Ultrasonic transducers as a black-box: equivalent circuit synthesis and matching network design

Abstract-In this paper a new modelling technique for ultrasonic transducers is developed in order to build an analytical model in the Laplace S domain. The model is intended for use in analog circuit CAD system for the front-end electronic design and to visualize the acoustic pulse modifications under different excitation conditions. The transducer is considered as a black-box, characterized by two analytical functions representing the driving point impedance and the electroacoustic transfer function. The transfer function is obtained as ..

Le diverse facce dell'infezione da Bartonella henselae

E' presentato il caso di una infezione da B.henselae caratterizzato da febbre persistente.Si sottolinea la necessità di considerare l’infezione da B. henselae tra le diagnosi differenziali in caso di febbri persistenti associate a quadri di coinvolgimento reumatologico: artralgie, miopatie, artriti e tendiniti sono manifestazioni cliniche dell’infezione da Bartonella meno note rispetto alla forma classica di malattia e il loro riconoscimento permette di risparmiare indagini invasive, stressant

In vitro detection of neutralizing antibodies to Chlamydophila psittaci in pigeon sera with a microneutralization test

In order to investigate the serological response to Chlamydophila psittaci in birds, we evaluated the presence of neutralizing antibodies against C. psittaci in 250 sera of pigeons collected in Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy) and we have correlated the results to those obtained by microimmunofluorescence test (MIF). C. psittaci antibody prevalence detected by MIF was 40%. Neutralizing antibodies were specific for C. psittaci and were present in 22 out of 100 MIF positive sera

Prospective monitoring of polyomavirus BK replication and impact of pre-emptive intervention in pediatric kidney recipients

Polyoma BK virus (BKV)-associated nephropathy (PVAN) is a relevant cause of poor renal allograft survival. In a prospective analysis, we monitored BKV DNA in blood and urine samples from 62 consecutive pediatric kidney recipients. In patients with BKV replication, we analyzed the impact of reduction of maintenance immunosuppression on viral load kinetics and PVAN in patients with BKV replication. BKV-specific immunity was concomitantly evaluated on blood samples of viremic patients, by measuring the frequency of BKV-specific interferon-gamma-producing and cytotoxic T cells, and BKV IgG antibody levels. At a median follow-up of 24 months, BK viruria was observed in 39 of 62 patients, while BK viremia developed in 13 patients (21%). In all viremic patients, immunosuppression reduction resulted in the clearance of viremia, and prevented development of PVAN, without increasing the rate of acute rejection or causing graft dysfunction. As a consequence of immunosuppression adjustment, an expansion of BKV-specific cellular immunity was observed that coincided with viral clearance. We conclude that treating pediatric kidney transplant patients pre-emptively with immunosuppression reduction guided by BKV DNA in blood is safe and effective to prevent onset of PVAN. BKV-specific cellular immunity may be useful to guide this intervention

Long-term results of the AIEOP MH’96 childhood Hodgkin’s lymphoma trial and focus on significance of response to chemotherapy and its implication in low risk patients to avoid radiotherapy

Identify a subset of early-stage HL children (GR1) curable with limited chemotherapy+/-radiotherapy; improve outcome of intermediate (GR2) and high-risk (GR3) patients; establish impact of response to chemotherapy evaluated with conventional imaging (CI). One hundred and sixty GR1-patients received 3ABVD + involved-field (IF) low-dose (LD) (20 Gy) irradiation if mediastinal mass or partial response (PR) after chemotherapy. Eighty-five GR2- and 315 GR3-patients received 4 and 6 COPP/ABV + IFRT, respectively. The 63 GR1 patients spared from radiotherapy had 15-year survival and EFS of 100 and 84.5%, respectively. The GR2 and GR3 15-year FFP were 84.7 and 78.6%, respectively. No different prognosis for patients in CR or PR evaluated during and after chemotherapy was observed. In conclusion, low-risk patients in CR may be successfully treated with radiation-free, low-intensity chemotherapy. Good, but less satisfactory, results were registered in GR2 and GR3. Response evaluated with CI is not a prognostic factor, but permits identification of low-risk patients who can avoid radiotherapy

Protocolli AIEOP MH\u201983-89-96 per la terapia del linfoma di Hodgkin (lh) in et\ue0 pediatrica. Sopravvivenza a lungo termine e seconde neoplasie maligne.

Risultati dei protocolli nazionali di cura del linfoma di Hodgki