Unveiling the interplay between evidence, values and cognitive biases. The case of the failure of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

This paper depicts a Covid science case, that of the AstraZeneca Vaxzevria vaccine, with specific focus on what happened in Italy. Given that we believe acknowledging the role of non-evidential factors in medicine is an important insight into the recent philosophy of science, we illustrate how in the case of Vaxzevria, the interplay between facts, values (both epistemic and non-epistemic) and cognitive biases may have possibly led to different institutional decisions based on the same evidence. The structure of the paper is as follows.

The DSM-5 introduction of the Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder as a new mental disorder: a philosophical review.

The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) included the Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder (SPCD) as a new mental disorder characterized by deficits in pragmatic abilities. Although the introduction of SPCD in the psychiatry nosography depended on a variety of reasons-including bridging a nosological gap in the macro-category of Communication Disorders-in the last few years researchers have identified major issues in such revision. For instance, the symptomatology of SPCD is notably close to that of (some forms of) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Wherein is the concept of disease normative? From weak normativity to value-conscious naturalism.

In this paper we focus on some new normativist positions and compare them with traditional ones. In so doing, we claim that if normative judgments are involved in determining whether a condition is a disease only in the sense identified by new normativisms, then disease is normative only in a weak sense, which must be distinguished from the strong sense advocated by traditional normativisms. Specifically, we argue that weak and strong normativity are different to the point that one 'normativist' label ceases to be appropriate for the whole range of positions.

Covid-19 and ageing: four alternative conceptual frameworks.

Ageing is one of the main risk factors for Covid-19. In this paper, we delineate four alternative conceptualisations of ageing, each of which determines different understandings of its causal role to the susceptibility to Covid-19 as well as to the severity of its symptoms and adverse health outcomes.

The concept of disease in the time of COVID-19.

Philosophers of medicine have formulated different accounts of the concept of disease. Which concept of disease one assumes has implications for what conditions count as diseases and, by extension, who may be regarded as having a disease (disease judgements) and for who may be accorded the social privileges and personal responsibilities associated with being sick (sickness judgements). In this article, we consider an ideal diagnostic test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection with respect to four groups of people-positive and asymptomatic; positive and symptomatic; negative; and untested-and show how different concepts of disease impact on the disease and sickness judgements for these groups.

COVID-19 as the underlying cause of death: disentangling facts and values.

In the ongoing pandemic, death statistics influence people's feelings and government policy. But when does COVID-19 qualify as the cause of death? As philosophers of medicine interested in conceptual clarification, we address the question by analyzing the World Health Organization's rules for the certification of death. We show that for COVID-19, WHO rules take into account both facts (causal chains) and values (the importance of prevention).

Harm should not be a necessary criterion for mental disorder: some reflections on the DSM-5 definition of mental disorder.

The general definition of mental disorder stated in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders seems to identify a mental disorder with a harmful dysfunction. However, the presence of distress or disability, which may be bracketed as the presence of harm, is taken to be merely usual, and thus not a necessary requirement: a mental disorder can be diagnosed as such even if there is no harm at all. In this paper, we focus on the harm requirement.

Data on prognostication models comparison for neurological recovery after cardiac arrest using proton chemical shift imaging (H-CSI).

We report in this data article the statistical comparison of three models for neurological prognostication 6 months after cardiac arrest: M1 associated SAPS II and coma Glasgow score at MRI, M2 associated SAPS II, coma Glasgow score, and FLAIR-DWI "deep gray nuclei"score, M3 associated SAPS II, coma Glasgow score, FLAIR-DWI "deep gray nuclei"score, and Lenticular cores NAA/Cr ratio. These data are related to "Value of assessment of multivoxel proton chemical shift imaging to predict long term outcome in patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A preliminary prospective observational study" (Quintard et al., 2018) [1].

Value of assessment of multivoxel proton chemical shift imaging to predict long term outcome in patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A preliminary prospective observational study.

