16 research outputs found
Osservazioni archeo-topografiche sull’insediamento d’altura nel territorio ibleo (Sicilia sud-orientale): il caso di Monte Casasia
No full textM. Casasia as a case study. New data from reconnaissance surveys and remote sensing - Paper’s aim is to demonstrate how the integrated use of remote and proximal sensing improves the reconstruction of ancient uplands settlements’ topography. For this purpose, the case study is the territory of the western sector of the Hyblean Plateau (Southeastern Sicily), where a sector of the cultural frontier-land between indigenous people and Greeks was located. The field surveys carried out were integrated with the synoptic analysis of remotely (aerial photographs, DTM, satellite images) and proximally sensed data, with the systematic coverage by drone footage of one case study, Monte Casasia (Monterosso Almo), key site in the Hyblean settlement system in the Greek era that was not urbanised in later periods
Combining high level planning and obstacle avoidance with wearable haptics for enhancing blind people autonomy in indoor environment
No full textAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 2.2 billion people in the world are living with vision impairment, of which 43 million are blind. These numbers are destined to increase due to population aging and environmental and lifestyle changes. Blindness has serious consequences on these people's lives, especially in terms of privacy and autonomous navigation; in addition, it depletes social and physical interaction, and moreover, has a significant impact on the family members and carers of these individuals.
Another relevant issue is that vision impairment affects society with a relevant financial burden because of productivity loss.
To overcome these problems, in recent years, several types of devices based on sensory substitution have been developed, which mostly rely on auditory or tactile information. As the major limitation with the types of aid devices that use hearing sense is that they interfere with the auditory stimuli of the environment, touch is more frequently relied on. Portable and wearable tactile devices have then been developed, but since portable devices require to be hand-carried by the user, they are less comfortable. Wearable systems can be more convenient, as they can be easily carried without hindrances and leave users' hands-free. In either case, though, a crucial aspect must be considered, that is the user's real needs and demands, to achieve a system that can be accepted and easily used in real scenarios. The aim of this study is to propose the integration of a high-level (for calculating the global route) and low-level (for performing obstacle avoidance) planning algorithm to be used for indoor environment navigation, which relies on the navigation stimuli delivered with a wearable haptic device and users' requirements.
A genetic algorithm (GA) was developed for the high-level planning task, because very suitable for accomplishing the designated tasks; this algorithm has been integrated with the low-level planning developed in previous research works. This integration has been completed with the usage of a wearable haptic device to deliver navigation cues. For testing the algorithm, I have acquired the map of the second floor of the School of Engineering.
The global paths calculations by the genetic algorithm have been represented and adjusted via simulations on Rviz, then online performances of both the algorithms interacting with each other have been tested preliminarily in the real scenario represented by the map. The results of the simulations validate the effectiveness of the algorithm. Therefore, I tested the whole navigation system, consisting of two cameras, a processing unit, and a haptic device to convey stimuli to the user’s arm, accomplishing preliminary experiments with blindfolded participants. The results presented in this thesis can open promising perspectives for endowing blind and visually impaired people with autonomous navigation capabilities in indoor environments
Missione archeologica internazionale “Storia e archeologia del Monte Altesina (Nicosia, Sicilia)”. Report della attività di ricerca 2022 e considerazioni preliminari
No full textThe article presents the results and preliminary considerations of multidisciplinary research conducted at the Monte Altesina site (Nicosia) from 2020. In the first two years of research, the international archaeological mission carried out preliminary studies on archaeological material from previous excavations and preliminary documentation. However, it was from 2022 onwards that the archaeological mission intensified its research activities. The preliminary results are significant and include the identification of frequentation in the higher part of the site during the prehistoric period. Additionally, the extent of the site during the Greek period has been understood, covering an area of at least eleven hectares and adapting to the geological configuration of the mountain. Furthermore, a late Byzantine/early Islamic settlement phase has been identified, and occupation in the monastery area has been confirmed, at least in the late Middle Ages. Geophysical prospections have revealed anomalies within three metres of the current ground level. Ethnographic investigations have provided valuable data for studying oral traditions related to the mountain’s antiquities. The research activities have enabled significant progress in the historical and cultural understanding of the site throughout the different millennia. This confirms the importance of the historical-archaeological heritage of Altesina in the context of central Sicily over time
Missione archeologica internazionale “Storia e archeologia del Monte Altesina (Nicosia, Sicilia)”. Report della attività di ricerca 2022 e considerazioni preliminari
No full textThe article presents the results and preliminary considerations of multidisciplinary research conducted at the Monte Altesina site (Nicosia) from 2020. In the first two years of research, the international archaeological mission carried out preliminary studies on archaeological material from previous excavations and preliminary documentation. However, it was from 2022 onwards that the archaeological mission intensified its research activities. The preliminary results are significant and include the identification of frequentation in the higher part of the site during the prehistoric period. Additionally, the extent of the site during the Greek period has been understood, covering an area of at least eleven hectares and adapting to the geological configuration of the mountain. Furthermore, a late Byzantine/early Islamic settlement phase has been identified, and occupation in the monastery area has been confirmed, at least in the late Middle Ages. Geophysical prospections have revealed anomalies within three metres of the current ground level. Ethnographic investigations have provided valuable data for studying oral traditions related to the mountain’s antiquities. The research activities have enabled significant progress in the historical and cultural understanding of the site throughout the different millennia. This confirms the importance of the historical-archaeological heritage of Altesina in the context of central Sicily over time
