Magnetic manipulation of superparamagnetic colloids in droplet-based optical devices

Magnetically assembled superparamagnetic colloids have been exploited as fluid mixers, swimmers and delivery systems in several microscale applications. The encapsulation of such colloids in droplets may open new opportunities to build magnetically controlled displays and optical components. Here, we study the assembly of superparamagnetic colloids inside droplets under rotating magnetic fields and exploit this phenomenon to create functional optical devices. Colloids are encapsulated in monodisperse droplets produced by microfluidics and magnetically assembled into dynamic two-dimensional clusters. Using an optical microscope equipped with a magnetic control setup, we investigate the effect of the magnetic field strength and rotational frequency on the size, stability and dynamics of 2D colloidal clusters inside droplets. Our results show that cluster size and stability depend on the magnetic forces acting on the structure under the externally imposed field. By rotating the cluster in specific orientations, we illustrate how magnetic fields can be used to control the effective refractive index and the transmission of light through the colloid-laden droplets, thus demonstrating the potential of the encapsulated colloids in optical applications

A Business Process Reengineering of the Surgical Path through Lean Technique: The Real Case Study of a Midsize Italian Hospital

This period of pandemic has had important consequences on the flow and the entire organization of any hospital. In particular, the number of accesses to the emergency room has increased, with the consequent urgent need to reorgani ze it quickly. The model proposed in this paper allows to respond to these needs by freeing not only shifts of nursing staff but also surgical staff. This workforce can then be relocated in the emergency room or of the intensive care unit who are in fact at the forefront of emergency management. The aim of this study conducted by the authors is to analyze, inside the context of a midsize Italian hospital, the actual organization model, and then to approach it by Business Process Reengineering (BPR) methodology with the goal to propose a KPI management system that evaluates the efficiency of the whole surgical path. The second objective of the study is to verify if the Operating Rooms (ORs) are properly sized to cover the surgical workload or if it would be necessary to build new ORs (answer to this question is the project mandate by Surgical Wards Chiefs). The last objective is to implement a flexible to cope with emergency situations such as a pandemic. The main result is the approximate maintenance of surgical annual activity (8169 vs 7889). The fewer resources required can be reallocated to deal with emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the surgical shifts decreased during the test case from 464 versus 365 (-15,32%). The rooms’ utilization coefficient rose from 41% to over 52%, whereas the surgeons’ utilization coefficient rose to 61% (with values over 68% for parallel shifts). The results achieved demonstrate that improving efficiency of surgical processes is feasible and a systematic approach allows to respond to new global health challenges

The Treiman-Yang Criterion: validating the Trojan Horse Method by experimentally probing the reaction mechanism

Proper selection of the quasi-free (QF) break-up channel in a three-body reaction is a key aspect for the applicability of the Trojan Horse Method (THM). The Treiman-Yang (TY) Criterion is a model-independent experimental test for the dominance of the QF mechanism, and hence constitutes one of the strongest validity tests of the THM. An experiment was performed at LNS to apply the test to the d(10B, 7Be α)n reaction. Here, the criterion is described and some preliminary data from the experiment are shown

Cyclic nucleotide-dependent relaxation in human umbilical vessels

Umbilical vessels have a low sensitivity to dilate, and this property is speculated to have physiological implications. We aimed to investigate the different relaxing responses of human umbilical arteries (HUAs) and veins (HUVs) to agonists acting through the cAMP and cGMP pathways. Vascular rings were suspended in organ baths for isometric force measurement. Following precontraction with the thromboxane prostanoid (TP) receptor agonist U44069, concentration-response curves to the nitric oxide (NO) donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP), the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator BAY 41-2272, the adenylate cyclase (AC) activator forskolin, the \u3b2-adrenergic receptor agonists isoproterenol (ADRB1), salmeterol (ADRB2), and BRL37344 (ADRB3), and the phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors milrinone (PDE3), rolipram (PDE4), and sildenafil (PDE5) were performed. None of the tested drugs induced a relaxation higher than 30% of the U44069-induced tone. Rings from HUAs and HUVs showed a similar relaxation to forskolin, SNP, PDE inhibitors, and ADRB agonists. BAY 41-2272 was significantly more efficient in relaxing veins than arteries. ADRB agonists evoked weak relaxations (< 20%), which were impaired in endothelium-removed vessels or in the presence of the NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME, sGC inhibitor ODQ. PKA and PKG inhibitors impaired ADBR1-mediated relaxation but did not affect ADRB2-mediated relaxation. ADRB3-mediated relaxation was impaired by PKG inhibition in HUAs and by PKA inhibition in HUVs. Although HUA and HUV rings were relaxed by BRL37344, immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR analysis showed that, compared to ADRB1 and ADRB2, ADRB3 receptors are weakly or not expressed in umbilical vessels. In conclusion, our study confirmed the low relaxing capacity of HUAs and HUVs from term infants. ADRB-induced relaxation is partially mediated by endothelium-derived NO pathway in human umbilical vessels

