Alcune applicazioni dell’illusione di Müller-Lyer alla gestione dello spazio espositivo a scaffale.

In questo lavoro illustriamo come, facendo leva sull’illusione ottico-geometrica di Müller-Lyer (M-L), si possa alterare la percezione, da parte della clientela, circa la quantità di spazio espositivo allocato ad una referenza. 60 soggetti hanno partecipato a tre esperimenti di laboratorio, condotti secondo il metodo degli stimoli costanti, in cui si è valutata la presenza (ed intensità) dell’illusione di M-L con riferimento a realistiche porzioni di display. Nel primo studio, l’intensità dell’illusione di M-L si è rivelata mediamente pari, in termini di facing, al +5,65%(SD=3,04%). Nel secondo studio, invece, abbiamo riscontrato una sottostima del lineare espositivo della referenza, sempre in termini di facing, pari al –4,43%(SD=1,54%). Il terzo studio, infine, ha evidenziato un effetto illusivo del +3,28%(SD=1,38%). I risultati dei nostri esperimenti hanno alcune implicazioni manageriali: i retailer potrebbero impiegare l’effetto illusivo concernente il lineare espositivo per aumentare/ridurre la visibilità di alcune referenze rispetto ad altre, condizionandone, in tal modo, le vendite

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

QRouteMe: A Multichannel Information System to Ensure Rich User-Experience in Exhibits and Museums

In this article the QRouteMe system is presented. QRouteMe is a multichannel information system built to ensure rich user experiences in exhibits and museums. The system starts from basic information about a particular exhibit or museum while delivering a wide user experience based on different distribution channels. The organization of the systems’ components allow to build different solutions that can be simultaneously delivered on different media. A wide range of media from touch-screen installations to portable devices like smartphones have been used. The used devices can communicate each others to increase the usability and the user experience for the visitors. Another important feature of the system is the definition of an inexpensive auto-localization system based on fiduciary marks distributed all around the building. In this article the system is presented from an architectural and functional point of view. A case study and analysis of experimental results are also provided in a real environment where the system was deployed

QRouteMe: A Multichannel Information System to Ensure Rich User-Experiences in Exhibits and Museums, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2012, nr 1

In this article the QRouteMe system is presented. QRouteMe is a multichannel information system built to ensure rich user experiences in exhibits and museums. The system starts from basic information about a particular exhibit or museum while delivering a wide user experience based on different distribution channels. The organization of the systems’ components allow to build different solutions that can be simultaneously delivered on different media. A wide range of media from touch-screen installations to portable devices like smartphones have been used. The used devices can communicate each others to increase the usability and the user experience for the visitors. Another important feature of the system is the definition of an inexpensive auto-localization system based on fiduciary marks distributed all around the building. In this article the system is presented from an architectural and functional point of view. A case study and analysis of experimental results are also provided in a real environment where the system was deployed

Fluorescence-Guided Surgery in Glioblastoma: 5-ALA, SF or Both? Differences between Fluorescent Dyes in 99 Consecutive Cases

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor. The extent of resection (EOR) has been claimed as one of the most important prognostic factors. Fluorescent dyes aid surgeons in detecting a tumor’s borders. 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and sodium fluorescein (SF) are the most used. Only a few studies have directly compared these two fluorophores. Methods: A single center retrospective analysis of patients treated for GBM in the period between January 2018 and January 2021 was built to find any differences in terms of EOR, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and overall survival (OS) on the use of 5-ALA, SF, or both. Results: Overall, 99 patients affected by isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild-type Glioblastoma were included. 5-ALA was administered to 40 patients, SF to 44, and both to 15. No statistically significant associations were identified between the fluorophore and EOR (p = 0.783) or postoperative KPS (p = 0.270). Survival analyses did not show a selective advantage for the use of a given fluorophore (p = 0.184), although there appears to be an advantageous trend associated with the concomitant use of both dyes, particularly after stratification by MGMT (p = 0.071). Conclusions: 5-Ala and SF are equally useful in achieving gross total resection of the enhancing tumor volume. The combination of both fluorophores could lead to an OS advantage

