205 research outputs found
Final height in growth hormone-deficient childhood cancer survivors after growth hormone therapy
No full textPurpose: Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is the most prevalent hypothalamic–pituitary (HP) disorder found in childhood cancer survivors (CCS). The published studies assessing GHD in CCS concluded that recombinant human GH (rhGH) does not restore final height (FH) to that predicted from mid-parental height (MPH). Thus, wider analyses on final height outcomes after rhGH in CCS are needed. Methods: Retrospective study on final height (FH) in 87 CCS treated with rhGH. Patients were divided into: Group A (n =48) who underwent cranial radiotherapy or had non-irradiated tumours of HP area, and B (n =39) who were treated with craniospinal or total body irradiation (TBI). 19/87 patients with central precocious/early puberty also received GnRH analogues. Results: Height (HT) gain after 1 and 2 years of rhGH was 0.38 ± 0.35 SDS and 0.18 ± 0.30 SDS, respectively (P < 0.0001); mean FH was in the normal range (− 0.85 ± 1.34 SDS), though not significantly different from HT SDS at baseline. 67% overall failed to reach MPH especially in Group B (P < 0.0001). However, height loss (HT SDS-MPH SDS) at FH improved or remained stable compared to baseline in 26/45 patients (58%). On stepwise regression analysis, major determinants of FH were HT at baseline (P < 0.0001) and delay before start of rhGH (P = 0.012). There was no significant difference in FH when GnRHa was added to rhGH. Conclusion: rhGH and GnRH analogues therapy, when indicated, though failing to induce catch-up growth, prevented further height loss leading to a FH within the normal range but still below MPH, this latter being statistically significant in children who received craniospinal and TBI
Vision-based bicycle/motorcycle classification with Support Vector Machines
No full textClassification of vehicles plays an important role in a traffic monitoring system. In this paper we present a feature-based classifier, which can distinguish bicycles from motorcycles in real world traffic scenes.
Basically, the algorithm extracts some visual features focusing on the region corresponding to the wheels of vehicle. It splits the problem into two sub-cases depending on the computed motion direction. The classification is performed by means of a non-linear Support Vector Machine. Tests lead to a successful classification rate of 93% on video sequences taken from different road junctions in an urban environmen
The Impact of the Loop Electrosurgical Excisional Procedure for Cervical Intraepithelial Lesions on Female Sexual Function
No full textIntroduction. Very limited knowledge exists concerning the impact of Loop Electrosurgical Excisional Procedure (LEEP) on female sexual function in women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia Aim. To investigate sexual function in women who underwent LEEP for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial lesions, using a validated questionnaire (Female Sexual Function Index [FSFI]). Main Outcome Measures. FSFI questionnaire on six domains of female sexuality (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain). Methods. Consecutive sexually active women, who underwent LEEP for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia were enrolled in this study. All women were asked to complete a copy of FSFI questionnaire, at the time of LEEP and after 6 months. We finally compared the results of the pre-LEEP questionnaire and the post-LEEP questionnaire for each patient. Results. A total of 67 sexually active women undergoing LEEP for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial lesions were enrolled. Nine of these patients (13.4%) completed only the questionnaire regarding their sexual function before LEEP; thus we did not include them for final analysis. In our study population, data showed a sexual function overall unchanged after LEEP; only the variable "desire" (sexual interest) became significantly worse (P = 0.02). Conclusions. LEEP for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial lesions doesn't affect women's sexuality, when compared with sexual function before surgery. In our study, all FSFI sexual function domains but desire, did not show significant change after LEEP. Serati M, Salvatore S, Cattoni E, Zanirato M, Mauri S, Siesto G, Cromi A, Ghezzi F, and Bolis P. The impact of the Loop Electrosurgical Excisional Procedure for cervical intraepithelial lesions on female sexual function. J Sex Med 2010;7:2267-2272
Soil dilatancy and suction: some remarks on their mutual effects on the shear strength of granular soils
No full textThe results of suction controlled triaxial compression tests on an unsaturated coarsegrained
soil are examined in detail. The tested material is a silty sand obtained by reconstituting a
pyroclastic weak rock from Roma. The stress-dilatancy data from triaxial tests on the reconstituted
and unsaturated material are compared to the experimental results obtained for the same
saturated material in reconstituted and natural state. The whole set of data shows clearly the
influence of suction on soil-dilatancy and shear strength; a significant difference can be noted in
the dilatant behaviour between the reconstituted unsaturated soil and the intact natural material
A New Total Digital Smile Planning Technique (3D-DSP) to Fabricate CAD-CAM Mockups for Esthetic Crowns and Veneers
No full textPurpose. Recently, the request of patients is changed in terms of not only esthetic but also previsualization therapy planning. The aim of this study is to evaluate a new 3D-CAD-CAM digital planning technique that uses a total digital smile process. Materials and Methods. Study participants included 28 adult dental patients, aged 19 to 53 years, with no oral, periodontal, or systemic diseases. For each patient, 3 intra- and extraoral pictures and intraoral digital impressions were taken. The digital images improved from the 2D Digital Smile System software and the scanner stereolithographic (STL) file was matched into the 3D-Digital Smile System to obtain a virtual previsualization of teeth and smile design. Then, the mockups were milled using a CAM system. Minimally invasive preparation was carried out on the enamel surface with the mockups as position guides. Results. The patients found both the digital smile design previsualization (64.3%) and the milling mockup test (85.7%) very effective. Conclusions. The new total 3D digital planning technique is a predictably and minimally invasive technique, allows easy diagnosis, and improves the communication with the patient and helps to reduce the working time and the errors usually associated with the classical prosthodontic manual step
