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Purpose: This study aims to explore human–machine interactions in the process of adopting artificial intelligence (AI) based on the principles of Taylorism and digital Taylorism to validate these principles in postmodern management. Design/methodology/approach: The topic has been investigated by means of a case study based on the current experience of Carrozzeria Basile, a body shop born in Turin in 1970. Findings: The Carrozzeria Basile’s approach is rooted in scientific management concepts, and its digital evolution is aimed at centring humans, investigating human–machine interactions and how to take advantage of both of these. Research limitations/implications: The research contributes to both Taylorism management and the literature on human–machine interactions. A unique case study represents a first step in comprehending the phenomenon but could also represent a limit for the study. Practical implications: Practical implications refer to the scientific path to facilitate the implementation and adoption of emerging technologies in the organisational process, including employee engagement and continuous employee training. Originality/value: The research focuses on human–machine interactions in the process of adopting AI in the automation process. Its novelty also relies on the comprehension of the needed path to facilitate these interactions and stimulate a collaborative and positive approach. The study fills the literature gap investigating the interactions between humans and machines beginning with their historical roots, from Taylorism to digital Taylorism, in relation to an empirical scenario.

In a world where global warming and the consequent melting of glaciers seem to have become an irreversible trend, the growing demand for energy and natural resources can be met only if businesses actively foster the green conversion of their strategies and activities. Although primarily devoted to the promotion of technological innovation as such, patent law could play a crucial role in the fight against climate change by favoring those intangibles that are compatible with the environmental imperative. The aim of this paper is to assess the desirability of a patent system that is sensitive and permeable to the need for environmental neutrality as against a system that is neutral to technological innovation. The assessment of this tension is made by focusing on two relevant issues arising in the registration phase: (i) the opportunity to introduce an accelerated procedure for green patents both at the national and at the European level; (ii) the possibility of denying the patentability of highly polluting inventions based on ordre publicconsiderations as well as on other provisions, like Art. 81quinquiesof the Italian Intellectual Property Code.

ABSTRACTIntroductionAdvances in pharmacotherapies that target cell cycle in breast cancer have transformed the therapeutic armamentarium of breast oncology leading to the approval of CDK4/6 inhibitors plus endocrine therapy as the upfront treatment in the HR+/HER2- metastatic setting. The current challenge is to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs in the early setting. The current challenge is to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs in the early setting. Research is also making progress for other breast cancer subtypes (triple negative and HER 2+ breast cancer).Areas coveredThe aim of this review is to summarize the recent therapeutic updates regarding the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in the metastatic and early setting for the treatment of HR+/HER2- breast cancer. The review also presents data regarding the clinical role of CDK4/6 inhibitors in HER2+, triple negative breast cancer, and on therapeutic sequences in resistant tumors. A comprehensive search for the literature was conducted using MEDLINE, ASCO, ESMO, and SABCS databases.Expert OpinionThe therapeutic paradigm of breast cancer involving CDK4/6 inhibitors presents some still open discussion points. Further evidence regarding the best treatment strategy in HR+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer and the efficacy of CDK 4/6is in the early stage will be necessary in the next future. Predictive biomarkers of response or resistance need to be validated.

Das Prostatakarzinom ist die häufigste Art von Tumor bei Männern. Im Frühstadium der Erkrankung ist es empfindlich gegenüber einer Androgenentzugstherapie. Bei Patienten mit metastasiertem kastrationssensitivem Prostatakarzinom (mHSPC) haben Chemotherapie und Androgenrezeptortherapien der zweiten Generation zu einer Verlängerung der Überlebenszeit geführt. Trotz der Fortschritte bei der Behandlung des mHSPC ist eine Kastrationsresistenz unvermeidlich, und viele Patienten entwickeln eine metastasierende kastrationsresistente Erkrankung (mCRPC). In den letzten Jahrzehnten hat die Immuntherapie die onkologische Landschaft dramatisch verändert und die Überlebensraten bei vielen Krebsarten erhöht. Allerdings hat die Immuntherapie beim Prostatakarzinom noch nicht die bahnbrechenden Ergebnisse gebracht, die sie bei anderen Tumorarten erzielt hat. Die Erforschung neuer Behandlungsmöglichkeiten ist für Patienten mit mCRPC aufgrund der schlechten Prognose sehr wichtig. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit konzentrieren wir uns auf die Gründe für die scheinbare intrinsische Resistenz des Prostatakarzinoms gegenüber der Immuntherapie, die Möglichkeiten zur Überwindung dieser Resistenz sowie die klinische Evidenz und auf neue therapeutische Perspektiven für die Immuntherapie des Prostatakarzinoms mit einem Blick in die Zukunft.

