Search

Introduction: Medical pleuroscopy (MP) is an invasive technique that provides access to the pleural space with a rigid or semi-rigid work instrument, allowing for visualization and the obtaining of bioptic pleural samples. Using pulmonologist-based analgosedation to perform pleuroscopy is still debated for safety reasons. The aim of this real-life study is to demonstrate the safety and diagnostic yield of MP performed under balanced analgosedation by a pulmonologist team with expertise in the management of critically ill patients in the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) and interventional pulmonology unit as compared to video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) performed by a thoracic surgeon team under anesthesiologist-based analgosedation. Methods: In this multicentric retrospective controlled study, the inclusion criteria were patients older than 18 years old with pleural effusion of unknown diagnosis consecutively admitted in the years 2017–2022 to the pulmonology unit and RICU of San Donato Hospital in Arezzo (Italy, Tuscany) and to the thoracic surgery unit of Santa Maria Le Scotte in Siena (Italy, Tuscany) to undergo, respectively, MP under balanced propofol-based analgosedation on spontaneous breathing with local anesthesia provided by a pulmonologist team (Group A), and VATS provided by a surgeon team under propofol-based analgosedation managed by an anesthesiologist using invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) via endotracheal intubation (ETI) (Group B). The primary endpoints were (1) a comparison between the two groups in terms of the diagnostic yield of pleural effusion, and (2) major and minor complications of pleuroscopic procedures. The secondary endpoints were (1) the length of the pleuroscopic procedure; (2) the duration of hospitalization; (3) propofol doses; and (4) the patient's comfort after the procedure assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results: We enrolled 91 patients in Group A and 116 patients in Group B. A conclusive diagnosis was obtained in 97.8% of Group A vs. 100% of Group B (p = 0.374). Malignant effusion was diagnosed in 59.3% of Group A and in 55.1% of Group B; p = 0.547. No intraoperative or postoperative mortality events or major complications were observed in Group A. The major complications observed in Group B were three major bleeding events (p = 0.079) and one exitus (p = 0.315) not related to the interventional procedure. No significant difference emerged between the two groups in terms of minor complications. The duration of the intervention was significantly lower in Group A (40.0 min ± 12.6 versus 51.5 ± 31.0; p = 0.001). Pain control and, therefore, patient comfort were better in Group A, with an average VAS of 0.34 ± 0.65 versus 2.58 ± 1.26, p < 0.001. The duration of hospitalization was lower in Group B (5.1 ± 2.6 vs. 15.5 ± 8.0, p < 0.001). The average overall dose of propofol administered was significantly lower in Group A (65.6 ± 35.8 mg versus 280 ± 20.0 mg; p < 0.001). Conclusions: This real-life study shows that the MP performed under propofol-based analgosedation by an independent pneumologist team is a safe and well-tolerated procedure with a diagnostic yield and complication rates similar to those obtained with VATS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic integration and globalization are expected to promote economic growth and convergence. This article offers a comparative analysis of the pace of development in terms of GDP per capita in 79 economies from 1970 to 2019. Usually, economic convergence literature aims to establish whether catching-up processes have been successful. This article verifies the existence of growth path similarities to identify clusters of countries that grow at a similar pace and react in a similar way to crises, and compares their dynamics in time. According to the results, coherently with globalization pressures, clusters have become fewer and larger. However, growth path divergences persist and suggest a cluster-based convergence. Integration processes, such as the European Union, have not influenced this trend. The extent to which these clusters are composed of structurally similar economies has been investigated and some consistencies have emerged between the composition of clusters and the classifications provided by the varieties of capitalism theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we leverage geographical coordinates and firm-level panel data to uncover variations in production across different locations. Our approach involves using a semiparametric proxy variable regression estimator, which allows us to define and estimate a customized production function for each firm and its corresponding location. By employing kernel methods, we estimate the nonparametric functions that determine the model's parameters based on latitude and longitude. Furthermore, our model incorporates productivity components that consider various factors that influence production. Unlike spatially autoregressive-type production functions that assume a uniform technology across all locations, our approach estimates technology and productivity at both the firm and location levels, taking into account their specific characteristics. To handle endogenous regressors, we incorporate a proxy variable identification technique, distinguishing our method from geographically weighted semiparametric regressions. To investigate the heterogeneity in production technology and productivity among Norwegian grain farmers, we apply our model to a sample of farms using panel data spanning from 2001 to 2020. Through this analysis, we provide empirical evidence of regional variations in both technology and productivity among Norwegian grain farmers. Finally, we discuss the suitability of our approach for addressing the heterogeneity in this industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) can be generated in liquids by different cold plasma processes. These species can influence cell biology and pathological states, and trigger wound healing, disinfection, and cancer treatments. The optimization of plasma sources' configurations and experimental conditions is fundamental to dose‐produced RONS in liquids. This research is a case study comparing RONS generation (H2O2 and NO2−) in water, after exposure to two different atmospheric pressure cold dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma sources: a plasma jet‐DBD and a planar‐DBD operating in contact with the liquid and in remote, respectively. The data demonstrate that the reactor geometry and the treatment modality strongly impact the generation of the active species in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the International Statistical Review which is the journal of the International Statistical Institute and its Associations; includes list of editorial members such as Narayanaswamy Balakrishnan, Roberto Benedetti, and James Brown; and lists the contents related to journal.

