13 research outputs found
Assessment of NBSs effectiveness for flood risk management : The Isar River case study
No full textNature-based solutions (NBSs) are increasingly implemented to mitigate natural risks in urban and rural contexts, from coastal to mountainous areas. Nevertheless, the lack of quantitative approaches to assess NBSs' effectiveness limits their technical, social and cultural acceptance. Within the PHUSICOS project (EU H2020 Innovation Action; Grant Agreement nr. 776681) a comprehensive assessment framework tool (AFT) has been developed to fill this gap. This paper presents an ex-post analysis with the PHUSICOS AFT applied to the Isar River case study. The restoration of the urban reach of the Isar River, in the city of Munich, was implemented in the early 2000s and represents a successful example of ecosystem and user-friendly flood risk management plan. The performance of the NBS measures implemented to manage the flood risk and improve the ecological status of the river (NBS scenario) is assessed in comparison with an alternative scenario with traditional hard engineering measures (grey scenario, GS). Results underscore the NBS as a competitive alternative. The ex-post analysis shows the potential of the PHUSICOS AFT for NBS performance assessment, providing guidance on indicator selection, stakeholders' management and performance assessment. The application discussed here is expected to aid professionals and researchers involved in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of NBSs.Peer reviewe
Reply to a letter to the editor regarding the published article: “YouTube™ as a source of information on bladder pain syndrome: A contemporary analysis”
No full textas a source of information on bladder pain syndrome: A contemporary analysis
No full textAim: To evaluate the quality of YouTubeTM videos on bladder pain syndrome (BPS) and to investigate whether they can be used as a reliable source of information.
Methods: The search term "bladder pain syndrome" was used on YouTubeTM platform. The first 100 videos were selected. Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for audio-visual content (PEMAT A/V), Global Quality Score (GQS), Misinformation tool, and DISCERN score were used to assess videos' quality content. Pearson's test was used to assess potential correlations between variables.
Results: Seventy-nine videos were suitable for the analyses. The median PEMAT A/V Understandability score and PEMAT A/V Actionability score were 66.7% (interquartile range [IQR]: 46.2-100.0) and 75.0% (IQR: 37.5-100.0), respectively. According to GQS, 26 (32.9%), 32 (40.5%), 3 (3.8%), 15 (19.0%), and 3 (3.8%) videos were excellent, good, moderate, generally poor, and poor, respectively. According to Misinformation tool, of all videos, 81% (n = 64), 6.3% (n = 5), 5.1% (n = 4), 5.1% (n = 4), 2.5% (n = 2) had respectively no, very little, moderate, high, and extreme misinformation. The overall median DISCERN score ranged from 5.0 (IQR: 2.0-5.0) to 5.0 (IQR: 5.0-5.0). A positive statistically significant correlation was found between video length and PEMAT A/V Understandability (r = 0.27, p = 0.01), video length and PEMAT A/V Actionability (r = .26, p = 0.02), and video length and DISCERN Question 16 (r = 0.28, p = 0.01).
Conclusions: Nowaday, the overall quality of YouTubeTM videos on BPS have been evaluated good according to PEMAT A/V, GQS, Misinformation tool, and DISCERN score. It is possible to assume that YouTubeTM may be considered as a reliable source of information on BPS
COVID-19 chest CT and laboratory features of B.1.617.2 (Delta variant) vs B.1.1.7 (Alpha variant) surge: a single center case-control study
No full textPURPOSE: To assess clinical, laboratory and radiological differences between Delta and Alpha SARS-CoV-2 variants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty SARS-CoV-2 patients admitted from 30th of August to 30th of October 2021 (period with estimated highest prevalence of Delta variant circulation in Italy) were enrolled. Patients were matched in a 1:1 ratio with same gender and same age +/− 2 years controls admitted from 1st of September 2020 to 30th of January 2021 (predominant circulation of Alpha variant). Chest computed tomography (CT) were retrospectively evaluated. Main clinical parameters, radiological and laboratory findings were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Patients with probable Delta variant had significantly higher CT severity scores, lower PaO2/FiO2 ratio and higher C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase levels at admission. On multivariate analysis, probable Delta variant infection was associated with higher CT severity score. Ground glass opacities and crazy paving patterns were more frequently noticed than consolidation, with the latter being more frequent in Delta cohort, even though not significantly. According to prevalent imaging pattern, the consolidation one was significantly associated with pregnancy (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Patients admitted during predominance of Delta variant circulation had a more severe lung involvement compared to patients in infected when Alpha variant was predominant. Despite imaging pattern seems to be not influenced by viral variant and other clinical variables, the consolidative pattern was observed more frequently in pregnancy
