Design of Wireless Sensor Nodes for Structural Health Monitoring applications

Enabling low-cost distributed monitoring, wireless sensor networks represents an interesting solution for the implementation of structural health monitoring systems. This work deals with the design of wireless sensor networks for health monitoring of civil structures, specifically focusing on node design in relation to the requirements of different structural monitoring application classes. Design problems are analysed with specific reference to a large-scale experimental setup (the long-term structural monitoring of the Basilica S. Maria di Collemaggio, L’Aquila, Italy). Main limitations emerged are highlighted, and adopted solution strategies are outlined, both in the case of commercial sensing platform and of full custom solutions

VALUTATION OF OFFICIAL MOUSE BIOASSAY FOR THE DETECTION OF LIPOPHILIC MARINE TOXINS

The official biotoxicological (MBA) method for the determination of lipophilic marine toxins shows important gaps with regard to reproducibility, specificity and quality of the data provided and serious ethical contraindications. The Commission Regulation (EU) No 15/2011 establishes the date of December 31, 2014 as the deadline for replacement of the mouse test with a LC-MS/MS method by the laboratories of the member states responsible for the monitoring of marine biotoxins. In order to facilitate the interpretation of the MBA during this transition period, we further evaluated the specificity and selectivity of this assay in comparison with a LC-MS/MS method in detecting lipophilic marine toxins on mussels of the middle Adriatic Sea. Data show a high percentage of false-positive results on MBA due to interference by yessotoxins. It was also possible to evaluate the toxic profile of the samples analyzed

Activity and analysis of costs in a dedicated weaning centre.

AIM: To analyse the diagnosis-related characteristics and the costs of treating patients with difficult/prolonged weaning from mechanical ventilation we have undertaken a retrospective observational study. METHODS: The study has considered all the patients admitted to our weaning unit of a regional Rehabilitation department during 3 consecutive periods since the opening date. Characteristics of the admitted patients and the DRG-related cares delivered have been recorded. A cost analysis has been obtained over time. RESULTS: The number of beds allocated to this unit (from 4 in the 1st period to 6 in the 2nd and 3rd periods) and the number of patients cared for (from 32 to 43 and to 65, respectively) increased over time. In particular, the COPD to non-COPD patient ratio (from 2.2 to 1.3 and to 1.0) and the DRG/patient weight (from 3.0 +/- 0.3 to 3.1 +/- 0.2 and to 3.3 +/- 0.2 point) changed significantly (p < 0.05). The daily reimbursement per patient from the public health care system only slightly increased, whereas the operating margin (reimbursement less costs) per patient significantly improved (from -304, to +17 and +55 Euro/pt/day, respectively, p < 0.05) due to a gradual restriction in the variable costs. Length of stay, mortality rate and weaning rate did not change over time. CONCLUSION: The weaning centre is a hospital area where economic burdens should be carefully evaluated. Given the actual reimbursement received on a national level for these patients, variable costs might be better spread, thus optimising the burdens without losing out on clinical outcomes

GLP-1 Mediates Regulation of Colonic ACE2 Expression by the Bile Acid Receptor GPBAR1 in Inflammation

Background & Aims: ACE2, a carboxypeptidase that generates Ang-(1-7) from Ang II, is highly expressed in the lung, small intestine and colon. GPBAR1, is a G protein bile acid receptor that promotes the release of the insulinotropic factor glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and attenuates intestinal inflammation. Methods: We investigated the expression of ACE2, GLP-1 and GPBAR1 in two cohorts of Crohn’s disease (CD) patients and three mouse models of colitis and Gpbar1−/− mice. Activation of GPBAR1 in these models and in vitro was achieved by BAR501, a selective GPBAR1 agonist. Results: In IBD patients, ACE2 mRNA expression was regulated in a site-specific manner in response to inflammation. While expression of ileal ACE2 mRNA was reduced, the colon expression was induced. Colon expression of ACE2 mRNA in IBD correlated with expression of TNF-α and GPBAR1. A positive correlation occurred between GCG and GPBAR1 in human samples and animal models of colitis. In these models, ACE2 mRNA expression was further upregulated by GPABR1 agonism and reversed by exendin-3, a GLP-1 receptor antagonist. In in vitro studies, liraglutide, a GLP-1 analogue, increased the expression of ACE2 in colon epithelial cells/macrophages co-cultures. Conclusions: ACE2 mRNA expression in the colon of IBD patients and rodent models of colitis is regulated in a TNF-α-and GLP-1-dependent manner. We have identified a GPBAR1/GLP-1 mechanism as a positive modulator of ACE2