This paper will examine whether different types of AI-produced works, namely AI-assisted, AI-generated, and AI-genassisted works, are able to satisfy the originality requirement, as established within the EU copyright acquis. It will argue that even assuming that the choices of AIs can be deemed free, they could not be considered creative due to the anthropological footprint of copyright law which traditionally covers only human creativity. This implies that copyright protection can be granted only to outputs that display a sufficient level of original human intervention, which is most likely present in AI-assisted works and, depending on the case, in AI-genassisted works, too. The desirability of stretching copyright further to accommodate artificial creativity is also lessened by the risk that it could saturate the creative market due to an overexpansion of monopoly rights. Thus, the copyright solution will be evaluated together with some existing alternative legal tools, such as neighbouring rights, sui generisrights, patents, or even the absence of protection over AI-generated works to preserve a robust public domain.

A judgment of the Italian Court of Cassation – No. 17565 of 18 June 2021 – offers an opportunity to investigate the legal protection options applicable to the direction of opera. As this issue is not addressed by EU law, EU Member States have adopted different approaches, from awarding copyright, to neighboring rights, to a mixture of the two. This opinion aims at finding the most consistent solution within the Italian legal framework. After an assessment of the alternative legal options, it argues that opera direction should be eligible for copyright protection via an analogical application of Art. 44 of the Italian copyright law, which indirectly includes cinematic direction within the area of copyrightable works. This conclusion is based on the fact that there are no substantial differences between the two types of direction justifying a diverse treatment. Otherwise, it would result in blatant and unsubstantiated discrimination because both categories of directors set out to convert a text – the dramatic text or the film script – to the medium of theatre or film respectively. Finally, this opinion suggests that even if the other creative roles involved in opera making are not addressed by the law, they too should qualify as co-authors if they make a creative contribution.

Article 6 Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD) provides a General anti-abuse rule (GAAR), applicable to all taxpayers subject to corporate tax in one ormore EUMember States.TheGAAR refers to ‘non-genuine’ arrangements.However, it is unclear whether ‘non-genuineness’ describes real and/or simulated arrangements. The article aims to analyse this issue, in light of a literal, multilingual approach and through a teleological and historical-systematic interpretation of the provision.

Nowadays, personal data represent a strategic asset for companies as they can significantly influence their market position. Indeed, the issues arising from the management of large amounts of data (so-called big data) are not only relevant for data protection authorities, since this practice has also induced the intervention of competition and consumer protection authorities. The digital economy has enhanced new forms of abuses of dominant position and unfair practices, which can be performed via the handling of big data. This paper starts by analysing the German antitrust authority vs Facebook decision in which the big-tech platform was sanctioned for having performed an exploitative abuse of dominant position through its data management strategy. Then, it focuses on the Italian antitrust authority vs WhatsApp decision, where WhatsApp was deemed responsible for unfair and aggressive practices aimed at extracting users’ consent for data-sharing purposes. These two remarkable cases will be compared and further discussed, outlining the need to rethink the strengthening interplay between data protection, competition and consumer law, as it will entail a closer contact of the respective authorities to ensure the sustainability of digital markets.

