36,165 research outputs found
The cutaneous cancer of Ferdinando Orsini, 5th Duke of Gravina (death in 1549)
No full textThe natural mummy of Ferdinando Orsini, Duke of Gravina in Apulia (southern Italy), dead in 1549 at about 50-55 years of age, showed the face completely covered by a veil and two small patches of cloth at the root of the nose and in the right orbit. After removal of the veil and the patches, surely a medical dressing, an extensive and destructive lesion of the right orbit and the root of the nose appeared. The lesion revealed, at macroscopic examination, complete destruction of the right and root of the left nasal bone, destruction of the medial wall of the right orbit with extensive erosion of the glabellar region and the upper third of the vomer.
X-ray examination of the facial skull showed a large, irregular loss of bone, extending from the inner corner of the right orbit, near the root of the nose, towards the frontal bone, with total involvement of the right and partial of left sinuses and the ethmoid, without any sclerotic reaction. Total body X-ray did not reveal any other osteolithic lesion.
Histology of eroded fragments of the vomer and left nasal bone showed largelacunae with clear borders, surrounded by other smaller round lacunae, destructing the normal lamellar bone, sometimes containing clusters of partially necrotic cells with solid epithelial-like aspects(Fig. 7a, b), well visible in particular inside one of the largest lacunae.The border between the bone and the underlying tissue in lacunae is clear and sharp and the brownish like-epithelial mass reveals a darker margin (looking like a palisade) and it is separated from the bone by clefting artifacts.The epithelial origin of the cells of the osteolytic lesion was confirmed by the strong positivity for pancytokeratin.
The lesion of the facial skull of Ferdinando Orsini is macroscopically and microscopically suggestive of a diagnosis of destructive basal cell carcinoma in advanced stage of evolution (Fornaciari et al., 1989; Gaeta et al., 2015).
This tumor, histologically characterizedby a front of neoplastic invasion with cells arranged in a palisade and cleft-like retraction spaces of artefactual nature, has a strong local aggressiveness and cause skin ulceration and bone destruction (hence the Latin name of ‘ulcus rodens’), without remote metastases, is also at present one of the most common malignant skin neoplasms, caused by exposure to sunlight.
Literature cited
Fornaciari G, Bruno J, Corcione N, Tornaboni D, Castagna M: Un cas de tumeur maligne primitive de la region naso-orbitairedansunemomie de la basilique de S. Domenico Maggiore à Naples (XVIe siècle); in Capasso L (ed): Advances in Paleopathology: Proceedings of the VII European Meeting of the Paleopathology Association: Lyon, September 1988. J PaleopatholMonogrPubl. Chieti, Solfanelli, 1989, pp 65–69.
Gaeta R, Ventura L, Fornaciari G: Il tumore di Ferdinando Orsini, duca di Gravina di Puglia (+1549); in Atti del 50° Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di Storia della Medicina, Palermo 2-4 ottobre 2014. Palermo 2015, pp. 189-194
Increased left atrial size in obese children and its association with insulin resistance: a pilot study
No full textSubclinical cardiac abnormalities represent predisposing factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in obese subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate early cardiac abnormalities in obese youth and the potential association with insulin resistance (IR). Thirty obese (12 males (M)/18 females (F); age = 11.5 ± 2.4 years; body mass index (BMI)-standard deviation score (SDS) = +2.1 ± 0.5) and 15 normal weight (10 M/5 F; age = 12.8 ± 3.1 years; BMI-SDS = +0.3 ± 0.9) children and adolescents underwent Doppler two-dimensional echocardiographic assessments of left atrial (LA) and ventricular (LV) geometry and LV diastolic function (peak early [E] and late waves, E wave deceleration time, myocardial flow velocities). Homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) was used as an IR index. LA size was increased in obese children, as indicated by higher LA diameter (4.9 ± 0.5 vs 4.1 ± 0.4 cm, p < 0.001), area (14.3 ± 2.5 vs 10.7 ± 2.0 cm(2), p < 0.001), and volume (33.8 ± 10.6 vs 23.7 ± 6.4 ml, p = 0.003). LV mass was also increased in obese children (87.0 ± 16.6 vs 68.8 ± 13.2 g, p = 0.003), who also showed subtle diastolic dysfunctions, as indicated by higher values of E (97.1 ± 14.3 vs 86.2 ± 11.9 cm/s, p = 0.02). All the above parameters were significantly associated with BMI-SDS (p < 0.05). In addition, HOMA-IR was independently associated with LA diameter, area, and volume (β = 0.314, p = 0.040; β = 0.415, p = 0.008; β = 0.535, p = 0.001).
