258 research outputs found

    Social media content for business and user engagement on Facebook

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    Facebook is regularly used by businesses to present themselves to users and communicate with them. most users act passivily by simply reading and viewing a company's official homepage. Few followers adopt a more active role, such as commenting and interacting with each other and with the company, fewer still are reactive and proactive, becoming co-creators of content. This study examines the type of content entered by businesses to stimulate user engagement, and how participation and activism is stimulated, through the creation of appropriate indexes. The results obtained uncover previously overlooked aspects of conversation and content setting, to encourage user engagement

    Nuove strategie terapeutiche nella terapia del diabete:Reparixin, antagonista dei recettori CXCR.

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    Il presente lavoro di tesi si propone di illustrare il ruolo terapeutico di Reparixin (inibitore dei recettori per le chemochine CXCR) come agente anti-rigetto in pazienti affetti da diabete e sottoposti a trapianto di cellule beta pancreatiche

    Spatiotemporal Overlap between the European Brown Hare and Its Potential Predators and Competitors

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    Simple SummaryPredator-prey relationships and competition shape interspecific coexistence in wildlife communities. So far, most published studies have focused on large carnivores and their prey, whereas little is known about medium and small-sized mammal communities. The European brown hare Lepus europaeus is a widespread species in Europe and is part of the diet of many birds of prey and mammalian carnivores of all sizes. Furthermore, competition with other herbivorous mammals at feeding sites has also been suggested. In an area in Central Italy, we have assessed spatiotemporal overlap among brown hare and its potential predators (red fox Vulpes vulpes, pine marten Martes martes, domestic cat Felis catus, and domestic dog Canis familiaris) and a competitor (roe deer Capreolus capreolus). We showed that, outside a fenced area excluding predators and competitors, brown hares become more nocturnal and more active on dark nights to limit encounters with predators, and that they adopt spatial partitioning to avoid competitors, as expected by ecological theory.Analysis of spatiotemporal partitioning is pivotal to shed light on interspecific coexistence. Most research effort has involved large-sized carnivores and their prey, whereas little attention has been devoted to lagomorphs. We assessed spatiotemporal overlap among the European brown hare Lepus europaeus and its potential competitors and predators through camera-trapping in an area in Central Italy. We estimated the interspecific patterns of the spatiotemporal activity rhythms of brown hares, its potential predators (the red fox Vulpes vulpes, the pine marten Martes martes, the domestic cat Felis catus, and the domestic dog Canis familiaris), and a competitor, the roe deer Capreolus capreolus. Brown hare activity was studied in natural conditions as well as in a fenced area that excluded terrestrial predators and competitors. Free-ranging hares developed a more nocturnal behavior to avoid diurnal predators (i.e., domestic carnivores and martens). Although high temporal overlap was observed between free-ranging brown hares and both red foxes (82%) and roe deer (81%), hares avoided fox by being more active on darkest nights, as well as avoided roe deer through spatial partitioning. We suggest that hares may adapt their spatiotemporal behavior to avoid potential predators and competitors

    Treatment of Non-Union and Bone Loss of Tibial Pilon

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    Non-union is a fracture with no healing potential without a further surgical procedure. Diagnosis of non-union can be done in case of healing failure from 6 to 9 months after the first fracture. We consider appropriate to keep the attention of the reader on the relevance that more frequent traumatic mechanisms have in relationship with evolution and eventual failure of healing processes. In literature, non-union mean rate for tibial pilon fractures is around 5% independently from the synthesis technique used; as main causes we can recognize a significant fracture’s comminution ad eventual bone loss, vascular damage, and local infection. Risk factors can be divided into two big groups: factors proper of the patient at the moment of injury (age, diseases, drugs, smoke, etc.) and characteristics of the trauma itself (comminution and dislocation of fragments, involvement of soft tissues, topography, distance between fragments). Tibial pilon fractures are mainly caused by high-energy trauma. This kind of dynamic determines not only more serious damage to the bone, but often cause damage of the surrounding tissues. Following important lesions of the periosteum and of the vascular network and after a suboptimal synthesis caused by comminution and dislocation of fragments is frequent with the evolution toward a bad bone healing process. Bone healing was, in the last 50 years, argument of intense research activity. The incidence of non-union is growing steadily, although principles and materials of synthesys are well standardized. Recently it has been codified the “diamond concept,” which clarified different appliances mechanical and biological, these distinguished between cells, scaffolds, and growth factors. Under the mechanical profile, it must be restored the spectrum of stability that consider the set of bone and synthesis implanted. The spectrum of stability interprets Wolf’s law providing indications on the need to modulate the rigidity of the synthesis in reason of the level of instability of the pseudoarthrosis itself. During the years several kinds of non-union classifications have been proposed. The most widespread until now is the one proposed by Weber–Cech in 1976, which distinguishes vital forms (hypertrophic and oligotrophic) from non-vital forms (atrophic). In 2007 a new score classification system has been processed, which is the “Non-Union Scoring System (NUSS),” which divides patients in four big groups by score awarded based on the real non-healing risk. The NUSS represents an innovative approach to the problem because it understand the multifactorial reasons of failure, explains why in a variable percentage of cases (depending from de district affected), the healing is not obtained, even with a correct treatment and above all make possible the drafting of a therapeutic choice algorithm. Biotechnologies at our disposal are synthetic growth factors, the autologous growth factors and platelet-rich plasma, mesenchymal stem cells, and scaffolds or bone substitute. The biologic chamber represent the ideal site for bone regeneration; it is a bio-reactor in which are present all those elements at the base of the concept of diamond. The chamber needs to be aseptic, vital, mechanically stable, and sealed but selectively permeable. Thanks to the use of megaprosthesis not only in oncologic orthopaedics, but also it is now possible to avoid the amputation or long and often inconclusive treatment of lengthening or ankle arthrodesis. The new frontier in treatment of non-unions will be genetic therapy, that is, the possibility to transport to the patient those genes that con drive to the formation of good bone callus and his maturation toward strong bone

