Un indice per misurare la accessibilità di prossimità

IAPI (Inclusive Accessibiity by Proximity Index) misura, in ambiente GIS, l'accessibilità a servizi essenziali a partire dalle condizioni che favoriscono/sfavoriscono la pedonalità, la ciclabilità e le interazioni sociali a scala di quartiere. La sua sperimentazione in Bologna ha permesso sia di mappare la qualità dei percorsi ciclo-pedonali, sia di valutare l’accessibilità via mobilità attiva a servizi di quartiere, sia di valutare l’effetto di interventi puntuali di pedonalizzazione sulla qualità dei percorsi e degli spazi pubblici. Grazie alla facilità di calcolo, alla trasferibilità dell’approccio connessa all’uso di dati open source e alle opportunità di aggiornamento degli indicatori e dei coefficienti utilizzati, IAPI può contribuire alla costruzione di politiche multi-settore, a diverse scale

Un indice per misurare la accessibilità di prossimità

IAPI (Inclusive Accessibiity by Proximity Index) misura, in ambiente GIS, l'accessibilità a servizi essenziali a partire dalle condizioni che favoriscono/sfavoriscono la pedonalità, la ciclabilità e le interazioni sociali a scala di quartiere. La sua sperimentazione in Bologna ha permesso sia di mappare la qualità dei percorsi ciclo-pedonali, sia di valutare l’accessibilità via mobilità attiva a servizi di quartiere, sia di valutare l’effetto di interventi puntuali di pedonalizzazione sulla qualità dei percorsi e degli spazi pubblici. Grazie alla facilità di calcolo, alla trasferibilità dell’approccio connessa all’uso di dati open source e alle opportunità di aggiornamento degli indicatori e dei coefficienti utilizzati, IAPI può contribuire alla costruzione di politiche multi-settore, a diverse scale

Mobilità & Città. Verso una post-car city.

La necessità del cambiamento di paradigma della mobilità nelle nostre città verso un modello meno dipendente dall’uso dell’auto è stato definito post-car city. Il libro, che raccoglie contributi di studiosi di numerose università italiane, restituisce un quadro di misure avviate per traguardare tale modello, valutarne la significatività rispetto alle diverse condizioni insediative e la applicabilità rispetto al quadro normativo di riferimento. Il Rapporto offre tre prospettive di dibattito: si interroga sull’efficacia e trasferibilità di modelli di integrazione trasporto e usi del suolo come i Transit Oriented Development e le politiche per sostenere la accessibilità di prossimità; discute del ruolo delle innovazioni tecnologiche e digitali e delle implicazioni socio-economiche e spaziali della loro diffusione e, infine, si confronta con le necessarie innovazioni normative per perseguire la transizione

Synthesis of new bis[1-(thiophenyl)propynones] as potential organic dyes for colorless luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs)

New luminophores having different aryl nuclei and propynones moieties have been obtained via Sonogashira reactions. Their optical properties were evaluated and indicated that carbonyl groups are responsible for significant bathochromic effects and high Stokes shifts. The insertion of -OMe groups on the central benzene unit gives to the fluorophore high optical efficiency (7.7%) when homogeneously dispersed in a poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate) (PCMA) film and connected to a PV cell

Three-dimensional comparison of the maxillary surfaces through ICP-Type algorithm: accuracy evaluation of CAD/CAM technologies in orthognathic surgery

Purpose: This retrospective study aims to compare the accuracy of two different CAD/CAM systems in orthognathic surgery. The novelty of this work lies in the method of evaluating the accuracy, i.e., using an Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm, which matches a pair of 2D or 3D point clouds with unknown dependencies of the transition from scan s(k) to scan s(k+1). Methods: The study population was composed of ten patients who presented to the Maxillofacial Surgery Department of the University “Sapienza” of Rome for the evaluation and management of skeletal malocclusions. The patients were divided into two groups, depending on the technique used: group 1: splintless group (custom-made cutting guide and plates); group 2: splint group (using a 3D-printed splint). STL files were imported into Geomagic® Control X™ software, which allows for comparison and analysis using an ICP algorithm. The RMSE parameter (3D error) was used to calculate the accuracy. In addition, data were compared in two different patient subgroups. The first subgroup only underwent a monobloc Le Fort I osteotomy (p-value = 0.02), and the second subgroup underwent a Le Fort I osteotomy associated with a segmental osteotomy of the maxilla (p-value = 0.23). Results: Group 1 showed a 3D error of 1.22 mm ± SD 0.456, while group 2 showed a 3D error of 1.63 mm ± SD 0.303. These results have allowed us to compare the accuracy of the two CAD/CAM systems (p-value = 0.09). Conclusions: The ICP algorithm provided a reproducible method of comparison. The splintless method would seem more accurate (p-value = 0.02) in transferring the surgical programming into the operating room when only a Le Fort I osteotomy is to be performed

The expression and the nuclear activity of the caretaker gene Ku86 are modulated by somatostatin

Somatostatin is a peptide hormone that exerts antisecretory and antiproliferative activities on some human tumors. The Ku70/86 heterodimer acts as regulatory subunit of the DNA dependent protein kinase and its DNA binding activity mediates DNA double strands breaks repair that is crucial to maintain the genetic integrity of the genome. The activation of the heterodimer regulates cell cycle progression and the activity of nuclear transcription factors involved in DNA replication and cell proliferation. Moreover Ku86 behaves as a receptor for the growth inhibitory tetradecapeptide, somatostatin. Herein we report that somatostatin treatment to a colon carcinoma cell line (Caco-2) inhibits cell growth and, at same time, strongly modulates the activation of Ku70/86 heterodimer and the levels of Ku86 in the nucleus by increasing its specific mRNA level. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that somatostatin controls cell cycle progression and DNA repair through a new signalling pathway that involves the regulation of Ku86 level and modulates the Ku70/86 activity in the nucleus

