1,721,054 research outputs found
Multi-objective optimisation-based approach for shipboard energy-efficient battery energy storage sizing leveraging operational data
No full textBattery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are increasingly recognised as a viable solution for fuel consumption reduction and resilience enhancement of Naval Ship Power Systems (NSPS). However, the effectiveness of battery systems is influenced by operational profiles, power system configuration, reliability requirements, battery sizing, and the Energy Management Strategy (EMS). This paper presents a multi-layered, multi-objective optimisation framework for BESS power and capacity configuration selection and sizing in NSPS, leveraging operational data and Dynamic Programming to evaluate design trade-offs. The method identifies Pareto-optimal configurations balancing fuel consumption, battery degradation, and system reliability. The framework is validated using onboard load measurements and evaluates BESS parameter sizing over a given design space in different scenarios, comparing benefits in fuel efficiency, BESS utilisation, and system reliability. Findings suggest that adopting a Minimum Generator Operation (MGO) strategy with a BESS may decrease generator operating hours by up to 33 %, while optimised load sharing yields up to a 2 % reduction in fuel consumption during manoeuvring.
The study highlights Pareto-optimal solutions based on selected Performance Functions (PF) and introduces the concept of assisted multi-objective design of shipboard battery systems
The Role of the Motor Cortex in the Parkinsonian Tremor Network: Is it Time for an Upgrade?
Full text linkPsychiatric disorders in blepharospasm. A 10-year follow-up study
No full textBlepharospasm (BSP) is a cranial dystonia characterized by involuntary bilateral orbicularis oculi (OO) muscle spasms. BSP patients also display psychiatric disorders though the relationship between motor symptoms and psychiatric disorders in BSP is still a matter of debate (Conte et al., 2016). Previous observations have either suggested that psychiatric disorders in BSP are independent of motor symptoms or that they are consequences of motor symptoms (Fabbrini et al., 2010; Ferrazzano et al., 2019a). To investigate whether psychiatric disorders in BSP are part of the disease or merely consequences of the motor symptomatology, we performed a longitudinal assessment of psychiatric and motor symptoms to see whether psychiatric disorders changed over time independently of motor symptoms. We enrolled 14 patients with idiopathic BSP diagnosed according to clinical criteria. To exclude any confounding effects due to botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections, the clinical assessment was performed four months after the last BoNT injection. The experimental procedure was approved by the local institutional review board and was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant. A full psychiatric evaluation using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I) was performed. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) was used to measure the severity of anxiety symptoms, while the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to measure depressive s
Detection of α-Synuclein in saliva: the Importance of preanalytical assessment
No full texttrattasi di lettera. Non è previsto abstrac
Writing, reading, and speaking in blepharospasm
No full textThe aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of writing, reading, and speaking on orbiculari oculi (OO) muscle spasms and on the blink rate in patients with blepharospasm (BSP). Patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) and healthy subjects (HS) acted as control subjects. Thirty patients with BSP, 20 patients with primary HFS and 20 age-matched healthy subjects were videotaped according to a standardized procedure: at rest with eyes open; while writing a standard sentence on paper; while writing a standard sentence on a blackboard keeping the head straight; during a conversation based on a simple topic (speaking task); and while reading a standard text aloud. Two independent movement disorders specialists reviewed the videotapes and measured the number of OO spasms and blinks in each segment. Writing and reading reduced the number of OO spasms in BSP patients, whereas speaking did not. On the other hand, writing, reading, and speaking did not modify spasms in HFS patients. These tasks modulated the blink rate in all the three groups of subjects (BSP, HFS, and HS). Our hypothesis is that the modulation of OO spasm in BSP during writing and reading depends on influences coming from occipital areas onto the brainstem circuits. Whether cognitive training with reading and writing may be used to improve OO muscle spasms is an issue that warrants further investigation
Understanding the link between somatosensory temporal discrimination and movement execution in healthy subjects
No full textSuicidal ideation, perceived disability, hopelessness and affective temperaments in patients affected by Parkinson's disease
No full textBackground: Previous studies investigating the risk of suicide in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have reported conflicting results. This study evaluated suicide risk in PD and investigated the relationship between suicide risk and perceived disability, hopelessness and affective temperaments in PD. Methods: One-hundred and twenty PD patients were consecutively enrolled. The diagnosis of PD was based on clinical criteria. All patients underwent a psychiatric evaluation that included the administration of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, the Italian Perceived Disability Scale, the Beck Hopelessness Inventory and the TEMPS-A questionnaire. The results were compared with those of a control group of 91 patients affected by another chronic disease, ie, open angle glaucoma. Results: Parkinson's disease patients had higher suicidal ideation, higher perceived disability and lower hyperthymia than the control group. In PD, higher perceived disability was associated with higher current and lifetime suicidal ideation, lower hyperthymia, older age and higher scores on negative temperaments. Suicidal ideation, negative temperaments and hopelessness were risk factors for perceived disability, while hyperthymia was a protective factor for perceived disability. Discussion: Patients with PD have an increased risk of suicidal ideation. Increased suicidal ideation in PD is associated with the increased perceived disability. A psychiatric assessment that includes the investigation of suicide risk and perceived disability is recommended in patients with PD
Suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and affective temperament in patients with blepharospasm
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between suicidal ideation and neurological, psychological, and psychiatric features in patients with blepharospasm (BSP)
Bradykinesia of posed smiling and voluntary movement of the lower face in Parkinson's disease.
No full textObjective: Impaired facial expression, including spontaneous and emotional movements such as smiling, has been often reported in Parkinson's disease (PD). There is a general consensus that spontaneous smiling is abnormal in PD. Investigations on posed smiling yield contrasting results. Moreover, no study has yet addressed the relationship between posed smiling and abnormalities of voluntary movements of the lower face, global motor impairment and the effects of dopaminergic medication. Methods: We investigated the kinematics of posed smiling (mimicking a smile shown in a picture) and those of voluntary movements of the lower face (showing the teeth as fast as possible - voluntary grinning) in 15 patients with PD (ON and OFF therapy) and in 16 healthy controls. Facial movements were recorded using a 3D optoelectronic system and analyzed using dedicated software. Results: Some kinematic parameters of both posed smiling and voluntary grinning were abnormally lower in PD patients in comparison to healthy subjects. The kinematics of posed smiling correlated with those of voluntary grinning in PD patients but not in healthy controls. Posed smiling and voluntary grinning abnormalities were related to global motor severity but did not significantly improve upon L-dopa administration. Conclusions: These results suggest that posed smiling and voluntary grinning are both abnormal in PD patients and that they are likely mediated by a common pathophysiological mechanism. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd
Entrapment of the Temporal Horn as a cause of pure Wernicke aphasia: case report.
No full textEntrapment of the temporal horn is an extremely rare pathologic condition occurring as a result of surgery for tumors, intraventricular infections, hemorrhage, or traumatic events involving the peritrigonal area. We report a case of a 58-year-old man who presented with pure Wernicke aphasia (never described before in the albeit rare cases of isolated temporal horn dilatation) that regressed completely following successful ventriculoperitoneal shunting. The relevant literature is also briefly reviewed
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