First Worldwide Evidence of Bronchopulmonary Strongyle Nematodes and the First Report on Italy of Cryptosporidium sp. in Allochthonous Nutria (Myocastor coypus)

Nutria (or coypu, Myocastor coypus), is a semi-aquatic rodent that is native to South America and has been introduced almost all over the world since the end of the 19th century. In Europe, this rodent is considered an invasive species. In this report, we analyzed nutria fecal samples in a small coastal wetland of Central Italy, using different techniques (fresh smear, direct immunofluorescence, Baermann technique, flotation, ethyl acetate sedimentation) to obtain an arrangement of eukaryote endoparasites (Protozoa and Helminths) and compare them with data available in the literature for both Italy and worldwide. We recorded five taxa, with a dominant occurrence (>70%) of nematodes of the genus Strongyloides. Moreover, we reported for the first time in nutria a bronchopulmonary strongyle nematode (Muellerius vel. Angiostrongylus) and, for the first time in Italy, protozoans of the genus Cryptosporidium. Since nutria co-occurs with humans and domestic animals in the study area, we highlighted possible sanitary and management implication

Designing interaction for next generation personal computing

Over two decades of research in the field of Interaction Design and Computer Supported Cooperative Work convinced us that the current design of workstations no longer fits users' needs. It is time to design new personal computers based on metaphors alternative to the desktop one. With this SIG, we are seeking to involve international HCI professionals into the challenges of designing products that are radically new and tackling the many different issues of modern knowledge workers. We would like to engage a wider cross-section of the community: our focus will be on issues of development and participation and the impact of different values in our work

Screening of a Small Number of Italian COVID-19 Syndrome Survivors by Means of the Fatigue Assessment Scale: Long COVID Prevalence and the Role of Gender

Months after healing, a number of COVID-19 syndrome survivors are affected by both psychological and physical limitations. They are mainly troubled with long-term fatigue, which is a crucial aspect of Long Covid syndrome. This paper aims to investigate the level and persistency of fatigue among COVID-19 survivors from the first wave of the pandemic in Western Liguria and to elucidate the role of gender, age, and lifestyle. It also provides data to the scientific community to help drawing a consistent picture of Long Covid syndrome. The patients were requested to fill a Fatigue Assessment Questionnaire twice: (i) a few weeks after discharge from hospital or home confinement and (ii) a few months later. Statistical analysis was carried out on the global scores and on the score for every single item of the questionnaire. The outcome of the two questionnaires were analyzed separately and compared. Females are more affected by fatigue than males. This results holds for both physical and mental fatigue. All the males’ fatigue scores were reduced at the second control, while 40% of females worsened it. Home-confined patients showed a higher fatigue score at the first check. In the initial stages of the recovery, patients are more affected by physical, rather than mental, fatigue. This is worth of further investigation as well as the reasons leading to a higher initial fatigue score for home cared patients