A novel intelligent control of discrete-time nonlinear systems in the presence of output saturation.

In this paper, a model free control method for a class of discrete time nonlinear systems is introduced. A type-3 fuzzy system estimates the unknown parameters required by the control system. The control system only uses the input and output data of the plant and therefore does not need to know its mathematical equations.

Stereotactic Radiation Therapy in 3 Fractions for T1 Glottic Cancer.

Purpose/objective(s): To report the results of a phases 1 and 2 study on stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early glottic cancer.

Methods And Materials: This a prospective study at a single institution enrolling patients with T1 glottic cancer. The true vocal cords (TVCs) were divided into thirds and the third(s) containing disease prescribed 36 Gy in 3 fractions.

Glioma-related epilepsy following low-grade glioma surgery.

Background: Epileptic seizures commonly burden low-grade glioma (LGG) patients and negatively impact quality of life, neurocognition, and general patient health. Anti-seizure medications (ASMs) are used to manage seizures but can result in undesired side effects. Our aim was to report our experience in epilepsy in one of the largest case series of LGG patients (reclassified in accordance with the WHO 2021 classification).

Accounting for circular economy principles in Life Cycle Assessments of extra-virgin olive oil supply chains - Findings from a systematic literature review.

This study was conceived with the aim of exploring applications of the circular economy (CE) principles in the olive oil sector, with the lens of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). To that end, the authors performed a systematic literature review (SLR), from a pre-determined set of keywords that were searched for in the two most comprehensive databases of peer-reviewed journals, namely Scopus and Web-of-Science. From the screening process provided by the PRISMA model, a total of fifteen papers were selected that formed the final review sample, most of which included research on production systems in the Mediterranean region.

Sensing Swelling: Towards Remote Monitoring of Craniectomy Patients.

Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a surgical procedure where a portion of the skull is removed to relieve potentially fatal brain swelling. As the swelling can take months to subside, the patient is discharged from an acute care facility to recover prior to cranioplasty (reconstruction surgery). Cranioplasty is associated with complications due to infection, seizure, haematoma and death.

Perioperative Means to Prevent Surgical Site Infections following Elective Craniotomies: A Single-Center Experience.

 Postoperative surgical site infections are a recognized complication following craniotomies with an associated increase in morbidity and mortality. Several studies have attempted to identify bundles of care to reduce the incidence of infections. Our study aims to clarify which perioperative measures play a role in reducing surgical infection rates further.

Assessment of a UWB Real Time Location System for Dairy Cows' Monitoring.

In the field of precision livestock farming, many systems have been developed to identify the position of each cow of the herd individually in a specific environment. Challenges still exist in assessing the adequacy of the available systems to monitor individual animals in specific environments, and in the design of new systems. The main purpose of this research was to evaluate the performance of the SEWIO ultrawide-band (UWB) real time location system for the identification and localisation of cows during their activity in the barn through preliminary analyses in laboratory conditions.

Do the indices of deprivation or smoking affect post-operative 1-year mortality in patients undergoing a craniotomy for a brain tumour in a public healthcare system?

Objective: We sought to determine the 1-year survival following craniotomy for tumour resection in a public healthcare system and analyse the effect of indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) as well as smoking, alcohol, BMI, ASA grade and medical co-morbidities on post-operative morbidity and mortality.

Methods: This is a retrospective, single-centre study in a high volume neurosurgical centre, over a 2-year period. All patients undergoing a craniotomy for a brain tumour were included.

The Prognostic Value of DCE-MRI Findings before Salvage Radiotherapy after Radical Prostatectomy.

Background: To investigate the predictive role of dynamic contrast-enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) findings before salvage radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Methods: This retrospective study selected patients with biochemical failure (BF) after RP restaged with DCE-MRI. Patients underwent sRT in 30 fractions delivering 66-69 Gy and 73.

Analysis of the Horizontal Distribution of Sampling Points for Gas Concentrations Monitoring in an Open-Sided Dairy Barn.

In the livestock sector, the monitoring of gas concentrations plays a relevant role in the implementation of mitigation strategies, as well as the improvement in the indoor air quality for both workers and animals in barns. In the present study, measurements of gas concentrations (NH3, CH4, and CO2) at different locations were carried out in an open dairy barn using a commercial photo-acoustic spectroscopy system. Measurement variability for different datasets was computed to contribute to the evaluation of the sampling strategy in the measurement campaign.

Awake brain surgery for autistic patients: Is it possible?

Background: Awake neurosurgery is currently the mainstay for eloquent brain lesions. Opting for an awake operation is affected by a number of patient-related factors. We present a case of a patient with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) that was successfully operated for a brain tumor through awake craniotomy.

Measuring Competitiveness at NUTS3 Level and Territorial Partitioning of the Italian Provinces.

