Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca- Università del Salento
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Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Fine-Needle Biopsy With End-Cutting Needles in Autoimmune Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textObjectives: There is limited evidence on the diagnostic yield of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition (TA) using fine-needle biopsy (FNB) in autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), particularly considering the newer end-cutting needles. The aim of this meta-analysis was to provide a pooled estimate of the diagnostic performance of EUS-TA using FNB in AIP patients according to the needle type used. Methods: A computerized bibliographic search was performed through April 2024. Pooled effects were calculated using a random-effects model. The primary endpoint was diagnostic accuracy. Secondary outcomes were sample adequacy, rates of adequate material for levels 1 and 2 of histological diagnosis, definitive diagnosis reached with histology in addition to imaging/laboratory tests, and safety. Results: Twelve studies (three prospective series and one randomized trial) with 496 patients were included. Overall diagnostic accuracy rate was 75% (66%-83%), with a superiority of end-cutting needles over reverse bevel needles (80%, 70%-90% versus 49%, 21%-67%; p < 0.001). Franseen (81%, 68%-93%) and Fork-tip needles (86%, 74%-98%) showed the highest accuracy. Sample adequacy rate was 92% (87%-98%), and EUS-TA using FNB provided level 1 of histological diagnosis in 47% of cases (38%-57%) and level 2 in 23% (16%-30%). EUS-TA using FNB provided a definitive diagnosis in 77% (63%-91%) of cases. Pooled rate of adverse event was 2% (1%-3%), mainly mild pancreatitis. Conclusions: End-cutting needles showed high diagnostic yield in patients with AIP, with a low rate of adverse events, and should be preferred over reverse bevel needles
Exploring the Influence of Wind Patterns on SUHII: A Case Study on Italian Cities
No full textUrban areas are becoming increasingly hotter due to climate change, with extreme heat events posing significant risks to human health and well-being Basu and Samet (Epidemiol Rev 24:190–202, 2002); Tan et al. (Int J Biometeorology 51:193–200, 2007;). Among the complex factors contributing to urban overheating, the urban heat island effect (UHI) stands out as a prominent phenomenon, increasing temperatures within cities compared to their surrounding rural areas. In this context, understanding the dynamics of the urban heat island, particularly the surface urban heat island (SUHI), becomes crucial for developing effective mitigation strategies and enhancing urban resilience Abdulateef and Al-Alwan (Ain Shams Eng J 13:526, 2022); Irfeey et al (Sustainability 15:10767, 2023). In this context, the present study aims to assess the influence of wind patterns on SUHI intensity by analysing urban morphology. Land surface temperature (LST) data from Sentinel-3 and wind pattern data from ERA5 reanalyses (spatial resolution: 0.25 × 0.25°) were used. City geometry is properly described at the same spatial resolution as the LST data (i.e., 1 × 1 km). The study focuses on Milan and Lecce during the summer seasons (JJA) of 2022–2023. The results suggest that calm wind conditions at night create optimal conditions for peak SUHI intensity, especially in densely urbanized areas. Conversely, winds exceeding 6.5 m/s weaken this phenomenon, particularly in suburban areas. Wind direction also significantly impacts SUHI distribution in cities. Northerly winds tend to mitigate SUHI intensity, while southerly winds tend to intensify it. Furthermore, this study explores the role of albedo in explaining variations in SUHI intensity between different cities. By analysing SUHI across different cities and considering urban geometry, this research provides valuable insights into factors affecting SUHI intensity. These insights can support improvements in urban thermal environments through informed urban planning, mitigation systems, and promoting human well-being and thermal comfort
Towards a conversational public administration? public services, chatbots, and new organisational challenges for local authorities
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14C dating in forensics: The Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) and the identification of skeletal remains of missing persons
No full textThe Centre of Applied Physics, Dating, and Diagnostics (CEDAD) at the University of Salento collaborates with the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) to analyze skeletal remains of individuals who went missing during the 1963–64 inter-communal conflict and the 1974 events. Supported by the United Nations, the CMP aims to locate, identify, and return the remains to families, a process complicated by poor preservation of skeletal remains, complex burial contexts, and limited contextual information. Radiocarbon dating is a key part of the CMP's analysis procedures, helping establish whether remains fall within the CMP mandate and providing details such as the individual's year of birth. This paper reviews the application of radiocarbon dating of bone samples, addressing challenges like dietary offsets and carbon turnover models while demonstrating its significance in refining identification processes. Case studies highlight its utility in both relevant and unrelated contexts to the CMP's mission, emphasizing its broader contributions to historical and forensic investigations
Extended Reality Within Construction Digital Twin for Operators Safety Management: A Case Study
No full textDigital Twin (DT) technology plays a crucial role in modern industry due to the ability to digitally abstract and represent a real-world asset (e.g., products, processes, people, environments). DT is well recognized in different sectors, such as the construction industry. Moreover, the possibility to leverage DT and integrate additional technologies, like eXtended Reality (XR), leaves the chance to multiple applications having diverse purposes such as operators’ safety management. This context is particularly critical for companies due to potential risks tied with human safety. XR technology integration can significantly contribute to supporting companies in monitoring and controlling operators’ safety within the construction site boundary. Through XR, companies can analyze and monitor operators’ behaviors, also remotely, such as in correctly wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), so that accidents and safety risks can be avoided and prevented. The paper aims to design and develop an innovative advanced framework, based on XR technologies and its potential integration within DTs, for scanning operators when entering within a construction site, and to accurately control the correct use of PPE. It also enables real-time monitoring of distances between operators, machinery and equipment to ensure safety by avoiding collisions. The paper intends to share and demonstrate the implementation of such a system in the construction industry, a research context which seems to be still scarce despite well-known benefits . The research is part of SOCS (Safety On Construction Sites) research project, an Italian project funded by the Apulia Region
