The effects of hospitalization on the executive functions in children affected by acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

openLa leucemia linfoblastica acuta (LLA) è il tumore più frequente in età pediatrica e ogni anno colpisce in Italia 350/400 bambini, soprattutto di età compresa tra i 2 e i 5 anni, un periodo di vita in cui il cervello subisce le modificazioni più importanti e che ne migliorano considerevolmente il funzionamento. Grazie ai recenti progressi nelle terapie, dalla chemioterapia (CT) alla radioterapia craniale (RTC), un bambino affetto da LLA ha una probabilità di guarire che oggi supera il 90%. Tuttavia, numerosi studi hanno rilevato che i meccanismi fisiologici di questi trattamenti e della LLA stessa, così come il lungo periodo di ospedalizzazione a cui sono costretti questi piccoli pazienti, potrebbero essere fattori di rischio per deterioramenti cognitivi, in particolare nelle funzioni esecutive (memoria di lavoro, flessibilità cognitiva, controllo inibitorio,…). Il primo obiettivo di questo elaborato è illustrare alcuni dei principali effetti della LLA e della conseguente ospedalizzazione sulle diverse funzioni esecutive (FE) e l’impatto che queste compromissioni neurocognitive possono avere sulla vita quotidiana. Un ulteriore obiettivo è quello di individuare alcuni metodi per un riconoscimento precoce dei bambini più a rischio e programmi di training per attenuare gli effetti negativi sulle FE e garantire una quotidianità futura migliore agli individui sopravvissuti al tumore pediatrico

The local magnetic moments and hyperfine magnetic fields in disordered metal-metalloid alloys

The local magnetic moments and hyperfine magnetic fields (HFF) in the ordered alloys Fe_{15}Sn and Fe_{15}Si are calculated with the first-principles full-potential linear augmented plane wave (FP LAPW) method. The results are compared with the experimental data on Fe-M (M=Si, Sn) disordered alloys at small metalloid concentration. The relaxation of the lattice around the impurity and its influence on the quantities under consideration are studied. The mechanism of the local magnetic moment formation is described. It is proved that the main distinction between these alloys is connected with the different lattice parameters. Three contributions to the HFF are discussed: the contributions of the core and valence electron polarization to the Fermi-contact part, and the contibution from the orbital magnetic moment.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Geothermal Potential Evaluation for Northern Chile and Suggestions for New Energy Plans

Chile is a country rich in natural resources, and it is the world’s largest producer and exporter of copper. Mining is the main industry and is an essential part of the Chilean economy, but the country has limited indigenous fossil fuels—over 90% of the country’s fossil fuels must be imported. The electricity market in Chile comprises two main independent systems: the Northern Interconnected Power Grid (SING) and the Central Interconnected Power Grid (SIC). Currently, the primary Chilean energy source is imported fossil fuels, whereas hydropower represents the main indigenous source. Other renewables such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermics are as yet poorly developed. Specifically, geothermal energy has not been exploited in Chile, but among all renewables it has the greatest potential. The transition from thermal power plants to renewable energy power plants is an important target for the Chilean Government in order to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. In this framework, the proposed study presents an evaluation of the geothermal potential for northern Chile in terms of power generation. The El Tatio, Surire, Puchuldiza, Orriputunco-Olca and Apacheta geothermal fields are considered for the analysis. The estimated electrical power is approximately 1300 MWe, and the energy supply is 10,200 GWh/year. This means that more than 30% of the SING energy could be provided from geothermal energy, reducing the dependence on imported fossil fuels, saving 8 Mton/year of CO2 and supplying the mining industry, which is Chile’s primary energy user

Spin-density-functional theory: some open problems and application to inhomogeneous Heisenberg models

Spin-density-functional theory (SDFT) is the most widely implemented and applied formulation of density-functional theory. However, it is still finding novel applications, and occasionally encounters unexpected problems. In this paper we first briefly describe a few of the latter, related to issues such as nonuniqueness, noncollinearity, and currents. In the main part we then turn to an example of the former, namely SDFT for the Heisenberg model. It is shown that time-honored concepts of Coulomb DFT, such as the local-density approximation, can be applied to this (and other) model Hamiltonians, too, once the concept of 'density' has been suitably reinterpreted. Local-density-type approximations for the inhomogeneous Heisenberg model are constructed. Numerical applications to finite-size and impurity systems demonstrate that DFT is a computationally efficient and reasonably accurate alternative to conventional methods of statistical mechanics for the Heisenberg model.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure, 1 tabl

