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•The CPO activity of Nickel catalyst supported over La2O3 is enhanced by the presence of CeO2.•The interaction between NiO and CeO2 can be tuned by appropriate synthesis.•The ...interaction between NiO and CeO2 enhances the ceria oxygen mobility.•Microwave assisted synthesis produces strong interaction between Nickel and SiO2.•Some carbon deposition during CPO protects Ni from sintering.
The effects of preparation method, types of carrier and different catalyst and support structures on the CH4 catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) activity of supported Ni catalysts are reviewed with respect to selected results obtained by this research group during the last five years. In particular, different preparation methods and structural effect of Ni supported on La2O3, on CeO2 and on mixed CeO2-La2O3 are discussed. The effects of the peculiarity of an active (redox) and of an inert oxide carrier, influencing the metal dispersion, the metal reducibility and the carbon formation, are considered by comparing the catalytic performance of nickel catalysts supported on CeO2 and on SiO2. Ni supported over a high surface area silica will be compared with a corresponding ceria-doped nickel catalyst. The results of a detailed material characterization attained by several techniques as XPS, XRD, TPR/TPO are described, aiming to elucidate the structure - activity relationship. The reviewing of the different case studies illustrates the importance of the interaction between support and active metals ultimately determining the surface distribution of the active sites and their final catalytic activity.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Co3O4, CeO2 and Co3O4-CeO2 mixed oxides with Co/Ce nominal atomic ratio 0.1:5, prepared by co-precipitation method with sodium carbonate, were tested in the oxidation of propene under lean condition ...and the catalyst stability was checked by performing three consecutive heating-cooling cycles. Characterization of the textural properties were performed by surface area measurement BET, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. Among the Co3O4-CeO2 mixed oxides, Co3O4 (30 wt%)-CeO2 (70 wt%) gives the best activity attaining full propene conversion at 250 deg C. This sample is characterized by the presence of Co3O4 particles well dispersed and in good contact with ceria according to BET and XRD data and as evidenced by SEM micrographs. Oxygen temperature-programmed desorption (O2-TPD) and C3H6-temperature-programmed reduction (C3H6-TPR) experiments were carried out in order to study the surface and bulk oxygen mobility and to correlate it to the activity. At temperature around 200 deg C, O2-TPD experiments showed the desorption of mobile surface oxygen species for the most active samples, Co3O4 and Co3O4 (30 wt%)-CeO2 (70 wt%). C3H6-TPR experiments for both of the oxides also evidenced a high reactivity at low temperature, especially, for Co3O4 (30 wt%)-CeO2 (70 wt%) giving at 345 deg C an intense peak of CO2 formation. Conversely, the ceria sample showed by C3H6-TPR much less pronounced oxygen bulk mobility, starting to react with propene above 500 deg C and forming only CO. In this case, the catalytic activity of ceria was explained in terms of formation of surface oxygen vacancies which are relevant to the propene oxidation in presence of gaseous oxygen.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
This study aimed to clarify the efficacy of intravaginal CO
2
-laser treatment in postmenopausal women with genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).
This double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled ...trial included postmenopausal women diagnosed with GSM and bothersome dryness and dyspareunia. Treatment consisted of three sessions. Active CO
2
-laser treatments (active group) were compared to sham treatments (sham group) with the primary endpoints being changes in dryness and dyspareunia intensity, as assessed by the 10-cm visual analog scale. Secondary endpoints were as follows: changes in Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI; total score and all domains), itching, burning, dysuria, and Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6); incidence of symptoms; and presence of adverse events. All outcomes were evaluated at baseline and 4 months post baseline.
Fifty-eight women (28 in the active group and 30 in the sham group) were eligible for inclusion. In the active group, dryness, dyspareunia, FSFI (total score), itching, burning, dysuria, and UDI-6 were significantly improved (mean standard deviation -5.6 2.8, −6 2.6, 12.3 8.9, −2.9 2.8, −2.3 2.8, −0.9 2.1, and −8.0 15.3, respectively). In the sham group, dryness, itching, and burning were significantly improved (-1.9 2, −1.4 1.9, and −1 1.9, respectively). All changes were in favor of the active group. After completion of the protocol, the proportion of participants with dryness, dyspareunia, and sexual dysfunction was significantly lower in the active group compared to those in the sham group (all p < 0.005).
