53 research outputs found
Il giornalismo nell'età della sfiducia tra ambiguità e nuove sfide.
No full textL'articolo esamina il ruolo del giornalismo nel contesto attuale segnato da un lato dalla sfiducia dei cittadini nelle istituzioni politiche e nei media e, dall'altro, dalla ricerca di nuove forme di partecipazione agevolate dalla diffusione dei media digitali. Riprendendo l'analisi di Pierre Rosanvallon sulla "contre-démocratie", l'autrice mette in luce le potenzialità innovative che la richiesta di ascolto e di nuove modalità di partecipazione possono avere nella definizione del discorso pubblico e nell'affermazione di nuovi temi e luoghi di confronto. L'articolo suggerisce alcuni spunti di riflessione sul ruolo che il giornalismo può avere come luogo di ascolto e di promozione di impegno civile e politico. La sfida è ridefinire la professione giornalistica sulla base della trasparenza, credibilità e autorevolezza.Journalism in an age of distrust between ambiguity and new challenges
The article examines the role of journalism in a context marked, on the one hand, by the loss of public confidence in institutions, in politics and in mainstream media, and, on the other, by the search for new forms of expression and participation improved by the digital environment.
Following Rosanvallon’s concept of contre-démocratie, the author highlights the potential of innovation that the demand for change of representative democracy could have on the redefinition of public discourse, through the creation of new arenas, new themes and new ways of participation.
The article presents some points which reflect on the role that journalism could have as a place of listening to the new forms of civic and political engagement that are asserted through the web. The challenge is to redefine journalistic professionalism aimed at ensuring transparency, accountability and authoritativeness
Comunicazione pubblica e media digitali. La prospettiva del public engagement
No full textAffermatasi in Italia negli anni novanta, la comunicazione pubblica ha tracciato itinerari significativi: ha prodotto reti di saperi, di esperienze, di buone pratiche e ha avuto un ruolo significativo nella creazione di identità all’interno delle amministrazioni, alle quali ha dato riconoscibilità. In questo contesto tuttavia vi sono alcuni aspetti di criticità. Il primo è dato dall’ambiguità tra la pubblicità dell’azione istituzionale intesa come trasparenza e servizio, e la pubblicità intesa come promozione d’immagine dell’ente, o meglio, del suo vertice politico, ambiguità che accompagna le esperienze della comunicazione pubblica fino ad oggi. Va inoltre considerata la scarsa visibilità che queste esperienze hanno avuto nei confronti dei cittadini, poco coinvolti e, in generale, poco consapevoli della utilità di tali percorsi. L’affermazione dei media digitali ridefinisce lo scenario e le relazioni tra gli attori. All’ immagine prevalente del cittadino quale destinatario dei processi di innovazione si affianca quella del cittadino quale interlocutore e attore, anche protagonista, di processi di innovazione. L’autrice si interroga sulle prospettive che la digitalizzazione delle pubbliche amministrazioni apre a nuovi scenari della comunicazione pubblica a partire dall’analisi di alcune esperienze in corso su processi di public engagement avviate in alcuni Comuni italiani.Established in Italy in the nineties, public communication has made significant paths : it has constructed networks of knowledge, experiences, and best practices and it has contributed to the creation of a public administration identity. Nevertheless we also have to consider some critical points. Firstly, there is a certain degree of ambiguity within the publicity itself. This ambiguity has accompanied the experiences of public communication until today. Some times it is pursued in order to provide transparency and public service, other times, it appears more established in favour of politicians. It is also necessary to consider that citizens have rarely been involved in public administration. The consolidation of digital media has redefined the relationship between the two players. The author has reviewed the perspectives that the digitalization of public administration has opened to new public communication scenarios, starting from the analysis of certain current experiences in the processes of public engagement found in certain Italian municipalities
Anatomically asymmetrical runners move more asymmetrically at the same metabolic cost.