In this paper we propose a dashboard of indicators of territorial attractiveness at NUTS3 level in the framework of the EU Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI). Then, the Fuzzy C-Medoids Clustering model with multivariate data and constraints is applied for partitioning the Italian provinces (NUTS3). The novelty is the territorial level analized, and the identification of the elementary indicators at the basis of the construction of the eleven composite competitiveness pillars.

Rapid early progression (REP) of glioblastoma is an independent negative prognostic factor: Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: In patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma, rapid early progression (REP) refers to tumor regrowth between surgery and postoperative chemoradiotherapy. This systematic review and meta-analysis appraised previously published data on REP to better characterize and understand it.

Methods: Systematic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane database from inception to October 21, 2021.

Community mobility in the European regions during COVID-19 pandemic: A partitioning around medoids with noise cluster based on space-time autoregressive models.

In this paper we propose a robust fuzzy clustering model, the STAR-based Fuzzy C-Medoids Clustering model with Noise Cluster, to define territorial partitions of the European regions (NUTS2) according to the workplaces mobility trends for places of work provided by Google with reference to the whole COVID-19 pandemic period. The clustering model takes into account both temporal and spatial information by means of the autoregressive temporal and spatial coefficients of the STAR model. The proposed clustering model through the noise cluster is capable of neutralizing the negative effects of noisy data.

Hearing Loss After Cisplatin-based Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: A Prospective Single-institution Study.

Background/aim: A single-institution prospective study was conducted to evaluate hearing loss rate after intensity modulated radiotherapy with concomitant cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced head and neck cancer and identify cochlear dosimetric parameters associated with hearing loss risk.

Patients And Methods: Hearing assessment, patients' characteristics, tumor-related variables, and cochlear quantitative dosimetric factors for adults with locally advanced head and neck cancer treated with CRT were prospectively collected. Each patient repeated audiometry at baseline (pre-CRT), 1 month after CRT, and then every 3 to 6 months.

Predictors of Outcome after (Chemo)Radiotherapy for Node-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer: The Role of Functional MRI.

The prognosis of a subset of patients with locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer (LA-OPC) is still poor despite improvements in patient selection and treatment. Identifying specific patient- and tumor-related factors can help to select those patients who need intensified treatment. We aimed to assess the role of historical risk factors and novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers in predicting outcomes in these patients.

Safety and feasibility of posterior fossa neurosurgery in the supine position - A UK series from a large centre.

Background: Posterior fossa surgery in the supine position remains a relatively underutilised approach, compared to the routinely performed prone, park-bench or sitting positions. This surgical approach may confer additional advantages over other modalities commonly restricted by patient co-morbidity and anaesthetic concerns. The purpose of this article is to highlight this approach as a potential viable, safe and alternative approach.

A prospective study assessing the pattern of response of local disease at DCE-MRI after salvage radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Background: To assess the pattern of response of presumed local lesions at dynamic contrast enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) after salvage radiotherapy (sRT).

Methods: This is a prospective study conducted at a single Institution accruing patients with one or more local failures at DCE-MRI after radical prostatectomy between August 2017 and June 2020. Patients underwent exclusive sRT delivering 66-69 Gy and 73.

Does the Use of Surgical Adjuncts Affect Postoperative Infection Rates in Neuro-oncology Surgery?

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a significant cause of postoperative morbidity and mortality. As oncologic care advances, the use of surgical adjuncts such as intraoperative ultrasound (US), 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), and neurophysiologic monitoring has increased. This study set out to identify whether the use of surgical adjuncts in supratentorial tumor surgery lead to increased operative time or increased rates of SSI.

A D-vine copula-based quantile regression model with spatial dependence for COVID-19 infection rate in Italy.

The main determinants of COVID-19 spread in Italy are investigated, in this work, by means of a D-vine copula based quantile regression. The outcome is the COVID-19 cumulative infection rate registered on October 30th 2020, with reference to the 107 Italian provinces, and it is regressed on some covariates of interest accounting for medical, environmental and demographic factors. To deal with the issue of spatial autocorrelation, the D-vine copula based quantile regression also embeds a spatial autoregressive component that controls for the extent of spatial dependence.

The Role of Patient- and Treatment-Related Factors and Early Functional Imaging in Late Radiation-Induced Xerostomia in Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients.

The advent of quantitative imaging in personalized radiotherapy (RT) has offered the opportunity for a better understanding of individual variations in intrinsic radiosensitivity. We aimed to assess the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers, patient-related factors, and treatment-related factors in predicting xerostomia 12 months after RT (XER) in patients affected by oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Patients with locally advanced OSCC underwent diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic-contrast enhanced MRI at baseline; DWI was repeated at the 10th fraction of RT.

Indication to post-operative radiotherapy for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: what's new in the depth of infiltration (DOI) era?

Objective: The last edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC eighth) has introduced the depth of infiltration (DOI) as a new prognostic parameter in oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas (OCSCCs). The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of stage migration on the indication to post-operative radiotherapy (PORT).

Methods: OCSCCs treated at two institutions between 2014 and 2019 were retrieved.