Thermomechanical properties of amorphous metallic tungsten-oxygen and tungsten-oxide coatings

In this work, we investigate the correlation between morphology, composition, and the mechanical properties of metallic amorphous tungsten-oxygen and amorphous tungsten-oxide films deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition. This correlation is investigated by the combined use of Brillouin Spectroscopy and the substrate curvature method. The stiffness of the films is strongly affected by both the oxygen content and the mass density. The elastic moduli show a decreasing trend as the mass density decreases and the oxygen-tungsten ratio increases. A plateaux region is detected in correspondence of the transition between metallic and oxide films. The compressive residual stresses, moderate stiffness and high local ductility that characterize compact amorphous tungsten-oxide films make them promising for applications involving thermal or mechanical loads. The coefficient of thermal expansion is quite high (i.e. 8.9 $\cdot$ 10$^{-6}$ K$^{-1}$), being strictly correlated to the amorphous structure and stoichiometry of the films. Under thermal treatments they show a quite low relaxation temperature (i.e. 450 K). They crystallize into the $\gamma$ monoclinic phase of WO$_3$ starting from 670 K, inducing an increase by about 70\% of material stiffness.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 views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commissio

Effects of lockdown on emergency room admissions for psychiatric evaluation: an observational study from the AUSL Romagna, Italy

Objectives: An observation of the admissions to the emergency room (ER) requiring psychiatric evaluation during the lockdown and investigation of the demographic and clinical variables. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal observational study of ER accesses for psychiatric evaluation was performed, comparing two periods (9 March–3 May 2020 vs. 9 March–3 May 2019). Data (number of admissions, key baseline demographic and clinical variables) were extracted from the ER databases of referral centres in a well-defined geographic area of North-Eastern Italy (Cesena, Ravenna, Forlì, and Rimini). Results: A 15% reduction of psychiatric referrals was observed, together with a 17% reduction in the total number of patients referring to the ER. This reduction was most evident in the first month of the lockdown period (almost 25% reduction of both referrals and patients). Female gender (OR: 1.52: 95%, CI: 1.12–2.06) and being a local resident (OR: 1.54: 95%CI: 1.02–2.34) were factors associated with the decrease. Conclusions: Lockdown changed dramatically health priorities in the local population, including people with mental health. We speculate that our observations do not only refer to the confinement due to the lockdown regime but also to fear of contagion and adoption of different coping strategies, especially in women.Key-points During lockdown 15% reduction of psychiatric visits and >17% reduction in the number of psychiatric patients referring to the ER was observed. in the first four weeks of the lockdown almost 25% reduction of both visits and patients was observed Female gender and being a local resident were factors associated with the decrease

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

Liquid hot isostatic pressing of QE22A magnesium alloy: a preliminary test

A preliminary experimental comparison of the behaviour of aluminium and magnesium alloys subjected to Liquid Hot Isostatic Pressing (LHIP) is proposed. The two metals melt at approximately the same temperature.However, as a consequence of a larger deformability of magnesium at elevated temperatures, the choice of LHIP parameters – and especially the temperature at which the pressure is applied – in the present exploratory case was constrained to values far smaller than those one would like to select in order to improve the ultimate tensile stress and the elongation to fracture

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)