BIOMASS EXPLOITATION FOR ENERGY SUPPLY AND QUALITY COMPOST PRODUCTION. AN EXEMPLARY CASE OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN THE NORTH EAST OF ITALY

The goal 12 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development takes into consideration the responsible consumption and production in the perspective of circular economy. The agri-food sector is more actively involved in these initiatives, because it offers the possibility to exploit waste and by-products, by adopting suitable biotechnologies. Such processes can be carried out either under aerobic conditions, for the production of compost, or anaerobically, for the production of biogas. In this work the case of a plant managed by Desag Ecologia, located in the municipality of Sedegliano, in the North-East of Italy, is presented. The plant started up in June 2016. Its main activity consists in exploitation of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and urban forestry green waste coming from separate waste collection. The basin of provenance of collected materials consists not only of the province of Udine, but also of other areas of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region and other northern Italian regions. The plant ensures the production of both biogas (used in a cogeneration installation for producing electricity and heat) and quality compost, which can be used in agriculture, after submission to physico-chemical analyses to verify the end-of-waste status. In this way, the reduction of waste disposal in landfill is ensured. Thermal energy is partially recovered for the production of hot water to heat the anaerobic digester, the leachate collection tank and the plant rooms. Approximately 10% of electricity is self-consumed for the needs of the anaerobic facility, the remaining amount is fed straight into the public electricity network

La Diagnosi Infermieristica: II. La Formulazione della Diagnosi Infermieristica

La diagnosi infermieristica, seconda fase del processo infermieristico, è un giudizio clinico riguardante le risposte della persona, della famiglia o della comunità a problemi di salute/processi vitali attuali o potenziali. Essa costituisce la base sulla quale scegliere gli interventi infermieristici volti a raggiungere dei risultati di cui l'infermiere è responsabile. La diagnosi infermieristica esprime il giudizio professionale sulle condizioni del paziente, sulle sue risposte ai trattamenti ricevuti e sulle necessità di assistenza infermieristica. La NANDA propone tre modelli di diagnosi: reali, di rischio, di benessere. La struttura della diagnosi infermieristica si compone di tre elementi utili essenzialmente per l'adozione di un linguaggio infermieristico condiviso. Per questo motivo è usata una terminologia specifica per diagnosticare in modo infermieristico. Gli elementi componenti sono tre: titolo, caratteristiche definenti, fattori correlati. Il titolo deve "qualifcare" la tipologia del problema; le caratteristiche definenti sono l'equivalente dei segni e dei sintomi soggettivi ed oggettivi presenti in relazione ad una determinata diagnosi; i fattori correlati sono in pratica le cause, i fattori eziologici che determinano una certa situazione; si possono raggruppare in quattro categorie: fisiopatologici, situazionali, fasi maturative, trattamenti. Il caso clinico suggerito prevede l'individuazione delle diagnosi infermieristiche evidenziate dai dati raccolti, sempre secondo la metodologia di Carpenito

La raccolta dati per la diagnosi infermieristica

Abstract non disponibil

Controller Synthesis for Timeline-based Games

In the timeline-based approach to planning, originally born in the space sector, the evolution over time of a set of state variables (the timelines) is governed by a set of temporal constraints. Traditional timeline-based planning systems excel at the integration of planning with execution by handling temporal uncertainty. In order to handle general nondeterminism as well, the concept of timeline-based games has been recently introduced. It has been proved that finding whether a winning strategy exists for such games is 2EXPTIME-complete. However, a concrete approach to synthesize controllers implementing such strategies is missing. This paper fills this gap, outlining an approach to controller synthesis for timeline-based games

On hyperbolicity of SU(2)-equivariant, punctured disc bundles over the complex affine quadric

Given a holomorphic line bundle over the complex affine quadric $Q^2$, we investigate its Stein, SU(2)-equivariant disc bundles. Up to equivariant biholomorphism, these are all contained in a maximal one, say $\Omega_{max}$. By removing the zero section to $\Omega_{max}$ one obtains the unique Stein, SU(2)-equivariant, punctured disc bundle over $Q^2$ which contains entire curves. All other such punctured disc bundles are shown to be Kobayashi hyperbolic.Comment: 15 pages, v2: minor changes, to appear in Transformation Group

