Coefficient of thermal expansion of nanostructured tungsten based coatings assessed by thermally induced substrate curvature method

The in plane coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and the residual stress of nanostructured W based coatings are extensively investigated. The CTE and the residual stresses are derived by means of an optimized ad-hoc developed experimental setup based on the detection of the substrate curvature by a laser system. The nanostructured coatings are deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition. Thanks to its versatility, nanocrystalline W metallic coatings, ultra-nano-crystalline pure W and W-Tantalum coatings and amorphous-like W coatings are obtained. The correlation between the nanostructure, the residual stress and the CTE of the coatings are thus elucidated. We find that all the samples show a compressive state of stress that decreases as the structure goes from columnar nanocrystalline to amorphous-like. The CTE of all the coatings is higher than the one of the corresponding bulk W form. In particular, as the grain size shrinks, the CTE increases from 5.1 10$^{-6}$ K$^{-1}$ for nanocrystalline W to 6.6 10$^{-6}$ K$^{-1}$ in the ultra-nano-crystalline region. When dealing with amorphous W, the further increase of the CTE is attributed to a higher porosity degree of the samples. The CTE trend is also investigated as function of materials stiffness. In this case, as W coatings become softer, the easier they thermally expand.Comment: The research leading to these results has also received funding from the European Research Council Consolidator Grant ENSURE (ERC-2014-CoG No. 647554

The impact of COVID-19 quarantine on mental health: an observational study from an outpatient service for non-psychotic patients in Russia (Moscow)

We aimed to compare psychiatric hospital visits during the COVID-19 quarantine period with the same period in 2019, to reveal the predictors of underutilization of mental health services. We then investigated the fluctuation of telemedicine service during the quarantine period. The retrospective study included patients with non-psychotic mental disorders who consecutively visited the Moscow clinic. The number of outpatient visits, inpatient admissions, sociodemographic factors were analyzed. We assessed the sample within two periods -the "quarantine period" (March 30 -June 9, 2020) and "control period" (March 30 -June 9, 2019). Psychiatric visits decreased in older, retired and disabled persons, and increased among the unemployed. In multivariate analysis, the reduction became significant for the number of inpatient admissions. Telemedicine calls gradually increased from the start of the service, but decreased towards the end of the quarantine. In conclusion, referrals to outpatient and inpatient psychiatric services decreased during the quarantine period, with newly established TMS potentially compensating for that decrease. The strongest factor associated with visits during the pandemic is employment status

Risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome after 2010–2011 influenza vaccination

Influenza vaccination has been implicated in Guillain Barré Syndrome (GBS) although the evidence for this link is controversial. A case–control study was conducted between October 2010 and May 2011 in seven Italian Regions to explore the relation between influenza vaccination and GBS. The study included 176 GBS incident cases aged ≥18 years from 86 neurological centers. Controls were selected among patients admitted for acute conditions to the Emergency Department of the same hospital as cases. Each control was matched to a case by sex, age, Region and admission date. Two different analyses were conducted: a matched case–control analysis and a self-controlled case series analysis (SCCS). Case–control analysis included 140 cases matched to 308 controls. The adjusted matched odds ratio (OR) for GBS occurrence within 6 weeks after influenza vaccination was 3.8 (95 % CI: 1.3, 10.5). A much stronger association with gastrointestinal infections (OR = 23.8; 95 % CI 7.3, 77.6) and influenza-like illness or upper respiratory tract infections (OR = 11.5; 95 % CI 5.6, 23.5) was highlighted. The SCCS analysis included all 176 GBS cases. Influenza vaccination was associated with GBS, with a relative risk of 2.1 (95 % CI 1.1, 3.9). According to these results the attributable risk in adults ranges from two to five GBS cases per 1,000,000 vaccinations

