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Neon (Ne) is an expensive noble gas with commercial interest, which is why systems for Ne storage and delivery are useful tools for its more efficient utilization. Although adsorption-based technol...

An experimental setup is operational at the Central Cryogenics Laboratory of the European Organization for Nuclear Research to measure the cooling mechanisms of superfluid 4 He (He II) from prepared Rutherford-type superconducting cable stacks to a stagnant He II bath. For novel magnets designed for the so-called high-luminosity large hadron collider upgrade, a segment of a fully impregnated Nb 3 Sn 11T dipole magnet was measured. A dataset on the thermal behavior is presented, with homogeneous heat inputs of up to approximately 4.8 mW cm -3 corresponding to an average steady-state temperature of 3.1 K for the inner layer and 4.0 K for the outer layer when cooled via a 1.9 K He II bath. We discuss the steady state as well as transient behavior observed.

[EN] Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) scaffoldings are used as templates to create lightweight 3D rGO/silica and rGO/silico-aluminate hybrids by a simple impregnation route and the sol-gel method. The printed rGO assemblies are infiltrated by the corresponding alkoxide precursor solution and gelled by exposure to ammonia vapours, producing an hybrid replica of the rGO structure. The hybrids show a significant prevalence of mesopores, with total porosity above 94 %, density of ~ 0.1 g¿cm¿3 and high specific surface area (¿ 190 m2¿g¿1). As a result, the 3D composite materials show enhanced water adsorption capacity and hydrophilicity, display compressive strengths in the range 0.1 ¿ 0.4 MPa, which scale with the proportion of silica (or Al-modified silica) on the hybrid scaffold, and electrical conductivities are above 60 S¿m¿1. These properties are very attractive for applications in the removal of pollutants, water filtering, catalysis, drug delivery, or energy production and storage., This work was supported by Spanish project RTI2018-095052-B-I00 (MICINN/AEI, Spain and FEDER, UE). JJM acknowledges the financial support of MICINN through the FPI contract ref: BES-2016-077759

International audience; The simple resonant Rabi oscillation of a two-level system in a single-mode coherent field reveals complex features at the mesoscopic scale, with oscillation collapses and revivals. Using slow circular Rydberg atoms interacting with a superconducting microwave cavity, we explore this phenomenon in an unprecedented range of interaction times and photon numbers. We demonstrate the efficient production of 'cat' states, quantum superposition of coherent components with nearly opposite phases and sizes in the range of few tens of photons. We measure cuts of their Wigner functions revealing their quantum coherence and observe their fast decoherence. This experiment opens promising perspectives for the rapid generation and manipulation of non-classical states in cavity and circuit Quantum Electrodynamics.

Neon (Ne) is a noble gas with great commercial importance, therefore systems for its storage and delivery are of utmost interest. Adsorption-based technologies have great potential for gas storage and can be an interesting option for Ne applications. We have measured Ne adsorption equilibrium on the little-studied metal-organic framework Co3(ndc)3(dabco) over wide temperature and pressure ranges, 77–320 K and 0–100 bar, respectively. The determined isosteric heat of adsorption was found to be nearly independent of loading (average value of 3.6 kJ/mol). The adsorption equilibrium data show that 6.1 mol/m3 of Ne can be delivered at 1 bar and 300 K if the gas is loaded at 65 bar and 150 K. However, 18.5 mol/m3 of Ne can be delivered at the same discharge conditions if the storage temperature is decreased to 77 K. On a mass basis, Co3(ndc)3(dabco) shows similar performance for Ne storage as HKUST-1 and slightly lower on a volume basis. Exposing Co3(ndc)3(dabco) to temperatures near 400 K adversely affects its adsorption properties, in spite of the TGA results showing that the structure degrades only at 650 K.

The demand for biometric identification, and more particularly fingerprint recognition, has significantly increased in recent years in domains such as national security, controlled access to health care, banking and leisure. Typical resolution of current fingerprint sensors constitutes 500 dpi, which conforms to the FBI standard for the detection of level 1 (pattern) and level 2 (minutiae) features. However, at least 1000 dpi is required to extract the tiniest level 3 features such as shape of pores and ridge edges. To address an increasing need for the highest reliability in fingerprint identification, this work presents the elaboration of a specific encapsulation polymeric layer for a new design of a pressure sensor which is expected to provide higher resolution and minimal volume occupation compared to already existing setups. The sensor comprises a periodic array of individually contacted piezoelectric ZnO nanowires (NWs), which generate piezopotentials when deformed (each electrically addressable NW constitutes a pressure-sensitive pixel). Fragile NWs cannot undergo direct contact with the finger, therefore a polymeric encapsulation layer is required to simultaneously provide physical protection and to transfer the force from the finger to the NWs. To ensure sensor robustness, the polymeric layer must also exhibit appropriate chemical inertness, and water- and oil-repellency. To achieve this aim, novel formulations of UV-crosslinkable polymeric materials were developed, prepared and deposited as thin layers on the NWs using spin-coating by following the recommendations derived from numerical simulations. An ideal balance between polymer formulation processability and final thin layer's characteristics (Young's modulus, thickness) was identified. The resulting encapsulation layer was proved to properly protect the piezoelectric ZnO nanowires from breaking under pressure forces and from being contaminated with external impurities while enabling successful collection of electrical signals in a bottom–bottom contacted NW configuration.