Implant rehabilitation of edentulous jaws with predominantly monolithic zirconia compared to metal-acrylic prostheses: a 2-year retrospective clinical study
No full textLimited data are available on the clinical outcomes of patients with edentulism treated with predominantly monolithic zirconia fixed complete dentures (FCDs) compared to traditional restoration materials. The purpose of this study was to analyze the differences in terms of complications and failures of definitive full-arch implant rehabilitations made in metal-acrylic versus those made in monolithic zirconia with porcelain veneering limited to non-functional areas. This retrospective clinical study included 50 patients treated between January 2015 and December 2018, with 222 implants inserted in fifty edentulous jaws. All patients were treated with immediately loaded full-arch fixed prostheses (22 maxillary; 28 mandibular) each supported by four to six implants (two/four axial, two distally tilted). All 25 zirconia prostheses were predominantly monolithic with ceramic veneering limited to non-functional areas. The primary outcome measures were prosthetic success of the definitive restoration and implant survival. The secondary outcome measures were full mouth plaque score, full mouth bleeding score, peri-implant probing depths and periimplant keratinized tissue. All implants and prostheses analyzed had a minimum of 2 years of followup. No chipping of the veneered facial porcelain or other technical complication was observed over the study period achieving a prosthesis survival and success rate of 100%. No implants were lost, achieving a 100% survival rate. Bleeding on probing was positive in 33% and 13% of probing sites for metal-acrylic prosthesis and zirconia prosthesis, respectively (p = 0.0445). Plaque index was positive in 76% and 53% of probing sites for metal-acrylic prosthesis and zirconia prosthesis, respectively (p = 0.0491). Mean probing depth was 1.74mm (SD 0.89mm) for the 106 implants supporting metal-acrylic prosthesis and 1.52mm (SD 0.63mm) for the 116 implants supporting zirconia prosthesis (p=0.0412). No other statistically significant differences were found between the two groups. The results of this retrospective evaluation showed that predominantly monolithic zirconia is a feasible alternative to the conventional metal framework acrylic for full arch implant-supported prosthesis. The restauration material did not influence the failure rate and complication risk of both prosthesis and implants
“GNSS Multifrequency receivers in urban environment: Theoretical analysis”
No full textIn this paper, a theoretical approach for the analysis of synchronization performances in GNSS receivers adapted to reduce errors, especially caused by multipath fading, in a urban environment is proposed. In particular, two kinds of bi-frequency receivers based on data fusion methods are analyzed. The performances have been evaluated by comparison of simulated results in a real case and theoretical values based on the dispersion of the S-curve, the characteristic curve output of the DLL. One way to cope with multipath effects is equipping receivers with software modules able to reduce multipath effects. This paper explains two different methods based on data fusion and in particular on fusion between different frequencies. It is shown that improvement is possible if and when the multipath can be considered independent for two frequencies properly spaced in the frequency domain. A theoretical analysis has been carried on together with computer simulation. The signal channel model has been developed with Galileo in mind to show how data fusion techniques can be applied exploiting the frequency diversity. The receiver modules taken into account are the Equal Gain Combining (EGC) and the Adaptive Gain Combining (AGC). Starting from the statistical model of a classical DLL code-tracking system, a theoretical model for both EGC and AGC is derived. To verify the correctness of the theoretical model, a simulation environment has been set up, with the possibility of varying different parameters. The multipath model is referred to an urban environment. Resells are shown both for EGC and AGC receivers. Correct decision probability in the considered cases has confirmed the results in the simulated cases
Models for BBM-Based Inference of Visual Properties
No full textIn this paper, Bayesian Belief Networks (BBNs) technology is investigated in the light of a classical Computer Vision problem: that of inducing 3D world configurations from knowledge acquired by a multiple camera set. While the task can have, as indeed has, an evident practical interest, this paper does not aim at proposing BBN-based solutions to it. Rather, by illustrating how the problem could be formulated in the BBNs framework, we aim at highlighting potentialities and limitations of the approach. Three basic features will be empirically addressed in particular. flexibility, in the two-fold meaning of adaptability to different kinds of queries and capacity of incorporating available a-priori knowledge; accuracy, that is reliability of outcomes in presence of incomplete or noisy data; computational needs, that is CPU/memory demands and scalability issue
A New Total Digital Smile Planning Technique (3D-DSP) to Fabricate CAD-CAM Mockups for Esthetic Crowns and Veneers.
No full textPurpose. Recently, the request of patients is changed in terms of not only esthetic but also previsualization therapy planning. The aim of this study is to evaluate a new 3D-CAD-CAM digital planning technique that uses a total digital smile process. Materials and Methods. Study participants included 28 adult dental patients, aged 19 to 53 years, with no oral, periodontal, or systemic diseases. For each patient, 3 intra- and extraoral pictures and intraoral digital impressions were taken. The digital images improved from the 2D Digital Smile System software and the scanner stereolithographic (STL) file was matched into the 3D-Digital Smile System to obtain a virtual previsualization of teeth and smile design. Then, the mockups were milled using a CAM system. Minimally invasive preparation was carried out on the enamel surface with the mockups as position guides. Results. The patients found both the digital smile design previsualization (64.3%) and the milling mockup test (85.7%) very effective. Conclusions. The new total 3D digital planning technique is a predictably and minimally invasive technique, allows easy diagnosis, and improves the communication with the patient and helps to reduce the working time and the errors usually associated with the classical prosthodontic manual step
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