Study of the Interaction Between a High-Pressure Jet and Horizontal Tanks using CFD

Accidental high-pressure flammable gas releases are among the most relevant hazards in the process safety, and consequences could be severe. In the recent decades, there have been numerous efforts to study high-pressure jets in open field (i.e., free jets). Easy-to-use mathematical models have been developed, to rapidly assess the main physical variables involved in safety evaluations. However, in a realistic scenario, the accidental leak may involve either the ground or a piece of equipment. As demonstrated by recent works, when a jet interacts with an obstacle, its behavior can significantly change. Therefore, the mathematical models extrapolated for the free jet scenario could be a source of incorrect predictions. Focusing on the scenario of an accidental high-pressure unignited flammable jet, this work shows how the presence of one or two obstacles, placed at a different distance from the source of the leak, can influence the lower flammability limit cloud extent of methane. Varying the height of the source term, the effect of the interaction among the jet, both the obstacles, and the ground was systematically studied through a Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis

A neurally-interfaced hand prosthesis tuned inter-hemispheric communication

Purpose: This work investigates how a direct bidirectional connection between brain and hand prosthesis modifies the bi-hemispheric sensorimotor system devoted to the movement control of the lost limb. Hand prostheses are often unable to satisfy users' expectations, mostly due to the poor performance of their interfacing system. Neural Interfaces implanted inside nerves of the stump offer the advantage of using the bidirectional neural pathways 'naturally' dispatching signals to control proper hand actions and feed-back sensations. Learning to control a neurally-interfaced hand prosthesis and decode sensory information was previously observed to reduce the inter-hemispheric asymmetry of cortical motor maps and the clinical symptoms of phantom limb syndrome. Methods: Electroencephalographic (EEG) data was analysed using Functional Source Separation (FSS), a semi-blind method that incorporates prior knowledge about the signal of interest into data decomposition to give access to cortical patch activities. Results: Bi-hemispheric cortices showed normalization of their activity (topographical and spectral patterns) and of functional connectivity between homologous hand controlling areas, during the delivery of the motor command to the cybernetic prosthesis. Conclusions: The re-establishment of central-peripheral communication with the lost limb induced by a neurally-interfaced hand prosthesis produces beneficial plastic reorganization, not only restructuring contralateral directly-connected control areas, but also their functional balance within the bi-hemispheric system necessary for motor control

Decoding of grasping information from neural signals recorded using peripheral intrafascicular interfaces

The restoration of complex hand functions by creating a novel bidirectional link between the nervous system and a dexterous hand prosthesis is currently pursued by several research groups. This connection must be fast, intuitive, with a high success rate and quite natural to allow an effective bidirectional flow of information between the user's nervous system and the smart artificial device. This goal can be achieved with several approaches and among them, the use of implantable interfaces connected with the peripheral nervous system, namely intrafascicular electrodes, is considered particularly interesting

Prospects on Brain-Machine Interfaces for Space System Control

The dream of controlling and guiding computer-based systems using human brain signals has slowly but steadily become a reality. The available technology allows real-time implementation of systems that measure neuronal activity, convert their signals, and translate their output for the purpose of controlling mechanical systems. This paper describes the state of the art of non-invasive BMIs and critically investigates both the current technological limits and the future potential that BMIs have for space applications. We present an assessment of the advantages that BMIs can provide and justify the preferred candidate concepts for space applications together with a vision of future directions for their implementation

Sustained seizure freedom with adjunctive brivaracetam in patients with focal onset seizures

The maintenance of seizure control over time is a clinical priority in patients with epilepsy. The aim of this study was to assess the sustained seizure frequency reduction with adjunctive brivaracetam (BRV) in real-world practice. Patients with focal epilepsy prescribed add-on BRV were identified. Study outcomes included sustained seizure freedom and sustained seizure response, defined as a 100% and a ≥50% reduction in baseline seizure frequency that continued without interruption and without BRV withdrawal through the 12-month follow-up. Nine hundred ninety-four patients with a median age of 45 (interquartile range = 32–56) years were included. During the 1-year study period, sustained seizure freedom was achieved by 142 (14.3%) patients, of whom 72 (50.7%) were seizure-free from Day 1 of BRV treatment. Sustained seizure freedom was maintained for ≥6, ≥9, and 12 months by 14.3%, 11.9%, and 7.2% of patients from the study cohort. Sustained seizure response was reached by 383 (38.5%) patients; 236 of 383 (61.6%) achieved sustained ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency by Day 1, 94 of 383 (24.5%) by Month 4, and 53 of 383 (13.8%) by Month 7 up to Month 12. Adjunctive BRV was associated with sustained seizure frequency reduction from the first day of treatment in a subset of patients with uncontrolled focal epilepsy