Human neural stem cell transplantation in ALS: initial results from a phase I trial

We report the initial results from a phase I clinical trial for ALS. We transplanted GMP-grade, fetal human neural stem cells from natural in utero death (hNSCs) into the anterior horns of the spinal cord to test for the safety of both cells and neurosurgical procedures in these patients. The trial was approved by the Istituto Superiore di Sanit\ue0 and the competent Ethics Committees and was monitored by an external Safety Board

How the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Patients’ Hospital Admission and Care in the Vascular Surgery Divisions of the Southern Regions of the Italian Peninsula

Background: To investigate the effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns on the vasculopathic population. Methods: The Divisions of Vascular Surgery of the southern Italian peninsula joined this multicenter retrospective study. Each received a 13-point questionnaire investigating the hospitalization rate of vascular patients in the first 11 months of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the preceding 11 months. Results: 27 out of 29 Centers were enrolled. April-December 2020 (7092 patients) vs. 2019 (9161 patients): post-EVAR surveillance, hospitalization for Rutherford category 3 peripheral arterial disease, and asymptomatic carotid stenosis revascularization significantly decreased (1484 (16.2%) vs. 1014 (14.3%), p = 0.0009; 1401 (15.29%) vs. 959 (13.52%), p = 0.0006; and 1558 (17.01%) vs. 934 (13.17%), p < 0.0001, respectively), while admissions for revascularization or major amputations for chronic limb-threatening ischemia and urgent revascularization for symptomatic carotid stenosis significantly increased (1204 (16.98%) vs. 1245 (13.59%), p < 0.0001; 355 (5.01%) vs. 358 (3.91%), p = 0.0007; and 153 (2.16%) vs. 140 (1.53%), p = 0.0009, respectively). Conclusions: The suspension of elective procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant reduction in post-EVAR surveillance, and in the hospitalization of asymptomatic carotid stenosis revascularization and Rutherford 3 peripheral arterial disease. Consequentially, we observed a significant increase in admissions for urgent revascularization for symptomatic carotid stenosis, as well as for revascularization or major amputations for chronic limb-threatening ischemia

P.: The OnBrowser ontology manager: Managing ontologies on the Grid

Abstract. Although many tools and methodologies exist for ontology editing and management, complete, integrated ontology management systems working on the Grid are needed. Moreover, such ontology management systems should allow the use of knowledge coded into ontologies to different applications in a standard way. In this paper we consider the role of ontology management systems that using metadata spread on the Grid can help Grid programming. The paper presents the design and a first implementation of OnBrowser, an ontology manager that provides access to “knowledge objects ” coding ontology portions and referring to Grid metadata, through both user interfaces and application programming interfaces.

Illusioni visive “nascoste” nel package ed effetti sulla quantità percepita di spazio espositivo allocato ad una referenza

Attraverso due esperimenti di laboratorio basati su stimoli realistici che ritraevano FMCG che “incorporavano” nel package gli elementi tipici dell’illusione visiva di Müller-Lyer (M-L), mostriamo come sia possibile alterare la percezione della numerosità relativa di insiemi di referenze a confronto. Nel primo esperimento, assumendo confronti tra insiemi di item da otto facing, i soggetti partecipanti percepivano in un gran numero di trial (67% su un totale di 600; p<0,01) gli insiemi di prodotti con package che integravano gli elementi apicali dell’illusione di M-L rivolti verso l’interno come più numerosi di quelli con confezioni aventi elementi apicali rivolti all’esterno. Risultati analoghi sono stati ottenuti in un secondo esperimento con insiemi di prodotti composti da sei facing (78% su 600 trial; p<0,01). Il nostro lavoro presenta alcune implicazioni manageriali: i produttori e i retailer potrebbero valutare di “incorporare” l’illusione visiva di M-L nel package di prodotto per aumentarne la visibilità, favorendone in tal modo le vendite