CO
2
laser could be proposed as an effective alternative treatment for the management of GSM as it is superior to sham treatments.
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DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Objective
This study evaluated the strength of the association between three widely used clinical indexes considered as distal behavioural indicators of attitude‐related oral status (an index of oral ...hygiene, the plaque index PI and two periodontal indexes, that is the presence of bleeding on probing BOP and of pockets probing depth PPD) and secondary implant failure due to peri‐implantitis in patients rehabilitated with cemented prosthesis.
Materials and Methods
The study included patients who underwent implant‐prosthetic rehabilitation and had joined the programme of maintenance of the same hospital. Implant failures, number of months between implant insertion and implant loading, and patients’ surgical protocol were monitored and recorded. Further, PI, BOP and PPD—all attitude‐related indicators of oral hygiene and periodontal inflammation—were recorded and related, in terms of odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding risk factors, to secondary implant failures.
Results
A total of 1427 patients (2673 implants) were enrolled. The follow‐up ranged from 1.5 to 9 years (mean 5.3 years±1.3). The cumulative survival rate was 98.01%. Thirty‐two patients (36 implants, 1.36% of all implants) had implant failure. A statistically significant association between PI, BOP, PPD and secondary failures due to peri‐implantitis was observed.
Conclusion
Within the limitations of this study, all three attitude‐related behavioural indicators—the plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP) and abnormal probing pocket depth (PPD)—proved to be significant risk indicators for secondary implant failure due to peri‐implantitis, both from a clinical and from a socio‐psychological attitude‐related perspective.
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CMK, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
Recently, Digital Twins solutions have attracted a growing interest as a fundamental paradigm for managing data driven processes on smart cities. They are complex modelling that should include 3D ...interactive representations of buildings and infrastructures, integrated with a wide range of data for Smart City cyber-physical ecosystem monitoring and controlling. This paper presents a framework for modelling, generating and distributing Digital Twin representations with 3D models from a various set of data, as well as its integration into the open-source Smart City framework, where many kinds of real time and historical data are available. The proposed solution offers a method for creating integrated data rendering of 3D city entities coupled with Smart City data (e.g., IoT Devices with time-series and historical data, heatmaps, geometries and shapes related to traffic flows, bus routes/stops, cycling paths). The solution for generating 3D representation is based on a number of computer vision and machine learning solutions, thus shortening the activities of passing from raw data (i.e., Lidar, shapes, patterns, etc.) to 3D representations. Implementation has been enforced into the quite widespread open-source Snap4City Smart City platform and has been validated by using hundreds of buildings in Florence city central area, Italy, plus hundreds of thousands of data as points of interest, IoT Devices, traffic flows, dynamic heatmaps, etc.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Introduction. A radiological evaluation is essential in endodontics, for diagnostic purposes, planning and execution of the treatment, and evaluation of the success of therapy. The periapical ...radiography is nowadays the main radiographic investigations used but presents some limits as 3D anatomic alteration, geometric compression, and possible anatomical structures overlapping that can obscure the area of interest. CBCT (cone beam computed tomography) in endodontics allows a detailed assessment of the teeth and surrounding alveolar anatomy for endodontic diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up. Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of CBCT in comparison with conventional intraoral radiographs used in endodontic procedures. Materials and Methods. Statistical analysis was performed on 101 patients with previous endodontic treatments with the relative radiographic documentation (preoperative, postoperative, and follow-up intraoral X-ray) that had underwent at CBCT screening for surgical reasons. The CBCT scans were evaluated independently by two operators and compared with the corresponding periapical images. Results. Our analysis shows that the two radiological investigations statistically agree in 100% of cases in the group of patients without any endodontic sign. In the group of patients with an endodontic pathology, detected with CBCT, endodontic under extended treatments (30.6%), MB2 canals in nontreated maxillary molars (20.7%), second canals in nontreated mandibular incisors (9%), root fractures (2.7%), and root resorption (2.7%) were not always visible in intraoral X-ray. Otherwise, positivity in the intraoral X-ray was always confirmed in CBCT. A radiolucent area was detected in CBCT exam in 46%, while the intraoral X-ray exam was positive only in 18%. Conclusions. Our study shows that some important radiological signs acquired using CBCT are not always visible in periapical X-ray. Furthermore, CBCT is considered as a II level exam and could be used to solve diagnostic questions, essential to a proper management of the endodontic problems.