Background One of the critical ethical requirements of conducting clinical research regardless of the study setting is to obtain informed consent before enrolling subjects’ participants. It is crucial to ensure quality and validity of the informed consent of study’s participants. Methods We used a quantitative survey design using the Italian validated version of the Quality of Informed Consent (QuIC) questionnaire. We included 7 Italian cancer sites and 300 clinical trials patients. Results All the patients invited accepted to fill the questionnaire. Most of them were male (N = 130), and the mean age was 60 (sd 10). Most of them were satisfied with the information received, and they considered themselves to be well informed. The average score for objective understanding was 62.2 and for subjective understanding was 74.6 (p Conclusions Our results suggest that investigators should invest more effort to improve clinical trials subjects reach a safer understanding of the informed consent. The clinical trials nursing role is crucial to protect the clinical trial participants rights. Legal entity responsible for the study Gianluca Catania. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Airway stent insertion is a procedure increasingly used in patients with complex post-intubation tracheal stenosis (PITS) who are unfit for or refuse surgery [1-3]. Very recently, a new self-expanding metallic stent (Alveolus TB-STSTM, Alveolus Inc., Charlotte, NC, USA) which is supposed to be easy to remove and for which indication for the treatment of benign tracheobronchial conditions has been obtained from the FDA, has been put on the market and is under evaluation. We report on a very unusual complication of an Alveolus tracheal stent in a patient with PITS.

Background. Hepatitis A is a major health risk for many human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. Vaccination is a potentially attractive measure to reduce the incidence of hepatitis A among this population, but data on its safety and immunogenicity are incomplete. Methods. Ninety HIV-uninfected adults received an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine (VAQTA; Merck), and 90 HIV-infected subjects were randomized, in double-blind fashion, to receive either the vaccine or placebo. The HIV-infected subjects were stratified by CD4 cell count, with 45 subjects having CD4 cell counts of ≥300 cells/ mm 3 and 45 subjects having CD4 cell counts of

The paper describes the design of a GPS receiver architected for integration into system-on-chip solutions. The application and the design challenges are first presented followed by the proposed solution. The solution is a complete environment starting from algorithmic and architectural development including modeling down-to implementation and verification by simulation on a software as well as a hardware platform. The resulting system is presented with initial results obtained using real signals.

Lo scopo del presente lavoro è quello di illustrare i risultati ottenuti nella progettazione e modellazione di una benna setacciatrice universale che risponda alle esigenze di mercato. Per la realizzazione della benna sono state valutate diverse tipologie di strutture, utilizzando metodologie quali le matrici decisionali, che hanno permesso di definire soluzioni in grado di conferire al sistema un'elevata rigidezza. In questa II parte vengono analizzati in particolare i risultati delle analisi eseguite sul modello. Per la descrizione dettagliata della metodologia adottata e dello sviluppo progettuale si può fare riferimento alla I parte dell'articolo riportata in Il Progettista Industriale - numero 1 - anno 29 - Gennaio 2009.

An error correction system based on the advanced cross interleave Reed Solomon code (ACIRC) has been studied and implemented. We modelled the whole structure of a Minidise (MD) player through a mathematical simulator. We tested our hardware implementation of the ACIRC decoder inserted in the global structure through co-simulations. The final result has been the design of a re-usable firm core implementing the functions of the ACIRC decoder block.

