Accounting for Madness: The Real Case dei Matti of Palermo 1824-1860

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the role played by accounting in managing an early nineteenth century lunatic asylum in Palermo, Italy. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is informed by Foucault’s studies of lunatic asylums and his work on governmentality which gave prominence to the role of statistics, the “science of the State”. Findings:This paper identifies a number of roles played by accounting in the management of the lunatic asylum studied. Most importantly, information which formed the basis of accounting reports was used to describe, classify and give visibility and measurability to the “deviance” of the insane. It also legitimated the role played by lunatic asylums, as entrusted to them in post-Napoleonic early nineteenth century society, and was a tool to mediate with the public authorities to provide adequate resources for the institution to operate. Research limitations/implications: This paper encourages accounting scholars to engage more widely with socio-historical research that will encompass organisations such as lunatic asylums. Originality/value: This paper provides, for the first time, a case of accounting applied to a lunatic asylum from a socio-historical perspective

Three-dimensional anthropometric database of attractive caucasian women: Standards and comparisons

The aim of this paper is to develop a database to determine a new biomorphometric standard of attractiveness. Sampling was carried out using noninvasive three-dimensional relief methods to measure the soft tissues of the face. These anthropometric measurements were analyzed to verify the existence of any canons with respect to shape, size, and measurement proportions which proved to be significant with regard to the aesthetics of the face. Finally, the anthropometric parameters obtained were compared with findings described in the international literature. The study sample was made up competitors in the Miss Italy 2010 and 2009 beauty contest. The three-dimensional (3D) scanning of soft tissue surfaces allowed 3D digital models of the faces and the spatial 3D coordinates of 25 anthropometric landmarks to be obtained and used to calculate linear and angular measurements. A paired Student t test for the analysis of the means allowed 3 key questions in the study of biomorphometric parameters of the face to be addressed through comparison with the data available in the literature. The question of statistical evidence for the samples analyzed being members of the populations samples reported in literature was also addressed. The critical analysis of the data helped to identify the anthropometric measurements of the upper, middle, and lower thirds of the face, variations in which have a major influence on the attractiveness of the face. These changes involve facial width, height, and depth. Changes in measurements of length, angles, and proportions found in the sample considered were also analyzed

The accuracy of burn depth diagnosis: Clinical assessment before and after enzymatic debridement

Abstract Introduction The most common technique used to determine burn depth is clinical assessment by experienced burn surgeons, although this has been shown to be reliable in only 60–75% of the cases. Overestimation of burn depth may result in needles surgery, while burn depth underestimation can led to an increased length of stay in the hospital, risk of contracture and hypertrophic scar formation. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical evaluation of burn depth before and after enzymatic debridement with Nexobrid®. Methods The study model was retrospective. 69 patient records were collected at our burn units, from Jan 2018 to Jan 2019. Each target wound was directly assessed by a single expert physician before and after enzymatic debridement. It was investigated whether the expert, by single wound, would have indicated the need for skin grafts before treatment with Nexobrid® and after treatment. Results Prior to treatment with Nexobrid®, the expert physician assessed that a graft was necessary for 47/69 patients (68.1%). Following debridement, the same expert deemed that the patients needing a graft were 19/69 (27.5%); analysing K-agreement, a 40.6% discrepancy between the pre and post-treatment opinion with Nexobrid® was observed. Discussion The use of Nexobrid® enzymatic debridement can positively affect burn depth clinical assessment, increasing its specificity and sensitivity, without any need for delay. This can lead to a significant change in clinical practice, minimizing the use of surgery, therefore increasing quality and precision of the reconstructive phase

An engineered escherichia coli strain with synthetic metabolism for in‐cell production of translationally active methionine derivatives

In the last decades, it has become clear that the canonical amino acid repertoire codified by the universal genetic code is not up to the needs of emerging biotechnologies. For this reason, extensive genetic code re‐engineering is essential to expand the scope of ribosomal protein translation, leading to reprogrammed microbial cells equipped with an alternative biochemical alphabet to be exploited as potential factories for biotechnological purposes. The prerequisite for this to happen is a continuous intracellular supply of noncanonical amino acids through synthetic metabolism from simple and cheap precursors. We have engineered an Escherichia coli bacterial system that fulfills these requirements through reconfiguration of the methionine biosynthetic pathway and the introduction of an exogenous direct trans‐sulfuration pathway. Our metabolic scheme operates in vivo, rescuing intermediates from core cell metabolism and combining them with small bio‐orthogonal compounds. Our reprogrammed E. coli strain is capable of the in‐cell production of L‐azidohomoalanine, which is directly incorporated into proteins in response to methionine codons. We thereby constructed a prototype suitable for economic, versatile, green sustainable chemistry, pushing towards enzyme chemistry and biotechnology‐based production

