Camminare per significare. Riflessioni progettuali sugli incontri nello spazio

Walking is a crucial aspect. It is a cognitive act acquired exclusively through direct experience. The movement of the subject across space deeply affects the project. What role can the act of walking play in the construction of a meaning? This question seeks answers in a central case study: the Filopappo's route, designed by Pikionis, with a close reading of the path made up of encounters and pauses. Starting from observations on spatial sequences, the essay focuses on each step of the design process in which architectural elements shape the time of the experience and provide purpose: suggesting possibilities, inviting to rest or contemplate. Offering not only a formal structure but also a spatial punctuation provided by breaking points. Overcoming the simple geometric aspect, we analyze the perceptive aspects of the environment that predispose the subject and tune it with the atmosphere of the space

Predictive analysis of maxillary canine impaction through sella turcica bridging, ponticulus posticus calcification, and lateral incisor anomalies: a retrospective observational study

Maxillary canine impaction is an increasing dental anomaly and is often related to other dento-skeletal anomalies. The aim of this work is to support the clinician in evaluating the relationship between a displaced maxillary canine and clinical (the features of lateral incisors)/skeletal (ponticulus posticus and sella turcica bridging) anomalies through orthopanoramic radiographs, lateral cephalograms, and plaster casts to identify the parameters that best predict maxillary canine impaction. A retrospective observational study was carried out on the analysis of the medical records, radiographic findings (panoramic radiographs and lateral cephalograms), and plaster casts of 203 orthodontic patients divided into a case group, with at least one impacted maxillary canine, and a control group, without an impaction. A chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the data. A statistically significant association was found between the impaction of the maxillary canine and the female sex, the bridging of the sella turcica, the ponticulus posticus calcification, and the anomaly of the lateral incisor; a logistic regression revealed that these significant variables were found to be positive predictors of impacted maxillary canines, particularly in reference to the impaction in the palatal area. Finding one of these clinical and radiographic elements can represent a predictive sign of the possible impaction of the maxillary canine

COVID-19 in rheumatic diseases in Italy: first results from the Italian registry of the Italian Society for Rheumatology (CONTROL-19)

OBJECTIVES: Italy was one of the first countries significantly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. The Italian Society for Rheumatology promptly launched a retrospective and anonymised data collection to monitor COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), the CONTROL-19 surveillance database, which is part of the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance. METHODS: CONTROL-19 includes patients with RMDs and proven severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) updated until May 3rd 2020. In this analysis, only molecular diagnoses were included. The data collection covered demographic data, medical history (general and RMD-related), treatments and COVID-19 related features, treatments, and outcome. In this paper, we report the first descriptive data from the CONTROL-19 registry. RESULTS: The population of the first 232 patients (36% males) consisted mainly of elderly patients (mean age 62.2 years), who used corticosteroids (51.7%), and suffered from multi-morbidity (median comorbidities 2). Rheumatoid arthritis was the most frequent disease (34.1%), followed by spondyloarthritis (26.3%), connective tissue disease (21.1%) and vasculitis (11.2%). Most cases had an active disease (69.4%). Clinical presentation of COVID-19 was typical, with systemic symptoms (fever and asthenia) and respiratory symptoms. The overall outcome was severe, with high frequencies of hospitalisation (69.8%), respiratory support oxygen (55.7%), non-invasive ventilation (20.9%) or mechanical ventilation (7.5%), and 19% of deaths. Male patients typically manifested a worse prognosis. Immunomodulatory treatments were not significantly associated with an increased risk of intensive care unit admission/mechanical ventilation/death. CONCLUSIONS: Although the report mainly includes the most severe cases, its temporal and spatial trend supports the validity of the national surveillance system. More complete data are being acquired in order to both test the hypothesis that RMD patients may have a different outcome from that of the general population and determine the safety of immunomodulatory treatments

Traduzioni mediterranee. Due interpreti in America Latina tra narrazione e progetto

The essay will develop an investigation on how the Mediterranean imaginary has influenced the cultures which are far away from the original geographical basin. The theme of the patio houses is widely reflected in the contemporary architectural debate, considering the patio as an archetypal element, the core of the mediterranean house that defines and controls nature and frames the landscape. The Latin American case is emblematic. The Latin American culture has always had an affinity with the Mediterranean one. The tools behind the reasoning will move with a double interpretative key: the first one arises from Le Corbusier's influence on Latin American architecture, especially in Brazil. His lessons held in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay and then collected in "Précisions sur un état présent de l'architecture et de l'urbanisme", can be considered as a paradigm of Latin American modernism, with the mixture of new inputs that will show a strong bond with the Mediterranean culture. The second interpretation refers to the years when Gio Ponti conducted on Domus a research on the types and features of the Mediterranean architecture, starting from his projects and the exchanges he had with Bernard Rudofsky. The Mediterranean influence brought and still brings prolific results in the architecture of Latin America, especially in the characteristics that are examined here, and develop continuous reinterpretations that keep this idea of living

Progetto di riuso delle Concerie Riganti, parte del Museo nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia in Roma.