MIBG detection of hepatic neuroblastoma: Correlation with CT, US and surgical findings

Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) imaging is used in the diagnosis, staging and follow-up of virtually every case of neuroblastoma seen at our institution. Normal sites of MIBG uptake include the liver and therefore difficulties have been predicted and encountered in the diagnosis of hepatic neuroblastoma due to inability to separate abnormally increased tracer deposition from normal hepatic activity. We reviewed every MIBG (I 123 and I 131 ) study performed at our pediatric hospital over a 4 year period encompassing 88 patients, 67 of whom had biopsy proven neuroblastoma. Hepatic findings on MIBG studies were compared with concurrent abdominal CT and US studies in all 67 patients. The clinical records of all patients with abnormal MIBG scans or abnormal CT or US studies of the liver were also reviewed. Eight patients were found to have abnormal liver findings on one or more imaging studies (MIBG, CT, or US). There were 3 true positive MIBG studies, one of which was an early study in a patient who later went on to have one of the false positive studies. Two patients had false positive MIBG scans for liver neuroblastoma. MIBG failed to detect liver involvement in 4 patients.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46701/1/247_2005_Article_BF02010914.pd

Systemic perfusion: a method of enhancing relative tumor uptake of radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies

We evaluated the feasibility of systemic vascular perfusion with saline (mimicking plasmapheresis) as a method to enhance tumor-specific monoclonal antibody (MoAb) tumor/background ratios. Initially, groups of rats were injected intravenously (i.v.) with 131I-5G6.4 MoAb (murine IgG2aK reactive with ovarian carcinoma). These animal's radioactivity levels were determined by dose calibrator and they were imaged before and after perfusion which was conducted at 4 or 24 h post-antibody injection. Animals were sacrificed after perfusion, as were controls, and normal organ radioactivity levels determined. In addition, nude mice bearing HTB77 ovarian cancers subcutaneously were injected i.v. with 131I-5G6.4 MoAb and were imaged before and after systemic perfusion with saline 24 h post-5G6.4 injection. Perfusion in rats dropped whole-body 5G6.4 levels significantly at both perfusion times (P P P < 0.05). These studies show that (1) much background antibody radioactivity can be removed using whole-body perfusion with saline, (2) that the decline in whole body activity is larger with 4 than 24 h perfusion and (3) tumor imaging can be enhanced by this approach. This and similar approaches that increase relative tumor antibody uptake such as plasmapheresis may be useful in imaging and therapy with radiolabeled antibodies.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/27583/1/0000627.pd

The intraperitoneal delivery of radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies: studies on the regional delivery advantage

The i.p. delivery of murine monoclonal antibody was compared with i.v. delivery in normal mice and rats, in normal nude mice and in those with i.p. human ovarian carcinoma xenografts. In normal rats, all classes of antibodies and antibody fragments evaluated were cleared from the peritoneal cavity at comparable rates. The regional delivery (Rd 1 ) advantage to the peritoneal cavity following i.p. delivery was thus most dependent on the rate of clearance of the antibody or fragment from the blood stream. Determining the exact i.p. delivery advantage was problematic due to the difficulty in reliably obtaining peritoneal fluid later than 9–10 h after i.p. injection in normal animals. During the first 9 h following i.p. injection, the Rd(0–9/0–9) was, for a murine IgG2ak Fab>F(ab′) 2 >IgG (at 13.6>10>7.9). Two murine IgMs evaluated differed in Rd(0–9) at 27.1 and 9.2 respectively. When blood levels were extrapolated to infinity, these Rd (0–9/∞) values were considerably lower with the Fab having the highest Rd at 4.67. The i.p. Rd advantage was almost solely due to the i.p. antibody levels seen in the first 24 h after injection, as after that time, blood levels become comparable to those seen following i.v. injection. Normal tissues obtained at sacrifice 5–7 days after i.p. injection. Normal tissues obtained at sacrifice 5–7 days after i.p. or i.v. injection in rats showed comparable levels of radioantibody activity, whether the injection was i.p. or i.v. (except for higher diaphragmatic levels following i.p. delivery). In nude mice with i.p. human-derived ovarian tumors, intact IgG clearance from the peritoneal cavity to the blood was considerably slower than in normal animals, and early i.p. tumor uptake of specific antibody was significantly higher than that following i.v. antibody delivery. With higher early tumor uptake and lower systemic exposure, early tumor/nontumor ratios were significantly greater than those for i.v. delivery, though not beyond 48 h after i.p. injection. This study demonstrates the pharmacokinetic rationale for i.p. monoclonal antibody delivery, especially for agents cleared rapidly from the blood, such as antibody fragments. In addition, definite i.p. delivery benefit for antibody specific to i.p. tumors in the i.p. ovarian cancer system was shown soon after injection. These data regarding i.p. antibody delivery should be useful in rationally planning diagnostic and therapeutic studies involving the i.p. delivery of unmodified and immunoconjugated monoclonal antibodies.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46854/1/262_2004_Article_BF00199929.pd

