RESUMO
Growing evidence suggests that respiratory frequency (fR) is a valid marker of effort during high-intensity exercise, including sports of an intermittent nature, like soccer. However, very few attempts have been made so far to monitor fR in soccer with unobtrusive devices. This study assessed the validity of three strain-based commercial wearable devices measuring fR during soccer-specific movements. On two separate visits to the soccer pitch, 15 players performed a 30 min validation protocol wearing either a ComfTech® (CT) vest or a BioharnessTM (BH) 3.0 strap and a Tyme WearTM (TW) vest. fR was extracted from the respiratory waveform of the three commercial devices with custom-made algorithms and compared with that recorded with a reference face mask. The fR time course of the commercial devices generally resembled that of the reference system. The mean absolute percentage error was, on average, 7.03% for CT, 8.65% for TW, and 14.60% for BH for the breath-by-breath comparison and 1.85% for CT, 3.27% for TW, and 7.30% for BH when comparison with the reference system was made in 30 s windows. Despite the challenging measurement scenario, our findings show that some of the currently available wearable sensors are indeed suitable to unobtrusively measure fR in soccer.
Assuntos
Respiração , Futebol , Dispositivos Eletrônicos Vestíveis , Humanos , Futebol/fisiologia , Monitorização Fisiológica/instrumentação , Monitorização Fisiológica/métodos , Masculino , Adulto , Adulto Jovem , Algoritmos , Taxa Respiratória/fisiologiaRESUMO
Among conductive polymers, poly(3,4 ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) has been widely used as an electrode material for supercapacitors, solar cells, sensors, etc. Although PEDOT:PSS-based thin films have acceptable properties such as good capacitive and electrical behaviour and biocompatibility, there are still several challenges to be overcome in their use as an electrode material for supercapacitors. For this reason, the aim of this work is to fabricate and characterise ternary nanocomposites based on PEDOT:PSS and graphene oxide (GO), blended with green additives (glucose (G) or ascorbic acid (AA)), which have the benefits of being environmentally friendly, economical, and easy to use. The GO reduction process was first accurately investigated and demonstrated by UV-Vis and XRD measurements. Three-component inks have been developed, and their morphological, rheological, and surface tension properties were evaluated, showing their printability by means of Aerosol Jet® Printing (AJ®P), an innovative direct writing technique belonging to the Additive Manufacturing (AM) for printed electronics applications. Thin films of the ternary nanocomposites were produced by drop casting and spin coating techniques, and their capacitive behaviour and chemical structures were evaluated through Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) tests and FT-IR analyses. CV tests show an increment in the specific capacitance of AAGO-PEDOT up to 31.4 F/g and excellent overtime stability compared with pristine PEDOT:PSS, suggesting that this ink can be used to fabricate supercapacitors in printed (bio)-electronics. The inks were finally printed by AJ®P as thin films (10 layers, 8 × 8 mm) and chemically analysed by FT-IR, demonstrating that all components of the formulation were successfully aerosolised and deposited on the substrate.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to check the risk factors for subjects with motor conduction velocity (MCV) reduction of the ulnar nerve across the elbow without symptoms/signs of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE) using a database of a previous multicenter case-control study on UNE patients. METHODS: From the previous database, we extracted all asymptomatic UNE (A-UNE) and matched for age and sex with a control and UNE groups with a ratio of 1:2. Anthropometric factors were measured and all participants filled in a questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle factors, and medical history. One-sample proportion test and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: We enrolled 64 A-UNE, 124 UNE, and 124 controls (mean age 53 years). There were more males with A-UNE than females (74.2%). The predominantly or exclusively concerned side of A-UNE was the right. Logistic regression showed that A-UNE was associated with diabetes (OR = 2.99, 95% CI = 1.21-7.39) and width of cubital groove (CGW) (OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.81-0.97). DISCUSSION: Risk factors for A-UNE are different from UNE. The prevalence of right side in A-UNE was not due to particular elbow postures. Diabetes is a risk factor, probably because MCV reduction of the ulnar nerve across the elbow was an early manifestation of asymptomatic polyneuropathy in diabetes. A-UNE is associated with narrow CGW as already demonstrated in UNE, even if the OR was higher in UNE than in A-UNE. Only future longitudinal studies will be able to check whether the A-UNE subjects develop symptoms and signs of true mononeuropathy with time.
Assuntos
Nervo Ulnar , Neuropatias Ulnares , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Cotovelo/inervação , Eletrodiagnóstico , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Condução Nervosa/fisiologia , Fatores de Risco , Neuropatias Ulnares/etiologiaRESUMO
The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and epidemiology distribution of K. pneumoniae isolated at University Hospital of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," including the susceptibility evolution profile. Data on resistant phenotype strains, such as extended-spectrum-ß-lactamase (ESBL) producers and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRE) isolates, were also reported. K. pneumoniae strains were collected at the Complex Operative Unit (UOC) of Virology and Microbiology from different colonization and infection sites from January 2016 to December 2020. The highest rates of isolation were in urinary samples and in respiratory and wound swabs. Antibiotics susceptibility patterns showed more than 50% of the isolates resistant to cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones and penicillin. On the other hand, from 20% to 40% of K. pneumoniae strains were resistant to carbapenems and aminoglycosides. Based on our analysis, fosfomycin, ceftazidime/avibactam and ceftolozane/tazobactam are still therapeutic alternatives. Data analysis on carbapenem class evolution in 2016-2020 showed a significant increase in resistance rates (p<0.05). Increased rates in CRE and ESBL producing K. pneumoniae since 2017 were reported. Providing information on clinical characteristics and epidemiology data on contemporary K. pneumoniae evolution could help mitigate the spread of these isolates in our hospital and avert the endemic levels that have been observed in Southern Italy and in other European countries.
Assuntos
Fosfomicina , Infecções por Klebsiella , Humanos , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Klebsiella pneumoniae/genética , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana , Carbapenêmicos/farmacologia , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , beta-Lactamases/genética , Infecções por Klebsiella/epidemiologia , Infecções por Klebsiella/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
Vinegar is a fermented product that is appreciated world-wide. It can be obtained from different kinds of matrices. Specifically, it is a solution of acetic acid produced by a two stage fermentation process. The first is an alcoholic fermentation, where the sugars are converted in ethanol and lower metabolites by the yeast action, generally Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This was performed through a technique that is expanding more and more, the so-called "pied de cuve". The second step is an acetic fermentation where acetic acid bacteria (AAB) action causes the conversion of ethanol into acetic acid. Overall, the aim of this research is to follow wine vinegar production step by step through the volatiloma analysis by metal oxide semiconductor MOX sensors developed by Nano Sensor Systems S.r.l. This work is based on wine vinegar monitored from the grape must to the formed vinegar. The monitoring lasted 4 months and the analyses were carried out with a new generation of Electronic Nose (EN) engineered by Nano Sensor Systems S.r.l., called Small Sensor Systems Plus (S3+), equipped with an array of six gas MOX sensors with different sensing layers each. In particular, real-time monitoring made it possible to follow and to differentiate each step of the vinegar production. The principal component analysis (PCA) method was the statistical multivariate analysis utilized to process the dataset obtained from the sensors. A closer look to PCA graphs affirms how the sensors were able to cluster the production steps in a chronologically correct manner.
