Electrolysis-based parylene-balloon actuators

This work reports the design, fabrication, testing and modeling of electrolysis-based fully encapsulated parylene balloon actuators. The proposed actuators have the advantage of high force at low power and low voltage. The main issues are low actuation speed and limited number of actuation cycles due to loss of water by permeation through the balloon membrane. In our case, the actuators are targeted to move neuroprobes after implantation, where slow movement is acceptable but low power consumption is of demand

Good response with zinc acetate monotherapy in an adolescent affected by severe Wilson disease.

We describe a 17-year-old girl with haemolytic anaemia as presentation of Wilson disease. The diagnosis was based on the findings of < 20 mg/dl ceruloplasmin serum level, Kayser-Fleischer ring and Coombs-negative haemolytic anaemia. Genetic testing revealed the presence of the H1069Q heterozygous mutation. The patient was treated with Zinc acetate monotherapy, with good response, maintened after 22 months. This case emphasizes the importance of recognizing atypical clinical presentation of Wilson disease, which must always be considered in patients with Coombs-negative haemolytic anaemia. The good clinical response to treatment with zinc acetate monotherapy in our case might lend to consider the use of zinc monotherapy as initial therapy also in symptomatic patients with Wilson disease under close clinical observation. Clinical trials are needed to provide evidence for use of zinc monotherapy as first-line therapy in symptomatic patients with Wilson disease

A 6 day course of liposomal amphotericin B in the treatment of infantile visceral leishmaniasis: the Italian experience

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate in a retrospective analysis the efficacy and safety of a 6 day course of liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) in infantile cases of Mediterranean visceral leishmaniasis (VL) diagnosed over a 10 year period in Italy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients included were diagnosed as having VL consecutively admitted from December 1992 to December 2001 at four main referral children's hospitals in Italy and treated with six intravenous doses of 3 mg/kg L-AmB given on days 1-5 and 10 (a total dose of 18 mg/kg). Demographic data, nutritional status, underlying diseases, clinical and laboratory findings, and therapy outcome were considered. RESULTS: A total of 164 HIV-negative children (median age 1.6 years; range 4 months to 14 years) were enrolled. All patients were initially cured by the given treatment, and did not present adverse events related to drug infusion. Seven patients (4.3%) had a clinical and parasitological relapse 3-15 months after therapy. All relapses were successfully retreated with 3 mg/kg L-AmB for 10 consecutive days (a total dose of 30 mg/kg). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the efficacy (>95%) and safety of the six dose L-AmB regimen and validates it as a first-line treatment for Mediterranean VL in children

Cross-section measurement of two-photon annihilation in-flight of positrons at s=20\sqrt{s}=20 MeV with the PADME detector

The inclusive cross-section of annihilation in flight $e^+e^-\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$ of 430 MeV positrons with atomic electrons of a thin diamond target has been measured with the PADME detector at the Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. The two photons produced in the process were detected by an electromagnetic calorimeter made of BGO crystals. This measurement is the first one based on the direct detection of the photon pair and one of the most precise for positron energies below 1 GeV. This measurement represents a necessary step to search for dark sector particles and mediators weakly coupled to photons and/or electrons with masses ranging from 1 MeV to 20 MeV with PADME. The measurement agrees with the Next to Leading Order QED prediction within the overall 6% uncertainty.Comment: Submitted to PR

Characterisation and performance of the PADME electromagnetic calorimeter

The PADME experiment at the LNF Beam Test Facility searches for dark photons produced in the annihilation of positrons with the electrons of a fixed target. The strategy is to look for the reaction e+ + e− → γ + A0, where A0 is the dark photon, which cannot be observed directly or via its decay products. The electromagnetic calorimeter plays a key role in the experiment by measuring the energy and position of the final-state γ. The missing four-momentum carried away by the A0 can be evaluated from this information and the particle mass inferred. This paper presents the design, construction, and calibration of the PADME’s electromagnetic calorimeter. The results achieved in terms of equalisation, detection efficiency and energy resolution during the first phase of the experiment demonstrate the effectiveness of the various tools used to improve the calorimeter performance with respect to earlier prototypes