Nuove tecnologie, fede e formazione dell’umano

In the complex and problematic context of the contemporary Society, in the time of the digital revolution, of the Mobile Learning and of the crisis of the conventional paradigms of the mass societies, the present study shows how only an innovative and multidisciplinary research, – capable of both, observing and interpreting the reality as well as of consolidating a pedagogic model open to the inter-culture and to the dialogue with the faith and the ethics –, allows the world of the culture to reappropriate of the scientific, pedagogic, ethic and linguistic contents that are necessary for the integral formation of the ‘human being’. Interesting and worthy of consideration appears the contribution offered by the Catholic Faith since the times of the Council V atican II until to the current digital era. Such a contribution was made possible thanks to the support of the new technologies that are utilized with the objective of proposing to the contemporary man a moral culture without which the integral education of the ‘human being’ is not possible

Pedagogia empatica, inclusione e nuove tecnologie: Riflessioni su un progetto integrato di accoglienza scolastica per alunni ucraini

In un mondo profondamente lacerato da nuove forme di nazionalismo, autoritarismo, imperialismo, solipsismo, divisioni, incomprensioni e conflitti, non ultimo quello tra Russia e Ucraina, che sta generando una catena ininterrotta di odio, distruzione, abbandono di case e affetti, con sofferenze inenarrabili e inconsolabili, ha senso tornare a riflettere su due compiti primari e inalienabili che la storia attuale consegna alla pedagogia: la ri-costruzione della pace nel cuore dell’uomo e l’accensione della speranza in un futuro migliore.  Today's world appears to be deeply torn apart by new forms of imperialism, authoritarianism, nationalism, solipsism, divisions, misunderstandings and conflicts, not least the one between Russia and Ukraine. This conflict is generating an unbroken chain of hatred, destruction, abandonment of homes and loved ones, with untold and inconsolable suffering. For this reason, it makes sense to return to reflect on two primary and inalienable tasks that current history entrusts to pedagogy: the rebuilding of peace in the human heart and the igniting of hope in a better future.

Paideia delle virtù e antropologia cristiana: un incipit per riformare pensiero ed educazione

The numbness and emotional consciousness in front of the evil and suffering produced by a more widespread «communication spectacularized» pose questions and urge to intervene critically in reflection on interpersonal communication and media, to stem as much as possible some tendencies of contemporary culture. This contribution aims to cross transversely knowledge, tradition, and some socio-cultural productions of man (in particular Philosophyand Religion) to identify some critical points, which can be useful in the pedagogical debate. It also pursues the purpose of inspiring a new educational and existential practice in which the progressive development of a more authentically human being is experienced in everyday life of teachers and pupils and can find a new incarnation in different ways and forms of communication

The prognostic value of 123I-mIBG SPECT cardiac imaging in heart failure patients: a systematic review

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Iodine123 Metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-mIBG) SPECT myocardial imaging in patients with heart failure (HF) and to assess whether semi-quantitative SPECT scores can be useful for accurate risk stratification concerning arrhythmic event (AE) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in this cohort. A systematic literature search of studies published until November 2020 regarding the application of 123ImIBG SPECT in HF patients was performed, in Pubmed, Scopus, Medline, Central (Cochrane Library) and Web Of Science databases, including the words ‘‘MIBG’’, ‘‘metaiodobenzylguanidine’’, ‘‘heart’’, ‘‘spect’’, and ‘‘tomographic’’. The included studies had to correlate 123ImIBG SPECT scores with endpoints such as overall survival and prevention ofAE and SCD inHF patients. According to the sixteen studies included, the analysis showed that 123I-mIBG SPECT scores, such as summed defect score (SDS), regional wash-out (rWO), and regional myocardial tracer uptake, could have a reliable prognostic value in patients with HF. An increased SDS or rWO, as well as a reduced 123I-mIBGmyocardial uptake, have proven to be effective in predicting AE- and SCD-specific risk in HF patients. Despite achieved results being promising, a more reproducible standardized method for semi-quantitative analysis and further studies with larger cohort are needed for 123I-mIBG SPECT myocardial imaging to be as reliable and, thus, accepted as the conventional 123I-mIBG planar myocardial imaging

Synthesis, size-dependent optoelectronic and charge transport properties of thieno(bis)imide end-substituted molecular semiconductors

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La educación formal como agente transformador de las conductas sanitarias de la población.

