Impact of DC Transient Disturbances on Harmonic Performance of Voltage Transformers for AC Railway Applications

This paper analyzes the impact of typical DC transient events occurring in railway grids on the frequency performance of instrument transformers (ITs) installed onboard trains and in AC substations for power quality (PQ) applications. PQ monitoring in railway systems is an issue of great interest because it plays a key role in the improvement of energy efficiency. The measurement chain for the PQ measurements, at 15 kV at 16.7 Hz and 25 kV at 50/60 Hz, commonly includes ITs to scale the voltage to levels fitting the input of the measurement units. Nevertheless, the behavior of ITs in the presence of PQ phenomena represents an open issue from a normative point of view, even for those installed in conventional AC power supply systems. In this context, the paper presents a possible definition of DC transient disturbances test waveforms, a measurement procedure, and a setup to assess the impact of these disturbances on the harmonic performances of ITs for railway systems. Preliminary experimental tests carried out on two commercial ITs under wide ranges of variation for the amplitude and the time duration of DC disturbances show that, in some cases, the error introduced in harmonic measurements can exceed 100%

EFFECT OF SIDEROPHORES AGAINST E. COLI O157:H7

In this study, the inhibiting activity of siderophores produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens against Escherichia coli O157:7 was assayed. Siderophores were extracted from P. fluorescens cultures and preliminarily tested by C.A.S. reagent and UV. The siderophores activity against E. coli O157:H7 was characterised by the determination of Minimal Inhibiting Concentration (MIC). Furthermore, E. coli O157:H7 growth tests with and without siderophores were prepared at 12°C, pH 7 and 5, aw 0.997 and 0,988. The MIC was assessed at 7 μg/ml whereas the growth test showed a high inhibiting activity with the exception of tests at pH 5

Early anti IL-1 treatment replaces steroids in refractory Kawasaki disease: clinical experience from two case reports

Refractory Kawasaki disease (KD) is related to a major risk of coronary arteries abnormalities and its treatment is not standardized. In this regard, anakinra (ANA), an interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist, represents an emerging therapeutic option. We report two cases of children, diagnosed with KD, nonresponsive to two doses of intravenous immunoglobulins, successfully treated with ANA, without a prior use of steroids. Patient 2 developed a coronary dilatation, that improved significantly after ANA therapy. Our experience highlights IL-1 blockade effectiveness in reducing KD inflammation and suggests ANA adoption as second-line therapy, with a timesaving and steroid-sparing strategy. Our results, combined with the evidence of the IL-1 key role in KD and coronary arteritis pathogenesis and to the recent clinical evidence reported by the KAWAKINRA trial, encourage an earlier recourse to ANA in patients with refractory KD, in order to fight inflammation, and to treat and prevent the development of coronary artery aneurysms. Further studies are needed to better define the place of IL-1 blockade in KD step-up treatment

Measuring the impact of reversible substations on energy efficiency in rail transport

open6Nowadays great interest is placed on the environmental issue. Greenhouse gas emissions are more than 50% higher than in 1990. European energy policy has been supporting efficient energy management in order to reduce the railway transport emissions by 50% within 2030. The railway stakeholders are encouraged to adopt technological solutions to foster energy efficiency. The electrodynamic braking combined with the adoption of reversible substations is one of the most promising solutions. In order to evaluate the impact of this innovative technology, a measurement campaign has been conducted on Metro de Madrid where a reversible substation was installed. In this paper, a preliminary analysis on the data acquired is presented. Traceable and accurate on-board train measurements of the energy flows and the losses are fundamental to quantify the impact of these new technologies and to carry out a survey on the efficiencies of the different vehicle components and on the strategies to reduce the energy consumption in the various operation modes. © IMEKO TC-4 2020.openCascetta F., Cipolletta G., Delle Femine A., Gallo D., Giordano D., Signorino D.Cascetta, F.; Cipolletta, G.; Delle Femine, A.; Gallo, D.; Giordano, D.; Signorino, D

Calibration System for DC Power/Energy Measurement chain in Railway applications

In order to guarantee the European interoperability of rolling stock, the European Union (EU) established that all the trains shall be equipped with an Energy Measurement Function (EMF) for billing purposes. The measurement accuracy of such devices should be assessed and periodically re-verified, as required by EN 50462-2. This paper describes a setup for the calibration of combined voltage and current transducers and EMFs for on-board Direct Current (DC) train installation. The reference system is able to generate an arbitrary DC phantom power up to 6 MW with voltage up to 5 kV and a current up to 1.2 kA. Furthermore, in order to perform tests as close as possible to real operating conditions, the system allows performing dynamic tests, reproducing waveforms obtained in real measurement campaigns. The computed uncertainty for steady state tests is 0.025%, whereas the target uncertainty for dynamic tests is 0.1%. The generation system can also be applied for on-board reverification of EMF

Effectiveness and compliance of an oscillating-rotating toothbrush in patients with dental implants: a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundThe aim of this randomized clinical trial was to assess the efficacy of an oscillating-rotating toothbrush in reducing plaque and inflammation around dental implants.MethodsEighty patients presenting dental implants were enrolled in this study and assigned randomly to two different groups: 40 patients in the test group and 40 in the control one. Each patient in the test group received an oscillating-rotating toothbrush while in the control group patients kept using the manual toothbrush. Furthermore, the test group received a special toothbrush head designed for dental implants and another one for natural teeth. Domiciliary oral hygiene instructions were given to both groups. Periodontal parameters like plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BoP), and probing pocket depth (PPD) were recorded at the baseline and after 1 and 3months.ResultsAt the end of the study, the difference of plaque and bleeding indices with the baseline was statistically significant for both test and control groups (P0.05). No significant differences were appreciated concerning the PPD.ConclusionsThe oscillating-rotating toothbrush can be successfully used for the plaque and bleeding control of the peri-implant tissues