Background: Existing methods to predict recovery after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) lack of accuracy. The aim of this study was to determine whether quantitative proton chemical shift imaging (H-CSI) during the subacute stage of OHCA can predict neurological outcome of such patients.

Methods: This monocentric prospective observational study was conducted in a Intensive Care Unit of a teaching hospital.

A Potential Tension in DSM-5: The General Definition of Mental Disorder versus Some Specific Diagnostic Criteria.

The general concept of mental disorder specified in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is definitional in character: a mental disorder might be identified with a harmful dysfunction. The manual also contains the explicit claim that each individual mental disorder should meet the requirements posed by the definition. The aim of this article is two-fold.

Modeling and simulation of network-on-chip systems with DEVS and DEUS.

Networks on-chip (NoCs) provide enhanced performance, scalability, modularity, and design productivity as compared with previous communication architectures for VLSI systems on-chip (SoCs), such as buses and dedicated signal wires. Since the NoC design space is very large and high dimensional, evaluation methodologies rely heavily on analytical modeling and simulation. Unfortunately, there is no standard modeling framework.

Percutaneous facet screw fixation of lumbar spine with CT and fluoroscopic guidance: a feasibility study.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of computed tomography (CT)- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous facet screw fixation following anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) or anterior pseudarthrosis in adults.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained for this study. One hundred seven consecutive adult patients (46 men, 61 women; mean age ± standard deviation: 56.

Symptomatic lumbar facet joint cysts treated by CT-guided intracystic and intra-articular steroid injections.

Objective: To evaluate percutaneous computed tomography (CT)-guided intracystic and intra-articular steroid injections for the treatment of lumbar facet joint cyst causing radicular pain.

Methods: A single-centre prospective study involving 120 consecutive patients with symptomatic lumbar facet joint cyst-induced radicular pain was done (72 women, 48 men). The average age was 68.

Towards a flexible middleware for context-aware pervasive and wearable systems.

Ambient intelligence and wearable computing call for innovative hardware and software technologies, including a highly capable, flexible and efficient middleware, allowing for the reuse of existing pervasive applications when developing new ones. In the considered application domain, middleware should also support self-management, interoperability among different platforms, efficient communications, and context awareness. In the on-going "everything is networked" scenario scalability appears as a very important issue, for which the peer-to-peer (P2P) paradigm emerges as an appealing solution for connecting software components in an overlay network, allowing for efficient and balanced data distribution mechanisms.

Inhalation study of polymethyl methacrylate following radiologist exposure during percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Objective: To assess the atmospheric concentrations of methyl methacrylate (MMA) vapors during percutaneous vertebroplasty for the interventional radiologist and the other operating room staff.

Materials And Methods: During percutaneous vertebroplasty, a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) mixture (about 20 mL) was prepared with a mixing system in a normally ventilated room. Atmospheric concentrations of MMA vapors were measured by a gas absorbent badge for individual exposure (GABIE) passive sampler attached to the surgical gowns of the interventional radiologist and the other operating room staff over a period of 460 min.

[Discoscanner: indications, technique, tips and tricks, interpretation].

Discography test associated with the scanner (discoscanner) is an exam that has been a renewed interest in recent few years. Thanks to the emergence of new interventions such as disc prosthesis, the procedures require confirmation of the disc level to deal with and the origin of discogenic symptoms. The aim of this paper is to describe the techniques, challenges and tips as well as the interpretation of functional and morphological examination.

[Posterior percutaneous arthrodesis under CT guidance after surgical anterior arthrodesis: a new technique].

Transfacet screws may be useful for stabilizing segments reconstructed with bone graft or cages, the role of supplementary posterior fixation, particularly minimally invasive techniques such as transfacetar percutaneous screws is relevant. To benefit from a mechanical fixation after anterior arthrodesis without the inconveniences of the open classical posterior surgical intervention, we have developed a new procedure performed under local anesthesia and CT guidance and based on the intra-articular application of screws. This study was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of using a CT-scan to perform posterior arthrodesis of the spine under local anesthesia.

