179 research outputs found
Love and destruction in the Decameron: Cimone and Calandrino
No full textThis study explores the concepts of imagination, love and reason as portrayed in the stories of two characters in Giovanni Boccaccio\u27s Decameron. Through Cimone and Calandrino, the author shows how Boccaccio intertwines imagination and the passion of love, manipulating their fragile relationship with rational thought. A primary purpose of the novella of Cimone is to point out the weaknesses that underlie notions of idealized, stilnovist love; and the fourth tale of Calandrino is its humorous counterpart. Of special interest to this study is the fact that Boccaccio displays the concept of love with an emphasis not only on its failure to bring one to wisdom, but on its potential for danger. The essay also argues that while Boccaccio uses these tales to demonstrate the destructive force of erotic love, through them he also portrays the complicated ambiguity of the imagination
Studio sull'impiego dell'algoritmo della suddivisione della tangente, per ottenere la tracciatura di curve del 2° ordine diverse dalla circonferenza
No full textInfluence of risk factors on nitric oxide metabolites at the initial stage of juvenile acute myocardial infarction.
No full textPeer collaboration in Italy during COVID-19 pandemic: the experience of an online bottom-up backed platform designed for medical students
No full textNitric oxide metabolites and erythrocyte deformability in a group of subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
No full textOur aim was to evaluate nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite and nitrate), expressed as NOx, and erythrocyte deformability, expressed as elongation index, in a group of subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). We enrolled 48 subjects (36 men and 12 women; mean age 50.3 ± 14.68 yrs) with OSAS diagnosed after a 1-night cardiorespiratory sleep study. OSAS severity was assessed evaluating the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) and subjects were subdivided in two subgroups: Low (L = AHI 30). NOx was examined converting nitrate into nitrite with a nitrate reductase and then assessing nitrite with spectrophotometry after the addition of Griess reagent. The elongation index was obtained using the diffractometer Rheodyn SSD of Myrenne at shear stresses of 30 and 60 Pa and it was expressed as elongation index (EI). We found no difference in NOx among the entire group of OSAS subjects and normal controls, while we observed a NOx decrease in the H subgroup in comparison with L subgroup, but not in comparison with normal controls. We noted a significant decrease in EI at each shear stress in the entire group and also in the two subgroups in comparison with controls. The decrease in NO bioavailability and in erythrocyte deformability might contribute to explain the increased cardiovascular risk in OSAS subjects
Nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite and nitrate) in young patients with recent acute myocardial infarction.
No full textSet-up error in supine-positioned patients immobilized with two different modalities during conformal radiotherapy of prostate cancer
No full textBackground: Conformal radiotherapy requires reduced margins around the clinical target volume (CTV) with respect to traditional radiotherapy techniques. Therefore, high set-up accuracy and reproducibility are mandatory. Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of two different immobilization techniques during conformal radiotherapy of prostate cancer with small fields. Materials and methods: 52 patients with prostate cancer were treated by conformal three- or four-held techniques with radical or adjuvant intent between November 1996 and March 1998. In total, 539 portal images were collected on a weekly basis for at least the first 4 weeks of the treatment on lateral and anterior Is MV X-ray fields. The average number of sessions monitored per patient was 5.7 (range 4-10). All patients were immobilized with an alpha-cradle system; 25 of them were immobilized at the pelvis level (group A) and the remaining 27 patients were immobilized in the legs (group B). The shifts with respect to the simulation condition were assessed by measuring the distances between the same bony landmarks and the held edges. The global distributions of cranio-caudal (CC), posterior-anterior (PA) and left-right (LR) shifts were considered; for each patient random and systematic error components were assessed by following the procedure suggested by Bijhold et al. (Bijhold J, Lebesque JV, Hart AAM, Vijlbrief RE. Maximising set-up accuracy using portal images as applied to a conformal boost technique for prostatic cancer. Radiother. Oncol. 1992;24:261-271). For each patient the average isocentre (3D) shift was assessed as the quadratic sum of the average shifts in the three directions. Results: Group B showed a better accuracy and reproducibility than group A for PA shifts (2.6 versus 4.4 mm, 1 SD), LR shifts (2.4 versus 3.6 mm, 1 SD) and CC shifts (2.7 versus 3.3 mm, 1 SD). Furthermore, group B showed a rate of large PA shifts (>5 mm) equal to 4.4% with respect to the 21.6% of group A (P < 0.0001). This value was also better than the corresponding value found in a previously investigated group of 21 non-immobilized patients (Italia C, Fiorino C, Ciocca M, et al. Quality control by portal film analysis of the conformal radiotherapy of prostate cancer: comparison between two different institutions and treatment techniques (abstract). Radiother. Oncol. 1997;43(Suppl. 2):S16, 16.8%, P = 0.001). For both groups there was no clear prevalence of one component (systematic or random) with respect to the other. The average isocentre shifts (averaged on all patients) were 3.0 mm (+/-1.4 mm, I SD) for group B and 5.0 mm (+/-2.8 mm, 1 SD) for group A against a value of 4.4 mm (+/-2.4 mm, I SD) for the previously investigated non-immobilized patient group. Conclusions: Immobilization of the legs with an alpha-cradle system seems to improve both the accuracy and reproducibility of the positioning of patients treated for prostate cancer with respect to alpha-cradle pelvic-abdomen immobilization. Based on these data, we decided to use the legs immobilization system and to reduce the margin around the CTV (from 10 to 8 mm) in the PA direction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
The Importance of Neuroimaging Follow-Up in Bilirubin-Induced Encephalopathy: A Clinical Case Review
No full textIntroduction: Hyperbilirubinemia in newborns can lead to kernicterus, a severe form of neonatal encephalopathy caused by bilirubin toxicity. Despite timely interventions such as exchange transfusion, kernicterus can still develop, especially in high-risk infants. MRI is crucial for detecting early and evolving signs of bilirubin-induced brain damage. Case Report: We report a term newborn who developed severe hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus despite receiving exchange transfusion. The infant presented on day 3 of life with jaundice, hypotonia, and feeding difficulties and had a bilirubin level of 51 mg/dL. After exchange transfusion, bilirubin levels normalized, but neurotoxicity persisted. Initial MRI at one month showed mild T1 hyperintensity in the hippocampi with no changes in the basal ganglia. At two months, T1 hyperintensities in the hippocampi partially resolved. By six months, MRI revealed T2 hyperintensities in the globus pallidus and hippocampal atrophy, consistent with kernicterus. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) showed reduced N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels, indicating neuronal loss. Discussion: MRI is essential in monitoring bilirubin-induced brain injury. In this case, early MRI findings showed mild hippocampal T1 hyperintensity, which resolved partially. At six months, T2 hyperintensities in the globus pallidus confirmed chronic bilirubin encephalopathy. MRS demonstrated a reduction in N-acetylaspartate, indicative of neuronal loss. Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging (SWI) showed no abnormalities, likely due to the myelination process in neonates. Conclusions: This case highlights the importance of repeated MRI in detecting bilirubin-induced brain damage. Early neuroimaging enables timely interventions and improves long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with severe hyperbilirubinemia
- …
