Energia e innovazione tra flussi globali e circuiti locali

La tematica energetica \ue8 di fortissima attualit\ue0 e rilevanza sia per questioni antiche (sicurezza nazionale, sviluppo economico) sia per questioni pi\uf9 recenti come il cambiamento climatico. Gran parte delle emissioni che provocano il surriscaldamento del pianeta provengono dalla combustione di fonti fossili. La transizione verso un uso pi\uf9 sostenibile dell\u2019energia sta per\uf2 segnando il passo. Ai buoni risultati ottenuti dall\u2019industria si sommano crescenti consumi civili, in particolare nel settore dei trasporti. I fattori di rallentamento non sono tutti legati alla contingenza economica mondiale, ma riguardano anche fenomeni sociali e istituzionali. Il libro indaga a largo spettro questi fattori, includendo tavole dei flussi energetici per settore, la distribuzione dei consumi su scala urbana e regionale, i sistemi che mirano all\u2019autosufficienza (comunit\ue0 energetiche), i conflitti sulle centrali e le modalit\ue0 giuridiche per regolarli. Ne esce un quadro con luci e ombre. Nonostante l\u2019impegno di molte agenzie e la disponibilit\ue0 di nuovi pacchetti tecnologici, vi \ue8 tuttora una insufficiente consapevolezza del cambiamento climatico, dell\u2019importanza delle nuove fonti di energia, in primis quella solare, e degli effetti re-distributivi su ricchezza e consumi. Una transizione pi\uf9 rapida avverr\ue0 quando questione energetica e coesione sociale saranno contemperate in una prassi ecologica integrata

New methodology for diagnosis of orthopedic diseases through additive manufacturing models

Our purpose is to develop the preoperative diagnosis stage for orthopedic surgical treatments using additive manufacturing technology. Our methods involve fast implementations of an additive manufactured bone model, converted from CAT data, through appropriate software use. Then, additive manufacturing of the formed surfaces through special 3D-printers. With the structural model redesigned and printed in three dimensions, the surgeon is able to look at the printed bone and he can handle it because the model perfectly reproduces the real one upon which he will operate. We found that additive manufacturing models can precisely characterize the anatomical structures of fractures or lesions. The studied practice helps the surgeon to provide a complete preoperative valuation and a correct surgery, with minimized duration and risks. This structural model is also an effective device for communication between doctor and patient

Connecting dots: multiple perspectives on socio-technical transition and social practices

This Crossing Boundary hosts contributions accounting for experiences and theoretical perspectives which may look distant for how they address the socio-technical transition in the energy field but, we believe, when put in conversation, help common questions and tentative answers come to the fore. Giorgio Osti, Paul Upham, Paula Maria Bagel and Paula Castro have been engaged in reflecting on their respective disciplines in relation to socio-technical transitions. Recalling and valorising the STS basis of MLP and SPT in connection with other disciplinary approaches may contribute to enrich on one side STS debates and on the other empirical research on socio-technical transition in a historical juncture where such an endeavour looks definitely urgent.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quality of life and sexual functioning among endometrial cancer patients treated with one week adjuvant high-dose-rate vaginal brachytherapy schedule

Purpose: To examine quality of life (QOL) and sexual functioning in a series of patients with intermediate- and high-intermediate risk endometrial cancer, treated with exclusive adjuvant one week high-dose-rate (HDR) vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) schedule. Material and methods: Between July 2008 and October 2013, 55 patients with diagnosis of endometrial cancer were treated with adjuvant exclusive VBT. All patients had undergone surgical treatment with a laparotomy approach before VBT. Post-operative VBT was administered 6-8 weeks after surgery. Treatment was delivered to vaginal vault using Nucletron HDR unit with iridium-192 source at a dose of 21 Gy/3 fractions of 7 Gy each, three times a week, every other day, prescribed at 0.5 cm depth of vaginal wall, and 3 cm in length from the apex. QOL was assessed using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life questionnaire Core-30 (QLQ-C30), and EORTC cancer-specific quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-CX24). Results: Median follow-up time was 92 months (range, 42-162 months). Questionnaires were carried out respectively at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months after the end of BT. Response rate to questionnaires was 100% (n = 55). Nineteen patients (35%) answered all the questions of surveys, while 36 patients (65%) completed the surveys, except for questions on sex activity, vaginal function, and sex enjoyment. Longitudinal analysis during 5-year follow-up period showed a statistically significant trend towards worsening of fatigue, constipation, and diarrhea. Overall physical functioning and role functioning was not impaired after VBT. Over the time, sex enjoyment improved, except for elderly patients. For emotional functioning, sex worry and social functioning presented no significant time-related effect. Conclusions: One week brachytherapy schedule to vaginal cuff is generally well-tolerated. QOL does not worsen after applying vaginal brachytherapy. brachytherapy; endometrial carcinoma; fatigue; quality of life; sexual disfunction

Os odontoideum with bipartite atlas and segmental instability: a case report

We report on the case of a 15-year-old adolescent who presented with a transient paraplegia and hyposensibility of the upper extremities after sustaining a minor hyperflexion trauma to the cervical spine. Neuroimaging studies revealed atlantoaxial dislocation and ventral compression of the rostral spinal cord with increased cord signal at C1/C2 levels caused by an os odontoideum, as well as anterior and posterior arch defects of the atlas. The patient underwent closed reduction and posterior atlantoaxial fusion. We describe the association of an acquired instability secondary to an os odontoideum with an anteroposterior spondyloschisis of the atlas and its functional result after 12 months. The rare coincidence of both lesions indicates a multiple malformation of the upper cervical spine and supports the theory of an embryologic genesis of os odontoideum

Tumor-initiating cell frequency is relevant for glioblastoma aggressiveness

Glioblastoma (GBM) is maintained by a small subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells (TICs). The arduous assessment of TIC frequencies challenges the prognostic role of TICs in predicting the clinical outcome in GBM patients. We estimated the TIC frequency in human GBM injecting intracerebrally in mice dissociated cells without any passage in culture.All GBMs contained rare TICsand were tumorigenic in vivo but only 54% of them grew in vitro as neurospheres. We demonstrated that neurosphere formation in vitro did not foretell tumorigenic ability in vivo and frequencies calculated in vitro overestimated the TIC content.Our findings assert the pathological significance of GBM TICs. TIC number correlated positively with tumor incidence and inversely with survival of tumor-bearing mice. Stratification of GBM patients according to TIC content revealed that patients with low TIC frequency experienced a trend towards a longer progression free survival. The expression of either putative stem-cell markers or markers associated with different GBM molecular subtypes did not associate with either TIC content or neurosphere formation underlying the limitations of TIC identification based on the expression of some putative stem cell-markers