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CMK, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA)-mediated acute kidney injury (AKI) following massive haemorrhage is a rare but severe complication of the post-partum period. It is associated with a poor renal ...prognosis and a high risk of end-stage kidney disease. Complement activation may occur in this picture. However, whether complement activation, and thus complement blockade, may be critically relevant in this setting is unknown.
A 50 year-old woman presented with massive delayed post-partum haemorrhage (PPH). Despite bleeding control and normalization of coagulation parameters, she rapidly developed AKI stage 3 associated with dysmorphic microhematuria and proteinuria up to 2 g/day with the need of renal replacement therapy. Blood tests showed signs of TMA associated with markedly increased sC5b-9 and factor Bb plasma levels, respectively markers of terminal and alternative complement pathway over-activation. This clinical picture prompted us to initiate anti-C5 therapy. sC5b-9 normalized within 12 h after the first dose of eculizumab, factor Bb and C3 after seven days, platelet count after nine days and haptoglobin after 3 weeks. The clinical picture improved rapidly with blood pressure control within 48 h. Diuresis resumed after three days, kidney function rapidly improved and haemodialysis could be discontinued after the sixth and last dose. Serum creatinine returned to normal two years after presentation.
We suggest that massive PPH induced major activation of complement pathways, which ultimately lead to TMA-induced AKI. Various causes, such as oocyte-donation, the potential retention of placental material and the use of tranexamic acid may have contributed to complement activation due to PPH. The prompt administration of anti-C5 therapy may have rapidly restored kidney microcirculation patency, thus reversing signs of TMA and AKI. We propose that complement activation may represent a major pathophysiological player of this complication and may provide a novel therapeutic avenue to improve renal prognosis in TMA-induced AKI following massive PPH.
Gold catalysts on Y-doped ceria dispersed on high surface area γ-Al2O3 were synthesized and tested in preferential CO oxidation in hydrogen rich stream (PROX). The effect of ceria loading (10, 20 or ...30 wt%) was studied. The gold catalyst with the lowest ceria amount exhibited the highest PROX activity. The addition of Y2O3 (1 wt%) led to improved performance. The most favorable effect was observed in the sample with 20 wt% ceria amount. This gold catalyst showed good PROX activity and stability in the presence of CO2 and water. Catalysts characterization by XRD, HRTEM/HAADF, XPS and H2-TPR was used to elucidate the relationship between the chemical composition, state of gold, support features and catalytic properties.
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•PROX over alumina supported Au/Y-doped ceria catalysts.•Effect of ceria loading (10, 20 or 30 wt%) and Y-addition.•Promising PROX activity and stability in the presence of CO2 and water.•Relationship between gold and support features and catalytic properties.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The immune system has evolved to allow robust responses against pathogens while avoiding autoimmunity. This is notably enabled by stimulatory and inhibitory signals which contribute to the regulation ...of immune responses. In the presence of a pathogen, a specific and effective immune response must be induced and this leads to antigen-specific T-cell proliferation, cytokines production, and induction of T-cell differentiation toward an effector phenotype. After clearance or control of the pathogen, the effector immune response must be terminated in order to avoid tissue damage and chronic inflammation and this process involves coinhibitory molecules. When the immune system fails to eliminate or control the pathogen, continuous stimulation of T cells prevents the full contraction and leads to the functional exhaustion of effector T cells. Several evidences both in vitro and in vivo suggest that this anergic state can be reverted by blocking the interactions between coinhibitory molecules and their ligands. The potential to revert exhausted or inactivated T-cell responses following selective blocking of their function made these markers interesting targets for therapeutic interventions in patients with persistent viral infections or cancer.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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