Multi-centre phase II clinical trial of yttrium-90 resin microspheres alone in unresectable, chemotherapy refractory colorectal liver metastases

Background:This multi-centre phase II clinical trial is the first prospective evaluation of radioembolisation of patients with colorectal liver metastases (mCRC) who failed previous oxaliplatin-and irinotecan-based systemic chemotherapy regimens.Methods:Eligible patients had adequate hepatic, haemopoietic and renal function, and an absence of major hepatic vascular anomalies and hepato-pulmonary shunting. Gastroduodenal and right gastric arteries were embolised before hepatic arterial administration of yttrium-90 resin microspheres (median activity, 1.7 GBq; range, 0.9-2.2).Results:Of 50 eligible patients, 38 (76%) had received 654 lines of chemotherapy. Most presented with synchronous disease (72%), <4 hepatic metastases (58%), 25-50% replacement of total liver volume (60%) and bilateral spread (70%). Early and intermediate (<48 h) WHO G1-2 adverse events (mostly fever and pain) were observed in 16 and 22% of patients respectively. Two died due to renal failure at 40 days or liver failure at 60 days respectively. By intention-to-treat analysis using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours, 1 patient (2%) had a complete response, 11 (22%) partial response, 12 (24%) stable disease, 22 (44%) progressive disease; 4 (8%) were non-evaluable. Median overall survival was 12.6 months (95% CI, 7.0-18.3); 2-year survival was 19.6%.Conclusion: Radioembolisation produced meaningful response and disease stabilisation in patients with advanced, unresectable and chemorefractory mCRC. \ua9 2010 Cancer Research UK All rights reserved

131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) therapy for residual neuroblastoma: a mono-institutional experience with 43 patients

Incomplete response to therapy may compromise the outcome of children with advanced neuroblastoma. In an attempt to improve tumour response we incorporated 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) in the treatment regimens of selected stage 3 and stage 4 patients. Between 1986 and 1997, 43 neuroblastoma patients older than 1 year at diagnosis, 13 with stage 3 (group A) and 30 with stage 4 disease (group B) who had completed the first-line protocol without achieving complete response entered in this study. 131I-MIBG dose/course ranged from 2.5 to 5.5 Gbq (median, 3.7). The number of courses ranged from 1 to 5 (median 3) depending on the tumour response and toxicity. The most common acute side-effect was thrombocytopenia. Later side-effects included severe interstitial pneumonia in one patient, acute myeloid leukaemia in two, reduced thyroid reserve in 21. Complete response was documented in one stage 4 patient, partial response in 12 (two stage 3, 10 stage 4), mixed or no response in 25 (ten stage 3, 15 stage 4) and disease progression in five (one stage 3, four stage 4) Twenty-four patients (12/13 stage 3, 12/30 stage 4) are alive at 22–153 months (median, 59) from diagnosis. 131I-MIBG therapy may increase the cure rate of stage 3 and improve the response of stage 4 neuroblastoma patients with residual disease after first-line therapy. A larger number of patients should be treated to confirm these results but logistic problems hamper prospective and coordinated studies. Long-term toxicity can be severe. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig