Percutaneous coronary intervention driven by combined use of intracoronary anatomy and physiology Towards a tailored therapy for coronary artery disease

Coronary angiography classically allows a bidimensional evaluation of the vascular lumen, however with many limitations in the case of eccentric lesions, irregular contour or tortuosity of the vessel.Moreover, it does not enable to assess neither the features of the vessel wall, nor the functional significance of a lesion [1]. Newer technologies are available to overcome these limitations.We present a case of percutaneous coronary revascularization optimized by combined use of two of the most widely used techniques

Spatio-temporal analysis of the urban–rural gradient structure: an application in a Mediterranean mountainous landscape (Serra San Bruno, Italy)

Abstract. The most recent and significant transformations of European landscapes have occurred as a consequence of a series of diffused, varied and often connected phenomena: urban growth and sprawl, agricultural intensification in the most suitable areas and agricultural abandonment in marginal areas. These phenomena can affect dramatically ecosystems' structure and functioning, since certain modifications cause landscape fragmentation while others tend to increase homogeneity. Thus, a thorough comprehension of the evolution trends of landscapes, in particular those linked to urban-rural relations, is crucial for a sustainable landscape planning. In this framework, the main objectives of the present paper are: (a) to investigate Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) transformations and dynamics that occurred over the period 1955–2006 in the municipality of Serra San Bruno (Calabria, Italy), an area particularly representative of the Mediterranean mountainous landscape; (b) to compare the settlement growth with the urban planning tools in charge in the study area; (c) to examine the relationship between urban–rural gradient, landscape metrics, demographic and physical variables; (d) to investigate the evolution of urban–rural gradient composition and configuration along significant axes of landscape changes. Data with a high level of detail (minimum mapping unit 0.2 ha) were obtained through the digitisation of historical aerial photographs and digital orthophotos identifying LULC classes according to the Corine Land Cover legend. The investigated period was divided into four significant time intervals, which were specifically analysed to detect LULC changes. Differently from previous studies, in the present research the spatio-temporal analysis of urban–rural gradient was performed through three subsequent steps: (1) kernel density analysis of settlements; (2) analysis of landscape structure by means of metrics calculated using a moving window method; (3) analysis of composition and configuration of the urban–rural gradient within three landscape profiles located along significant axes of LULC change. The use of thematic overlays and transition matrices enabled a precise identification of the LULC changes that had taken place over the examined period. As a result, a detailed description and mapping of the landscape dynamics were obtained. Furthermore, landscape profiling technique, using continuous data, allowed an innovative and valuable approach for analysing and interpreting urban–rural gradient structure over space and time

Use of Soy-Based Formulas and Cow's Milk Allergy: Lights and Shadows.

oybean (Glycine max) is a species of legume native to East Asia and used in childhood diet for over 2,000 years in the East. Soy protein formulas have been available for almost a century. Nowadays, the increase in cow's milk allergy and vegetarian dietary preferences are driving consumers toward cow's milk alternatives. In this paper, we reviewed the nutritional composition of soy-based infant formula and discussed their possible use in pediatric age, mainly focusing on prevention and treatment of cow's milk allergy. Protein quality is determined by digestibility and amino acid content. Purified or concentrated vegetable proteins (e.g., soy protein and gluten) have high digestibility (>95%), similar to those of animal ones. For some intact vegetable products (e.g., whole cereals and pulses), protein digestibility is lower (80-90%). Food processing and heat treatment also influence protein digestibility. Considering these data, we tried to evaluate the possible use of soybean and derivatives in pediatric age, including the nutritional composition of soy formulas and the clinical indications for their use. Moreover, since plant-based beverages are being perceived as healthy by consumers and their use is growing on the market, we recommend that soy drink should not be used as a substitute for infant formulas or cow's milk in children younger than 24 months

A proposal of a new methodology for best location of environmentally sustainable roads infrastructures. Validation along the Fabriano-Muccia road

El trabajo contempla la creación de un modelo para definir la mejor localización en el territorio de nuevos proyectos de infraestructuras viarias y su convalidación en una carretera que forma parte de un proyecto de gran envergadura denominado Cuadrilátero Marcas-Umbría, en vías de realización. El objetivo del trabajo consiste en la puesta a punto de una herramienta ágil y versátil, capaz de sopesar, interpretándolos de forma correlacionada, los distintos aspectos de carácter medioambiental, socioeconómico, técnico y operativo, ligados a la construcción de una obra viaria. Se ha prestado especial atención a las dinámicas de uso y consumo de los hábitats naturales y a las problemáticas vinculadas a los fenómenos de fragmentación ecológica provocados por la red viaria y los asentamientos. La metodología que se ha puesto a punto prevé la recogida y la implementación, dentro de un sistema de información territorial dedicado, de un amplio abanico de datos capaces de definir las características peculiares del ámbito que es objeto del estudio, posteriormente interpretados y reconducidos a síntesis mediante la aplicación de una serie de indicadores específicos. Los indicadores definidos se incorporan posteriormente mediante la aplicación de técnicas de análisis multicriterio para definir un índice de evaluación sintético capaz de estimar de forma correlacionada la sensibilidad del territorio ante la introducción de nuevas infraestructuras viarias. Para convalidar la metodología, los índices propuestos se han aplicado a un área de estudio donde se está construyendo una infraestructura viaria de importancia considerable para las conexiones transversales de Italia central

Modeling an ambient agent to support depression relapse prevention

One of the challenges for the patients with a history of unipolar depression is to stay healthy throughout their lifetime.In principle, with more prior onset cases, it escalates the risk of the patients to fall into a relapse.In this paper, an ambient agent based model to support patients from relapse is presented. Theories and related works in depression relapse prevention provide a foundation for the formalization of the temporal properties to describe the model.This model was analyzed under several scenarios using simulation and automated verification

Twenty years of experience in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) preoperative endovascular embolization: An effective procedure with a low complications rate

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a benign tumor of the nasal cavity that predominantly affects young boys. Surgical removal remains the gold standard for the management of this disease. Preoperative intra-arterial embolization (PIAE) is useful for reductions in intraoperative blood loss and surgical complications. In our series of 79 patients who underwent preoperative embolization from 1999 to 2020, demographics, procedural aspects, surgical management and follow-up outcome were analyzed. Embolization was performed in a similar fashion for all patients, with a superselective microcatheterization of external carotid artery (ECA) feeders and an injection of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles, followed, in some cases, by the deployment of coils. Procedural success was reached in 100% of cases, with no complications such as bleeding or thromboembolic occlusion, and surgical intraoperative blood loss was significantly decreased. In conclusion, PIAE is a safe and effective technique in JNA treatment, minimizing intraoperative bleeding

Synthetizing Qualitative (Logical) Patterns for Pedestrian Simulation from Data

This work introduces a (qualitative) data-driven framework to extract patterns of pedestrian behaviour and synthesize Agent-Based Models. The idea consists in obtaining a rule-based model of pedestrian behaviour by means of automated methods from data mining. In order to extract qualitative rules from data, a mathematical theory called Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) is used. FCA also provides tools for implicational reasoning, which facilitates the design of qualitative simulations from both, observations and other models of pedestrian mobility. The robustness of the method on a general agent-based setting of movable agents within a grid is shown.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2013-41086-

reference architecture and framework

M. Adorni, F. Arcelli, S. Bandini, L. Baresi, C. Batini, A. Bianchi, D. Bianchini, M. Brioschi, A. Caforio, A. Cali, P. Cappellari, C. Cappiello, T. Catarci, A. Corallo, V. De Antonellis, C. Franza, G. Giunta, A. Limonta, G. Lorenzo, P. Losi, A. Maurino, M. Melideo, D. Micucci, S. Modafferi, E. Mussi, L. Negri, C. Pandolfo, B. Pernici, P. Plebani, D. Ragazzi, C. Raibulet, M. Riva, N. Simeoni, C. Simone, G. Solazzo, F. Tisato, R. Torlone, G. Vizzari, and A. Zill