Impact of the scattering physics on the power factor of complex thermoelectric materials

We assess the impact of the scattering physics assumptions on the thermoelectric properties of five Co-based p-type half-Heusler alloys by considering full energy-dependent scattering times vs the commonly employed constant scattering time. For this, we employ density functional theory band structures and a full numerical scheme that uses Fermi's golden rule to extract the momentum relaxation times of each state at every energy, momentum, and band. We consider electron-phonon scattering (acoustic and optical), as well as ionized impurity scattering, and evaluate the qualitative and quantitative differences in the power factors of the materials compared to the case where the constant scattering time is employed. We show that the thermoelectric power factors extracted from the two different methods differ in terms of (i) their ranking between materials, (ii) the carrier density where the peak power factor appears, and (iii) their trends with temperature. We further show that the constant relaxation time approximation smoothens out the richness in the band structure features, thus limiting the possibilities of exploring this richness for material design and optimization. These details are more properly captured under full energy/momentum-dependent scattering time considerations. Finally, by mapping the conductivities extracted within the two schemes, we provide appropriate density-dependent constant relaxation times that could be employed as a fast first-order approximation for extracting charge transport properties in the half-Heuslers we consider

Activity and analysis of costs in a dedicated weaning centre

Aim. To analyse the diagnosis-related characteristics and the costs of treating patients with difficult/prolonged weaning from mechanical ventilation we have undertaken a retrospective observational study. Methods. The study has considered all the patients admitted to our weaning unit of a regional Rehabilitation department during 3 consecutive periods since the opening date. Characteristics of the admitted patients and the DRG-related cares delivered have been recorded. A cost analysis has been obtained over time. Results. The number of beds allocated to this unit (from 4 in the 1st period to 6 in the 2nd and 3rd periods) and the number of patients cared for (from 32 to 43 and to 65, respectively) increased over time. In particular, the COPD to non-COPD patient ratio (from 2.2 to 1.3 and to 1.0) and the DRG/patient weight (from 3.0±0.3 to 3.1±0.2 and to 3.3±0.2 point) changed significantly (p<0.05). The daily reimbursement per patient from the public health care system only slightly increased, whereas the operating margin (reimbursement less costs) per patient significantly improved (from -304, to +17 and +55 €/pt/day, respectively, p<0.05) due to a gradual restriction in the variable costs. Length of stay, mortality rate and weaning rate did not change over time. Conclusion. The weaning centre is a hospital area where economic burdens should be carefully evaluated. Given the actual reimbursement received on a national level for these patients, variable costs might be better spread, thus optimising the burdens without losing out on clinical outcomes

European emissions of HCFC-22 based on eleven years of high frequency atmospheric measurements and a Bayesian inversion method

HCFC-22 (CHClF2), a stratospherie ozone depleting substance and a powerful greenhouse gas, is the third most abundant anthropogenic halocarbon in the atmosphere. Primarily used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems, its global production and consumption have increased during the last 60 years, with the global increases in the last decade mainly attributable to developing countries. In 2007, an adjustment to the Montreal Protocol for Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer called for an accelerated phase out of HCFCs, implying a 75% reduction (base year 1989) of HCFC production and consumption by 2010 in developed countries against the previous 65% reduction. In Europe HCFC-22 is continuously monitored at the two sites Mace Head (Ireland) and Monte Cimone (Italy). Combining atmospheric observations with a Bayesian inversion technique, we estimated fluxes of HCFC-22 from Europe and from eight macro-areas within it, over an 11-year period from January 2002 to December 2012, during which the accelerated restrictions on HCFCs production and consumption have entered into force. According to our study, the maximum emissions over the entire domain was in 2003 (38.2 +/- 4.7 Gg yr(-1)), and the minimum in 2012 (12.1 +/- 2.0 Gg yr(-1)); emissions continuously decreased between these years, except for secondary maxima in the 2008 and 2010. Despite such a decrease in regional emissions, background values of HCFC-22 measured at the two European stations over 2002-2012 are still increasing as a consequence of global emissions, in part from developing countries, with an average trend of ca 7.0 ppt yr(-1). However, the observations at the two European stations show also that since 2008 a decrease in the global growth rate has occurred. In general, our European emission estimates are in good agreement with those reported by previous studies that used different techniques. Since the currently dominant emission source of HCFC-22 is from banks, we assess the banks' size and their contribution to the total European emissions up to 2030, and we project a fast decrease approaching negligible emissions in the last five years of the considered period. Finally, inversions conducted over three month periods showed evidence for a seasonal cycle in emissions in regions in the Mediterranean basin but not outside it. Emissions derived from regions in the Mediterranean basin were ca. 25% higher in warmer months than in colder months. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

