118 research outputs found
Gestione ottima di sistemi con refrigeratori in parallelo mediante unalgoritmo genetico multi-fase
No full textDepression and Abnormal Illness Behaviour in Cancer Patients
No full textEvaluation of the incidence of depression among cancer patients has been the object of a number of studies. Recent reports of medically ill patients have indicated that depression is related to several dimensions of abnormal illness behavior (e.g., hypochondriasis, irritability, denial, disease conviction). To investigate the relationship between depression and abnormal illness behavior in cancer patients, a study was conducted of 196 patients with a recent diagnosis of cancer and with a good performance status (Karnofsky score greater than 80). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Illness Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) were administered in their validated Italian forms. A cutoff point of 17 on the HDRS revealed 38.26% of the patients as having symptoms of depression, whereas a more conservative cutoff point of 21 indicated a depressive state in 23.97% of the patients. Depressed patients had higher scores on all the IBQ dimensions except that of psychologic versus somatic perception of illness. The results were confirmed by the correlation between the parameters. Higher levels of denial were reported by females and by patients receiving adjuvant or palliative chemotherapy, who had, however, lower levels of dysphoria than patients not receiving treatment. Higher levels of irritability were shown in hospitalized patients. No relationship was found between medical status variables (Karnofsky score, tumor status, and disease extent) and psychologic measures, except for denial. The findings seem to confirm the importance of assessment of depression and illness behavior in cancer patients and suggest the need for more thorough investigation of the psychosocial variables associated with them
Advanced control systems for single compressor chiller units
No full textn this paper the problem of designing advanced control systems for increasing the performances of low capacity HVAC system with single scroll compressor is addressed. In particular, a simulation environment based on Matlab/Simulink that has been validated on a state-of-the-art experimental facility and used to design an adaptive controller for single scroll compressor, packaged air-cooled water chillers is presented. The capability of the controller to substantially increase the energy performance of the system, as well as to achieve excellent regulation performances in process applications is demonstrated
Larvicidal activity and influence of bacillus thuringiensis Var. israelensis on aedes albopictus oviposition in ovitraps during a two-week check interval protocol
No full textToxicity persistence of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) was evaluated in laboratory and field trials to develop a new protocol for Aedes albopictus monitoring. In the laboratory, the residual toxicity of 5 Bti formulations was compared using the percentage mortality at days 4, 8, 12, and 16 of Culex pipiens larvae exposed for 24 h to Bti treatments. The results showed a good performance of all tested formulations (>97 mortality at day 14, for all the formulations), but only VectobacTM 12AS at the concentration of 1 ml/liter showed an efficacy of 100 for 2 wk. A field study was designed to test the effect of Bti on the ovitrap check interval or influence of ovipositional response of gravid Ae. albopictus females. Three different ovitrap treatments were used: ovitraps with tap water checked weekly; ovitraps with tap water checked every 2 wk; ovitraps with Bti (Vectobac 12AS, dose of 1 ml/liter) checked every 2 wk. Our study demonstrated that in the ovitrap, the toxic action of a 1 solution of Bti was maintained for at least 14 days with mortality of 100 and that rainfall did not seem to negatively influence the residual action of Bti. Therefore the probability that the larvae may complete the developmental cycle in ovitraps with Bti seems to be very low. The oviposition activity index showed that Bti enhances the oviposition rate of Ae. albopictus by 17.4. © 2009 by The American Mosquito Control Association, Inc
A simulation environment for the design of advanced chiller control systems
No full textIn this paper we address the problem of designing advanced control systems for increasing the performances of one of the key elements of an HVAC system, the chiller unit. In particular, we present a simulation environment based on Matlab/Simulink that has been validated on a state-of-the-art experimental facility and used to design an adaptive controller for single scroll compressor, packaged air-cooled water chillers, that allows to substantially increase the energy performance of the system, as well as to achieve excellent regulation performances in process applications
Detection of Usutu Virus Within a West Nile Virus Surveillance Program in Northern Italy.
No full textUsutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex, recently
related to neurological disease in immunosuppressed patients. In the same area of Northern Italy where USUV
human cases occurred in 2009, a regional West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance program based on mosquito
monitoring and wild birds screening has been implemented since 2008. Mosquito pools and wild birds were
tested using three different polymerase chain reactions (Flavivirus, WNV, and USUV). During summer 2009, 56
pools (54 consisting of Culex pipiens and 2 of Aedes albopictus) and 27 pools (Cx. pipiens) out of 1789 mosquito
pools were, respectively, USUV and WNV positive. Moreover, out of 1218 wild birds tested, 44 were WNV
positive, whereas only 11 birds were USUV positive by polymerase chain reaction. Data collected during 2009
prove a cocirculation of USUV and WNV in Northern Italy, but these two viruses show different incidence
values in both mosquitoes and birds, suggesting involvement of different animals (other bird species or
mammals) in their natural cycles. The cocirculation of WNV and USUV poses a new potential threat to human
health in this area. The extent of WNV surveillance to other Flaviviruses will require new diagnostic procedures
able to process a large number of samples in a limited period of time and highlights the importance of developing
more specific serological tests that could be used in field
Dispersal and Survival of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Males in Italian Urban Areas and Significance for Sterile Insect Technique Application
No full textThe dispersal and survival of laboratory-reared Aedes albopictus Skuse males were investigated during the summer of 2007 in three Northern Italy urban localities by mark-release-recapture techniques. Two marking methods were compared: one group of males was dusted with fluorescent pigments on the body (FP), and the other group was obtained from a strain whose natural infection of Wolbachia had been removed (WB0). FP- and WB0-marked males were released as adults and pupae, respectively, in one fixed station at each locality. Recaptures were performed by skilled technicians, within a radius of 350 m from the release site, on days 4, 5, and 7 after the release, and the males were collected while flying around the technician's body or in swarms. Recapture rates ranged from 0.63 to 4.72% for FP males and from 2.39 to 11.05% for WBO males. The mean distance traveled for WBO males was significantly higher than for FP males; no difference was observed between the dispersal distance measured for the males recaptured on human host versus males recaptured while swarming. No further increase of the dispersal occurred during the postrelease period investigated (from day 4 to day 7 after release). The mean survival rate at the release was 0.51 for FP-marked males and 0.81 for WBO males. The data obtained are discussed for their significance in planning sterile insect technique programs against Ae. albopictus
Method for estimation the thermal load of a circuit for a service fluid at outlet from a refrigerating machine
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