Long-term prognosis of epilepsy, prognostic patterns and drug resistance: a population-based study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Seizures in most people with epilepsy remit but prognostic markers are poorly understood. There is also little information on the long-term outcome of people who fail to achieve seizure control despite the use of two antiepileptic drugs (drug resistance). METHODS: People with a validated diagnosis of epilepsy in whom two antiepileptic drugs had failed were identified from primary care records. All were registered with one of 123 family physicians in an area of northern Italy. Remission (uninterrupted seizure freedom lasting 2 years or longer) and prognostic patterns (early remission, late remission, remission followed by relapse, no remission) were determined. RESULTS: In all, 747 individuals (381 men), aged 11 months to 94 years, were followed for 11 045.5 person-years. 428 (59%) were seizure-free. The probability of achieving 2-year remission was 18% at treatment start, 34% at 2 years, 45% at 5, 52% at 10 and 67% at 20 years (terminal remission, 60%). Epilepsy syndrome and drug resistance were the only independent predictors of 2- and 5-year remission. Early remission was seen in 101 people (19%), late remission in 175 (33%), remission followed by relapse in 85 (16%) and no remission in 166 (32%). Treatment response was the only variable associated with differing prognostic patterns. CONCLUSION: The long-term prognosis of epilepsy is favourable in most cases. Early seizure remission is not invariably followed by terminal remission and seizure outcome varies according to well-defined patterns. Prolonged seizure remission and prognostic patterns can be predicted by broad syndromic categories and the failure of two antiepileptic drugs

Trauma and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a case-control study from a population-based registry

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Risk of seizure recurrence in people with single seizures and early epilepsy - Model development and external validation

PURPOSE: Following a single seizure, or recent epilepsy diagnosis, it is difficult to balance risk of medication side effects with the potential to prevent seizure recurrence. A prediction model was developed and validated enabling risk stratification which in turn informs treatment decisions and individualises counselling. METHODS: Data from a randomised controlled trial was used to develop a prediction model for risk of seizure recurrence following a first seizure or diagnosis of epilepsy. Time-to-event data was modelled via Cox's proportional hazards regression. Model validity was assessed via discrimination and calibration using the original dataset and also using three external datasets - National General Practice Survey of Epilepsy (NGPSE), Western Australian first seizure database (WA) and FIRST (Italian dataset of people with first tonic-clonic seizures). RESULTS: People with neurological deficit, focal seizures, abnormal EEG, not indicated for CT/MRI scan, or not immediately treated have a significantly higher risk of seizure recurrence. Discrimination was fair and consistent across the datasets (c-statistics: 0.555 (NGPSE); 0.558 (WA); 0.597 (FIRST)). Calibration plots showed good agreement between observed and predicted probabilities in NGPSE at one and three years. Plots for WA and FIRST showed poorer agreement with the model underpredicting risk in WA, and over-predicting in FIRST. This was resolved following model recalibration. CONCLUSION: The model performs well in independent data especially when recalibrated. It should now be used in clinical practice as it can improve the lives of people with single seizures and early epilepsy by enabling targeted treatment choices and more informed patient counselling

Neurologic outcome of postanoxic refractory status epilepticus after aggressive treatment

OBJECTIVE: To investigate neurologic outcome of patients with cardiac arrest with refractory status epilepticus (RSE) treated with a standardized aggressive protocol with antiepileptic drugs and anesthetics compared to patients with other EEG patterns. METHODS: In the prospective cohort study, 166 consecutive patients with cardiac arrest in coma were stratified according to 4 independent EEG patterns (benign, RSE, generalized periodic discharges [GPDs], malignant nonepileptiform) and multimodal prognostic indicators. Primary outcomes were survival and cerebral performance category (CPC) at 6 months. RESULTS: RSE occurred in 36 patients (21.7%) and was treated with an aggressive standardized protocol as long as multimodal prognostic indicators were not unfavorable. RSE started after 3 \ub1 2.3 days after cardiac arrest and lasted 4.7 \ub1 4.3 days. A benign EEG pattern was recorded in 76 patients (45.8%); a periodic pattern (GPDs) was seen in 13 patients (7.8%); and a malignant nonepileptiform EEG pattern was recorded in 41 patients (24.7%). The 4 EEG patterns were highly associated with different prognostic indicators (low-flow time, clinical motor seizures, N20 responses, neuron-specific enolase, neuroimaging). Survival and good neurologic outcome (CPC 1 or 2) at 6 months were 72.4% and 71.1% for benign EEG pattern, 54.3% and 44.4% for RSE, 15.4% and 0% for GPDs, and 2.4% and 0% for malignant nonepileptiform EEG pattern, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive and prolonged treatment of RSE may be justified in patients with cardiac arrest with favorable multimodal prognostic indicators

