Digital strategies for the valorisation of archival heritage

20th century pre-digital architectural archives are a current topic of interest for scholars involved in historical studies as well as those studying conservation, valorisation and communication. These vast archival heritages could be enhanced by the methodologies, techniques and tools offered by the digital revolution. The present proposal demonstrates this potential through the application of structure from motion techniques to a physical scale model that represents the Turin Horse Racing designed by Carlo Mollino. Moreover, the paper presents a comparison of different software, methodologies and modelling tools and suggests a design for virtual and on-site communication strategies. These strategies fuel new interrelations of knowledge and ideas, through which an archive can become a place of convergence between the real and the virtual

SCALABLE AR FOR BIM ON TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK SITES

A growing number of research works, experiments and applications is investigating the potential at the intersection of augmented reality (AR) and the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Project management, project communication, collaborative design, maintenance and construction progress documentation, construction site safety, and training are some of the cases that can benefit from blending real and virtual views through mobile devices. In recent years, research also highlighted how mixed reality and building information modeling (BIM) could cooperate to provide effective communication between multiple agents and closer interaction between digital information and the building site. Nevertheless, consolidated applications in these fields are still limited, especially when compared to other areas of AR adoption. This paper presents the development of an AR-based mobile app for exploring telecommunications tower sites and interacting with a related BIM database. The project aims to provide easy-to-use tools to maintain both the physical assets and an up-to-date model. We discuss critical issues in developing a scalable and interoperable application, supporting the feasibility study of similar solutions in the AEC sector

Usefulness of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in predicting the presence of autonomic neuropathy in type I diabetic patients.

This study investigated whether nondipping (defined as a day–night change in blood pressure (BP) <=0%) could be assumed as a diagnostic index for autonomic neuropathy, and assessed its accuracy in discriminating between type I diabetic patients with and without autonomic neuropathy. In 87 type I diabetic patients with normal renal function (age 36+-11, duration 17+-9 years, serum creatinine 67.2+-15.9 mcmol/l), four cardiovascular tests and 24-h BP monitoring were performed, and the percentage day–night change (Delta) in systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) was calculated. Sixteen patients had Delta SBP and/or Delta DBP <=0%. In a multiple logistic regression with adjustment for sex, age, and body mass index, the odds ratio for having autonomic neuropathy was seven times higher in patients with DSBP <=0% as opposed to those without (odds ratio 6.97, CI 1.4–34.9, P=0.018). Using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, DBP showed an acceptable accuracy in discriminating between patients with and without autonomic neuropathy (area under the ROC curve 0.69+-0.06 and 0.72+-0.05 for Delta SBP and Delta DBP, respectively). Adequate cutoff values were 0% for Delta SBP (sensitivity, 26%; specificity, 95%; positive predictive value, 87%) and 5% for Delta DBP (sensitivity, 26%; specificity, 92%; positive predictive value, 81%). In type I diabetic patients with normal renal function, a value of Delta SBP p0% identifies the presence of autonomic neuropathy with a very high chance. Nondipping at the cutoff proposed could be considered an adjunctive marker of autonomic neuropathy provided with a high specificity and low sensitivity

Covid 19: How Really is the Epidemiological Curve? Epidemiological Curve Growth Rate is Less than One

This paper shows some views on the mathematical structure of the diffusion of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), often claimed to have a positive exponential structure. However, we find that the exponential growth rate is past the inflection point and that growth is much slower than this implication. It presents conclusions on the future expected outcome of the current situation-not only in terms of diffusion of the disease but also for the hysteria that have been created around it

Disegni di progetto come Cultural Heritage. Intrecci fra disegno e linguaggio architettonico nell’opera di Aldo Morbelli

Increasingly, the archives of 20th century architecture are attracting the interest of scholars as architecture are attracting the interest of scholars as a source for in-depth understanding of architectural works and the trajectories of artistic movements and individual designers. The autograph drawing, in the different phases of the elaboration of the project, uses methods and techniques that reveal the link with the architectural language. The rediscovery, analysis, highlighting and interpretation, with traditional and innovative tools and techniques typical of the discipline of representation, can contribute to the recognition of architectural archives as Cultural Heritage. The authors of this proposal are following this path about the drawings of Aldo Morbelli’s archive, consulting them extensively, identifying characteristics and peculiarities and, finally, choosing a case study, through which to test the heuristic potential of representation for analysis and interpretation of the design. In this paper we propose graphic, manual and digital analyses related to the design of “Due case a Capri” (1942)

Does autonomic neuropathy play a role in erythropoietin regulation in non-proteinuric Type 2 diabetic patients?

