Archivio istituzionale della ricerca - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna
Archivio istituzionale della ricerca - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di BolognaNot a member yet
336958 research outputs found
Sort by
Editoriale
No full textThe authors reconstruct the different meanings, the historical-philosophical fortunes, as well as the aporias and crises of the political concept of progress from the Eighteenth century, when it was established, to the crisis of the Twentieth century. Finally, in the last part of the essay, they illustrate the philosophical-political reasons for re-proposing the concept of progress in the disordered present as a means of reactivating the imagination of the future in the political sphere
Defining Predictive Factors for Permanent Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia: Trichoscopy, Reflectance Confocal Microscopy and Histopathology Study on 77 Patients
Get PDFIntroduction: Literature about trichoscopy of permanent chemotherapy-induced alopecia (pCIA) is still scarce, while no data were published regarding reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). The aim of our study is to monitor the different phases of chemotherapy-induced alopecia development with trichoscopy and RCM, in order to identify predictor factors for permanent alopecia. Methods: This multicentre, prospective, observational study evaluated patients with cancer who were candidates for chemotherapy with a drug implicated in pCIA development. Patients were followed for the next 2 years after recruitment. Results: A total of 77 patients were enrolled. Six months after the discontinuation of chemotherapy in all patients with pCIA, trichoscopic examination revealed a diffuse presence of multiple yellow dots, the persistence of regrowing hairs, and an increase degree of miniaturization in comparison to baseline. RCM detected the permanence of inflammatory cells over time, especially around the adnexal structures, which led to the appearance of fibrosis and alteration of the normal rimming. Conclusions: Trichoscopy and RCM allowed one to detect the different phases of chemotherapy-induced alopecia development. The following predictor factors for pCIA were identified: a positive history of cyclophosphamide- and taxane-based chemotherapy; a diffuse presence of multiple yellow dots at trichoscopy; onset and persistence of a diffuse inflammatory infiltrate at RCM
Deep Guess acceleration for explainable image reconstruction in sparse-view CT
Get PDFSparse-view Computed Tomography (CT) is an emerging protocol designed to reduce X-ray dose radiation in medical imaging. Reconstructions based on the traditional Filtered Back Projection algorithm suffer from severe artifacts due to sparse data. In contrast, Model-Based Iterative Reconstruction (MBIR) algorithms, though better at mitigating noise through regularization, are too computationally costly for clinical use. This paper introduces a novel technique, denoted as the Deep Guess acceleration scheme, using a trained neural network both to quicken the regularized MBIR and to enhance the reconstruction accuracy. We integrate state-of-the-art deep learning tools to initialize a clever starting guess for a proximal algorithm solving a non-convex model and thus computing a (mathematically) interpretable solution image in a few iterations. Experimental results on real and synthetic CT images demonstrate the Deep Guess effectiveness in (very) sparse tomographic protocols, where it overcomes its mere variational counterpart and many data-driven approaches at the state of the art. We also consider a ground truth-free implementation and test the robustness of the proposed framework to noise
I Casanova. Una famiglia d'arte nel secolo XVIII
No full textil volume partecipa agli studi indetti nell'occasione del tricentenario della nascita di Giacomo Casanova promuovendo ricerche di ambito nazionale e internazionale che hanno come centro l'idea di famiglia d'arte nel secolo XVIII. I saggi sono a vocazione interdisciplinare e raccontano non solo le caratteristiche peculiari della autobiografia casanoviana, ma anche l'ambiente familiare e artistico in cui operò uno dei maggiori scrittori italiani del secolo XVIII
Orthobiologic therapies delay the need for hip arthroplasty in patients with avascular necrosis of the femoral head: A systematic review and survival analysis