Lo scopo del presente lavoro è quello di sviluppare un nuovo progetto di benna setacciatrice universale che meglio risponda alle esigenze di mercato. Le specifiche di progetto prevedono un’oscillazione in punta di 2 cm ad una frequenza di 3Hz e una massa sollevabile di 600Kg. L’intenzione è di ottenere un sistema che sia semplice ma, soprattutto, sufficientemente robusto e duraturo da resistere alla gravosità dell’ambiente nel quale tale tipologia di macchine si trova ad operare (ambienti polverosi, frequenti urti, esposizione agli agenti atmosferici). Il materiale scelto per la realizzazione della benna è l’acciaio S 355 che presenta caratteristiche resistenziali e di costo in accordo con questo tipo di prodotto. Per i perni, invece, si è optato per un acciaio da bonifica (C40) bonificato in modo da garantire una durezza di 62HRB e, conseguentemente, una sufficiente resistenza ad usura nelle coppie rotoidali. E’ stato verificato il comportamento statico e dinamico della struttura e, in particolare, delle saldature (CNR-UNI 10011/88) e dei perni, adottando ipotesi di calcolo largamente cautelative per far percepire all’utente finale una solidità strutturale sufficientemente ampia da permetterne l’utilizzo in assoluta sicurezza.

Urinary evaluations of drug consumption among workers having high risk of accident became compulsory in Italian legislation few years ago. We report results of 322.110 single urinary drug detections carried out between 2008 and 2011 on 35.789 subjects. We verified technical difficulties arisen during laboratory detections and organizational difficulties evidenced by Occupational Doctors during collections of samples. We screened 701 positive samples (1.96%), mostly to Cannabinoids and Cocaine, verified using first and second level screening according to national law. Many patients referred regular or irregular use of medicines active on Central Nervous System frequently ignoring their collateral effects. After the evidence of a positive result, during a second medical visit, many workers referred assumption of "natural diet supplements" acquired not in traditional commercial distributors. In two cases we have had the possibility of analyzing these supplements which have shown the presence of law concentrations of drugs in their compositions.

Background In randomized clinical studies, over 11,800 children, 12 months to 6 years of age, were administered ProQuad ® , a combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine (MMRV). This paper describes the safety following a 2-dose regimen of MMRV administered to children in the second year of life. Methods Safety data from five clinical studies were combined for all children who were scheduled to receive two doses of MMRV ∼3–6 months apart. All vaccinated children were followed for safety following each dose of MMRV. Results Of 3112 children who received a first dose of MMRV, 2780 (89.3%) received a second dose of MMRV. Overall, 70.5% and 57.7% of children reported ≥1 adverse experiences following first and second doses of MMRV, respectively. Injection-site redness was statistically significantly higher postdose 2 than postdose 1, while injection-site pain/tenderness was statistically significantly higher postdose 1 compared to postdose 2. Rashes were statistically significantly lower postdose 2 compared to postdose 1. Ten febrile seizures (8 postdose 1, 2 postdose 2) were reported following MMRV vaccination. The incidence of febrile seizures postdose 1 of MMRV was 0.26% (8/3019) compared to 0.07% (2/2695) postdose 2 of MMRV. Conclusions Administration of two doses of MMRV has an acceptable safety profile in children 12 to 23 months of age. There is a small increase in the risk of febrile seizures following the first dose of MMRV as compared to the component vaccines, but the risk for any individual child is relatively low.

Background. Vaccination provides long-term immunity to hepatitis A virus (HAV) among the general population, but there are no such data regarding vaccine durability among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐ infected adults. Methods. We retrospectively studied HIV-infected adults who had received 2 doses of HAV vaccine. We analyzed blood specimens taken at 1 year, 3 years, and, when available, 6‐10 years postvaccination. HAV immunoglobulin G (IgG) values of R10 mIU/mL were considered seropositive. Results. We evaluated specimens from 130 HIV-infected adults with a median age of 35 years and a median CD4 cell count of 461 cells/mm 3 at or before time of vaccination. Of these, 49% had an HIV RNA load ,1000 copies/mL. Initial vaccine responses were achieved in 89% of HIV-infected adults (95% confidence interval [CI], 83%‐94%), compared with 100% (95% CI, 99%‐100%) of historical HIV-uninfected adults. Among initial HIVinfected responders with available specimens, 90% (104 of 116; 95% CI, 83%‐95%) remained seropositive at 3 years and 85% (63 of 74; 95% CI, 75%‐92%) at 6‐10 years. Geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) among HIVinfected adults were 154, 111, and 64 mIU/mL at 1, 3, and 6‐10 years, respectively, compared with 1734, 687, and 684 mIU/mL among HIV-uninfected persons. Higher GMCs over time among HIV-infected adults were associated with lower log10 HIV RNA levels (b 52 .12, P 5 .04). Conclusions. Most adults with well-controlled HIV infections had durable seropositive responses up to 6‐10 years after HAV vaccination. Suppressed HIV RNA levels are associated with durable HAV responses.