The use of virtual surgical planning and navigation in the treatment of orbital trauma

Virtual surgical planning (VSP) has recently been introduced in craniomaxillofacial surgery with the goal of improving efficiency and precision for complex surgical operations. Among many indications, VSP can also be applied for the treatment of congenital and acquired craniofacial defects, including orbital fractures. VSP permits the surgeon to visualize the complex anatomy of craniofacial region, showing the relationship between bone and neurovascular structures. It can be used to design and print using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology and customized surgical models. Additionally, intraoperative navigation may be useful as an aid in performing the surgery. Navigation is useful for both the surgical dissection as well as to confirm the placement of the implant. Navigation has been found to be especially useful for orbit and sinus surgery. The present paper reports a case describing the use of VSP and computerized navigation for the reconstruction of a large orbital floor defect with a custom implant

Detection of SF3B1 p.Lys700Glu Mutation by PNA-PCR Clamping in Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Mutations in SF3B1 are found in 20% of myelodysplastic syndromes and 5–10% of myeloproliferative neoplasms, where they are considered important for diagnosis and therapy decisions. Sanger sequencing and NGS are the currently available methods to identify SF3B1 mutations, but both are time-consuming and expensive techniques that are not practicable in most small-/medium-sized laboratories. To identify the most frequent SF3B1 mutation, p.Lys700Glu, we developed a novel fast and cheap assay based on PNA-PCR clamping. After setting the optimal PCR conditions, the limit of detection of PNA-PCR clamping was evaluated, and the method allowed up to 0.1% of mutated SF3B1 to be identified. Successively, PNA-PCR clamping and Sanger sequencing were used to blind test 90 DNA from patients affected by myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms for the SF3B1 p.Lys700Glu mutation. PNA-PCR clamping and Sanger sequencing congruently identified 75 negative and 13 positive patients. Two patients identified as positive by PNA-PCR clamping were missed by Sanger analysis. The discordant samples were analyzed by NGS, which confirmed the PNA-PCR clamping result, indicating that these samples contained the SF3B1 p.Lys700Glu mutation. This approach could easily increase the characterization of myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms in small-/medium-sized laboratories, and guide patients towards more appropriate therapy

Immunogenic Properties of Streptococcus agalactiae FbsA Fragments

Several species of Gram-positive bacteria can avidly bind soluble and surface-associated fibrinogen (Fng), a property that is considered important in the pathogenesis of human infections. To gain insights into the mechanism by which group B Streptococcus (GBS), a frequent neonatal pathogen, interacts with Fng, we have screened two phage displayed genomic GBS libraries. All of the Fng-binding phage clones contained inserts encoding fragments of FbsA, a protein displaying multiple repeats. Since the functional role of this protein is only partially understood, representative fragments were recombinantly expressed and analyzed for Fng binding affinity and ability to induce immune protection against GBS infection. Maternal immunization with 6pGST, a fragment containing five repeats, significantly protected mouse pups against lethal GBS challenge and these protective effects could be recapitulated by administration of anti-6pGST serum from adult animals. Notably, a monoclonal antibody that was capable of neutralizing Fng binding by 6pGST, but not a non-neutralizing antibody, could significantly protect pups against lethal GBS challenge. These data suggest that FbsA-Fng interaction promotes GBS pathogenesis and that blocking such interaction is a viable strategy to prevent or treat GBS infections

Identifying Conservative Interventions for Individuals with Subacromial Pain Syndrome Prior to Undergoing a Subacromial Decompression: A Scoping Review

# Background Subacromial decompression (SAD) surgery remains a common treatment for individuals suffering from subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS), despite numerous studies indicating that SAD provides no benefit over conservative care. Surgical protocols typically recommend surgery only after exhausting conservative measures; however, there is no consensus in the published literature detailing what constitutes conservative care "best practice" before undergoing surgery. # Purpose To describe conservative interventions received by individuals with SAPS prior to undergoing a SAD. # Study Design Scoping review. # Methods An electronic search using MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus databases was conducted. Peer-reviewed randomized controlled control trials and cohort studies published between January 2000 and February 2022 that included subjects diagnosed with SAPS who progressed to receive a SAD were eligible. Subjects who received previous or concurrent rotator cuff repair with SAPS were excluded. Conservative interventions and treatment details that subjects received prior to undergoing a SAD were extracted. # Results Forty-seven studies were included after screening 1,426 studies. Thirty-six studies (76.6%) provided physical therapy (PT) services, and six studies (12.8%) included only a home exercise program. Twelve studies (25.5%) specifically detailed the delivered PT services, and 20 studies (42.6%) stated who provided the PT interventions. Subacromial injections (SI) (55.3%, n=26) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) (31.9%, n=15) were the next most frequently delivered interventions. Thirteen studies (27.7%) included combined PT and SI. The duration of conservative care varied from 1.5 months to 16 months. # Conclusion Conservative care that individuals with SAPS receive to prevent advancement to SAD appears inadequate based on the literature. Interventions, such as PT, SI, and NSAIDs, are either underreported or not offered to individuals with SAP prior to advancing to surgery. Many questions regarding optimal conservative management for SAPS persists. # Level of Evidence n/