Influence of the salinity adjustment methods, salts and brine, on the toxicity of wastewater samples to mussels embryos

One of the main problems of the Whole Effluent Toxicity is related to the use of bioindicator species representative of the target environment. Most wastewater discharges are of fresh water, so their salinity has to be adjusted when they are discharged to transitional and marine coastal waters, in order to perform toxicity bioassays with reliable organisms. At the moment, there is no optimum technique to allow sample salinity to be adjusted and no specific information regarding salinity adjustment when bivalves are being considered for toxicity test performance. This paper provides information on the potential use of different methods to adjust the salinity of hotel/domestic wastewater samples with different brands of natural and synthetic Dry Salts (DS) and HyperSaline Brine (HSB) for use in the embryo larval development bioassay with the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. HyperSaline Brine derived from reconstructed artificial seawater proved to be more viable for wastewater salinity adjustment than DS

CAR T-Cell Therapies in Italy: Patient Access Barriers and Recommendations for Health System Solutions

CAR T-cell therapy has emerged as a potentially transformative immunotherapy for certain B-cell malignancies including relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Unhindered and appropriate access for eligible patients is essential to enable optimal outcomes and depends on effective interplay of stakeholders and processes along the patient’s therapeutic journey. In Italy, CAR T-cell therapies have been awarded innovation status by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) and were integrated into routine patient care under specific criteria. However, our analysis indicates that fewer than one in five DLBCL patients eligible under the EMA authorization, or around one in three DLBCL patients eligible under the AIFA criteria, received treatment with a licensed CAR T-cell therapy product in 2020. This publication describes key patient access barriers to CAR T-cell therapies in Italy and provides recommendations on potential solutions at the health system level

Comparison of Surgical Outcomes between Canaloplasty and Schlemm’s Canal Scaffold at 24 Months’ Follow-Up

The results of canaloplasty (CP) and Hydrus Microstent (HM) implantation were retrospectively compared at 24 months' follow-up in a cohort of subjects referred to our Institution for uncontrolled IOP in primary or secondary (e.g., pseudoexfoliative and pigmentary) open-angle glaucoma. The outcome was labelled as "complete" success, "qualified" success, or "failure" if, two years after surgery, the eyes operated on needed "no" hypotensive medications, "some" hypotensive medications, or further glaucoma surgery to attain the target IOP, respectively. Both CP and HM implant allowed significant IOP reductions, with comparable rate of clinical success and safety profile. A slightly (albeit not significant) better trend for a "complete" clinical success was observed in the CP group

Checklist for anesthesiological process: analysis of risks

Several methods are reported in the literature to analyze medically undesirable events during hospital care. Each method has several limitations, so no one has been defined as the standard tool to be able to detect failure during a medical process. The aim of this study was to compare an anesthesiological perioperative checklist with traditional Regional Incident Reporting (RIR) form in detecting and describing failures

Spectral spatiality in the acousmatic listening context

Sounds are often experienced as being spatially higher or lower in congruence with their frequency ‘height’ (i.e. pitch register). The term ‘spectral spatiality’ refers to this impression of spatial height and vertical depth as evoked by the perceived occupancy of evolving sound-shapes (spectromorphologies) within the continuum of audible frequencies. Chapters One and Two draw upon a diverse body of literature to explore the cognitive and physiological processes involved in human spatial hearing in general, and spectral spatiality in particular. Thereafter the potential pertinence of a spectral space consciousness in the acousmatic listening experience is highlighted, particularly with regard to more abstract acousmatic contexts where sounds do not directly invoke familiar source identities. Chapters Three and Four further elaborate aspects of spectral space consciousness and propose a terminological framework for discussing musical contexts in terms of their spectral space design. Consequently, it is argued that in acousmatic music, spectral spatiality must be considered as an inseparable aspect of spatiality in general, although its pertinence only becomes directly highlighted in particular musical contexts. The recurring theme in this thesis is that, in acousmatic music, 'space' is not a parameter but a multifaceted quality that is inherent to all sounds. As well as providing an analytical framework for discussing spatiality in acousmatic music, this thesis highlights the compositional potentials offered by spectral spatiality, particularly in relation to the creation of perspectival image in multichannel works. For instance, the possibility of (re)distributing the spectral components of a sound around the listener (circumspectral image) is discussed in context, and a software tool is presented that enables an intuitive and experimental approach to the composition of circumspectral sounds for 6 and 8 channel loudspeaker configurations. This thesis is useful for both composers and analysts interested in aspects of spatiality in acousmatic music. It also offers some insight into spectral space consciousness in non-acousmatic music, and may therefore contribute towards a more general understanding of the nature of our spatial experience in music.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Fragrance materials (FMs) affect the larval development of the copepod Acartia tonsa: An emerging issue for marine ecosystems

