Minilaparoscopic cholecystectomy versus conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy. An endless debate

Background: Our systematic review and meta-analysis examine the impact of minilaparoscopic cholecystectomy (MLC) versus conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC). Some authors previously compared these surgical approaches without reaching any clear conclusion, since then, further trials have been performed, but an update was needed. Materials and Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and the CENTRAL were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials comparing MLC versus CLC up to August 2019. The outcome measures used for comparison were operative time (OT), overall morbidity, intra- and postoperative complications, conversion and reintervention rate, length of hospital stay (LOS), postoperative pain (POP), and cosmetic results. A meta-analysis of relevant studies was performed using RevMan 5.3. Results: Fifteen studies, including 863 patients, were considered eligible to collect data and entered the meta-analysis. A total of 415 patients in the MLC group versus 448 in the CLC group were compared. No statistical difference as for overall morbidity, intra- and postoperative complications, conversion and reintervention rate, LOS, and cosmetic results were retrieved among the groups. CLC results faster and MLC shows to be the least painful. Conclusions: According to the available high-level evidence, both surgical approaches resulted substantially equivalent to perform LC, with some advantages of CLC as for OT and of MLC concerning POP. As a consequence, we can conclude that either procedure is superior or inferior to the other one; actually, we are not able to suggest the adoption of any of the two on a routine basis

Circuit analog of a beam and its application to multimodal vibration damping, using piezoelectric transducers

In this paper we solve the synthesis problem of finding a completely passive electric circuit analog to a vibrating beam. The synthesis problem is of interest when one wants to suppress beam mechanical vibrations by using distributed piezoelectric transduction. Indeed, an effective electromechanical energy transduction is guaranteed when the electric circuit (interconnecting the transducers' terminals) is resonant at all mechanical resonance frequencies and is able to mimic all the mechanical modal shapes. The designed electric circuit behaves as an electric controller of mechanical vibrations (i.e. an electric vibration damper) once suitably endowed with a set of resistors. Because of its completely passive nature, it does not require external power units and stands as an economical means of controlling vibrations. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd

ISAR Target Reconstruction by Inference Rule Based Systems

The Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) is a useful technique to identify moving targets by observing high resolution images. ISAR generates two dimensional maps of the target by processing the return echoes from different angles of the target. Such a high resolution images may help the radar operator to easily identify and to classify the targets. This paper describes a non linear processing for ships ISAR image reconstruction, based on two Inference Fuzzy rule filters and one morphological filter. The reconstruction is basically performed in two main steps. At first the target (ship) is extracted from the noisy background of the image, and then the orientation and size of the target are estimated. The second step is done by using two binary templates, one oriented along the above axes and the other vertical, which supply the inputs to the fuzzy filter. The final output consists in a binary image representing a reconstructed ship silhouette of the corresponding ISAR images with low distortion

Sediments and bedforms of the Harle tidal inlet (Wadden Sea, Germany)

ABSTRACTThe paper presents a map of sediment surface distribution and bedforms in the Harle tidal inlet, German Wadden Sea. Data collection, processing, and map editing were realized within the sublittoral mapping program of Lower Saxony national waters carried out by the NLWKN – Coastal Research Station. The map is the result of the combined use of multibeam echosounder, sub-bottom profiler, and ground-truth data. The sediment characterization is achieved by an unsupervised approach using an Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) on a normalized backscatter mosaic, verified by nineteen sediment samples. Morphometrical parameters and sub-bottom data provided important information to identify hard substrates and bedforms

Feasibility of Objective Seabed Mapping Techniques in a Coastal Tidal Environment (Wadden Sea, Germany)

The growing interest in monitoring the marine environment has strongly encouraged governmental agencies and research institutes to undertake seabed mapping programs and stimulated scientific interest in innovative mapping methods and tools. In this study, object-based image analysis was used to map a very shallow tidal inlet, characterized by high sediment variability and intense morphodynamic processes. The aim was to test the feasibility of reproducible mapping approaches within extended mapping programs of complex coastal areas. The study is based on full-coverage, high-resolution bathymetry and reflectivity, calibrated by means of sediment samples. Seafloor segmentation and classification were based on a cluster analysis performed on reflectivity, slope, and ruggedness. Statistics of clusters were extracted and analysed to identify the optimal number of clusters and evaluate the suitability of the clustering process to differentiate different seabed types. Clusters and samples data were joined to create a training and validation dataset for characterizing the seabed and carrying out an accuracy assessment. Misclassifications were explored and referred to three main reasons: (i) The not-perfect correspondence between sediment boundaries of classification systems and boundaries derived from the clustering process; (ii) the geomorphological features of the seabed; and (iii) the position accuracy of samples. The study contributes to testing of the feasibility of objective methods and highlights the importance of joining acoustic, lithological, and geomorphological analysis. It highlights issues and the need to critically analyse the mapping results and improve the accuracy of collected data