Los buenos hábitos sanitarios de una población son una consecuencia, entre otros factores, de la apropiación de saberes formales e informales referentes a la alfabetización biológica. En distintos relevamientos y acciones hemos detectado y validado que una reformulación de la enseñanza de las ciencias naturales en la escuela media es una política de intervención funcional para mejorar la conducta sanitaria de una comunidad. En particular, hemos implementado un enfoque experimental basado en la incorporación de laboratorios de microbiología como mecanismo de fortalecimiento de la enseñanza de la biología en dos escuelas del Conurbano Sur del Gran Buenos Aires (Quilmes y Florencio Varela). Así, se ha trabajado en la observación macro y microscópica del mundo microbiano (cultivos bacterianos, tinciones diferenciales), como así también en la cuantificación de la carga bacteriana existente en diferentes muestras y fuentes naturales (superficies, alimentos, agua, etc.). Mediante esta experiencia de extensión universitaria, la comunidad intervenida mejoró de manera significativa los indicadores relativos a la alfabetización biológica y a las buenas prácticas sanitarias, objetivos inicialmente perseguidos. Además, esta intervención articulada entre la UNQ y las dos escuelas de enseñanza media fue apropiada y multiplicada por el territorio una vez que los proyectos de intervención concluyeron. Así, los docentes y estudiantes de las escuelas intervinientes realizaron una fuerte campaña de higiene personal en sus instituciones, que incluyeron experiencias de laboratorio demostrativas y la fabricación de alcohol en gel con su correspondiente instalación en lugares estratégicos de sus edificios. Con estas actividades, se ocuparon de mejorar las conductas higiénicas para controlar la proliferación de enfermedades infecto-contagiosas. De esta manera, hemos visto como las acciones de extensión universitaria pueden resignificar hábitos y conductas, que pueden apropiarse y sostenerse en el territorio, haciendo realidad que la transformación social es una meta posible de esta actividad sustantiva de la universidad pública nacional.

Validation of the 3-variable prognostic score (3-PS) in mCRPC patients treated with 223 Radium-dichloride: a national multicenter study

Objective: Radium-223 (223Ra) has been approved for treatment in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostatic cancer (mCRPC) and bone metastasis. This α-emitting radionuclide has a beneficial effect on pain and is also capable to increase overall survival (OS). Several studies evaluated the prognostic value of different biomarkers at baseline, such as serum values, imaging parameters or pain. To date, however, clinicians lack a validated and simple system to assess which patients will most likely benefit from 223Ra treatment. The 3-variable prognostic score (3-PS), proposed in a single-center study in 2017 classifies patients in five prognostic groups with a specific OS. This study aims to validate the 3-PS in a larger multicenter population. Methods: Four hundred and thirty mCRPC patients treated with 223Ra from six different centers were analyzed. The 3-PS score consists of the collection of baseline hemoglobin, prostatic specific antigen and Eastern cooperative oncology group performance status and was initially applied to the whole population (total group). The score was then validated on the 338 patient's subgroup (clean group) obtained by subtracting the 92 patients enrolled for the original study of the 3-PS score. This purified group served as further validation evidence. Results: Statistical analysis showed that the 3-PS score was valid on the total group as well as in the clean group as the AUC estimated (0.74) falls within the CI of the AUC calculated on the validation sample (95% CI 0.66-0.82). Conclusion: This study confirms the validity of the 3-PS score for mCRPC patients. This score is simple, noninvasive and affordable and can be easily used to select patients that will most probably complete 223Ra treatment. In addition, this tool provides an exact estimate of life expectancy in terms of OS

Management of hepatitis B virus prophylaxis in patients treated with disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis: a multicentric Italian retrospective study

