Competence Centre ICDI per Open Science, FAIR, ed EOSC - Mission, Strategia e piano d'azione

This document presents the mission and strategy of the Italian Competence Centre on Open Science, FAIR, and EOSC. The Competence Centre is an initiative born within the Italian Computing and Data Infrastructure (ICDI), a forum created by representatives of major Italian Research Infrastructures and e-Infrastructures, with the aim of promoting sinergies at the national level, and optimising the Italian participation to European and global challenges in this field, including the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), the European Data Infrastructure (EDI) and HPC. This working paper depicts the mission and objectives of the ICDI Competence Centre, a network of experts with various skills and competences that are supporting the national stakeholders on topics related to Open Science, FAIR principles application and participation to the EOSC. The different actors and roles are described in the document as well as the activities and services offered, and the added value each stakeholder can find the in Competence Centre. The tools and services provided, in particular the concept for the portal, though which the Centre will connect to the national landscape and users, are also presented

Empirical Investigation on Knowledge Packaging supporting Risk Management in Software Processes

Project risks management is a non trivial task based on manager experience and knowledge collected in past executed projects. The larger the project manager experience and the available enterprise risk knowledge, the better the enterprise ability in risk management will be. For this reason the scientific community has focused its attention on the identification of methods, tools, and techniques for formalizing experience and know-how and making it available for other projects. In this sense, the authors have already presented a Risk Knowledge Package [1] for managing risk knowledge during software process execution. The work here proposed represents the continuation of such studies. In particular, an empirical investigation in industrial field has been carried out. Such investigation, based on legacy projects of EDS Italia Software SpA, aims at validating the effectiveness and the precision of the proposed approach. The results obtained encourage and stimulate further investigations in different software contexts

Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction Caused by Duodenal Cervix Metastasis in a Young Woman: Rendezvous Technique

Background: Malignant gastric outlet obstruction (MGOD) is an extremely rare expression of advanced extra-gastrointestinal cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix, and only sixcases are described in the literature.Because of the short life expectancyand the high surgical risk involving these patients, less invasive approaches have been developed over time, such asthe use of an enteral stent or less invasive surgical techniques (i.e., laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy). However, MGOD could make it difficult to perform an endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) for standard endoscopic drainage, so in this case a combined endoscopic-percutaneous technique may be performed. This article, therefore, aims to highlight the presence in the doctor’s armamentarium of the “rendezvous technique”, few case reports of whichare described in the literature, and, moreover, this article aims to underline the technique’sfeasibility. Case Presentation: The case is that of a 38-year-old woman who presented with MGOD three years after the diagnosis of SCC of the cervix, who successfully underwent the rendezvous technique with the resolution of duodenal obstruction. Endoscopic enteral stenting treatment with the placement of a metal stent (SEMSs) represents the mainstay of MGOD treatment compared withsurgery due to its lower morbidity, mortality, shorter hospitalization and earlier symptom relief. However, in patients with both duodenal and biliary obstruction, a combined endoscopic–percutaneous approach may be necessary because of the difficulty in passing the duodenal stricture or in accessing the papilla through the mesh of the duodenal SEMS. Conclusion: The rendezvous procedure is a technicallyfeasible and minimally invasive approach to the double stenting of biliary and duodenal strictures. It achieves the desired therapeutic result while avoiding the need to perform more invasive procedures that could have a negative impact on the patient’sprognosis

Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Small Bowel Obstruction

Introduction: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common presentation to the Emergency Department (ED). This study aimed to analyze the accuracy of ultrasound (US) in diagnosing and staging SBO. Objectives: The main object of this study was to analyze the accuracy of ultrasound in diagnosing and staging SBO compared to CT. Methods: Retrospectively, stable patients with an ultrasonographic diagnosis of SBO who underwent abdominal CT immediately after US and before receiving naso-intestinal decompression, were included. US criteria for the diagnosis of SBO were related to morphological and functional findings. US diagnosis of obstruction was made if fluid-filled dilated small bowel loops were detected, peristalsis was abnormal and parietal abnormalities were present. Morphologic and functional sonographic findings were assigned to three categories: simple SBO, compensated SBO and decompensated SBO. US findings were compared with the results of CT examinations: Morphologic CT findings (divided into loop, vascular, mesenteric and peritoneal signs) allowed the classification of SBO in simple, decompensated and complicated. Results: US diagnostic accuracy rates in relation to CT results were calculated: ultrasound compared to CT imaging, had a sensitivity of 92.31% (95% CI, 74.87% to 99.05%) and a specificity of 94.12% (95% CI, 71.31% to 99.85%) in the diagnosis of SBO. Conclusions: This study, similarly to the existing literature, suggests that ultrasound is highly accurate in the diagnosis of SBO, and that the most valuable sonographic signs are the presence of dilated bowel loops ad abnormal peristalsis