No full textWe hypothesized that, as occurring in cars, body structural asymmetries could generate asymmetry in the kinematics/dynamics of locomotion, ending up in a higher metabolic cost of transport, i.e. more 'fuel' needed to travel a given distance. Previous studies found the asymmetries in horses' body negatively correlated with galloping performance. In this investigation, we analyzed anatomical differences between the left and right lower limbs as a whole by performing 3D cross-correlation of Magnetic Resonance Images of 19 male runners, clustered as Untrained Runners, Occasional Runners and Skilled Runners. Running kinematics of their body centre of mass were obtained from the body segments coordinates measured by a 3D motion capture system at incremental running velocities on a treadmill. A recent mathematical procedure quantified the asymmetry of the body centre of mass trajectory between the left and right steps. During the same sessions, runners' metabolic consumption was measured and the cost of transport was calculated. No correlations were found between anatomical/kinematic variables and the metabolic cost of transport, regardless of the training experience. However, anatomical symmetry significant correlated to the kinematic symmetry, and the most trained subjects showed the highest level of kinematic symmetry during running. Results suggest that despite the significant effects of anatomical asymmetry on kinematics, either those changes are too small to affect economy or some plastic compensation in the locomotor system mitigates the hypothesized change in energy expenditure of running
Percorsi di territorializzazione di spazi pubblici interstiziali a Firenze
No full textLa tesi illustra un'indagine che si propone di individuare e analizzare alcuni fenomeni alla base di percorsi di territorializzazione di spazi pubblici interstiziali a Firenze. L'obiettivo è quello di realizzare attraverso lo studio di casi reali un quadro conoscitivo utile ad orientare le scelte di pianificazione urbanistica e di gestione del territorio urbano.
La scelta di approfondire questo specifico tema di ricerca è emersa osservando l'esistenza di spazi urbani che all'origine non sono stati pianificati per essere spazi pubblici convenzionali ad esempio come piazze o parchi, ma nei quali si realizzano dei percorsi di territorializzazione che rappresentano risposte spontanee alla domanda di spazio pubblico.
Si è osservato che la letteratura sull'argomento, nei vari ambiti disciplinari che si occupano dello studio della città , tende a concentrarsi nella descrizione e nell'analisi dello spazio pubblico partendo dalle caratteristiche funzionali e/o morfologiche dei luoghi. Al contrario, sono più rari e non sufficientemente sistematici gli esempi che partono dai modi d'uso dello spazio attraverso i quali invece è possibile evidenziare ulteriori spazi pubblici altrettanto rilevanti.
Lo studio di casi del genere può gettare luce su importanti fenomeni di territorializzazione da parte di attori diversi, con ricadute significative sia sul piano teorico, sia applicativo. Si rischia infatti di trascurare fenomeni evidenti di appropriazione territoriale finendo con l'invalidare fortemente lo spettro delle ipotesi progettuali e delle scelte operate sul territorio da parte delle figure deputate.
Sul piano metodologico si è ritenuto ricorrere ad una combinazione di strumenti qualitativi (interviste semi-strutturate sul campo) e quantitativi (rilevazione diretta sul campo, osservazione).This thesis describes an investigation that aims to identify and analyze some phenomena underlying pathways of territorial public spaces interstitial to Florence. The objective is to achieve through the study of real cases a useful cognitive framework to guide both the choices of urban planning and the management of urban territories.
The decision to pursue this specific research topic emerged noting the existence of urban spaces that were not originally scheduled to be conventional public spaces such as squares or parks, but urban areas where the spontanous response to the demand of public spaces is represented by the creation (growth) of terrotorial paths.
It was noted that the literature that faces this subject in various disciplines, that are involved in the study of the city, tends to concentrate its focus on the description and analysis of public space starting from the functional and / or morphological sites. On the contrary, are more rare and not sufficiently systematic examples that start from the ways of use of space through which ones it is possible to highlight further public spaces equally relevant.
The study of such cases can shed light on important phenomena of regionalization made by different actors that proove a significant impact both on a theoretical and on an applicative level.
The risk,infact, is to neglect clear phenomena of territorial ownership perhaps strongly voiding the spectrum of the territorial planning hypothesis and choices Made by the deputies figures.
On a methodological level, it has been considered to use a combination of qualitative(semi-structured interviews on-the-spot) and quantitative instruments (direct detection on-the-spot, observation)
Finger fractures imaging: accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography and multislice computed tomography
No full textOBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic accuracy and radiation exposure of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and multislice computed tomography (MSCT) in the evaluation of finger fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a 3-year period, 57 consecutive patients with post-traumatic fractures of the metacarpal-phalangeal (MCP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints with involvement of the articular surface were studied by means of CBCT and MSCT. Student's t test was used to compare CBCT and MSCT accuracy in evaluating the percentage of joint surface involvement and in detecting bone fragments. The average tissue-absorbed doses of CBCT and MSCT were also compared. A value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Inter-observer agreement was calculated. RESULTS: In all cases, CBCT allowed the percentage of articular involvement to be correctly depicted compared with MSCT, showing 100% sensitivity and specificity (p < 0.001). A total of 103 bone fragments were depicted on MSCT (mean 3.8 per patient, range 1-23). CBCT indicated 92 out of 103 fragments (89.3%) compared with MSCT (mean diameter of missed fragments 0.9 mm, range 0.6-1.3 mm), with no statistically significant difference between CBCT and MSCT (p < 0.025). Multislice CT radiation exposure was significantly higher than that of CBCT (0.18 mSv vs 0.06 mSv, p < 0.0025). Inter-observer agreement was good (overall kappa = 0.89-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Cone beam CT may be considered a valuable imaging tool in the preoperative assessment of finger fractures, when MSCT is not available
Incidental adrenal lesions: Accuracy of quadriphasic contrast enhanced computed tomography in distinguishing adenomas from nonadenomas
No full textPURPOSE:
To evaluate the accuracy in distinguishing adrenal adenomas from nonadenomas by means of quadriphasic CT exam, including unenhanced (UE), arterial enhanced (AE), portal enhanced (PE) and 5-min delayed enhanced (DE) CT scans.
