Craftmanship and Digitalization in the Italian Knitwear Industry. A Paradigm Shift for the Narrative of Made in Italy

Knitwear is a consolidated industry in Italy and, at the same time, a typical expression of the Made in Italy paradigm linked to the ideas of craftsmanship. While, on the one hand, knitwear is associated with the idea of craft and manufacturing traditions, on the other hand, it is nowadays produced by numerical control machines (CNC) where the technological contribution and the level of automation are very relevant. The convergence of physical and digital environments, at the heart of the Fashion Industry 4.0 debate, is an established feature of knitwear design practice. In the contemporary industrial scenario, knitted items are produced on digitally programmed machines through sophisticated software, and the manual contribution of the individual operator during the knitting phase is reduced to a minimum. In the light of these premises, this contribution questions the opportunity and value of the integration of digital technologies in the storytelling of traditional manufacturing without losing the power to evoke Made in Italy’s values such as quality, aesthetic refinement, and exclusivity. To analyze these issues, the authors report the case study of SMT – Società Manifattura Tessile, a leading knitting company where the technological presence equals that of traditional manufacturing craftmanship, keeping both elements at balance. The case study suggests the importance of the contemporary knitting craftsman to increasingly develop communication skills to make the relationship between technology andmanufacturing explicit and possibly smoothly blend it with the Made in Italy archetypes

The Digitalization of Knitwear: towards a redefinition of the conventional design boundaries

In the contemporary context, the knitting industry is dealing with a scarcity of 3d simulation tools, resulting, to date, in a sampling-based method where refinements to a specific design are often abandoned or compromised. While, in other design fields, virtual 3d modeling profitably interacts with hardware technology (e.g., 3d printers) (Verbruggen, 2014), such tools do not easily connect to the conventional textile technology of industrial knitting machines (Underwood, 2018). This paper explores the state of the art of knitted textiles digitalization, aiming to outline practical support to knitwear design practice with a specific focus on possible digital tools to integrate design and fabrication prerogatives

Cutaneous vasculitis: a diagnostic approach

Cutaneous vasculitis: a diagnostic approach

Randomized, within-patient, clinical trial comparing fluorine-synthetic fiber socks with standard cotton socks in improving plantar pustulosis

Rubbing the skin may influence the persistence of pustulosis over time. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a new fabric made with fluorine-synthetic fiber in improving plantar pustulosis

Prevalence of psoriatic arthritis in Italian psoriatic patients

To evaluate the prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Italian patients with psoriasis and to compare the Moll and Wright criteria, the European Spondylarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) criteria, and Amor criteria when applied to this patient population

Is duplex ultrasonography useful for the diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis?

Background: Evidence of a dark halo on ultrasonography has been considered a specific sign of giant-cell arteritis and may replace temporal artery biopsy for the diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis in patients with typical clinical manifestations. Objective: To assess the usefulness of temporal artery duplex Ultrasonography and to compare this mode of ultrasonography with physical examination of temporal arteries for the diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis in patients with suspected giant-cell arteritis or polymyalgia rheumatica. Design: Diagnostic test study. Setting: Several divisions of Reggio Emilia Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy. Patients: 86 consecutive patients with a suspected diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis or polymyalgia rheumatica identified over a 22-month period. Measurements: The temporal arteries were examined in all 86 patients. Duplex ultrasonography of the temporal arteries was then performed by two ultrasonographers who were unaware of the clinical diagnosis. Before corticosteroid therapy was started; temporal artery biopsies were performed in all patients at the site targeted by the ultrasonographer. Results: A hypoechoic halo around the lumen of the temporal arteries had a sensitivity of only 40% (95% Cl, 16% to 68%) and a specificity of 79% (Cl, 68% to 88%) for the diagnosis of biopsy-proven giant-cell arteritis. The negative likelihood ratio was 0.8 (Cl, 0.5 to 1.2), and the positive likelihood ratio was 1.9 (Cl, 0.9 to 4.1). When the thickness of the halo was at least 1 mm, specificity increased to 93% (Cl, 84% to 98%) and the positive likelihood ratio increased to 5.7 (Cl, 2.0 to 16.2); however, sensitivity remained low at 40% (Cl, 16% to 68%). On physical examination, temporal artery abnormalities had a higher sensitivity of 67% (Cl, 38% to 88%), a higher specificity of 99% (Cl, 92% to 100%), and a higher positive likelihood ratio of 47.3 (Cl, 6.5 to 342.4) than did ultrasonographic findings. None of the patients with giant-cell arteritis had a normal temporal artery inspection and a hypoechoic halo on ultrasonography. Conclusion: Evidence on ultrasonography of a halo around temporal arteries, either any halo or a halo 1 mm or greater in thickness, only modestly increased the probability of biopsy-proven giant-cell arteritis but did not improve the diagnostic accuracy of a careful physical examination