2,113 research outputs found
Architettura per l'infanzia sul litorale pisano. Una nuova stagione del recupero
No full textLo studio analizza i caratteri tipologico-formali di alcune colonie marine edificate negli anni trenta sul litorale pisano. Viene affrontato il significato ed il valore di queste strutture, indagando nel contempo la metodologia e gli esiti dell’azione di recupero sviluppata
The role of the cystectomy and minimally invasive surgery in the complex patient with bladder cancer
No full textL'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen
Advances in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) manufacturing: green extraction techniques from natural sources
No full textAscorbic acid (AA), or vitamin C, is one of the most important vitamins consumed through the diet due to its critical role in many biological processes. Although the human body cannot synthesize it, AA is essential in maintaining healthy bodily structure, acting as a cofactor of many enzymes involved in collagen synthesis and an efficient immune system. At the same time, AA is used in the cosmetic field for its antioxidant and antipigmentary properties, in the food industry as additive, and in chemical synthesis as reducing agent. AA can be chemically synthesized, produced by the oxidative fermentation of bacteria, or extracted from natural sources. This review addresses the most recent developments in its manufacture, including techniques for extracting vitamin C from plants, fruits, vegetables, algae, and leaves, and focusing on the most commonly used green methods, i.e., ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction. These methods are based on mild extraction conditions, environmentally friendly solvents, low time, cost, and energy consumption. In contrast, their extraction yields are comparable to or even higher than those of conventional methods
Verbal Glasgow Coma Scale as predictor of persistent disorder of consciousness: Insights for improving accuracy and reliability in clinical practice
No full text: This brief report discusses the relationship between verbal function, disorders of consciousness, and neurological follow-up after acute brain injury. It provides valuable insights for improving the accuracy and reliability of Verbal Glasgow Coma Scale scoring in clinical practice. The report addresses the need for standardized training and underlines the importance of physiological stabilization before assessment. Clarity in communication, recognition of non-verbal cues, and serial assessments are emphasized as critical factors to reduce the Verbal Glasgow Coma Scale inconsistencies. It also promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and cultural sensitivity to refine the Verbal Glasgow Coma Scale evaluation, improving the prediction of long-term neurological outcomes after acute brain injury and optimizing effective rehabilitation programs. Possible strategies to implement in the routine clinical practice the provided tips are discussed
La Madonna di Trapani di Nino Pisano e i suoi epigoni
No full textLa scultura della Madonna di Trapani del Santuario dell’Annunziata, riferita a Nino Pisano, che introduce l’iconografia della Vergine in amorevole colloquio, favorì la produzione di numerose copie del simulacro marmoreo sin dal XV secolo. Tra le tarde riproposizioni viene inserita la statua alabastrina della Madonna con il Bambino del Museo Diocesano di Palermo.The sculpture of the Madonna of Trapani of the Santuario dell'Annunziata, referring to Nino Pisano, who introduces the iconography of the Virgin in loving conversation, favoured the production of numerous copies of the marble simulacrum since the 15th century. The alabastrine statue of the Madonna and Child of the Diocesan Museum of Palermo is included among the late reproductions
The Predictive Value of the Verbal Glasgow Coma Scale in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review
No full textBackground: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major global health concern, imposing significant burdens on individuals and healthcare systems. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), a widely utilized instrument for evaluating neurological status, includes 3 variables: motor, verbal, and eye opening. The GCS plays a crucial role in TBI severity stratification. While extensive research has explored the predictive capabilities of the overall GCS score and its motor component, the Verbal Glasgow Coma Scale (V-GCS) has garnered less attention. Objective: To examine the predictive accuracy of the V-GCS in assessing outcomes in patients with TBI, with a particular focus on functional outcome and mortality. In addition, we intend to compare its predictive performance with other components of the GCS. Methods: A systematic review, based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, was conducted utilizing the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Inclusion criteria encompassed 10 clinical studies involving patients with TBI, wherein the level of consciousness was assessed using the verbal GCS score. Predominant statistical measures employed were odds ratios (ORs) and area under the curve (AUC). Results: Recorded findings consistently underscore that lower V-GCS scores are associated with adverse functional outcomes and mortality in patients with TBI. Despite the predictive accuracy of the V-GCS, the Motor Glasgow Coma Scale (M-GCS) emerges as a superior predictor. Conclusion: In the context of TBI outcome prediction, the V-GCS demonstrates its efficacy as a prognostic tool. However, the M-GCS exhibits superior performance compared with the V-GCS. These insights underscore the multifaceted nature of TBI assessment and emphasize the necessity of considering distinct components of the Glasgow Coma Scale for comprehensive evaluation. Further research is warranted to refine and improve the application of these predictive measures in clinical practice
The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown Measures and COVID-19 Infection on Cognitive Functions: A Review in Healthy and Neurological Populations
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic severely affected people’s mental health all over the world. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of the literature related to the effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures and COVID-19 infection on cognitive functioning in both healthy people and people with neurological conditions by considering only standardized tests. We performed a narrative review of the literature via two databases, PUBMED and SCOPUS, from December 2019 to December 2022. In total, 62 out of 1356 articles were selected and organized into three time periods: short-term (1–4 months), medium-term (5–8 months), and long-term (9–12 months), according to the time in which the tests were performed. Regardless of the time period, most studies showed a general worsening in cognitive performance in people with neurological conditions due to COVID-19 lockdown measures and in healthy individuals recovered from COVID-19 infection. Our review is the first to highlight the importance of considering standardized tests as reliable measures to quantify the presence of cognitive deficits due to COVID-19. Indeed, we believe that they provide an objective measure of the cognitive difficulties encountered in the different populations, while allowing clinicians to plan rehabilitation treatments that can be of great help to many patients who still, nowadays, experience post-COVID-19 symptoms
Regressivity-Reducing VAT Reforms
No full textA concern about a more extensive use of the Value Added Tax (VAT) in national tax systems
often arises both from its impact on aggregate consumption and its alleged regressivity over income. Yet, the
empirical evidence on this latter issue is still narrow mainly due to the lack of joint data on income and expenditures with enough detail to account for commodity-specific tax rates. After discussing relevant problems in
the measurement of VAT incidence over current income - which are likely to cause severe upward bias in the
estimated regressivity - the paper aims at analysing the distributional implications of different VAT structures.
