Transition product design. A framework proposal for a holistic approach to systemic design

The Transition Design (TD) discipline is based on a design framework and methodology that prioritises social and environmental well-being and the goals of local resilience and radical changes in socio-technical contexts. Terry Irwin (2019) sees two aspects of TD as fundamental: the idea that entire societies will face a transition to sustainable futures and the realisation that this will entail changes at the systemic level. As part of the ongoing disciplinary debate, this contribution investigates the potential of new design drivers, such as territorial value and local resilience, linked to specific case studies that can be seen as best practices. The result is a theoretical framework of eight guidelines that aims to answer some of the TD process’s problems and model the requirements that can then be replicated

Intussusception in Adults: The Role of MDCT in the Identification of the Site and Cause of Obstruction

Unlike pediatric intussusception, intestinal intussusception is infrequent in adults and it is often secondary to a pathological condition. The growing use of Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) in abdominal imaging has increased the number of radiological diagnoses of intussusception, even in transient and nonobstructing cases. MDCT is well suited to delineate the presence of the disease and provides valuable information about several features, such as the site of intussusception, the intestinal segments involved, and the extent of the intussuscepted bowel. Moreover, MDCT can demonstrate the complications of intussusceptions, represented by bowel wall ischemia and perforation, which are mandatory to promptly refer for surgery. However, not all intussusceptions need an operative treatment. In this paper, we review the current role of MDCT in the diagnosis and management of intussusception in adults, focusing on features, as the presence of a leading point, that may guide an accurate selection of patients for surgery

circPVT1 and PVT1/AKT3 show a role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and tumor subtype-definition in small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is treated as a homogeneous disease, although the expression of NEUROD1, ASCL1, POU2F3, and YAP1 identifies distinct molecular subtypes. The MYC oncogene, amplified in SCLC, was recently shown to act as a lineage-specific factor to associate subtypes with histological classes. Indeed, MYC-driven SCLCs show a distinct metabolic profile and drug sensitivity. To disentangle their molecular features, we focused on the co-amplified PVT1, frequently overexpressed and originating circular (circRNA) and chimeric RNAs. We analyzed hsa_circ_0001821 (circPVT1) and PVT1/AKT3 (chimPVT1) as examples of such transcripts, respectively, to unveil their tumorigenic contribution to SCLC. In detail, circPVT1 activated a pro-proliferative and anti-apoptotic program when over-expressed in lung cells, and knockdown of chimPVT1 induced a decrease in cell growth and an increase of apoptosis in SCLC in vitro. Moreover, the investigated PVT1 transcripts underlined a functional connection between MYC and YAP1/POU2F3, suggesting that they contribute to the transcriptional landscape associated with MYC amplification. In conclusion, we have uncovered a functional role of circular and chimeric PVT1 transcripts in SCLC; these entities may prove useful as novel biomarkers in MYC-amplified tumors.</p

COVID-19 Severity in Multiple Sclerosis: Putting Data Into Context

Background and objectives: It is unclear how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the severity of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to compare COVID-19-related outcomes collected in an Italian cohort of patients with MS with the outcomes expected in the age- and sex-matched Italian population. Methods: Hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death after COVID-19 diagnosis of 1,362 patients with MS were compared with the age- and sex-matched Italian population in a retrospective observational case-cohort study with population-based control. The observed vs the expected events were compared in the whole MS cohort and in different subgroups (higher risk: Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] score &gt; 3 or at least 1 comorbidity, lower risk: EDSS score ≤ 3 and no comorbidities) by the χ2 test, and the risk excess was quantified by risk ratios (RRs). Results: The risk of severe events was about twice the risk in the age- and sex-matched Italian population: RR = 2.12 for hospitalization (p &lt; 0.001), RR = 2.19 for ICU admission (p &lt; 0.001), and RR = 2.43 for death (p &lt; 0.001). The excess of risk was confined to the higher-risk group (n = 553). In lower-risk patients (n = 809), the rate of events was close to that of the Italian age- and sex-matched population (RR = 1.12 for hospitalization, RR = 1.52 for ICU admission, and RR = 1.19 for death). In the lower-risk group, an increased hospitalization risk was detected in patients on anti-CD20 (RR = 3.03, p = 0.005), whereas a decrease was detected in patients on interferon (0 observed vs 4 expected events, p = 0.04). Discussion: Overall, the MS cohort had a risk of severe events that is twice the risk than the age- and sex-matched Italian population. This excess of risk is mainly explained by the EDSS score and comorbidities, whereas a residual increase of hospitalization risk was observed in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and a decrease in people on interferon

DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France

We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;2.05, 95%CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.39–3.02, p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.42, 95%CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.18–0.99, p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon

Post Human Design case study: a speculative approach to flourish critical mindsets

In a context of disruptive innovation Design takes on new roles, which place it in a different position compared to the practices of the last decade.Speculative Design underlines the importance of designing futuristic scenarios, users and artefacts, starting from the phenomena and innovations taking place in the present, with the aim of nurturing critical thinking and shared knowledge about these.Digital innovations related to augmented, virtual and mixed reality technologies are becoming one of the ideal tool which involves viewers in the process of maturation.The aim of this paper is to investigate new relationships between innovation, Design and users, through the analysis of a case study.The aims and objectives of the aforementioned case study fully follow the methodology of speculative Design, addressing the theme of the Post Human, of the possible evolutions of the human genre, influenced by technologies which are becoming pervasive and efficient, and with mega-trends that are significantly changing lifestyles and the relationships with the rest of living beings and ecosystems.Through the prototyping and the creation of an app, it was possible to accompany the spectators on a trans-media journey supported by augmented reality technology, used to involve viewers in the designed path and to make different contents of the exhibition usable, turning the users into actors who actively take part in the exhibition.The aim of the paper is to sum up a model useful to address both the practical and the didactic fields of application, through the use of digital and physical tool, following the concepts and the mindsets which lie behind speculative Design approach.DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.23.2019.13</p

Local resilience through design: a theoretical framework for territorial regeneration.

The technological revolution and the current desire to reconnect with the land provide opportunities to design innovative relationships between citizens and communities for the development of regenerative activities and practices that lead to the creation of common welfare. The rural context is inclined to design strategies that involve significant changes in lifestyle by intervening in various fields with practices and activities aimed at territorial regeneration. Through different approaches, value, and trust are created to co-design possible futures and transitional pathways to them. The aim of the paper is to propose a theoretical framework that considers the methodologies and activities typical of design discipline, creating guidelines for the application of innovative processes, with the intention of regenerating a place undergoing social abandonment and environmental deterioration