Adjunctive Brivaracetam in Focal Epilepsy: Real-World Evidence from the BRIVAracetam add-on First Italian netwoRk STudy (BRIVAFIRST)

Background: In randomized controlled trials, add-on brivaracetam (BRV) reduced seizure frequency in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. Studies performed in a naturalistic setting are a useful complement to characterize the drug profile. Objective: This multicentre study assessed the effectiveness and tolerability of adjunctive BRV in a large population of patients with focal epilepsy in the context of real-world clinical practice. Methods: The BRIVAFIRST (BRIVAracetam add-on First Italian netwoRk STudy) was a retrospective, multicentre study including adult patients prescribed adjunctive BRV. Patients with focal epilepsy and 12-month follow-up were considered. Main outcomes included the rates of seizure‐freedom, seizure response (≥ 50% reduction in baseline seizure frequency), and treatment discontinuation. The incidence of adverse events (AEs) was also considered. Analyses by levetiracetam (LEV) status and concomitant use of strong enzyme-inducing antiseizure medications (EiASMs) and sodium channel blockers (SCBs) were performed. Results: A total of 1029 patients with a median age of 45 years (33–56) was included. At 12 months, 169 (16.4%) patients were seizure-free and 383 (37.2%) were seizure responders. The rate of seizure freedom was 22.3% in LEV-naive patients, 7.1% in patients with prior LEV use and discontinuation due to insufficient efficacy, and 31.2% in patients with prior LEV use and discontinuation due to AEs (p < 0.001); the corresponding values for ≥ 50% seizure frequency reduction were 47.9%, 29.7%, and 42.8% (p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in seizure freedom and seizure response rates by use of strong EiASMs. The rates of seizure freedom (20.0% vs. 16.6%; p = 0.341) and seizure response (39.7% vs. 26.9%; p = 0.006) were higher in patients receiving SCBs than those not receiving SCBs; 265 (25.8%) patients discontinued BRV. AEs were reported by 30.1% of patients, and were less common in patients treated with BRV and concomitant SCBs than those not treated with SCBs (28.9% vs. 39.8%; p = 0.017). Conclusion: The BRIVAFIRST provided real-world evidence on the effectiveness of BRV in patients with focal epilepsy irrespective of LEV history and concomitant ASMs, and suggested favourable therapeutic combinations

Distribuição geográfica de pequenos mamíferos não voadores nas bacias dos rios Araguaia e Paraná, região centro-sul do Brasil

We collected small mammals in two hydrographic basins in central Brazil, namely the Paraná and Araguaia basins, with the aim of examining the composition of forest dwelling small mammal species and to compare their geographic distributions. Fourteen sites were sampled, eight in the Paraná basin and six in the Araguaia basin. A total of 20 species of small mammals was registered (8 marsupials and 12 rodents), 16 of them in live traps (5,253 trap-nights) and eight in pitfalls (224 trap-nights), adding to a total of 161 captures of 139 individuals. The Paraná basin showed 16 species (trap-nights: 3,115 and 104 respectively) and the Araguaia basin 11 species (trap-nights: 2,138 and 120 respectively), being both richness similar when the rarefaction method was applied. Seven (35%) out of the 20 species recorded occurred in both basins. The marsupial Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1840 was the most abundant species. The marsupials species recorded were D. albiventris, Caluromys philander (Linnaeus, 1758), Cryptonanus cf. agricolai Voss, Lunde & Jansa, 2005, Gracilinanus agilis (Burmeister, 1854), G. microtarsus (Wagner, 1842), Lutreolina crassicaudata (Desmarest, 1804), Marmosa murina (Linnaeus, 1758), and Philander opossum (Linnaeus, 1758). The rodent species recorded were Akodon gr. cursor, Calomys tener (Winge, 1887), Nectomys rattus (Pelzen, 1883), N. squamipes (Brants, 1827), Oecomys bicolor (Tomes, 1860), Oryzomys maracajuensis Langguth & Bonvicino, 2002, Oryzomys cf. marinhus, O. megacephalus (Fischer, 1814), Oligoryzomys fornesi (Massoia, 1973), Oligoryzomys sp., Proechimys longicaudatus (Rengger, 1830) and P. roberti (Thomas, 1901). The range extension of some species is discussed, in addition to biogeographic considerations. The Caiapós Mountains may have been a geographic barrier for some small mammal species in the face of the retraction and expansion of forests in the past