Get PDFPurpose: The aim of this systematic review and survival analysis was to quantify the benefits of orthobiologic augmentation therapies for the treatment of avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head and identify the most effective approach to delay the need for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed on PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane on clinical studies on orthobiologic therapies used alone or as an augmentation to core decompression or other procedures to address hip AVN. A qualitative analysis of the different biological therapies applied was performed. Afterward, the results of these procedures were quantitatively analysed to document their survivorship from THA compared to treatment groups without orthobiologics. Kaplan–Meier analysis was performed for all studies and then by categorising orthobiologics into treatment subgroups. Results: A total of 106 studies were included (4505 patients). Different orthobiologic approaches have been evaluated: cell-based therapies including bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) and bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), or other bioactive molecules applied in the osteonecrotic area or as intra-arterial injections. The survival analysis at 120 months documented a higher (p < 0.0005) cumulative survivorship with orthobiologics (69.4%) compared to controls (48.5%). The superiority was shown specifically for BMAC (p < 0.0005), BM-MSCs (p < 0.0005), intra-arterial (p < 0.0005) and PRP (p = 0.011) approaches, but the direct comparison of these approaches with their controls confirmed benefits only for BMAC (p < 0.0005). Conclusion: This systematic review and survival analysis demonstrated that orthobiologics have the potential to improve survivorship in patients affected by hip AVN. In particular, the specific analysis of different orthobiologic products supported relevant benefits for BMAC augmentation in terms of survival from the need for THA, while no clear benefits were confirmed for other orthobiologics. Level of Evidence: Level III
Historical analysis of the first smallpox vaccination campaigns in early 19-century northern Italy: organisation and communication insights for contemporary epidemics' prevention and control
Get PDFBackground: In the annals of public health, smallpox is a watershed, being the first disease eradicated by vaccination. Drawing parallels to contemporary pandemic control measures, we examined the first smallpox vaccination campaigns in early 19th-century northern Italy and the seminal work of Luigi Sacco. Our study delves into this under-explored historical landscape to elucidate lessons that resonate with modern public health dilemmas. Methods: We scrutinised primary sources from the Historical Civic Archive of Pavia, the State Archive of Pavia, and the State Archive of Milan. These archives provided exhaustive data on administrative decrees, local epidemiology, and university-health authority collaborations. Using period-specific keyword searches and expert consultations, we extensively reviewed correspondence, vaccination lists, and academic writings, including Luigi Sacco's seminal Trattato di vaccinazione. The epidemiological investigation focused on the pivotal period of 1816–1828 in Lombardy's 19th-century public health landscape. Results: Organisational reforms enacted in 1821 succeeded in doubling the number of vaccinations administered in Pavia, stabilising at elevated rates in subsequent years. Despite improvements, incongruities in epidemiological data and vaccinator remuneration persisted. Communication strategies pioneered by Sacco, encompassing academic and religious collaborations, demonstrated their efficacy. Epidemiological data revealed an initial surge in vaccination uptake in 1822, with a declining trend in the following years, notably impacted by logistical and data recording limitations. Conclusion: Our research underscores three salient dimensions pertinent to contemporary public health paradigms: first, the vital function of local administrative bodies as efficacious service providers, immunisation register keepers, and social safety nets; second, the equilibrium between mandatory vaccination policies and discretionary enforcement as a pragmatic framework for public compliance; lastly, the irrefutable importance of credible communication strategies in fighting vaccine hesitancy. These insights are not merely historical curiosities but cardinal principles for effectively managing modern epidemics and infectious disease threats
Not All Migrants Are the Same: Decent Work and Pre- and Post-Migration Experiences of Economic Migrants
Get PDFGrounded in the dual frame of reference theory and a life-course perspective, this study explores how migrants’ past work experiences shape the perceptions of their actual work in the host country. The study examines pre- and post-migration working conditions and life satisfaction and compares them to perceptions of decent work (DW). Additionally, the study also compares the DW perceptions of migrants with prior work experience in their home country with those of migrants who lack such experience and started to work in the host country. Using the Decent Work Questionnaire (DWQ), the study analyzes responses from 137 participants. A two-step cluster analysis identified three distinct groups of migrants living in Italy with pre-migration work experience in their home country. These clusters have been labeled as follows: (1) “Better Life, Better Work”, (2) “Better Life, Worse Work”, and (3) “Same Life, Worse Work”. ANOVA results showed that the better life, better work group reported significantly higher overall DW perceptions, as well as higher scores on five out of the seven dimensions of the DWQ. Socio-demographic characteristics were further analyzed to explain variations across clusters. These findings highlight the complex interplay between pre- and post-migration experiences and their impact on migrants’ DW perceptions in their current roles. Additionally, such clusters were compared with a control group that does not have prior work experience in the home country. Results suggest that time-sensitive factors but also other factors, such as expectations, may determine those perceptions. Finally, the study offers practical recommendations for improving workplace conditions and provides insights for organizations and policymakers aiming to better support economic migrants’ integration in the workplaces