A comprehensive framework tool for performance assessment of NBS for hydro-meteorological risk management
No full textThis paper describes an assessment framework tool to analyze the performance of nature-based solutions (NBS) for hydro-meteorological risk management. The tool is based on multi-criteria decision analysis within the context of NBSs, an umbrella concept currently in focus that promotes nature and provides ecological and socio-economic benefits. The proposed tool includes the selection and application of key performance indicators (KPIs) for the co-benefits and costs associated with the implementation of NBSs. To ensure high societal impact, the tool relies on a participatory approach. Stakeholder preferences are taken into account within the assessment process. As such, the assessment framework can be used as a design and selection tool for NBSs and other alternative measures, including grey and hybrid solutions. The proposed procedure can be adapted to the specific socio-environmental context and hydro-meteorological risk by tailoring the set of relevant KPIs. The assessment framework is useful for monitoring the implemented measures and to document their effectiveness. The methodology provides quantitative and transparent documentation of hydro-meteorological risk management processes, useful for decision- and policy-makers, and stakeholders dealing with NBS measures
Personal protective equipment in Covid-19: Evidence-based quality and analysis of YouTube videos after one year of pandemic
No full textBackground: The correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid-19 pandemic is mandatory to minimize the contagion risk. The current study aimed to evaluate quality information of YouTube videos on PPE use during the pandemic. Methods: Using Google Trend tool, the frequency of worldwide YouTube and Google searches for "donning and doffing" was examined. We queried YouTube with terms related to donning and doffing of PPE. Validated quality information assessment tools were used. Results: From the December 1, 2019 to the January 31, 2021, according to YouTube and Google searches, both peaks occurred in April 2020 (69.5% and 72.0%, respectively). Of all videos, 144 were eligible for the analyses. According to misinformation tool, 90 (62.5%) videos contained inaccuracies. The median DISCERN Section 1 ranged from 3 to 5. The median DISCERN Section 3 was 4. According to Global Quality Score, 8.3% (n = 12), 14.6% (n = 21), 22.9% (n = 33), 30.6% (n = 44) and 23.6% (n = 34) were classified as poor, partially poor, moderate, partially good and excellent quality videos, respectively. Conclusions: Nowadays, YouTube may be recommended as a reliable source of information. Nevertheless, a not negligible number of videos contained inaccuracies. Future authors should improve videos contents to provide more complete information
Il rischio di periferizzazione nelle aree urbane e metropolitane. Una proposta metodologica per l'analisi e la mitigazione
No full text2019 - 2020As cities and poverty continue to grow worldwide, both ‘spatial’ and ‘a-spatial’ peripheralization processes expose entire urban and metropolitan areas at risk of degradation, not just traditional peripheries. The spatial sense refers to peri-urban areas, in particular to the phenomena of sprawl and, in general, to land take; the non-spatial sense goes beyond the localization with respect to a center and it is associated with the multidimensional concept of urban poverty or deprivation.
These processes, which go beyond municipal limits, are associated with a widespread unsustainability, against which urban planning can play a key role, as stated in the New Urban Agenda.
Furthermore, according to the European Commission, the fight against degradation in the most deprived areas, through urban regeneration programs, can discourage the increasing land consumption.
Some European countries make use of composite indices to identify areas of intervention, as proposed in the scientific international literature about urban poverty/deprivation, even if a general agreement on the most suitable indicators set is not recognizable, as well as on the threshold values for their classification.
In Italy, where national legislation for urban regeneration is still lacking, there are generally no scientific criteria for the identification of areas in need of intervention, which is usually left to the municipal authorities, on the occasion of sporadic calls for public funding. As a result, interventions translate into operations mainly driven by convenience in real estate transformations, regardless of city planning, while less and less importance is given to territorial strategic planning, which is crucial considering the inter-municipal nature of such processes.
The main aim of this work is to propose a methodology for peripheralization risk assessment, according to the theory of territorial risk, in order to spatially identify and map priority areas, those most at risk, where mitigation actions should be envisaged through urban and territorial planning, starting from a large scale. In this framework, a further objective is to provide a decision support model for the evaluation of the effectiveness of urban regeneration interventions in such areas, in terms of risk mitigation at urban scale.
