Compatible reuse of the single hall churches in Catania (IT): thinking and proposals

[EN] Summarizing the most recent studies about scientific approaches to the theme of building reuse, we propose a metadesign strategy applied to the single hall churches in Catania’s historic centre. We have performed a census and analyses on them from a morphological, technical and thermo-physical point of view. We also conducted an analysis of the urban settlement system in which these historic buildings are located, in order to verify compatibility with the "new" potential uses. However, a critical issue emerges regarding the possibility to standardize the decision-making processes involving historic buildings with a high cultural relevance.This study proposes a meta-approach to the problem of compatible reuse, looking at the specificity of disused or little used religious buildings. After making a short state of art, a cataloging and expeditious anamnesis, we have analysed a framework of needs that would consider the settlement demands in the urban context of Catania. We performed, at the end, an assessment of compatibility of reuse that satisfies the historic building safeguard, the reversibility of possible action and the requirements of the new undertaken functions.The present research has been financed thanks to the COREC project, 2016-2018 research plan of the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania.Lo Faro, A.; Mondello, A.; Salemi, A. (2018). Compatible reuse of the single hall churches in Catania (IT): thinking and proposals. VITRUVIO - International Journal of Architectural Technology and Sustainability. 3(2):37-53. doi:10.4995/vitruvio-ijats.2018.11008SWORD375332Alabiso A., Campi M., Di Luggo A. (2016) Il patrimonio architettonico ecclesiastico di Napoli. Forme e spazi ritrovati. Artstudio Paparo, Napoli.Caterina G., De Joanna P. (2007). Il Real Albergo de' Poveri in Napoli. La conoscenza del costruito per la strategia di riuso. 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The still under-investigated role of cognitive deficits in PML diagnosis

Background: Despite cognitive deficits frequently represent the first clinical manifestations of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) in Natalizumab-treated MS patients, the importance of cognitive deficits in PML diagnosis is still under-investigated. The aim of the current study is to investigate the cognitive deficits at PML diagnosis in a group of Italian patients with PML. Methods: Thirty-four PML patients were included in the study. The demographic and clinical data, the lesion load and localization, and the longitudinal clinical course was compared between patients with (n = 13) and without (n = 15) cognitive deficit upon PML suspicion (the remaining six patients were asymptomatic). Clinical presentation of cognitive symptoms was described in detail. Result: After symptoms detection, the time to diagnosis resulted to be shorter for patients presenting with cognitive than for patients with non cognitive onset (p = 0.03). Within patients with cognitive onset, six patients were presenting with language and/or reading difficulties (46.15%); five patients with memory difficulties (38.4%); three patients with apraxia (23.1%); two patients with disorientation (15.3%); two patients with neglect (15.3%); one patients with object agnosia (7.7%), one patient with perseveration (7.7%) and one patient with dementia (7.7%). Frontal lesions were less frequent (p = 0.03), whereas temporal lesions were slightly more frequent (p = 0.06) in patients with cognitive deficits. The longitudinal PML course seemed to be more severe in cognitive than in non cognitive patients (F = 2.73, p = 0.03), but differences disappeared (F = 1.24, p = 0.29) when balancing for the incidence of immune reconstitution syndrome and for other treatments for PML (steroids, plasma exchange (PLEX) and other therapies (Mefloquine, Mirtazapine, Maraviroc). Conclusion: Cognitive deficits at PML onset manifest with symptoms which are absolutely rare in MS. Their appearance in MS patients should strongly suggest PML. Clinicians should be sensitive to the importance of formal neuropsychological evaluation, with particular focus on executive function, which are not easily detected without a formal assessment

Supplement: "Localization and broadband follow-up of the gravitational-wave transient GW150914" (2016, ApJL, 826, L13)

This Supplement provides supporting material for Abbott et al. (2016a). We briefly summarize past electromagnetic (EM) follow-up efforts as well as the organization and policy of the current EM follow-up program. We compare the four probability sky maps produced for the gravitational-wave transient GW150914, and provide additional details of the EM follow-up observations that were performed in the different bands

Metadesign strategies for compatible reuse: the case of the single hall churches in Catania

this study proposes a meta-approach to the problem of campatible reuse, applied in Catania to the brotherhoods single hall churches, often underused or disused. after making a cataloguing and expeditious anamnesis, we have analysed a framework of needs that would consider the settlement ones in the urban context. having inserted the data collection in the system, we performed an assessment of compatibility of resue that satisfies the historic building protection, the reversibility of possibile action, and the requirements of new undertaken functions

A Methodology for an Integrated Approach for Seismic and Energy Refurbishment of Historic Buildings in Mediterranean Area

Energy savings and seismic risk mitigation are the main issues regarding the refurbishment of traditional buildings. Referring to historic buildings, we have to take into account, as design requirements, the cultural sustainability, which means the respects of the cultural value of the built heritage. Therefore, for historic buildings is not acceptable to adopt the conventional design choices applied to newer buildings on energy efficiency and seismic risk mitigation. Generally, the design on the built heritage requires a careful cognitive phase for firstly to identify the performance deficits and subsequently to define which actions are compatible with the cultural value of each building, according to a “case by case” approach. In Italy, specific guidelines have been elaborated on cultural heritage but such guidelines are not integrated into a single methodological process. This paper, through the study of two historic buildings, aims to identify the relationship between the two specialisms, seismic and energy, within an integrated approach. As a result, this study proposes an innovation process characterized by the integration of these two protocols within the cognitive phase and, especially in the pre-diagnosis phase; this phase is identified in the standard diagnosis (Energy approach) and in the LV2 knowledge (Seismic empirical approach)

The "Stay at home" COVID-19 lockdown restriction may have prevented asthma exacerbations in children affected by pollen allergy: a single center experience

The "Stay at home" COVID-19 lockdown restriction represented a "real-life experiment" of pollen avoidance for children affected by pollen allergy

Migraine and Sport in a Physically Active Population of Students: Results of a Cross‐Sectional Study

Abstract Objective: In this study, we explored the relationship between migraine and sport in a physically active population of students, analyzing the risk of migraine among sporty students. Background: The relationship between sport and migraine is controversial; moreover, several studies report on sport as a migraine trigger, but there is evidence that physical activity could have a relevant role in migraine prevention. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the validated ID-migraine questionnaire including specific demo-anthropometric (gender, age, weight, height) and sports variables on a potentially active student population of the University of Palermo. Evaluation in putative migraine subjects of clinical features and disability was explored through the administration of the Italian version of the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using univariate and logistic regression analyses. Results: Three hundred and ninety-three out of 520 students (210 F, mean age: 23.5 ± 0.7 years; 183 M; mean age: 20.5 ± 0.7 years) participated in this study. Migraine screened positive in 102 subjects (26.0%) and its prevalence was significantly higher among females (P < .001). An increased risk of migraine was found in females, and a protective effect of sport on the risk of migraine among females, but not among males. Conclusions: The role of exercise in migraine is still unclear. This study supports a protective role of sport in migraine reporting a protective effect in females. Further studies are needed to deepen the association between sport and migraine