129 research outputs found

    Il libro dello spreco. Sullo stile tardo di Italo Calvino

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    In 1967 Italo Calvino moved to Paris and programmatically decided to enter into his old age. This choice also influences the style of his following narrative production. In this perspective, my essay faces the novel If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler looking at the notion of late style coined by Theodor W. Adorno, which assumes the closeness of the death to the author as the cause of a divergence between artistic conventions and his subjectivity. I will try to show how the formal waste of the selfless virtuosic novel actually reflects its author’s ethics of difficulty. According to Calvino everything, men and books, needs to be justified by a project that implies «voluntary choices» and «active renunciations».Il contributo intende analizzare Se una notte d’inverno un viaggiatore come prodotto della stagione senile di Calvino, cominciata programmaticamente con il trasferimento a Parigi del 1967. In particolare, nel romanzo si può riconoscere la divaricazione tra convenzioni artistiche e soggettività dell’autore, innescata dall’approssimarsi della morte, su cui Adorno fondava il concetto di stile tardo. Si cercherà di mostrare come lo spreco formale del romanzo senza self, virtuosistico e barocco, rispecchi in realtà l’etica del difficile del suo autore, per il quale ogni cosa, uomini e libri, va giustificata all’interno di un progetto fatto di «scelte volontarie» e di «rinunce attive»

    Unintrusive Monitoring of Induction Motors Bearings via Deep Learning on Stator Currents

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    Induction motors are fundamental components of several modern automation system, and they are one of the central pivot of the developing e-mobility era. The most vulnerable parts of an induction motor are the bearings, the stator winding and the rotor bars. Consequently, monitoring and maintaining them during operations is vital. In this work, authors propose an Induction Motors bearings monitoring tool which leverages on stator currents signals processed with a Deep Learning architecture. Differently from the state-of-the-art approaches which exploit vibration signals, collected by easily damageable and intrusive vibration probes, the stator currents signals are already commonly available, or easily and unintrusively collectable. Moreover, instead of using now-classical data-driven models, authors exploit a Deep Learning architecture able to extract from the stator current signal a compact and expressive representation of the bearings state, ultimately providing a bearing fault detection system. In order to estimate the effectiveness of the proposal, authors collected a series of data from an inverter-fed motor mounting different artificially damaged bearings. Results show that the proposed approach provides a promising and effective yet simple bearing fault detection system

    Hydraulic resistance of artificial vegetation patches in aligned and staggered configurations

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    Funding The study has been supported by three EPSRC/UK grants (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council): “High-resolution numerical and experimental studies of turbulence-induced sediment erosion and near-bed transport” (EP/G056404/1), “Bed friction in rough-bed free-surface flows: a theoretical framework, roughness regimes, and quantification” (EP/K041088/1) and “Secondary currents in turbulent flows over rough walls” (EP/V002414/1). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research.Peer reviewe

    Current Management of Urachal Carcinoma: An Evidence-based Guide for Clinical Practice

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    Unlabelled: Urachal carcinoma is a rare urological disease. The shortage of data about diagnosis and surgical treatment in literature makes it hard for clinicians to make a decision. Indeed, urachal carcinoma is an aggressive disease that requires prompt staging and treatment to ensure the best outcome for patients. We reviewed the last evidence about the management of urachal carcinoma to provide an easy-to-use guide for clinical practice. Patient summary: Urachal carcinoma is a rare malignancy. The literature on this challenging disease remains limited. Herein, we provide a practical guide for its management from diagnosis to treatment, which in most cases requires surgical intervention or chemotherapy

    Diferencias relacionadas con el sexo en pacientes con IAMCEST: análisis por puntuación de propensión