METHODS:
This retrospective study had institutional review board approval; the need for informed consent was waived. From September 2007 to September 2009, 104 adrenal masses were evaluated in 87 patients (49 M, 38 F, mean age 58.4 years) undergoing UE, AE (35-s delay), PE (80-s delay) and DE (5-min delay) CT scans. The mean adrenal attenuation during all imaging phases was measured by two readers. The accuracy values of absolute unenhanced attenuation (UE), absolute wash-out (AWO), relative percentage wash-out (RPWO) and percentage enhancement wash-out (PEW) were assessed by using receiver operator curves (ROC) analysis. The overall accuracy of the quadriphasic protocol and other triphasic protocols were evaluated. A value of p≤0.05 was considered significant.
RESULTS:
The accuracy in characterizing adrenal lesions was 86.5% (90/104) for UE attenuation (≤10 HU threshold), 90.1% (82/91) for RPWO (≥30% threshold), 85.7% (78/91) for AWO (≥12 HU threshold) and 83.5% (76/91) for PEW (≥30% threshold), respectively. Quadriphasic CT (accuracy 97.1%, 101/104) performed better than triphasic CT including only AE scan (efficiency 90.0%, 94/104; p=0.011) and triphasic CT including only PE scan (efficiency 96.1%, 100/104; p=0.025).
CONCLUSION:
Quadriphasic CT protocol including 5-min DE scan may be used to characterize incidentally detected adrenal masses. RPWO represented the best wash-out parameter for characterizing adrenal lesions
Three-dimensional morphology of heel fat pad: an in vivo computed tomography study.
No full textHeel fat pad cushioning efficiency is the result of its structure, shape and thickness. However, while a number of studies have investigated heel fat pad (HFP) anatomy, structural behavior and material properties, no previous study has described its three-dimensional morphology in situ. The assessment of the healthy, unloaded, three-dimensional morphology of heel pad may contribute to deepen the understanding of its role and behavior during locomotion. It is the basis for the assessment of possible HFP morphological modifications due to changes in the amount or distribution of the loads normally sustained by the foot. It may also help in guiding the surgical reconstruction of the pad and in improving footwear design, as well as in developing a correct heel pad geometry for finite element models of the foot. Therefore the purpose of this study was to obtain a complete analysis of HFP three-dimensional morphology in situ. The right foot of nine healthy volunteers was scanned with computed tomography. A methodological approach that maximizes reliability and repeatability of the data was developed by building a device to lock the foot in a neutral position with respect to the scan planes during image acquisition. Scan data were used to reconstruct virtual three-dimensional models for both the calcaneus and HFP. A set of virtual coronal and axial sections were extracted from the three-dimensional model of each HFP and processed to extract a set of one- and two-dimensional morphometrical measurements for a detailed description of heel pad morphology. The tissue exhibited a consistent and sophisticated morphology that may reflect the biomechanics of the foot support. HFP was found to be have a crest on its anterior dorsal surface, flanges on the sides and posteriorly, and a thick portion that reached and covered the posterior surface of the calcaneus and the achilles tendon insertion. Its anterior internal portion was thinner and a lump of fat was consistently present in this region. Finally, HFP was found to be thicker in males than in females
How to create Radiology Papers and Presentations in Windows™ with Open-Source Software
No full textTo illustrate the availability, effectiveness, and practical use of Open-Source tools in developing a radiology paper from its beginning to its presentation and publication. Practical use of a complete set of Open-Source applications for writing, e-mail corresponding, slide show, image retrieval, and manipulation is shown by simulating a scientific paper development. Open-Source software proved to be an inexpensive, effective, widely compatible, and user-friendly alternative to commercial toolkits in developing and deploying a scientific paper, either on paper or on slide show
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