Assuntos
Ácido Acético , Vinho , Ácido Acético/análise , Etanol , Fermentação , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolismo , Vinho/análiseRESUMO
We performed a prospective multicenter case-control study to explore the association between ulnar neuropathy at elbow (UNE) and body and elbow anthropometric measures, demographic and lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Cases and controls were consecutively enrolled among subjects admitted to four electromyography labs. UNE diagnosis was made on clinical and neurographic findings. The control group included all other subjects without signs/symptoms of ulnar neuropathy and with normal ulnar nerve neurography. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height, waist, hip circumferences, and external measures of elbow using a caliper. The participants filled in a self-administered questionnaire on personal characteristics, lifestyle factors, and medical history. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by fitting unconditional logistic regression models adjusted by center and education level. We enrolled 220 cases (males 61.8%; mean age 51.7 years) and 460 controls (47.4% males; mean age 47.8 years). At multivariable analysis, UNE was associated to male gender (OR = 2.4, 95%CI = 1.6-3.7), smoking habits (>25 pack-years (OR = 2.3, 95%CI = 1.3-4.1), body mass index (OR = 1.05, 95%CI 1.01-1.10), polyneuropathies (OR = 4.1, 95%CI 1.5-11.5), and leaning with flexed elbow on a table/desk (OR = 1.5, 95%CI 1.0-2.2). Cubital groove width (CGW) turned out to be negatively associated with UNE (OR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.74-0.85). Our study suggests that some personal factors especially anthropometric measures of the elbow may play a role in UNE pathogenesis as the measures of wrist in CTS. We demonstrated that for each millimeter of smaller CGW the risk of idiopathic UNE increases of 25%.
Assuntos
Índice de Massa Corporal , Cotovelo/anatomia & histologia , Polineuropatias/epidemiologia , Postura , Fumar/epidemiologia , Neuropatias Ulnares/epidemiologia , Adulto , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Comorbidade , Cotovelo/inervação , Cotovelo/fisiopatologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Postura/fisiologia , Fatores de Risco , Fatores Sexuais , Neuropatias Ulnares/diagnóstico por imagemRESUMO
Introduction: There are no studies on elbow anthropometry in ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). We aimed to test the interrater agreement of external elbow measurements with caliper, the matching of external width of cubital groove (WCG) measures with those obtained through conventional radiography (XR) and ultrasonography (US). The final aim was to evaluate the differences of anthropometric elbow and body measures between UNE cases and controls with multicenter prospective study.Materials and methods: After common training of five observers for external elbow and body anthropometric measurements, we assessed the interrater agreement of measures in a single blind measurement session in 16 healthy volunteers. Then we verified if external WCG measures in eight and four of the above 16 subjects matched with those obtained with US and XR. Finally, we enrolled 40 consecutive idiopathic UNE cases in four electromyographic labs matched for sex and age with 40 controls to evaluate the differences of anthropometric measures.Results: There was high interrater agreement of all anthropometric body and elbow measures (Kendal's and interclass correlation coefficients between 0.84 and >0.9). We found high relations between WCG caliper measures and those obtained with US and XR (r > 0.9). WCG was smaller in cases than in controls (13.2 vs.15.7 mm, p < 0.001). There were no differences in body anthropometric measures (BMI and waist-to-hip ratio).Conclusion: The external measurement of WCG is reliable and reproducible and may be risk factor of UNE. Future studies should be performed in lager samples evaluating the relations with lifestyle and occupational factors.
Assuntos
Antropometria , Cotovelo/anatomia & histologia , Neuropatias Ulnares/diagnóstico , Neuropatias Ulnares/patologia , Adulto , Antropometria/métodos , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Cotovelo/diagnóstico por imagem , Cotovelo/fisiopatologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Periférico , Estudos Prospectivos , Radiografia , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Método Simples-Cego , UltrassonografiaRESUMO
Portable neuroimaging technologies can be employed for long-term monitoring of neurophysiological and neuropathological states. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and Electroencephalography (EEG) are highly suited for such a purpose. Their multimodal integration allows the evaluation of hemodynamic and electrical brain activity together with neurovascular coupling. An innovative fNIRS-EEG system is here presented. The system integrated a novel continuous-wave fNIRS component and a modified commercial EEG device. fNIRS probing relied on fiberless technology based on light emitting diodes and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). SiPMs are sensitive semiconductor detectors, whose large detection area maximizes photon harvesting from the scalp and overcomes limitations of fiberless technology. To optimize the signal-to-noise ratio and avoid fNIRS-EEG interference, a digital lock-in was implemented for fNIRS signal acquisition. A benchtop characterization of the fNIRS component showed its high performances with a noise equivalent power below 1 pW. Moreover, the fNIRS-EEG device was tested in vivo during tasks stimulating visual, motor and pre-frontal cortices. Finally, the capabilities to perform ecological recordings were assessed in clinical settings on one Alzheimer's Disease patient during long-lasting cognitive tests. The system can pave the way to portable technologies for accurate evaluation of multimodal brain activity, allowing their extensive employment in ecological environments and clinical practice.