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) provides near-real-time forecast and reanalysis of aerosols using the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System with atmospheric composition extension, constrained by the assimilation of MODIS and the Polar Multi-Sensor Aerosol Optical Properties (PMAp) aerosol optical depth (AOD). The objective of this work is to evaluate two new near-real-time AOD products to prepare for their assimilation into CAMS, namely the Copernicus AOD (collection 1) from the Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) on board Sentinel 3-A/B over ocean and the NOAA EPS AOD (v2.r1) from VIIRS on board S-NPP and NOAA20 over both land and ocean. The differences between MODIS (C6.1), PMAp (v2.1), VIIRS (v2.r1), and SLSTR (C1) AOD as well as their departure from the modeled AOD were assessed at the model grid resolution (i.e., level-3) using the 3-month AOD average (December 2019–February 2020 and March–May 2020). VIIRS and MODIS show the best consistency across the products, which is explained by instrument and retrieval algorithm similarities. VIIRS AOD is frequently lower over the ocean background and higher over biomass burning and dust source land regions compared to MODIS. VIIRS shows larger spatial coverage over land and resolves finer spatial structures such as the transport of Australian biomass burning smoke over the Pacific, which can be explained by the use of a heavy aerosol detection test in the retrieval algorithm. Our results confirm the positive offset over ocean (i) between Terra/MODIS and Aqua/MODIS due to the non-corrected radiometric calibration degradation of Terra/MODIS in the Dark Target algorithm and (ii) between SNPP/VIIRS and NOAA20/VIIRS due to the positive bias in the solar reflective bands of SNPP/VIIRS. SLSTR AOD shows much smaller level-3 values than the rest of the products, which is mainly related to differences in spatial representativity at the IFS grid spatial resolution due to the stringent cloud filtering applied to the SLSTR radiances. Finally, the geometry characteristics of the instrument, which drive the range of scattering angles sampled by the instrument, can explain a large part of the differences between retrievals such as the positive offset between PMAp datasets from MetOp-B and MetOp-A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propofol-based sedation provides faster recovery than midazolam-based regimens with similar safety and comfort during video flexible bronchoscope (VFB) procedures. Pulmonologist-administered propofol "balanced" analgosedation (PAP-BAS) is still debated in Italy. In this real-life study, PAP-BAS safety and comfort during VFB procedures were investigated. We analysed prospectively the subjects undergoing elective VFB procedures in the Pulmonology and RICU of Arezzo Hospital between February and July 2019. PAP-BAS combined low propofol and meperidine doses titrated to achieve an RASS score between 0 and -3. The primary end-point was the complications' rate. Secondary end-points were as follows: the relation between propofol's dose and a subject's comfort assessed with a VAS, recovery time according to a modified Aldrete score ≥9, RASS, and subjects' will of undergoing the procedure again. We collected postprocedure symptoms' intensity too. Our 158 study patients (67 years; SD ± 14; 64% males) incurred in 25% of complication, fully resolved with medical therapy. Neither recourse to ventilator support nor death was reported. Intraprocedural comfort was good (94% of VAS score ≤2). Among postprocedural symptoms, cough was the most frequently reported, in 36% of the cases. Although half of subjects remembered the procedure, 90% of them would have repeated it, if necessary. 85% of them recovered from procedures within 10 minutes. Complications, VAS, and recovery time were not correlated with propofol dose. To our knowledge, this is the first Italian study showing that PAP-BAS to perform a VFB procedure is safe, well tolerated with a quick recovery. Randomised controlled trials are warranted to confirm these preliminary results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Promoting the well-being at all ages and reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a major target of the Sustainable Development Goals. In the frame of the JA-CHRODIS, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis was conducted to provide different countries' insights on what makes a policy/programme addressing NCDs applicable, sustainable and effective, with a focus on diabetes.Methods: A qualitative study has been performed using a SWOT analysis on policies/programmes at the national/federal or subnational level.Results: By March 2016, 14 SWOTs were conducted involving 11 European countries and 57 stakeholders and Ministries of Health, reporting and analysing a total of 44 policies. The main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats have been outlined as well as and the main areas for governance improvement. A binding trans-sectoral approach is necessary to tackle the underlying risk factors of inequalities. The culture of disease prevention and health promotion