Cosimo De Giorgi e "l'amore delle pietre"

EnCosimo De Giorgi, starting from 1869 and in the first decades after the Italian unification, carries out an extraordinary work of exploration, research and knowledge of Salento. Stimulated by a fruitful 'scientific emulation' and by familiarity with the highest (national and European) peaks of geo-morphological experimentation, he finds, especially in Giovanni Capellini – with whom he had taken part a few years earlier "in geological excursions in the Bolognese" – the landmark for this essential field of study. In 1876 Cosimo De Giorgi dedicated his first volume of the 'Geological notes on the Province of Lecce' to the great scientist from La Spezia, the magnificent rector of the University of Bologna and one of the greatest Italian geologists, who had made him "fall in love with stones". This essay delves into an important moment in the formation of the great scientist from Salento.ItCosimo De Giorgi, a partire dal 1869 e nei primi decenni post-unitari, compie uno straordinario lavoro di esplorazione, di ricerca e di conoscenza del Salento. Stimolato da una feconda 'emulazione scientifica' e dalla familiarità con le punte più alte, nazionali e europee, della sperimentazione geo-morfologica, egli trova, specialmente in Giovanni Capellini – con cui aveva preso parte alcuni anni prima "ad escursioni geologiche nel Bolognese" – il punto di riferimento per questo fondamentale settore di studi. Al grande scienziato spezzino, magnifico rettore dell'Ateneo di Bologna e tra i massimi geologi italiani, che lo aveva "fatto innamorare delle pietre", Cosimo De Giorgi nel 1876 dedica il suo primo volume delle 'Note geologiche sulla provincia di Lecce'

The Comet Interceptor Mission

Here we describe the novel, multi-point Comet Interceptor mission. It is dedicated to the exploration of a little-processed long-period comet, possibly entering the inner Solar System for the first time, or to encounter an interstellar object originating at another star. The objectives of the mission are to address the following questions: What are the surface composition, shape, morphology, and structure of the target object? What is the composition of the gas and dust in the coma, its connection to the nucleus, and the nature of its interaction with the solar wind? The mission was proposed to the European Space Agency in 2018, and formally adopted by the agency in June 2022, for launch in 2029 together with the Ariel mission. Comet Interceptor will take advantage of the opportunity presented by ESA’s F-Class call for fast, flexible, low-cost missions to which it was proposed. The call required a launch to a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 point. The mission can take advantage of this placement to wait for the discovery of a suitable comet reachable with its minimum ΔV capability of 600 ms−1. Comet Interceptor will be unique in encountering and studying, at a nominal closest approach distance of 1000 km, a comet that represents a near-pristine sample of material from the formation of the Solar System. It will also add a capability that no previous cometary mission has had, which is to deploy two sub-probes – B1, provided by the Japanese space agency, JAXA, and B2 – that will follow different trajectories through the coma. While the main probe passes at a nominal 1000 km distance, probes B1 and B2 will follow different chords through the coma at distances of 850 km and 400 km, respectively. The result will be unique, simultaneous, spatially resolved information of the 3-dimensional properties of the target comet and its interaction with the space environment. We present the mission’s science background leading to these objectives, as well as an overview of the scientific instruments, mission design, and schedule

ESO large program about transneptunian objects: surface variations on (47171) 1999 TC36

Aims. We investigate the surface composition of the Plutino (47171) 1999 TC36. Methods. We completed near-infrared photometric and spectroscopic observations of (47171) 1999 TC36 with the adaptive optics instrument NACO at the ESO VLT during 12 October 2006, and present these data with ISAAC and SINFONI spectroscopic observations carried out about one month later on 9 November 2006 and 8 November 2006, respectively. The ISAAC and SINFONI spectroscopic observations were combined with a visible spectrum obtained by FORS1 on 9 November 2006. Composition and properties of the compounds present on the surface of the target are investigated by applying a Hapke radiative transfer model to the measured spectra and to previously published observations. Results. We present the relative reflectance spectrum of (47171) 1999 TC36 in the wavelength range (0.37–2.33) μm. An intimate mixture of Triton tholin, Titan tholin, serpentine, and Triton tholin diluted in water ice represents the best-fit model description of the measured spectrum. Any significant differences from the published spectra of (47171) 1999 TC36 taken on 2001 and 2003 could be due to surface heterogeneity

Introducing routine intraoperative nerve monitoring in a high-volume endocrine surgery centre: a health technology assessment

We sought to analyse the effect of the introduction of intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) in our routine surgical practice and to provide a circumstantial analysis of direct costs of IONM in total thyroidectomy and of indirect costs associated with vocal fold palsy, as centred in the health care system of Italy. We retrospectively compared outcomes of 232 total thyroidectomies performed between November 2017 and October 2019, respectively, before (109 TT-Group A) and after (123 TT-Group B) adopting IONM technology in November 2018. We analysed the costs of IONM per procedure and rate and costs of vocal fold palsy events (temporary and permanent). Overall, there were 61 thyroid cancers (32 in Group B) and 171 multinodular goitres (91 in Group B). We recorded 5 cases of vocal fold palsy (4.6%-4 transient, 1 permanent) in Group A and none in Group B (p = 0.016). IONM consumables cost 219 eur per case. Healthcare and social cost of Vocal fold palsy ranged between 3200 eur (function recovery < 1 month postoperatively) and over 32,000 eur (permanent event). When only direct costs are considered, IONM can hardly be cost effective. In this study, cost of IONM implementation was offset by the absence of complications attributable to recurrent laryngeal nerve dysfunction

Chronic Kidney Disease and Urological Disorders: An Overview.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a highly prevalent condition and it is a major risk factor for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), cardiovascular disease, and premature death. Some congenital and acquired anomalies of the kidneys and lower urinary tract (CAKUT and CALUT) are well-known causes of CKD and ESRD, but often remain undiagnosed and their prevalence is underestimated. This study aims to provide an overview that considered mainly some of the major congenital and acquired urological diseases that could lead to renal clinical manifestations common even to the most widespread renal pathologies, for which often underdiagnosed. Materials and Methods: PubMed search was conducted for available English literature describing the actual knowledge on congenital and acquired urological disorders determining acute and chronic kidney disease. Prospective and retrospective studies as well as meta-analyses and latest systematic reviews were included. Results: Most of the studies examined and reviewed were discarded for wrong population or intervention or deemed unfit, and only 87 met the inclusion criteria for the review. The studies included in the review related to urological disorders that may determine chronic and acute kidney disease. Conclusion: Some urological diseases, as CAKUT and CALUT, especially in adults, show symptoms, as renal failure, proteinuria and hypertension, very common to other kidney diseases, for this reason, may remain undiagnosed and their prevalence is not completely known. Therefore, in doubtful cases, non-invasive and inexpensive tests, as cystourethrogram, should be made, to rule out urological disorders, and if necessary, ultrasonography, urography and scintigraphy, might allow a correct and early diagnosis of these defects and thus adequate therapy, preventing or at least slowing down an evolution toward CKD and ESRD