TITLE: Looking for surface faulting ancestors of the L’Aquila April 6, 2009 event: preliminary paleoseismological data and seismic hazard implications

The occurrence of the Mw 6.3, April 6, 2009 earthquake has highlighted how critical is the knowledge of the location and of the characteristics of the active faults in a seismic region. This is true not only as a contribution to the seismic hazard assessment but also for the local planning of residential areas, plants and infrastructures. The 2009 earthquake occurred on the Paganica normal fault (PF hereinafter) and produced 3 km-long, maximum 0.1 m-high surface rupture along its central section, and secondary slip along nearby tectonic structures. The PF consists of a prominent morphologic scarp formed by the tectonic juxtaposition of Pliocene-middle Pleistocene and late Pleistocene alluvial deposits, and by lower scarps in late Pleistocene-Holocene deposits. The fault, NW-SE striking and SW dipping, runs for a total length of about 20 km along the NE side of the Aterno River valley, a graben-type basin bounded by marked antithetic faults. The limited extent and the small throw of the 2009 surface ruptures, when compared to the size of the Paganica long-term fault scarp, suggest that the PF probably experienced larger Magnitude earthquakes than the 2009 seismic event. Thus, although the April 6, 2009 earthquake and associated surface faulting caused loss of lives and major damage, we believe that this event does not fully characterize the seismic hazard of the area. Therefore, a campaign of paleoseismological investigations is underway with the aim of defining the Max Magnitude, the average rate of displacement and the frequency of seismic events on the PF and on the nearby faults. An amazing “coseismic” trench, caved by the overpressure produced by the broken pipe of an aqueduct, provided the exposure of a 30-m wide fault zone of the PF. We show the preliminary results from the analysis of this site, as well as from other sites along the PF. In addition, we also present preliminary paleoseismological data from the antithetic Fossa fault. A major finding at this early stage of our field campaign is the recognition of large displacements (0.5 to 1 m) associated to individual events affecting deposits of Holocene age based on radiocarbon dating and pottery content

REGIONAL MAPPING OF MYOCARDIAL HIBERNATION PHENOTYPE IN IDIOPATHIC END-STAGE DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY

Myocardial hibernation (MH) is a well-known feature of human ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), whereas its presence in human idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is still controversial. We investigated the histological and molecular features of MH in left ventricle (LV) regions of failing DCM or ICM hearts. We examined failing hearts from DCM (n = 11; 41.9 ± 5.45 years; left ventricle-ejection fraction (LV-EF), 18 ± 3.16%) and ICM patients (n = 12; 58.08 ± 1.7 years; LVEF, 21.5 ± 6.08%) undergoing cardiac transplantation, and normal donor hearts (N, n = 8). LV inter-ventricular septum (IVS) and antero-lateral free wall (FW) were transmurally (i.e. sub-epicardial, mesocardial and sub-endocardial layers) analysed. LV glycogen content was shown to be increased in both DCM and ICM as compared with N hearts (P < 0.001), with a U-shaped transmural distribution (lower values in mesocardium). Capillary density was homogenously reduced in both DCM and ICM as compared with N (P < 0.05 versus N), with a lower decrease independent of the extent of fibrosis in sub-endocardial and sub-epicardial layers of DCM as compared with ICM. HIF1-α and nestin, recognized ischaemic molecular hallmarks, were similarly expressed in DCM-LV and ICM-LV myocardium. The proteomic profile was overlapping by ~50% in DCM and ICM groups. Morphological and molecular features of MH were detected in end-stage ICM as well as in end-stage DCM LV, despite epicardial coronary artery patency and lower fibrosis in DCM hearts. Unravelling the presence of MH in the absence of coronary stenosis may be helpful to design a novel approach in the clinical management of DCM

Have There Been any Changes in the Epidemiology and Etiology of Maxillofacial Trauma During the COVID-19 Pandemic? An Italian Multicenter Study

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a significant impact on people's behavior. The aim of this study has been to evaluate how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has impacted the incidence and the features of maxillofacial fractures presented at 6 Italian tertiary centers. Clinical records of all the patients diagnosed for facial fractures between February 23 and May 23, 2019 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Any differences in patient number and characteristics and fracture etiology and site between the 2 groups were then statistically analyzed.There has been a 69.1% decrease in the number of incoming patients during the pandemic. The number of foreign patients has decreased significantly (23.3% versus 9.6%, P\u200a=\u200a0.011) while the average age has increased (38.6 versus 45.6 years old, P\u200a=\u200a0.01). Specific statistical significant differences for accidental falls (31.8% versus 50.1%, P\u200a=\u200a0.005) and sports injuries (16.9% versus 1.4%, P\u200a&lt;\u200a0.001) were found. Concerning fracture sites, significant differences have been found in relation to nasal (22.5% versus 11.4%, P\u200a=\u200a0.009) and frontal sinus (0.9% versus 4.4%, P\u200a=\u200a0.037) fractures. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has significantly changed the epidemiology and the etiology of facial traumas