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A new numerical method is proposed to model the electric behavior of a single bundle litz wire with a large number of strands. The method is first based on a two-dimensional (2-D) finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate the series impedance matrix of a multistrand cable with parallel strands. Then, a mathematical algorithm for a discrete transposition of all strands is applied to simulate the bunching and twisting of the strands. The new procedure is very efficient and accurate, as demonstrated by the excellent agreement of the numerical results with those obtained by experiments or with 3-D FEA. The error in terms of ac-to-dc resistance ratio is less than 10% in the tested configurations. Furthermore, the computational cost of the proposed method is very low and comparable with a simple 2-D FEA.

A cross-sectional survey to assess the prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis infection and its associated factors among the child population of infant, preschool and school age in the urban, rural and indigenous population of Iguazú city, in subtropical Argentina was presented. Additionally, the status of enterobiasis at country level was reviewed and analysed. Enterobius vermicularis presence was assessed employing an oviscopic serial sampling technique. Statistical analysis of socio-demographic determinants was performed by generalized linear mixed models at individual, household and community levels. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were used to gather national information about E. vermicularis prevalence spanning the decade 2010–2020. A total of 916 children from 470 families participated. Overall prevalence was 29.8%, with 25.3, 30.7 and 34.2% detected for children inhabiting urban, rural and indigenous villages, respectively. The multi-level analysis showed that the presence of E. vermicularis was mostly determined by individual (e.g. age, playing habits, previous pinworm infection) and household-level factors (e.g. family size, overcrowding conditions). Interestingly, WASH variables, such as waste disposal, analysed at community level were also important. Data were analysed to provide eco-epidemiological features of enterobiasis in a heterogeneous subtropical child population in the same territory but with different socio-sanitary realities. The importance of promoting multi-level actions against the determinants identified, to control this public health problem integratively was evidenced. The scoping review of national data updated the state of knowledge of this parasitosis, identifying risk determinants and gaps in knowledge at country level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study deals with the thermal analysis of a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system, based on the magnetic resonant coupling technology, to wirelessly power a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The transmitting planar coil is placed on the skin, just in front of the subcutaneously implanted receiving planar coil. The TET system permits to eliminate the infection due to the exit site of the percutaneous driveline cable that connects the LVAD with the external power supply and control system. Since the LVAD continuously requires high power (typically around 5 W as average value), the thermal aspects must be carefully kept under control. Aim of this paper is an extensive thermal analysis to properly design a suitable TET system.

We evaluated the use of oral fluid as an alternative to serum samples for Classical swine fever virus(CSFV) detection. Individual oral fluid and serum samples were collected at different times post-infection from pigs that were experimentally inoculated with CSFV Alfort 187 strain. We found no evidence of CSFV neutralizing antibodies in swine oral fluid samples under our experimental conditions. In contrast, real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction could detect CSFV nucleic acid from the oral fluid as early as 8 d postinfection, which also coincided with the time of initial detection in blood samples. The probability of CSFV detection in oral fluid was identical or even higher than in the corresponding blood sample. Our results support the feasibility of using this sampling method for CSFV genome detection, which may represent an additional cost-effective tool for CSF control.

The paper deals with an efficient and accurate circuit-oriented model of multilayer graphene sheet in finite-element method (FEM) by impedance network boundary conditions (INBCs). The INBCs have been developed in the past to model efficiently the field penetration through thin conductive shields. Here, INBCs are used to model graphene sheet by an original and simple circuit-oriented FEM model. The efficiency of the method is proven by validation in different test configurations available in litterature. The proposed circuit-oriented FEM model seems to be very suitable to model next generation smart materials using graphene.

Cardio-renal syndrome is well – known clinical syndrome, describing both negative effects of impaired renal function on heart and circulation and, on the other hand, those of heart failure on renal function.Many author have investigated the usefulness of serological markers in identify and eventually follow this syndrome. Natriuretic peptides levels are not only directly associated with severity of heart failure, but on the other hand they can help to detect renal dysfunction before creatinine serum levels raise up.NGAL, Cystatin C, NAG, KIM-1 and IL-18 represent interesting biomarkers for early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI), while urinary KIM-1 and urinary IL-18 seems to be appropriate only for differential diagnosis of established AKI.

Background: Bovine tuberculosis is a disease of zoonotic importance. It is disease of high priority all over the world and needs to be investigated in each country.

Calciphylaxis represents a very severe and life-threatening clinical condition that occurs mostly but non exclusively in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on renal replacement therapy. It affects about 1–4% of the dialytic population and has very high mortality (60–80%). It is clinically characterized by the presence of ischemic ulcers of the skin and necrosis resulting in the development of dystrophic calcification of small and medium size subcutaneous arteries. Penile involvement is rare and about 40 reports have described in literature until now.In the present paper we describes the case of 50 years old patient followed in our hospital who developed this serious and, unfortunately, fatal clinical complication.

Nowadays, the EMC Europe International Symposium is the chief scientific event in Europe since it represents an international forum in which the EMC Community every year meets together in the exclusive frame of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Attendees disseminate and exchange the latest updates about research results and the most innovative technical achievements in the field of electromagnetic compatibility.

The EMC Europe 2020 Local Organizing Committee and the International Steering Committee, after a long evaluation of the current worldwide situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has decided that EMC Europe 2020 will be held virtually as a fully online conference from September 23 to 25, 2020. The high-quality technical results achieved — at the end of the peer review process, 292 papers have been accepted from 39 countries — has encouraged us to go forward with the organization adopting a virtual solution, which has been an excellent strategy during this difficult time, given the current travel restrictions and meeting size limitations. Now, we are very excited about this new format for EMC Europe 2020.

ABSTRACTBovine tuberculosis (TB) is still a zoonotic problem in the world. Despite the fact that eradication programs for bovine TB are being implemented in many countries, it remains a public health problem. These programs are mainly based on a single intradermal tuberculin test using bovine tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), isolation, and slaughtering of infected animals. The aim of this study was to assess the specificity of the gamma interferon (IFN-?) test in TB-free cattle herds, by using not only Australian tuberculins but also tuberculins produced at our institute, and to correlate the response with the type of production (beef cattle, dairy cattle, and a dual-purpose breed), the housing system, and the age of the animals. We studied 800 animals selected from 20 TB- and paratuberculosis-free herds. The animals were tested in parallel, after stimulation with Australian tuberculins and tuberculins produced at our institute, by using the skin test and two IFN-? assays. The results of this trial showed that the specificity of the IFN-? test is higher than that of the skin test (96.8%) and ranges from 97.3% (using only Australian tuberculins) to 98.6% (using tuberculins produced at our institute). We found that different categories of cattle could influence the specificity of the skin test but that these differences tended to be reduced in the IFN-? assay, especially when Italian PPDs were used.

ABSTRACTThe gene encoding the major envelope glycoprotein (gp51) with its signal sequence, represented by an additional NH2-terminal 33-residue amino acid sequence of bovine leukemia virus (BLV), was inserted into a baculovirus transfer vector. A recombinant virus expressing a secreted gp51 protein in insect cells was isolated. The recombinant gp51 expressed was characterized by using an anti-BLV monoclonal antibody by both Western blotting analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The secreted gp51 was used as an antigen, and an ELISA with recombinant gp51 (rgp51) was developed for the detection of BLV antibodies. This new procedure was compared with a previous ELISA method for the detection of BLV antibodies and an agar gel immunodiffusion test performed with an unpurified BLV antigen preparation. The comparative testing of field samples showed that the ELISA with rgp51 is more specific and also suitable for the testing of pooled sera.

The actual prevalence of sensitization to Alternaria is not known, partly due to the unreliability of diagnostic extracts.