Long-term outcomes of implants placed after vertical alveolar ridge augmentation in partially edentulous patients: A 10-year prospective clinical study
No full textThe burden of skin cancer in heart transplant recipients: Impact of immunosuppressive regimens
No full textCentriolar distal appendages activate the centrosome‐PIDDosome‐p53 signalling axis via ANKRD26
No full textCentrosome amplification results into genetic instability and predisposes cells to neoplastic transformation. Supernumerary centrosomes trigger p53 stabilization dependent on the PIDDosome (a multiprotein complex composed by PIDD1, RAIDD and Caspase-2), whose activation results in cleavage of p53's key inhibitor, MDM2. Here, we demonstrate that PIDD1 is recruited to mature centrosomes by the centriolar distal appendage protein ANKRD26. PIDDosome-dependent Caspase-2 activation requires not only PIDD1 centrosomal localization, but also its autoproteolysis. Following cytokinesis failure, supernumerary centrosomes form clusters, which appear to be necessary for PIDDosome activation. In addition, in the context of DNA damage, activation of the complex results from a p53-dependent elevation of PIDD1 levels independently of centrosome amplification. We propose that PIDDosome activation can in both cases be promoted by an ANKRD26-dependent local increase in PIDD1 concentration close to the centrosome. Collectively, these findings provide a paradigm for how centrosomes can contribute to cell fate determination by igniting a signalling cascade
Real-Life Outcomes of Adjuvant Targeted Therapy and Anti-PD1 Agents in Stage III/IV Resected Melanoma
No full textThis study was carried out at the Dermatologic Clinic of the University of Turin, Italy, to assess the effectiveness and safety of adjuvant therapy in patients who received either targeted therapy (TT: dabrafenib + trametinib) or immunotherapy (IT: nivolumab or pembrolizumab) for up to 12 months. A total of 163 patients participated, including 147 with stage III and 19 with stage IV with no evidence of disease. The primary outcomes were relapse-free survival (RFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS). At 48 months, both TT and IT approaches yielded comparable outcomes in terms of RFS (55.6–55.4%, p = 0.532), DMFS (58.2–59.8%, p = 0.761), and OS (62.4–69.5%, p = 0.889). Whilst temporary therapy suspension was more common among TT-treated patients compared to IT-treated individuals, therapy discontinuation due to adverse events occurred at comparable rates in both groups. Predictors of relapse included mitoses, lymphovascular invasion, ulceration, and positive sentinel lymph nodes. Overall, the proportion of BRAF-mutated patients receiving IT stood at 7.4%, lower than what was observed in clinical trials
Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Stage III Melanoma Patients with Positive Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: A Real-Life Experience
No full textBackground: Advancements in managing stage III melanoma have involved the implementation of adjuvant therapies alongside a simultaneous decrease in the utilization of completion lymph node dissection (CLND) following positive sentinel node biopsy (SLNB). Methods: This retrospective study from the University of Turin’s Dermatology Clinic analyzed relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) among stage III melanoma patients (n = 157) who underwent CLND after positive SLNB versus those who did not receive such procedure. Results: Patients without CLND had a median RFS of 49 months (95% CI 42-NA), while CLND recipients showed 51 months (95% CI 31-NA) (p = 0.139). The 48-month OS for non-CLND patients was 79.8% (95% CI 58.2–91.0) versus 79.2% (95% CI 67.5–87.0) for CLND recipients (p = 0.463). Adjusted Hazard Ratios through inverse probability treatment weighting revealed the impact of CLND to be insignificant on RFS (aHR 0.90, 95% CI 0.37–2.22) and marginal on OS (aHR 0.41, 95% CI 0.13–1.21). Conversely, adjuvant therapy significantly reduced the risk of relapse (aHR 0.46, 95% CI 0.25–0.84), irrespective of CLND. Conclusions: This study corroborates the growing evidence that CLND after positive SLNB does not enhance RFS or OS, while emphasizing the crucial role of adjuvant therapy, be it immunotherapy or targeted therapy, in reducing the risk of relapse in melanoma patients with positive SLNB
Association between maternal dupilumab exposure and pregnancy outcomes in patients with moderate‐to‐severe atopic dermatitis: A nationwide retrospective cohort study
No full textBackground: There is limited epidemiological evidence on outcomes associated with dupilumab exposure during pregnancy; monitoring pregnancy outcomes in large populations is required. Objective: To investigate the potential association between exposure to dupilumab in pregnant women with atopic dermatitis and any adverse pregnancy, neonatal, congenital and post-partum outcomes. Methods: We performed a multicentre retrospective cohort study across 19 Italian tertiary referral hospital. Childbearing women were eligible if aged 18-49 years and carried out the pregnancy between 1 October 2018 and 1 September 2022. Results: We retrospectively screened records of 5062 patients receiving dupilumab regardless of age and gender, identifying 951 female atopic dermatitis patients of childbearing age, 29 of whom had been exposed to the drug during pregnancy (3%). The median duration of dupilumab treatment prior to conception was 22.5 weeks (range: 3-118). The median time of exposure to the drug during pregnancy was 6 weeks (range: 2-24). All the documented pregnancies were unplanned, and the drug was discontinued in all cases once pregnancy status was reported. The comparison of the study cohort and the control group found no significant drug-associated risk for adverse pregnancy, congenital, neonatal or post-partum outcomes. The absence of a statistically significant effect of exposure on the event was confirmed by bivariate analysis and multivariate analysis adjusted for other confounding factors. Conclusions: This cohort of pregnant patients exposed to dupilumab adds to the existing evidence concerning the safety of biologic agents in pregnancy. No safety issues were identified regarding the primary outcome assessed. In clinical practice, these data provide reassurance in case of dupilumab exposure during the first trimester. However, the continuous use of dupilumab throughout pregnancy warrants further research