Thirty-two voluntary subjects were selected, not suffering either from any degenerative ophthalmic diseases or refraction and ocular motility alterations. Each subject underwent close visual task experimental sessions (e.g. PC usage), under monitored experimental conditions. Aim of the study is the assessment of working efficiency effects caused by lighting conditions characterized by "according to law" illuminations, yet in presence of high or low luminance ratios in the occupational visual field". An analysis of the data showed that high luminance ratios conditions show a decrease of the performance (decrease overall efficiency, increase in the number of errors and time of execution), which where not detected with low luminance ratios conditions. Asthenopia did not show clear differences, possibly due to the effects of the intense near work which was present in both the experimental sessions.

The 125/2001, the national law that forbids the alcohol consumption by workers with work tasks having high accident risks, has been activated a year ago. We carried out in Lombardy a research to evaluate the state of enforcement of the law in firms having different work activities. We found a complete application of the law only in very few firms. We think that the Occupational Health doctors should give more attention to the problem of alcohol consumption at the work places, giving the firms their specific scientific and medical support, using the peculiar knowledge of our discipline.

Slow reconstitution of the T cell repertoire after allogeneic blood or bone marrow stem cell transplantation is a major risk factor for patient mortality. The delivery of immunocompetent T cells as delayed donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs) is a potential way of counteracting this problem. The development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a potential complication of this procedure, however. We previously found that in P--F1 haploidentical murine models, the ex-vivo treatment of donor lymphocytes with L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester (LLME) can prevent the onset of GVHD after DLI, likely by inducing cell death in most of the perforin-positive CD8(+) T cells and in a fraction of CD4(+) T cells. Our previous preclinical studies have formed the basis of an ongoing phase I clinical trial in which patients received LLME-treated DLI from their original donor in an attempt to accelerate T cell reconstitution. To understand how this treatment strategy might affect the complexity of the DLI T cell repertoire, we used T cell receptor Vbeta spectratype analysis to evaluate the DLI product pre-LLME and post-LLME treatment. The results indicated that the LLME-treated DLI product exhibited CDR3-size distribution complexities similar to those of its untreated donor sample. In addition, comparisons of the CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell repertoire from the donor before LLME treatment with that of the recipient post-DLI demonstrated equal complexity for most of the resolvable Vbeta families. Finally, the in vitro proliferative capacity of LLME-treated DLI product in response to allo-stimulation in a one-way mixed lymphocyte reaction was comparable to that of the untreated product.

To investigate the role of gefitinib in patients with high-grade gliomas (HGGs), a phase II trial (1839IL/0116) was conducted in patients with disease recurrence following surgery plus radiotherapy and first-line chemotherapy. Adult patients with histologically confirmed recurrent HGGs following surgery, radiotherapy and first-line chemotherapy, were considered eligible. Patients were treated with gefitinib (250 mg day(-1)) continuously until disease progression. The primary end point was progression-free survival at 6 months progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS-6). Tissue biomarkers (epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene status and expression, phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) expression) were assessed. Twenty-eight patients (median age, 55 years; median ECOG performance status, 1) were enrolled; all were evaluable for drug activity and safety. Sixteen patients had glioblastoma, three patients had anaplastic oligodendrogliomas and nine patients had anaplastic astrocytoma. Five patients (17.9%, 95% CI 6.1-36.9%) showed disease stabilisation. The overall median time to progression was 8.4 (range 2-104+) weeks and PFS-6 was 14.3% (95% CI 4.0-32.7%). The median overall survival was 24.6 weeks (range 4-104+). No grade 3-4 gefitinib-related toxicity was found. Gefitinib showed limited activity in patients affected by HGGs. Epidermal growth factor receptor expression or gene status, and p-Akt expression do not seem to predict activity of this drug.

Background: The initial studies on nitrosoureas were performed >30 years ago. These drugs remain the standard chemotherapy for glioblastoma. However, because the criteria used to evaluate the activity of nitrosoureas in a neuro-oncologic setting have changed, new data on their activity are needed. Methods: The authors conducted a phase II study on 40 patients with recurrent glioblastoma following surgery and standard radiotherapy. They analyzed progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS-6), time to progression (TTP), response rate, and toxicity. Patients were treated with 80 mg/m 2 carmustine on days 1 to 3, every 8 weeks for a maximum of six cycles. Results: Median TTP was 13.3 weeks (95% CI, 10.26 to 16.86 weeks), and PFS-6 was 17.5% (95% CI, 8.9 to 34.3). Response to chemotherapy, age ≤40 years, and performance status ≥90 were significant prognostic factors for TTP; however, with multivariate analysis, only response to chemotherapy was significant. The major side effects were reversible hematologic and long-lasting hepatic and pulmonary toxicity. Conclusion: The activity of this BCNU regimen is comparable with that reported in the past and with the newest therapies, such as temozolomide. However, BCNU toxicity is high and recovery is slow, thus compromising the administration of further drugs in patients with progressive disease.