A procedure based on trasmission-line theory, is presented for the evaluation of the effects produced by an EMP wave on a multiconductor power line. The high-altitude nuclear EMP is considered as an incident wave towards the ground; the total field is the sum of the incident wave and the wave reflected from the ground surface. The transmission system is represented in the frequency domain by an accurate simulation model, which takes account of earth and conductors skin effect. Non-linear phenomena, such as corona and flashover, are not considered. The EMP-line coupling results in per-unit length series-voltage and shunt-current sources. Analysis of the multiconductor circuit with distributed impressed sources is performed by using matrix operators in integral expressions, which are calculated numerically. The transient voltages and currents are obtained by a discrete inverse Fourier transform. The EMP effects induced on a distribution power line with different terminal conditions are computed.

Summary: Monitorings both with a fixed Hirst type volumetric sampler, placed on the balcony of the Medicine Division in Lanciano City Hospital and with a portable volumetric sampler PVAS type by Burkard, placed outside the dwelling-houses of the examined patients have been carried out simulaneously. This has given us further information about the quantity of pollen that single patients affected by pollinosis inhale. Preliminary controls on the capture efficiency of both samplers have been conducted. The results of this survey have shown that the symptom score cards of the eight patients enrolled for the study, have always been well correlated with the average daily pollen concentration of the fixed station (Pearson correlation), and the data obtained by the two samplers have pointed out remarkable differences in the pollen concentration. According to the PVAS, placed near patients, the concentrations were twofold to sixfold as compared to those of the fixed station. This was probably due to the different height of the samplers. However, owing to the short sampling time (30 min.), we aren't able to draw any conclusions. Nevertheless we do hope that more and more patients will undergo this test, so that with several daily surveys over longer periods, we will have more information on the real pollen exposure of single patients. We will verify the threshold of symptoms onset, which is only theoretical nowadays, in the monosensitized patients. Such a program will allow us to carry on useful research both in the respiratory physiopathological and in the allergological fields.

EMC research and conferences in Europe have a long tradition. From the series of independent EMC Symposia based in Wroclaw, Zurich and Rome running every second year, has emerged EMC Europe which is organized every year in a European city to provide an international forum for the exchange of technical information on EMC.

Pseudomonas aeruginosaexploits intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms to resist almost every antibiotic used in chemotherapy. Antimicrobial resistance in P. aeruginosaisolates recovered from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is further enhanced by the occurrence of hypermutator strains, a hallmark of chronic infections in CF patients. However, the within-patient genetic diversity of P. aeruginosapopulations related to antibiotic resistance remains unexplored.

Background The aim of this study was to compare the tissue distribution and pathogenicity of three virulence variants of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and to investigate the applicability of various conventional diagnostic procedures.Methods 64 pigs were divided into three groups and infected with the highly virulent isolate ISS/60, the moderately virulent isolate Wingene'93 and the live attenuated vaccine strain Riems, respectively. Clinical signs, gross and histopathological changes were compared in relation to time elapsed post infection. Virus spread in various organs was followed by virus isolation, by immunohistochemistry, applying monoclonal antibodies in a two-step method and by in situ hybridisation using a digoxigenin-labelled riboprobe.Results The tissue distribution data are discussed in details, analyzing the results of the various diagnostic approaches. The comparative studies revealed remarkable differences in the onset of clinical signs as well as in the development of the macro- and microscopical changes, and in the tissue distribution of CSFV in the three experimental groups.Conclusion The present study demonstrates that in the case of highly and moderately virulent virus variants the virulence does not affect the pattern of the viral spread, however, it influences the outcome, the duration and the intensity of the disease. Immunohistochemistry has the advantage to allow the rapid detection and localisation of the virus, especially in cases of early infection, when clinical signs are still absent. Compared to virus isolation, the advantage of this method is that no cell culture facilities are required. Thus, immunohistochemistry provides simple and sensitive tools for the prompt detection of newly emerging variants of CSFV, including the viruses of very mild virulence.