198 research outputs found
Equality of Opportunity
No full textSeveral fields of study engaged with the concept of equality of opportunity (EO), such as philosophy, political theory, ethics, and law.
Despite the different conceptions and approaches flourished on EO, the core shared meaning concerns the idea that individuals should have equal prospects for developing their life. This deals with outcome distributions of various types, such as economic capital and work positions, forms of social capital such as social networks and affiliation, and forms of cultural capital such as education (e.g., Lynch & Baker, 2005).
A state of EO corresponds to the absence of circumstances (such as family socioeconomic and cultural background, ethnic origin, gender, age, etc.) and related barriers, prejudices, or preferences that influence individual achievements
Affirmative Action
No full textAffirmative Action (AA) is a debated topic in many fields of study; however, psychology and juridical research have paid major attention.
AA consists of a body of policies and procedures aimed at eliminating discrimination at work against women and ethnic minorities, and repairing the effects of discrimination suffered in the past (Kravitz et al., 1997, p. Vii cited by Kovacs et al., 2014). However, in a wider sense, it can include all policies and actions to promote opportunities for disadvantaged (or minority) groups to give them equal access as the majority population within a society (e.g., Sowell, 2004).
Indeed, AA is often adopted by governments and educational institutions to ensure that those groups within a society are able to take all the opportunities offered, including promotional, educational, and training ones
Cholecystocolonic fistula and gallstone obstruction : Case report and literature review
No full textBackground: Mechanical obstruction secondary to colonic impact of a gallstone resulting from a direct cholecystocolonic fistula is a rare event. Although spontaneous resolution has been described, surgical or endoscopic procedures may be required to relieve the obstruction. The overall complication rate related to surgical treatment is relevant because of the acute presentation in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities and high operative risk. Methods: An extensive literature search over the last two decades (1997–2017) was conducted. MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases were consulted. All the articles, case reports, and case series that described the management of colonic gallstone obstruction were included in this narrative review. Results: In all, 41 cases of colonic gallstone ileus were included. The majority of the patients were successfully managed with an open (78%), endoscopic (14.6%), or laparoscopic approach (4.9%). Spontaneous resolution of the mechanical obstruction was described in one case (2.5%). The overall morbidity and mortality rates of the surgical-related procedures were 31% and 9.4%, respectively. In the endoscopic groups, there was no procedure-related morbidity and mortality. Conclusion: An endoscopic approach may be a better therapeutic option in selected patients with colonic gallstone obstruction unfit for surgery
Numerical models for the evaluation of the contact angle from axisymmetric drop profiles: A statistical comparison
No full textAxisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA) is a well-established methodology for estimating the contact angle value and the surface tension of liquids starting from sessile drops images. It consists of an iterative procedure in which a best fit between a theoretical axisymmetric Laplacian curve and an experimental drop profile is performed. When only an evaluation of the geometric contact angle value is needed, a similar numerical approach can be adopted by using simpler algebraic models in place of a Laplace profile, thus allowing more straightforward implementations and shorter computation times.
In this work the relative merits of the different methodologies are compared. Beside the standard ADSA procedure, four different mathematical models are examined, namely the circular and elliptical models, the first-order perturbative solution of the Laplace equation, and a cubic spline model. Their relative statistical performances are tested on both calculated and experimental drop profiles. For simulated drops, the actual capability of the models to predict the correct contact angle is also investigated
Inherited bleeding disorders in pregnancy: rare coagulation factor defects
No full textInherited deficiencies of plasma proteins involved in blood coagulation generally lead to lifelong bleeding disorders. Rare bleeding disorders (RBDs), discussed in this chapter, represent 3–5 % of all the inherited coagulation deficiencies, with prevalence ranging from approximately 1:500,000 to 1:2,000,000 in the general population. Patients affected with bleeding disorders present a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms that vary from a mild or moderate bleeding tendency to severe episodes. Women with inherited bleeding disorders are particularly disadvantaged since, in addition to suffering from general bleeding symptoms, they are also at risk of bleeding complications from regular haemostatic challenges: menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth. Moreover, affected women may experience reduced quality of life caused by limitations in activities and work, and the impact on their reproductive life. Management of women with RBDs is difficult because of considerable inter-individual variation. Furthermore, reliable information on clinical management is scarce, with only a few long-term prospective studies of large cohorts providing evidence to guide diagnosis and treatment