Assuntos
Mapeamento Encefálico , Eletroencefalografia , Acoplamento Neurovascular , Espectroscopia de Luz Próxima ao Infravermelho , Encéfalo , Hemodinâmica , HumanosRESUMO
Background and objectives: In Italy, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infections are most prevalent in people older than 50 years of age, who often experience multi-morbidities, take co-medications, and have a long history of liver disease. These characteristics could potentially affect tolerability of HCV treatments and adherence in this subgroup. After achievement of sustained virological response (SVR), retention into care is very important both to detect the onset of possible complications and prevent further infections. In this study, SVR rates and retention into care of patients treated with directly acting antivirals (DAAs) of a single-center cohort in Southern Italy were evaluated. Materials and Methods: Patients treated with directly acting antivirals from 2014 to 2018 were included. Patients were stratified by age (i.e., <65 vs. ≥65 years) and by cirrhosis presence (i.e., liver stiffness >14.6 KPa or clinical/ultrasound cirrhosis vs. absence of these criteria). Primary outcome was availability of SVR at Weeks 12-24 after the end of treatment. Inter- and intra-group comparisons were performed along the follow-up for significant laboratory parameters. Results: In total, 212 patients were treated; 184 (87%) obtained SVR after the first treatment course and 4 patients after retreatment. Twenty-two (10.4%) patients were lost to follow-up before assessment of SVR, and two patients died before the end of treatment for liver decompensation. Considering only the first treatment episode, per protocol analysis (i.e., excluding patients lost to follow-up) showed the following rates of SVR: 97% (overall), 97% (older age group), 96% (age group <65 years), 94% (cirrhotics), and 100% (non-cirrhotics). By contrast, at the intention to treat analysis (i.e., patients lost were computed as failures), SVR percentages were significantly lower for patients <65 years of age (80%) and for non-cirrhotics (85%). Conclusions: High rates of SVR were obtained. However, younger patients and those without cirrhosis displayed an apparent high risk of being lost to follow-up. This may have important implications: since those who are lost may transmit HCV in case SVR is not achieved, these subpopulations should receive appropriate counselling during treatment.
Assuntos
Antivirais/uso terapêutico , Hepacivirus , Hepatite C Crônica/tratamento farmacológico , Cirrose Hepática/tratamento farmacológico , Adesão à Medicação/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Idoso , Quimioterapia Combinada , Feminino , Hepatite C Crônica/complicações , Humanos , Análise de Intenção de Tratamento , Itália , Cirrose Hepática/virologia , Perda de Seguimento , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Resposta Viral SustentadaRESUMO
Sponges are considered promising sources of biomolecules for both pharmaceutical and cosmetic interests as well as for the production of biomaterials suitable for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Accordingly, the ability to grow sponges in captivity and in healthy conditions to increase their biomass is a required goal for the development of sponge aquaculture systems. To date, little information is available about the pathogenicity of fungi associated with sponges. In our study, we identified an infection in freshly collected specimens of Chondrosia reniformis (Porifera, Demospongiae) and determined that the fungus Aspergillus tubingensis was the pathogen responsible. This is the first description of a natural infection of C. reniformis by A. tubingensis. Despite raising an inflammatory response by means of an increase in tumour necrosis factor (TNF) mRNA, the infected C. reniformis specimens were not able to control the fungal infection, leading to rotting in 15 d. Characterization of this infection shows that a widely distributed fungus can represent a potential hazard to sponge aquaculture industries and how, especially in stressed or compromised marine environments, this fungus could represent a fatal opportunistic pathogen.
Assuntos
Poríferos , Animais , Aquicultura , AspergillusAssuntos
Asma , Asma/diagnóstico , Exercício Físico , Teste de Esforço , Humanos , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations between carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) severity and selected anthropometric and obesity indexes. DESIGN: We performed a case-control study. Clinical and electrophysiological severity of CTS was classified as mild, moderate, or severe based on validated scales. Body and hand anthropometric characteristics were measured at the time of the electrodiagnostic study. We estimated the relative risk ratios (RRRs) of CTS severity by fitting multinomial logistic regression models adjusted by age and sex. In addition, we fitted multivariable models, including age, sex, wrist ratio, hand ratio, body mass index (BMI), and waist/stature ratio. SETTING: Electromyography laboratories. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients (N=1087), those with CTS (n=340) and those without CTS (n=747), were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Associations between CTS severity and selected anthropometric and obesity indexes. RESULTS: We observed associations between many anthropometric indexes and CTS severity. Among obesity indexes, the waist/stature ratio, and among hand anthropometric indexes, the wrist/palm ratio, showed the highest RRRs for the clinical and electrophysiological severity scales. The RRRs of severe CTS (adjusted for age and sex) for the wrist/palm ratio were 3.5 for the clinical scale and 2.4 for the electrophysiological scale. The RRRs of severe CTS for the waist/stature ratio were 2.3 for the clinical scale and 2.0 for the electrophysiological scale. In the multivariable models, both BMI and the waist/stature ratio were associated with the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Different configurations of the body and, in particular, the hand and wrist system may influence the occurrence and severity of CTS. Multiple obesity indexes, possibly including the waist/stature ratio, should be considered when investigating the association between body composition and CTS. Future studies should determine whether in obese subjects with CTS the weight and waist circumference loss produces an improvement in CTS symptoms and recovery of distal conduction velocity of the median nerve.
Assuntos
Pesos e Medidas Corporais/estatística & dados numéricos , Síndrome do Túnel Carpal/epidemiologia , Síndrome do Túnel Carpal/fisiopatologia , Obesidade/epidemiologia , Obesidade/fisiopatologia , Adulto , Idoso , Antropometria , Índice de Massa Corporal , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Eletromiografia , Feminino , Mãos/anatomia & histologia , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Punho/anatomia & histologiaRESUMO
In this paper, the structural and electrical modifications induced, in the nanoscale, by a rapid thermal oxidation process on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures, are investigated. A local rapid oxidation (900 ° C in O2, 10 min) localized under the anode region of an AlGaN/GaN diode enabled a reduction of the leakage current with respect to a standard Schottky contact. The insulating properties of the near-surface oxidized layer were probed by a nanoscale electrical characterization using scanning probe microscopy techniques. The structural characterization indicated the formation of a thin uniform oxide layer on the surface, with preferential oxidation paths along V-shaped defects penetrating through the AlGaN/GaN interface. The oxidation process resulted in an expansion of the lattice parameters due to the incorporation of oxygen atoms, accompanied by an increase of the crystal mosaicity. As a consequence, a decrease of the sheet carrier density of the two-dimensional electron gas and a positive shift of the threshold voltage are observed. The results provide useful insights for a possible future integration of rapid oxidation processes during GaN device fabrication.
RESUMO
The aims are to evaluate electrodiagnostic testing (EDX) requests and verify if presence, consistency and agreement of referral diagnosis could be predicted by patient demographic findings and referring physician typology, and if there were differences in respect to our previous study performed 16 years ago. The study concerns EDX requests referred to two electromyography labs during the year 2011. Differences between findings of general practitioners (GPs) versus specialists' requests and between this study with the previous were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratio to assess the strength of association between presence, consistency and agreement of referral diagnosis with patient demographic findings and referring physician typology. We evaluated EDX requests of 1,586 patients (mean age 56 ± 16.7 years, 58.8 % women), 1,050 (66.2 %) were referred by GPs and 536 (33.8 %) by specialists. The suspected diagnosis was reported in 1,033 (65.1 %) requests, the overall consistency was 79.9 % and agreement was 71.9 %. Presence, consistency and agreement of referral diagnosis were predicted by physician's typology (specialist). Only if the suspected diagnosis was carpal tunnel syndrome, consistency and agreement were high regardless of doctor's typology. The physicians, especially GPs, who reported the referral diagnosis decreased during the past 16 years. A diagnostic test, including EDX, should be considered mainly if it fits into the best diagnostic strategy. The neurophysiologist should decide if EDX is useful, make the best decision on further management, and not submit patients to unnecessary and uncomfortable procedures. This choice of behaviour could be questionable and may lead to ethical and deontological problems.
Assuntos
Assistência Ambulatorial/estatística & dados numéricos , Eletrodiagnóstico/estatística & dados numéricos , Eletromiografia/estatística & dados numéricos , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Periférico/diagnóstico , Encaminhamento e Consulta , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Síndrome do Túnel Carpal/diagnóstico , Síndrome do Túnel Carpal/fisiopatologia , Feminino , Medicina Geral , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neurofisiologia/métodos , Neurofisiologia/normas , Pacientes Ambulatoriais , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Periférico/fisiopatologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Magnusiomyces capitatus (M. capitatus) is an emerging opportunistic yeast in the Mediterranean region typically isolated from immunocompromised patients, usually affected by blood malignancies. We reported a rare case of M. capitatus infection, isolated from a drainage fluid in a patient affected by lung cancer recovered in the University Hospital of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy. The isolate was identified by phenotypic methods, i.e., Gram and Lactophenol cotton blue (LCB) staining, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis. We identified M. capitatus on the third day from Sabouraud Dextrose Agar supplemented with chloramphenicol and gentamicin. Antifungal susceptibility test revealed that 5-fluorocytosine was the most active drug against M. capitatus, followed by itraconazole and voriconazole, micafungin, amphotericin B and fluconazole, posaconazole, anidulafungin, and caspofungin. Our data showed the importance of an early cultural and fast microbiology diagnosis based on the characteristic morphologic features observed in Gram-stained smears of blood culture positive bottles, and the validation via MALDI-TOF MS. This dual approach has significant impact in the clinical management of infectious diseases and antibiotic stewardship, by integrating sample processing, fluid handling, and detection for rapid bacterial diagnosis.
RESUMO
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the deadliest infectious disorders in the world. To effectively TB manage, an essential step is to gain insight into the lineage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and the distribution of drug resistance. Although the Campania region is declared a cluster area for the infection, to contribute to the effort to understand TB evolution and transmission, still poorly known, we have generated a dataset of 159 genomes of MTB strains, from Campania region collected during 2018-2021, obtained from the analysis of whole genome sequence. The results show that the most frequent MTB lineage is the 4 according for 129 strains (81.11%). Regarding drug resistance, 139 strains (87.4%) were classified as multi susceptible, while the remaining 20 (12.58%) showed drug resistance. Among the drug-resistance strains, 8 were isoniazid-resistant MTB, 4 multidrug-resistant MTB, while only one was classified as pre-extensively drug-resistant MTB. This dataset expands the existing available knowledge on drug resistance and evolution of MTB, contributing to further TB-related genomics studies to improve the management of this disease.