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    Supplementary data associated with this article can be found in the online version available at https://doi.org/ 10.24875/RECICE.M19000061.[EN] Introduction and objectives: Female sex is believed to be a significant risk factor for mortality among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary interventions (pPCI). Methods: We collected data on all consecutive STEMI patients treated with pPCI within 12 hours and compared the males vs the females. The primary endpoint was long-term mortality one month after hospital discharge. The secondary endpoint was 30-days mortality. Results: From March 2006 to December 2016, 1981 patients underwent pPCI at our hospital, 484 (24.4%) were females. Compared with men, women were older (mean age 71.3 ± 11.6 vs 62.9 ± 11.8 years, P < .001), less smokers (26.7% vs 72.7%; P < .001), more diabetic (28.0% vs 22.3%; P < .002), more hypertensive (69.6% vs 61.3%; P < .001), presented more often with shock at baseline (13.2% vs 9.0%; P = .006), had longer symptoms-to-balloon time frames (5.36 ± 3.97 vs 4.47 ± 3.67 hours; P < .001). Also, women were less likely to receive glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitors (59.5% vs 71.4%; P < .001) and stents (79.5% vs 86.6%; P = .01). During the 30-day and long-term follow-up (mean 4.9 ± 3.2 years) the female sex was associated with a higher mortality rate (8.9% vs 4.0%, P < .001 and 23.8% vs 18.4%, P = .01, respectively). After propensity score matching, 379 men and 379 women were selected. Female sex continued to be associated with a higher death rate at 30 days (9.5% vs 5.5%; P = .039) but not in the long term among survivors (25.6% vs 21.4%; P = .170). Conclusions: Compared to men, women with STEMI undergoing pPCI had higher 30-day mortality rates. However, among survivors, the long-term mortality rate was similar. Even if residual confounding cannot be ruled out, this difference in the outcomes may be partially explained by biological sex-related differences.[ES]Introducción y objetivos: El sexo femenino se considera un importante factor de riesgo de mortalidad en el infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST (IAMCEST) tratado con intervención coronaria percutánea primaria (ICPp). Métodos: Se analizó a todos los pacientes consecutivos con IAMCEST tratados con ICPp dentro de las primeras 12 horas, y se compararon varones y mujeres. El objetivo principal fue la mortalidad a largo plazo en los supervivientes después del primer mes del alta, y el objetivo secundario fue la mortalidad a los 30 días. Resultados: Desde marzo de 2006 hasta diciembre de 2016 se trató con ICPp 1.981 a pacientes, de los cuales 484 (24,4%) eran mujeres. En comparación con los varones, las mujeres tenían mayor edad (edad media 71,3 ± 11,6 frente a 62,9 ± 11,8 años, p < 0,001) y la frecuencia de fumadoras era más baja (26,7 frente a 72,7%; p < 0,001), mientras que era más alta la frecuencia de diabetes (28,0 frente a 22,3%; p < 0,002), hipertensión arterial (69.6 frente a 61,3%, p < 0,001) y shock al ingreso (13,2 frente a 9,0%; p = 0,006), y más largo el tiempo desde el comienzo de los síntomas hasta la intervención con balón (5,36 ± 3,97 frente a 4,47 ± 3,67 horas; p < 0,001). Además, la frecuencia de tratamiento con inhibidores de la glucoproteína IIb-IIIa (59,5 frente a 71,4%; p < 0,001) y stent (79,5 frente a 86,6%, p = 0,01) fue inferior. Tanto a los 30 días como a largo plazo (media 4,9 ± 3,2 años), el sexo femenino se asoció con una mortalidad más alta (8,9 frente a 4,0%, p < 0,001, y 23,8 frente a 18,4%, p = 0,01, respectivamente). Se seleccionaron 379 mujeres y 379 varones emparejados por puntuación de propensión. Se mantuvo la asociación entre sexo femenino y mayor mortalidad a los 30 días (9,5 frente a 5,5%; p = 0,039), pero no a largo plazo (25,6 frente a 21,4%; p = 0,170). Conclusiones: En comparación con los varones, las mujeres con IAMCEST tratadas con ICPp tuvieron mayor mortalidad a los 30 días. Sin embargo, entre los supervivientes, la mortalidad a largo plazo fue similar. Aunque no puede descartarse el efecto de variables residuales de confusión, las diferencias en el pronóstico podrían explicarse en parte por diferencias biológicas relacionadas con el sexo.S

    Metabolomic Approaches for Detection and Identification of Biomarkers and Altered Pathways in Bladder Cancer