Aims To evaluate prospectively whether an intravenous gadolinium injection could improve the detection of the central vein sign on susceptibility-weighted imaging sequences obtained with a 1.5 T magnetic resonance scanner in patients with multiple sclerosis compared to unenhanced susceptibility-weighted images.Materials and methods This prospective, institution review board-approved study included 19 patients affected by multiple sclerosis (six men; 13 women; mean age 40.8 years, range 20–74 years). Patients had the relapsing–remitting clinical subtype in 95% of cases, and only one (5%) patient had the primary progressive clinical subtype of multiple sclerosis. T2-weighted images, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images, unenhanced and contrast-enhanced susceptibility-weighted images were evaluated in consensus by two neuroradiologists for the presence of the central vein sign. The readers were blinded to magnetic resonance imaging reports, clinical information, the presence and the localisation of focal hyperintense white matter lesions. Any discordance between readers was resolved through a joint review of the recorded images with an additional neuroradiologist.Results A total of 317 multiple sclerosis lesions were analysed. The central vein sign had a higher prevalence detection rate on gadolinium-enhanced susceptibility-weighted images (272 of 317 lesions, 86%) compared to unenhanced susceptibility-weighted images (172 of 317 lesions, 54%).Conclusion Gadolinium-enhanced susceptibility-weighted imaging improves the detection rate of the central vein sign in multiple sclerosis lesions.

Neuroinflammation plays a key role in exacerbating dopaminergic neuron (DAN) loss in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, it remains unresolved how to effectively normalize this immune response given the complex interplay between the innate and adaptive immune responses occurring within a scarcely accessible organ like the brain. In this study, we uncovered a consistent correlation between neuroinflammation, brain parenchymal lymphocytes, and DAN loss among several commonly used mouse models of PD generated by a variety of pathological triggers. We validated a viral therapeutic approach for the microglia-specific expression of interleukin 10 (IL-10) to selectively mitigate the excessive inflammatory response. We found that this approach induced a local nigral IL-10 release that alleviated DAN loss in mice overexpressing the human SNCA gene in the substantia nigra. Single-cell transcriptomics revealed that IL-10 induced the emergence of a molecularly distinct microglial cell state, enriched in markers of cell activation with enhanced expression of prophagocytic pathways. IL-10 promoted microglial phagocytotic and clearance activities in vitro and reduced αSYN aggregate burden in the nigral area in mice overexpressing SNCA. Furthermore, IL-10 stimulated the differentiation of CD4+T lymphocytes into active T regulatory cells and promoted inhibitory characteristics in CD8+T cells. In summary, our results show that local and microglia-specific IL-10 transduction elicited strong immunomodulation in the nigral tissue with enhanced suppression of lymphocyte toxicity that was associated with DAN survival. These results offer insights into the therapeutic benefits of IL-10 and showcase a promising gene delivery approach that could minimize undesired side effects.

This study aimed to describe the preliminary results of a modified sympathicotomy for cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD), which may reduce the predictive risk and intraoperative surgical time of the procedure.

Generative AI is disrupting the creative process(es) of intellectual works on an unparalleled scale. Algorithmic tools are increasing users’ production capacity for literary and artistic works to almost infinite levels. However, the quality of the outputs is strictly dependent on the quantity and quality of the inputs, some of which are protected by copyright. This scenario gave raise to tensions between copyright holders and generative AI companies. While the formers claim control over this new kind of exploitation of their works, the latters wish to train their algorithms freely with as many contents as possible. This contribution suggests exploring the idea of introducing a statutory license for machine learning purposes as a compromise solution to ensure an attractive environment for artificial intelligence without marginalizing the role played by human authors. This remuneration proposal is rooted in a fundamental rights analysis that balances i.e., the right to science and culture and freedom of artistic expression (Arts. 11 and 13 EUCF, 19 UDHR, 27.1 UDHR, 15.1 a and b ICESCR) vis-à-vis the right for creators to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from their scientific, literary or artistic production (Arts. 17.2 EUCF, 27.2 UDHR, and 15.1 c ICESCR).

