Brief Communication: A low-cost Arduino®-based wire extensometer for earth flow monitoring

Abstract. Continuous monitoring of earth flow displacement is essential for the understanding of the dynamic of the process, its ongoing evolution and designing mitigation measures. Despite its importance, it is not always applied due to its expense and the need for integration with additional sensors to monitor factors controlling movement. To overcome these problems, we developed and tested a low-cost Arduino-based wire-rail extensometer integrating a data logger, a power system and multiple digital and analog inputs. The system is equipped with a high-precision position transducer that in the test configuration offers a measuring range of 1023 mm and an associated accuracy of ±1 mm, and integrates an operating temperature sensor that should allow potential thermal drift that typically affects this kind of systems to be identified and corrected. A field test, conducted at the Pietrafitta earth flow where additional monitoring systems had been installed, indicates a high reliability of the measurement and a high monitoring stability without visible thermal drift

Visual snow: A neuro-ophthalmic syndrome

Background: The visual snow syndrome (VSS) is a rare disease characterized by persistent positive visual phenomena that are enigmatic and may be underestimated. It manifests as the perception of tiny, simultaneous, diffuse, and mobile dots frequently throughout the visual field. Although it affects brain networks, ocular examination is also indicated. This paper was aimed to review recent studies on VSS to identify the best clinical approach. Methods: In this narrative review, PubMed/Medline, Directory of Open Access Journals, and Embase were searched using the following terms: “Visual snow”, “Persistent aura”, “Persistent positive visual phenomena”, “Visual aura”, “Migraine”, “TV static”, “Migraine aura status”, and “Visual disturbance”. We searched relevant publications from January 2014 to January 2021 to find the best clinical approach. Results: VSS may be reconstituted as a distinct entity, although the symptoms may be consistent with typical migraine visual aura. For approximately two-thirds of patients, symptoms worsen and reduce their ability for activities of daily living. It often causes psychogenic detriment of the patient and their capacity to function socially and vocationally. Comprehensive history-taking and ocular examination are required to rule out other causes. However, all ocular and radiological findings may be normal. Conclusions: VSS is a neuro-ophthalmic disorder characterized by continuous chronic and recurrent visual disturbances that involve the entire visual field and may respond to empiric antimigraine or anti-seizure treatments. It may reduce the ability for activities of daily living; therefore, proper diagnosis by eye care professionals is necessary to determine its diagnosis and management

Modelling the effect of SMP production and external carbon addition on S-driven autotrophic denitrification

The aim of this study was to develop a mathematical model to assess the effect of soluble microbial products production and external carbon source addition on the performance of a sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (SdAD) process. During SdAD, the growth of autotrophic biomass (AUT) was accompanied by the proliferation of heterotrophic biomass mainly consisting of heterotrophic denitrifiers (HD) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), which are able to grow on both the SMP derived from the microbial activities and on an external carbon source. The process was supposed to occur in a sequencing batch reactor to investigate the effects of the COD injection on both heterotrophic species and to enhance the production and consumption of SMP. The mathematical model was built on mass balance considerations and consists of a system of nonlinear impulsive differential equations, which have been solved numerically. Different simulation scenarios have been investigated by varying the main operational parameters: cycle duration, day of COD injection and quantity of COD injected. For cycle durations of more than 15 days and a COD injection after the half-cycle duration, SdAD represents the prevailing process and the SRB represent the main heterotrophic family. For shorter cycle duration and COD injections earlier than the middle of the cycle, the same performance can be achieved increasing the quantity of COD added, which results in an increased activity of HD. In all the performed simulation even in the case of COD addition, AUT remain the prevailing microbial family in the reactor

A web-based health technology assessment in tele-echocardiography: the experience within an Italian project

Due to major advances in the information technology, telemedicine applications are ready for a widespread use. Nonetheless, to allow their diffusion in National Health Care Systems (NHCSs) specific methodologies of health technology assessment (HTA ) should be used to assess the standardization, the overall quality, the interoperability, the addressing to legal, economic and cost benefit aspects. One of the limits to the diffusion of the digital tele-echocardiography (T-E) applications in the NHCS lacking of a specific methodology for the HTA . In the present study, a solution offering a structured HTA of T-E products was designed. The methodology assured also the definition of standardized quality levels for the application. The first level represents the minimum level of acceptance; the other levels are accessory levels useful for a more accurate assessment of the product. The methodology showed to be useful to rationalize the process of standardization and has received a high degree of acceptance by the subjects involved in the study.Grazie ai grandi progressi nell\u27information technology le applicazioni di telemedicina sono mature per un uso diffuso. Tuttavia per permettere la loro introduzione nel sistema sanitario nazionale devono essere utilizzate specifiche metodologie di health technology assessment (HTA ) per valutare il grado di standardizzazione, la qualit? totale, l\u27interoperabilit?, il rispetto dei requisiti legali ed economici e il rapporto costo-beneficio. Con riferimento alla tele-ecocardiografia digitale uno dei limiti ? la mancanza di una specifica metodologia di HTA . Nel presente studio, ? stata proposta una soluzione che offre un HTA strutturato di prodotti di tele-ecocardiografia (T-E) digitale. La metodologia ha assicurato anche la definizione di livelli standardizzati di qualit? per l\u27applicazione. Il primo livello rappresenta il livello minimo di accettazione; gli altri livelli riguardano aspetti accessori e sono utili per una pi? accurata valutazione del prodotto. La metodologia si ? mostrata di utilit? per razionalizzare il processo di standardizzazione ed ha ricevuto un elevato grado di accettazione dei soggetti coinvolti

