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result(s) for
"Mercanti, Stefano"
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'No better or worse than anyone, but an equal': Negotiating mutuality in Adib Khan's 'Seasonal Adjustments'
In a world increasingly characterized by globalisation, transnationalisation, and migration, individuals belonging to different cultural contexts are inevitably brought into contact. At this very intersection of intercultural relations, conjunctions, and collusions, resides the fundamental question of whether or not human beings embark on new creative processes of reinvention and re-imagination. Will they be capable of transforming cultural divisions and rigid nationalist boundaries into forms of transnational dialogue, mutual recognition, and inclusion? As encounters and disruptions caused by (neo)colonialism and migration have led more often than not to alienation and conflict, the question of how people can effectively make cultural tensions productive rather than destructive has powerfully edged its way into contemporary theoretical and critical discourse.
Journal Article
Short-term choroidal vascular changes after aflibercept therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration
IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to evaluate choroidal vascular changes in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) treated with aflibercept injection over a 3-month period.MethodsEnhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography scans of 60 eyes with treatment-naïve nAMD and 60 unaffected fellow eyes were retrospectively analyzed. Data was collected at baseline and after 3 monthly intravitreal injections of aflibercept. The ImageJ software was used to binarize OCT scans and measure total choroid area (TCA), luminal area (LA), and stromal area (SA). Choroidal vascularity index (CVI) was defined as the ratio of LA to TCA.ResultsAfter treatment, subfoveal choroidal thickness (CT) in nAMD eyes significantly decreased from 210. 6 ± 61.6 to 194.6 ± 58.7 μm (P < 0.001), TCA from 1.620 ± 0.502 to 1.500 ± 0.451 mm2 (P < 0.001), LA from 1.075 ± 0.335 to 0.985 ± 0.307 mm2 (P < 0.001), SA from 0.545 ± 0.176 to 0.516 ± 0.153 mm2 (P = 0.005), and CVI from 66.36 ± 2.89 to 65.46 ± 2.87% (P = 0.009). The decrease of CVI after treatment was significantly correlated with baseline CVI (Rs = 0.466, P < 0.001), but not with the change in BCVA and presence of dry macula after treatment (always P > 0.05).ConclusionChoroidal thickness and vascularity significantly decreased after treatment with aflibercept in nAMD eyes. Besides the pharmacologic effect on the neovascular lesion, aflibercept may induce vascular changes also on the underlying choroid.
Journal Article
End-to-End Voting with Non-Permissioned and Permissioned Ledgers
We propose a decentralised
end-to-end
voting platform (from voter to candidate) based on the block-chain technology. In particular, we study and exploit both the non-permissioned ledger of Bitcoin, and the MultiChain permissioned ledger. We describe the main architectural choices behind the two implementations, including the pre-voting and post-voting phases. Similar approaches are not as decentralised as our application, where it is possible to directly cast a vote to the block-chain, without any intermediate level. Benefits and drawbacks of each implementation are explained. The Bitcoin block-chain consists in a large number of already available nodes in the related peer-to-peer network; moreover, its reliability and resistance to attacks are also well established. With
MultiChain
we instead exploit a fine-grained permission system: MultiChain is a
permissioned
public ledger. Hence, with it we can also satisfy two more properties of end-to-end voting systems:
uncoercibility and receipt-freeness
and
data confidentiality and neutrality
. Moreover, we can avoid costs and price fluctuations related to Bitcoin.
Journal Article
Bioplastics spark viral activity, reshape microbiomes and accelerate organic matter degradation in the marine environment
Bioplastic and polylactic acid production is expected to increase in the future to replace single-use traditional plastics. Here we investigated the effects of polylactic acid contamination in marine ecosystems by assessing its degradation over time in an experimental mesocosm, along with its impact on microbial abundance, microbiome diversity, viral infections, and rates of organic matter cycling. We report here that, as polylactic acid gradually lost its integrity, a microbial biofilm rich in
Marinobacter
sp. developed on the biopolymer, reshaping the marine microbiome, promoting polylactic acid-associated bacteria such as the Saccharospirillaceae, and in turn increasing viral activity and accelerating the degradation of organic matter. These effects, which were further amplified at the temperatures experienced during heatwaves, suggest that high levels of polylactic acid contamination might influence the functioning of coastal marine ecosystems, particularly during extreme temperature episodes.
During the disintegration of polylactic acid in the marine environment, a microbial layer forms on the bioplastic surface, promoting viral spreading and microbiome changes along with a rapid breakdown of organic matter.
Journal Article
Ocular Surface Workup in Patients with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Treated with Intense Regulated Pulsed Light
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate changes of signs and symptoms in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) treated with intense regulated pulsed light (IRPL), and to further investigate which parameter could predict positive outcomes of the procedure. Twenty-eight patients who bilaterally received three IRPL sessions at day 1, 15, and 45 satisfied the criteria and were included in the study. Non-invasive break-up time (NIBUT), lipid layer thickness (LLT), meibography, tear osmolarity, and ocular discomfort symptoms were measured before and 30 days after the last IRPL session. Qualified or complete success was defined in the presence of an improvement of symptoms associated with an increase of NIBUT (< or ≥ 20%). After IRPL treatment, median NIBUT and LLT increased from 7.5 to 10.2 s and 2.0 to 3.0, respectively (p <0.001); tear osmolarity decreased from 304.0 to 301.0 mOsm/L (p = 0.002). Subjective symptoms improved after IRPL in 26 patients. Qualified success was reached in 34 eyes, while complete success in 16 eyes. Patients with lower baseline break-up time (BUT) values showed better response to treatment (p = 0.04). In conclusion, IRPL improved signs and symptoms in MGD patients, while lower baseline NIBUT values were predictive of better response to IRPL.
Journal Article