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    Metabolomic analysis has proven to be a useful tool in biomarker discovery and the molecular classification of cancers. In order to find new biomarkers, and to better understand its pathological behavior, bladder cancer also has been studied using a metabolomics approach. In this article, we review the literature on metabolomic studies of bladder cancer, focusing on the different available samples (urine, blood, tissue samples) used to perform the studies and their relative findings. Moreover, the multi-omic approach in bladder cancer research has found novel insights into its metabolic behavior, providing excellent start-points for new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Metabolomics data analysis can lead to the discovery of a “signature pathway” associated with the progression of bladder cancer; this aspect could be potentially valuable in predictions of clinical outcomes and the introduction of new treatments. However, further studies are needed to give stronger evidence and to make these tools feasible for use in clinical practice

    Renal Cell Carcinoma as a Metabolic Disease: An Update on Main Pathways, Potential Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Targets

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    : Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most frequent histological kidney cancer subtype. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in identifying the genetic and metabolic alterations driving ccRCC development. In particular, an integrated approach using transcriptomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics has led to a better understanding of ccRCC as a metabolic disease. The metabolic profiling of this cancer could help define and predict its behavior in terms of aggressiveness, prognosis, and therapeutic responsiveness, and would be an innovative strategy for choosing the optimal therapy for a specific patient. This review article describes the current state-of-the-art in research on ccRCC metabolic pathways and potential therapeutic applications. In addition, the clinical implication of pharmacometabolomic intervention is analyzed, which represents a new field for novel stage-related and patient-tailored strategies according to the specific susceptibility to new classes of drugs

    The BEHAVE application as a tool to monitor inclusive interventions for subjects with neurodevelopmental disorders

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    In the last few years, many educational and therapeutic interventions for young people with neurodevelopmental disorders are based on systematic monitoring of the outcomes. These interventions are typically conducted using single-case experimental designs, (SCEDs) a set of methods aimed at testing the effect of an intervention on a single subject or a small number of subjects. In SCEDs, an effective process of decision-making needs accurate, precise, and reliable data but also that caregivers and health professionals can gather information with minimal effort. The use of Information Communication Technologies in SCEDs can support the process of data collection and analysis, facilitating the collection of accurate and reliable data, providing reports accessible also by non-experts, and promoting interactions and sharing among clinicians, educators, and caregivers. The present paper introduces the BEHAVE application, a web-based highly customizable application, designed to implement SCEDs, supporting both data collection and automatic analysis of the datasets. Moreover, the paper will describe two case studies of kindergarten children with neurodevelopmental disorders, highlighting how the BEHAVE application supported the entire process, from data collection in multiple contexts to decision-making based on the analysis provided by the system. In particular, the paper describes the case studies of Carlo and Dario, two children with severe language and communication impairments, and the inclusive education interventions carried out to maximize their participation in a typical home and school setting increasing their mand repertoire. Results revealed an increase in the mand repertoire in both children who become able to generalize the outcomes to multiple life contexts. The active participation of the caregivers played a crucial role in the ability of children to use the learned skills in settings different from the ones they were learned in

    Novel Insights into Autophagy and Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

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    Autophagy is a complex process involved in several cell activities, including tissue growth, differentiation, metabolic modulation, and cancer development. In prostate cancer, autophagy has a pivotal role in the regulation of apoptosis and disease progression. Several molecular pathways are involved, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR. However, depending on the cellular context, autophagy may play either a detrimental or a protective role in prostate cancer. For this purpose, current evidence has investigated how autophagy interacts within these complex interactions. In this article, we discuss novel findings about autophagic machinery in order to better understand the therapeutic response and the chemotherapy resistance of prostate cancer. Autophagic-modulation drugs have been employed in clinical trials to regulate autophagy, aiming to improve the response to chemotherapy or to anti-cancer treatments. Furthermore, the genetic signature of autophagy has been found to have a potential means to stratify prostate cancer aggressiveness. Unfortunately, stronger evidence is needed to better understand this field, and the application of these findings in clinical practice still remains poorly feasible
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