Obese children feature increased LA size, which emerged to be mainly correlated to, and possibly driven by IR, suggesting an increased CVD risk
New highly active Fe(II) pyridylamido catalysts for the ring opening polymerization and copolymerization of cyclic esters
No full textTwo Fe(II) complexes bearing chelating monoanionic [N,N]- pyridylamido ligands with bulky 2,6-dialkylphenyl substituents at both the amido and the ortho-pyridine moieties were synthesized and characterized. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of heteroleptic mononuclear [N,N]FeIIN(SiMe3)2 threecoordinated complexes. The two complexes were tested as catalysts for the Ring Opening Polymerization (ROP) of L-lactide (L -LA) and epsilon-caprolactone (CL) in the presence of 1 equiv. of alcohol co-initiator, resulting in high activity under both mild conditions (in solution at room temperature and low monomer/catalyst ratio) and more industrially relevant conditions (higher temperature and high monomer/catalyst ratio). The high activity and living character of the Fe(II) catalysts allowed the synthesis of stereo-multiblock polylactides by one-pot sequential addition of L -LA, D -LA and rac-LA at room temperature and in short reaction times, as well as the synthesis of di -block PCL-b-PLLA and three-block PLLA-b-PCL-b-PLLA copolymers by a similar approach
GenAI-aided Sustainable Digital Transformation: A Novel Framework and Early Results
No full textNowadays, rapid technological advancements play a central role in redefining the operational and strategic dynamics of businesses. Artificial Intelligence (AI), with particular emphasis on Generative AI, not only ensures greater efficiency in business processes but also holds the potential to completely revolutionize the way companies design, implement, and optimize their operations. These tools offer new opportunities to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time: the sustainability of processes.
This work proposes a framework structured into three blocks to assess the contribution of Generative AI to sustainable process optimization: (i) automatic process generation through Large Language Models (LLMs), (ii) automated conversion into BPMN models, and (iii) quantitative sustainability analysis.
Although the framework has been fully defined at a theoretical level, its implementation is still in progress. This work, in particular, focuses on the results achieved for the first block. Unlike traditional methods that require the involvement of domain experts, advanced Generative AI models are used to automate most (if not all) of the transformation. The study unfolds in two main phases: in the first phase, LLMs generate sustainable versions of processes from textual descriptions, following specific criteria such as carbon footprint reduction, material recycling, and energy efficiency. In the second phase, the results are evaluated using the G-Eval Framework, comparing model performances with expert-conducted analyses.