Percutaneous discectomy on lumbar radiculopathy related to disk herniation: why under CT guidance? An open study of 100 consecutive patients.

The primary objective of this study conducted on 100 patients is to demonstrate that performing CT-guided percutaneous discectomy for herniated disks results in a significant improvement in pain symptoms at several times (D1, D2, D7, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months). This objective assesses the effectiveness and feasibility of this technique under CT guidance in patients presenting documented lower back pain related to disk herniation that has not improved with appropriate medical treatment. The impact of various factors on the effectiveness of discectomy will also be evaluated.

Percutaneous screw fixation of a vertebral pedicle fracture under CT-guidance: a new technique.

We report on a new minimally invasive technique for the vertebral pedicle fracture after placement of a prosthetic disc. This intervention is an adaptation of CT-guided sacroiliac and acetabular fracture screw fixation. This type of procedure enables the perfect placement and measurement of the screw, as well as an extremely small incision under local anesthesia.

[Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty under dual guidance (CT and fluoroscopy): radiation dose to radiologist. A comparative study].

Objectives: The goals of this study is to evaluate and compare the irradiation received by the practitioner when performing percutaneous vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty guided by CT and fluoroscopy, for precise anatomical sites.

Methods: For each intervention, radiothermoluminescent dosimeters were carefully positioned on both orbitals, both hands, and both ankles of the practitioner.

Results: Twenty-four vertebroplasties were performed in 18 patients and nine kyphoplasties on seven patients.

Dual guidance (CT and fluoroscopy) vertebroplasty: radiation dose to radiologists. How much and where?

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the radiation received by the practitioner when performing percutaneous vertebroplasty guided by CT and fluoroscopy for specific anatomical sites: orbits, hands, ankles, and thorax (under lead-lined apron).

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four vertebroplasties were performed on 18 patients.

Results: The anatomical site that was most exposed to radiation was the right hand (0.

Computed axial tomography-guided fixation of sacroiliac joint disruption: safety, outcomes, and results at 3-year follow-up.

Secondary to the progress in interventional imaging, new therapeutic options have been developed that decrease potential complications because they are minimally invasive and they decrease patient rehabilitation time. As a diagnostic modality, computed axial tomography (CAT) allows precise evaluation of the degree of sacroiliac reduction that must be performed. Moreover, the use of CAT enables easy positioning of screws across the sacroiliac joint, thus avoiding nerve and vascular damage.

High-resolution laser spectroscopy on the negative osmium ion.

We have applied a combination of laser excitation and electric-field detachment to negative atomic ions for the first time, resulting in an enhancement of the excited-state detection efficiency for spectroscopy by at least 2 orders of magnitude. Applying the new method, a measurement of the bound-bound electric-dipole transition frequency in (192)Os- was performed using collinear spectroscopy with a narrow-bandwidth cw laser. The transition frequency was found to be 257.

Temporally controlled modulation of antihydrogen production and the temperature scaling of antiproton-positron recombination.

We demonstrate temporally controlled modulation of cold antihydrogen production by periodic RF heating of a positron plasma during antiproton-positron mixing in a Penning trap. Our observations have established a pulsed source of atomic antimatter, with a rise time of about 1 s, and a pulse length ranging from 3 to 100 s. Time-sensitive antihydrogen detection and positron plasma diagnostics, both capabilities of the ATHENA apparatus, allowed detailed studies of the pulsing behavior, which in turn gave information on the dependence of the antihydrogen production process on the positron temperature T.

Seismic telescope for astrophysical research from space (STARS) triply reflecting telescope: a space instrument for astrophysics.

We describe the characteristics of the wide-field, triply reflecting telescope adopted for the European Space Agency project STARS (seismic telescope for astrophysical research from space), operating in the visible and UV range.