The surgical point of view about persistent air leaks: prevention first

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Vena cava anomalies in thoracic surgery

Background: Vena cava anomalies are a rare group of anatomical variations due to an incorrect development of the superior or inferior vena cava during fetal life. They generally show no clinical relevance and the diagnosis is done due to the association with congenital heart diseases in most of cases. However, preoperative identification of these anomalies is mandatory for surgeons to proper surgical planning. If not recognized, lethal complications may occur, as already reported in literature. Case presentation: We report a case series of three different unidentified vena cava anomalies in patients undergoing lung resection. These unrecognized anomalies led to minor complications in two cases and required an accurate intraoperative evaluation in another. A careful retrospective evaluation of preoperative radiological images showed the anomalies. Conclusions: A careful evaluation of the vena cava anatomy at pre-operative imaging is mandatory for thoracic surgeons to properly plan the surgery and avoid complications

Monotone Abstractions in Ontology-Based Data Management

In Ontology-Based Data Management (OBDM), an abstraction of a source query q is a query over the ontology capturing the semantics of q in terms of the concepts and the relations available in the ontology. Since a perfect characterization of a source query may not exist, the notions of best sound and complete approximations of an abstraction have been introduced and studied in the typical OBDM context, i.e., in the case where the ontology is expressed in DL-Lite, and source queries are expressed as unions of conjunctive queries (UCQs). Interestingly, if we restrict our attention to abstractions expressed as UCQs, even best approximations of abstractions are not guaranteed to exist. Thus, a natural question to ask is whether such limitations affect even larger classes of queries. In this paper, we answer this fundamental question for an essential class of queries, namely the class of monotone queries. We define a monotone query language based on disjunctive Datalog enriched with an epistemic operator, and show that its expressive power suffices for expressing the best approximations of monotone abstractions of UCQs

How Soundtracks Shape What We See: Analyzing the Influence of Music on Visual Scenes Through Self-Assessment, Eye Tracking, and Pupillometry

This article presents two studies that deepen the theme of how soundtracks shape our interpretation of audiovisuals. Embracing a multivariate perspective, Study 1 (N = 118) demonstrated, through an online between-subjects experiment, that two different music scores (melancholic vs. anxious) deeply affected the interpretations of an unknown movie scene in terms of empathy felt toward the main character, impressions of his personality, plot anticipations, and perception of the environment of the scene. With the melancholic music, participants felt empathy toward the character, viewing him as more agreeable and introverted, more oriented to memories than to decisions, while perceiving the environment as cozier. An almost opposite pattern emerged with the anxious music. In Study 2 (N = 92), we replicated the experiment in our lab but with the addition of eye-tracking and pupillometric measurements. Results of Study 1 were largely replicated; moreover, we proved that the anxious score, by increasing the participants’ vigilance and state of alert (wider pupil dilation), favored greater attention to minor details, as in the case of another character who was very hard to be noticed (more time spent on his figure). Results highlight the pervasive nature of the influence of music within the process of interpretation of visual scenes

Case-specific parametric analysis as research-directing tool for analysis and design of GFRP-RC structures

This paper presents a parametric analysis of the ACI440 (2015) and AASHTO (2009) algorithms governing the flexural design of a one-way concrete member internally reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. The influence of specific design parameters on the required amount of reinforcement is investigated. The aim is to identify variables and requirements governing the design of a large-section GFRP reinforced concrete (RC) member. The member considered for this case-specific analysis is the reinforced concrete pile cap of the Halls River Bridge (Homosassa, FL), which is deemed representative of large-section GFRP-RC members operating as bent caps in short-span bridges. The influence of four critical parameters on the required amount of reinforcement is assessed. Salient analysis and design implications are discussed with respect to creep and fatigue rupture stress limits, minimum amount of flexural reinforcement, and applicable strength reduction factors. The outcomes of the parametric analysis highlight an untapped potential to reduce the required amount of reinforcement, and prioritize research areas to advance the development of rational design algorithms. Cyclic fatigue and creep rupture are identified as governing mechanisms

A Review of Radioactive Wastes Production and Potential Environmental Releases at Experimental Nuclear Fusion Facilities

The development of experimental nuclear fusion facilities and the systems connected to them currently involves the operation (or advanced design) of some large plants in the national territory. Devices such as neutron generators and plasma focus systems are also included. The machines developed to test the main components of these systems such as neutral beam generators (Neutral Beam Injector) and the experimental plants for thermonuclear fusion, mainly in the Tokamak configuration (toroidal geometry), are in the list. These applications are characterized by high neutron fluxes of high energy (typically 2.5 and 14 MeV from deuterium-deuterium and deuterium-tritium fusion reactions, respectively). They involve the production of radionuclides in the components of the machines and in the fluids used for targets' cooling and in the primary containments. In many cases, the atmosphere of the rooms containing these structures is activated and may be affected by the dispersion of powders that are more or less radioactive. The present work addresses the issues mentioned so far, taking into consideration the real cases relating to the devices and the facilities in operation, under construction, and in the advanced design phase. The conclusions highlight the critical aspects related to the management of these types of waste, as well as the low or very low environmental impact, from a radiological point of view, of the examined facilities