    Classical and Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Diagnosis

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    Classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (C-BSE) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle, detected in the United Kingdom and many other countries since the 1980s. The origin of C-BSE is uncertain, but epidemiological studies suggest that the source of this disease was cattle feed prepared from prion-infected animal tissues. To date, cattle populations have been monitored through passive and active surveillance programs. From 2004, two different forms of BSE termed as L-BSE, also known as bovine amyloidotic spongiform encephalopathy (BASE), and H-BSE have been discovered in Italy and France. All these atypical cases have been detected in animals over 8 years of age. To date, there is no comprehensive information about the origin of the atypical BSEs (sporadic vs. acquired). Moreover, there are only very limited data available, concerning the pathogenesis of both atypical forms, as compared to C-BSE. This chapter provides a well-organized overview of what is known about classical and atypical BSE. It will review information on the main epidemiological features, pathogenesis, and the criteria for the routine diagnosis based on rapid tests, histological, immunohistochemical, and Western blot examinations

    Projecting the net fiscal impact of immigration in the EU

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    This report provides an analysis of the fiscal impact of migration in the European Union in the past and the future. It highlights that currently natives generally show a higher net fiscal contribution than extra-EU migrants and a similar contribution to intra-EU migrants. However, due to ageing of the native population, this relationship is bound to reverse in the near future. The report calculates that by 2035 an average extra-EU migrant would be a net beneficiary of public transfers, but to a lesser extent than the average native would, while intra-EU mobile citizens would continue being net contributors. The report also analyses six possible policy scenarios and their implications for the fiscal contributions of extra-EU migrants. These simulations highlight how acting on the size of the flows of new migrants without removing the obstacles to their full labour market integration would yield small fiscal benefits for the hosting country. Labour market policies targeted at increasing labour participation of migrants could generate large fiscal gains. To evaluate the static net fiscal impact of migration based on micro-data the analysis uses EUROMOD, a tax-benefit microsimulation model for the European Union enriched with data on in-kind benefits. This is based on OECD data for apportioning the cost of education social housing and health care provision. For projecting the long-run fiscal effect of migration, the simulations use CEPAM-Mic, a dynamic microsimulation projection model.JRC.E.6-Demography, Migration and Governanc

    Projecting the fiscal impact of immigration in the European Union

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    The increasing flow of immigrants into Europe over the last decade has generated a range of considerations in the policy agenda of many receiving countries. One of the main considerations for policymakers and public opinion alike is whether immigrants contribute their ‘fair’ share to their host country's tax and welfare system. In this paper, we assess the net fiscal impact of intra-EU and extra-EU migration in 27 European Union (EU) Member States. We find that migrants in the EU, on average, contribute more than natives to welfare states. However, when we take an age-specific life-cycle perspective, we find that natives generally show a higher net fiscal contribution than both groups of migrants. Among migrants, extra-EU migrants contribute less than intra-EU migrants. We then use a demographic microsimulation model to project the potential net fiscal impact of migration in the EU into the future. We show that despite the fact that intra-EU migration contributes to reduce the strong negative impact of population ageing, its contribution is not sufficient to offset the negative fiscal consequences

    How Has COVID-19 Affected Mental Health and Lifestyle Behaviors after 2 Years? The Third Step of a Longitudinal Study of Italian Citizens

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    : The COVID-19 pandemic and its protective measures had a tremendous effect on the general population's mental health and deeply affected their lifestyle. The present study carried out a longitudinal analysis to evaluate the long-lasting psychological effects of the pandemic and its impact on the general population's day-to-day routine. Three points in time were considered: the initial period of the lockdown (T1; n = 2766; March 2020), the final period of the lockdown (T2; n = 439; May 2020) and two years after the lockdown (T3; n = 268; July 2022). Frequency analyses were carried out to examine which behavioral changes were maintained following the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown; furthermore, a repeated measures ANOVA test was run to measure differences in depression, stress, and anxiety levels between the three periods considered; lastly, multivariable ordinal logistic regression analyses were carried out to examine which variables were associated with psychological distress more than two years after the lockdown. The results highlighted that depression at T3 was associated with depression at T2 and negative affect, whereas stress at T3 was associated with stress at T2 and detachment. The psychological effects and lifestyle changes are also discussed

    Echocardiographic features and outcome of restrictive foramen ovale in fetuses with and without cardiac malformations. literature review

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    Foramen ovale is a small communication between the left and the right atrium and its restriction is a rare congenital heart anomaly. There is no consensus on diagnosis and management of fetal restrictive foramen ovale (RFO). In our paper we included 11 studies about fetuses affected by isolated RFO, RFO with D-Transposition of the Great Arteries (dTGA) and RFO with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). While fetuses affected from HLHS and dTGA with RFO have a poor prognosis, premature RFO in an otherwise structurally normal heart, if found in later gestation, have an overall good outcome
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