal brain tissue (NBT) were used as controls. Telomeres length was assessed through Southern Blotting. Telomerase activity was evaluated by a telomere repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay. The expression levels of TRF1, TRF2, h-TERT and TANKs-PARP complex were determined through Immunoblotting and RT-PCR. Results: LGA were featured by an up-regulation of TRF1 and 2 and by shorter telomeres. Conversely, AA and GBM were featured by a down-regulation of TRF1 and 2 and an up-regulation of both telomerase and TANKs-PARP complex. Conclusions: In human astroglial brain tumours, up-regulation of TRF1 and TRF2 occurs in the early stages of carcinogenesis determining telomeres shortening and genomic instability. In a later stage, up-regulation of PARP-TANKs and telomerase activation may occur together with an ADP-ribosylation of TRF1, causing a reduced ability to bind telomeric DNA, telomeres elongation and tumor malignant progression