Oral health-related quality of life of paediatric patients with AIDS

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Children with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) exhibit impaired dental status, which can affect their quality of life. This study assessed the oral health-related quality of life of these patients and associated factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The "Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14", rating overall and domain-specific (oral symptoms, functional limitations, emotional well being, and social well being) oral health-related quality of life (OHR-QoL) was completed by 88 children with AIDS assisted in the Child Institute, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Parents or guardians provided behavioural and socio-demographic information. The clinical status was provided by hospital records. OHR-QoL covariates were assessed by Poisson regression analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The most affected OHR-QoL subscale concerned oral symptoms, whose rate was 23.9%. The direct answer for oral health and well being made up a rate of 47.7%. Brushing the teeth less than two times a day and viral load exceeding 10,000 HIV-RNA copies per millilitre of plasma were directly associated (p < 0.05) with a poorer oral health-related quality of life.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Children with more severe AIDS manifestations complained of poorer status of oral symptoms, functional limitations, emotional and social well being related to their oral health. Recognizing the factors that are associated with poorer OHR-QoL in children with AIDS may contribute to the planning of dental services for this population.</p

Una nuova generazione di italiani : l'idea di cittadinanza tra i giovani figli di immigrati

L\u2019intensificarsi degli effetti dei processi di globalizzazione e, in particolare, dei crescenti flussi migratori, trasformano l\u2019idea di cittadinanza. La crisi di una piena coincidenza tra comunit\ue0 politica, comunit\ue0 di residenti e comunit\ue0 che si riconosce in un ethos nazionale rende problematica la conservazione di quel delicato equilibrio tra inclusione ed esclusione, universalismo e riconoscimento delle differenze, su cui ha trovato fondamento l\u2019idea moderna di cittadinanza. La cittadinanza diviene allora uno dei luoghi principali di confronto e contesa sulla sovranit\ue0 e sull\u2019identit\ue0, include domande di riconoscimento delle differenze collettive e, pi\uf9 in generale, veicola istanze di trasformazione delle regole di gestione dello spazio pubblico e di quello politico. I processi migratori sembrano particolarmente efficaci nel mettere luce le incongruenze tra due dimensioni che hanno caratterizzato l\u2019idea classica di cittadinanza: garantire l\u2019inclusione e l\u2019ampliamento della partecipazione alla vita comune di tutti coloro che vivono all\u2019interno del territorio della comunit\ue0 escludendo chi viene definito estraneo. La questione appare particolarmente rilevante in Italia dove una legge sulla cittadinanza ispirata da un rigido ius sanguinis rende molto difficile il riconoscimento dello status di cittadino per chi, pur essendo nato in Italia e avendo qui trascorso tutta la sua vita, ha genitori stranieri. La presente ricerca illustra come le \u201cseconde generazioni\u201d parlano della cittadinanza e quale senso assume per loro dirsi e sentirsi italiani. Comprendere meglio il loro interesse per l\u2019acquisizione della cittadinanza italiana ci \ue8 parso un buon punto di partenza per riflettere sui come sta cambiando la societ\ue0 italiana e la nostra idea di \u201citalianit\ue0\u201d

Control of wind induced buffeting vibrations in a long span suspension bridge by TMDs

Wind buffeting is regarded as one of the most important dynamic excitations for long span flexible bridges owing to the low frequency content which characterizes its spectrum. In this paper a suspension bridge model with steel frame deck, is considered as a case study for performing numerical simulations and evaluating suitable control strategies for mitigating dynamic vibrations induced by strong wind loading. Structural control can effectively contribute to satisfy the high standard of performance, feasibility and safety that long-span suspension bridges are expected to show. In this light, passive, semi-active and hybrid control strategies are implemented within the research work, described in this paper, for alleviating buffeting dynamic effects on the bridge model. Optimal tuned mass damper solutions are firstly evaluated by using a simplified two degree of freedom structural model. Subsequently their efficacy has been tested on the whole bridge finite element model at the deck mid-span. Such a passive control strategy is finally coupled and compared with passive and semi-active hysteretic dampers connecting the deck and the piers. The proposed control strategies are shown to significantly reduce the value of the structural response in terms of internal forces, and displacements as well as, intending to be consistent for real implementations on new and existing suspension bridges. © Civil-Comp Press, 2013

