Smartphone-based analytical devices with optical detection for on-site biosensing: environmental, food and forensic applications

There has been an increasing demand for fast and easy monitoring technologies designed to respond to different analytes. The standard analytical techniques offer accurate and precise results; however, they require clean samples, sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. For these reasons, they are not suitable for on site, real-time, cost-effective routine monitoring. Biosensors are analytical devices integrating a biological recognition element and a transducer element able to convert the biological response into an easily measurable analytical signal. These tools can easily quantify an analyte or a class of analytes of interest even in a complex matrix, like clinical or environmental samples, thanks to the specificity of the biological components and can be easily implemented in portable devices. The activity carried out during my PhD was mainly focused on the development of different portable paper-based biosensors for multianalyte detection and their implementation into portable analytical devices for point-of-care and point-of-need applications. In particular, enzymes and cells (bacteria and mammalian cell) have been exploited as biorecognition elements, in some cases even by coupling different elements in the same biosensor to increase its robustness. The final goal of biosensors developed was the application in the environmental and forensic fields, since the target analytes are organophosphorus pesticides, heavy metals and molecules with androgenic activity, including new drugs or endocrine disrupting chemicals. Moreover, different optical detection principles (chemiluminescence, bioluminescence, colorimetry) have been exploited and coupled to create an orthogonal detection, which provides more accurate results. Different portable detectors, such as coupled-charged device, smartphone cameras and silicon photomultiplier, and also benchtop laboratory instruments have been used to validate and support the developed biosensors. Several paper-based platforms have been designed and implemented with adaptors and devices fabricated using a dual-extrusion 3D printer to better adapt to the type of assay, reagents, samples and detection method

Qualitative research in social and organizational psychology: the Italian way

Our paper provides a mapping of qualitative research in social and organizational psychology. This mapping was directed by the authors’ choices and this means that scholars from other perspectives are likely to offer different readings of the same topic. The first choice was to not consider the clinical and developmental psychological research, so to deepen our exploration of the two areas in which we work on, and on which we have a more articulated perspective. These two areas differ for some aspects, but they also present some relevant common elements, as it is demonstrated by the fact that scholars working in social and organizational psychology are part of the same academic recruitment field (“11/E3 Social psychology and work and organizational psychology”). The first section of the article consists of a short history of qualitative research in Italian psychology. To deepen the focus on the most recent developments, in the second section we present a review of the scientific articles published in the last five years

Portable light detectors for bioluminescence biosensing applications: A comprehensive review from the analytical chemist's perspective

Bioluminescence, that is the emission of light in living organisms, has been extensively explored and applied for diverse bioanalytical applications, spanning from molecular imaging to biosensing. The unprecedented technological evolution of portable light detectors opened new possibilities to implement bioluminescence detection into miniaturized devices. We are witnessing a number of applications, including DNA sequencing, reporter gene assays, DNA amplification for point-of care and point-of need analyses relying on BL. Several photon detectors are currently available for measuring low light emission, such as photomultiplier tubes (PMT), charge-coupled devices (CCD), complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) and smartphone-integrated CMOS. Each technology has pros and cons and several issues, such as temperature dependence of the instrumental specific noise, the power supply, imaging capability and ease of integration, should be considered in the selection of the most appropriate detector for the selected BL application

Management of heart failure in Piedmont Region

emerging problem in industrialized countries: it continues to be diagnosed at high rates and has an decreased survival time, raising new problems, such as the need of an adequate medical service organization and resource expenditure. Aim of this analysis was a quantitative evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic resource use for CHF in outpatient departments in Piedmont, Italy. Methods. We performed a cross-sectional observational study, based on a two-month data collection in 12 outpatient departments dedicated to congestive heart failure. Information was obtained on each patient using a specific anonymous data collection form. Results. We obtained and analyzed for the study 547 forms. Mean patient age was 66.1 years, mean ejection fraction was 36.6%. Coronary artery disease accounted for 34.6% of congestive heart failure cases, followed by idiopathic etiology (26.4%). Main comorbidities were diabetes (22.3%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (17.7%). Sixty-nine% of patients received a medical treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, 72.6% with β-blockers, 48.8% with aldosterone antagonists. As far as diagnostic resource use during a six-month period preceeding observation, 46.8% of patients underwent echocardiographic examination, 9.9% Holter ECG, 6.0% coronary angiography. Therapy was more often increased in patients who underwent an instrumental evaluation during the preceeding six-month period. Conclusions. Data suggests that in Piedmont outpatients with chronic heart failure receive a high drug prescription level and a small number of instrumental evaluations, as suggested in main international guidelines

Uniteve: televisión local universitaria —en construcción—

El texto analiza los primeros años de la señal universitaria Uniteve, como una propuesta relevante y original para la localidad de Villa María y la región. A través de una perspectiva teórico conceptual que reflexiona sobre las categorías de medios públicos, televisión de proximidad y localidad, da cuenta del camino recorrido por el canal, su inserción en la comunidad universitaria de referencia, y los desafíos para su crecimiento e instalación.Fil: Monje, Daniela Ines. Universidad Nacional de Villa María; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Mercadal, Silvina Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Villa María; ArgentinaFil: Zanotti, Juan Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Centro de Estudios Avanzados; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Montali, Gabriel Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Villa María; Argentina. Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales; Argentin

Consumos audiovisuales en la comunidad educativa de la UNVM: el caso Uniteve

Este trabajo propone reflexionar acerca de las políticas de comunicación y cultura diseñadas en Argentina a partir del año 2010 con relación a las televisoras universitarias creadas en el marco del programa de desarrollo de la Televisión Digital Terrestre (TDT), con especial referencia al caso del canal digital universitario Uniteve, perteneciente a la Universidad Nacional de Villa María (UNVM), institución en el que los autores se desempeñan como docentes e investigadores.Fil: Monje, Daniela Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Centro de Estudios Avanzados; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Villa María; ArgentinaFil: Mercadal, Silvina Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Centro de Estudios Avanzados; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Villa María; ArgentinaFil: Zanotti, Juan Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Centro de Estudios Avanzados; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Villa María; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Montali, Gabriel Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Villa María; Argentina. Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales; Argentin

Il deposito d’abbandono (US 14=US 53)

La storia trentennale degli scavi e dei restauri dell’Insula delle Ierodule, le alterne vicende di seppellimenti “fisici e nella memoria” antichi e moderni che hanno riguardato l’edificio ci hanno portato a concepire un volume corale nel quale si potesse presentare il grande lavoro svolto, visto dalla prospettiva degli archeologi, dei restauratori, degli architetti, che hanno collaborato nell’impresa di restituire alla collettività un monumento antico nella sua leggibilit