Intervento di razionalizzazione del Ciclo Passivo in una societa' di servizi ICT

Lo scopo di questo lavoro è quello di descrivere l’intervento effettuato dal Consorzio QuInn, azienda presso cui ho svolto il tirocinio, per una società fornitrice di servizi ICT all’interno di un gruppo bancario. L’attività core della società ICT si caratterizza non solo per la gestione del patrimonio informatico, ma anche per i progetti di manutenzione e sviluppo di applicazioni che supportano l’operatività e il business del gruppo bancario che la controlla. La collaborazione tra QuInn e la società ICT in questione è nata dall’esigenza della dirigenza di introdurre elementi di maggiore razionalità ed efficienza nella gestione del ciclo passivo al fine di migliorare le potenzialità di decisione e controllo sulle spese e gli investimenti. Il lavoro è consistito quindi in attività operative e di supervisione metodologica nell’ambito della revisione dei processi e nella messa a punto di procedure amministrative, contabili e informatiche relative al ciclo passivo. Nell’ambito del progetto sono state effettuate le seguenti attività: - Analisi del processo in essere e dei sistemi informativi a supporto; - Reingegnerizzazione del processo e definizione dei requisiti dei sistemi informativi a supporto; - Revisione del sistema informativo. L’intervento si è composto fondamentalmente di due fasi: 1) Nella prima fase sono state svolte tutte quelle attività utili a capire il funzionamento dei processi dell’azienda ponendo l’attenzione a quelli afferenti al ciclo passivo. Il risultato è stata una mappatura completa del processo “Ciclo Passivo”. Alla mappatura ha fatto seguito la reingegnerizzazione in ottica del raggiungimento degli obiettivi di razionalizzazione prefissati. Sono stati presi in considerazione due aspetti in particolare, quelli gestionali e quelli relativi ai sistemi informativi. Il risultato di questa fase è stato l’identificazione di tutte le criticità dei processi mappati e la conseguente elaborazione delle proposte di intervento mirate a risolvere le criticità evidenziate; 2) Nella seconda fase, facendo tesoro dei risultati ottenuti e delle indicazioni della dirigenza ICT, si è proceduto all’implementazione delle soluzioni proposte attraverso la strutturazione di un workflow. Allo scopo di realizzare un sistema informativo che portasse ad un riposizionamento delle funzioni amministrative e di programmazione su attività a maggior valor aggiunto, garantisse un’operatività più fluida senza blocchi dovuti ad una cattiva pianificazione e permettesse una corretta identificazione, controllo e tracciabilità di tutte le voci di costo

Ebola therapy: Developing new drugs or repurposing old ones?

The lack of Ebola therapies has recently kindled the debate about the possible repurposing of approved organotropic (i. e., not etiotropic) drugs for the treatment of this unmet medical emergency [1]. The scientific community is now facing an apparently dichotomal opportunity: focusing efforts on the time-consuming attempt to develop new drugs [2] or preferring the apparently quicker approach of repurposed ones [3]. Of course, each choice would subtract time and resources to the other and some scholars fear the possibility that some of the repurposed drugs might even worsen the viral pathology by changing the immune response [1]. Probably, what we are going to say is trivial, but we wonder if any statistical analysis of the organotropic therapies circumstantially used so far by Ebola patients has been done. This study could suggest which drugs might be more suited to offer beneficial effect against Ebola, if any. For example, some cardiovascular drugs previously demonstrated to be endowed with antiviral properties in vitro [3], might display higher prevalence amongst survived Ebola patients, thus proposing themselves as candidates for repurposing. Conversely, the systematic review of the medicines assumed in unlucky anecdotes might indicate which drugs should be considered as the second choice in the above studies

Antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of citrus water-extracts obtained by microwave-assisted and conventional methods

