The impact of successful cross-competencies on a career in tourism in Italy: the meeting point between the student's perceptions and the requirements for professionals

The paper aims to understand how the changes occurring in the tourism sector are affecting the labor market in Italy, with a special focus on the relevance of successful cross competences (SCC). It focuses on comparing the relevance of these competencies in the perception of both students preparing to enter the tourism field and tour operators. The two-step study combined qualitative analysis that put forth specific characteristics of the tourism labor market in Italy through interviews with experts, and quantitative analysis that correlated the requirements of the tour operators to the ideas students have of what competencies tour operators entering the field should have. The results evinced differing perceptions of SCC and their relative importance in professional fields. Students manifest to miss awareness of the importance of SCC for their future careers. Furthermore, organizational ability, self-control and self-esteem were perceived by tour operators as the most important competencies to be acquired

A Multistep Approach to Deal With Advanced Heart Failure: A Case Report on the Positive Effect of Cardiac Contractility Modulation Therapy on Pulmonary Pressure Measured by CardioMEMS

During the last years, the management of heart failure (HF) made substantial progress, focusing on device-based therapies to meet the demands of this complex syndrome. In this case report, we present a multistep approach to deal with HF. Specifically, we report the first patient subjected to the implantation of both Optimizer Smart(R) (Impulse Dynamics Inc., Marlton, NJ, USA) and CardioMEMS devices. A 72-year-old male patient with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was admitted to our cardiology department in January 2021, following a progressive shortening of the time between hospitalizations for levosimendan infusions. Specifically, the patient was monitored daily by CardioMEMS, and a strategy of levosimendan infusions guided by the device had been adopted. He was also a carrier of MitraClips and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) and had optimized HF medical therapy. In January 2021, the patient implanted Optimizer Smart(R) device for cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) therapy because of poor response to therapy and elevated pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). CCM significantly reduced PAP values following discharge (systolic PAP 33.67 & PLUSMN; 2.92 vs. 40.6 & PLUSMN; 3.37 mmHg, diastolic PAP 14.5 & PLUSMN; 2.01 vs. 22.5 & PLUSMN; 2.53 mmHg, mean PAP 22.87 & PLUSMN; 2.20 vs. 30.9 & PLUSMN; 2.99 mmHg, HR 60.93 & PLUSMN; 1.53 vs. 80.83 & PLUSMN; 3.66 bpm; p < 0.0001), with persisting effect at 9 months. The usefulness of CCM is objectively demonstrated for the first time by continuous invasive monitoring of PAP by CardioMEMS, which can suggest the correct timing for CCM implantation

In viaggio verso la professione turistica: competenze trasversali di successo tra domanda e offerta

Tourism managers’ employment and entrepreneurial activity are relevant topics nowadays. The university curricula in this field have become extensive and well-structured on different levels. They are mainly focusing on hard skills, while Soft Skills - like leadership, entrepreneurship, emotion management, public speaking, time management and so on – must also be learned, improved, enhanced. Starting from Boyatzis (1982) who valued competence as determining valid professional results and considered that individual performance should be measurable and comparable through numerical evaluation and according to what was stated by Kaneklin et al. (2006), the current research develops from a specific investigation methodology (Bustreo e Russo, 2015) and involves a group of graduating students in different higher education courses in the tourism area and a group of tourism professionals. The objectives are, on the one side, identifying students’ awareness of their own successful cross-competences (SSC) in advanced education; on the other side, singling out the cross skills a group of professionals operating in the field basically require when interviewing a candidate. The survey allows to comprehend better what are the overlapping areas and what areas are not, between professional demand and declared students’ competences. That is, what does education in the field offer and what does the market require to be competent and able tourism professionals today

Mastitis y muerte en una oveja Corriedale asociada a una infección con Mycoplasma spp. en la provincia de Buenos Aires

