Data-Driven Virtual Sensing for Electrochemical Sensors.

In recent years, the application of machine learning for virtual sensing has revolutionized the monitoring and management of information. In particular, electrochemical sensors generate large amounts of data, allowing the application of complex machine learning/AI models able to (1) reproduce the measured data and (2) predict and manage faults in the measuring sensor. In this work, data-driven models based on an autoregressive model and an artificial neural network have been identified and used to (i) evaluate sensor redundancy and (ii) predict and manage faults in the context of electrochemical sensors for the measurement of ethanol.

Combined Approach for Giant Temporal Meningoencephalocele.

Introduction: To present a complex case of giant meningoencephalocele after a canal wall down mastoidectomy and describe our preferred approach to repair meningoencephalic herniation of the temporal bone.

Case Report: A 20-year-old patient, who had previously undergone type III tympanoplasty with total ossicular reconstruction prosthesis for an attic cholesteatoma, presents with clinical and imaging features compatible with the diagnosis of a giant temporal meningoencephalocele. We performed a combined approach -transmastoid plus minicraniotomy- to repair the skull base defect.

The greatest air quality experiment ever: Policy suggestions from the COVID-19 lockdown in twelve European cities.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) hit Europe in January 2020. By March, Europe was the active centre of the pandemic. As a result, widespread "lockdown" measures were enforced across the various European countries, even if to a different extent.

Neck glomangiomyoma: A case report and literature review.

Glomus tumors are rare and the hand is classically the most commonly affected site. The present study performed a literature review on the topic and reported on an unusual case of neck glomangiomyoma in a female adult patient. A 31-year-old woman presented with a 4-year history of a growing submandibular tumor with localized non-irradiated pain.

The "Kite-t-FAMMIF": A Novel Technique for Reconstruction of Extensive Soft Palate Resection.

Total soft palate reconstruction is a challenge for the head and neck surgeon. Velopharyngeal incompetence resulting from soft palate resection impairs both speech and swallowing and significantly affects the quality of life of the patients. Radial forearm free flap is the reconstructive technique most used worldwide, but it requires microsurgical skills, is associated with high donor site morbidity, and shrinks during the healing process, especially after adjuvant radiotherapy.

Bonebridge bone conduction implant. Hearing outcomes and quality of life in patients with conductive/mixed hearing loss.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the hearing outcomes and quality of life in a series of 52 patients affected by conductive or mixed hearing loss and treated with Bonebridge.

Methods: 52 of 71 patients implanted with Bonebridge between October 2012 and January 2022, were included in the study. We compared the air conduction thresholds at the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 Hz, the SRT50% and the World Recognition Score at an intensity of 50 dB with and without the implant.

Analysis of the lockdown effects due to the COVID-19 on air pollution in Brescia (Lombardy).

SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted several countries, with also some differences at local levels. When lockdown restrictions were imposed, the concentrations of some air pollutants were reduced, as reported in some other cities in the world. This was often considered a positive by-product of the pandemic.

Middle turbinate mucosal flap: Low-morbidity option in the management of skull base defects.

Background: To describe the low morbidity of middle turbinate mucosal flap (MTMF) to repair anterior skull base defects.

Methods: Skull base endonasal endoscopic surgeries performed at a tertiary hospital between 2015 and 2018 were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according the existence or not of a significant intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak.

Sensitization profile in patients with respiratory allergic diseases: differences between conventional and molecular diagnosis (a cross-sectional study).

Background: Component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) allows to identify single molecular allergen components, and constitutes a routine practice in many allergy units. However, skin prick test (SPT) remains the technique of choice in many otorhinolaryngology departments, thus increasing the risk of using inadequate immunotherapies in patients with respiratory allergies. This study aimed to compare sensitization profiles determined by SPT and CRD in patients with respiratory allergy, and to explore the relationship between sensitization and type and severity of the respiratory disease.

Identification of Factors Related to Cases of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Refractory to Canalicular Repositioning Maneuvers and Evaluation of the Need for Magnetic Resonance Imaging in their Management: Retrospective Analysis of a Series of 176 Cases.

 Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common form of peripheral vertigo, and, in most cases, it presents a favorable prognosis. The treatment is based on a series of specific canalicular repositioning maneuvers that offer an efficacy close to 100%. Despite this, there are cases that are refractory to treatment, with the persistence of the vertigo symptoms.

Head and Neck Manifestations of Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: A Retrospective analysis of 19 Patients and Review of the Literature.

Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) is a small vessel vasculitis characterized by a necrositing granulomatous inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tracts and focal/proliferative glomerulonephritis. In more than 70% of the cases, the presenting symptoms are head and neck manifestations that are often misdiagnosed as infectious or allergic in etiology.  The present study provides an analysis of head and neck manifestations in a series of patients diagnosed with GPA.

Safe use of systemic bevacizumab for respiratory recurrent papillomatosis in two children.

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis can be a devastating condition for a child, with severe consequences. Currently, there is no proven successful medical treatment. We describe the use of systemic bevacizumab to treat two children affected by aggressive recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

Hearing outcomes of the active bone conduction system Bonebridge in conductive or mixed hearing loss.

Objective: The active transcutaneous bone conduction implant Bonebridge, is indicated for patients affected by bilateral conductive/mixed hearing loss or unilateral sensorineural hearing loss, showing hearing outcomes similar to other percutaneous bone conduction implants, but with a lower rate of complications. The aim of this study was to analyze the hearing outcomes in a series of 26 patients affected by conductive or mixed hearing loss and treated with Bonebridge.