is still low while the biomedical paradigm prevails. A systematic gender perspective is still missing. Sharing and exchange of best practices, as sponsored by the European Commission, is acting as a motivator.Conclusion: The SWOT analyses draw an overall picture of the complexity of designing and implementing good policies and programmes that are tailored to local needs. These results may apply to any context and can be used by decision-makers, managers, professionals and other stakeholders to focus on key issues, recognising areas for attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the selection of a distance measure in location modeling. While in the empirical literature the choice usually boils down to picking one single measure, this research proposes a flexible approach in which several measures may be used in parallel to capture the surrounding economic landscape. This is intended to acknowledge that interactions between agents may take several forms, occurring through different channels and as such being based on different measures. The methodology is applied to the location choice of establishments in the Paris region, using a mixture of "mono-distance" hurdle-Poisson models. Seven distance measures are considered: Euclidean distance, the travel times by car (for the peak and off-peak periods) and by public transit, and the corresponding network distances. For all the economic sectors considered, the mixture of hurdle-Poisson models performs significantly better than the "pure" mono-distance models. This corroborates that local spatial spillovers are indeed channeled by different means, hence best represented using several measures. The combination of peak and off-peak road travel times (slightly) outperforms other combinations including the Euclidean distance, supporting the choice of meaningful over more abstract measures in spatial econometric models. The distance measure most likely to capture local spatial spillovers varies depending on the economic sector examined, reflecting differences between sectors in operations and location choice criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of eHumanista is the property of Professor Antonio Cortijo-Ocana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Timely and accurate agricultural impact assessments for droughts are critical for designing appropriate interventions and policy. These assessments are often ad hoc, late, or spatially imprecise, with reporting at the zonal or regional level. This is problematic as we find substantial variability in losses at the village-level, which is missing when reporting at the zonal level. In this paper, we propose a new data fusion method—combining remotely sensed data with agricultural survey data—that might address these limitations. We apply the method to Ethiopia, which is regularly hit by droughts and is a substantial recipient of ad hoc imported food aid. We then utilize remotely sensed data obtained near mid-season to predict substantial crop losses of greater than or equal to 25% due to drought at the village level for five primary cereal crops. We train machine learning models to predict the likelihood of losses and explore the most influential variables. On independent samples, the models identify substantial drought loss cases with up to 81% accuracy by mid- to late-September. We believe the proposed models could be used to help monitor and predict yields for disaster response teams and policy makers, particularly with further development of the models and integration of soon-to-be available high-resolution, remotely sensed data such as the Harmonized Landsat Sentinel (HLS) data set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers an approach to the De medicina equorum (post 1250–ante 1256) with the aim of analyzing some of the divergences between the manuscript that contains the Galician translation (Biblioteca Nacional de España, ms. 23076) and the Latin text, mainly known through Girolamo Molin’s edition (based on ms. Lat. Cl. VII 24 of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana de Venezia). The analysis of the Latin and Romance tradition of Ruffo’s work as well as of other treatises written under its influence show that these divergences do not result from mistakes in the copy of the Galician translation but are rather related to the variations issuing from the process of transmission of this work. Thus, the essay contributes to the establishment of certain textual features of the source text of the Galician version, most likely a Latin manuscript similar to but different from the codex reproduced by Molin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) share elements of pathology, their neural underpinnings are still under investigation. Here, structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data collected from a large sample of BD and SCZ patients and healthy controls (HC) were analyzed in terms of gray matter volume (GMV) using both voxel based morphometry (VBM) and a region of interest (ROI) approach. Methods: The analysis was conducted on two datasets, Dataset1 (802 subjects: 243 SCZ, 176 BD, 383 HC) and Dataset2, a homogeneous