Mycoplasma spp. infections are associated with different clinical syndromes in ruminants: mastitis, pneumonia, arthritis, otitis, among others. Nevertheless, case reports of clinical diseases associated with Mycoplasma-infections are scarce in small ruminants of Argentina. Mycoplasma agalactiae and Mycoplasma capricolum are the causal agents of contagious agalactia, an exotic disease in the region. Therefore, strict surveillance of these pathogens is needed. Severe mastitis of a 7-years-old Corriedale ewe in a flock from Buenos Aires province is reported. The affected ewe had delivered twin lambs 15 days before the clinical disease was detected and died. During post mortem examination, supramammary lymphadenomegaly was evident. Mammary gland was enlarged and firm, with cyanotic skin and superficial edema; multiple caseous whitish foci were observed in the mammary parenchyma. Similar caseous foci were observed in the caudal-ventral lobes of the right lung. In the histopathological analysis, chronic multifocal necrotizing severe mastitis and fibrinous bronchopneumonia with multifocal necrosis and fibrinous pleurisy were observed. Mycoplasma spp. was isolated from the mammary gland. Mycoplasma spp. nested-PCR resulted positive in mammary gland and lung. Sequencing analysis confirmed the presence of Mycoplasma arginini and Mycoplasma bovis in mammary gland and lung, respectively. The pathological findings were similar to the described in cases of contagious agalactia, therefore, Mycoplasma speciation was decided in order to discard the presence of this exotic disease.Las infecciones con Mycoplasma spp. están asociadas con diferentes cuadros clínicos en rumiantes: mastitis, neumonía, artritis, otitis, entre otros. Sin embargo, existen escasos reportes de cuadros clínicos asociados con estas infecciones en pequeños rumiantes de Argentina. Mycoplasma agalactiae y Mycoplasma capricolum son los agentes causales de la agalactia contagiosa, enfermedad exótica en la región. Entonces, es necesario realizar vigilancia epidemiológica estricta de estos patógenos. Se diagnosticó un cuadro de mastitis severa y muerte en una oveja Corriedale de 7 años de edad, en una majada de la provincia de Buenos Aires. La oveja había parido mellizos 15 días antes que comenzara a manifestar enfermedad clínica y muriera. Durante su necropsia, se observó linfoadenomegalia supramaria, glándula mamaria aumentada de tamaño y firme, con piel cianótica y edema superficial. El parénquima mamario presentaba múltiples focos caseosos blanquecinos. Focos caseosos similares se observaron en el lóbulo caudo-ventral del pulmón derecho. En el análisis histopatológico se observó mastitis necrotizante multifocal severa crónica y bronconeumonía fibrinosa con múltiples focos de necrosis pulmonar y pleuritis fibrinosa. Se aisló Mycoplasma spp. de la glándula mamaria. Mediante nested-PCR, se detectó ADN de Mycoplasma spp. en glándula mamaria y pulmón. Mediante secuenciación se confirmó la presencia de Mycoplasma arginini y Mycoplasma bovis en la glándula mamaria y pulmón, respectivamente. Los hallazgos patológicos fueron similares a los descriptos en casos de agalactia contagiosa, por lo que fue necesario determinar que especies de Mycoplasma estaban presentes para poder descartar la presencia de esta enfermedad exótica.EEA BalcarceFil: Cantón, Germán José. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Fiorentino, María Andrea. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Morrell, Eleonora Lidia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Scioli, María Valeria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Urtizbiría, Facundo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Lobo, Juan Ignacio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Sticotti, Erika. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria. Departamento de Patología Animal; Argentina.Fil: Tamiozzo, Pablo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria. Departamento de Patología Animal; Argentina

Poliartritis y neumonía por Mycoplasma bovis en novillos en pastoreo: brote en la provincia de Buenos Aires

