Hardware Commissioning of the Refurbished ALPI Linac at INFN-LNL to Serve as SPES Exotic Beam Accelerator

Abstract The ALPI linac at INFN-LNL was substantially refurbished in 2018, especially in view of its use as secondary accelerator for exotic species in the framework of the SPES project. In particular: 10 magnetic triplets were replaced with higher gradient ones; two cryomodules with quarter wave resonator were moved from the PIAVE injector to ALPI, so as to make them available both for exotic and stable beams; the cryogenic plant was renovated; the whole linac, its injector and its beam lines were eventually realigned via LASER tracking (LT). The expected outcome of the refurbishment project is a larger beam transmission (crucial for the efficient transport of the unavoidably low current exotic beams) and improved overall reliability so as to further extend the lifetime of an already 25 years old machine. The hardware commissioning of this new configuration will be reported

Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in patients on dialysis: a multicentre cohort study in Italy

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines in patients undergoing haemodialysis in Italy compared to the general population. Methods: In this cohort study, 118 dialysis centres from 18 Italian Regions participated. Individuals older than 16 years on dialysis treatment for at least 3 months, who provided informed consent were included. We collected demographic and clinical information, as well as data on vaccination status, hospitalisations, access to intensive care units and adverse events. We calculated the incidence, hospitalisation, mortality, and fatality rates in the vaccinated dialysis cohort, adjusted for several covariates. The incidence rates of infection in the dialysis cohort and the general population were compared through Standardised Incidence Rate Ratio. Results: The study included 6555 patients vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 infection according to the schedule recommended in Italy. Between March 2021 and May 2022, there were 1096 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, with an incidence rate after completion of the three-dose vaccination cycle of 37.7 cases per 100 person-years. Compared to the general population, we observed a 14% reduction in the risk of infection for patients who received three vaccine doses (Standardised Incidence Rate Ratio: 0.86; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.81–0.91), whereas no statistically significant differences were found for COVID-19-related hospitalisations, intensive care unit admissions or death. No safety signals emerged from the reported adverse events. Conclusions: The vaccination program against SARS-CoV-2 in the haemodialysis population showed an effectiveness and safety profile comparable to that seen in the general population. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.