Differences in cardiac phenotype and natural history of laminopathies with and without neuromuscular onset

Objective: To investigate differences in cardiac manifestations of patients affected by laminopathy, according to the presence or absence of neuromuscular involvement at presentation. Methods: We prospectively analyzed 40 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of laminopathy followed at a single centre between 1998 and 2017. Additionally, reports of clinical evaluations and tests prior to referral at our centre were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Clinical onset was cardiac in 26 cases and neuromuscular in 14. Patients with neuromuscular presentation experienced first symptoms earlier in life (11 vs 39 years; p &lt; 0.0001) and developed atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF) and required pacemaker implantation at a younger age (28 vs 41 years [p = 0.013] and 30 vs 44 years [p = 0.086] respectively), despite a similar overall prevalence of AF (57% vs 65%; p = 0.735) and atrio-ventricular (A-V) block (50% vs 65%; p = 0.500). Those with a neuromuscular presentation developed a cardiomyopathy less frequently (43% vs 73%; p = 0.089) and had a lower rate of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias (7% vs 23%; p = 0.387). In patients with neuromuscular onset rhythm disturbances occurred usually before evidence of cardiomyopathy. Despite these differences, the need for heart transplantation and median age at intervention were similar in the two groups (29% vs 23% [p = 0.717] and 43 vs 46 years [p = 0.593] respectively). Conclusions: In patients with laminopathy, the type of disease onset was a marker for a different natural history. Specifically, patients with neuromuscular presentation had an earlier cardiac involvement, characterized by a linear and progressive evolution from rhythm disorders (AF and/or A-V block) to cardiomyopathy

Serologic evidence of occupational exposure to avian influenza viruses at the wildfowl/poultry/human interface

Ecological interactions between wild aquatic birds and outdoor-housed poultry can enhance spillover events of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) from wild reservoirs to domestic birds, thus increasing the related zoonotic risk to occupationally exposed workers. To assess serological evidence of AIV infection in workers operating in Northern Italy at the wildfowl/poultry interface or directly exposed to wildfowl, serum samples were collected between April 2005 and November 2006 from 57 bird-exposed workers (BEWs) and from 7 unexposed controls (Cs), planning three sample collec-tions from each individual. Concurrently, AIV surveillance of 3587 reared birds identified 4 AIVs belonging to H10N7, H4N6 and H2N2 subtypes while serological analysis by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay showed recent infections caused by H1, H2, H4, H6, H10, H11, H12, and H13 subtypes. Human sera were analyzed for specific antibodies against AIVs belonging to antigenic subtypes from H1 to H14 by using HI and virus microneutralization (MN) assays as a screening and a confirmatory test, respectively. Overall, antibodies specific to AIV-H3, AIV-H6, AIV-H8, and AIV-H9 were found in three poultry workers (PWs) and seropositivity to AIV-11, AIV-H13—still detectable in October 2017—in one wildlife professional (WP). Furthermore, seropositivity to AIV-H2, accounting for previous exposure to the “extinct” H2N2 human influenza viruses, was found in both BEWs and Cs groups. These data further emphasize the occupational risk posed by zoonotic AIV strains and show the possible occurrence of long-lived antibody-based immunity following AIV infections in humans