Il progetto è l’esito di un contratto di ricerca stipulato dal Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia (MNETRU) con il Dipartimento di Architettura e Progetto (DiAP) avente per responsabile scientifico il prof. Andrea Grimaldi, con l’obiettivo di sviluppare studi di fattibilità per il recupero della struttura delle ex concerie Riganti in un quadro complessivo di relazioni con la vicina villa Poniatowski e villa Giulia. L’esito della ricerca progettuale ipotizza la possibilità di recuperare come spazio coperto l’intera area della corte dove si immagina di poter realizzare tramite la costruzione di una struttura mista un locale polivalente a tutta altezza illuminato dall’alto e circondato da un percorso anulare che potrebbe svolgere il doppio ruolo di semplice spazio di distribuzione o piccola galleria espositiva. Questo anello dovrebbe contemplare un ulteriore livello con funzione di balconata interna e/o ulteriore spazio espositivo. L’idea architettonica, sostanzialmente introversa nella sua ultima definizione perché tutta contenuta entro l’altezza dei parapetti della terrazza, sviluppa un organismo capace di accogliere diversi scenari d’uso: da quello che ipotizza l’uso articolato e frammentato tra diversi piccoli eventi, alla grande mostra che invade tutti gli ambienti sino all’utilizzo dello spazio come grande sala conferenze, servizio di cui il Museo è in questo momento sprovvisto. Il progetto di ricerca individua anche le modalità di connessione tra i diversi livelli della struttura e prefigura l’esigenza di ridisegnare il corpo scala contenuto nella manica lunga degli antichi essiccatoi. In questa porzione dell’edificio il progetto generale prevede la possibilità di collocare, oltre ad un nucleo di servizi, uno spazio laboratoriale/didattico e soprattutto un ristorante con relative cucine capace di sfruttare al meglio la splendida terrazza che copre gli ambienti sottostanti. Lo spazio della terrazza ha delle incredibili potenzialità e potrebbe prestarsi benissimo come location per grandi eventi estivi, dalle rassegne letterarie agli spettacoli teatrali e/o musicali. Lo spazio inferiore voltato è la parte del progetto maggiormente approfondita in cui si è pensato di lavorare sui sistemi che attrezzano lo spazio e ne consentono la facile allestibilità ed interpretazione estetico figurativa senza stravolgerne i caratteri spaziali e fisico-materici. Cifra estetica fondamentale è quella generata dal sistema della climatizzazione (dispositivi di immissione e di ripresa) che ribattono il passo dei pilastri e vengono uniti da un doppio sistema di binari superiori, funzionali alla interpretazione spaziale degli ambienti. I binari fungono da alimentazione per un sistema d’illuminazione e cablaggio dello spazio nonché da supporto, nella parte inferiore, per dispositivi ostensivi e superfici schermanti con le quali poter immaginare articolazioni sempre diverse degli ambienti e dunque dei possibili allestimenti

The role of ultrasound in the diagnosis and follow-up of large-vessel vasculitis: an update

Large-vessel vasculitides comprise giant cell arteritis and Takayasu's arteritis. In both conditions, early changes consist of transmural inflammation of the arterial wall, while later complications include lumen changes, such as stenoses or aneurysms. Colour Doppler sonography has the ability to depict the arterial wall as well as the lumen, and is therefore ideally suited both to diagnose early vasculitis and to monitor patients over time. In this review article, we addressed the following issues: 1) the role of colour Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of large-vessel vasculitis and its common pitfalls; 2) whether colour Doppler sonography can increase the yield of temporal artery biopsy in giant cell arteritis; 3) the role of colour Doppler sonography in monitoring patients with LVV over time; and 4) how colour Doppler sonography performs compared to other imaging techniques

Is age an additional factor in the treatment of elderly patients with glioblastoma? A new stratification model: an Italian Multicenter Study

Objective: Approximately half of glioblastoma (GBM) cases develop in geriatric patients, and this trend is destined to increase with the aging of the population. The optimal strategy for management of GBM in elderly patients remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the role of surgery in the elderly (≥ 65 years old) based on clinical, molecular, and imaging data routinely available in neurosurgical departments and to assess a prognostic survival score that could be helpful in stratifying the prognosis for elderly GBM patients. Methods: Clinical, radiological, surgical, and molecular data were retrospectively analyzed in 322 patients with GBM from 9 neurosurgical centers. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of survival. A random forest approach (classification and regression tree [CART] analysis) was utilized to create the prognostic survival score. Results: Survival analysis showed that overall survival (OS) was influenced by age as a continuous variable (p = 0.018), MGMT (p = 0.012), extent of resection (EOR; p = 0.002), and preoperative tumor growth pattern (evaluated with the preoperative T1/T2 MRI index; p = 0.002). CART analysis was used to create the prognostic survival score, forming six different survival groups on the basis of tumor volumetric, surgical, and molecular features. Terminal nodes with similar hazard ratios were grouped together to form a final diagram composed of five classes with different OSs (p < 0.0001). EOR was the most robust influencing factor in the algorithm hierarchy, while age appeared at the third node of the CART algorithm. The ability of the prognostic survival score to predict death was determined by a Harrell's c-index of 0.75 (95% CI 0.76-0.81). Conclusions: The CART algorithm provided a promising, thorough, and new clinical prognostic survival score for elderly surgical patients with GBM. The prognostic survival score can be useful to stratify survival risk in elderly GBM patients with different surgical, radiological, and molecular profiles, thus assisting physicians in daily clinical management. The preliminary model, however, requires validation with future prospective investigations. Practical recommendations for clinicians/surgeons would strengthen the quality of the study; e.g., surgery can be considered as a first therapeutic option in the workflow of elderly patients with GBM, especially when the preoperative estimated EOR is greater than 80%