The research moves from the idea that there is a relationship between the motivation (engagement) to exchange knowledge in communities of practice, where the generation of knowledge is implemented in terms of solving common problems - and the value co-creation process planning along its three dimensions (social, economic and environmental). The aim was to investigate how the make-up of the motivational engagement system of the companies that allows to communities of practice to become an innovative process to reinforce relationships. We used a conceptual framework called CDI (Connection, Discussion and Influence), elaborated in previous studies, which has been tested in the protection consortia of the Italian agri-food sector. In these, the hypothesised virtuous circle among the CDI dimensions exists and is a driver to enhance their relational heritage through the knowledge exchange. The paper provides fundamental guidelines to enhance engagement in these virtual environments.

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Several types of (mostly) blue-green glass beads from Iron-Age archaeological sites in Central Italy were studied using a range of spectroscopic techniques: portable X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometry, Fibre Optics Reflectance Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry, micro-Raman spectroscopy and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Complementary information was gathered from each technique and discussed in the frame of the archaeological typology of the objects. The systematic evaluation of the results allowed us to draw some conclusions on the raw materials employed for primary production and to highlight some provenance indicators in the glass. Some of the beads found in the Iron Age (IA) contexts were preliminarily attributed to the Final Bronze Age (FBA) production based on their typology, and the compositional data obtained in this work confirmed that they were low magnesium high potassium (LMHK) glass, typical of FBA in the Italian peninsula. Other beads were assigned to low magnesium glass (LMG) or high magnesium glass (HMG), thus giving further information on the fluxing agents employed in the Early Iron Age (EIA) and beyond. Colour variations among the beads reflected their chemical composition, with different bead typologies coloured in a specific way. In some instances, it was possible to establish different origins for the colouring raw materials. The provenance of the samples was difficult to place, but the chemical evidence suggested a subdivision within the raw glass used to produce the beads: for one set of samples, a local origin of the glass could be hypothesised, whereas several production sites in the Near East were suggested for most of the beads considered in this study. Some preliminary clues for the local working of imported glass were also highlighted for one typological group.

Introduction The artery of Percheron is a rare anatomic variant supplying bilateral medial thalamic nuclei and a variable portion of the rostral part of midbrain.Case report A 48-year-old female with massive subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured aneurysm of the paramedian artery of Percheron presented to the emergency room. Because of significant risk of recurrent intracranial hemorrhage, it was decided to proceed with endovascular embolization of the aneurysm. The patient was ultimately sent to a rehabilitation center and her presenting neurologic deficits showed significant improvements in the weeks following endovascular embolization treatment.Discussion The paramedian artery of Percheron is a rare anatomic variant and subarachnoid hemorrhage due to aneurysm of this artery is exceedingly rare. This case underlines the importance of a correct evaluation of cerebral arterial anatomy in order to choose the best endovascular therapeutic approach, reduce complications, and optimize patient outcome.

Purpose The objective of this study was to correlate the presence and distribution of cerebral microbleeds in Alzheimer’s disease patients with cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau 181 protein levels) and cognitive decline by using susceptibility-weighted imaging magnetic resonance sequences at 1.5 T.Material and methods Fifty-four consecutive Alzheimer’s disease patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 T to assess the presence and distribution of cerebral microbleeds on susceptibility-weighted imaging images. The images were analyzed in consensus by two neuroradiologists, each with at least 10 years’ experience. Dementia severity was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination score. A multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the associations between the number and location of cerebral microbleed lesions with the age, sex, duration of the disease, cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau 181 protein levels, and cognitive functions.Results A total of 296 microbleeds were observed in 54 patients; 38 patients (70.4%) had lobar distribution, 13 patients (24.1%) had non-lobar distribution, and the remaining three patients (5.6%) had mixed distribution, demonstrating that Alzheimer’s disease patients present mainly a lobar distribution of cerebral microbleeds. The age and the duration of the disease were correlated with the number of lobar cerebral microbleeds (P< 0.001). Cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-beta, phosphorylated tau 181 protein levels, and cognitive decline were correlated with the number of lobar cerebral microbleeds in Alzheimer’s disease patients (P< 0.001).Conclusion Lobar distribution of cerebral microbleeds is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and the number of lobar cerebral microbleeds directly correlates with cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau 181 protein levels and with the cognitive decline of Alzheimer’s disease patients.

