Archivio istituzionale della ricerca - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna
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Assessment and surgical correction of posterior tibial slope in revision anterior cruciate ligament surgery: An international expert Delphi consensus statement
No full textPurpose: The aim was to provide international guidelines to enhance decision-making regarding the definition and evaluation of increased posterior tibial slope (PTS) and the role of anterior closing wedge high tibial osteotomy (ACWHTO) in the setting of revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Methods: This guideline is based on responses from 46 international orthopaedic surgeons with expert experience in knee pathologies and osteotomy. Based on a literature review, each expert drafted and commented on a set of core statements. The provided comments were blinded and discussed within the working group to refine the statements. In a subsequent round of surveys, all experts discussed with the final 32 statements. Consensus was achieved when at least 80 % of survey respondents fully agreed. Results: With respect to ACWHTO for PTS reduction, there was consensus achieved for using the medial plateau as a measurement for PTS measuring, aiming for PTS correction of 5–7°, individualizing osteotomy wedge thickness, and performing ACWHTO and revision ACLR in a single stage. There was no consensus on the type of radiographs to be used, a cut-off value for increased PTS, an absolute indication for ACWHTO the osteotomy technique, nor type of fixation. The International consensus statements aim to bridge the gap between research and clinical application to enhance clinicians’ decision-making in revision ACLR management and to focus future areas of required research. Conclusion: The literature review confirmed a paucity of evidence to guide clinicians in the diagnosis and surgical management of increased PTS. An agreement could be achieved for 25/32 statements (78 %) on the definition and assessment of PTS, indication, planning, surgical decision-making, and peri- and postoperative management for ACWHTO. While no consensus could be achieved for the definition of a cut-off value for pathological PTS, consensus was reached for a variety of statements on diagnostic and surgical aspects. Level of Evidence: V, expert opinion
Evaluation of Traditional Plastic Supports Versus Bio-Compostable Material for Vertical Crops
No full textAnnually, global plastic production exceeds 390 million tons, with approximately 12 tons allocated for agricultural purposes. Plastics, including polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), and polypropylene (PP), have become indispensable in several agricultural activities such as mulching, protective crop coverings, and storage. While the use of plastic has significantly benefited agriculture, it has also led to an increase in plastic waste and environmental pollution. To address these environmental challenges, it is crucial to adopt a comprehensive approach that includes proper collection, efficient disposal, and effective recycling processes for plastics after use. An alternative strategy involves replacing traditional plastic materials with biodegradable ones. This study focuses on the potential use of a bio-compostable thread for tying and supporting tomatoes and other crops in vertical cultivation. In vertical crops greenhouses, strings are essential components used throughout the cultivation cycle. The disposal of large quantities of plastic twines poses a significant problem at the end of these crop cycles. An evaluation was conducted to explore the feasibility of replacing plastic twines with more environmentally friendly alternatives. The proposed substitute is a woolen yarn crafted from waste wool. Initial findings on its resistance and sustainability support this hypothesis. Further analyses will be conducted to assess its durability and overall feasibility. However, promoting more sustainable use of plastics in agriculture fundamentally relies on social and economic incentives, as well as education and training
Citrobacter braakii Isolated from Salami and Soft Cheese: An Emerging Food Safety Hazard?
No full textCitrobacter braakii can colonize the intestinal tract of humans and animals and
occasionally act as opportunistic pathogen. Although isolated from food and the environment, its potential as a foodborne pathogen remains uncertain. Twenty C. braakii isolates were previously collected from salami and soft cheese artisanal productions. In the present study, the potentialities of C. braakii as a food safety hazard were explored by a genomic comparison of C. braakii newly sequenced genomes with publicly available genomes, including those of clinical relevance, and a pathogenicity assessment in Galleria mellonella as an in vivo infection model. Phylogenomic reconstruction revealed that one salami clone
and two C. braakii genomes of the soft cheese production were closely related (from 11 to 28 core SNP differences) to C. braakii publicly available clinical genomes. All genomes carried the chromosomally located blaCMY and/or qnrB genes and were resistant to cephalosporins and/or had reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. G. mellonella larvae showed 90% mortality after challenge with C. braakii strains carrying the vex and tvi operons coding for the capsular polysaccharide (Vi antigen), in comparison to 40% of strains lacking
these two operons. The high mortality rate of vex- and tvi-positive C. braakii isolated from food processing plants suggests C. braakii to be a possible foodborne hazard
Processi di vittimizzazione: origini sociali e interventi nella società contemporanea
No full textil capitolo esamina le origini della disciplina vittimologica ed i contributi più rilevanti, evidenziando luci ed ombre nei differenti approcci di studio alle vittime di reati, ingiustizia e violenza (approccio positivista, radicale, dei diritti umani e generale), con ciò riflettendo in termini critici sulle peculiari implicazioni per quanto concerne le politiche pubbliche, di supporto e di implementazione di servizi e forme di tutela nelle società contemporane
Non si può impedire a una nuova alba di sorgere. Inclusione e evoluzione
No full textLa realtà restituisce un’immagine spesso problematica dei processi inclusivi, tale per cui tanto l’inclusione dei disabili quanto quella di soggetti socialmente marginali risulta tutt’altro che scontata. Il fenomeno dell’Inclusione costituisce uno dei principi cardine delle democrazie evolute: in questo contributo si argomenterà la tesi secondo cui il tempo gioca a favore dell’Inclusione
Effect of Block Copolymer Membrane Nanostructure on Ethanol-Water Transport Measured by Infrared Spectroscopy
No full textBlock copolymers (BCPs) are recognized for exhibiting unique assets, not achievable in homogeneous, single component materials, by combining the peculiarities of two different homopolymer blocks, in terms of physical, chemical and mechanical properties.
