Primary intra and extradural solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma of thoracic spine with paravertebral intrathoracic spread: Case report and review of the literature

Solitary fibrous tumors/hemangiopericytomas (SFTs/HPCs), constitute 1% of all CNS tumors. Spinal SFTs/HPCs are extremely rare. To date, few retrospective studies and case reports of primary spinal SFTs/HPCs have been published in the literature. We report clinical and radiological presentation, surgical treatment, and post-operative outcome at three years follow-up of a rare case of primary spinal intra and extradural SFT/HPC of thoracic spine with dumbbell shaped paravertebral intrathoracic spread and multidirectional erosion of the bone. A 73-year-old female presented with progressive lower limbs weakness and hypoesthesia below the rib cage. MRI showed an irregular isointense T5-T7 dumbbell shaped tumor. Tumor resection was successfully carried out through posterior and antero-lateral approach. Histological examination showed a grade II SFT/HPC. No local recurrence nor systemic metastases were observed at three years follow-up. A literature review has been performed to describe epidemiology, radiographic features, treatment, recurrence rate and mean disease-free survival of primary spinal SFTs/HPCs. No radiographic pathognomonic findings have been reported for these tumors. Differential diagnosis must be made with meningioma, schwannoma, chordoma, aggressive hemangioma, metastases, angiosarcoma. Surgical resection is the first choice of treatment, and total resection should be attempted whenever possible in all cases. Postsurgical radiotherapy does not change significantly recurrence rate after GTR, nonetheless it increases mean disease-free survival, especially in patients with extradural SFTs/HPCs. After subtotal resection, adjuvant radiotherapy is necessary to reduce progression of disease. The efficacy of chemotherapy has yet to be determined. Pathological degree and total surgical resection are the most important predictive factors of recurrence

Realistic Threats to Self-Enforcing Privacy

A recent privacy protocol for secure e-polls aims at en-suring the submitting individuals that the pollster will pre-serve the privacy of their submitted preferences. Otherwise the individuals can indict the pollster, provided that the poll-ster participates actively in this phase. The analysis of the protocol in a realistic threat model denounces that a ma-licious pollster that abuses the private preferences by dis-closure will arguably not help out during its own indict-ment. Therefore, the protocol ensures insufficient fairness among their participants because it gives the pollster some advantage over the individuals. Two variant protocols are introduced and analysed in the same threat model — one is found to move the advantage over the individuals, the other is found to achieve a satisfactory level of fairness

Ultrasounds induce blood-brain barrier opening across a sonolucent polyolefin plate in an in vitro isolated brain preparation

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) represents a major obstacle to the delivery of drugs to the central nervous system. The combined use of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound waves and intravascular microbubbles (MB) represents a promising solution to this issue, allowing reversible disruption of the barrier. In this study, we evaluate the feasibility of BBB opening through a biocompatible, polyolefin-based plate in an in vitro whole brain model. Twelve in vitro guinea pig brains were employed; brains were insonated using a planar transducer with or without interposing the polyolefin plate during arterial infusion of MB. Circulating MBs were visualized with an ultrasonographic device with a linear probe. BBB permeabilization was assessed by quantifying at confocal microscopy the extravasation of FITC-albumin perfused after each treatment. US-treated brains displayed BBB permeabilization exclusively in the volume under the US beam; no significant differences were observed between brains insonated with or without the polyolefin plate. Control brains not perfused with MB did not show signs of FITC-albumin extravasation. Our preclinical study suggests that polyolefin cranial plate could be implanted as a skull replacement to maintain craniotomic windows and perform post-surgical repeated BBB opening with ultrasound guidance to deliver therapeutic agents to the central nervous system

Prototype and mass production tests of avalanche photodiodes for the electromagnetic calorimeter in the ALICE experiment at LHC

Avalanche PhotoDiodes (APD) have been chosen as photonsensors for the new Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EMCal) of the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The size of the calorimeter requires the overall use of more than 12 000 APDs, all of which have to be tested and characterized individually. A procedure for the test of a large amount of APDs has been developed and is here described in detail, together with results from a first sample of devices