Methods: 26 of 30 patients implanted with Bonebridge between October 2012 and May 2017, were included in the study.

A non-linear optimization programming model for air quality planning including co-benefits for GHG emissions.

This paper introduces the MAQ (Multi-dimensional Air Quality) model aimed at defining cost-effective air quality plans at different scales (urban to national) and assessing the co-benefits for GHG emissions. The model implements and solves a non-linear multi-objective, multi-pollutant decision problem where the decision variables are the application levels of emission abatement measures allowing the reduction of energy consumption, end-of pipe technologies and fuel switch options. The objectives of the decision problem are the minimization of tropospheric secondary pollution exposure and of internal costs.

Efficacy of particle repositioning manoeuvres in benign positional paroxysmal vertigo: A revision of 176 cases treated in a tertiary care centre.

Introduction And Objectives: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the most common peripheral vertigo disease. The aim of this paper is to review the results obtained with the different specific particle repositioning manoeuvres, evaluating the possible risk factors linked to a poorer prognosis.

Methods: One hundred and seventy-six patients with a diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo were reviewed retrospectively, of whom 150 had vertigo of the posterior canal, 20 had vertigo of the horizontal canal, 3 had vertigo of the superior canal, and 3 had a double vertigo.

Optimal air quality policies and health: a multi-objective nonlinear approach.

The use of modelling tools to support decision-makers to plan air quality policies is now quite widespread in Europe. In this paper, the Regional Integrated Assessment Tool (RIAT+), which was designed to support policy-maker decision on optimal emission reduction measures to improve air quality at minimum costs, is applied to the Porto Urban Area (Portugal). In addition to technological measures, some local measures were included in the optimization process.

Exploring trade-offs between air pollutants through an Integrated Assessment Model.

When designing air pollution reduction policies, regional decision makers face a limited budget to choose the most efficient measures which will have impacts on several pollutants in different ways. RIAT+ is a regional integrated assessment tool that supports the policy maker in this selection of the optimal emission reduction technologies, to improve air quality at minimum costs. In this paper, this tool is formalized and applied to the specific case of a French region (Alsace), to illustrate how focusing on one single pollutant may exacerbate problems related to other pollutants, on top of conflicts related to budget allocation.

A comparison of reanalysis techniques: applying optimal interpolation and Ensemble Kalman Filtering to improve air quality monitoring at mesoscale.

To fulfill the requirements of the 2008/50 Directive, which allows member states and regional authorities to use a combination of measurement and modeling to monitor air pollution concentration, a key approach to be properly developed and tested is the data assimilation one. In this paper, with a focus on regional domains, a comparison between optimal interpolation and Ensemble Kalman Filter is shown, to stress pros and drawbacks of the two techniques. These approaches can be used to implement a more accurate monitoring of the long-term pollution trends on a geographical domain, through an optimal combination of all the available sources of data.

Pulse transit time as a measure of respiratory effort under noninvasive ventilation.

Among the respiratory events that may occur during nocturnal noninvasive ventilation (NIV), differentiating between central and obstructive events requires appropriate indicators of respiratory effort. The aim of the present study was to assess pulse transit time (PTT) as an indicator of respiratory effort under NIV in comparison with oesophageal pressure (P(oes)). During wakefulness, PTT was compared to P(oes) during spontaneous breathing and under NIV with or without induced leaks in 11 healthy individuals.

An integrated air quality forecast system for a metropolitan area.

Air quality forecasting is an important issue in environmental research, due to the effects that air pollutants have on population health. To deal with this topic, in this work an integrated modelling system has been developed to forecast daily maximum eight hours ozone concentrations and daily mean PM10 concentrations, up to two days in advance, over an urban area. The presented approach involves two steps.

Effectiveness of Adaptive Servo Ventilation in the treatment of hypocapnic central sleep apnea of various etiologies.

Background: Central sleep apnea (CSA) occurs in clinical situations that induce hypocapnia and respiratory instability during sleep. This is true, not only in heart failure patients, but also in patients suffering from neurological diseases and idiopathic CSA. Adaptive Servo Ventilation (ASV) is frequently prescribed in France for the treatment of CSA, but only a few studies have evaluated ASV treatment with regards to long term effectiveness and compliance.

Minimizing external indirect health costs due to aerosol population exposure: a case study from Northern Italy.

Environmental Agencies require Decision Support Systems, in order to plan Air Quality Policies considering the cost of emission reduction measures and the human health effects (with related social costs). The use of Decision Support Systems is also useful to spread information to general public, explaining the effectiveness of proposed air quality plans. In this paper, a multi-objective approach to control PM10 concentration at a regional level is presented.

A non-linear analysis to detect the origin of PM10 concentrations in Northern Italy.

This work presents the formalization and the application of the factor separation technique in order to investigate the impact of precursor emission and their nonlinear interaction (in particulate matter accumulation processes). By processing the simulations of a 3D multiphase modeling system, the factor separation methodology can support the Environmental Authority in quantifying the impact of precursor emissions on PM10 production and consequently in assessing the feasible efficiency of different emission control strategies over a considered domain. The case study proposed by this paper focuses on the Po Valley region (Northern Italy), characterized by critical PM10 levels claiming for sound emission reduction policies.