Atmosferologia e atmosferografia: come mettere ordine tra le atmosfere?

The project of a full-fledged atmospheric aesthetics is largely committed to the descriptive tools of felt experiences, just in keeping with a phenomenological – or, better, a neo-phenomenological – approach. However, description, what we might call ‘atmospherography’, all the more one allegedly accomplished from a first-person point of view, is always a partial, if not particular, perspective. Thus a coherent aesthetics of atmospheres has also to envisage a systematic way of connecting the manifold of descriptions in a theory, call it ‘atmospherology’, which in turn should be able to account for a number of possible experiential counterfactuals. The present paper critically explores the consistency of both the epistemological and ontological consequences of an aesthetics of atmospheres, as sketched mainly by Gernot Böhme, a pioneer and a leading figure in this research field, and tries to specify at least some refutability conditions for such a theory

Pre-scritto alla logica di una scienza delle immagini

According to Gottfried Boehm and W.J.T. Mitchell the science of images is not yet ready to write its own history. However, the present paper tries to focus and discuss some controversial points that we have to take as preliminary ontological and epistemological conditions for any kind of Bildwissenschaft: the close relationships between definition and identification of images, their theoretical and historical identity, the cognitive status of their perception and content, the epistemic dimension of image experience

Pediatric migraine is characterized by traits of ecological and metabolic dysbiosis and inflammation

background: recently, there has been increasing interest in the possible role of the gut microbiota (GM) in the onset of migraine. our aim was to verify whether bacterial populations associated with intestinal dysbiosis are found in pediatric patients with migraine. We looked for which metabolic pathways, these bacteria were involved and whether they might be associated with gut inflammation and increased intestinal permeability. methods: patients aged between 6 and 17 years were recruited. the GM profiling was performed by the 16S rRNA metataxonomics of faecal samples from 98 patients with migraine and 98 healthy subjects. alpha and beta diversity analyses and multivariate and univariate analyses were applied to compare the gut microbiota profiles between the two group. To predict functional metabolic pathways, we used phylogenetic analysis of communities. the level of indican in urine was analyzed to investigate the presence of metabolic dysbiosis. to assess gut inflammation, increased intestinal permeability and the mucosal immune activation, we measured the plasmatic levels of lipopolysaccharide, occludin and IgA, respectively. results: the α-diversity analysis revealed a significant increase of bacterial richness in the migraine group. the β-diversity analysis showed significant differences between the two groups indicating gut dysbiosis in patients with migraine. thirty-seven metabolic pathways were increased in the migraine group, which includes changes in tryptophan and phenylalanine metabolism. the presence of metabolic dysbiosis was confirmed by the increased level of indican in urine. Increased levels of plasmatic occludin and IgA indicated the presence of intestinal permeability and mucosal immune activation. the plasmatic LPS levels showed a low intestinal inflammation in patients with migraine. conclusions: pediatric patients with migraine present GM profiles different from healthy subjects, associated with metabolic pathways important in migraine

Scientific report of the project COMpton Polarimeter with Avalanche Silicon readout (COMPASS)

Rendicontazione scientifica mandata all'INAF alla conclusione del progetto COMpton Polarimeter with Avalanche Silicon readout (COMPASS), finanziato dal bando TECNO INAF 2014COMpton Polarimeter with Avalanche Silicon readout (COMPASS) is a research and development project that aims to measure the polarization of X-ray photons through Compton Scattering. The measurement is obtained by using a set of small rods of fast scintillation materials with both low-Z (as active scatterer) and high-Z (as absorber), all read-out with Silicon Photomultipliers. By this method we can operate scattering and absorbing elements in coincidence, in order to reduce the background. This is the scientific report submitted to INAF at the end of the COMPASS project, funded through the grant TECNO INAF 201

Intratumor T helper type 2 cell infiltrate correlates with cancer-associated fibroblast thymic stromal lymphopoietin production and reduced survival in pancreatic cancer

Expression of TSLP in pancreatic cancer correlates with Th2 deviation of antitumor immunity that is associated with decrease of patient survival

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE): Technical Overview

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) will expand the information space for study of cosmic sources, by adding linear polarization to the properties (time, energy, and position) observed in x-ray astronomy. Selected in 2017 January as a NASA Astrophysics Small Explorer (SMEX) mission, IXPE will be launched into an equatorial orbit in 2021. The IXPE mission will provide scientifically meaningful measurements of the x-ray polarization of a few dozen sources in the 2-8 keV band, including polarization maps of several x-ray-bright extended sources and phase-resolved polarimetry of many bright pulsating x-ray sources

