4,053 research outputs found
Proctology in the COVID-19 era: handle with care
The Italian outbreak of COVID-19 was
confirmed on 31 January 2020 when two
COVID-19-positive cases were reported
in Chinese tourists. At the beginning,
the vast majority of cases were reported
in the northern regions of Italy with
establishment of the so-called âred zoneâ.
On 9March 2020, the Italian prime minister
declared a nationwide lockdown to
strengthen the national health system
(Sistema Sanitario Nazionale). Italy has
one of the highest rates of infection
and mortality in the worl
Nuclear and Non-Ionizing Energy-Loss for Coulomb Scattered Particles from Low Energy up to Relativistic Regime in Space Radiation Environment
In the space environment, instruments onboard of spacecrafts can be affected
by displacement damage due to radiation. The differential scattering cross
section for screened nucleus--nucleus interactions - i.e., including the
effects due to screened Coulomb nuclear fields -, nuclear stopping powers and
non-ionization energy losses are treated from about 50 keV/nucleon up to
relativistic energies.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the ICATPP Conference
on Cosmic Rays for Particle and Astroparticle Physics, Villa Olmo (Como,
Italy), 7--8 October, 2010, to be published by World Scientifi
The source and the age of the soil organic matter of Anthrosols in SW Norway
Recent investigations showed that humusârich topsoilâs around the Baltic Sea have been formed by the application of pyrogenic organic matter (Acksel et al., 2016, Geoderma Reg. 7, 187â200) and organic materials (e.g. animal manure, organic waste) linked with human activity and, consequently, these soils were classified as Anthrosols (Acksel et al., 2017 (submitted)). Such humusârich topsoilâs, which were strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities and classified as plaggic Anthrosols, were described in SW Norway (Schnepel et al., 2014, J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 177 (4), 638â645.). However, the source and the formation time of the Anthrosols in Norway have not been investigated in detail. Therefore, we characterized the soil organic matter composition by pyrolysis-field ionisation-mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS), benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCA) determination, examined the source of the SOM by isotopic signatures (d34S) and estimated the age of the SOM by 14C AMS dating in order to find out the beginning of Anthrosol formation. Py-FIMS revealed high portions of sterols and fatty acids, indicating inputs of manure, similar to plaggic Anthrosols in NW Germany. The BC portions (â 19 % BC of Corg) were similar to various Anthrosols (â 25 % BC of Corg) and Chernozems (â 13 % BC of Corg) worldwide and indicated an input of combustion residues to soils by early fire events. The d34S isotope signature of the SOM ranged from 10 to 13.4 â° at the islands and 10.6 to 15.2 in the Jaeren region of SW Norway, corresponded to the Anthrosols in the Baltic Sea region (Median: d34S = 11.5 â°) and indicated an input of marine biomass (d34S of seaweed = 20 â°). All these results complemented the study of Schnepel et al. (2014) and provided strong evidence that these soils were formed by human activities. Ongoing analyses of 14C ages from these soils enable to estimate the timing of the soil formation and link it to settlement history
UM ROLE PLAYING GAME PARA O ENSINO DE ELICITAĂĂO E ANĂLISE DE REQUISITOS
A engenharia de requisitos objetiva estabelecer o entendimento do problema e as necessidades do cliente. No entanto, o processo de ensino desta competĂȘncia nem sempre Ă© satisfatĂłrio, por ser um conteĂșdo teĂłrico, muitos professores utilizam somente aulas expositivas, onde acaba limitando o aprendizado dos alunos. Assim, surge a necessidade de explorar novos mĂ©todos de ensino, como os jogos educacionais, de modo a criar um ambiente que desperte o interesse dos alunos. O objetivo deste trabalho Ă© desenvolver e avaliar um jogo educacional do tipo RPG no qual o jogador atuarĂĄ como um engenheiro de requisitos coletando e priorizando os requisitos em um cenĂĄrio simulado. Uma avaliação sistemĂĄtica realizada aponta resultados satisfatĂłrios quanto a motivação, experiĂȘncia do usuĂĄrio e aprendizagem dos alunos
Lumbar epidural fentanyl: segmental spread and effect on temporal summation and muscle pain