Fragrance materials (FMs) are used in a variety of detergents and cosmetics, including household and personal care products. Despite their widespread use and the growing evidence of their occurrence in surface waters worldwide, very little is known about their toxicity towards marine species, including a key component of the marine food webs such as copepods. Thus, we investigated the toxicity of six of the more long-lasting and stable commercial fragrances, including Amyl Salicylate (AMY), Oranger Crystals (ORA), Hexyl Salicylate (HEX), Ambrofix (AMB), Peonile (PEO), and Benzyl Salicylate (BZS), to assess their ability to impair the larval development of the calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa. FMs inhibited the development of A. tonsa significantly at concentrations by far lower than the effect-concentrations reported in the literature for aquatic species. The more toxic FMs were HEX (EC50 = 57 ng L−1), AMY (EC50 = 131 ng L−1) and ORA (EC50 = 766 ng L−1), while the other three compounds exerted toxic effects at concentrations higher than 1000 ng L−1 (LOEC at 1000 ng L−1 for PEO and BZS, and at 10,000 ng L−1 for AMB). Early life-stage mortality was unaffected by FMs at all the tested concentrations. A comparison with water concentrations of FMs reported in the literature confirmed that FMs, especially HEX and AMY, may act as contaminants of potential concern in many aquatic habitats, including urban areas and remote and polar environments

Vertebral artery dissection in term pregnancy after cervical spine manipulation: a case report and review the literature

Background: Vertebral artery dissection is an uncommon, but potentially fatal, vascular event. This case aimed to describe the pathogenesis and clinical presentation of vertebral artery dissection in a term pregnant patient. Moreover, we focused on the differential diagnosis, reviewing the available evidence. Case presentation: A 39-year-old Caucasian woman presented at 38 + 4 weeks of gestation with a short-term history of vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms appeared a few days after cervical spine manipulation by an osteopathic specialist. Urgent magnetic resonance imaging of the head was obtained and revealed an ischemic lesion of the right posterolateral portion of the brain bulb. A subsequent computed tomography angiographic scan of the head and neck showed a right vertebral artery dissection. Based on the correlation of the neurological manifestations and imaging findings, a diagnosis of vertebral artery dissection was established. The patient started low-dose acetylsalicylic acid and prophylactic enoxaparin following an urgent cesarean section. Conclusion: Vertebral artery dissection is a rare but potential cause of neurologic impairments in pregnancy and during the postpartum period. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis for women who present with headache and/or vertigo. Women with a history of migraines, hypertension, or autoimmune disorders in pregnancy are at higher risk, as well as following cervical spine manipulations. Prompt diagnosis and management of vertebral artery dissection are essential to ensure favorable outcomes

Modelling the freezing and thawing behaviour of saturated soils

This thesis presents an investigation of the thermo / hydro / mechanical behaviour of saturated soils with cryogenic suction effects. The flow relationships accommodate a number of mechanisms: i) heat transfer by conduction, convection, and latent heat transfer and ii) moisture transfer in the liquid phase due to pressure head, elevation head, and thermal gradients. The mechanical behaviour of the soil is modelled by an elasto-plastic work hardening modified Cam- Clay constitutive model. A numerical solution for the theoretical formulation is presented. Standard finite element methods are used for spatial discretisation and finite difference methods are used for temporal discretisation. Verification of the model is achieved by means of programme of tests to check the following cryogenic components i) coupled thermo-hydraulic response, ii) deformation behaviour of the fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model, iii) transient coupled liquid flow and deformation behaviour, and iv) latent heat of fusion. Validation focused on the impact of the cryogenic related processes included within the proposed theoretical formulation. In particular the development of ice lenses and the movement of moisture under cryogenic suction were investigated. The performance of the proposed model with respect to a number of variables was subsequently explored in order to determine their effect on the magnitude and growth of ice lenses in a freezing soil. The model was then applied to a large scale freezing experiment, namely a fully coupled thermo / hydro / mechanical simulation. The simulated results show a good correlation with the experimental results by predicting the patterns and trends of experimentally observed behaviour and the cryogenic processes that occur during the freezing and thawing of frost susceptible soils. It was therefore concluded that the proposed model is capable of providing a good representation of the fully coupled THM behaviour of saturated soils with cryogenic effects.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Práticas de letramento para alunos da Educação de Jovens e Adultos Interventiva

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (especialização)—Universidade de Brasília, Ministério da Educação, Coordenação de Formação Continuada de Professores, Secretaria de Estado de Educação do Distrito Federal, Especialização em Letramento e Práticas Interdisciplinares nos Anos Finais, 2015.O objetivo do presente estudo é identificar e analisar as práticas de letramento para alunos da Educação de Jovens e Adultos Interventiva em uma escola pública do Distrito Federal. A EJA interventiva é um programa da Secretaria de Estado de Educação que tem como objetivo o atendimento dos jovens e adultos com deficiência intelectual. Para tanto, realizou-se uma pesquisa de campo, com elementos qualitativos com seis alunos com idades entre 17 e 37 anos. As técnicas utilizadas para a realização desse trabalho compreenderam a observação participante e entrevistas. Evidenciou-se por meio das observações e entrevistas, a importância do processo de letramento para a vida escolar e social desses alunos. Para analisar os dados obtidos foi utilizada a técnica de análise de conteúdo, onde foram criadas categorias. Os resultaram mostraram que o letramento dos alunos da EJA Interventiva colabora para uma vida social mais ativa e independente. Porém, algumas práticas realizadas mostram várias fragilidades deste processo, que necessita de adequações e reflexões que extrapolam a sala de aula, buscando por meio da escolarização, a inclusão desse aluno no contexto social em que vivemos e de sua emancipação