Mycoplasma bovis-polyarthritis and pneumonia in grazing beef steers: outbreak in Buenos Aires province Poliartritis y neumonía por Mycoplasma bovis en novillos en pastoreo: brote en la provincia de Buenos Aires Mycoplasma spp. infection causes different clinical diseases in livestock. In cattle, infection with Mycoplasma bovis usually is clinically manifested with arthritis, mastitis, pneumonia and/or otitis. This paper describes an outbreak of polyarthritis and pneumonia caused by M. bovis in grazing steers in Buenos Aires province, scarcely reported in the region. Clinical and pathological findings were recorded. Three 1-year-old steers were euthanized and post mortem examined. Tissue samples were collected for histopathology and bacteriological analysis. Different degrees of lameness were observed in 4.6% of the herd of 1000 steers. Mild respiratory signs were observed in half of the lame animals. Macroscopically, polyarthritis was present in different joints of the hind and front limbs, characterized by the presence of severe caseous tenosynovitis. In addition, multiple foci of different extension with caseous content were observed in the pulmonary parenchyma. Mycoplasma spp. was isolated and M. bovis DNA was amplified from articular content and lungs of all three animals. This clinical presentation has not been frequently reported in the region, particularly in grazing beef cattle.Las infecciones por Mycoplasma spp. causan diferentes cuadros clínicos en el ganado. En bovinos, la infección con Mycoplasma bovis usualmente provoca artritis, mastitis, neumonía y/u otitis. Existe escasa información sobre cuadros clínicos asociados a infecciones con Mycoplasma spp. en novillos en pastoreo en Argentina. Este trabajo describe un brote de poliartritis y neumonía causada por M. bovis en novillos en pastoreo en la provincia de Buenos Aires, escasamente reportada en la región. Se registraron los signos clínicos y hallazgos patológicos. Se realizaron necropsias a tres novillos de un año de edad. Se recolectaron tejidos para realizar estudios histopatológicos y bacteriológicos. Se registraron diferentes grados de claudicación en el 4,6% de los animales de un rodeo de 1000 novillos. Se observaron signos respiratorios leves en la mitad de los novillos que manifestaron claudicación. Macroscópicamente, se observó poliartritis en las articulaciones de los miembros delanteros y/o traseros, caracterizada por la presencia de tenosinovitis caseosa severa. Además se observaron múltiples focos de contenido caseoso en el parénquima pulmonar. Se aisló Mycoplasma spp. y se amplificó ADN de Mycoplasma bovis de todas las muestras de contenido articular y pulmón de los tres animales. Esta presentación clínica no ha sido frecuentemente reportada en la región, particularmente en bovinos de carne en pastoreo.EEA BalcarceFil: Acuña, Yamila. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Morrell, Eleonora Lidia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Fiorentino, María Andrea. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Scioli, Valeria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina.Fil: Sticotti, Erika. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria Departamento de Patología Animal; Argentina.Fil: Tamiozzo, Pablo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria Departamento de Patología Animal; Argentina.Fil: Cantón, Germán José. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina

Comparative assessment of autochthonous bacterial and fungal communities and microbial biomarkers of polluted agricultural soils of the Terra dei Fuochi

Organic and inorganic xenobiotic compounds can affect the potential ecological function of the soil, altering its biodiversity. Therefore, the response of microbial communities to environmental pollution is a critical issue in soil ecology. Here, a high-throughput sequencing approach was used to investigate the indigenous bacterial and fungal community structure as well as the impact of pollutants on their diversity and richness in contaminated and noncontaminated soils of a National Interest Priority Site of Campania Region (Italy) called “Terra dei Fuochi”. The microbial populations shifted in the polluted soils via their mechanism of adaptation to contamination, establishing a new balance among prokaryotic and eukaryotic populations. Statistical analyses showed that the indigenous microbial communities were most strongly affected by contamination rather than by site of origin. Overabundant taxa and Actinobacteria were identified as sensitive biomarkers for assessing soil pollution and could provide general information on the health of the environment. This study has important implications for microbial ecology in contaminated environments, increasing our knowledge of the capacity of natural ecosystems to develop microbiota adapted to polluted soil in sites with high agricultural potential and providing a possible approach for modeling pollution indicators for bioremediation purposes

Lesiones patológicas inusuales en una vaquillona afectada por Trueperella pyogenes

Four Hereford heifers of approximately 18 months of age presented nodular formations in the uterus detected by transrectal palpation. This pathology had been previously diagnosed in the herd, which led to the early discarding of 1-2% of heifers per year. Post mortem examination in a severely affected heifer revealed multiple abscesses in the pelvic and abdominal cavity associated with the uterus, serosa of the forelimbs, and liver. Microscopically, the abscesses were characterized by a necrotic center with viable and degenerated neutrophils and necrotic debris, surrounded by a well-defined wall of connective tissue. In addition, multifocal neutrophilic ruminitis associated with acidosis was observed. Intralesional gram-positive bacilli were detected in the abscesses. Trueperella pyogenes was isolated from the purulent content. It is assumed that rumen acidosis was the origin of the dissemination and abscess formation of T. pyogenes in various tissues, including the uterus.Cuatro vaquillonas Hereford de aproximadamente 18 meses de edad presentaron formaciones nodulares en el útero detectadas por palpación transrectal. Esta patología había sido previamente diagnosticada en el rodeo, lo que llevó al descarte temprano de 1-2% de vaquillonas por año. El examen post mortem en una vaquillona gravemente afectada reveló múltiples abscesos en la cavidad pélvica y abdominal asociados al útero, serosa de los preestómagos y el hígado. Microscópicamente, los abscesos se caracterizaron por un centro necrótico con neutrófilos viables y degenerados y restos necróticos, rodeados por una pared bien definida de tejido conectivo. Además, se observó ruminitis neutrofílica multifocal asociada a acidosis. Se detectaron bacilos grampositivos intralesionales en los abscesos. Del contenido purulento se aisló Trueperella pyogenes. Se asume que la acidosis ruminal fue el origen de la diseminación y formación de abscesos de T. pyogenes en varios tejidos, incluido el útero

