51 research outputs found
A Design Methodology to Support the Optimization of Steel Structures
No full textAbstractSteel constructions are widely used in several applications such as structures for buildings, stores, factories, and power plants. The scope of the research is to study a methodology to reduce the weight and the cost related to big frame steel structures during the early design phase, which is the phase where most of the project layout is defined. The main aim of this paper is the development of a platform-tool to support the automatic optimization of a steel structure using virtual prototyping tools and genetic algorithms. The focus is on the design of heavy steel structures for oil & gas power plants. This work describes in detail the design methodology and estimates the weight saving related to the re-design process of a test case structure. The design cases considered in the paper are those relevant to the operating
Metastatic renal cell carcinoma invading liver, duodenum and ivc, surgical treatment and literature review. A case report
No full textRenal Cell Carcinoma has a biologic predisposition for direct vascular invasion: intravascular tumor
thrombus is found in 5% to 20% of the cases inside the renal vein or the inferior vena cava. Despite
new and effective conservative therapy such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy, cytoreductive
nephrectomy and palliative nephrectomy continues to have an important role in T4 patient. The
patient selection for cytoreductive nephrectomy should be done carefully.
This report present an unique case of metastatic RCC with invasion of the duodenum, liver and
retrohepatic IVC, the adopted surgical approach and a review of the literature.
Complete surgical extirpation is possible in cases of RCC invading other organs such as pancreas,
duodenum, liver, retroperitoneum and IVC. In this scenario, to narrow the possible intraoperative
complication, a multidisciplinary approach and equipe is recommended
Sacra Conversazione, Montecosaro, Chiesa di San Rocco
No full textscheda storico-critica dell'affesco di Simone De Magistris nella chiesa di San Rocco a Montecosaro (MC
CAPPELLA TRASI,ASCOLI PICENO, CHIESA DI SANTA MARIA DELLA CARITA'; SANT'ANTONIO, OFFIDA, CHIESA DEL SUFFRAGIO; AFFRESCHI, RIPATRANSONE, CHIESA DI SANTA MARIA DEL CARMINE
No full textscheda storico-critica delle opere ad affresco che Simone de Magistris ha realizzato nella provincia di Ascoli Picen
Volatile compounds emission from teratogenic human pluripotent stem cells observed during their differentiation in vivo
No full textSeveral investigations point out that the volatile fraction of metabolites, often called volatilome, might signal the difference processes occurring in living beings, both in vitro and in vivo. These studies have been recently applied to stem cells biology, and preliminary results show that the composition of the volatilome of stem cells in vitro changes along the differentiation processes leading from pluripotency to full differentiation. The identification of pluripotent stem cells is of great importance to improve safety in regenerative medicine avoiding the formation of teratomas. In this paper, we applied gas chromatography and gas sensor array to the study of the volatilome released by mice transplanted with human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) or embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from hiPSCs at 5 days and spontaneously differentiated cells at 27 day. Gas chromatography analysis finds that, in mice transplanted with hiPSCs, the abundance of 13 volatile compounds increases four weeks after the implant and immediately before the formation of malignant teratomas (grade 3) become observable. The same behaviour is also followed by the signals of the gas sensors. Besides this event, the gas-chromatograms and the sensors signals do not show any appreciable variation related neither among the groups of transplanted mice nor respect to a placebo population. This is the first in vivo observation of the change of volatile metabolites released by human induced pluripotent stem cells and hiPSCs-derived cells during the differentiation process. These results shed further light on the differentiation mechanisms of stem cells and suggest possible applications for diagnostic purposes for an early detection of tumor relapse after surgery. © 2018, The Author(s)
Tektites glasses from Belize, Central America: Petrography, geochemistry, and search for a possible meteoritic component
No full textThe presence of tektite-like glasses from a geographically restricted area in Belize (Central America) has been known for several decades. We comprehensively studied 18 such Belize glasses by a variety of petrographic and geochemical methods, including major and trace element analysis, radiogenic isotopic composition (Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, and Re-Os), water content, oxidation state, and cosmogenic radionuclides. The aims were to determine their compositional variation, their mode of formation and possible source rocks, and their relation to known tektites, and to search for evidence of an extraterrestrial component.In terms of petrography, the samples are similar to tektites from the four "classical" strewn fields, with the presence of lechatelierites, schlieren, and vesicles; these