L'evoluzione del concetto di città: il passaggio dalla città moderna alla Città Metropolitana

L'Evoluzione del concetto di città; il passaggio dalla città moderna alla città metropolitan

Anorectal and Genital Mucosal Melanoma: Diagnostic Challenges, Current Knowledge and Therapeutic Opportunities of Rare Melanomas

Mucosal melanomas (MM) are rare tumors, being less than 2% of all diagnosed melanomas, comprising a variegated group of malignancies arising from melanocytes in virtually all mucosal epithelia, even if more frequently found in oral and sino-nasal cavities, ano-rectum and female genitalia (vulva and vagina). To date, there is no consensus about the optimal management strategy of MM. Furthermore, the clinical rationale of molecular tumor characterization regarding BRAF, KIT or NRAS, as well as the therapeutic value of immunotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy, has not yet been deeply explored and clearly established in MM. In this overview, focused on anorectal and genital MM as models of rare melanomas deserving of a multidisciplinary approach, we highlight the need of referring these patients to centers with experts in melanoma, anorectal and uro-genital cancers treatments. Taking into account the rarity, the poor outcomes and the lack of effective treatment options for MM, tailored research needs to be promptly promoted

Fractures around Trochanteric Nails: The “Vergilius Classification System”

Introduction. The fractures that occurred around trochanteric nails (perinail fractures, PNFs) are becoming a huge challenge for the orthopaedic surgeon. Although presenting some specific critical issues (i.e., patients’ outcomes and treatment strategies), these fractures are commonly described within peri-implant ones and their treatment was based on periprosthetic fracture recommendations. The knowledge gap about PNFs leads us to convene a research group with the aim to propose a specific classification system to guide the orthopaedic surgeon in the management of these fractures. Materials and Methods. A steering committee, identified by two Italian associations of orthopaedic surgeons, conducted a comprehensive literature review on PNFs to identify the unmet needs about this topic. Subsequently, a panel of experts was involved in a consensus meeting proposing a specific classification system and formulated treatment statements for PNFs. Results and Discussion. The research group considered four PNF main characteristics for the classification proposal: (1) fracture localization, (2) fracture morphology, (3) fracture fragmentation, and (3) healing status of the previous fracture. An alphanumeric code was included to identify each characteristic, allowing to describe up to 54 categories of PNFs, using a 3- to 4-digit code. The proposal of the consensus-based classification reporting the most relevant aspects for PNF treatment might be a useful tool to guide the orthopaedic surgeon in the appropriate management of these fractures

[Optimizing the care management pathway of patients with ischemia and non-obstructive coronary arteries]

Ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) is defined by the coexistence of anginal symptoms and demonstrable ischemia, with no evidence of obstructive coronary arteries. The underlying mechanism of INOCA is coronary microvascular dysfunction with or without associated vasospasm. INOCA patients have recurrent symptoms, functional limitations, repeated access to the emergency department, impaired quality of life and a higher incidence of cardiovascular events than the general population. Although well described in chronic coronary syndrome guidelines, INOCA remains underdiagnosed in clinical practice because of insufficient awareness, lack of accurate diagnostic tools, and poorly standardized and consistent definitions to diagnose, both invasively and non-invasively, coronary microvascular dysfunction.To disseminate current scientific evidence on INOCA as a distinct clinical entity, during 2022 we conducted at 30 cardiology units all over the country a clinical practice improvement initiative, with the aim of developing uniform and shared management pathways for INOCA patients across different operational settings. The present document highlights the outcomes of this multidisciplinary initiative