subset of Dataset1 (301 subjects: 107 HC, 85 BD and 109 SCZ). General Linear Model analyses were performed 1) at the voxel-level in the whole brain (VBM study), 2) at the regional level in the anatomical regions emerged from the VBM study (ROI study). The GMV comparison across groups was integrated with the analysis of GMV correlates of different clinical dimensions. Results: The VBM results of Dataset1 showed 1) in BD compared to HC, GMV deficits in right cingulate, superior temporal and calcarine cortices, 2) in SCZ compared to HC, GMV deficits in widespread cortical and subcortical areas, 3) in SCZ compared to BD, GMV deficits in insula and thalamus (p<0.05, cluster family wise error corrected). The regions showing GMV deficits in the BD group were mostly included in the SCZ ones. The ROI analyses confirmed the VBM results at the regional level in most of the clusters from the SCZ vs. HC comparison (p<0.05, Bonferroni corrected). The VBM and ROI analyses of Dataset2 provided further evidence for the enhanced GMV deficits characterizing SCZ. Based on the clinical-neuroanatomical analyses, we cannot exclude possible confounding effects due to 1) age of onset and medication in BD patients, 2) symptoms severity in SCZ patients. Conclusion: Our study reported both shared and specific neuroanatomical characteristics between the two disorders, suggesting more severe and generalized GMV deficits in SCZ, with a specific role for insula and thalamus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In readings of orations, letters, and poems about Petrarch’s death composed in Paduan and Florentine intellectual circles, this article shows that the well-known praise of Petrarch in these texts is a function of a political competition over Petrarch’s remains and, with them, over the rightful location of his legacy. Boccaccio’s last letter, which stands out for its rhetorical sophistication and cultural sensitivity, intervenes in this largely provincial debate with farsighted theoretical coherence and cosmopolitan political ambition. Animated by a familiar vernacular poetics, Boccaccio theorizes an intellectual entombment of Petrarch in Florence that is consonant with Boccaccio’s ongoing cultural project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acknowledgement is presented from Environmetrics journal of the efforts of the individuals who served as anonymous referees from November 26, 2014 through November 26, 2015.

People whom the author would like to thank for their assistance in the creation of the "Journal of Official Statistics" (JOS) are mentioned.

Intra-arterial transplantation of mesoangioblasts proved safe and partially efficacious in preclinical models of muscular dystrophy. We now report the first-in-human, exploratory, non-randomized open-label phase I-IIa clinical trial of intra-arterial HLA-matched donor cell transplantation in 5 Duchenne patients. We administered escalating doses of donor-derived mesoangioblasts in limb arteries under immunosuppressive therapy (tacrolimus). Four consecutive infusions were performed at 2-month intervals, preceded and followed by clinical, laboratory, and muscular MRI analyses. Two months after the last infusion, a muscle biopsy was performed. Safety was the primary endpoint. The study was relatively safe: One patient developed a thalamic stroke with no clinical consequences and whose correlation with mesoangioblast infusion remained unclear. MRI documented the progression of the disease in 4/5 patients. Functional measures were transiently stabilized in 2/3 ambulant patients, but no functional improvements were observed. Low level of donor DNA was detected in muscle biopsies of 4/5 patients and donor-derived dystrophin in 1. Intra-arterial transplantation of donor mesoangioblasts in human proved to be feasible and relatively safe. Future implementation of the protocol, together with a younger age of patients, will be needed to approach efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a survey of the literature referring to the unpublished vernacular translation of the Nicomachean Ethics carried out by Nicola Anglico. Brought to scholars' attention by Concetto Marchesi in 1904, but quite neglected by later literature, this work is of particular interest for the manuscript tradition, both for the language used in the codices, and especially for some historical and cultural traits connected to the author. The first part of this paper provides an overview of the existing references to the text and its manuscripts, with attention to the linguistic veneer of some passages; the second one focuses on the identification of the author and the historical and geographical localisation of the original and of its source, which would be the Angevin court of Naples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literary criticism of the book "Gomorra" by Roberto Saviano is presented. It states that the book focuses on camorra, a brutal variety of organized crime in Italy. It mentions that the beneficial indiscipline of "Gomorra" is a quality that enhances the value of Saviano's accusation, noting that the book has met the requirements of any genre.

