Adaptive search space decomposition method for pre- and post-buckling analyses of space truss structures

The paper proposes a novel adaptive search space decomposition method and a novel gradient-free optimization-based formulation for the pre- and post-buckling analyses of space truss structures. Space trusses are often employed in structural engineering to build large steel constructions, such as bridges and domes, whose structural response is characterized by large displacements. Therefore, these structures are vulnerable to progressive collapses due to local or global buckling effects, leading to sudden failures. The method proposed in this paper allows the analysis of the load-equilibrium path of truss structures to permanent and variable loading, including stable and unstable equilibrium stages and explicitly considering geometric nonlinearities. The goal of this work is to determine these equilibrium stages via optimization of the Lagrangian kinematic parameters of the system, determining the global equilibrium. However, this optimization problem is non-trivial due to the undefined parameter domain and the sensitivity and interaction among the Lagrangian parameters. Therefore, we propose to formulate this problem as a nonlinear, multimodal, unconstrained, continuous optimization problem and develop a novel adaptive search space decomposition method, which progressively and adaptively re-defines the search domain (hypersphere) to evaluate the equilibrium of the system using a gradient-free optimization algorithm. We tackle three benchmark problems and evaluate a medium-sized test representing a real structural problem in this paper. The results are compared to those available in the literature regarding displacement–load curves and deformed configurations. The accuracy and robustness of the adopted methodology show a high potential for gradient-free algorithms to analyze space truss structures

New Perspective to Improve Care of Patients with Infected Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Early Economic Impact of the Use of Photodynamic Therapy with RLP068 (Based) System

Objective: To perform an early economic evaluation of a system based on photodynamic advanced adjuvant therapy with photosensitizer RLP068/CI to facilitate the healing process of foot/leg skin lesions/ulcers with an excellent safety profile.Design: An early short-term (10 weeks) cost-effectiveness and a budget impact analysis (over 5 years) comparing photodynamic therapy with photosensitizer RLP068/CI based (PDT-RLP068) system added to Standard of Care (SoC) vs SoC alone.Setting: The Italian National Healthcare System perspective considering both the outpatient and the day-hospital regimen.Participants: Hypothetical patients with diabetic foot infection (DFI) grades I/IIB.Interventions: The PDT-RLP068 system as an add-on to Standard of Care (SoC) vs SoC alone as the first-line treatment for the management of DFIs.Main Outcomes: Days within which the clinical target was achieved and direct health costs for patients' management.Results: Additional costs generated by the use of the PDT-RLP068 system progressively decreased as time to reach the target induced by the novel system decreased. In the outpatient regimen, when time to reach clinical target decreased in the range 7-28 days, ICERs varied from about 1 to 70 for each additional day gained with clinical target achieved. The system was dominant when halving time to reach the target in the outpatient regimen and even for modest reduction of time in day-hospital regimen. In terms of budget impact, when considering day-hospital regimen, if the PDT-RLP068 based system allowed a shortened duration to reach the clinical target of between 7-28 days, BI was 8,100,000 to 700,000, with saving less than 2,000,000 with 50% reduction of time. Considering the inpatient setting, the use of the PDT-RLP068 system would result in saving even with the modest impact on the time needed to activate the healing process.Conclusion: The early economic evaluation performed suggested that, if the claimed effectiveness of the technology demonstrated in case reports and in preliminary clinical studies can be confirmed in larger population studies, and allowing for shortening of the time needed to activate the healing process, the PDT-RLP068 system could offer the chance to improve care for DFI patients without compromising the sustainability of the system

A comparative study on a complex URM building: part II—issues on modelling and seismic analysis through continuum and discrete-macroelement models

The paper presents the comparison of the results obtained on a masonry building by nonlinear static analysis using different software operating in the field of continuum and discrete-macroelement modeling. The structure is inspired by an actual building, the "P. Capuzi" school in Visso (Macerata, Italy), seriously damaged following the seismic events that affected Central Italy from August 2016 to January 2017. The activity described is part of a wider research program carried out by various units involved in the ReLUIS 2017/2108—Masonry Structures project and having as its object the analysis of benchmark structures for the evaluation of the reliability of software packages. The comparison of analysis was carried out in relation to: global parameters (concerning the dynamic properties, capacity curves and, equivalent bilinear curves), synthetic parameters of structural safety (such as, for example, the maximum acceleration compatible with the life safety limit state) and the response in terms of simulated damage. The results allow for some insights on the use of continuum and discrete-macroelement modeling, with respect to the dispersion of the results and on the potential repercussions in the professional field. This response was also analyzed considering different approaches for the application of loads

Serum Pentraxin 3 as Promising Biomarker for the Long-Lasting Inflammatory Response of COVID-19

Currently, biological markers for COVID-19 disease severity still constitute the main goal of enhancing an efficient treatment to reduce critical consequences such as an abnormal systemic inflammatory response. In this regard, the latest research has shown that Pentraxin 3 (PTX3), a highly conserved innate immunity protein, may serve as a valuable biochemical marker. Based on this evidence, we conducted a case–control study to compare the PTX3 serum levels and several immune-inflammatory mediators of 80 healthcare workers who were subdivided into subjects who were previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 (n = 40) and individuals who were never infected (n = 40). Using a commercially available Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), PTX3 and various immune-inflammatory protein levels were assessed in serum samples, while also considering possible variables (e.g., gender-related differences). We have shown elevated levels of PTX3 and other inflammatory proteins in previously infected COVID-19-positive subjects (p p p < 0.05) compared to the respective controls. In addition, our data further validate, through a direct comparison of previously COVID-19-positive subjects, greater pro-inflammatory levels in males than in females. Overall, our results may support the validity of PTX3 as a systemic biomarker in prolonged systemic inflammatory responses in the context of COVID-19. Thus, PTX3 modulation could constitute an effective therapeutic strategy for improving the recovery from COVID-19 and its systemic long-term consequences

