Organizational and Technological Aspects of a Platform for Collective Food Awareness

Can Internet-of-food technologies foster collective food awareness within a food consumer community? The paper contributes to answer this question in a fourfold aspect. Firstly, we model a cooperative process for generating and sharing reliable food information that is derived from food instrumental measurements performed by consumers via smart food things. Secondly, we outline the functional architecture of a platform capable to support such a process and to let a consumer community share reliable food information. Thirdly, we identify main entities and their attributes necessary to model the contextualized interaction between a consumer and the platform. Lastly, we review articles reviewing technologies capable of acquiring and quantifying food characteristics for food performances assessment. The purpose is to give an insight into current research directions on technologies employable in a platform for collective food awareness

Improvement of a coastal vulnerability index and its application along the Calabria Coastline, Italy

The present paper further develops a coastal vulnerability index formulation (CVI) previously proposed by the authors by integrating a new variable and redefining three variables to improve the suitability of the index for low-lying coasts. Eleven variables are divided into three typological groups: geological, hydro-physical process and vegetation. The geological variables are: geomorphology, shoreline erosion/accretion rates, coastal slope, emerged beach width, and dune. The hydro-physical process group includes: river discharge, sea-level change, mean significant wave height and mean tide range. The vegetation variables are: vegetation behind the back-beach and coverage of Posidonia oceanica. The index was applied to a stretch of the Ionian coast in the province of Crotone in the Calabria region (Southern Italy), and a vulnerability map was produced. A geography information system (GIS) platform was used to better process the data. For the case study area, the most influential variables are shoreline erosion/accretion rates, coastal slope, emerged beach width, dune, vegetation behind the back-beach, and coverage of Posidonia oceanica. The most vulnerable transects are those near urban areas characterized by the absence of dunes and vegetation. Statistical and sensitivity analyses were performed, and the proposed CVI was compared with the previous formulation proposed by the authors and with two other CVI methods present in the literature

Cervical carcinogenesis, bacterial vaginosis, HPV-mRNA test and relapse of CIN2+ after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP)

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between bacterial vaginosis (BV) and relapse of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or more (CIN2+) after Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred four patients who underwent LEEP for CIN2+ were followed up every six months for three years. Fifty-three were negative for BV and fifty-one were positive. Each clinical control included Pap test, colposcopy, Amsel criteria test, HPV-DNA, and HPV-mRNA test. RESULTS: Patients’ age, presence of BV, positivity to HPV-DNA and HPV-mRNA tests were analyzed. The average age of patients was 42.5 ± 8.92 years (median: 42.5; range from 27 to 58 years). The minimum follow-up was 6 months and maximum 36 months (average: 22.8 ± 4.53; median: 24). The 10% of the patients with HPV-mRNA test negative had relapsed, compared to 45% of patients with HPV-mRNA test positive. Among the 53 patients without BV the 20% had relapsed compared with 23% of 51 patients with diagnosis of BV. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence for higher percentage of relapse in patients with BV, submitted to excisional procedure for CIN2+ associated to HPV-m-RNA test positivity. There is only a correlation among BV and relapse of CIN2+ lesions after LEEP

Programas de gestão de ideias e inovação: as práticas das grandes empresas na região sul do Brasil

ABSTRACTResearch on the situation of idea management initiatives in large companies in Southern Brazil, undertaken as an exploratory descriptive survey using a quantitative approach. The survey population comprised 85 companies, resulting on 41 valid responses. The data allowed the identification of company profile characteristics, idea management practices, their benefits and obstacles, and the determining factors for adopting the initiatives. The results show that 70 percent of the companies surveyed have structured programs to seek, stimulate, evaluate, implement and reward ideas from employees. The perceived benefits were: a greater ability to generate ideas and turn them into projects, increased participation, teamwork and motivation among employees. The main obstacles to the implementation of idea management programs are low levels of employee involvement, communication problems, and insufficient rewards for participation. Regarding the effectiveness of the initiatives, structural equation modeling with partial least squares estimation (PLS) supports the conclusion that, even though idea management practices have a positive effect on innovation results, the initiatives must be supported by aspects of organizational culture, behavior and processes that contribute to promote learning, knowledge absorption and sharing, and the consequent development of innovative activities. Lastly, there is perceived need for more detailed studies about the role of culture, behavior, managerial practices and processes associated with knowledge management and innovation, and their impacts on innovative capacity

Diagnostic accuracy of sonohysterography vs hysteroscopy in benign uterine endocavitary findings