Density-functional calculation of ionization energies of current-carrying atomic states

Current-density-functional theory is used to calculate ionization energies of current-carrying atomic states. A perturbative approximation to full current-density-functional theory is implemented for the first time, and found to be numerically feasible. Different parametrizations for the current-dependence of the density functional are critically compared. Orbital currents in open-shell atoms turn out to produce a small shift in the ionization energies. We find that modern density functionals have reached an accuracy at which small current-related terms appearing in open-shell configurations are not negligible anymore compared to the remaining difference to experiment.Comment: 7 pages, 2 tables, accepted by Phys. Rev.

E-Waste Informal Recycling: An Emerging Source of Lead Exposure in South America

Background: Primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling creates exposures to several hazardous substances including lead. In Uruguay, primitive recycling procedures are a significant source of lead exposure. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine lead exposure in blood lead levels (BLLs) in low-income children exposed to lead through burning cables. Methods: A sample of children and adolescents exposed to lead through burning cable activities were assessed at the Department of Toxicology in Montevideo, Uruguay, between 2010 and 2014. Soil lead levels of residences were taken shortly after their assessment. Findings: The final sample included 69 children and adolescents (mean age 7.89 years). More than 66% of participants had an additional source of lead exposure—manual gathering of metals—and medical intervention. Future research should focus on exploring effective interventions to reduce lead exposure among this vulnerable group

Multicentre international trial of laparoscopic lavage for Hinchey III acute diverticulitis (LLO Study)

Background: Laparoscopic lavage was proposed in the 1990s to treat purulent peritonitis in patients with perforated acute diverticulitis. Prospective randomized trials had mixed results. The aim of this study was to determine the success rate of laparoscopic lavage in sepsis control and to identify a group of patients that could potentially benefit from this treatment. Methods: This retrospective multicentre international study included consecutive patients from 24 centres who underwent laparoscopic lavage from 2005 to 2015. Results: A total of 404 patients were included, 231 of whom had Hinchey III acute diverticulitis. Sepsis control was achieved in 172 patients (74·5 per cent), and was associated with lower Mannheim Peritonitis Index score and ASA grade, no evidence of free perforation, absence of extensive adhesiolysis and previous episodes of diverticulitis. The operation was immediately converted to open surgery in 19 patients. Among 212 patients who underwent laparoscopic lavage, the morbidity rate was 33·0 per cent; the reoperation rate was 13·7 per cent and the 30-day mortality rate 1·9 per cent. Twenty-one patients required readmission for early complications, of whom 11 underwent further surgery and one died. Of the 172 patients discharged uneventfully after laparoscopic lavage, a recurrent episode of acute diverticulitis was registered in 46 (26·7 per cent), at a mean of 11 (range 2–108) months. Relapse was associated with younger age, female sex and previous episodes of acute diverticulitis. Conclusion: Laparoscopic lavage showed a high rate of successful sepsis control in selected patients with perforated Hinchey III acute diverticulitis affected by peritonitis, with low rates of operative mortality, reoperation and stoma formation

Per quale futuro? Numeri, dubbi e speranze, molte, della nuova cultura della partecipazione

I nuovi cantautori non pubblicano più cd, ma creano dei mini tour, a basso costo, seguitissimi dai fan. La gente non va più al cinema ma si precipita ai festival cinematografici che innervano le città minori. La gente non legge più ma assiste ai festival letterari e filosofici. Sono sempre maggiori le adesioni alle cene con delitto, teatro con attori “paganti”. L’arte e la cultura diventano partecipazione. Un fenomeno che rispecchia quanto accade nei social network? Il passaggio delle “star culturali” è una comparsata sterile che non lascia nulla sul territorio? O, magari in pochi spettatori, lascia un seme che cresce? O fa rigenerare le città con ricadute economiche di rilievo? Numeri, dubbi e speranze, molte, della nuova cultura della partecipazione