Confronto tra l’impatto ambientale dell’analisi tradizionale e mediante spettroscopia NIR sull’oliva

Obiettivi Le analisi che tradizionalmente si effettuano sulle olive richiedono l\u2019utilizzo di molteplici strumentazioni, lunghi tempi di analisi, l\u2019utilizzo di solventi potenzialmente dannosi, sia per la salute umana che per l\u2019ecosistema, e la distruzione del campione. Le stesse analisi effettuate con una tecnologia ottica, non distruttiva (spettroscopia nella regione del visibile e vicino infrarosso, Vis-NIR), permettono la stima dei parametri di interesse, in modo molto rapido, con una sola lettura, anche condotta dagli addetti alla raccolta. L\u2019unico aspetto laborioso \ue8 la costruzione di robuste calibrazioni. Il grande vantaggio sarebbe un ridotto impatto ambientale della tecnologia ottica, la cui valutazione, a confronto con i metodi tradizionali, \ue8 lo scopo di questo lavoro. Esso \ue8 parte di un progetto AGER (Progetto Agroalimentare e Ricerca), denominato \u201cSustainability of the Olive-Oil System - S.O.S.\u201d, il cui obiettivo \ue8 quello di migliorare e rafforzare la sostenibilit\ue0 della filiera dell\u2019olio extravergine di oliva in Italia. Metodologia Le analisi tradizionali per la valutazione qualitativa delle olive individuate come riferimento sono state: contenuto di acqua, olio e fenoli totali. Il confronto \ue8 stato effettuato per le stesse determinazioni mediante analisi ottica. Il metodo Life Cycle Assessment (ISO 14040:2006, ISO 14044:2006), \ue8 stato applicato per valutare l\u2019impatto ambientale mediante un preciso schema di esecuzione. L\u2019approccio utilizzato (from cradle to grave), ha considerato tutti gli input e output di ogni analisi, tenendo conto della strumentazione necessaria per l\u2019esecuzione (estrazione materie prime, costruzione, utilizzo e smaltimento), dei solventi utilizzati (ottenimento solvente, utilizzo e smaltimento), delle risorse energetiche necessarie. Inoltre, per la strumentazione Vis-NIR sono state considerate le analisi necessarie per la calibrazione dello strumento. I dati raccolti sono stati elaborati con il software SimaPro. Risultati Il confronto tra l\u2019impatto ambientale delle analisi tradizionali e quello delle analisi ottiche ha evidenziato un netto vantaggio nell\u2019applicazione della strumentazione ottica la quale, non solo garantisce la non distruzione del campione e un risultato in tempi brevi ma, ha un impatto sull\u2019ambiente 36 volte inferiore rispetto alle analisi tradizionali di riferimento. Se le maggiori voci di impatto ambientale per le analisi tradizionali sono la corrente elettrica, la strumentazione e le sostanze chimiche, per l\u2019analisi non distruttiva, l\u2019impatto ambientale \ue8 dettato maggiormente dalla necessit\ue0 di calibrare lo strumento, attivit\ue0 che richiede di effettuare su un relativamente elevato numero di campioni (500 per la calibrazione iniziale, 200 per il mantenimento) sia le analisi tradizionali che le letture ottiche (Vis-NIR)