Geometric rigidity for incompatible fields in the multi-well case and an application to strain-gradient plasticity
No full textWe derive a quantitative rigidity estimate for a multiwell problem in nonlinear elasticity with dislocations. Precisely, we show that the L 1 ∗ -distance of a possibly incompatible strain field β from a single well is controlled in terms of the L 1 ∗ -distance from a finite set of wells, of curl β , and of div β . As a consequence, we derive a strain-gradient plasticity model as Γ -limit of a nonlinear finite dislocation model, containing a singular perturbation term accounting for the divergence of the strain field. This can also be seen as a generalization of the result of Alicandro et al. (2018) to the case of incompatible vector fields
Comparison of techniques and measurement methods for determination of the water-soluble carbon and nitrogen in atmospheric particulate matter
No full textThe water-soluble fraction of particulate matter (PM) is the most bio-accessible and potentially harmful component due to its ability to be absorbed through the respiratory tract. This study evaluates the content of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and water-soluble total nitrogen (WSTN) in PM2.5 and PM10 filters collected in the Lecce area (Italy), focusing on monthly samples from different site typologies and daily samples from a single background site. WSOC was quantified using two methods on aqueous extracts with a TOC-L CPH analyser: (1) the total organic carbon (TOC) method, which determines WSOC as the difference between total carbon (TC) and inorganic carbon (IC); and (2) the non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC) method, which removes inorganic carbon by acidification and air purging before TC measurement. The analytical parameters of the NPOC method were optimized using a Design of Experiment (DoE), while WSTN, equivalent to total soluble nitrogen in the extract, was measured simultaneously using the NPOC method in N-mode. Results showed a strong correlation and high consistency between the two WSOC methods, with overall combined averages of WSOCTOC =(3.3 ±0.5) μg/m3 and WSOCNPOC =(3.2 ±0.4) μg/m3. OC solubility was high and similar in both PM fractions, averaging 65 % in PM2.5 and 66 % in PM10 but demonstrated a clear seasonal variability, with higher WSOC/OC ratios in the cold season. Furthermore, the NPOC approach facilitates the simultaneous quantification of WSTN with a reduced sample volume, and the data confirmed the limited content of water- soluble organic nitrogen (WSON) in this dataset, thus enhancing analytical efficiency for routine monitoring
Innovative Recovery Procedure Applied to the Static Solution of Anisotropic Doubly-Curved Shells with Holes and Irregular Shape
No full textIn this work, higher-order theories with a unified formulation are adopted within a two-dimensional Equivalent Single Layer (ESL) framework, to determine the three-dimensional static response of laminated anisotropic doubly-curved shell structures, described by irregular domains and characterized by holes and discontinuities. Starting from the geometry description of the structure in curvilinear principal coordinates, the fundamental equations are derived from the minimum potential energy principle in weak form, employing higher-order Lagrange shape functions to interpolate the unknown displacement variables. An isogeometric mapping of the physical domain is introduced to make the equations suitable for arbitrarily-shaped structures. A numerical solution is obtained using the Generalized Differential Quadrature (GDQ) and Generalized Integral Quadrature (GIQ) methods for singly-connected domains. In addition, a finite element numerical solution of the theory is determined, employing various shape functions and discretizations to address discontinuities, holes, and cracks. In the post-processing stage, an efficient recovery procedure based on GDQ and GIQ is presented to reconstruct the response of the 3D solid. This procedure adopts a patch extracted from the physical domain to numerically evaluate derivatives and integrals. The accuracy of the proposed solution is validated through proper comparisons with numerical predictions from 3D models developed with commercial softwares. Parametric investigations are also performed, highlighting the importance of the recovery procedure and the selection of the kinematic model. Various structures with different curvatures are analyzed, featuring different lamination schemes, geometries, loading conditions and boundary conditions. The model proposed in this paper enables refined numerical solutions with a reduced computational effort compared to conventional numerical approaches. Moreover, it allows for accurate and efficient determination of strain and stress distributions in laminated, doubly-curved structures with holes and discontinuities, thus providing valuable insights for the design of complex structural components
In-hospital Mortality in Patients with Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Development and Validation of a Prediction Score
No full textBackground and study aims: Lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is a common condition linked to increased morbidity, healthcare costs, and mortality. Currently, no prospectively validated prognostic model exists to predict mortality in LGIB patients. Our aim was to develop and validate a risk score that could accurately predict in-hospital mortality of patients admitted for LGIB. Patients and methods: Patient data from a nationwide cohort study in 15 centers in Italy (2019-2020) were used to derivate the risk score (Acute Lower gastrointestinal Bleeding and In-hospital mortality, ALIBI score); the model was then externally validated in a cohort of consecutive patients hospitalized for LGIB in 12 centers from six countries (Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Iran, Brazil) in 2020-2024. The main outcome was in-hospital mortality; we also reported rebleeding rates and in-hospital mortality rate stratified by risk score and timing of colonoscopy. Results: Among 1,198 patients in the derivation cohort, 105 (8.8%) rebled, 41 (3.4%) died. Age, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), in-hospital onset, hemodynamic instability, and creatinine levels were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. The model demonstrated excellent discrimination (AUROC=0.813, 95%-CI: 0.752-0.874) and calibration. In the validation cohort (n=752 patients), the model's good discrimination (AUROC=0.792, 95%-CI: 0.720-0.863) and calibration were confirmed. Patients were categorized as low (0-4 points, 1% mortality), intermediate (5-9 points, 4.6% mortality), or high risk (10-13 points, 19.1% mortality). Conclusions: A new validated score effectively predicts in-hospital mortality in LGIB patients, aiding in risk stratification and management