Background. Despite extensive use, different aspects of the pharmacological action of epidural fentanyl have not been clarified. We applied a multiâmodal sensory test procedure to investigate the effect of epidural fentanyl on segmental spread, temporal summation (as a measure for shortâlasting central hyperexcitability) and muscle pain. Methods. Thirty patients received either placebo, 50 or 100 ”g single dose of fentanyl epidurally (L2-3), in a randomized, doubleâblind fashion. Heat pain tolerance thresholds at eight dermatomes from S1 to fifth cranial nerve (assessment of segmental spread), pain threshold to transcutaneous repeated electrical stimulation of the sural nerve (assessment of temporal summation) and pain intensity after injection of hypertonic saline into the tibialis anterior muscle (assessment of muscle pain) were recorded. Results. Fentanyl 100 ”g, but not 50 ”g, produced analgesia to heat stimulation only at L2. Surprisingly, no effect at S1 was detected. Both fentanyl doses significantly increased temporal summation threshold and decreased muscle pain intensity. Conclusions. The findings suggest that a single lumbar epidural dose of fentanyl should be injected at the spinal interspace corresponding to the dermatomal site of pain. Increased effect on L2 compared with S1 suggests that drug effect on spinal nerve roots and binding to opioid receptors on the dorsal root ganglia may be more important than traditionally believed for the segmental effect of epidurally injected fentanyl. Epidural fentanyl increases temporal summation threshold and could therefore contribute to prevention and treatment of central hypersensitivity states. I.M. injection of hypertonic saline is a sensitive technique for detecting the analgesic action of epidural opioids. Br J Anaesth 2003; 90: 467-7
Optical frequency comb as a general-purpose and wide-band calibration source for astronomical high resolution infrared spectrographs
Guidelines for the study of subsidence triggered by hydrocarbon production
This study was carried out by the SEADOG Research Center at Politecnico di Torino (Italy). The purpose of this work was to evaluate which complexity degree would be required to reliably approach a subsidence study for different scenarios. The study was based on sensitivity analyses which were performed using a series of 3D synthetic numerical models of which the structural characteristics and geological and mechanical properties were based on available public data of onshore and offshore hydrocarbon fields in Italy. An array of simulations, both one-way and two-way coupled, were carried out to assess the magnitude and extension of subsidence potentially induced by hydrocarbon production. The results allowed the calculation of subsidence indices defined as the rate of compaction propagation (i.e., the ratio between the maximum surface displacement and the maximum reservoir compaction) and as the rate of volume loss (i.e. the ratio between the volume of the subsidence bowl or cone and the volume variation of the reservoir). These indices together with the degree of the underground systemsâ heterogeneity led to the definition of the Intact Rock Qualitative Subsidence Index (IRQSI), upon which the needed complexity degree of a subsidence study can be discerned
GIANO-TNG spectroscopy of red supergiants in the young star cluster RSGC3
The Scutum complex in the inner disk of the Galaxy has a number of young star
clusters dominated by red supergiants that are heavily obscured by dust
extinction and observable only at infrared wavelengths. These clusters are
important tracers of the recent star formation and chemical enrichment history
in the inner Galaxy. During the technical commissioning and as a first science
verification of the GIANO spectrograph at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, we
secured high-resolution (R=50,000) near-infrared spectra of five red
supergiants in the young Scutum cluster RSGC3. Taking advantage of the full
YJHK spectral coverage of GIANO in a single exposure, we were able to measure
several tens of atomic and molecular lines that were suitable for determining
chemical abundances. By means of spectral synthesis and line equivalent width
measurements, we obtained abundances of Fe and iron-peak elements such as Ni,
Cr, and Cu, alpha (O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti), other light elements (C, N, F, Na, Al,
and Sc), and some s-process elements (Y, Sr). We found average half-solar iron
abundances and solar-scaled [X/Fe] abundance patterns for most of the elements,
consistent with a thin-disk chemistry. We found depletion of [C/Fe] and
enhancement of [N/Fe], consistent with standard CN burning, and low 12C/13C
abundance ratios (between 9 and 11), which require extra-mixing processes in
the stellar interiors during the post-main sequence evolution. We also found
local standard of rest V(LSR)=106 km/s and heliocentric V(HEL)=90 km/s radial
velocities with a dispersion of 2.3 km/s. The inferred radial velocities,
abundances, and abundance patterns of RSGC3 are very similar to those
previously measured in the other two young clusters of the Scutum complex,
RSGC1 and RSGC2, suggesting a common kinematics and chemistry within the Scutum
complex
Rapid detection of intestinal carriage of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing KPC carbapenemase during an outbreak
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