Such an approach constitutes the novelty of the work. So, peripheralization risk is defined for the first time, as the product of Overall Vulnerability and Exposure. In order to construct the composite index of Overall Vulnerability in the Italian geographical context, a set of Vulnerability Indicators is defined on the basis of a literature review, and structured in four dimensions: Social, Building, Urban and Environmental Vulnerability.
However, the estimation of the composite indices of Social, Building and Urban Vulnerability is more subjective than the Environmental Vulnerability evaluation, due to the lack of aggregation techniques and well-established threshold values in the relevant literature, therefore it requires a different modelling: an aggregation method based on fuzzy logic is used, in order to overcome the greater uncertainty of this process. In this way, two different risk scenarios are delineated: the first considers the three social, building and urban domains; the second all the four peripheralization dimensions identified.
Finally, the work defines a set of mitigation indicators, with reference to vulnerability indicators selected for the identification of priority areas, and a model for the assessment of the most effective urban regeneration alternative, on the basis of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) algorithms.
The methodology for large-scale risk assessment is applied to a conurbation of sixteen municipalities in the Campania region (Italy), known as Caserta conurbation. The obtained results showed that, in all scenarios, areas most at risk can be both peripheral and central neighborhoods, but also entire municipalities, demonstrating how mitigation actions are needed at different planning levels.
Then, the proposed model for urban-scale risk mitigation is tested with reference to an area within the conurbation, belonging to Marcianise Municipality (CE) and found as a priority from the previous risk mapping. This application demonstrates that design alternatives apparently similar in number and type of interventions may have different effectiveness in relation to the reduction of pre-existing vulnerability levels.
Since the necessary input data are ordinarily available in planning processes, the entire proposed methodology can be transferred to other geographical contexts. [edited by Author]XXXIII cicl
Rede Salesiana de Escolas (RSE): desafios da educação histórica
No full textA presente pesquisa analisa sobre as apropriações e representações referentes à utilização do material didático da coleção de livros didáticos de História do Ensino Médio, da Rede Salesiana de Escolas (RSE), por parte dos professores no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. As instituições de ensino integrantes dessa Rede no estado gaúcho são: o Colégio Dom Bosco de Santa Rosa, o Colégio Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora de Bagé, o Colégio Dom Bosco de Porto Alegre, o Instituto Laura Vicunã de Uruguaiana e o Colégio Liceu Salesiano Leão XIII em Rio Grande, apenas esse último foram pesquisados os estudantes do terceiro ano, que concluíram o Ensino Médio no ano de 2013 e que também eram alunos da professora e também autora dessa pesquisa. Os livros didáticos utilizados nessas instituições de ensino foram produzidos por equipes da própria Rede Salesiana de Escolas e também eram todos impressos pela Editora Salesiana. Especificamente foram pesquisadas as apropriações referentes ao trabalho do professor e o sentido atribuído aos 32 estudantes do 3º Ano do Colégio Liceu Salesiano Leão XIII e também pelos próprios autores dos referidos livros didáticos. Em termos metodológicos foi utilizado a História Oral Temática e Análise de Conteúdo. Esse trabalho também fez uma análise comparativa com o trabalho desenvolvido pela professora pesquisadora Geane Kantovitz, que estudou as mesmas temáticas só com relação ao estado de Santa Catarina. As apropriações e o desenvolvimento da Consciência Histórica e os sentidos atribuídos a Historia com o uso dos livros didáticos da Rede Salesiana de Escolas(RSE), foram analisados com base nos conceitos de Consciência Histórica e Aprendizagem Histórica de acordo com Jorn Rüsen. Enfim, a proposta pedagógica da RSE referenda a utilização do livro didático como principal instrumento de trabalho do professor, buscando a formação de determinada cultura escolar. Todavia, a pesquisa evidencia que as instituições escolares da RSE, apesar de orientados a seguir os mesmos princípios, criam dinâmicas próprias. Assim, muito embora o livro didático seja importante aliado no desenvolvimento do pensamento histórico, é a mediação do professor que direcionará o processo escolar na compreensão da História e na formação da Consciência Histórica.This research analyzes on the appropriations and representations regarding the use of teaching materials from the collection of textbooks in high school History, Schools Salesian Network (CSR), by teachers in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The institutions teaching members of this network in Rio Grande do Sul state are: the Don Bosco College of Santa Rosa, the college Our Lady Help of Bage, the Don Bosco College in Porto Alegre, the Laura Vicuña Institute of Uruguaiana and the College Lyceum Salesian Leo XIII in Rio Grande, only the latter were surveyed students of the third year, who have completed high school in 2013 and who were also students of the teacher and also the