For the validation of the approach, an analysis was conducted on real processes taken from the Camunda repository. Each process was provided as input to different LLMs, accompanied by a carefully designed prompt specifying the sustainability criteria to be applied. The results proved to be very promising: the Claude 3.5 Haiku model achieved the highest performance (77%), while GPT-4 Turbo scored the lowest (66%)
An experimental study of paint-stripping using an excimer laser
No full textAn excimer laser paint stripping process on metallic surfaces has been investigated, applicable to all those situations, such as adhesive bonding or spot welding, where a localised removal of the surface coating on single parts before assembly could be less expensive and better in quality than the ones realised with traditional methods. This process, due to the properties of the UV laser radiation used, is also suitable for paint stripping on already thermal treated metallic surfaces and plastic composites surfaces. The absence of contact of the laser "tool" with the coating and the easy removal of products formed during the process is another important advantage of this method. Treating radioactive or contaminated parts is also possible, keeping the process in a closed chamber. Several kinds of polymer coatings have been tested for paint stripping experiments applied on aluminium and low carbon steel substrates, with different composition, colours, and thicknesses. The results obtained show that high quality surfaces can be obtained using this treatment, but the processing time is long. These characteristics make the method suitable for treatment of small zones when either high surface quality, or absence of contact, is essential
Etica e ambiente nel mondo globalizzato, Pubblicazione realizzata con il contributo dell'Assessorato alle Politiche della Scuola della Provincia di Roma
No full textIl volume risponde all'obiettivo di fornire uno strumento utile per l'educazione ambientale nel contesto della programmazione scolastica con attenzione alle tematiche proprie dell'etica, e quindi della responsabilità personale, perché si possano prospettare agli studenti e alle studentesse modalità aggiuntive, anzi complementari alla loro formazione ed educazione
Modalità di colonizzazione della fauna sessile su strutture artificiali in acque oligotrofiche (Isola di Ponza)
No full textLe giornate genovesi del marzo 1821: da una sommossa poco cruenta ad una breve stagione costituzionale
No full textThe Piedmontese revolution of 1821 undoubtedly had repercussions on Genoa
and Liguria in general; while these territories had been united with the Savoy
Kingdom for just seven years, in violation of the principle of legitimacy for
which the ancient Republic of Genoa should have been restored, the uprising
of Genoa that took place in March of that year had not separatist character.
The essay, after reflecting on the causes and nature of this uprising, focuses on
the work of the genoese administrative commission created at the instigation
of the supporters of the constitutional regime, and on the moderate repression
implemented following the re-establishment of the absolute regim
Is testosterone a friend or a foe of the prostate?
No full textIntroduction. Is there any unequivocal evidence that testosterone (T) can stimulate growth and aggravate symptoms in men with locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer (PCa)? This is not a controversial point: the answer is yes. However, this evidence does not imply that PCa is a result of T or therapy with T (TTh) of hypogonadal men. Furthermore, currently adequately powered and optimally designed long-term prostate disease data are not available to determine if there is an additional risk from normal T values in cured patients for PCa. Methods. This Controversy is introduced by an endocrinologist, the section editor (E.A.J.) with G.L.G., a fellow urologist and radiotherapist expert in basic research on PCa. Two outstanding urologists, A.M and W.J.G.H., debate clinical data and clinical guidelines, respectively. Finally, other controversial issues are discussed by another leader in the field (A.M.) and a radiation oncologist and sexologist who is actually president of the International Society for Sexuality and Cancer (L.I.). Main Outcome Measure. Expert opinion supported by the critical review of the currently available literature. Result. The answer to the main question "is the prostate a really T-dependent tissue?" is definitively yes, but T stimulates the prostatic tissue in a dose-dependent fashion only to a saturation point, achieved at low T concentrations. At these low T concentrations, stimulation is near maximal, and T supplementation above this level would not lead to significantly greater stimulation. Furthermore, there is no conclusive evidence that TTh increases the risk of PCa or even prostatic hyperplasia. There is also no evidence that TTh will convert subclinical PCa to clinically detectable PCa. However, there is a limited clinical experience of TTh after successful treatment of PCa. So far, just 48 patients have been studied in the three published articles. Conclusions. It is evident that the issue is still controversial and much more research is needed. However, the available data suggest to the expert in sexual medicine that TTh can be cautiously considered in selected hypogonadal men previously treated for curative intent of low-risk PCa and without evidence of active disease. Jannini EA, Gravina GL, Mortengaler A, Morales A, Incrocci L, and Hellstrom WJG. Is testosterone a friend or a foe of the prostate? J Sex Med 2011;8:946-955
- …