Translations, translocations, and pluralism: A transnational and multilingual analysis of the circulation of radical geographical knowledge
No full textBased on recently opened multilingual archives, this paper addresses relationally three transnational cases of early networking for critical and radical geography that took place in different countries and languages between the 1970s and the 1980s. Addressing materials from the Union of Socialist Geographers (USG, North America and around, 1974-1982), the Unión de Geógrafos Progresistas de México (UGPM, Mexico [involving Latin America], 1978-1990) and Geografia Democratica (GD, Italy [involving France], 1976-1981), it extends scholarship on translation, translocation and pluralistic bids to decolonise geography. It argues for considering transnational and multilingual analyses of the circulation of geographical knowledge as key to understand translation as translocation, based on transcultural empathy. Far from being a mere linguistic matter, translation/translocation allows understanding elements of translatability and distinctiveness of concepts travelling from one place to another through complex and rarely linear trajectories. While these three cases show how problematic is to translate adjectives such as ‘radical’ and ‘critical’ across national, linguistic and cultural barriers, they also expose how there is no standard or unique application of these definitions to geography, which does not impede putting distinct experiences in mutual and productive dialogues, including for today scholarly and activist agendas
Combinatorial analysis of miRNAs and tRNA fragments as potential biomarkers for cancer patients in liquid biopsies
Get PDFLiquid biopsy has gained significant attention as a non-invasive method for cancer de-tection and monitoring. IsomiRs and tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are small non-coding RNAs that arise from non-canonical microRNA (miRNAs) processing and the cleavage of tRNAs, respectively. These small non-coding RNAs have emerged as promising cancer biomarkers, and their distinct expression patterns highlight the need for further exploration of their roles in cancer research. In this study, we investigated the differential expression profiles of miRNAs, isomiRs, and tRFs in plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) from colorectal and prostate cancer patients compared to healthy controls. Subsequently, a combinatorial analysis using the CombiROC package was performed to identify a panel of biomarkers with optimal diagnostic accuracy. Our results demonstrate that a combination of miRNAs, isomiRs, and tRFs can effectively distinguish cancer patients from healthy controls, achieving accuracy and an area under the curve (AUC) of approximately 80%. These findings highlight the potential of a combinatorial approach to small RNA analysis in liquid biopsies for improved cancer diagnosis and management
Mapping the use of emerging technologies within the public sector across the EU: The case of Public Sector Tech Watch
Get PDFPublic organizations across the EU are integrating emergent technologies, but information on these applications remains scarce. The European Commission's Public Sector Tech Watch (PSTW) is the first observatory that monitors the use of emerging technologies in public organizations consolidating this information into a single repository. The PSTW, established in 2023, aims to be the central hub for stakeholders interested in the latest technological advancements for improving public sector services. This research uses PSTW as a case study to explore the evolution of mapping emerging technologies as an anticipatory practice in the public sector. Using Schatzkian practice theory, the study analyzes changes in activities, material arrangements, and organizing elements through interviews, observations, and document reviews. Findings reveal that expectations have become central, shaping both the evaluation of public value and the narratives in PSTW outputs. These developments suggest that the PSTW is progressively transforming into an anticipatory knowledge hub. Key drivers of this transformation are repository expansion, community-building initiatives, and alignment with broader EU digital policies. Our paper contributes to the literature on anticipatory practices by offering a longitudinal perspective, delving into the evolutionary process of the practice, and emphasizing the critical role of mapping practices in shaping expectations