A bibliography related to slavery is presented that contains works on North America, the Spanish mainland, Brazil, the Caribbean, Africa, Muslim and Ancient slavery, Medieval and Early Modern slavery and the slave trade.

This essay offers an overview of vernacular textual cultures in Padova during the reign of the Carrarese family (1318--1405), especially during the second half of the fourteenth century, a period when diverse types of vernacular texts--literary, legal and commercial--emerge from official and semi-official cultural mechanisms of production, from the court and the chancery to scientific studies. This rapidly diversified production in the vernacular is so abundant that it allows us to study closely not only the development of old Paduan dialect but also its noteworthy variety of linguistic registers which utilize essentially two incumbant models: written Latin and a Tuscan-based literary vernacular. These rich textual resources offer us key data in reconstructing both the linguistic and cultural histories of this important northern Italian center of textual production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explored the effects of new regulation on the disclosure of NFI in two European countries, Italy and Spain. The method used to develop the analysis is mainly qualitative. Content analysis was performed to verify the sustainability indicators disclosed by Italian and Spanish companies, listed on the FTSE MIB and IBEX 35 Indexes, before and after the Directive's publication and implementation in national legislation. The level of NFI disclosure was scored using a disclosure index. The comparative analysis found a progressive reduction in disclosure levels for Italian companies compared with Spanish companies, for which an expansion of the disclosure was detected. Moreover, a reduced gap between the quantity of NFI reported in the two countries was found. This is one of the few studies to use a 3-year longitudinal analysis to investigate the EU Directive's impact at the cross-country level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

•Background: Citicoline has been used to improve consciousness levels in cerebral trauma and as a complement for levodopa in Parkinson's disease. It has also been shown that severe glaucomatous visual field deficits improve for at least 4 months with the use of citicoline. In this paper, preliminary results are presented of an open and a double-blind study on the effect of citicoline in amblyopia. •Methods: The open study was started in 1991. Fifty patients with amblyopia were treated with citicoline (1000 mg i.m. daily for 15 days). They were selected from an age group beyond the plastic period of the visual system. Occlusion or other types of anti-amblyopic treatment were never used at the same time as citicoline. A double-blind study was conducted on 10 more patients, randomly assigned to a treatment or placebo group and followed for 6 months. A statistical test for repeated measures was performed on all the results. •Results: A statistically significant improvement in visual acuity was found both for the amblyopic and the sound eye in 46 of the 50 patients (92%). The behaviour was different for normal and amblyopic eyes. The improvement remained stable for at least 4 months. These results have been substantiated by the double-blind study. No side effects were observed. •Conclusion: Citicoline improves visual acuity, at least temporarily, in amblyopic patients beyond the plastic period of the visual system. Our results suggest that trials of citicoline as a medical treatment of amblyopia are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-financial reporting is a growing topic, and the adoption of the EU Directive 2014/95/EU on non-financial information (NFI) is increasing the use of this reporting. One of the most distinctive elements of guidelines and standards that are widely used to draw-up reports on NFI is sustainability performance indicators (SPIs). SPIs can provide a significant value-added to non-financial corporate communication, and they are useful tools to support internal decision-making processes. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects produced on SPIs disclosure by the entry into force of the Italian Decree implementing the Directive on NFI. Content analysis method is used to analyze indicators disclosed by Italian companies before and after the adoption of the Decree. Findings show that each category of SPIs was largely used by the companies of our 2012 sample, but a reduction of the quantity of indicators disclosed was documented in 2017. Therefore, after the introduction of mandatory disclosure of NFI, companies seem to focus only on indicators considered more "relevant" according to the Directive. This research represents one of the preliminary analysis on the adoption of the Directive in Italy and on its first effects on NFI reporting practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]