Purpose The purpose of this article is to assess the diagnostic performance of computed tomography (CT) reformatted images for detection of superior semicircular canal (SSC) dehiscence.Material and methods Forty-two patients, with sound- and/or pressure-induced vestibular symptoms, and 42 control participants underwent helical CT examination with a highly collimated beam (0.5 mm). Reformatted images of the vestibular labyrinth were obtained in the standard axial and coronal planes (group A images), and in a plane parallel and perpendicular to the SSC (group B images). Diagnostic performance obtained by evaluating the group A images alone and the group B images alone was analyzed by using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).Results The diagnostic performance of group A images was AUC = 0.929 with an overall accuracy of 92.9%. The diagnostic performance of group B images was AUC = 0.988 with an overall accuracy of 98.8%. The evaluation of group B images alone showed an improved diagnostic performance over the group A images alone.Conclusion Thin-section 0.5-mm collimation CT with reformatted images oriented in the plane parallel and perpendicular to the SSC improves diagnostic accuracy in assessing for SSC dehiscence in comparison to CT images with reconstructions limited to traditional axial and coronal planes.

Objective:Promoting four healthy behaviours among preschool children:⩾4 servings of fruit and vegetables/day, ⩾2 h/day of active play, ⩽1 h per day of TV-watching and 0 sugar sweetened beverages/day.Methods:We conducted a c-RCT on 425 3-year-old children at 16 childcare centres based in Cesena, Italy. We randomly allocated eight childcare centres (199 children) to the intervention group and eight childcare centres (226 children) to the control group. All the randomized childcare centres completed our study protocol. Parents recorded their children's target behaviours at home over 3 Saturdays, at baseline and at follow-up. Then trained nurses measured children's weight and height. We conducted a 6-month-long intervention trial in local health care centres where nurses and primary care pediatricians, respectively, conducted two subsequent motivational interviews with parents to encourage children's healthy behaviours at home. At the same time, teachers involved children in learning experiences about healthy behaviours. Our primary outcome is a children's combined health behaviour score (CHBS) at home. Our secondary outcomes measure the BMI z-score and the percentage of children that show a BMI trajectory crossing upward. After collecting the CHBS and BMI data at baseline as well as at 1- and 2-year follow-ups, we performed an Intent-to-Treat (ITT) analysis.Results:After 2 years from baseline, 48.4% of intervention group children showed a low-risk CHBS in comparison with 28.0% of control group children. A multilevel analysis showed that they were by far more likely to achieve low-risk scores (adjusted OR: 3.41; 95% CI: 1.48–7.88; P=0.004). Our BMI outcomes showed no significant difference between groups.Conclusions:A multidimensional educational intervention, which consists of motivational interviews with parents and teacher-led learning experiences for children, improved preschool children's CHBS in the long term without influencing the outcomes of BMI z-score and BMI increase.

Objectives The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether peritumoural perfusion weighted and proton spectroscopic magnetic resonance imaging can be used in differentiating between primary gliomas and solitary metastases.Methods Ten low-grade gliomas, eight high-grade gliomas and 10 metastases were prospectively evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging, dynamic susceptibility contrast enhanced perfusion imaging and single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy before surgical resection or stereotactic biopsy. Maximal relative cerebral blood volume values were calculated drawing three regions of interest of 2 cm2in the non-enhancing peritumoural areas. Maximal relative cerebral blood volume values were normalised to that of contralateral normal-appearing white matter. Maximal choline/creatine ratios were calculated from three voxels of 10 cm3placed in the peritumoural areas defined as non-enhancing peritumoural white matter surrounding the tumour. The tumour grade presumed with these values was compared to histopathological grading. Differences in the study parameters between groups were assessed using the Mann–Whitney test. A receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine cut-off values.Results A clear relative cerebral blood volume cut-off value of 1.88 was detected for differentiating low-grade gliomas from high-grade gliomas. A clear relative cerebral blood volume cut-off value of 1.20 was detected for differentiation of metastases from gliomas. The differences in the choline/creatine ratios in the peritumoural regions of high-grade gliomas and of solitary metastasis were statistically significant (P?