Aims Erythropoietin (EPO)-deficient anaemia has been described in Type 1 diabetic patients with both severe autonomic neuropathy (AN) and proteinuria. This study was aimed at distinguishing between the effects of AN and nephropathy on haemoglobin and EPO levels in Type 2 diabetic patients at an early stage of diabetic nephropathy. Methods In 64 Type 2 diabetic patients (age 52 +/- 10 years, duration 10 +/- 9 years) without overt nephropathy and other causes of anaemia or EPO deficit, we assessed cardiovascular tests of AN, 24-h blood pressure (BP) monitoring, urinary albumin excretion rate (UAE), a full blood count, and serum EPO. Results Although the Type 2 diabetic patients with AN did not show differences in haemoglobin and EPO when compared with patients without AN, the presence of haemoglobin < 13 g/dl was associated with the presence of AN (chi(2)= 3.9, P < 0.05) and of postural hypotension (chi(2)= 7.8, P < 0.05). In a multiple regression analysis including as independent variables gender, body mass index, duration of diabetes, smoking, creatinine, 24-h UAE, 24-h diastolic BP, ferritin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and autonomic score, we found that the only variables independently related to haematocrit were autonomic score, ferritin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Finally, the physiological inverse relationship between EPO and haemoglobin present in a control group of 42 non-diabetic non-anaemic subjects was completely lost in Type 2 diabetic patients. The slopes of the regression lines between EPO and haemoglobin of the control subjects and the Type 2 diabetic patients were significantly different (t = 14.4, P < 0.0001). Conclusion This study documents an early abnormality of EPO regulation in Type 2 diabetes before clinical nephropathy and points to a contributory role of AN in EPO dysregulation

A case of labial fusion and urinary pseudo-incontinence in an elderly woman. A surgical treatment and a review

Labial fusion is defined as either partial or complete adherence of the labia minora (1), and also called vulvar fusion, adhesions of the labia minor or conglutination of the labia minora and sinechia of the vulva. The complete and severe labial fusion is a rare pathology with a small number of cases reported in the literature in adults. We present a case report of a postmenopausal woman who presented with voiding difficulty and incontinence and was treated by surgical division of the adhesions and immediate resolution of the urinary incontinence confirmed by multichannel urodynamic test postoperatively

Efalizumab

Introduction: Conventional systemic therapies for psoriasis are associated with serious toxicities that can limit long-term use. In recent years, biological therapies have offered the possibility of long-term therapy with improved safety and efficacy for the treatment of psoriasis. Biological therapies can be classified into three categories: the T-cell modulating agents (alefacept and efalizumab), the inhibitors of TNF-alpha (adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab) and the inhibitors of IL-12 and -23 (ustekinumab). Efalizumab is a humanized recombinant monoclonal IgG1 antibody. It targets multiple stages in the immunopathogenesis of psoriasis: initial T-cell activation, migration of T-cells into dermal and epidermal tissues, and T-cell reactivation. On 19 February 2009, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended the suspension of the marketing authorisation for efalizumab.Areas covered: Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy, safety and health-related quality of life benefits of efalizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Efalizumab was approved by the FDA in November 2003 and by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency in September 2004 for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Recently, three cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy were described in patients on long-term (&gt; 3 years) efalizumab therapy, leading to its withdrawal from the market.Expert opinion: Although initially favorable, the safety profile of efalizumab revealed the appearance of severe adverse events in long-term treated patients. Therefore, post-marketing surveillance is essential for correct evaluation of drug potential

A case of labial fusion and urinary pseudo-incontinence in an elderly woman. A surgical treatment and a review

Labial fusion is defined as either partial or complete adherence of the labia minora (1), and also called vulvar fusion, adhesions of the labia minor or conglutination of the labia minora and sinechia of the vulva. The complete and severe labial fusion is a rare pathology with a small number of cases reported in the literature in adults. We present a case report of a postmenopausal woman who presented with voiding difficulty and incontinence and was treated by surgical division of the adhesions and immediate resolution of the urinary incontinence confirmed by multichannel urodynamic test postoperatively

Recognizing the Design Patterns of Complex Vaults: Drawing, Survey and Modeling. Experiments on Palazzo Mazzonis’ Atrium in Turin

This paper shows the results of research advances on complex vaulted systems produced by the integration of laser scanner survey techniques and three-dimensional modeling for the geometric interpretation of built architecture to recognizing the geometric matrices of the design conception. The integration between TLS techniques and digital modeling methods led to the definition of new workflows, aimed at optimizing the use of data and at refining the quality of the geometrical interpretation. The process incorporates the traditional activities of freehand drawing of eydotipes, aimed at a deep understanding of the peculiar characteristics of the artifact. In particular, from these procedures new opportunities for the research arise to better understand the relationships between survey data, geometric matrices and compositional rules. The case study presented here, the atrium of Palazzo Mazzonis in Turin was chosen among a small number of atria that present characteristics of originality and uniqueness in a panorama of realizations strongly characterized by compliance with well-established compositional schemes