A simple device for syringe-to-syringe transfer during lipofilling

[No abstract available

Night Eating Syndrome, circadian rhythms and seasonality. A study in a population of Italian university students

PURPOSE: The aim of this research was to assess the prevalence of Night Eating Syndrome (NES) in a university student population and to clear up the relationship between NES, depression and chronotype. The relation between NES and seasonality was also investigated. METHODS: The data were collected from a sample of 1136 students of the L'Aquila University, Italy. All subjects were invited to answer to the Sociodemographic Information Form and to take a self-report battery composed by four questionnaires: the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), the Morningness Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). RESULTS: The 5.3% of our population (60 subjects) reached the criteria for NES. The distribution of chronotypes in the sample was: Morning Type 15.3%, Intermediate 64.3% and Evening Type 20.4%. The 36.7% of the participants reaching the criteria for NES, obtained low scores on the MEQ. The data indicated that NEQ and MEQ scores are significantly inversely correlated (r=-.22; p<.01, two-tailed test). The 3.6% of our population (41 subjects) reached the criteria for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and 10.7% for subclinical SAD (121 subjects). Furthermore, the 11.7% of subjects with NES presented SAD and the 5% presented Subclinical SAD. The data demonstrated that NES and Global Seasonality Score (GSS) are significantly associated (r=.22; p<0.01, two-tailed test). CONCLUSIONS: The main finding of this study is the strong relation between NES and eveningness dimension. Our results help to clear up the literature debate about the role of eveningness dimension in the night eating, suggesting that subjects with NES present a circadian delay, not only in the food intake, but in the entire functioning. At the best of one knowledge this study is the first one to examine the relationship between NES and seasonality. This research found preliminary evidence that, similarly to the findings of previous studies in subjects with Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and Binge Eating Disorder (BED), night eating symptoms may vary significantly across the seasons; subjects with NES experience seasonal variation in their mood and in their eating patterns

Ultrafiltration in the treatment of refractory congestive heart failure.

Artificial subtraction of fluids and solutes was evaluated in the course of acute and chronic heart failure when it became refractory to standard intensive medical treatment. A group of 19 patients (mean age 57 years), 9 with ischemic, 2 amyloidotic, 4 valvular, and 4 idiopathic cardiomyopathy, were treated. In 17 patients extracorporeal ultrafiltration (UF) by means of a polysulfonate ultrafilter was adopted along 125 sessions (105 assisted by a roller pump and 20 as a slow continuous ultrafiltrate). In two patients continuous peritoneal dialysis was adopted. In every case UF was well tolerated. Ultrafiltrate volumes ranged from 1680 to 3500 ml for every session with corresponding Na losses ranging from 194 to 434 mEq/session. Improved clinical and functional status with reduction of edema was observed in 17 of 19 patients. In 12 patients UF could be discontinued due to restored response to diuretics; 5 of these patients could subsequently undergo heart surgery (1 transplant, 3 valve replacement, 1 coronary bypass). The remaining 7 patients survived on medical therapy alone for an average of 228 days. In 7 of 19 cases, UF could not be discontinued, and these patients died after an average of 23 days of treatment. In conclusion, UF proved to be effective in eliminating salt-fluid overload and restoring response to medical treatment. Patients who are potential surgical candidates seem to be the most suitable for UF

Dental attendance, restoration and extractions in adults with intellectual disabilities compared with the general population: a record linkage study

Background: Oral health may be poorer in adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) who rely on carer support and medications with increased dental risks. Methods: Record linkage study of dental outcomes, and associations with anticholinergic (e.g. antipsychotics) and sugar‐containing liquid medication, in adults with IDs compared with age–sex–neighbourhood deprivation‐matched general population controls. Results: A total of 2933/4305 (68.1%) with IDs and 7761/12 915 (60.1%) without IDs attended dental care: odds ratio (OR) = 1.42 [1.32, 1.53]; 1359 (31.6%) with IDs versus 5233 (40.5%) without IDs had restorations: OR = 0.68 [0.63, 0.73]; and 567 (13.2%) with IDs versus 2048 (15.9%) without IDs had dental extractions: OR = 0.80 [0.73, 0.89]. Group differences for attendance were greatest in younger ages, and restoration/extractions differences were greatest in older ages. Adults with IDs were more likely prescribed with anticholinergics (2493 (57.9%) vs. 6235 (48.3%): OR = 1.49 [1.39, 1.59]) and sugar‐containing liquids (1641 (38.1%) vs. 2315 (17.9%): OR = 2.89 [2.67, 3.12]). Conclusion: Carers support dental appointments, but dentists may be less likely to restore teeth, possibly extracting multiple teeth at individual appointments instead

Application of a novel diamond detector for commissioning of FLASH radiotherapy electron beams

