Italian consensus conference on guidelines for conservative treatment on lower limb muscle injuries in athlete.

Provide the state of the art concerning (1) biology and aetiology, (2) classification, (3) clinical assessment and (4) conservative treatment of lower limb muscle injuries (MI) in athletes. Seventy international experts with different medical backgrounds participated in the consensus conference. They discussed and approved a consensus composed of four sections which are presented in these documents. This paper represents a synthesis of the consensus conference, the following four sections are discussed: (i) The biology and aetiology of MIs. A definition of MI was formulated and some key points concerning physiology and pathogenesis of MIs were discussed. (ii) The MI classification. A classification of MIs was proposed. (iii) The MI clinical assessment, in which were discussed anamnesis, inspection and clinical examination and are provided the relative guidelines. (iv) The MI conservative treatment, in which are provided the guidelines for conservative treatment based on the severity of the lesion. Furthermore, instrumental therapy and pharmacological treatment were discussed. Knowledge of the aetiology and biology of MIs is an essential prerequisite in order to plan and conduct a rehabilitation plan. Another important aspect is the use of a rational MI classification on prognostic values. We propose a classification based on radiological investigations performed by ultrasonography and MRI strongly linked to prognostic factors. Furthermore, the consensus conference results will able to provide fundamental guidelines for diagnostic and rehabilitation practice, also considering instrumental therapy and pharmacological treatment of MI. Expert opinion, level IV

Italian consensus conference on guidelines for conservative treatment on lower limb muscle injuries in athlete

Provide the state of the art concerning (1) biology and aetiology, (2) classification, (3) clinical assessment and (4) conservative treatment of lower limb muscle injuries (MI) in athletes. Seventy international experts with different medical backgrounds participated in the consensus conference. They discussed and approved a consensus composed of four sections which are presented in these documents. This paper represents a synthesis of the consensus conference, the following four sections are discussed: (i) The biology and aetiology of MIs. A definition of MI was formulated and some key points concerning physiology and pathogenesis of MIs were discussed. (ii) The MI classification. A classification of MIs was proposed. (iii) The MI clinical assessment, in which were discussed anamnesis, inspection and clinical examination and are provided the relative guidelines. (iv) The MI conservative treatment, in which are provided the guidelines for conservative treatment based on the severity of the lesion. Furthermore, instrumental therapy and pharmacological treatment were discussed. Knowledge of the aetiology and biology of MIs is an essential prerequisite in order to plan and conduct a rehabilitation plan. Another important aspect is the use of a rational MI classification on prognostic values. We propose a classification based on radiological investigations performed by ultrasonography and MRI strongly linked to prognostic factors. Furthermore, the consensus conference results will able to provide fundamental guidelines for diagnostic and rehabilitation practice, also considering instrumental therapy and pharmacological treatment of MI. Expert opinion, level IV

Band offset and gap tuning of tetragonal CuO-SrTiO3 heterojunctions

In this work we analyze the electronic structure at the junction between a SrTiO3 (001) single crystal and a thin tetragonal CuO layer, grown by off-axis rf sputtering. A detailed characterization of the film growth, based on atomic force microscopy and x-ray photoelectron diffraction measurements, demonstrates the epitaxial growth. We report several markers of a thickness-dependent modification of the film gap, found on both Cu2p and valence band spectra; through spectroscopic ellipsometry analysis, we provide direct proof of a band gap increase in the tetragonal CuO layer (1.57 eV) with respect to the thicker monoclinic CuO layer (1.35 eV). This phenomenon is further discussed in light of cluster calculations and density functional theory +U simulations. Finally, we report the full experimental band junction diagram, showing a staggered configuration suitable for charge-separation applications, such as photovoltaics and photocatalysis; this configuration is observed up to very low (<3 nm) film thickness due to the gap broadening effect

\ua0Corrosion and mechanical properties of age-hardened UNS N06625 forged bars for oil and gas applications

UNS N06625 is a well-known nickel-base superalloy generally used in annealed condition due to its excellent corrosion resistance in the most severe environments containing sulfides and chlorides at high pressure and temperature. In general, the most efficient way to increase the alloy strength is by cold working, but obviously, this cannot be applied in case of large forgings. Actually, looking at its chemical composition, UNS N06625 can be considered an age-hardenable material, whose mechanical strength can be improved by promoting the second phase \u3b3\u2033 precipitation in the matrix. The aim of this paper was to assess the achievable mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of UNS N06625 forged bars in age-hardened condition with respect to the annealed one, to understand the feasibility of this not conventional heat treatment for the industrial application

Continuous quality improvement in intensive care medicine. The GiViTI Margherita project - Report 2005

Aim. The assessment of the quality of intensive care medicine is mandatory in the modern healthcare system. In Italy, the GiViTI (Gruppo Italiano per la Valutazione degli Interventi in Terapia Intensiva) network is working in this field since 1991 and it now involves 295 out of the about 450 Italian intensive care units (ICU). In 2002 GiViTI launched a project for the continuous quality assessment and improvement that is now joined by 180 ICUs. Data collected in 2005 are analyzed and presented. Methods. All admitted patients were entered in a validated software, which performs a multitude of validity checks during the data entry. Data were further reviewed by the co-ordinating center; patients admitted in months with more than 10% of incomplete or inconsistent records in each ICU were excluded from the analysis. Each year, a multivariate logistic regression model is fitted to identify predictors of hospital mortality. Starting from the SAPS 2 and the 2004 GiViTI model predictions of hospital mortality, two calibration tables and curves are presented. Results. In 2005, 180 Italian ICUs collected data on 55 246 patients. After excluding those admitted in months with an unjustified lower recruitment rate or with less than 90% of complete and consistent data, we had 52 816 (95.6%) valid cases. Although the rough hospital mortality in 2005 was 1% higher than in 2004 (22.6% vs 21.5%), the adjusted mortality shows a statistically significant 4% reduction (obser-ved-to-expected ratio: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94-0.97). Conclusion. Italian ICUs in 2005 performed better than in 2004, at a parity of patient severity

Continuous quality improvement in intensive care medicine. The GiViTI Margherita project - Report 2005

Aim. The assessment of the quality of intensive care medicine is mandatory in the modern healthcare system. In Italy, the GiViTI (Gruppo Italiano per la Valutazione degli Interventi in Terapia Intensiva) network is working in this field since 1991 and it now involves 295 out of the about 450 Italian intensive care units (ICU). In 2002 GiViTI launched a project for the continuous quality assessment and improvement that is now joined by 180 ICUs. Data collected in 2005 are analyzed and presented. Methods. All admitted patients were entered in a validated software, which performs a multitude of validity checks during the data entry. Data were further reviewed by the co-ordinating center; patients admitted in months with more than 10% of incomplete or inconsistent records in each ICU were excluded from the analysis. Each year, a multivariate logistic regression model is fitted to identify predictors of hospital mortality. Starting from the SAPS 2 and the 2004 GiViTI model predictions of hospital mortality, two calibration tables and curves are presented. Results. In 2005, 180 Italian ICUs collected data on 55 246 patients. After excluding those admitted in months with an unjustified lower recruitment rate or with less than 90% of complete and consistent data, we had 52 816 (95.6%) valid cases. Although the rough hospital mortality in 2005 was 1% higher than in 2004 (22.6% vs 21.5%), the adjusted mortality shows a statistically significant 4% reduction (obser-ved-to-expected ratio: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94-0.97). Conclusion. Italian ICUs in 2005 performed better than in 2004, at a parity of patient severity