Citrus pomace is a huge agro-food industrial waste mostly composed of peels and traditionally used as compost or animal feed. Owing to its high content of compounds beneficial to humans (e.g., flavonoids, phenol-like acids, and terpenoids), citrus waste is increasingly used to produce valuable supplements, fragrance, or antimicrobials. However, such processes require sustainable and efficient extraction strategies by solvent-free techniques for environmentally-friendly good practices. In this work, we evaluated the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of water extracts of three citrus peels (orange, lemon, and citron) against ten different sanitary relevant bacteria. Both conventional extraction methods using hot water (HWE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were used. Even though no extract fully inhibited the growth of the target bacteria, these latter (mostly pseudomonads) showed a significant reduction in biofilm biomass. The most active extracts were obtained from orange and lemon peel by using MAE at 100 °C for 8 min. These results showed that citrus peel water infusions by MAE may reduce biofilm formation possibly enhancing the susceptibility of sanitary-related bacteria to disinfection procedures

Septic skin lesions: an uncommon manifestation of peripheral prosthetic vascular graft infection

Peripheral prosthetic vascular graft infection following lower limb surgical revascularization is a relatively rare but serious condition. A case of early infection and occlusion of a above-knee femoro-popliteal artery prosthetic bypass is here reported. It was accompanied by acute lower limb ischemia, fever and distally by embolic septic skin lesions

Sustainable management of the vine mealybug in organic vineyards

The vine mealybug (VMB), Planococcus ficus, is a major grapevine pest worldwide, whose chemical control is often unsatisfactory due to its cryptic behavior, insecticide resistance and high fecundity rate. Recently, increasing restrictions have been applied to insecticides used for managing VMB. This review discusses sustainable VMB management strategies in organic viticulture. Pheromone-mediated mating disruption has been proved to be effective in both organic wine and table-grape vineyards. Biocontrol projects carried out through the release of parasitoids and/or predators have often provided inconclusive results, ranging from effective reduction of mealybug infestation to a marginal impact of parasitoids on VMB density. The latter outcome is likely due to constraints affecting the parasitoid activity, such as the disrupting activity of mealybug-tending ants and broad-spectrum insecticides, or untimely release of parasitoids. Ant suppression should be associated with the release of beneficial organisms, as mealybug-tending ants can severely affect the parasitoid activity. Cultural and physical control and the employment of entomopathogens and natural products mitigate the buildup of VMB populations, but they are not widely applied. VMB control in organic viticulture requires the integration of different strategies, as application of single control tools as a stand-alone treatment may not be effective, especially for high pest infestation. Future research to determine the density action threshold below which sustainable methods are effective and calibrate efforts in relation with pest infestation is needed. A multi-disciplinary approach is required to define the most appropriate sustainable control protocols in different environmental conditions and promote a further spread of organic viticulture

Inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels by sumatriptan bioisosteres

Voltage-gated sodium channels are known to play a pivotal role in perception and transmission of pain sensations. Gain-of-function mutations in the genes encoding the peripheral neuronal sodium channels, hNav1.7-1.9, cause human painful diseases. Thus while treatment of chronic pain remains an unmet clinical need, sodium channel blockers are considered as promising druggable targets. In a previous study, we evaluated the analgesic activity of sumatriptan, an agonist of serotonin 5HT1B/D receptors, and some new chiral bioisosteres, using the hot plate test in the mouse. Interestingly, we observed that the analgesic effectiveness was not necessarily correlated to serotonin agonism. In this study, we evaluated whether sumatriptan and its congeners may inhibit heterologously expressed hNav1.7 sodium channels using the patch-clamp method. We show that sumatriptan blocks hNav1.7 channels only at very high, supratherapeutic concentrations. In contrast, its three analogs, namely 20b, (R)-31b, and (S)-22b, exert a dose and use-dependent sodium channel block. At 0.1 and 10 Hz stimulation frequencies, the most potent compound, (S)-22b, was 4.4 and 1.7 fold more potent than the well-known sodium channel blocker mexiletine. The compound induces a negative shift of voltage dependence of fast inactivation, suggesting higher affinity to the inactivated channel. Accordingly, we show that (S)-22b likely binds the conserved local anesthetic receptor within voltage-gated sodium channels. Combining these results with the previous ones, we hypothesize that use-dependent sodium channel blockade contributes to the analgesic activity of (R)-31b and (S)-22b. These later compounds represent promising lead compounds for the development of efficient analgesics, the mechanism of action of which may include a dual action on sodium channels and 5HT1D receptors

