Design of an innovative sanitation system for bike-sharing service.

The concept of a novel sanitization device specifically designed for helmets used in bike share services is presented in this scientific work. The system uses ozone, a powerful oxidizing agent, to completely remove dust and bacteria from the helmet surface. Throughout the development process, special attention has been paid to the dual initial goals of efficacy in removing dirt and batteries, as well as ease of use related to the device's safety.

Stress-Based Lattice Structure Design for a Motorbike Application.

Background: The "drive by wire" mechanism for managing the throttle is not applied to every modern motorcycle, but it is often managed through a steel wire. Here, there is a cam on the throttle control. Its shape allows the throttle opening to be faster or slower and its angle of rotation, required for full opening, to be greater or less.

Modelling the benefits of an optimised treatment strategy for 5-ASA in mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis.

Objectives: 5-aminosalicylate (mesalazine; 5-ASA) is an established first-line treatment for mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). This study aimed to model the benefits of optimising 5-ASA therapy.

Methods: A decision tree model followed 10 000 newly diagnosed patients with mild-to-moderately active UC through induction and 1 year of maintenance treatment.

Molds with Advanced Materials for Carbon Fiber Manufacturing with 3D Printing Technology.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing is the most widespread technology in additive manufacturing worldwide that thanks to its low costs, finished component applications, and the production process of other parts. The need for lighter and higher-performance components has led to an increased usage of polymeric matrix composites in many fields ranging from automotive to aerospace. The molds used to manufacture these components are made with different technologies, depending on the number of pieces to be made.

Glatiramer acetate as a clinically and cost-effective treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis over 10 years of use within the National Health Service: Final results from the UK Risk Sharing Scheme.

Background: The UK Risk Sharing Scheme (RSS) provided information on the effect of first-line multiple sclerosis (MS) disease-modifying treatments on long-term disability.

Objective: The aim is to provide results specific to glatiramer acetate (GA; Copaxone®) from the final 10-year analysis of the RSS.

Methods: A Markov model was used to assess clinical effectiveness measured as Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression and utility loss.

Simultaneous Measurement of the Dissolution Kinetics of Responsive DNA Hydrogels at Multiple Length Scales.

Recent years have seen increasing study of stimulus-responsive hydrogels constructed from aptamer-connected DNA building blocks. Presumably due to a lack of simple, quantitative tools with which to measure gel responsiveness, however, the literature describing these materials is largely qualitative. In response, we demonstrate here simple, time-resolved, multiscale methods for measuring the response kinetics of these materials.

Utilility of flow cytometry as ancillary study to improve the cytologic diagnosis of thyroid lymphomas.

Background: To evaluate the efficacy of the use of flow cytometry (FC) immunophenotyping together with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma.

Methods: FC was performed in parallel with FNAC in 35 samples of suspected thyroid lymphoma over a 12 years period. Results were correlated with histological or molecular findings and follow-up, when available.

Diagnostic performance of elastography in cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules.

Cytological examination of material from fine-needle aspiration biopsy is the mainstay of diagnosis of thyroid nodules, thanks to its remarkable accuracy and scarcity of complications. However, follicular lesions (also called indeterminate lesions or Thy3 in the current classification), a heterogeneous group of lesions in which cytology is unable to give a definitive diagnosis to, represent its main limit. Elastography has been proposed as a potential diagnostic tool to define the risk of malignancy in the aforementioned nodules, but at present there is no conclusive data due to the small number of specifically addressed studies and the lack of concordance among them.

Early surgery and survival of patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: analysis of a case series referred to a single institution between 1999 and 2012.

Background: Extensive resection of the tumor has been associated with better survival of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) patients. However, surgery is not the rule for ATC patients with distant metastases at the time of diagnosis (stage IV-C), regardless of tumor resectability. The aim of this work was to explore the potential role of surgery in ATC patients, including those in stage IV-C.

Psychopathic personality traits and their influence on parenting quality: results from a nationally representative sample of Americans.

Psychopathic personality traits have consistently been found to predict a range of negative and dysfunctional outcomes. As a result, it is somewhat surprising that the research to date has failed to empirically examine the potential association between psychopathic personality traits and parenting quality. The current study addressed this omission in the literature by analyzing a community sample of adults.

Segmental tracheal resection for invasive differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Our experience in eight cases.

Purpose: In differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), complete resection of local disease provides the longest survival and the best palliation. In pursuit of this goal, segmental tracheal or laryngotracheal resection can be performed on patients with DTC invading the airway. The study summarizes the technical aspects of the intervention and analyzes its results in eight patients.

Surgical treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Our experience.

Background: In anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) surgical resection associated to radiotherapy and chemotherapy can ameliorate local disease control with occasional long-term survivals.

Patients And Methods: Resection of the tumor was accomplished in 20 ATC patients, with no macroscopic (13 cases) or minimal residual neck disease infiltrating vital structures (7 cases). Ten of these patients (50%) had distant metastases.

Is central neck dissection a safe procedure in the treatment of papillary thyroid cancer? Our experience.

Background And Aims: The role of central neck dissection in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma is debated. This retrospective investigation was undertaken to assess whether it augments total thyroidectomy morbidity.

Patients/methods: A total of 305 consecutive patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma were divided into three groups: group A (n = 64) showed evidence of node metastases and received therapeutic bilateral central node dissection; group B (n = 93) showed negative nodes and received prophylactic ipsilateral central node dissection; group C (n = 148) showed negative nodes and received total thyroidectomy alone.

Thyroidectomy for Graves' hyperthyroidism. Retrospective study of patients' appreciation.

Aim Of The Study: To retrospectively investigate the patients' views of surgical treatment of Graves' hyperthyroidism.

Methods: One hundred two patients were included in the study and submitted to extensive subtotal thyroidectomy or total thyroidectomy between 1993-2003. Data were acquired from the responses to a questionnaire, that was completed by 83 patients.

[Surgical treatment of Graves' disease: results in 108 patients].

Aim Of The Study: To evaluate morbidity and functional results of surgical treatment in patients with Graves' disease.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed in 108 patients operated on during 1993-2003. Main indications for surgery were failure of treatment with antithyroid drugs (80.

[Post-thyroidectomy cervical hematoma].

Aim: Postoperative hematoma is a complications of thyroid surgery uncommon but potentially life threatening. It has implications for the trend toward outpatient procedures.

Methods: Retrospective review of 1.

Automated culture system experiments hardware: developing test results and design solutions.

The experiment proposed by Prof. Ricci University of Milan is funded by ASI with Laben as industrial Prime Contractor. ACS-EH (Automated Culture System-Experiment Hardware) will support the multigenerational experiment on weightlessness with rotifers and nematodes within four Experiment Containers (ECs) located inside the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) facility.

[Stress, job satisfaction, and quality of life in the health professions: the role of burn-out and personality features].

Emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal achievement represent the main dimensions of the "burn-out syndrome" (B.O.).

Rational design of cavitand receptors for mass sensors.

This Communication describes a rational approach to the fabrication of selective mass sensors, using multiple hydrogen-bonding type interactions encoded in a single cavitand receptor. The introduction of two inward facing hydrogen bond acceptor PO groups at the upper rim of a cavitand renders the corresponding receptor layer deposited on a mass transducer highly selective toward alcohol vapors. The molecular origin of the increased selectivity has been identified in the presence of two energetically and geometrically equivalent interaction modes available to the guest, giving to the corresponding complexes an entropic advantage over their mono PO analogues.

The effects of transdermal estradiol on the response to mental stress in postmenopausal women: a randomized trial.

Purpose: Estrogens inhibit adrenomedullary catecholamine release and catecholamine-mediated responses to stress. We examined whether estrogen supplementation reduces the sympathoadrenal response to mental stress in postmenopausal women.

Materials And Methods: We compared the effects of 3-week treatment with transdermal 17-beta-estradiol and placebo in 10 postmenopausal women using a randomized, blinded, crossover design.

Evaluation of the circadian profiles of serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), cortisol, and cortisol/DHEA molar ratio after a single oral administration of DHEA in elderly subjects.

Aging is associated with a selective decline in circulating levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate, with no major changes in cortisol secretion. In young subjects, serum levels of both DHEA and cortisol are regulated according to a circadian rhythm, and an age-related attenuation of DHEA, but not cortisol, circadian rhythmicity has been reported. Several trials have evaluated the effects of DHEA supplementation in elderly subjects, although the results are still controversial.