author of this research. The textbooks used in these educational institutions were produced by teams of their own Salesian Network of Schools and also were all printed by the Salesian Publisher. Specifically they were surveyed appropriations for the teacher's work and the meaning attributed to the 32 students of the 3rd year of the College Lyceum Salesian Leo XIII and also by the authors of these textbooks. In terms of methodology was used to Oral History and Thematic Content Analysis. This work also made a comparative analysis with the work of the teacher researcher Geane Kantovitz, who studied the same issues only concerning the state of Santa Catarina. Appropriations and the development of Historical Consciousness and the meanings attributed to history with the use of textbooks from the Salesian Schools Network (RSE) were analyzed based on the concepts of Historical and Historical Learning Consciousness according to Jorn Rüsen. Finally, the pedagogical approach of CSR endorses the use of the textbook as a primary teacher working tool, seeking the formation of a certain school culture. However, research shows that the educational institutions of CSR, although instructed to follow the same principles, create their own dynamics. Thus, while the textbook is important ally in the development of historical thinking is the mediation of the teacher who directs the school process in the understanding of history and the formation of Historical Consciousness
La componente archeologica nelle metodologie di valutazione ambientale dei piani
No full text2009 - 2010The evaluation component of archaeological in urban planning finds its legal basis in European and specific national legislation of environmental assessments. The planning maps often contain the archaeological map in the themes of environmental knowledge. Generally this tool is limited at the mapping and reporting of findings in the literature, without adding information on the predicted scale. To obtain a predicted level, that can provide more accurate information to avoid impacts with the existing it is proposed the drawing up of maps of archaeological potential. These tools would be able to provide information both on the level of anthropic attending of land, also to identify "archaeologically empty" areas. Fundamental tool for the preparation of these maps are the techniques of spatial analysis conducted through the tools offered by information technology. It is the environmental assessment, measuring among others, pressure of the urban plan on the ground and the landscape, is characterized as the main tool for the evaluation of the archaeological component in the strategic development of the territory. To obtain the purpose of the research project it was required to use high analytical tools. To do it, the research has seen before the interaction and then a synthesis between the various disciplines interested, in different way, to the landscape and its history: urban planning, geography, geomorphology, ecology and archeology. A basical characteristic of the approach to landscape in fact, is an interdisciplinary approach, or rather would say transdisciplinarity: the "place" where the boundaries of different disciplines involved are broken and disciplines influence each other. For this reason it is conducted before a "semantic" job, a knowledge work towards acquiring experiences and methods typical of the various "disciplines of the landscape". The second step of the work was characterized by the synthesis of a common lexicon. It was to establish a sort of ontology is able to combine different types of knowledge in a structure containing all the relevant entities and their relationships. [edited by Author]IX n.s
The design of urban quality: innovative community facilites in support of strategies of urban renewal a methodological proposal
No full text2015 - 2016Currently, urban planning theory and practice is focusing on the renewal and enhancement of the existing urban settlements and no longer on enlargement and expansion of the city. Generally, cities are looking for the sustainable use of resources, paying particular attention to environmental and social aspects. The urban quality and collective well-being cannot be separated from the identification of a network, structuring of the city, of infrastructures and services that are not resolved in the themes provided by legislation. In fact, the characteristics, that transform a place into a liveable area, derive from a set of tangible and intangible urban endowments, that evolve continuously according to their type. Without a balance between the built environment and the consequent urban facilities and services, which are named as Standard Urbanistici (Urban Standards) by the Italian legislation, a town can go into crisis. In Italy, almost fifty years on from the issue of the Decree on the Urban Standards (DI no.1444/1968), currently in force, the problems relating to their planning are unresolved and, moreover, exacerbated: application methods, criteria for the users computing, land acquisition processes, raising funding to move from planning to implementation and management of the infrastructures. Noting the failure of attempts to define, a priori, a quantity of universally valid services, it is necessary to rethink the strategies and criteria for the provision of infrastructure. In order to meet the real needs of local communities, which are continuously changing, elastic and flexible facilities