Purpose: A diamond detector prototype was recently proposed by Marinelli et al. (Medical Physics 2022, https://doi.org/10.1002/mp.15473) for applications in ultrahigh-dose-per-pulse (UH-DPP) and ultrahigh-dose-rate (UH-DR) beams, as used in FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH-RT). In the present study, such so-called flashDiamond (fD) was investigated from the dosimetric point of view, under pulsed electron beam irradiation. It was then used for the commissioning of an ElectronFlash linac (SIT S.p.A., Italy) both in conventional and UH-DPP modalities. Methods: Detector calibration was performed in reference conditions, under 60 Co and electron beam irradiation. Its response linearity was investigated in UH-DPP conditions. For this purpose, the DPP was varied in the 1.2-11.9 Gy range, by changing either the beam applicator or the pulse duration from 1 to 4 μs. Dosimetric validation of the fD detector prototype was then performed in conventional modality, by measuring percentage depth dose (PDD) curves, beam profiles, and output factors (OFs). All such measurements were carried out in a motorized water phantom. The obtained results were compared with the ones from commercially available dosimeters, namely, a microDiamond, an Advanced Markus ionization chamber, a silicon diode detector, and EBT-XD GAFchromic films. Finally, the fD detector was used to fully characterize the 7 and 9 MeV UH-DPP electron beams delivered by the ElectronFlash linac. In particular, PDDs, beam profiles, and OFs were measured, for both energies and all the applicators, and compared with the ones from EBT-XD films irradiated in the same experimental conditions. Results: The fD calibration coefficient resulted to be independent from the investigated beam qualities. The detector response was found to be linear in the whole investigated DPP range. A very good agreement was observed among PDDs, beam profiles, and OFs measured by the fD prototype and reference detectors, both in conventional and UH-DPP irradiation modalities. Conclusions: The fD detector prototype was validated from the dosimetric point of view against several commercial dosimeters in conventional beams. It was proved to be suitable in UH-DPP and UH-DR conditions, for which no other commercial real-time active detector is available to date. It was shown to be a very useful tool to perform fast and reproducible beam characterizations in standard clinical motorized water phantom setups. All of the previously mentioned demonstrate the suitability of the proposed detector for the commissioning of UH-DR linac beams for preclinical FLASH-RT applications

Design, realization, and characterization of a novel diamond detector prototype for FLASH radiotherapy dosimetry

Purpose: FLASH radiotherapy (RT) is an emerging technique in which beams with ultra-high dose rates (UH-DR) and dose per pulse (UH-DPP) are used. Commercially available active real-time dosimeters have been shown to be unsuitable in such conditions, due to severe response nonlinearities. In the present study, a novel diamond-based Schottky diode detector was specifically designed and realized to match the stringent requirements of FLASH-RT. Methods: A systematic investigation of the main features affecting the diamond response in UH-DPP conditions was carried out. Several diamond Schottky diode detector prototypes with different layouts were produced at Rome Tor Vergata University in cooperation with PTW-Freiburg. Such devices were tested under electron UH-DPP beams. The linearity of the prototypes was investigated up to DPPs of about 26 Gy/pulse and dose rates of approximately 1 kGy/s. In addition, percentage depth dose (PDD) measurements were performed in different irradiation conditions. Radiochromic films were used for reference dosimetry. Results: The response linearity of the diamond prototypes was shown to be strongly affected by the size of their active volume as well as by their series resistance. By properly tuning the design layout, the detector response was found to be linear up to at least 20 Gy/pulse, well into the UH-DPP range conditions. PDD measurements were performed by three different linac applicators, characterized by DPP values at the point of maximum dose of 3.5, 17.2, and 20.6 Gy/pulse, respectively. The very good superimposition of three curves confirmed the diamond response linearity. It is worth mentioning that UH-DPP irradiation conditions may lead to instantaneous detector currents as high as several mA, thus possibly exceeding the electrometer specifications. This issue was properly addressed in the case of the PTW UNIDOS electrometers. Conclusions: The results of the present study clearly demonstrate the feasibility of a diamond detector for FLASH-RT applications

SARAVÁ: data sharing for online communities in P2P

International audienceThis paper describes SARAVÁ, a research project that aims at investigating new challenges in P2P data sharing for online communities. The major advantage of P2P is a completely decentralized approach to data sharing which does not require centralized administration. Users may be in high numbers and interested in different kinds of collaboration and sharing their knowledge, ideas, experiences, etc. Data sources can be in high numbers, fairly autonomous, i.e. locally owned and controlled, and highly heterogeneous with different semantics and structures. Our project deals with new, decentralized data management techniques that scale up while addressing the autonomy, dynamic behavior and heterogeneity of both users and data sources. In this context, we focus on two major problems: query processing with uncertain data and management of scientific workflows

Compact S-band linear accelerator system for ultrafast, ultrahigh dose-rate radiotherapy

Radiation therapy is currently the most utilized technique for the treatment of tumors by means ofionizing radiation, such as electrons, protons and x/gamma rays, depending on the type, size and depth ofthe cancer mass. Radiation therapy has in general fulfilled the main requirement of targeting thus damagingthe malignant cells and sparing the healthy tissues as best as possible. In this scenario, electron linearaccelerators have been operated as viable tools for the delivery of both high-energetic electrons and x-raybeams, which are obtained via the bremsstrahlung process of the electrons hitting on a high-Z material.Recently, it has been experimentally demonstrated that ultrahigh dose-rate bursts of electrons and x-raybeams increase the differential response between healthy and tumor tissues. This beneficial response isreferred to as the FLASH effect. For this purpose, we have developed the first dedicated compactS-bandlinear accelerator for FLASH radiotherapy. This linac is optimized for a nominal energy of 7 MeV and apulsed electron beam current of 100 mA and above. The accelerator is mounted on a remote-controlledsystem for preclinical research studies in the FLASH regime. We will show the rf and beam dynamicsdesign of theS-band linac as well as the commissioning and high-power rf tests. Furthermore, the results ofthe dosimetric measurements will be illustrate