I compiti della scuola. Una ricerca sui "docenti a compiti zero"

The task of the school. A research on "zero homework teachers

A hypothetical therapeutic effect of light peripheral panretinal photocoagulation in neovascular age-related macular degeneration

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a significant modulator of ocular angiogenesis, including that of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF is the benchmark treatment for most retinal vascular diseases, including nAMD, diabetic maculopathy, and macular edema secondary to retinal venous occlusion. Anti-VEGF treatment is a high-frequency, time-consuming, non-cost-effective therapy, especially in countries and regions with limited resources. This treatment is easily restricted, and in practice, maintaining long-term periodic care is challenging for patients. Hypothesis: Light peripheral panretinal photocoagulation (PPRP) is applied in a mild form (barely visible mild light gray mark) anterior to the equator so as not to jeopardize the visual field. PPRP lessens the ischemia that causes neovascularization and decreases the metabolic demand in the peripheral retina. PPRP reduces serum angiopoietin-2 and VEGF levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. We propose using light PPRP to suppress VEGF secretion, aiming to attenuate the VEGF drive and halt choroidal neovascular growth in eyes with nAMD. Our regimen is based on two concepts: first, nAMD is a diffuse or generalized disease that affects the posterior segment; and second, PPRP is very effective in regressing diabetic retinopathy. PPRP has reportedly been successful in cases of macular edema (diabetic or following venous occlusion) resistant to VEGF antagonists. Light PPRP may be used as prophylaxis, adjunctive treatment, or monotherapy in nAMD when intravitreal injections of VEGF antagonists are not feasible. Conclusions: The established light PPRP therapy could be promising as a one-time, cost-effective therapy or prophylaxis in patients with nAMD or at high risk. This proposed modality could be suitable for patients who have injection phobia or prefer a one-time affordable therapy to the long-term monthly visits to retinologists. Future trials are necessary to verify the safety and efficacy of this proposed treatment modality in selected patients with nAMD

Fluorescein Leakage and Optical Coherence Tomography Features of Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Pathologic Myopia

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Observational and Modelling Study of a Major Downburst Event in Liguria : the 14 October 2016 Case

Downbursts are very disruptive weather events that can produce large amounts of damage. The most studied downbursts are those occurring in the United States and continental Europe, but they can happen globally. This work is an observational and modelling analysis of a major downburst event that occurred on 14 October 2016 over eastern Liguria (Italy). This downburst affected an area 30 km long and 10 km wide, producing observed wind gusts of 40 m/s with major impacts to railways, trees, and houses, with more than 2.5 million euros of damage. First, the general environment influencing this downburst is identified and analyzed, then the event is reproduced with a small multi-physics high-resolution ensemble using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-advanced research WRF (ARW) model, with 1 km horizontal grid spacing. The event was poorly predicted beforehand, and the difficulty in forecasting this event is confirmed by the fact that so few ensemble members suggested the occurrence of damaging winds over eastern Liguria. However, one of the eight members performed well and its output helped to reveal the primary mechanisms for the downburst, suggesting that high-resolution ensembles using mixed physics may be a useful tool for improving the prediction of similar extreme events in the Mediterranean region in the future

Association of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa and neuroblastoma in a newborn.

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Practical Management of Retinal Vein Occlusions

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is the second most common cause of visual impairment due to retinal disease after diabetic retinopathy. Nowadays, the introduction of new, powerful diagnostic tools, such as spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and the widespread diffusion of intravitreal drugs, such as vascular endothelial grow factor inhibitors or implantable steroids, have dramatically changed the management and prognosis of RVO. The authors aim to summarize and review the main clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of this condition. The authors conducted a review of the most relevant clinical trials and observational studies published within the last 30 years using a keyword search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Current Contents, and Cochrane Library. Furthermore, for all treatments discussed, the level of evidence supporting its use, as per the US Preventive Task Force Ranking System, is provided

Flavor-Changing Processes in Extended Technicolor

We analyze constraints on a class of extended technicolor (ETC) models from neutral flavor-changing processes induced by (dimension-six) four-fermion operators. The ETC gauge group is taken to commute with the standard-model gauge group. The models in the class are distinguished by how the left- and right-handed $(L,R)$ components of the quarks and charged leptons transform under the ETC group. We consider $K^{0} - \bar K^0$ and other pseudoscalar meson mixings, and conclude that they are adequately suppressed if the $L$ and $R$ components of the relevant quarks are assigned to the same (fundamental or conjugate-fundamental) representation of the ETC group. Models in which the $L$ and $R$ components of the down-type quarks are assigned to relatively conjugate representations, while they can lead to realistic CKM mixing and intra-family mass splittings, do not adequately suppress these mixing processes. We identify an approximate global symmetry that elucidates these behavioral differences and can be used to analyze other possible representation assignments. Flavor-changing decays, involving quarks and/or leptons, are adequately suppressed for any ETC-representation assignment of the $L$ and $R$ components of the quarks, as well as the leptons. We draw lessons for future ETC model building.Comment: 25 page

Evidence for Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment of Diabetic Macular Oedema

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Ranibizumab in the treatment of patients with visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema

Diabetic macular edema is the major cause of visual acuity impairment in diabetic patients. The exact etiopathogenesis is unknown and, currently, grid/focal retinal laser photocoagulation represents the recommended treatment. It has been demonstrated that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic macular edema by mediating vascular permeability and accumulation of intracellular and extracellular fluid, and thereby represents an appealing candidate as a therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetic macular edema. The advent of intravitreal anti-VEGF drugs has opened up a new era for the management of diabetic macular edema. At present, three anti-VEGF substances are available for routine clinical use, ie, pegaptanib, ranibizumab, and bevacizumab. The aim of this review is to summarize the evidence supporting the use of ranibizumab in clinical practice. Most of the studies analyzed in this review are prospective, controlled clinical trials that have focused on documenting the therapeutic effect of ranibizumab and its safety, providing encouraging results