Three polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (SEO) BCPs with distinct morphologies—lamellar, cylindrical, and spherical—synthesized via anionic polymerization, were investigated for their possible use as membrane materials for ethanol-water transport, aiming to explore sustainable separation processes. Ethanol permeation experiments at 30 °C, using water/ethanol feeds with various concentrations, were conducted via in-situ Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results revealed that ethanol permeability in SEO membranes depends on the feed mixture concentration and the PS-PEO mass ratio. The hydrophilic PEO fraction interacts strongly with both solvents, while the hydrophobic PS moiety, though not dissolvable, is more affine to ethanol.
A mass balance model confirmed that at 8.9 mol/L ethanol, permeability increased from 2.7⋅10-7 to 8.5⋅10-7 cm2/s moving from spherical to lamellar structures, while water permeability at 50.1 mol/L rose from 2.0⋅10- 9 cm2/s to 2.1⋅10-8 cm2/s. Despite the moderate separation performance of the membranes, the study enhances understanding of swelling, morphology, and counter-diffusion effects, contributing to polymer design advancements
Recensione a Miguel Álvarez Ortega, Oriente y los derechos. Hinduismo, buddhismo y confucianismo, Athenaica Ediciones, Sevilla 2023, 263 pp.
No full textRecensione a Miguel Álvarez Ortega, Oriente y los derechos. Hinduismo, buddhismo y confucianismo, Athenaica Ediciones, Sevilla 2023, 263 pp
Sex-related gut microbiota in three geographically separated Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) populations
No full textDespite the ecological and economic value of the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), its gut microbiota remains largely understudied. The aim of the present study was to investigate the gut bacterial microbiota in three geographically separated N. norvegicus populations from the Mediterranean and the North Seas and detect any potential sex-related microbiota differences, by high-throughput sequencing of the V3-V4 16S rRNA gene diversity of the gut tissue. Egg-bearing females from the Greek population, were also included in this analysis. A total of 2385 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified and between 417 and 1290 OTUs were present in each population/sex group. The dominant OTUs belonged to the Fusobacteriia and Bacteroidia (Sweden), Bacilli and Gammaproteobacteria (Italy) and Spirochaetia and Bacilli (Greece) bacterial classes. In the eggs, the Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Gammproteobacteria prevailed. Four OTUs related to the Oceanispirochaeta, Kordiimonas, Desulfovibrio, Carboxylicivirga genera and one unafilliated OTU were positively correlated (p values between 0.001 and 0.04) with body size, indicating their potential role in the nutrition and growth of N. norvegicus. No statistically significant differences were found between males and females in any of the three populations. However, statistically significant differences between populations for each sex, were found for all females (p values between 0.008 and 0.032) and for the males between the most distant populations, i.e. Italy-Sweden (p = 0.021) and Greece-Sweden (p = 0.015). The egg microbiota was statistically significant different from both the adult female (p = 0.027) and male (p = 0.046) gut microbiota. Overall, this study revealed that the N. norvegicus gut microbiota is differentiated between geographically distant populations and
that sex-related differences are not significan
Recording Solo: Managing LongDistance Data Collection within Audio Diary Research with Healthcare Professionals
No full textThis paper explores the methodological and reflexive implications of using audio diaries in remote qualitative research with healthcare professionals. Drawing on a three-month study involving 18 participants who submitted audio recordings weekly, complemented by follow-up interviews, the article examines how this method enables the collection of rich, emotionally nuanced, and temporally proximate narratives. The audio diary format proved particularly effective for engaging professionals under high emotional and organizational pressure, offering a flexible and participant-led space for ref lection. The study also sheds light on the challenges of sustaining participation over time, the importance of ethical responsiveness, and the role of the researcher in supporting engagement at a distance. Ultimately, the paper proposes the concept of long-distance reflexivity to describe how both participants and researchers negotiate meaning, presence, and vulnerability in fully remote research settings
A textured clinical mosaic involving autoimmune calcific constrictive pericarditis: a case report
Get PDFBackground Constrictive pericarditis is a rare condition whereby chronic pericardial inflammation leads to pericardial stiffening and predominantly right-sided heart failure. While idiopathic and infectious forms are most common, autoimmune causes may be involved with often elusive disease manifestations. Case summary A 34-year-old woman presented with severe right-sided heart failure and atrial fibrillation secondary to rapidly progressive calcific constrictive pericarditis following preterm delivery due to placenta previa. Given the refractoriness to medical therapy and dependence on i.v. diuretic therapy, surgical pericardiectomy was performed without any clinical benefit (prompt heart failure relapse). Further tests revealed a mosaic of multiorgan manifestations (alveolar haemorrhage, pleuritis, factor XI deficiency, altered lymphocyte subpopulations, cutaneous nodules demonstrating Koebner’s phenomenon, placental vasculopathy causing miscarriage and preterm delivery), which ultimately led to the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Instatement of immunosuppression (corticosteroid initially, subsequently substituted by mycophenolate) led to the resolution of constriction and other disease manifestations at 18-month follow-up. Discussion This case of SLE presenting with advanced calcific constrictive pericarditis demonstrates the crucial role played by aetiological diagnosis in constrictive pericarditis. It also exemplifies the often-subtle nature of extra-cardiac manifestations in autoimmune processes, particularly in SLE, which may lead to significant diagnostic uncertainty and delay in the instatement of disease-specific therapy. The benefits of the latter are manifest in this case as the introduction of mycophenolate determined a complete reversal of constrictive physiology despite refractoriness to surgical pericardiectomy