Mamíferos del Delta del Paraná

El Delta del Paraná presenta una gran heterogeneidad ambiental. Los factores relevantes en la geomorfología de la región están relacionados a la actividad fluvial actual y a procesos de ingresión y regresión marinos ocurridos durante el Holoceno. Estas particularidades geomorfológicas, sumadas a las características climáticas y al efecto de corredor biológico de los grandes ríos que confluyen en la región, explican la gran diversidad de flora y fauna, tanto de origen templado como subtropical (Udrizar Sauthier et al., 2005). En el área convergen distintas formaciones boscosas y comunidades higrófilas típicas de las provincias fitogeográficas paranaense, pampeana y del espinal (Cabrera, 1976). Sin embargo, debido a la génesis relativamente reciente de las islas, a sus patrones de paisaje y a la escasa presencia de barreras geográficas para la dispersión de la fauna, la región casi no presenta endemismos. Por el contrario, el elenco de especies está conformado por representantes de áreas chaqueñas, paranaenses y pampeanas (Quintana et al., 2002). Actualmente los ecosistemas originales se encuentran en gran parte alterados o modificados por la acción del hombre.Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet

Resolving the Circumstellar Disk Around the Massive Protostar Driving the HH 80-81 Jet

We present new high-angular resolution observations toward the driving source of the HH 80-81 jet (IRAS 18162-2048). Continuum emission was observed with the Very Large Array at 7 mm and 1.3 cm, and with the Submillimeter Array at 860 microns, with angular resolutions of ~0"1 and ~0"8 respectively. Submillimeter observations of the sulfur oxide (SO) molecule are reported as well. At 1.3 cm the emission traces the well-known radio jet, while at 7 mm the continuum morphology is quadrupolar and seems to be produced by a combination of free-free and dust emission. An elongated structure perpendicular to the jet remains in the 7 mm image after subtraction of the free-free contribution. This structure is interpreted as a compact accretion disk of ~200 AU radius. Our interpretation is favored by the presence of rotation in our SO observations observed at larger scales. The observations presented here add to the small list of cases where the hundred-AU scale emission from a circumstellar disk around a massive protostar has been resolved.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of p97 Including Covalent, Allosteric and ATP-Competitive Inhibitors

Binary (nucleotide-protein dimer and hexamer complexes) and ternary (nucleotide-protein-inhibitor complexes) p97 complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics simulations in an attempt to further our understanding of the p97 protein oligomer domain stability and, more importantly, of the recently reported diverse molecular mechanisms of inhibition including allosteric, ATP-competitive and covalent inhibitors. Analysis of stable states following equilibration phases indicated a higher intrinsic stability of the homohexamer as opposed to the dimer, and of N-D1 domains as opposed to the D2 domain. The molecular dynamics of the proposed allosteric binding model reproduced important molecular interactions identified experimentally with high frequency throughout the trajectory. Observed conformational changes occurring in the D2 nucleotide binding site provided a novel bind-rearrange-react hypothesis of stepwise molecular events involved in the specific covalent inhibitor mode of action

Italian recommendations on enzymatic debridement in burn surgery.

Abstract Introduction Nexobrid®, a bromelain-based type of enzymatic debridement, has become more prevalent in recent years. We present the recommendations on enzymatic debridement (Nexobrid®)'s role based on the practice knowledge of expert Italian users. Methods The Italian recommendations, endorsed by SIUST (Italian Society of Burn Surgery), on using enzymatic debridement to remove eschars for burn treatment were defined. The definition followed a process to evaluate the level of agreement (a measure of consensus) among selected experts, representing Italian burn centers, concerning defined clinical aspects of enzymatic debridement. The consensus involved a multi-phase process based on the Delphi method. Results The consensus panel included experts from Italy with a combined experience of 1068 burn patients treated with enzymatic debridement. At the end of round 3 of the Delphi method, the panel reached 100% consensus on 26 out of 27 statements. The panel achieved full, strong consensus (all respondents strongly agreed on the statement) on 24 out of 27 statements. Discussion The statements provided by the Italian consensus panel represent a "ready to use" set of recommendations for enzymatic debridement in burn surgery that both draw from and complete the existing scientific literature on the topic. These recommendations are specific to the Italian experience and are neither static nor definitive. As such, they will be updated periodically as further quality evidence becomes available

How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons

COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p < 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p < 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p < 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p < 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice