Hospital Operating Rooms (ORs) are working spaces which demand an utmost clean air environment for enhancing both the safety and the comfort conditions of medical staff and patients, in order to ...reduce the risk of post-operative complications. In this context, an integrated experimental-numerical thermo-fluid dynamic study has been carried out in the present work, to investigate air contamination due to UltraFine Particles (UFPs) inside an actual, but unoccupied, OR, equipped with a laminar air flow system, located near Milan in Northern Italy. The UFPs considered in the present study are geometrically representative of surgical smoke and SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus particles. The flow and thermal fields in the OR have been calculated by using the Realizable k-ε turbulence model. A transient passive scalar species transport equation, based on the drift flux model, has been implemented along with the particle deposition boundary conditions at the OR walls, to analyze the UFPs concentration within the OR. The numerical model has been used, after validation against experimental data, to reproduce the quantities of interest in the OR. Moreover, type A and type B uncertainties have been associated to the experimental measurements. The velocity and temperature fields in the OR, obtained from both the numerical and experimental analysis, are compliant to the technical standards. A good agreement is observed between experimental and numerical results, in terms of velocity, temperature and UFPs concentration. A time of 19 min to completely evacuate UFPs from the OR has been obtained from both experimental and numerical analysis, with a deviation smaller than 2% between the results.
•An integrated experimental-numerical study is carried out to investigate air contamination inside a real Operating Room (OR).•A 3D thermo-fluid dynamic model has been developed to simulate the OR equipped with a Laminar Air Flow (LAF) system.•The contaminant Ultrafine Particles (UFPs) considered are representative of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) virus particles.•The downward airflow from the LAF system allows an effective evacuation of UFPs from the sterile zone.•The total particle loss rate of UFPs is dominated by the Air Exchange Rate, much larger than the surface deposition rate.•A time of 19 minutes to completely evacuate the UFPs from the OR is obtained from the experimental and numerical analysis.
Experimental evidence from animal models and epidemiology studies has demonstrated that nutrition affects lung development and may have a lifelong impact on respiratory health. Chronic restriction of ...nutrients and/or oxygen during pregnancy causes structural changes in the airways and parenchyma that may result in abnormal lung function, which is tracked throughout life. Inadequate nutritional management in very premature infants hampers lung growth and may be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Recent evidence seems to indicate that infant and childhood malnutrition does not determine lung function impairment even in the presence of reduced lung size due to delayed body growth. This review will focus on the effects of malnutrition occurring at critical time periods such as pregnancy, early life, and childhood, on lung growth and long-term lung function.
The present study investigates the energy efficiency of different container house configurations across thirty European locations. By employing Heating Degree Days (HDDs) and Cooling Degree Days ...(CDDs), the research delves into climatic zone exploration, providing a simplified climatic classification for residential purposes and comparing it with the Köppen–Geiger model. The authors use specific hourly climatic data for each location, obtained through dynamic simulations with TRNSYS v.18 software. Initially, the CDDs are calculated by using different base temperatures (comfort temperatures that minimize energy demand) tailored to the specific conditions of each case. Then, the thermal loads of container houses are evaluated in different climatic scenarios, establishing a direct correlation between climatic conditions and the energy needs of these innovative and modular housing solutions. By comparing stacked and adjacent modular configurations in container housing, particularly in post-disaster scenarios, the study underscores the importance of adaptive design to optimize energy efficiency. The analysis conducted by the authors has allowed them to propose a climate characterization model based on HDDs, CDDs, and solar irradiance, obtaining an effective novel correlation with the Köppen–Geiger classification, especially in extreme climates. The present model emerges as a powerful tool for climate characterization in residential applications, offering a new perspective for urban planning and housing design. Furthermore, the results reveal a significant correlation between climate classification and the specific energy needs of container houses, emphasizing the direct influence of regional climatic characteristics on energy efficiency, particularly in small-sized dwellings such as container houses.
The involvement of melatonin in mammalian brain pathophysiology has received growing interest, but information about the anatomical distribution of its two G‐protein‐coupled receptors, MT1 and MT2, ...remains elusive. In this study, using specific antibodies, we examined the precise distribution of both melatonin receptors immunoreactivity across the adult rat brain using light, confocal, and electron microscopy. Our results demonstrate a selective MT1 and MT2 localization on neuronal cell bodies and dendrites in numerous regions of the rat telencephalon, diencephalon, and mesencephalon. Confocal and ultrastructural examination confirmed the somatodendritic nature of MT1 and MT2 receptors, both being localized on neuronal membranes. Overall, striking differences were observed in the anatomical distribution pattern of MT1 and MT2 proteins, and the labeling often appeared complementary in regions displaying both receptors. Somadendrites labeled for MT1 were observed for instance in the retrosplenial cortex, the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, the islands of Calleja, the medial habenula, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the superior colliculus, the substantia nigra pars compacta, the dorsal raphe nucleus, and the pars tuberalis of the pituitary gland. Somadendrites endowed with MT2 receptors were mostly observed in the CA3 field of the hippocampus, the reticular thalamic nucleus, the supraoptic nucleus, the inferior colliculus, the substantia nigra pars reticulata, and the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray. Together, these data provide the first detailed neurocytological mapping of melatonin receptors in the adult rat brain, an essential prerequisite for a better understanding of melatonin distinct receptor function and neurophysiology.
Introduction
Pleasant and comforting bodily contacts characterized intimate and affective interactions. Affective touch informs us about others’ emotions and intentions, sustains intimacy and ...closeness, protecting from loneliness and psychological distress. Previous evidence points to an altered experience of affective touch in clinical populations reporting interpersonal difficulties. However, there is no investigation of affective touch in obesity, which is often associated with negative affective-relational experiences since childhood.
Methods
This study aimed to provide the first evidence about the experience of affective touch in obesity by comparing 14 women with obesity with 14 women with healthy weight. Participants rated the pleasantness of both imagined and actual tactile stimuli, which consisted of (
i
) soft-brush strokes, (
ii
) touches of the experimenter’s hand, and (
iii
) of a plastic stick (as control, non-affective, stimulation). Participants should report the pleasantness of each kind of touch. Moreover, we explored lifespan experiences of affective touch and interpersonal pleasure in social contexts through self-report questionnaires.
Results
No differences emerged for the pleasantness of affective touch (in both the real and imagery task) between the two groups. However, participants with obesity reported less frequent and less satisfying early experiences of affective touch when compared with the controls.
Discussion
Our results spoke in favor of a preserved experience of affective touch when experimentally probed in obesity, despite a limited early exposure to bodily affective contacts. We interpreted our results in the light of the
social reconnection hypothesis
. Nevertheless, we provided crucial methodological considerations for future research, considering that both the experimenter’s and the brush touch may not resemble adequately real-life experiences, in which affective touch involves intimate people.
In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) numerical model based on the finite element method (FEM) is developed to determine the fluid flow and heat transfer phenomena in a real multi-tube downhole ...heat exchanger (DHE), designed ad hoc for the present application, considering natural convection inside a geothermal reservoir. The DHE has been effectively installed and tested on the island of Ischia, in southern Italy, and the measurements have been used to validate the model. In particular, the authors analyze experimentally and numerically the behavior of the DHE based on the outlet temperature of the working fluid, thermal power, overall heat transfer coefficient, and efficiency. Furthermore, the influence of the degree of salinity on the performance of the DHE has been studied, observing that it degrades with the increase in the degree of salinity. The results show that the DHE allows to exchange more than 40 kW with the ground, obtaining overall heat transfer coefficient values larger than 450 W/m2 K. At the degree of salinity of 180 ppt, a decrease in the efficiency of the DHE of more than 8% is observed.