Citizenship and multiple belonging : representations of inclusion, identification and participation among children of immigrants in Italy

This article aims to explore how children of immigrants enrolled in higher secondary schools in Milan conceive and speak about citizenship. It illustrates how the formal, participatory and identity dimensions of citizenship come to be articulated in a complex and changeable way in relation to discourses and contexts. In particular, it attempts to look more closely at the transformations of belonging, which today seems to be composed of different layers that underline different aspects: admittance stresses the universalistic claim to be equal, to not be excluded on the basis of discrimination or prejudice; identification conserves a particularistic and essentialist meaning, it stresses the importance and the 'unavoidableness' of difference; involvement regards lifestyles, everyday relations, it confers importance on the possibility to participate on behalf of a specific interest and have a stake in a community's life and future. Therefore, citizenship assumes different meanings when discourses shift from one layer to another

Tuned Mass Damper on a Suspension Bridge under Wind Buffeting: Modeling, Hybridization and Robustness

Capacity of a system to perform with a satisfactorily behavior, when damages in some of its elements occur, is a key aspect for a rational design, and has focused also the attention of designers. In light of this, a controlled suspension bridge is herein considered as a case study for performing numerical simulations where the robustness of the control system, consisting in Tuned Mass Dampers at the bridge deck mid-span for mitigating variable wind buffeting, is investigated. A failure of the Tuned Mass Dampers system, is simulated by an additional fixed mass on the bridge main girder. It is expected that such a failure will degrade the performance of the whole system, but that this will still be comparable to that of the uncontrolled bridge version. Hybridization of the Tuned Mass Dampers system, by means of passive and semi-active dampers between the towers and the deck, seems also a promising solution for improving the robustness of the system against local malfunctioning. An hybrid system is studied where the reduction in performance due to the Tuned Mass Damper failure is compensated by the presence of dampers along the deck. Finally, a simplified approach of modeling the bridge is introduced to economize on the numerical cost of studies on the structure dynamics and control issues

Control of Wind Induced Buffeting Vibrations in a Long Span Suspension Bridge by TMDs

Wind buffeting is regarded as one of the most important dynamic excitations for long span flexible bridges owing to the low frequency content which characterizes its spectrum. In this paper a suspension bridge model with steel frame deck, is considered as a case study for performing numerical simulations and evaluating suitable control strategies for mitigating dynamic vibrations induced by strong wind loading. Structural control can effectively contribute to satisfy the high standard of performance, feasibility and safety that long-span suspension bridges are expected to show. In this light, passive, semi-active and hybrid control strategies are implemented within the research work, described in this paper, for alleviating buffeting dynamic effects on the bridge model. Optimal tuned mass damper solutions are firstly evaluated by using a simplified two degree of freedom structural model. Subsequently their efficacy has been tested on the whole bridge finite element model at the deck mid-span. Such a passive control strategy is finally coupled and compared with passive and semi-active hysteretic dampers connecting the deck and the piers. The proposed control strategies are shown to significantly reduce the value of the structural response in terms of internal forces, and displacements as well as, intending to be consistent for real implementations on new and existing suspension bridges

Prigionieri della burocrazia? : significati e pratiche della cittadinanza tra i giovani figli di immigrati in Italia

The article aims to present recent research findings – using in-depth interviews – concerning immigrants’ children attending Italian upper secondary schools. The study attempts to explore how these youngsters – either born in Italy or arrived during their childhood – represent and claim citizenship, how interested they are in claiming it, what kind of motivation they advance for its achievement, how they value it. Specific attention is reserved to comparing how different contemporary sociological perspectives about citizenship’s permanence and change can be useful to better understand the Italian situation. The interviews indicate that citizenship is still considered very important by immigrants’ children, born or bred in Italy. Citizenship is still fundamental for the rights to stay, to be legitimately present, that is to be allowed to participate, on a ground of equal consideration and recognition, in daily life. On the other hand, if one considers the ties between citizenship and identification, rather than formal and participatory dimensions, one observes the emergence of transnational and cosmopolitan ideas of citizenship, calling for the recognition of plural and different forms of loyalties and belongings. Although these youths identify themselves as Italians (in terms of lifestyle, routines, freedom and opportunities stemming from their living in Italy), they are not willing to give up or hide others forms of belonging (especially as concerns values, traditions, and family ties)