Quality control of B-lines analysis in stress Echo 2020

Background The effectiveness trial “Stress echo (SE) 2020” evaluates novel applications of SE in and beyond coronary artery disease. The core protocol also includes 4-site simplified scan of B-lines by lung ultrasound, useful to assess pulmonary congestion. Purpose To provide web-based upstream quality control and harmonization of B-lines reading criteria. Methods 60 readers (all previously accredited for regional wall motion, 53 B-lines naive) from 52 centers of 16 countries of SE 2020 network read a set of 20 lung ultrasound video-clips selected by the Pisa lab serving as reference standard, after taking an obligatory web-based learning 2-h module ( http://se2020.altervista.org ). Each test clip was scored for B-lines from 0 (black lung, A-lines, no B-lines) to 10 (white lung, coalescing B-lines). The diagnostic gold standard was the concordant assessment of two experienced readers of the Pisa lab. The answer of the reader was considered correct if concordant with reference standard reading ±1 (for instance, reference standard reading of 5 B-lines; correct answer 4, 5, or 6). The a priori determined pass threshold was 18/20 (≥ 90%) with R value (intra-class correlation coefficient) between reference standard and recruiting center) > 0.90. Inter-observer agreement was assessed with intra-class correlation coefficient statistics. Results All 60 readers were successfully accredited: 26 (43%) on first, 24 (40%) on second, and 10 (17%) on third attempt. The average diagnostic accuracy of the 60 accredited readers was 95%, with R value of 0.95 compared to reference standard reading. The 53 B-lines naive scored similarly to the 7 B-lines expert on first attempt (90 versus 95%, p = NS). Compared to the step-1 of quality control for regional wall motion abnormalities, the mean reading time per attempt was shorter (17 ± 3 vs 29 ± 12 min, p < .01), the first attempt success rate was higher (43 vs 28%, p < 0.01), and the drop-out of readers smaller (0 vs 28%, p < .01). Conclusions Web-based learning is highly effective for teaching and harmonizing B-lines reading. Echocardiographers without previous experience with B-lines learn quickly.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Relationship between Environmental Efficiency and Manufacturing Firm's Growth

This paper investigates the empirical link between emission intensity and economic growth, using a very large data set of 61,219 Italian manufacturing firms over the period 2000-2004. As a measure of lagged environmental performance (efficiency) at firm level we exploit NAMEA sector for CO2, NOx, SOx data over 1990-1999. The paper tests the extent to which (past) environmental efficiency/intensity, which is driven by structural features and firm strategic actions, including responses to policies, influences firms growth. Our results show, first, a typical trade off generally appearing for the three core environmental emissions we analyse: lower environmentally efficiency in the recent past allows higher degrees of freedom to firms and relax the constraints for growth, at least in this short/medium term scenario. Nevertheless, the size of the estimated coefficients is not large. Trade offs are significant for two emission indicators out of two, but quite negligible in terms of impacts, besides the case of CO2. For example, growth is reduced by far less than 0.1% in association to a 1% increase of environmental efficiency. In addition, non-linearity seems to characterise the economic growth-environmental performance relationship. Signals of inverted U shape appear: this may be a signal that both firm strategies and recent policy efforts are affecting the dynamic relationship between environmental efficiency and economic productivity, turning it from an usual trade off to a possible joint complementary/co-dynamics

Global disparities in surgeons’ workloads, academic engagement and rest periods: the on-calL shIft fOr geNEral SurgeonS (LIONESS) study

: The workload of general surgeons is multifaceted, encompassing not only surgical procedures but also a myriad of other responsibilities. From April to May 2023, we conducted a CHERRIES-compliant internet-based survey analyzing clinical practice, academic engagement, and post-on-call rest. The questionnaire featured six sections with 35 questions. Statistical analysis used Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression (SPSS® v. 28). The survey received a total of 1.046 responses (65.4%). Over 78.0% of responders came from Europe, 65.1% came from a general surgery unit; 92.8% of European and 87.5% of North American respondents were involved in research, compared to 71.7% in Africa. Europe led in publishing research studies (6.6 ± 8.6 yearly). Teaching involvement was high in North America (100%) and Africa (91.7%). Surgeons reported an average of 6.7 ± 4.9 on-call shifts per month, with European and North American surgeons experiencing 6.5 ± 4.9 and 7.8 ± 4.1 on-calls monthly, respectively. African surgeons had the highest on-call frequency (8.7 ± 6.1). Post-on-call, only 35.1% of respondents received a day off. Europeans were most likely (40%) to have a day off, while African surgeons were least likely (6.7%). On the adjusted multivariable analysis HDI (Human Development Index) (aOR 1.993) hospital capacity &gt; 400 beds (aOR 2.423), working in a specialty surgery unit (aOR 2.087), and making the on-call in-house (aOR 5.446), significantly predicted the likelihood of having a day off after an on-call shift. Our study revealed critical insights into the disparities in workload, access to research, and professional opportunities for surgeons across different continents, underscored by the HDI

Colorectal Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

IMPORTANCE Delays in screening programs and the reluctance of patients to seek medical attention because of the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 could be associated with the risk of more advanced colorectal cancers at diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was associated with more advanced oncologic stage and change in clinical presentation for patients with colorectal cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included all 17 938 adult patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021 (pandemic period), and from January 1, 2018, to February 29, 2020 (prepandemic period), in 81 participating centers in Italy, including tertiary centers and community hospitals. Follow-up was 30 days from surgery. EXPOSURES Any type of surgical procedure for colorectal cancer, including explorative surgery, palliative procedures, and atypical or segmental resections. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was advanced stage of colorectal cancer at diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were distant metastasis, T4 stage, aggressive biology (defined as cancer with at least 1 of the following characteristics: signet ring cells, mucinous tumor, budding, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and lymphangitis), stenotic lesion, emergency surgery, and palliative surgery. The independent association between the pandemic period and the outcomes was assessed using multivariate random-effects logistic regression, with hospital as the cluster variable. RESULTS A total of 17 938 patients (10 007 men [55.8%]; mean [SD] age, 70.6 [12.2] years) underwent surgery for colorectal cancer: 7796 (43.5%) during the pandemic period and 10 142 (56.5%) during the prepandemic period. Logistic regression indicated that the pandemic period was significantly associated with an increased rate of advanced-stage colorectal cancer (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95%CI, 1.01-1.13; P = .03), aggressive biology (OR, 1.32; 95%CI, 1.15-1.53; P &lt; .001), and stenotic lesions (OR, 1.15; 95%CI, 1.01-1.31; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cohort study suggests a significant association between the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the risk of a more advanced oncologic stage at diagnosis among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer and might indicate a potential reduction of survival for these patients