Optimization of the gas flow in a GEM chamber and development of the GEM foil stretcher

The gas electron multiplier technology has been proven to tolerate rat e larger than 50 MHz/cm2 without noticeable aging and to provide sub resolution on working chambers up to 45 cm x 45 cm. A new gas electron multiplier-based tracker is under development for the Hall A upgrade at Jefferson Lab. The chambers of the tracker have been designed in a modular way: each chamber consists of 3 adjacent gas electron multiplier modules, with an active area of 40 cm x 50 cm each. We optimized the gas flow inside the gas electron multiplier module volume, using the COMSOL physics simulator framework; the COMSOL-based analysis includes the design of the inlet and outlet pipes and the maximization of the uniformity of the gas flow. We have defined the procedures for the assembling of the gas electron multiplier modules and designed a mechanical system (TENDIGEM) that will be used to stretch the GEM foils at the proper tension (few kg/cm); the TENDIGEM is based on the original design developed at LNF

OPTIMIZATION OF THE GAS FLOW IN A GEM CHAMBER AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE GEM FOIL STRETCHER

The Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) technology has been proven to tolerate rate larger than 50 MHz/cm 2 without noticeable aging and to provide sub millimeter resolution on working chambers up to 45x45 cm

Optimization of the gas flow in a GEM chamber and development of the GEM foil stretcher

The gas electron multiplier technology has been proven to tolerate rat e larger than 50 MHz/cm2 without noticeable aging and to provide sub resolution on working chambers up to 45 cm x 45 cm. A new gas electron multiplier-based tracker is under development for the Hall A upgrade at Jefferson Lab. The chambers of the tracker have been designed in a modular way: each chamber consists of 3 adjacent gas electron multiplier modules, with an active area of 40 cm x 50 cm each. We optimized the gas flow inside the gas electron multiplier module volume, using the COMSOL physics simulator framework; the COMSOL-based analysis includes the design of the inlet and outlet pipes and the maximization of the uniformity of the gas flow. We have defined the procedures for the assembling of the gas electron multiplier modules and designed a mechanical system (TENDIGEM) that will be used to stretch the GEM foils at the proper tension (few kg/cm); the TENDIGEM is based on the original design developed at LNF

Indagine sul contenuto di metalli pesanti in carni di cinghiali regolarmente macellati nella provincia di Siena

Heavy metals have a paramount role and their presence has been assessed to be almost ubiquitary; although some of these elements are essential for biological systems, their excess is usually associated to harmful effects for health. The presence of lead and cadmium, non essential and toxic metals, and chrome, an essential metal, but with toxic effects in high concentration, were investigated in some organs and tissues of boars regularly slaughtered in the province of Siena. The level of the considered metals were measured in liver, kidneys, masseter muscle and midriff muscle of 24 animals raised in areas located nearby an industrial complex for glass manufacturing (group 1), and of 12 animals raised in the same conditions, but about 15 kilometres far from the factory (group 2). Analysis performed in animals of the group 1 highlighted, either in liver or in kidneys, mean lead values above law limits, established in the Regulation 466/2001/CE, which were not overcome in masseter and midriff muscle. On the contrary, analysis carried out in group 2, attested values beneath limits in all organs. About cadmium, none of the groups showed values above law limits. Finally, measured chrome levels were found to be beneath the ones assessed in cases of poisoning from metal and for this reason remaining within the values of the supposed normal condition. In conclusion, lead level higher than law limits, found in some organs of the animals breeded nearby the factory, suggest a possible environmental contamination by the industrial complex. However, we think that such assessment must be confirmed by further studies and extended investigations, supporting the preliminary results obtained in this work. Finally, our study shows as the boar might be considered a biological indicator, exploitable for different kind of investigations, because of the simple availability in the slaughter house of the organs in which heavy metals accumulate, such as liver, kidneys and some portions of muscles, resulting of low commercial interest and so obtainable for analysi