Acute Intermittent Porphyria: An Overview of Therapy Developments and Future Perspectives Focusing on Stabilisation of HMBS and Proteostasis Regulators

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease with low clinical penetrance, caused by mutations in the hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS) gene, which encodes the third enzyme in the haem biosynthesis pathway. In susceptible HMBS mutation carriers, triggering factors such as hormonal changes and commonly used drugs induce an overproduction and accumulation of toxic haem precursors in the liver. Clinically, this presents as acute attacks characterised by severe abdominal pain and a wide array of neurological and psychiatric symptoms, and, in the long-term setting, the development of primary liver cancer, hypertension and kidney failure. Treatment options are few, and therapies preventing the development of symptomatic disease and long-term complications are non-existent. Here, we provide an overview of the disorder and treatments already in use in clinical practice, in addition to other therapies under development or in the pipeline. We also introduce the pathomechanistic effects of HMBS mutations, and present and discuss emerging therapeutic options based on HMBS stabilisation and the regulation of proteostasis. These are novel mechanistic therapeutic approaches with the potential of prophylactic correction of the disease by totally or partially recovering the enzyme functionality. The present scenario appears promising for upcoming patient-tailored interventions in AIP.publishedVersio

A Project to Context Decarbonization Analysis (PCDA) to Select the Best Energy Transition Solution Fit for Funding

An Energy Transition (ET) solutions screening has been performed in a near-Europe (EU) geography (Central Asia) to assess the sustainability of investment opportunities on green technologies in line with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria, EU climate ambition, market trends and Technology Readiness Level (TRL). Several configurations, namely a technological solution contextualized in its Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) perspective by the overall value chain, have been studied, analysed and compared through a Carbon Energy Environmental and Cost Model (CEE&C) in a Project to Context Decarbonization Analysis (PCDA). The outcome of this study allowed to select the best set of ET Solution fit for the Central Asia context and attractive for climate funding framework. 7 typical ET technologies with 3 to 6 different decarbonization scenarios for a total of 40+ configurations have been considered, ranked and tested against strategic stakeholders’ engagement criteria (industrial partner, state investments, feedstock provider, off-taker, financing institutions) and economic and financial criteria (project authorizations, feedstock guarantee, fiscal incentives, etc.). Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) considered for the ranking of configuration are Product Carbon Footprint (CTG), Greenhouse Gas (GHG) avoidance, Levelized Cost of Carbon (LCOC) by project Capital Expenditures (CAPEX) and LCOC by cost efficiency. Our proposed paper intends to show how the results of the CEE&C model with the LCOC in a PCDA study can support stakeholders and investors to implement their geographical decarbonization ambition and strategy

Compost and microbial biostimulant applications improve plant growth and soil biological fertility of a grass-based phytostabilization system

In this work, a grass-based phytoremediation system integrated with an organic amendment and biostimulants was evaluated for remediating contaminated sites. Plant growth and biological fertility were monitored to assess the efficacy of a vegetative cap used as a safety measure to reduce sanitary and environmental risks of industrially contaminated soils and soil-washing sludges. Both matrices were potentially contaminated with Pb and Zn with an ecological risk index from low to moderate. According to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) bioaccessibility tests, the exposure to the released fine particulate matter may cause serious risks to human beings, in particular to children. The grass mixture was well adapted to both the substrates and a low PTEs mobility was detected, thus, reducing the leaching risk to ground water sources. Compost addition augmented significantly nitrogenase reductase (nifH) and ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) gene expression abundance in both substrates. Furthermore, a positive interaction between compost fertilization and a Trichoderma-based biostimulant inoculation was recorded in sludges resulting in a significant stimulation of nitrogen-fixing and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. The application of compost and biostimulant increased soil fertility and plant growth. Furthermore, there was a slight reduction in PTE bioaccessibility, thus, improving the efficiency of the phytostabilization, limiting the resuspension and dispersion of the health-risk soil particulate