OBJECTIVE: To compare diagnostic accuracy of sonohysterography vs hysteroscopy in patients with benign uterine endocavitary findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated 202 patients submitted to sonohysterography after transvaginal ultrasound examination suspicious for uterine endocavitary findings. Cytological sample was taken and analyzed from the fluid used to distend the uterine cavity. Of 202 patients enrolled for this study, 86 patients underwent gynaecological surgery, of whom 77 were treated with operative hysteroscopy and 9 with other gynaecological surgical techniques. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate diagnostic agreement between sonohysterography vs hysteroscopy and cytology vs histology. RESULTS: Diagnostic concordance between sonohysterography and hysteroscopy was significant (k value 0.87). The correlation between cytological and histological findings had a moderate level of concordance (k value 0.49).CONCLUSIONS: Sonohysterography provides a diagnostic accuracy as well as hysteroscopy, therefore, it could be considered an alternative procedure in the diagnosis of benign uterine endocavitary findings

High-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia and risk of progression to vaginal cancer. a multicentre study of the Italian Society of Colposcopy and Cervico-Vaginal Pathology (SICPCV)

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse the women with high grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-VaIN), in order to identify a subset of women at higher risk of progression to invasive vaginal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of all the women diagnosed with HG-VaIN, and subsequently treated, from January 1995 to December 2013 were analyzed in a multicentre retrospective case series. The rate of progression to invasive vaginal cancer and the potential risk factors were evaluated. RESULTS: 205 women with biopsy diagnosis of HG-VaIN were considered, with a mean follow up of 57 months (range 4-254 months). 12 cases of progression to vaginal squamocellular cancer were observed (5.8%), with a mean time interval from treatment to progression of 54.6 months (range 4-146 months). The rate of progression was significantly higher in women diagnosed with VaIN3 compared with VaIN2 (15.4% vs. 1.4%, p < 0.0001). Women with HG-VaIN and with previous hysterectomy showed a significantly higher rate of progression to invasive vaginal cancer compared to non-hysterectomised women (16.7% vs. 1.4%, p < 0.0001). A higher risk of progression for women with VaIN3 and for women with previous hysterectomy for cervical HPV-related disease was confirmed by multivariable logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: A higher rate of progression to vaginal cancer was reported in women diagnosed with VaIN3 on biopsy and in women with previous hysterectomy for HPV-related cervical disease. These patients should be considered at higher risk, thus a long lasting and accurate follow up is recommended

IDEA MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND INNOVATION: PRACTICES OF LARGE CORPORATIONS IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Investigação sobre a situação das iniciativas de gestão de ideias em empresas de grande porte do sul do Brasil, por meio de pesquisa exploratória e descritiva com abordagem quantitativa. A população da pesquisa foi de 85 empresas, com 41 respostas válidas. Os dados identificaram o perfil das empresas, as práticas de gestão de ideias, benefícios e obstáculos, e fatores determinantes da adoção de iniciativas. Os resultados indicam que 70% das empresas pesquisadas possuem programas estruturados para solicitar, estimular, avaliar, implementar e recompensar ideias oferecidas pelos funcionários. Os benefícios percebidos foram: capacidade maior de gerar ideias e transformá-las em projetos, o incremento da participação e trabalho em equipe, e o aumento da motivação entre os funcionários. Os principais fatores que dificultam a implantação dos programas de ideias são o baixo envolvimento do pessoal, problemas de comunicação e recompensas insuficientes à participação. Com relação à eficácia das iniciativas, a modelagem de equações estruturais com estimação por mínimos quadrados parciais (PLS) permite concluir que, embora as práticas de gestão de ideias influenciem positivamente os resultados de inovação, estas devem ser apoiadas por aspectos da cultura, comportamento e processos da empresa que contribuam para promover a aprendizagem, a absorção e compartilhamento do conhecimento, e o consequente desenvolvimento de atividades inovadoras. Finalmente, percebe-se a necessidade de estudos mais profundos sobre o papel da cultura, comportamentos, práticas gerenciais e processos associados à gestão do conhecimento e da inovação, e seus impactos na capacidade de inovar.Research on the situation of idea management initiatives in large companies in Southern Brazil, undertaken as an exploratory descriptive survey using a quantitative approach. The survey population comprised 85 companies, resulting on 41 valid responses. The data allowed the identification of company profile characteristics, idea management practices, their benefits and obstacles, and the determining factors for adopting the initiatives. The results show that 70 percent of the companies surveyed have structured programs to seek, stimulate, evaluate, implement and reward ideas from employees. The perceived benefits were: a greater ability to generate ideas and turn them into projects, increased participation, teamwork and motivation among employees. The main obstacles to the implementation of idea management programs are low levels of employee involvement, communication problems, and insufficient rewards for participation. Regarding the effectiveness of the initiatives, structural equation modeling with partial least squares estimation (PLS) supports the conclusion that, even though idea management practices have a positive effect on innovation results, the initiatives must be supported by aspects of organizational culture, behavior and processes that contribute to promote learning, knowledge absorption and sharing, and the consequent development of innovative activities. Lastly, there is perceived need for more detailed studies about the role of culture, behavior, managerial practices and processes associated with knowledge management and innovation, and their impacts on innovative capacity