L'Italia del Miracolo

Il genio visionario di Olivetti che seppe coniugare cultura, territorio e innovazione; il modello sociale internazionale di Mattei e le ricerche all’avanguardia in campo nucleare di Ippolito, entrambi di estrema attualità in tempi di crisi energetica; il mondo dei tecnici simboleggiato da Menichella, con l’Iri prima e la Banca d’Italia poi; il grande afflato sociale dell’economista Caffè e di Fanfani, professore e protagonista della prima Repubblica, i quali pur non sempre in sintonia seppero scrivere pagine importanti tra accademia e politica, fino alla lezione di Mortati improntata all’idea comunitaria di lavoro quale cardine dello Stato contro le derive finanziarie. “L’Italia del Miracolo” è un viaggio nelle biografie di questi grandi personaggi della cultura, dell’imprenditoria e della storia che ci restituisce, pur con tutte le sue luci e ombre, una stagione fatta di sfide, creatività, crescita e sviluppo. Una grande pagina che racconta il passato di una Nazione che usciva dai drammi del secondo conflitto mondiale e non solo, configurandosi come stimolo per costruire il futuro al di là delle divisioni politiche

Recent Geomorphological Evolution and 3D Numerical Modelling of Soft Clastic Rock Cliffs in the Mid-Western Adriatic Sea (Abruzzo, Italy)

Geomorphological evolution, erosion and retreat processes that a ect the rocky coasts of the mid-western Adriatic Sea (Abruzzo, Central Italy) are the subject of this research. This coastal sector, one of the few examples of clastic soft rock coasts in the Mediterranean Sea, is characterized by active, inactive and paleo cli s, as well as coastal slopes, composed of the clayey-sandy-arenaceous-conglomeratic marine sequence (Early-Middle Pleistocene) covered by continental deposits (Late Pleistocene-Holocene). This study provides geomorphological and 3D modelling stability analyses of the cli s of Torre Mucchia, Punta Lunga, Punta Ferruccio (Ortona, CH) and Punta Aderci (Vasto, CH), which are popular tourist sites included in natural reserve areas. They are representative of two main types of active cli s on soft clastic rocks: cli s on sandstone and cli s on conglomerate with notches. In order to evaluate the processes and factors that induce cli s to retreat and their recent evolution, the research was based on a DEM analysis (LIDAR 2 2 m data), aerial photos and an orthoimages interpretation, detailed geological–geomorphological surveys, and a structural analysis; field and remote investigations were combined with numerical modelling with a FLAC3D calculation code. Geological and geomorphological field data provided reliable 3D models, and FLAC3D numerical analyses allowed the definition of the most critical and/or failure areas, and the evaluation of the controlling factors, evolution mechanisms of the slopes and the sliding kinematics of gravitational instability phenomena. Di erent retreat mechanisms have been observed all along the investigated coastal sectors, induced by gravitational processes due to coastal erosion cycles at the foot of the cli s, and controlled by lithological features and joints systems. The geomorphological analysis combined with the 3D modelling (i) showed that the retreat process of the cli s is connected to translational slides and rockfalls (cli s on sandstone), combined rockfalls, and topples (cli s on conglomerate), largely controlled by main joints; (ii) defined the most critical areas along the cli s. These results are of great interest in the assessment of hazard connected to potential sliding on the cli s. Their implementation within Geographical Information Systems provides a valuable contribution to the integrated management of coastal areas, strongly improving the identification and prediction of landscape changes and supporting a new geomorphological hazards assessment, in areas of high tourism, as well as natural and cultural landscape value.Publishedid 3092T. Deformazione crostale attivaJCR Journa

Automotive Application of Lithium-ion batteries: a new generation of electrode materials

New researches suggest that the price of lithium-ion batteries could fall dramatically by 2020, creating conditions for the widespread adoption of electrified vehicles in the markets. The aim of this work is to analyze the behavior of titania nanotubes acting as anode for lithium ion batteries. Titania is chemically stable, economically competitive, nontoxic, and an environmental sustainable. Potentiostatic processes were used to treat electrochemically small sheets of commercially pure grade-3 titanium in order to generate titania nanotubes on its surface. After that, the samples were used for to prepare the working electrodes and so tested in a electrochemical cell with lithium metal as anode and LiPF6 in EC-DMC 1:1 as electrolyte. Structural and morphologic characterization of the titania nanotubes have been done by RDX and SEM analysis, while galvanostatic cycles, for to highlight the electrochemical performance as electrodic material, have been made. A comparison of the electrochemical performance with a commercial nanostructured titanium oxide (P25 Degussa), TiO2 obtained by Laser and a commercial lithium titanate Li4Ti5O12 has been made. The TiO2 nanotube electrodes, obtained by our technical anodization, reduces the overall cell voltage and provides good capacity retention on cycling and higher capacity at all used C-rate was delivered

Sistema multi-robot per orticoltura sostenibile

Realizzazione di un sistema multi-robot autonomo multifunzionale per l'agricoltura. Il sistema è composto da due carri motorizzati che tramite un sistema funicolare guidano e manovrano un carrello operatore lungo i filari. Il carrello, una volta completato un filare viene sollevato da un carro e posto su una nuova linea di lavoro. Le operazioni svolte dal carrello sono molteplici, quali la semina a spaglio, l'irrorazione e attività di analisi e riconoscimento. I carri sono dotati di un sistema di navigazione autonoma che utilizza un torque vectoring completo con quattro moto-ruote indipendenti. Per integrare l'energia del pacco batteria dei carri, sono stati installati a copertura due pannelli fotovoltaici