362 research outputs found

    Energy Consumption and Thermal Comfort Assessment in Retail Stores: Monitoring and Dynamic Simulation Applied to a Case Study in Turin

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    Maintaining suitable microclimate internal conditions in retails store is of great importance, because thermal comfort needs to be satisfied for both customers and employees. In the present work, energy consumptions and microclimate quality assessment of a retail store are shown. Buildings dynamic simulation tool, and energy and environmental monitoring were both used for the building climate quality and energy efficiency investigation. The paper shows how monitoring data, combined with dynamic simulation, allow to improve the correct system control increasing energy efficiency, and enhancing moreover the indoor thermal comfort in retails

    Distinguishing black-hole spin-orbit resonances by their gravitational wave signatures. II. Full parameter estimation

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    Gravitational waves from coalescing binary black holes encode the evolution of their spins prior to merger. In the post-Newtonian regime and on the precession time scale, this evolution has one of three morphologies, with the spins either librating around one of two fixed points ("resonances") or circulating freely. In this paper we perform full parameter estimation on resonant binaries with fixed masses and spin magnitudes, changing three parameters: a conserved "projected effective spin" ξ and resonant family ΔΦ=0,π (which uniquely label the source); the inclination θJN of the binary's total angular momentum with respect to the line of sight (which determines the strength of precessional effects in the waveform); and the signal amplitude. We demonstrate that resonances can be distinguished for a wide range of binaries, except for highly symmetric configurations where precessional effects are suppressed. Motivated by new insight into double-spin evolution, we introduce new variables to characterize precessing black hole binaries which naturally reflects the time scale separation of the system and therefore better encode the dynamical information carried by gravitational waves.D.T. is partially supported by the National Science Foundation through awards PHY-1067985, PHY-1404139, PHY-1055103 and PHY-1307020. D.T. is grateful for the support and hospitality of V. Kalogera's group and the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) at Northwestern University, where this project was conceived. D.G. is supported by the UK STFC and the Isaac Newton Studentship of the University of Cambridge. E.B. is supported by NSF CAREER Grant PHY-1055103 and by FCT contract IF/00797/2014/CP1214/CT0012 under the IF2014 Programme. M.K. is supported by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant FG-2015-65299. T.B.L. acknowledges NSF award PHY-1307020. U.S. is supported by FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG Grant No. 293412, FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IRSES Grant No.295189, H2020-MSCA-RISE-2015 Grant No. StronGrHEP-690904, H2020 ERC Consolidator Grant Agreement No. MaGRaTh-646597, SDSC and TACC through XSEDE Grant No. PHY-090003 by the NSF, Finis Terrae through Grant No. ICTS-CESGA-249, STFC Roller Grant No. ST/L000636/1 and DiRAC's Cosmos Shared Memory system through BIS Grant No. ST/J005673/1 and STFC Grant Nos. ST/H008586/1, ST/K00333X/1. Computational resources were provided by the Northwestern University Grail cluster (CIERA) through NSF MRI award PHY-1126812, by the Atlas cluster at AEI Hannover, supported by the Max Planck Institute and by the Nemo 20 at cluster through NSF-092340

    Neonatal withdrawal syndrome following in utero exposure to antidepressants: a disproportionality analysis of VigiBase, the WHO spontaneous reporting database

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    Evidence on neonatal withdrawal syndrome following antidepressant intrauterine exposure is limited, particularly for antidepressants other than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs)

    Neonatal withdrawal syndrome following in utero exposure to antidepressants: a disproportionality analysis of VigiBase, the WHO spontaneous reporting database

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    Background: Evidence on neonatal withdrawal syndrome following antidepressant intrauterine exposure is limited, particularly for antidepressants other than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs). Methods: In our case/non-case pharmacovigilance study, based on VigiBase®, the WHO database of suspected adverse drug reactions, we estimated reporting odds ratio (ROR) and the Bayesian information component (IC) with 95% confidence/credibility intervals (CI) as measures of disproportionate reporting of antidepressant-related neonatal withdrawal syndrome. Antidepressants were first compared to all other medications, then to methadone, and finally within each class of antidepressants: SSRIs, tricyclics (TCA) and other antidepressants. Antidepressants were ranked in terms of clinical priority, based on semiquantitative score ratings. Serious v. non-serious reports were compared. Results: A total of 406 reports of neonatal withdrawal syndrome in 379 neonates related to 15 antidepressants were included. Disproportionate reporting was detected for antidepressants as a group as compared to all other drugs (ROR: 6.18, 95% CI 5.45-7.01, IC: 2.07, 95% CI 1.92-2.21). Signals were found for TCAs (10.55, 95% CI 8.02-13.88), followed by other antidepressants (ROR: 5.90, 95% CI 4.74-7.36) and SSRIs (ROR: 4.68, 95% CI 4.04-5.42). Significant disproportionality emerged for all individual antidepressants except for bupropion, whereas no disproportionality for any antidepressant was detected v. methadone. Eleven antidepressants had a moderate clinical priority score and four had a weak one. Most frequent symptoms included respiratory symptoms (n = 106), irritability/agitation (n = 75), tremor (n = 52) and feeding problems (n = 40). Conclusions: Most antidepressants are associated with moderate signals of disproportionate reporting for neonatal withdrawal syndrome, which should be considered when prescribing an antidepressant during pregnancy, irrespective of class. Keywords: Abstinence syndrome; antidepressants; neonates; poor neonatal adaptation syndrome; pregnancy; withdrawal syndrome