Osimertinib‑induced erythromelalgia: A case report Bolzon, Anna; Alessia Guidotti, Alessia; Alaibac, Mauro Alessandro
Experimental and therapeutic medicine,
07/2024, Letnik:
28, Številka:
1
Journal Article
The present study reports a case of osimertinib-induced erythromelalgia in a patient with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma. Osimertinib is an antineoplastic drug that irreversibly inhibits the ...epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway by binding to the intracellular receptor tyrosine kinase site, thus preventing EGFR signal transduction. A 77-year-old female with a lung adenocarcinoma recurrence with secondary metastases was prescribed osimertinib therapy. The patient presented with painful erythema and warmth in the distal phalanges of all fingers on both hands, which worsened with heat and relieved with cold. Based on clinical data, erythromelalgia was diagnosed. Considering the age of onset, a primary erythromelalgia was ruled out. Further investigations excluded other secondary causes of erythromelalgia, therefore osimertinib was suspected as the cause. Although no cases of EGFR inhibitor-induced erythromelalgia have been reported, cutaneous adverse events induced by EGFR inhibitors have been documented. The present case may be the first evidence of osimertinib-induced erythromelalgia and may help clinicians to properly support patients who develop this EGFR inhibitor adverse event.
Research regarding the mechanisms of brain damage following radiation treatments for brain tumors has increased over the years, thus providing a deeper insight into the pathobiological mechanisms and ...suggesting new approaches to minimize this damage. This review has discussed the different factors that are known to influence the risk of damage to the brain (mainly cognitive disturbances) from radiation. These include patient and tumor characteristics, the use of whole-brain radiotherapy versus particle therapy (protons, carbon ions), and stereotactic radiotherapy in various modalities. Additionally, biological mechanisms behind neuroprotection have been elucidated.
The aim of this review was to present an overview of the state of the art in the use of the Microsoft Kinect camera to assess gait in post-stroke individuals through an analysis of the available ...literature. In recent years, several studies have explored the potentiality, accuracy, and effectiveness of this 3D optical sensor as an easy-to-use and non-invasive clinical measurement tool for the assessment of gait parameters in several pathologies. Focusing on stroke individuals, some of the available studies aimed to directly assess and characterize their gait patterns. In contrast, other studies focused on the validation of Kinect-based measurements with respect to a gold-standard reference (i.e., optoelectronic systems). However, the nonhomogeneous characteristics of the participants, of the measures, of the methodologies, and of the purposes of the studies make it difficult to adequately compare the results. This leads to uncertainties about the strengths and weaknesses of this technology in this pathological state. The final purpose of this narrative review was to describe and summarize the main features of the available works on gait in the post-stroke population, highlighting similarities and differences in the methodological approach and primary findings, thus facilitating comparisons of the studies as much as possible.
Stroke is one of the most significant causes of permanent functional impairment and severe motor disability. Hemiplegia or hemiparesis are common consequences of the acute event, which negatively ...impacts daily life and requires continuous rehabilitation treatments to favor partial or complete recovery and, consequently, to regain autonomy, independence, and safety in daily activities. Gait impairments are frequent in stroke survivors. The accurate assessment of gait anomalies is therefore crucial and a major focus of neurorehabilitation programs to prevent falls or injuries. This study aims to estimate, using a single RGB-D sensor, gait patterns and parameters on a short walkway. This solution may be suitable for monitoring the improvement or worsening of gait disorders, including in domestic and unsupervised scenarios. For this purpose, some of the most relevant spatiotemporal parameters, estimated by the proposed solution on a cohort of post-stroke individuals, were compared with those estimated by a gold standard system for a simultaneous instrumented 3D gait analysis. Preliminary results indicate good agreement, accuracy, and correlation between the gait parameters estimated by the two systems. This suggests that the proposed solution may be employed as an intermediate tool for gait analysis in environments where gold standard systems are impractical, such as home and ecological settings in real-life contexts.
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