In a framework of marginal tax reforms, relying on the concept of Gini elasticity (Yitzhaki, 1983), a general
methodology is proposed to analyse and improve the distributional profile of VAT over income. Using a static
microsimulation model (EGaLiTe), the methodology is applied on a comprehensive dataset of expenditures and
incomes obtained by a statistical matching of two different sources representative of the Italian population. It
is shown that an alternative allocation of goods among existing rates could mitigate the regressive profile of thetax over income, and that a properly designed two-rate setting could even improve the distributional outcome
compared with the current setting. Finally, behavioural responses to tax-driven price changes are also simulated
in order to assess the potential impact of the proposed reforms on aggregate expenditure
Adjunctive Approaches to Aphasia Rehabilitation: A Review on Efficacy and Safety
No full textAphasia is one of the most socially disabling post-stroke deficits. Although traditional therapies have been shown to induce adequate clinical improvement, aphasic symptoms often persist. Therefore, unconventional rehabilitation techniques which act as a substitute or as an adjunct to traditional approaches are urgently needed. The present review provides an overview of the efficacy and safety of the principal approaches which have been proposed over the last twenty years. First, we examined the effectiveness of the pharmacological approach, principally used as an adjunct to language therapy, reporting the mechanism of action of each single drug for the recovery of aphasia. Results are conflicting but promising. Secondly, we discussed the application of Virtual Reality (VR) which has been proven to be useful since it potentiates the ecological validity of the language therapy by using virtual contexts which simulate real-life everyday contexts. Finally, we focused on the use of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), both discussing its applications at the cortical level and highlighting a new perspective, which considers the possibility to extend the use of tDCS over the motor regions. Although the review reveals an extraordinary variability among the different studies, substantial agreement has been reached on some general principles, such as the necessity to consider tDCS only as an adjunct to traditional language therapy
Le Città Metropolitane e il PNRR: un posizionamento
No full textThe contemporary global scenario is marked by a plethora of multilevel crises, profoundly influencing the socioeconomic and environmental fabric of territories. The primary policy strategy introduced to address this
scenario is the European program NextGenerationEU, translated in Italy as the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The PNRR is characterized as a plan without a clear strategy, lacking a genuine national urban agenda. However, it has endowed the country with extraordinary funds, involving all spheres of public policies and all political and administrative levels. In particular, Metropolitan Cities, through Innovative Programs for
Housing Quality (PINQuA) and Integrated Urban Plans (PUI), have assumed a pivotal role within this framework, positioning themselves at the epicenter of an unparalleled funding system for urban regeneration projects. This
has severely tested the administrations' capacity to coordinate, monitor, and implement projects to meet the objectives set by national calls and European targets. Nearly two years after the launch of the PNRR, there are still many elements of opacity that prompt some critical inquiry: how to overcome the dyscrasia between the timelines imposed by the call for proposals and the need to intercept all levels of planning, to implement and spatialize the results of national and European policies? How have the Metropolitan Cities changed their organizational structures and how can these new governance models sustain themselves in the long term? In this framework the Research Project of National Interest (PRIN 2022) “Metropolitan Cities under PNRR”, coordinated by Carlo Pisano and Valentina Orioli, takes place. This article will describe the context, objectives and initial findings of research in unique situation within the Italian context: Florence and Bologna, Italy’s only adjacent Metropolitan Cities, share the same geographic arc, similar opportunities, housing dimensions, and historical-political traditions. However, they are engaged in different approaches in managing PNRR resources allocated to PINQuA and PUI
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