Variabilit? genetica in popolazioni di Tortrix viridana L. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) associate alle diverse querce della Sardegna

A preliminary analysis of COI and COII gene variability was carried out in Sardinian populations of Tortrix viridana. The aim of the study was to investigate the genetic structure and mitochondrial haplotype variation in populations associated with deciduous (Quercus pubescens) and evergreen (Q. suber and Q ilex) oaks. Forty-four haplotypes out of 87 individuals were found: three haplotypes showed a high frequency (23%, 16% and 10%) and were largely shared among populations. Hierarchical AMOVA showed no significant differentiation grouping populations for geographic areas or oak species, in spite of significant divergences structuring populations for different duration in egg development (early- vs late-hatching). However a high haplotype diversity and a low nucleotide diversity have been observed

Resilience to climate change: adaptation strategies for the water supply system of Formia and Gaeta (Province of Latina, Central Italy)

The aqueduct serving the municipalities of Formia and Gaeta (Latina province, Italy), an area under the enforcement and control responsibility of "ATO 4" Autorità d'Ambito Territoriale Ottimale – (Integrated Urban Water Management Agency), is supplied by two important karst springs. These springs, fed by the western Aurunci Mountains system are known as Mazzoccolo and Capodacqua having an average flow rates of 1100 l/s and 1300 l/s, respectively. Although these sources have been used since ancient Roman times and the quality of their water is excellent, variations in the precipitation regime, possibly related to worldwide climate changes, has exacerbated the following problems: a decrease in the flow rates of the springs caused by the reduction in winter rainfall, and an increase of turbidity due to concentrated rainfall events. In order to mitigate these problems, which affect a resident population of about 150,000 inhabitants, Acqualatina S.p.A. - the water utility company - promoted a series of geological and hydrogeological surveys. These studies aim at increasing the knowledge on the geological setting and to find additional sources to improve the existing supply. Within the framework of these activities, we studied a strategy aimed at diversifying the water supply by identifying new exploitable aquifers in the area, to reduce the aforementioned problems. This paper presents the results of research carried out before and during the construction of the water well field "25 Ponti" located in the coastal area of the plain of Formia. The research consisted in laboratory analyses of 130 groundwater samples and in monitoring of piezometric trends. The data show a seasonal variation in groundwater chemical composition caused also by aquifer exploitation, which in some periods of the year affects the regulated reserves. This seasonal phenomenon was however present in absence of pumping

A Mini-Review on Thalidomide: Chemistry, Mechanisms of Action, Therapeutic Potential and Anti-Angiogenic Properties in Multiple Myeloma

Thalidomide is a drug with interesting therapeutic properties but also with severe side effects which require a careful and monitored use. Potential immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and sedative properties make thalidomide a good candidate for the treatment of several diseases such as multiple myeloma. Through an increase in the degradation of TNF alpha-mRNA, thalidomide reduces the production of TNF alpha by monocytes and macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide or by T lymphocytes induced by mitogenic stimuli. The decreased level of TNF alpha alters the mechanisms of intracellular transduction by preventing the activation of NF-kB and by decreasing the synthesis of proteins, in particular IL-6, involved in cell proliferation, inflammation, angiogenesis and protection from apoptosis. Furthermore, thalidomide affects VEGF levels by down-regulating its expression. Nowadays, new safer and less toxic drugs, analogs of thalidomide, are emerging as beneficial for a more targeted treatment of multiple myeloma and several other diseases such as Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, erythema nodosum leprosum, graft-versus-host disease