Background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) often receive disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that can expose them to reactivation of potential occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (pOBI). We aimed to evaluate the MS Centers behavior regarding HBV screening and prophylaxis in a large cohort of MS patients receiving anti-CD20 or cladribine. Methods: Retrospective, multicentric study recruiting Italian MS patients treated with rituximab, ocrelizumab and cladribine. Results: We included 931 MS patients from 15 centers. All but 38 patients performed a complete HBV screening. Patients' age > 50 years was significantly associated with no history of vaccination and HBsAb titres < 100 mIU at baseline (p < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between post-vaccination HBsAb titres and type of treatment (p = 0.5), pre-or post-therapy vaccination (p = 0.2) and number of previous DMTs (p = 0.2). Among pOBI patients (n = 53), 21 received antiviral prophylaxis, while only 13 had HBV DNA monitoring and 19 patients neither monitored HBV DNA nor received prophylaxis. Conclusions: Baseline HBV screening in patients receiving anti-CD20 and cladribine is a consolidated practice. Nonetheless, HBV vaccination coverage is still lacking in such population and age is a significant factor associated with low HBV protection. Rituximab, ocrelizumab and cladribine did not impair HBV vaccine response. Almost 35% of pOBI patients fail to receive HBVr prevention. Management of HBV prophylaxis could be improved in MS patients and further prospective studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of prophylactic strategies in such patients

Vaccine hesitancy and knowledge regarding maternal immunization among reproductive age women in central Italy: a cross sectional study

BackgroundVaccination in pregnancy offers protection to the mother and the newborn. In Italy, influenza, pertussis, and COVID-19 vaccinations are recommended in pregnancy, but vaccination coverage is still far from the National Immunization Plan goals. We aimed to assess knowledge and attitude on maternal immunization in two groups of Italian women, in pregnancy and in reproductive age (non pregnant).MethodsA cross sectional study on Italian childbearing age women gathering information on their knowledge on maternal immunization and attitudes to receiving influenza and pertussis vaccines in pregnancy was carried out at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, between September 2019 and February 2020. Logistic and multinomial regressions were chosen as statistical tests for our analysis.Results1,031 women participated in the survey by answering the questionnaire. Out of these, 553 (53.6%) women were pregnant, and 478 (46.4%) were in the reproductive age. 37% (204/553) of pregnant women and 41% (198/476) of non pregnant women are aware of the existence of an immunization plan for pregnant women in Italy. The group with age between 20 and 30, for both pregnant women and women in the reproductive age, has a better knowledge of vaccination in pregnancy. Working status is a variable associated with more awareness about vaccination during pregnancy only for pregnant women (OR = 2.34, p < 0.00001). Educational status, trimester of pregnancy and knowledge on the topic are associated with vaccine hesitancy in our multivariate analysis for pregnant women. In the reproductive age group women who had a previous pregnancy are more likely to be hesitant towards vaccination in pregnancy, on the other hand the one with a higher knowledge and educational status are more likely to get vaccinated.ConclusionsThe study highlights the persistent vaccine hesitancy among Italian women of reproductive age and pregnant women. Despite healthcare providers being identified as a reliable source of information, their recommendations alone are insufficient to overcome vaccine hesitancy. Factors such as employment status, educational level, pregnancy trimester, and knowledge about vaccinations during pregnancy influence vaccine hesitancy. Tailored educational interventions and communication campaigns targeting these areas can help reduce vaccine hesitancy and promote maternal immunization

The Third Fermi Large Area Telescope Catalog of Gamma-ray Pulsars

We present 294 pulsars found in GeV data from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Another 33 millisecond pulsars (MSPs) discovered in deep radio searches of LAT sources will likely reveal pulsations once phase-connected rotation ephemerides are achieved. A further dozen optical and/or X-ray binary systems co-located with LAT sources also likely harbor gamma-ray MSPs. This catalog thus reports roughly 340 gamma-ray pulsars and candidates, 10% of all known pulsars, compared to $\leq 11$ known before Fermi. Half of the gamma-ray pulsars are young. Of these, the half that are undetected in radio have a broader Galactic latitude distribution than the young radio-loud pulsars. The others are MSPs, with 6 undetected in radio. Overall, >235 are bright enough above 50 MeV to fit the pulse profile, the energy spectrum, or both. For the common two-peaked profiles, the gamma-ray peak closest to the magnetic pole crossing generally has a softer spectrum. The spectral energy distributions tend to narrow as the spindown power $\dot E$ decreases to its observed minimum near $10^{33}$ erg s$^{-1}$, approaching the shape for synchrotron radiation from monoenergetic electrons. We calculate gamma-ray luminosities when distances are available. Our all-sky gamma-ray sensitivity map is useful for population syntheses. The electronic catalog version provides gamma-ray pulsar ephemerides, properties and fit results to guide and be compared with modeling results.Comment: 142 pages. Accepted by the Astrophysical Journal Supplemen