are also widely accepted indicators of an impact origin. No close similarities to volcanic glasses are evident. Water contents are very low, and iron oxidation states are mostly reduced, in both cases similar to observations for other tektites. The geochemical and isotopic data presented, such as Cr, Co and Ni elemental abundances and interelement ratios, as well as trace element patterns are typical for local and regional volcanics from the active Central American Arc. Particular similarities to material comparable to volcanic rocks from Honduras or Guatemala are noted. This is confirmed by Sr-Nd isotope signatures of the Belize glasses, showing close similarities to Central American volcanics in general, and Honduran and Guatemalan volcanic, in particular. Osmium concentrations and Os-187/Os-188 ratios are comparable to arc volcanics from world-wide locations, but - in a few of the samples - elevated Ir concentrations, near-chondritic Pt/Ir and Os-187/Os-188 ratios can also be interpreted with the admixture of a minor meteoritic component to some of the Belize samples. Be-10 concentrations are consistent with values typical of both, young or deeply buried soils and with values for Central American volcanics, which carry subducted Be-10.Geochemical data clearly indicate a source different from that of the Australasian tektites. Both isotope data sets for the Belize glasses indicate a close relationship to local arc lavas, especially those from Guatemala and Honduras, suggesting that the glasses were not deposited very far from their source. The main evidence that the Belize glasses are of impact origin are their petrographic characteristics and low water content. The evidence from Be-10 is consistent with, but does not require, a model of formation for the Belize glasses by an impact on loosely consolidated surface sediments exposed to rain. A probable meteoritic component is low and heterogeneously distributed. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd
Evaluation of a Morphable Anthropomorphic Articulated Total Body Model
No full textAbstract: In this work a new approach for the creation of Articulated Total Body (ATB) models for person-specific multi-body simulations is presented, with the main aim of overcoming limitations related to classical multi-ellipsoidsATB models, based on regression equations having only the weight and the height of the subject as input. The new methodology is based on a Statistical Shape Model (SSM), morphable according to up to 24 input parameters: the SSM was obtained from Principal Component Analysis (PCA), applied on a wide database of 3D human scans (CAESAR). The so obtained geometry can be segmented automatically to generate body segments with the respective inertial properties (mass, principal moments of inertia, and centres of mass location). The routine has been tested on a random set of 20male subjects and the classical multi-ellipsoids models were compared to these in terms of inertial properties and 3D external geometry: the highest differences were registered at the abdomen and the thighs for what concerns the mass (60%), principal moments (75%) and centres of mass (50 mm) properties; the trunk, the shoulder and the calves are the most critical areas for the external geometry (average distance between the anthropomorphic and ellipsoids models equal to 50 mm). A contribution has been made to build personspecific multibody models. This is a valuable method since approximations made by multi-ellipsoidal models have resulted to be relevant at specific body areas, and personalised models can be a support to design and to forensic analyses
The Effect of Tenofovir on Vitamin D Metabolism in HIV-Infected Adults Is Dependent on Sex and Ethnicity
No full textPMCID: PMC3440360This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Recurrence of a t(8;21)-Positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the Form of a Granulocytic Sarcoma Involving Cranial Bones: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge
No full textGranulocytic sarcoma (GS) is a rare extramedullary solid tumor defined as an accumulation of myeloblasts or immature myeloid cells. It can cooccur with or precede the acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as well as following treated AML. The incidence of GS in AML patients is 3–8% but it significantly rises in M2 FAB subtype AML. This variety of AML harbors t(8;21) in up to 20–25% of cases (especially in children and black ones of African origin) and, at a molecular level, it is characterized by the generation of a fusion gene known as RUNX1-RUNX1T1. Approximately 10% of M2 AML patients will develop GS, as a consequence, the t(8;21) and the relative transcript represent the most common cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities in GS. FLT3-ITD mutation was rarely described in AML patients presenting with GS. FLT3 ITD is generally strongly associated with poor prognosis in AML, and is rarely reported in patients with t(8;21). GS presentation is extremely variable depending on organs involved; in general, cranial bones and sinus are very rarely affected sites. We report a rare case of GS occurring as a recurrence of a previously treated t(8;21), FLT3-ITD positive AML, involving mastoid bones and paravertebral tissues
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