must be coupled also with a change in the method for their determination and verification. Consequently, a need for the redefinition of tools to interpret the social dynamics and to ensure and assess a changed concept of urban and environmental quality can be revealed, through the identification of innovative equipment and services. “The Urban Standards are and will be those specific services and facilities which the local community, over time, recognizes as basic and essential for the balanced structuring of the territory, and that are standard, i.e. constant, for its management” (Lr Lombardia no.01/2001). From an initial analysis of the current situation, on the basis of technical references, and from the best practices on services planning, a methodology was developed to evaluate the system of urban standards quantitatively and qualitatively, in order to fully understand what the priorities are and the benefits they can bring. The intent of the methodology is to define an innovative tool to support land use decisions and to implement the planning of services (Piano dei Servizi). From the application to the planning of services of different techniques, tools and models belonging to different disciplines, the methodology has been defined and integrated into the practice of traditional urban planning, thus becoming also a regeneration tool of the urban system. The methodology has been tested in various municipal systems, producing significant results, reflecting the identity of the places and their morphological, social, cultural and economic features. The conclusion of the work also tracks possible future developments, which can turn to an operational simplification of the methodology in order to guide the definition of legislation for new services planning. [edited by Author]Attualmente, le teorie e le pratiche di pianificazione urbana pongono l’attenzione alla riqualificazione e valorizzazione dell’esistente e non più sull’ampliamento e lo sviluppo delle città. In generale, esse sono rivolte all’uso sostenibile delle risorse, ponendo particolare attenzione agli aspetti sociali e ambientali. La qualità urbana e il benessere collettivo non possono prescindere dall’individuazione di una rete, strutturante per la città, di infrastrutture e servizi che non si risolvono nei temi previsti dalla norma. Infatti, le caratteristiche che rendono un luogo in un buon posto per vivere, derivano da una serie di dotazioni materiali e immateriali, che si evolvono in continuazione per tipologia. In mancanza di un bilanciamento tra l’ambiente costruito e le attrezzature e i sevizi che ne derivano (quelli che vengono definiti “standard urbanistici”), la città va in crisi. In Italia, a distanza di quasi cinquant’anni dall’emanazione del Decreto sugli Standard Urbanistici (D.I. no.1444/1968), attualmente ancora vigente, i problemi in materia di standard sono, nonché irrisolti, aumentati di numero: modalità applicative, criteri di calcolo dell’utenza, procedura di acquisizione delle aree occorrenti, reperimento delle risorse finanziarie per passare dalla programmazione all’attuazione ed alla gestione delle opere. Appurati i tentativi di fallimento di definire, a priori, una quantità universalmente valida dei servizi, è necessario ripensare alle modalità e ai criteri da considerare nella definizione della maggior parte delle attrezzature. Con l’intento di incontrare i bisogni reali delle comunità locali, che hanno cambiato il loro aspetto, attrezzature elastiche e flessibili devono essere combinate anche attraverso il cambiamento nel metodo della loro definizione e verifica. Di conseguenza, può essere rilevata la necessità di ridefinire strumenti in grado di interpretare le dinamiche sociali e di assicurare e valutare un diverso concetto di qualità urbana e ambientale, attraverso attrezzature e servizi innovativi. “Gli standard urbanistici sono e saranno quelle attrezzature e quei servizi specifici che a comunità locale, nel tempo, riconosce come basilari ed essenziali per la strutturazione bilanciata del territorio, e che, sono standard, costanti, per la sua gestione” (Legge regionale lombarda, 2001). Da una prima analisi dello stato dell’arte, sulla base della consultazione tecnica nazionale ed internazionale, e le esperienze di pianificazione dei servizi, è tato possibile delineare, a partire dalle diverse sue componenti, un percorso di ricerca che mira alla definizione di una metodologia di localizzazione dei servizi, intesi in un’ottica innovativa rispetto a quella tradizionale. Lo scopo della metodologia è quello di definire uno strumento innovativo di supporto alle decisioni dell’uso del suolo e capace di implementare la pianificazione dei servizi (Piano dei Servizi). Attraverso l’applicazione alla pianificazione dei servizi di diverse tecniche, strumenti e modelli appartenenti a diverse discipline, la metodologia è stata definita e integrata alla prassi di pianificazione urbana tradizionale, diventando quindi anche strumento di rigenerazione del sistema urbano. La metodologia è stata testata in diversi ambiti comunali, producendo dei risultati significativi, che possono rispecchiano l’identità dei luoghi e le loro caratteristiche fisiche, sociali, culturali ed economiche. La conclusione del lavoro traccia anche possibili sviluppi futuri, che possono rivolgersi a una semplificazione operativa della metodologia per poter orientare la definizione normativa di pianificazione dei servizi. [a cura dell'Autore]XV n.