The Prognostic Value of Pentraxin-3 in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Mortality Incidence

Over the last three years, humanity has been facing one of the most serious health emergencies due to the global spread of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In this scenario, the research of reliable biomarkers of mortality from COVID-19 represents a primary objective. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3), a highly conserved protein of innate immunity, seems to be associated with a worse outcome of the disease. Based on the above, this systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the prognostic potential of PTX3 in COVID-19 disease. We included 12 clinical studies evaluating PTX3 in COVID-19 patients. From our research, we found increased PTX3 levels compared to healthy subjects, and notably, PTX3 was even more augmented in severe COVID-19 rather than non-severe cases. Moreover, we performed a meta-analysis to establish if there were differences between ICU and non-ICU COVID-19 patients in PTX3-related death. We combined 5 studies for a total of 543 ICU vs. 515 non-ICU patients. We found high significative PTX3-related death in ICU COVID-19 hospitalized individuals (184 out of 543) compared to non-ICU (37 out of 515), with an overall effect OR: 11.30 [2.00, 63.73]; p = 0.006. In conclusion, we probed PTX3 as a reliable marker of poor outcomes after COVID-19 infection as well as a predictor of hospitalized patients’ stratification

The Importance of COVID-19/Influenza Vaccines Co-Administration: An Essential Public Health Tool

Vaccine co-administration is an important tool with several advantages for public health, among which is the increase of vaccination coverage, as well as economic and logistical benefits. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the immune response to the COVID-19 first booster dose in healthcare workers (HCWs) who chose co-administration and in HCWs who received only COVID-19 vaccination and to investigate personal opinions about the experience of co-administration. We carried out a retrospective analysis involving two groups of HCWs, both vaccinated with the complete primary cycle and the first booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but one of them was also vaccinated, at the same time as the first booster dose, with the influenza vaccine. Active phone calls were also performed, and specific questions about the onset of side effects and general opinions were asked. A good immune response was found in both two groups without any statistically significant difference in the immune response. No severe reactions occurred in either group. A greater part of the sample was completely satisfied, and they would do it again. Our findings are totally in favor of the co-administration, considering the many positive aspects provided by administering, at the same time, more vaccines

Reactogenicity and Humoral Immune Response after Heterologous Vaxzevria/Comirnaty Vaccination in a Group of Individuals Vaccinated in the AOU Policlinic &ldquo;G. Martino&rdquo; (Messina, Italy): A Retrospective Cohort Study

On 11 June 2021, the Italian Ministry of Health authorized the heterologous vaccination schedule. The goals of our retrospective study were to (a) evaluate the undesirable effects after the administration of Vaxzevria and Comirnaty vaccines; (b) evaluate the antibody response after 28 days from the administration of the second dose; and (c) compare the antibody responses after the homologous and heterologous vaccination regimens. The undesirable effects were collected using a survey; IgG Spike was quantified using the electrochemiluminescence method; the comparison between the antibody responses was carried out using the sample of a homologous vaccine schedule previously analyzed. Pain at the injection site is the most common undesirable effect after the administration of both vaccines (62.1% after Vaxzevria vs. 82.75% after Comirnaty); swelling at the injection site is more frequent after the administration of Vaxzevria than after the administration of Comirnaty: (15.52% vs. 5.17%); headache is more frequent in women than in men for both the vaccination types (p &lt; 0.05); 49.09% of the sample reported IgG Spike &ge; 12,500 U/mL; the antibody titer of the heterologous schedule is higher than that of the homologous vaccination. Our study demonstrated that the undesirable effects after the administration of the second dose are less frequent and less severe than after the administration of the first dose, and that the immunogenicity of the heterologous vaccinations is higher than that of the homologous ones

Analisi di strutture benchmark per la valutazione dell’affidabilità di codici di calcolo sismico degli edifici in muratura

L’articolo presenta l’attività svolta in sinergia da varie unità di ricerca coinvolte nel progetto ReLUIS III–Linea Strutture in Muratura attinente alla definizione e analisi di strutture benchmark per la valutazione dell’affidabilità di codici di calcolo mirati all’analisi sismica delle costruzioni in muratura. Obiettivi dell’attività sono sensibilizzare i professionisti ad un uso più consapevole dei software e fornire loro strumenti utili ad analizzare criticamente la qualità e correttezza delle soluzioni ottenute. A tale scopo sono state ideate delle strutture benchmark a partire da singoli pannelli murari verticali, poi accoppiati tramite fasce (sistema trilite e parete) fino ad arrivare ad edifici 3D. Ciascun esempio è proposto parametricamente al variare di molteplici configurazioni costruttive. La crescente complessità degli esempi è concepita per guidare l’utente nella maturazione di una maggiore consapevolezza delle ipotesi sulle quali i programmi di calcolo si basano e delle possibili modalità di interpretazione dei risultati. Ove possibile, le strutture benchmark sono state confrontate con la soluzione analitica di riferimento, viceversa sono state fornite procedure di controllo dei risultati o stime dell’intervallo di variazione atteso tramite approcci semplificati. Ciascun esempio è stato analizzato dalle unità di ricerca coinvolte mediante vari codici di calcolo disponibili a livello scientifico e professionale