    Study of an electron linac driven x-ray radio-tomographic system response as a function of the electron beam current

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    At the Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Messina, a high energy X-ray radio-tomographc system driven by a 5 MeV electron linac, has been recently assembled. It has been tested and has already provided good results in inspecting heavy materials. In order to achieve good radiographic results, especially when inspecting heavy or thick materials, an enhancement of the X-ray dose at the sample position can be required and most of times this is associated to an enhancement of the grey level in the acquired image, according to a linear function. Nevertheless, in the hypothesis to work at the maximum magnetron power, a variation of the X-ray dose, obtained changing the electron beam current, is associated to a variation of the electron beam energy. As a consequence, the X- ray energy spectrum varies thus influencing the response of the radio-tomographic system. This does not allow a linear correspondence between the X-ray fluence (or the electron beam current) and the image grey level. By means of MCNP-4C2 simulations, the influence of electron beam energy variations on the produced bremsstrahlung spectrum has been studied and the theoretical results seems to be confirmed by the preliminary experimental ones

    Kinematical coincidence method in transfer reactions

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    A new method to extract high resolution angular distributions from kinematical coincidence measurements in binary reactions is presented. Kinematic is used to extract the center of mass angular distribution from the measured energy spectrum of light particles. Results obtained in the case of 10Be+p-->9Be+d reaction measured with the CHIMERA detector are shown. An angular resolution of few degrees in the center of mass is obtained.Comment: 6 Page 10 Figures submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Methods

    A simulation tool for MRPC telescopes of the EEE project

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    The Extreme Energy Events (EEE) Project is mainly devoted to the study of the secondary cosmic ray radiation by using muon tracker telescopes made of three Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPC) each. The experiment consists of a telescope network mainly distributed across Italy, hosted in different building structures pertaining to high schools, universities and research centers. Therefore, the possibility to take into account the effects of these structures on collected data is important for the large physics programme of the project. A simulation tool, based on GEANT4 and using GEMC framework, has been implemented to take into account the muon interaction with EEE telescopes and to estimate the effects on data of the structures surrounding the experimental apparata.A dedicated event generator producing realistic muon distributions, detailed geometry and microscopic behavior of MRPCs have been included to produce experimental-like data. The comparison between simulated and experimental data, and the estimation of detector resolutions is here presented and discussed

    Comparative Effectiveness of Biosimilar, Reference Product and Other Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents (ESAs) Still Covered by Patent in Chronic Kidney Disease and Cancer Patients: An Italian Population-Based Study

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    Background Since 2007 biosimilars of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are available on the Italian market. Very limited post-marketing data exist on the comparative effectiveness of biosimilar and originator ESAs. Aim This population-based study was aimed to compare the effects of biosimilars, reference product and other ESAs still covered by patent on hemoglobinemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cancer patients in a Local Health Unit (LHU) from Northern Italy. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted during the years 2009-2014 using data from Treviso LHU administrative database. Incident ESA users (no ESA dispensing within 6 months prior to treatment start, i.e. index date (ID)) with at least one hemoglobin measurement within one month prior to ID (baseline Hb value) and another measurement between 2nd and 3rd month after ID (follow-up Hb value) were identified. The strength of the consumption (as total number of defined daily dose (DDD) dispensed during the follow-up divided by days of follow-up) and the difference between follow-up and baseline Hb values [delta Hb (ΔHb)] were evaluated. Based on Hb changes, ESA users were classified as non-responders (ΔHb≤0 g/dl), responders (0Delta;Hb≤2 g/dl), and highly responders (ΔHb>2 g/ dl). A multivariate ordinal logistic regression model to identify predictors for responsiveness to treatment was performed. All analyses were stratified by indication for use and type of dispensed ESA at ID. Results Overall, 1,003 incident ESA users (reference product: 252, 25.1%; other ESAs covered by patent: 303, 30.2%; biosimilars: 448, 44.7%) with CKD or cancer were eligible for the study. No statistically significant difference in the amount of dose dispensed during the follow-up among biosimilars, reference product and other ESAs covered by patent was found in both CKD and cancer. After three months from treatment start, all ESAs increased Hb values on average by 2g/dl. No differences in ΔHb as well as in frequency of non-responders, responders and highly responders among different types of ESAs were observed in both indications of use. Overall, around 15-20% of ESA users were non-responders. Strength of treatment, but no type of dispensed ESAs was found to be predictor of responsiveness to treatment. Conclusions No difference on the effects on hemoglobinemia among users of either biosimilars or reference product or ESAs covered by patent was observed in a general population from Northern Italy, despite a comparable dispensed dose of the different ESAs during the first three months of treatment

    Mass and charge identification of fragments detected with the Chimera Silicon-CsI(Tl) telescopes

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    Mass and charge identification of charged products detected with Silicon-CsI(Tl) telescopes of the Chimera apparatus is presented. An identification function, based on the Bethe-Bloch formula, is used to fit empirical correlation between Delta E and E ADC readings, in order to determine, event by event, the atomic and mass numbers of the detected charged reaction products prior to energy calibration.Comment: 24 pages, 7 .jpg figures, submitted to Nucl.Instr.
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