86,581 research outputs found
New trends in cellulitis
No full textCellulitis is a severe infection of the soft tissues, with a variable aetiology from Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria and deep fungal infections, whose early recognition is mandatory to avoid potentially life threatening complications. Some pathogens might cause very similar clinical entities, and cellulitis differentiation at presentation towards abscess, necrotising fasciitis, and gangrene,
requires expertise. Many mimics are also to be excluded, conditioning the treatment and patient’s prognosis. The dermatologist is in a lead position to avoid misdiagnosis, to evaluate the type of assessment, and address initial treatment. Besides, skin and soft tissue infections are a common reason for emergency room visits and hospital admission, lacking precise clinical definition and managed with empirical antibiotic treatments. History, physical examination and laboratory data can help characterise the severity of the disease, and the probability of complications development, mainly necrotising fasciitis. Several admittance scores have been proposed to address the emergency decisions, and guidelines for treatment proposed. The present review will focus on clinical challenges
The influence of design and socio-psychological features on bicycle use in the city of Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy)
No full textThis study aims to identify those environmental features that could influence the perception of safety and comfort, and subsequently the behavioral intention, from the perspective of a bike user. Participants, whose recruitment starts in January 2024, will be residents of Cagliari. Referring to the evidence on the effects of green spaces, affordances, social norms, and proenvironmental values, an online questionnaire was set up, including a set of pictures that depict a real road in the city of Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy). Each picture presents a combination of levels of different attributes, i.e. presence/absence of trees or public transportation infrastructure, density of cars or bicycles (high vs. low). For each picture, respondents are asked to indicate their comfort, safety, and pleasantness in experiencing the road by bike. Then, there are items on social norms and intention to use the bicycle on the most and least preferred picture. At the end of the survey, biospheric values and bicycle use behavior are detected. Research outcomes should provide useful information for the urban planners, in relation to which design and socio-psychological elements could increase the proportion of citizens who use the bicycle (instead of their own car) for different mobility goals, understanding which attitudes and perceptions related to urban environments, with the goal of contributing to urban design and development practices oriented toward the bio-psycho-social well-being of individuals and sustainability
Sindrome PHACES possibile: emangioma toraco-brachiale associato a manifestazioni extracutanee = Possible PHACES syndrome: Segmental thoracobrachial hemangioma associated with extracutaneous manifestations
No full textIn PHACES syndrome a facial infantile hemangiomas (IH) is associated with extracutaneous manifestations involving the central nervous system, heart, blood vessels of head and neck, eye and sternum. Recently, an IH of the upper trunk was reported in association with extravcutaneous manifestations reminiscent of PHACES syndrome. Here we report a case of a 7-month-old girl with segmental hemangioma involving the upper trunk and limb. It was associated with structural anomalies similar to those reported in PHACES syndrome, including congenital heart disease, arterial abnormalities and a sternal defect; moreover there was a late-onset small hemangioma of the face
Thalidomide-induced granuloma annulare
No full textGranuloma annulare (GA) is an acquired, usually self-limiting, asymptomatic granulomatous skin disease with well recognized clinical and histological features that occurs in children and adults generally before the age of 30. Five clinical types are described including the localized, generalized, subcutaneous, perforating, and patch forms. The possible role of immune dysregulation has been pointed out in the pathogenesis of GA, as it has been reported in association with several diseases and conditions like diabetes, thyroid diseases, malignancies, tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency, Epstein Barr and hepatitis C virus infection. Drug-induced GA is a rare presentation, that can appear similar or identical to idiopathic GA. We present a 75-year-old Caucasian man with a violaceous ring-like firm, papular eruption, localized on the dorsal aspect of both hands, with histological features of GA, which subsequently resolved with the discontinuation of thalidomide he had started 1 month earlier for the treatment of a multiple myeloma. The lesions appeared with renewed intensity after resuming a therapy cycle. Jones's algorithm for the diagnosis of adverse drug reactions (ADR) showed a certain association, thus the final diagnosis of thalidomide-induced GA was made
Digital technologies for behavioral change in sustainability domains: a systematic mapping review
No full textSustainability research has emerged as an interdisciplinary area of knowledge about how to achieve sustainable development, while political actions toward the goal are still in their infancy. A sustainable world is mirrored by a healthy environment in which humans can live without jeopardizing the survival of future generations. The main aim of this contribution was to carry out a systematic mapping (SM) of the applications of digital technologies in promoting environmental sustainability. From a rigorous search of different databases, a set of more than 1000 studies was initially retrieved and then, following screening criteria based on the ROSES (RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses) procedure, a total of N = 37 studies that met the eligibility criteria were selected. The studies were coded according to different descriptive variables, such as digital technology used for the intervention, type of sustainable behavior promoted, research design, and population for whom the intervention was applied. Results showed the emergence of three main clusters of Digital Technologies (i.e., virtual/immersive/augmented reality, gamification, and power-metering systems) and two main Sustainable Behaviors (SBs) (i.e., energy and water-saving, and pollution reduction). The need for a clearer knowledge of which digital interventions work and the reasons why they work (or do not work) does not emerge from the outcomes of this set of studies. Future studies on digital interventions should better detail intervention design characteristics, alongside the reasons underlying design choices, both behaviourally and technologically. This should increase the likelihood of the successful adoption of digital interventions promoting behavioral changes in a more sustainable direction
Promoting a sustainable behavioral shift in commuting choices: the role of previous intention and “personalized travel plan” feedback
No full textAccording to the European Environment Agency (European Environmental Agency, EEA, 2018), road transport is responsible for 72% of all transport-related greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU), which accounts for 25% of total energy-related emissions (Eurostat, 2018). Thus, it is crucial to identify drivers and barriers to more sustainable transport behaviors. In this regard, the Norm Activation Model and Theory of Planned Behavior have often been used as conceptual frameworks for predicting such behaviors. The present study aimed to analyze the differential impact of both socio-psychological factors and persuasive messages sent through a Personalized Travel Plan (PTP) on Sustainable Transport Choices (STC). To reach this aim we administered a survey two times (T1: Oct./Dec. 2020; T2: March/May 2021) to 398 car users. Measures of constructs included in the Norm Activation Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior, such as behavioral intention, attitude, perceived behavioral control, beliefs, and personal and social norms, were detected. Participants were then exposed to a PTP built on feedback information regarding kilocalories, CO2 emissions, cost, and time savings when using sustainable transport compared to driving a car. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis shows that intention to use sustainable transport in T1 is on one side directly predicted by personal norm, perceived behavioral control, and attitude, and on the other side emerged as the main predictor of sustainable travel choices in T2, together with kcal spent, whereas time was the major barrier. Implications and future developments are discussed in the light of the conceptual framework
Variations on the Author
No full text“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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