Development of a novel technology platform for thoracoscopic aortic valve replacement

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen

Application of an improved version of the erosion potential method in alpine areas

the assessment of erosive processes is of great importance in environmental engineering, resource management and land planning. in this paper the empirical approach known as erosion Potential Method (EPM) was improved to simplify the identifi- cation of the involved parameters. in addition, EPM suitability for alpine watersheds, where the average yearly temperature may be below 0°C, was discussed. the advantages of distributed ap- proaches rather than lumped methodologies were tested. EPM was then implemented in a distributed form for a set of 31 catch- ments located in alta valtellina (northern italy) in order to cap- ture the spatial variability of the parameters and the intensity of the erosion processes. the results obtained for these catchments were positively compared to long-term sedimentation data from three reservoirs and from a turbidimetric station

An educational experience in ancient Rome to evaluate the impact of virtual reality on human learning processes

Immersive Virtual Reality technology has recently gained significant attention and is expanding its applications to various fields. It also has many advantages in education, as it allows to both simplify the explanation of complex topics through their visualization, and explore lost or unreachable environments. To evaluate the impact of immersive experiences on learning outcomes we developed an educational experience that lets users visit an ancient Roman Domus and provides information about daily life in Roman times. We designed a between-subjects data collection to investigate learning ratio, user experience, and cybersickness of participants through anonymous questionnaires. We collected 76 responses of participants (18–35 y.o.) divided into three conditions: a Immersive Virtual Reality experience, a slide-based lecture and a 2D desktop-based experience. Our results show that the virtual reality experience is considered more engaging and as effective as more traditional 2D and slide-based experiences in terms of learning

Puentes de contacto para la continuidad pedagógica : experiencias docentes y culturas digitales en el marco de la pandemia

Esta ponencia tiene como objetivos compartir algunas reflexiones y conclusiones sobre las prácticas de enseñanza diseñadas en Educación Superior en el contexto de la Pandemia Covid-19, fruto del intercambio académico realizado en el marco del Proyecto de Extensión “Foro 2020 de la Presencialidad a la Virtualidad. Experiencias docentes en el marco de la Pandemia", organizado por las cátedras de Didáctica, Currículum y Aprendizaje I y II pertenecientes al Ciclo de Formación Docente de la FHyCS de la UNaM. Como sabemos, en todos los Niveles del Sistema Educativo, los docentes asumieron la continuidad del quehacer pedagógico en el contexto de la pandemia, desplegado diversas experiencias de intervención que, en medio de la incertidumbre, fueron configurando entornos de enseñanza y de aprendizaje originales, mediados por lenguajes y dispositivos de las culturas digitales. Así, se empezaron a dar “clases en pantuflas" (Dussel, 2020) desde los hogares, lo que implicó más horas de trabajo y la búsqueda constante de novedosos soportes, estrategias y recursos de enseñanza; esta coyuntura implicó así, la configuración de nuevos desafíos didácticos en un escenario mediado totalmente por las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación, lo que supuso no sólo la transformación de las coordenadas de espacio y tiempo educativo, sino que también la reorganización de los saberes curriculares, la redefinición de la comunicación y las relaciones de autoridad. Mientras se fueron tomando estas decisiones, irrumpieron múltiples acciones de formación y capacitación, que multiplicaron diferentes alternativas de abordaje como respuestas de intervención a las circunstancias abiertas por la pandemia. En este marco, los equipos de cátedras de todas las carreras de la FHyCS - UNaM, desafiados ante el escenario de emergencia sanitaria, debieron replantear sus propuestas de formación en el marco de un Plan de Contingencia para la Continuidad Pedagógica, migrando sus experiencias docentes de la presencialidad a la virtualidad. Se consideró oportuno así, constituir un espacio académico que potencie la reflexión en la acción, optando por un foro de socialización interna, con el objetivo de sistematizar, compartir, evaluar, retroalimentar y enriquecer las experiencias de los equipos de cátedras participantes. Su organización se centró en el abordaje de cinco ejes temáticos, relacionados con las adecuaciones curriculares, los desafíos de la enseñanza, la interacción y retroalimentación comunicativa, la evaluación y el desarrollo de las prácticas profesionales en los entornos virtuales. Desde allí, se pudieron obtener algunas conclusiones respecto a la identificación de problemáticas comunes y su impacto en la enseñanza y los aprendizajes; la importancia de producir conocimientos teórico-prácticos a partir de instalar las experiencias docentes como objeto de reflexión y estudio; la discusión de alternativas para mejorar la formación y la intervención frente a logros y obstáculos que cotidianamente forman parte del trabajo docente.Fil: Clerici, Carlos Alberto . Universidad Nacional de Misiones.Fil: Froener, Carmen Lucía . Universidad Nacional de Misiones.Fil: Hauser, Silvia Ester . Universidad Nacional de Misiones

