MONITORING AND FORECAST SERVICE FOR ICE FORMATION OVER MOUNTAIN ROAD SURFACE

The Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Piedmont (Italy) has been provided with a set of products for the monitoring and the forecast of ice formation over the road surface. To get used with the system, the first step has been a thermal mapping of about 100 kilometres of the principal roads, split in three homogeneous climatic areas. The thermal mapping has allowed to identify which sections were relatively warmer and colder compared to the average, and therefore those representative of that particular climatic domain. As a result of that, the next integration with the forecast system has allowed to extend punctual forecast of temperature and of road surface conditions to all the road stretch. This monitoring and forecast temperature and road surface conditions constitutes a Service that reveals itself to be of great importance for a good and careful management of road surface conditions during the winter period

Verifica di congruità di dati geografici tramite un sistema basato su regole

Fornire una applicazione in grado di effettuare delle operazioni di collaudo e di analisi su mappe vettoriali attraverso un sistema basato su regole scritte in linguaggio naturale e verificate in modalità batch

Simultaneous Papillary Carcinoma in Thyroglossal Duct Cyst and Thyroid

Thyroglossal duct cyst (TDC) is a cystic expansion of a remnant of the thyroglossal duct tract. Carcinomas in the TDC are extremely rare and are usually an incidental finding after the Sistrunk procedure. In this report, an unusual case of a 36-year-old woman with concurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma arising in the TDC and on the thyroid gland is presented, followed by a discussion of the controversies surrounding the possible origins of a papillary carcinoma in the TDC, as well as the current management options

Effects of Melatonin on Glycemic Variability in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Protocol for a Crossover, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

BackgroundGlycemic variability is recognized as a significant factor contributing to the development of micro- and macrovascular complications in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Numerous studies have shown that melatonin, a hormone involved in regulating various biological rhythms, including those related to glucose regulation, such as hunger, satiety, sleep, and circadian hormone secretion (ie, cortisol, growth hormone, catecholamines, and insulin), is deficient in individuals with T2DM. This raises an important question: Could melatonin replacement potentially reduce glycemic variability in these patients? This warrants investigation as a novel approach to improving glycemic control and reducing the risk of complications associated with T2DM. ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate whether melatonin replacement in individuals with T2DM who supposedly have melatonin deficiency can positively impact the regulation of insulin secretion rhythms and improve insulin sensitivity, ultimately resulting in a reduction in glycemic variability. MethodsThis study will use a crossover, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial design. Patients with T2DM in group 1 will receive 3 mg of melatonin at 9:00 PM in the first week, undergo a washout period in the second week, and receive a placebo in the third week (melatonin-washout-placebo). Group 2 will be randomized to receive a placebo-washout-melatonin sequence (3 mg). Capillary blood glucose levels will be measured at 6 different times before and after meals during the last 3 days of the first and third weeks. The study aims to compare the mean differences in blood glucose levels and the coefficient of glycemic variability in patients receiving melatonin and placebo during the first and third weeks. After analyzing the initial results, the number of needed patients will be recalculated. If the recalculated number is higher than 30, new participants will be recruited. Thirty patients with T2DM will be randomized into the 2 groups: melatonin-washout-placebo or placebo-washout-melatonin. ResultsParticipant recruitment took place between March 2023 to April 2023. In all, 30 participants were eligible and completed the study. We expect that patients will show different glycemic variability on the days they receive placebo or melatonin. Studies on melatonin and glycemic control have shown both positive and negative results. We hope that there will be a positive outcome regarding glycemic variability (ie, a reduction in glycemic variability), as melatonin has a well-described chronobiotic effect in the literature. ConclusionsThis study aims to determine whether melatonin supplementation can effectively reduce glycemic variability in patients with T2DM. The crossover design is necessary due to the multiple variables involved in the circadian variations of glucose, including diet, physical activity, sleep parameters, and pharmacological treatments. The relatively low cost of melatonin and its potential role in reducing the severe complications associated with T2DM have motivated this research effort. Furthermore, the indiscriminate use of melatonin in current times makes conducting this study essential to evaluate the effect of this substance in patients with T2DM. Trial RegistrationBrazilian Registry of Clinical Trials RBR-6wg54rb; https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-6wg54rb International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/4788

Delayed Expulsive Choroidal Hemorrhage After Penetrating Keratoplasty

The authors report a case of a late-onset spontaneous choroidal hemorrhage in a patient with a corneal transplant that resulted in rupture of the keratoplasty wound and expulsion of ocular contents. This case is important because it highlights the predisposing factors of a delayed-onset choroidal hemorrhage including anticoagulant therapy, advanced age, glaucoma, and hypertension

A micro-perfusion bioreactor for on line investigation of ECM remodeling under hydrodynamic and biochemical stimulation

Tissue-on-chip (TOC) systems aim at replicating complex biological dynamics in vitro with the potential either to improve the understanding of human biology or to develop more accurate therapeutic strategies. To replicate faithfully the intricate interrelationships between cells and their surrounding microenvironment, the three-dimensional (3D) tissue model must possess a responsive extracellular matrix (ECM). ECM remodeling plays a pivotal role in guiding cells and tissues functions and such aspect is somewhat denied during in vitro studies. For this purpose, we fabricated a micro-perfusion bioreactor capable to sustain the viability of 3D engineered tissue models recapitulating the process of the native ECM deposition and assembly. Engineered human dermis micro-tissue precursors (HD-mu TP) were used as building blocks to generate a final tissue. HD-mu TP were loaded in the perfusion space of the micro-perfusion bioreactor and, under the superimposition of different fluid dynamic regimes and biochemical stimulation, they synthesized new collagen proteins that were, then, assembled in the perfusion space forming a continuum of cells embedded in their own ECM. The micro-perfusion bioreactor was fabricated to allow the on-line monitoring of the oxygen consumption and the assembly of the newly formed collagen network via real time acquisition of the second harmonic generation (SHG) signal. The possibility to detect the collagen reorganization due to both fluid dynamic and biochemical stimulation, let us to define the optimal perfusion configuration in order to obtain a TOC system based on an endogenous and responsive ECM