In 1979 it was decided to activate, within the Institute of Occupational Health of the Milan "Università degli Studi", a new Unit of Ergophthalmology. This decision was taken owing to the progressive diffusion of "optical instruments", particularly computer-based equipment, in the world of work and to the relevance that this topic assumed among Italian occupational physicians. Since its beginning, one of the main characteristics of the Ergophthalmology Unit was an interdisciplinary approach, where occupational physicians, ophthalmologists, occupational hygienists and lighting engineers were collaborating on a daily basis. Research activities, which developed over many years and in several phases, were concerned with four main topics: 1. analysis and quantification of "near work load"; initially the investigations were mainly aimed at the evaluation of the observation distance in different tasks, followed by the development of a method which, by means of specifically designed electronic equipment, allows quantification of the accommodation and convergence required by the task; 2. development of a new method aimed at evaluating, by a photometric procedure, the luminance ratios in the "occupational visual field"; this research was carried out, both in the laboratory and during on-site investigations, in collaboration with the Dept. of Electrotechnics of Milan Polytechnic; 3. studies on the relationships between indoor microbial pollution and Computer Assisted Design work, considering that ocular conjunctiva and cornea, due to their external position, can be easily inoculated by micro-organisms present on periocular tissue and hands; this research showed that bacteria and fungi pathogenic for the eye (Staphylococcus aureus, Candida sp., Aspergillus sp.) are present on desk, keyboard and mouse, as well as in the conjunctival sac of the exposed operators; 4. studies on "blue light" and its effects on the Pigmented Retinal Epithelium (PRE) in workers exposed to halide lamps, like electricians, installers, maintenance staff, polymerization operators, etc.; the laboratory and on-site investigation that was carried out in cooperation with the Health Physics Dept. of the Milan ICP Hospital, showed that long-term exposure to low levels of irradiation could constitute an eye risk for these working populations.

Large pore (a = 150-200 A) wormlike and highly oriented cubic (IM3m space group) and 2D-hexagonal (P6m) mesostructured xerogels have been reproducibly synthesised by Evaporation-Induced Self Assembly (EISA). Mesostructure control was attained by changing the template (nonionic block copolymer) and water (h = [H2O]/[Si]) ratio.

The IEEE 802.11 protocol is one of the most widely accepted standards for wireless local area networks (WLANs). WLESS-frame is a novel development environment for 802.11 stations. It is based on a complete model of the medium access layer (MAC) and of the direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) physical layer. The tool is aimed at supporting hardware/software co-design and validation of 802.11 stations, also analyzing the behaviour of a station in a network. The paper describes the implementation of the tool, its applicability and the performance analysis of a network under various workload conditions.

In 0.35-micron standard-cell CMOS technology, this IC core design supports a data rate of up to 400 Mbps and includes circuit blocks that operate at a clock frequency of 400 MHz.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of the computational complexity of fuzzy logic (FL) algorithm implementations and the various techniques adopted for fuzzy control tasks. The chapter enables readers to analyze commercial components data sheets with a full mastery of the essential trade-offs that can guide a system designer toward correct choices for hardware implementations, according to application features and cost-performance issues. A fuzzy rule base is characterized by a set of parameters that identify its computational complexity, which include number of crisp and fuzzy inputs, number of crisp and fuzzy outputs, number and shape of membership functions per input-output, and number of rules. In addition to complexity parameters, one needs to define speed parameters to establish a consistent basis for comparison. One also has to measure performance in terms of the system response time—that is, the latency required by the fuzzy system to generate a crisp output after being presented with a crisp input. Speed, complexity, real-time constraints, and interaction requirements with nonfuzzy algorithms are the factors that influence the choice of a fuzzy controller design. As a general taxonomy, one can identify four classes among the different implementation alternatives, which include software and hardware solutions with general purpose components; general-purpose processors with instructions for specialized computations; dedicated fuzzy coprocessors, and fuzzy ASICs capable of stand-alone operations. Software implementations of fuzzy algorithms on standard microcontrollers are the most widely used techniques. Although this approach is well-suited to nontime critical applications, it becomes inadequate whenever processes requiring high or medium throughput appear.

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