Introduction of the new LUNA experimental setup for high precision measurement of the 13

The 13C(α,n)16O reaction is the prevalent neutron source for the main s-process. The direct measurement of this reaction at stellar temperature (kT=8 keV) has so far not been possible due to the very low cross section at the corresponding energy. The extrapolation of the astrophysical S-factor of this reaction into the Gamow window (Eα,c.m.=140-230 keV) is complicated by the large uncertainties of the low-energy experimental data and the existence of a state of 17O near the α-threshold that can have a large effect on low energy cross section. The aim of this paper is to introduce the new LUNA experimental setup, dedicated to the investigation of 13C(α,n)16O reaction below Eα,lab=400 keV

Indirect Study of the 16O+16O Fusion Reaction Toward Stellar Energies by the Trojan Horse Method

The 16 O+ 16 O fusion reaction is important in terms of the explosive oxygen burning process during late evolution stage of massive stars as well as understanding of the mechanism of low-energy heavy-ion fusion reactions. We aim to determine the excitation function for the most major exit channels, α + 28 Si and p + 31 P, toward stellar energies indirectly by the Trojan Horse Method via the 16 O( 20 Ne , α 28 Si) α and 16 O( 20 Ne , p 31 P) α three-body reactions. We report preliminary results involving reaction identification, and determination of the momentum distribution of α - 16 O intercluster motion in the projectile 20 Ne nucleus

Theranostic body fluid cleansing: rationally designed magnetic particles enable capturing and detection of bacterial pathogens

We report on theoretical and experimental considerations on bacteria capturing and enrichment via magnetic separation enabling integrated diagnosis and treatment of blood stream infections. We show optimization of carrier-pathogen interactions based on a mathematical model followed by an experimental proof-of-concept study along with investigations on the process safety

Serum Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Time to Natural Pregnancy

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether natural fertility is related to serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-vitamin D) levels. Methods: A nested case-control study was designed from a prospective cohort of pregnant women undergoing first trimester screening for aneuploidies. Cases included women seeking pregnancy for 12-24 months. Controls were the subsequent age-matched women conceiving in less than 1 year. We excluded women aged 6540 or <18 years, those assuming supplementary products that included vitamin D before or during pregnancy, those with irregular menstrual cycles or known causes of subfertility, those conceiving through assisted reproductive techniques or requiring ovarian stimulation and those who were overweight or obese. A quantitative detection of serum 25-OH-vitamin D and patients' interview were performed. Results: Seventy-three cases and 73 matched controls were selected. The mean \ub1 SD serum 25-OH-vitamin D was 21.2 \ub1 6.8 and 19.7 \ub1 7.3 ng/ml, respectively (p = 0.16). The number (%) of women with serum levels <20 ng/ml (vitamin D insufficiency) was 34 (47%) and 37 (51%), respectively (p = 0.73). The adjusted OR of longer time to pregnancy in women with vitamin D insufficiency was 0.84 (95% CI 0.42-1.66). Conclusions: Our study does not support a crucial role of 25-OH-vitamin D in natural fertility

Search for muon-neutrino emission from GeV and TeV gamma-ray flaring blazars using five years of data of the ANTARES telescope