Applicazioni del Laser Scanner terrestre a temi geologico-tecnici

Laser scanner is an electronic instrument capable to survey the three-dimensional geometry of an object through a laser pulse measuring the distance between the laser head and the objects surface. Accuracy, acquisition time and range varies between several commercial products. Short range (up to 50-70 m) scanners can survey in few minutes at high resolution (ca. ± 2 mm), while long range scanners (up to 2000 m) can provide a decimetric accuracy and need more acquisition time. Laser scanner has the advantage that doesn’t need passive corner reflector on the object but on the other hand the measure accuracy could be dependent on the surface characteristics (material, dielectric constant, etc.). The laser scanner output is a three-dimensional cloud of points colored by reflectance values. Both the cloud of point and the derived mesh model can be textured using a external digital images; the final result is photorealistic model of the object completely measurable. Terrestrial laser scanner technology (hardware and software) is in continues developing and several application are related to the geological survey field of application. In particular laser scanner was applied for geo-mechanical analyses, rock fall monitoring, tunnel and cave survey, glacier monitoring. Further development are planned to simplified the usage and analyses of laser data for geologist trough user friendly software tool

The Mucosae-Associated Epithelial Chemokine (MEC/CCL28) Modulates Immunity in HIV Infection

BACKGROUND. CCL28 (MEC) binds to CCR3 and CCR10 and recruits IgA-secreting plasma cells (IgA-ASC) in the mucosal lamina propria (MLP). Mucosal HIV-specific IgA are detected in HIV-infection and exposure. The CCL28 circuit was analyzed in HIV-infected and-exposed individuals and in HIV-unexposed controls; the effect of CCL28 administration on gastrointestinal MLP IgA-ASC was verified in a mouse model. METHODOLOGY/FINDINGS. CCL28 was augmented in breast milk (BM) plasma and saliva of HIV-infected and –exposed individuals; CCR3+ and CCR10+ B lymphocytes were increased in these same individuals. Additionally: 1) CCL28 concentration in BM was associated with longer survival in HIV vertically-infected children; and 2) gastro-intestinal mucosal IgA-ASC were significantly increased in VSV-immunized mice receiving CCL28. CONCLUSIONS. CCL28 mediates mucosal immunity in HIV exposure and infection. CCL28-including constructs should be considered in mucosal vaccines to prevent HIV infection of the gastro-intestinal MLP via modulation of IgA-ASC.Istituto Superiore di Sanita' "Programma Nazionale di Ricerca sull' AIDS"; DG Right to Health and Solidarity Policy; EMPRO and AVIP EC WP6 Projects; Japan Health Science Foundation; National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development (HD 39611, HD 40777

Strategies for preventing group B streptococcal infections in newborns: A nation-wide survey of Italian policies

Background: There are no Italian data regarding the strategies for preventing neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) infection. We conducted a national survey in order to explore obstetrical, neonatal and microbiological practices for the GBS prevention. Methods: Three distinct questionnaires were sent to obstetricians, neonatologists and microbiologists. Questionnaires included data on prenatal GBS screening, maternal risk factors, intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis, microbiological information concerning specimen processing and GBS antimicrobial susceptibility. Results: All respondent obstetrical units used the culture-based screening approach to identify women who should receive intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis, and more than half of the microbiological laboratories (58%) reported using specimen processing consistent with CDC guidelines. Most neonatal units (89 out of 107, 82%) reported using protocols for preventing GBS early-onset sepsis consistent with CDC guidelines. Conclusions: The screening-based strategy is largely prevalent in Italy, and most protocols for preventing GBS early-onset sepsis are consistent with CDC guidelines. However, we found discrepancies in practices among centers that may reflect the lack of Italian guidelines issued by public health organizations

An innovative strategy to investigate microbial protein modifications in a reliable fast and sensitive way: A therapy oriented proof of concept based on UV-C irradiation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

: The characterization of modifications of microbial proteins is of primary importance to dissect pathogen lifecycle mechanisms and could be useful in identifying therapeutic targets. Attempts to solve this issue yielded only partial and non-exhaustive results. We developed a multidisciplinary approach by coupling in vitro infection assay, mass spectrometry (MS), protein 3D modelling, and surface plasma resonance (SPR). As a proof of concept, the effect of low UV-C (273 nm) irradiation on SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein was investigated. Following UV-C exposure, MS analysis identified, among other modifications, the disruption of a disulphide bond within the conserved S2 subunit of S protein. Computational analyses revealed that this bond breakage associates with an allosteric effect resulting in the generation of a closed conformation with a reduced ability to bind the ACE2 receptor. The UV-C-induced reduced affinity of S protein for ACE2 was further confirmed by SPR analyses and in vitro infection assays. This comprehensive approach pinpoints the S2 domain of S protein as a potential therapeutic target to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Notably, this workflow could be used to screen a wide variety of microbial protein domains, resulting in a precise molecular fingerprint and providing new insights to adequately address future epidemics