1H‐NMR metabolomic profiling of the crayfish Astacus leptodactylus subjected to polyphenol‐enriched diets

1H-NMR analysis of the hepatopancreas, muscle and haemolymph of Astacus leptodactylus after feeding with polyphenol-enriched diet is reported. 1H-NMR spectra of lipophilic extracts showed the presence of cholesterol, fatty acid residues, phospholipids and triglycerides. 1H-NMR spectra of aqueous extracts identified 35 metabolites in the hepatopancreas, 31 in the muscle and 22 in the haemolymph. A total of 20 metabolites (amino acids and their derivatives) were present in the hepatopancreas, the muscle and the haemolymph. A total of 10 metabolites were present in both the hepatopancreas and the muscle (five amino acids, 2-hydroxybutyrate, choline, myo-inositol, glycogen and uracil). 2-Hydroxyisobutyrate and creatine were present in both the hepatopancreas and the haemolymph. Phosphorylethanolamine, phosphocholine and fumarate were present only in the hepatopancreas and isoleucine only in the muscle. Statistical analysis showed that the percentage of weight gain was statistically higher in polyphenol-enriched diet groups compared to the control and that polyphenols had a stimulating effect on the general metabolism. No stress-related metabolites were higher in crayfish fed with polyphenol-enriched diet. Conversely, phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and DHA, linked to resistance to environmental stress and diseases, were higher compared to the control diet. This study indicates that 1H-NMR is a useful tool to study the metabolomics in relation to diet differences

Izračun izračene snage iz rezulata mjerenja u bliskom polju dobivenih metodom uzorkovanja na planarnoj širokoj mreži

A full procedure is developed in this paper for evaluating the power radiated by an antenna under test from a nonredundant number of near-field measurements collected by the innovative planar wide-mesh scanning. It can be applied for the antenna directivity evaluation whenever the power radiated by the antenna in the backward half-space is negligible. Such a procedure makes use of a closed form formula for computing the total radiated power from the knowledge of the radiation intensity samples on the far-field sphere. These samples are determined via a probe compensated near-field — far-field transformation. An optimal sampling interpolation formula is also used for their evaluation. The effectiveness of the proposed procedure is assessed by numerical simulations.U radu je razvijena potpuna procedura za izračun snage koju zrači ispitna antena. Procedura je zasnovana na neredundantnim mjerenjima u bliskom polju na osnovi inovativnog uzorkovanja na planarnoj širokoj mreži. Metoda se može primijeniti za odredivanje usmjerenosti antene u slučajevima kada je zračenje u stražnji poluprostor zanemarivo. Metoda se zasniva na uporabi izraza za izračun ukupne izračene snage preko poznavanja izračene gustoće snage uzorkovane na sferi u dalekom polju. Ti uzorci su odredeni primjenom transformacije iz bliskog polja (kompeziranog zbog utjecaja mjerne sonde) u daleko polje. U predloženoj metodi takoder je rabljena optimalna interpolacijska formula za uzorkovanje. Efikasnost predložene metode razmatrana je numeričkim simulacijama

NTRK Gene Fusions in Solid Tumors and TRK Inhibitors: A Systematic Review of Case Reports and Case Series

The approval of larotrectinib and entrectinib for cancer patients harboring an NTRK gene fusion has represented a milestone in the era of "histology-agnostic" drugs. Among the clinical trials that led to the approval of these two drugs, most of the enrolled patients were affected by soft tissue sarcomas, lung, and salivary gland cancer. However, as next-generation sequencing assays are increasingly available in the clinical setting, health care professionals may be able to detect NTRK gene fusions in patients affected by tumor types under or not represented in the clinical trials. To this aim, we systematically reviewed MEDLINE from its inception to 31 August 2022 for case reports and case series on patients with NTRK gene fusion-positive tumors treated with TRK inhibitors. A virtual cohort of 43 patients was created, excluding those enrolled in the above-mentioned clinical trials. Although our results align with those existing in the literature, various cases of central nervous system tumors were registered in our cohort, confirming the benefit of these agents in this subgroup of patients. Large, multi-institutional registries are needed to provide more information about the efficacy of TRK inhibitors in cancer patients affected by tumor types under or not represented in the clinical trials

Peeling chimici: linee guida

[No abstract available