The ANTARES telescope is well-suited for detecting astrophysical transient neutrino sources as it can observe a full hemisphere of the sky at all times with a high duty cycle. The background due to atmospheric particles can be drastically reduced, and the point-source sensitivity improved, by selecting a narrow time window around possible neutrino production periods. Blazars, being radio-loud active galactic nuclei with their jets pointing almost directly towards the observer, are particularly attractive potential neutrino point sources, since they are among the most likely sources of the very high-energy cosmic rays. Neutrinos and gamma rays may be produced in hadronic interactions with the surrounding medium. Moreover, blazars generally show high time variability in their light curves at different wavelengths and on various time scales. This paper presents a time-dependent analysis applied to a selection of flaring gamma-ray blazars observed by the FERMI/LAT experiment and by TeV Cherenkov telescopes using five years of ANTARES data taken from 2008 to 2012. The results are compatible with fluctuations of the background. Upper limits on the neutrino fluence have been produced and compared to the measured gamma-ray spectral energy distribution.Comment: 27 pages, 16 figure

La completezza della documentazione sanitaria: ruolo dei Link Professional nel miglioramento continuo

INTRODUZIONE \u2013 premesse e scopo dello studio: La completezza della Cartella Clinica (CC) \ue8 un indicatore della qualit\ue0 delle cure erogate, per questo la valutazione regolare del contenuto rientra nelle attivit\ue0 di miglioramento continuo. Scopo di questo studio \ue8 valutare se il coinvolgimento e la formazione specifica di professionisti gi\ue0 impegnati nell\u2019attivit\ue0 assistenziale e clinica abbia un effetto sulla completezza della CC introdotta presso le due Strutture Operative Complesse (Medicina Fisica e Unit\ue0 Spinale, Medicina Fisica e Unit\ue0 delle Gravi Cerebro-lesioni acquisite) del Dipartimento Medicina Fisica e Riabilitazione (IMFR) di Udine. MATERIALI E METODI: Nel dicembre 2017 \ue8 stata adottata dall\u2019IMFR una nuova CC integrata multidisciplinare e ne \ue8 stato valutato l\u2019impatto in termini di completezza a gennaio 2018 (T0). Contestualmente sono stati formati sulla corretta compilazione della CC 17 link professional che, fungendo da raccordo tra i colleghi operatori e direzione ospedaliera, nelle settimane successive hanno promosso incontri periodici di formazione e approfondimento sul tema coinvolgendo tutto il personale sanitario. La completezza della CC \ue8 stata rivalutata a maggio 2018 (T1), a valle degli incontri formativi. Le misurazioni sono state effettuate mediante valutazione da parte dei link professional su 38 CC (20 a T0 ed 18 a T1) di pazienti in ricovero ordinario, utilizzando la medesima griglia composta da 10 sezioni, articolate in 59 voci. Per valutare l\u2019eventuale miglioramento \ue8 stata calcolata la completezza complessiva e la differenza tra T0 e T1 (\uf044T1-T0) in termini percentuali ed \ue8 stata effettuata una verifica del test d\u2019ipotesi con \uf0632. RISULTATI: La completezza complessiva della CC delle due strutture \ue8 aumentata significativamente (p<0,01), passando dal 62% (T0) all\u201980% (T1). A T1 \ue8 stata raggiunta, con un miglioramento significativo (p<0,01), una completezza pari al 100% nella sezione consensi (\uf044=29%), al 98% nella valutazione riabilitativa (\uf044=20%), al 92% nella lettera di dimissione (\uf044=29%), all\u201985% nella valutazione infermieristica (\uf044=13%), all\u201982% nel progetto riabilitativo individuale (\uf044=24%), al 74% nel piano integrato di cura (\uf044=15%) e al 77% nella grafica e scheda terapia (\uf044=34%). Un miglioramento, anche se non significativo, \ue8 stato registrato nelle rimanenti sezioni: valutazione medica (completezza: 82%, \uf044=6%), diario integrato (65%, \uf044=17%) e varie (64%, \uf044=8%). CONCLUSIONI: Il modello adottato si \ue8 dimostrato efficace nel supportare il processo di miglioramento della completezza della cartella clinica