A 23‐year‐old athlete with symptomatic low burden premature ventricular contraction (PVC) with left bundle branch block morphology and inferior axis morphology was sent to our department for RVmapping and PVCablation. Exit zone of the PVCwas easily and clearly defined by the bipoles A3‐A4 achieving optimal and detailed pacemapping (Panels A‐C) near the His bundle (yellow dots). The spatial conformation and the smooth shape of the catheter would definitely help everyday procedures in the setting of low burden PVC/noninducible focal ventricular arrhythmia, especially when the focus is located very close to the conductive tissue.

•Iron Age cobalt coloured glass has indications of Egyptian raw materials;•It occurs in nowadays Central Italy starting from 9th century BCE;•Alternative tradition of colouring existed for this type of objects;•Non-invasive analytical approach is efficient for making these insights;

Assuming that actual or potential wine tourists may perceive the wine tourism destinations' image using as cognitive keys what has been communicated by both wine tourism destinations and travelling bloggers, the research aims at carrying out an analysis which: 1) suggests the identification of the main recurring themes and their importance in communicating the destination image; 2) highlights the [eventual] gap existing between what is communicated by the wine tourism destinations and what is transmitted by third party actors (in this case, by bloggers in their own blogs). The approach is innovative because: 1) the creation of a communicative and relational sphere of the image derives from techniques and instruments that stimulate conversations, taking advantage of the bi-directional communication potentialities offered by the web; 2) it suggests an operational framework through which it is possible to identify the dimensions to decode the extracted information.

In the current study, we attempted to determine normative inner ear volumetric measurements generated from three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) images. In addition, we investigated a correlation between the axial length and the volume of the labyrinth and discussed clinical outcomes of this correlation. Amira 5.2.2 software was used to create three-dimensional isosurface images of the human labyrinth using two-dimensional CT images from 35 anatomically normal patients. With the three-dimensional labyrinths, complete dimensional analysis was performed to gain insight into both the volume and the greatest axial length of the inner ear. Paired ttest and Pearson correlation were used. Our volume of the inner ear inquiry reported a mean volume of 221.5 with SD of 24.3 L (0.228 L for males and 0.218 L for females). The length showed a mean of 1.713 cm with SD of 0.064 cm (1.753 cm for males and 1.695 cm for females). The length was used to estimate the volume, and the estimates were within 10 of the measured volume 74.3 of the time. Normative volumetric measurements of the inner ear can be obtained by using three-dimensional CT Imaging by Amira 5.2.2 software. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the axial length of the labyrinth and the volume of the labyrinth. The axial length of the labyrinth could be used to estimate the volume of the labyrinth, which may be clinically important to estimate the concentration of the drug distributed in the inner ear.

We describe MR imaging of bilateral infarction of the paramedian portion of the mesencephalus and thalamus due to an occlusion of the Percheron artery. This entity is due to one of the anatomic variants of the perforating arteries supplying the thalamus and mesenchephalus. Clinically this kind of infarction presents with neurologic impairment as a disorder of consciousness, memory dysfunctions, various types of vertical gaze palsy and psychic changes, which need to be differentiated from delirium and coma. At MRI evaluation infarction of the paramedian portion of thalami and midbrain, with a “butterfly wings” pattern, was demonstrated as high signal intensity areas on FLAIR and FSE-T2W images and with diffusion restriction on DWI images.

Background The association between intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma and the occupational exposure to leather dusts has been widely documented, but the identification of precursor lesions in exposed workers has remained controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the histological changes and modifications in the phenotype of epithelial cells in nasal mucosa of leather workers.Methods Biopsy specimens of the mucosa of the middle turbinate were obtained from 139 subjects who had been employed in leather factories for 10–48 years (median, 29 years). Tissue fragments were routinely processed for histological examination and immunostainings for cytokeratin 20, CDX-2, and MUC-2 were performed.Results Regarding the surface epithelium, the most common histopathological finding was the presence of squamous metaplasia (64.7%), which was associated with mild to moderate dysplasia in 37 cases (41.1%), and goblet cell hyperplasia was identified in 30 biopsy specimens (21.6%). Positivity for MUC-2 was detected in goblet cells of 20 of the 30 samples with goblet cell hyperplasia (66.6%), whereas no immunostaining was observed for cytokeratin 20 and CDX-2. Presence of goblet cell hyperplasia was significantly associated with longer occupational exposure in leather tanning activities (p = 0.03). None of the alterations observed (squamous metaplasia, dysplasia, or goblet cell hyperplasia) showed correlation with smoking habits. Similarly, there was no correlation between squamous metaplasia with or without dysplasia and type and duration of occupational exposure.Conclusion Our data identify goblet cell hyperplasia as possible work-related alterations of nasal mucosa in leather workers. Additional investigations are needed to clarify the significance of these findings in the development of sinonasal intestinal-type carcinoma.

Enhanced feedback provided by a virtual reality system has been shown to promote motor learning in normal subjects. We evaluated whether this approach could be useful for treating patients with motor deficits following brain lesions. Fifty subjects with mild to intermediate arm impairments due to stroke were selected for the study. The patients received treatment daily for one month, consisting of an hour of virtual-environment therapy with enhanced feedback. Before and after the therapy, we assessed the degree of motor impairment and autonomy in daily living activities using the Fugl-Meyer scale for the upper extremities and Functional Independence Measure, respectively. We also analyzed the velocity, duration, and morphology of a sequence of reaching movements, finally comparing the kinematic measures with the scores obtained on the clinical scales. The rehabilitation therapy yielded significant improvements over baseline values in the mean scores on the Fugl-Meyer and Functional Independence Measure scales. The mean Fugl-Meyer score correlated significantly with the duration and velocity of reaching movements. The collated data indicate that motor recovery in post-stroke patients may be promoted by the enhanced feedback provided in a virtual environment and that kinematic analysis of their movements provides reliable measures of motor function changes in response to treatment.

Batch free radical polymerization of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (VP) in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) was studied in the presence of a reactive polysiloxane surfactant (PDMS-mMA). Phase behavior investigation showed that when the initial concentration of the surface active macromonomer was higher than 2.5% w/w with respect to the monomer, the reaction mixture, in the absence of efficient stirring, was initially opaque to the visible light, and it slowly turned to an orange tint. Polymerization experiments carried out with surfactant concentration higher than the aforementioned value proceeded with a fast kinetics, and led to the formation of spherical nanoparticles with almost quantitative yields (higher than 98% with a reaction time lower than 70 min). The effect of the concentration of the surface active macromonomer, the initiator and the monomer, and of the density of the fluid phase on the kinetics of the process and on the morphology of the particles was investigated. A marked decrease of the number-average diameter of the polymer particles with the surfactant concentration was obtained without any particle agglomeration. A dependence on [Initiator]^−0.16 of the particle diameter was observed. Such scaling law exhibits an exponent higher than any previously reported for dispersion processes and rather close to those foreseeable on the basis of Smith–Harkins kinetics for emulsion polymerization. Collected experimental results strongly suggest that the polymerization of VP in the presence of PDMS-mMA could proceed with a nucleation mechanism different from that postulated in pure dispersion polymerization stabilized by graft-forming surfactants. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 173–185, 2004