Developmental profiles of young children with autism spectrum disorder and global developmental delay: A study with the Griffiths III scales

The purpose of this study was to identify developmental profiles associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and global developmental delay (DD) in pre-school aged Italian children. Developmental profiles were evaluated by means of a standardized tool widely used for the assessment of psychomotor development in early childhood, the Griffiths III scales, recently adapted and standardized for the Italian population. Specifically, we compared the Griffiths III profiles of children with ASD and DD (ASD + DD) with those of children with DD alone. Moreover, we inspected the psychometric function of single items by comparing children with ASD + DD and children with DD with typically developing (TD) children from the Griffiths III normative sample. In this way, we aimed to isolate the effects of each diagnostic class on psychomotor abilities and on the psychometric function of single items. The ASD + DD and DD groups were found to share the presence of lower age equivalent scores relative to their chronological age in all the developmental domains considered: Foundations of Learning, Language and Communication, Eye and Hand Coordination, Personal–Social-Emotional and Gross Motor Skills. However, the DD group displayed a homogeneous profile with similar levels of delay in all developmental domains, while children with ASD + DD exhibited relative weaknesses in the Language and Communication and Personal–Social-Emotional scales. The analysis of the psychometric function drawn for each item has confirmed different profiles in social-communicative and non-verbal items between the two diagnostic groups and in relation to TD normative sample. The Griffiths III is a valid psychometric tool for identifying atypical developmental profiles and its use may be recommended during the diagnostic process of ASD and DD, to detect specific strengths and weaknesses and guide person-centered treatment

Response of Silicon photo-multipliers to a constant light flux

The response of a Silicon Photomultiplier to a constant illumination has been interpreted in term of Geiger- Mueller avalanche frequency, actually correlated to the photon flux via the photon detection efficiency. The hypothesis has been verified in laboratory tests and applied throughout the development of a device for real-time dosimetry in mammography

Endoscopic resection of sinonasal inverted papilloma: a multivariate retrospective analysis of factors affecting recurrence and persistence

Sinonasal inverted papilloma (IP) is the most common benign epithelial tumor in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, with a worldwide incidence between 0.6 and 1.5/100 000 persons per year. However, only a few studies have investigated patient-dependent factors related to IP recurrence and persistence. According to available evidence, these factors are still debated, and results are contradictory. In this multicenter retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical records of 130 patients who were surgically treated for sinonasal IP to evaluate the factors affecting recurrence and persistence of IP and compared the curative rates of different surgical approaches. Our analysis showed that IP recurrence is strongly related to specific risk factors including incomplete surgical removal, stage of disease, site of the lesion, surgical technique, and malignancy rate. In conclusion, the recurrence of IP may be affected by several risk factors; these factors must be carefully considered during clinical evaluation and especially during the follow-up of patients with IP

Performance of the EUDET-type beam telescopes

Test beam measurements at the test beam facilities of DESY have been conducted to characterise the performance of the EUDET-type beam telescopes originally developed within the EUDET project. The beam telescopes are equipped with six sensor planes using MIMOSA26 monolithic active pixel devices. A programmable Trigger Logic Unit provides trigger logic and time stamp information on particle passage. Both data acquisition framework and offline reconstruction software packages are available. User devices are easily integrable into the data acquisition framework via predefined interfaces. The biased residual distribution is studied as a function of the beam energy, plane spacing and sensor threshold. Its standard deviation at the two centre pixel planes using all six planes for tracking in a 6\,GeV electron/positron-beam is measured to be (2.88\,\pm\,0.08)\,\upmu\meter.Iterative track fits using the formalism of General Broken Lines are performed to estimate the intrinsic resolution of the individual pixel planes. The mean intrinsic resolution over the six sensors used is found to be (3.24\,\pm\,0.09)\,\upmu\meter.With a 5\,GeV electron/positron beam, the track resolution halfway between the two inner pixel planes using an equidistant plane spacing of 20\,mm is estimated to (1.83\,\pm\,0.03)\,\upmu\meter assuming the measured intrinsic resolution. Towards lower beam energies the track resolution deteriorates due to increasing multiple scattering. Threshold studies show an optimal working point of the MIMOSA26 sensors at a sensor threshold of between five and six times their RMS noise. Measurements at different plane spacings are used to calibrate the amount of multiple scattering in the material traversed and allow for corrections to the predicted angular scattering for electron beams

Effect of surgery, delivery device and head position on sinus irrigant penetration in a cadaver model

AbstractObjectiveThe extent of surgery, the type of device used and head position may influence nasal irrigation. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of topical irrigant delivery to the paranasal sinuses according to these factors.MethodFour cadaveric heads underwent four stepwise endoscopic dissections. Irrigations were evaluated after every stage using different delivery devices (squeeze-bottle, gravity-dependent device and syringe) in two head positions (nose-to-sink and vertex down). Irrigant penetration into each sinus was estimated using a four-point scale.ResultsA significant positive effect of surgery was demonstrated for each sinus as well as for the delivery device. High-volume irrigant devices are more effective, and the head position plays a significant role in irrigant distribution to the frontal sinus.ConclusionThis study further confirms the efficacy of high-volume irrigant devices. A vertex down position during the irrigation could improve delivery to the frontal sinus, and the widening of the ostia increases irrigant access to the sinuses

SiPM technology applied to radiation sensor development

The Silicon Photo-Multiplier (SiPM) being yet in its infancy, a full protocol for the sensor characterization has been developed and implemented at the Physics Department of Universita\u2019 dell\u2019Insubria. Sensors from different producers have been analyzed and compared, in view of the integration in the instruments for radiation detection. Exemplary illustrations are reported here, together with the first results on real-time dosimetry in mammography

Correlation between objective and subjective assessment of nasal patency

INTRODUCTION: This study was performed to evaluate the correlation between the objective and subjective sensation of nasal patency, assessed through a validated questionnaire, the Italian version of the NOSE scale, and the rhinomanometric results in a large cohort of patients complaining about nasal obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was obtained from a total of 233 adult patients, (123 males, 110 females, with a mean age of 43.7 years) with a diagnosis of septal deviation and complaining about nasal obstruction. Anterior active rhinomanometry was used for objective assessment, while the I-NOSE scale and a visual analog scale (VAS) were used for subjective evaluation. RESULTS: Positive correlations between I-NOSE scores and VAS and rhinomanometric results were found. The higher correlation was demonstrated between the HUNR (higher unilateral nasal resistance) parameter of rhinomanometry and the second item of the I-NOSE scale (Nasal blockage or obstruction). No significant correlation was found between the fourth item of the I-NOSE (Trouble sleeping) and the VAS score. The VAS score appeared mildly, but still significantly, correlated with the HUNR parameter of rhinomanometry. CONCLUSION: The correlation between the subjective sensation of nasal patency and the rhinomanometric data proved to be significant. No correlation between subjective sensation of trouble sleeping and rhinomanometric assessment was found. In counselling with patients complaining of nasal obstruction trouble in sleeping should not be considered as a symptom related to nasal obstruction