Assuntos
Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Tuberculose Resistente a Múltiplos Medicamentos , Humanos , Antituberculosos/farmacologia , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana Múltipla/genética , Isoniazida/farmacologia , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/efeitos dos fármacos , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genética , Tuberculose Resistente a Múltiplos Medicamentos/microbiologiaRESUMO
Background: The World Health Organization identified alcohol and tobacco consumption as the risk factors with a greater attributable burden and number of deaths related to non-communicable diseases. A promising technique aimed to modify behavioral risk factors by redesigning the elements influencing the choice of people is nudging. Methodology: A scoping review of the literature was performed to map the literature evidence investigating the use of nudging for tobacco and alcohol consumption prevention and/or control in adults. Results: A total of 20 studies were included. The identified nudging categories were increasing salience of information or incentives (IS), default choices (DF), and providing feedback (PF). Almost three-quarters of the studies implementing IS and half of those implementing PF reported a success. Three-quarters of the studies using IS in conjunction with other interventions reported a success whereas more than half of the those with IS alone reported a success. The PF strategy performed better in multi-component interventions targeting alcohol consumption. Only one DF mono-component study addressing alcohol consumption reported a success. Conclusions: To achieve a higher impact, nudging should be integrated into comprehensive prevention policy frameworks, with dedicated education sessions for health professionals. In conclusion, nudge strategies for tobacco and alcohol consumption prevention in adults show promising results. Further research is needed to investigate the use of nudge strategies in socio-economically diverse groups and in young populations.
Assuntos
Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas , Uso de Tabaco , Humanos , Adulto , Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/epidemiologia , Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/prevenção & controle , Fatores de Risco , Uso de Tabaco/prevenção & controle , PolíticasRESUMO
Oncologic emergencies are a wide spectrum of oncologic conditions caused directly by malignancies or their treatment. Oncologic emergencies may be classified according to the underlying physiopathology in metabolic, hematologic, and structural conditions. In the latter, radiologists have a pivotal role, through an accurate diagnosis useful to provide optimal patient care. Structural conditions may involve the central nervous system, thorax, or abdomen, and emergency radiologists have to know the characteristics imaging findings of each one of them. The number of oncologic emergencies is growing due to the increased incidence of malignancies in the general population and also to the improved survival of these patients thanks to the advances in cancer treatment. Artificial intelligence (AI) could be a solution to assist emergency radiologists with this rapidly increasing workload. To our knowledge, AI applications in the setting of the oncologic emergency are mostly underexplored, probably due to the relatively low number of oncologic emergencies and the difficulty in training algorithms. However, cancer emergencies are defined by the cause and not by a specific pattern of radiological symptoms and signs. Therefore, it can be expected that AI algorithms developed for the detection of these emergencies in the non-oncological field can be transferred to the clinical setting of oncologic emergency. In this review, a craniocaudal approach was followed and central nervous system, thoracic, and abdominal oncologic emergencies have been addressed regarding the AI applications reported in literature. Among the central nervous system emergencies, AI applications have been reported for brain herniation and spinal cord compression. In the thoracic district the addressed emergencies were pulmonary embolism, cardiac tamponade and pneumothorax. Pneumothorax was the most frequently described application for AI, to improve sensibility and to reduce the time-to-diagnosis. Finally, regarding abdominal emergencies, AI applications for abdominal hemorrhage, intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation, and intestinal intussusception have been described.
RESUMO
Metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors with Al2O3 as a gate insulator are fabricated on cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC). Al2O3 is deposited both by thermal and plasma-enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on a thermally grown 5 nm SiO2 interlayer to improve the ALD nucleation and guarantee a better band offset with the SiC. The deposited Al2O3/SiO2 stacks show lower negative shifts of the flat band voltage VFB (in the range of about -3 V) compared with the conventional single SiO2 layer (in the range of -9 V). This lower negative shift is due to the combined effect of the Al2O3 higher permittivity (ε = 8) and to the reduced amount of carbon defects generated during the short thermal oxidation process for the thin SiO2. Moreover, the comparison between thermal and plasma-enhanced ALD suggests that this latter approach produces Al2O3 layers possessing better insulating behavior in terms of distribution of the leakage current breakdown. In fact, despite both possessing a breakdown voltage of 26 V, the T-ALD Al2O3 sample is characterised by a higher current density starting from 15 V. This can be attributable to the slightly inferior quality (in terms of density and defects) of Al2O3 obtained by the thermal approach and, which also explains its non-uniform dC/dV distribution arising by SCM maps.