Post-partum haemorrhage in women with rare bleeding disorders
No full textPost-partum hemorrhage (PPH) accounts for a substantial fraction of maternal deaths in the general population. Among all women, however, those affected with rare bleeding disorders (RBDs) represent a particular group since to usual bleeding symptoms, they are likely to experience bleedings associated to obstetrical and gynaecological problems. Pregnancy and childbirth, two important stages in the life of a woman, pose a special clinical challenge in women with RBDs, since information about these issues are really scarce and limited to few case reports. These data show that all women with RBDs, except for FXI deficiency, have to be considered potentially at risk for developing PPH, therefore they should be monitored carefully during and immediately after pregnancy. The implication is that women with bleeding disorders may require prophylaxis and/or close observation for several weeks and should be followed by a multidisciplinary team including expertises such as laboratory haematologist, obstetrician-gynaecologist, anaesthesiologist, family physician, and laboratory technicia
Inherited bleeding disorders in pregnancy : rare coagulation factor defects
No full textInherited deficiencies of plasma proteins involved in blood coagulation generally lead to lifelong bleeding disorders. Rare bleeding disorders (RBDs), discussed in this chapter, represent 3–5 % of all the inherited coagulation deficiencies, with prevalence ranging from approximately 1:500,000 to 1:2,000,000 in the general population. Patients affected with bleeding disorders present a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms that vary from a mild or moderate bleeding tendency to severe episodes. Women with inherited bleeding disorders are particularly disadvantaged since, in addition to suffering from general bleeding symptoms, they are also at risk of bleeding complications from regular haemostatic challenges: menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth. Moreover, affected women may experience reduced quality of life caused by limitations in activities and work, and the impact on their reproductive life. Management of women with RBDs is difficult because of considerable inter-individual variation. Furthermore, reliable information on clinical management is scarce, with only a few long-term prospective studies of large cohorts providing evidence to guide diagnosis and treatment
La Progettazione del bilancio sociale. Lezione 2 - Il caso: il bilancio sociale di mandato del Comune di San Giovanni in Persiceto
No full textSoddisfare le istanze di trasparenza e di dialogo con la cittadinanza e le esigenze connesse al monitoraggio dello sviluppo sostenibile rappresenta una priorità sempre più sentita negli enti locali. Negli ultimi anni è cresciuta infatti in maniera importante la richiesta da parte delle diverse categorie di stakeholders, di essere informate in maniera chiara e comprensibile sul valore prodotto dalle attività poste in atto dall'amministrazione, sulle risorse spese e sul grado di attuazione delle promesse di governo.
Il presente articolo presenta i contenuti e del Bilancio sociale di mandato del comune di San Giovanni in Persicento e il processo di rendicontazione ispirato ad un graduale adeguamento del documento dell'Osservatorio per la finanza e la contabilità degli Enti Locali, Ministero dell'Interno. In particolari, sono sottolineati tre aspetti distintivi di questa esperienza: collegamento con la programmazione, costruzione del bilancio sociale assieme agli stakeholders e l'asseverazione
Cricopharyngeal myotomy with thulium laser through flexible endoscopy: proof-of-concept study
No full textBackground and study aims Endoscopic treatment of Zenker's diverticulum has proven feasible, but electrocautery and CO2 laser technology carry the risk of collateral thermal injury. Thulium laser septum incision may over-come this limitation. We describe for the first time the use of thulium laser through flexible endoscopy in a small cohort of patients with Zenker diverticulum.
Patients and methods Thulium laser septum division was performed via flexible endoscopy under general anesthesia in consecutive symptomatic patients with primary or recurrent Zenker diverticulum. Primary study outcomes were feasibility and safety of the procedure. A 1.9-mu m laser fiber was used with an emission power of 10 - 16W.
Results Five patients were treated between May and June 2017. Two patients presented with recurrent symptomatic diverticulum after previous transoral septum stapling. Complete division of the septum was achieved in all patients. There was no bleeding nor need of adjunctive electrocautery devices to complete the procedure. The postoperative course was uneventful in all patients; the chest film and gastrographin swallow study on postoperative Day 1 were negative for pneumomediastinum, leaks or residual pouch. All patients were discharged within 48 hours on a soft diet. At the 1- and 3-month follow-up visits, all patients were satisfied with the procedure and reported improved swallowing and absence of regurgitation and cough.
Conclusions Division of Zenker's septum with thulium laser is feasible and safe through flexible endoscopy. Longer-term follow-up is required to establish efficacy and effectiveness of this novel procedure
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