Development of an ion exchange process for ammonium removal and recovery from municipal wastewater using a metakaolin K-based geopolymer.

Ion exchange represents a promising process for ammonium removal from municipal wastewater (MWW), in order to recover it for fertilizer production. Previous studies on ammonium ion exchange neglected the assessment of process robustness and the optimization the desorption/recovery step. This study aimed at developing a continuous-flow process of ammonium removal/recovery based on a metakaolin K-based geopolymer, named G13.

Influence of Front-End Electronics on Metrological Performance of QCM Systems.

Quartz Crystal Microbalances (QCMs) are versatile sensors employed in various fields, from environmental monitoring to biomedical applications, owing mainly to their very high sensitivity. However, the assessment of their metrological performance, including the impact of conditioning circuits, digital processing algorithms, and working conditions, is a complex and novel area of study. The purpose of this work is to investigate and understand the measurement errors associated with different QCM measurement techniques, specifically focusing on the influence of conditioning electronic circuits.

Ultra-High-Temperature Ceramic-Doped Inorganic Polymers for Thermo-Structural Fiber-Reinforced Composites.

New inorganic nanostructured matrices for fiber-reinforced composites with enhanced high-temperature stability were developed from alkali aluminosilicate polymers doped with different ultra-high-temperature ceramic (UHTC) particles. The alkali aluminosilicate matrices were synthesized at room temperature with a high SiO:AlO ratio and then further functionalized by doping with 4-5 wt % of micrometric SiC, ZrB, ZrC, and HfC powders and finally thermally stabilized as glass-ceramics at 750 °C. The different UHTC-doped matrices were characterized according to their dimensional and microstructural changes after thermal cycling in air flux at 1000 °C.

A Low Complexity Rolling Bearing Diagnosis Technique Based on Machine Learning and Smart Preprocessing.

In this work, we present a diagnosis system for rolling bearings that leverages simultaneous measurements of vibrations and machine rotation speed. Our approach combines the robustness of simple time domain methods for fault detection with the potential of machine learning techniques for fault location. This research is based on a neural network classifier, which exploits a simple and novel preprocessing algorithm specifically designed for minimizing the dependency of the classifier performance on the machine working conditions, on the bearing model and on the acquisition system set-up.

A Distributed IoT Air Quality Measurement System for High-Risk Workplace Safety Enhancement.

The safety of an operator working in a hazardous environment is a recurring topic in the technical literature of recent years, especially for high-risk environments such as oil and gas plants, refineries, gas depots, or chemical industries. One of the highest risk factors is constituted by the presence of gaseous substances such as toxic compounds such as carbon monoxide and nitric oxides, particulate matter or indoors, in closed spaces, low oxygen concentration atmospheres, and high concentrations of CO that can represent a risk for human health. In this context, there exist many monitoring systems for lots of specific applications where gas detection is required.

An in vivo functional assay to characterize human STAT5B genetic variants during zebrafish development.

Growth hormone (GH) binding to GH receptor activates janus kinase 2 (JAK2)-signal transducer and activator of transcription 5b (STAT5b) pathway, which stimulates transcription of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) and insulin-like growth factor acid-labile subunit (IGFALS). Although STAT5B deficiency was established as an autosomal recessive disorder, heterozygous dominant-negative STAT5B variants have been reported in patients with less severe growth deficit and milder immune dysfunction. We developed an in vivo functional assay in zebrafish to characterize the pathogenicity of three human STAT5B variants (p.

Highly Reliable Multicomponent MEMS Sensor for Predictive Maintenance Management of Rolling Bearings.

In the field of vibration monitoring and control, the use of low-cost multicomponent MEMS-based accelerometer sensors is nowadays increasingly widespread. Such sensors allow implementing lightweight monitoring systems with low management costs, low power consumption and a small size. However, for the monitoring systems to provide trustworthy and meaningful data, the high accuracy and reliability of sensors are essential requirements.

Response assessment of locally advanced rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: Is apparent diffusion coefficient useful on 3 T magnetic resonance imaging?

Aim: To assess the diagnostic value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) on 3 T device for the prediction of tumoral response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and for the response assessment after nCRT in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), using pathology as a reference.

Methods: Forty-one patients affected by LARC undergoing 3.0 T MRI before and after nCRT were retrospectively selected.

Performance Evaluation of an IoT Sensor Node for Health Monitoring of Artwork and Ancient Wooden Structures.

In this paper, an IoT sensor node, based on smart Bluetooth low energy (BLE), for the health monitoring of artworks and large wooden structures is presented. The measurements from sensors on board the node are collected in real-time and sent to a remote gateway. The sensor node allows for the monitoring of environmental parameters, in particular, temperature and humidity, with accurate and robust integrated sensors.

Ammonium removal and recovery from municipal wastewater by ion exchange using a metakaolin K-based geopolymer.

Among the available technologies for ammonium removal from wastewater, ion exchange represents one of the most promising ones in the perspective to recover ammonium and produce a fertilizing product. However, the vast majority of previous studies on ammonium ion exchange did not evaluate the process robustness under real operational conditions nor optimized the desorption step. In this paper, tests of ammonium removal and recovery were conducted on a metakaolin K-based geopolymer, compared with a high-performing Italian natural zeolite in K-form.

Treating iPSC-Derived β Cells with an Anti-CD30 Antibody-Drug Conjugate Eliminates the Risk of Teratoma Development upon Transplantation.

Insulin-producing cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are promising candidates for β cell replacement in type 1 diabetes. However, the risk of teratoma formation due to residual undifferentiated iPSCs contaminating the differentiated cells is still a critical concern for clinical application. Here, we hypothesized that pretreatment of iPSC-derived insulin-producing cells with an anti-CD30 antibody−drug conjugate could prevent in vivo teratoma formation by selectively killing residual undifferentiated cells.

Strategies for the Accurate Measurement of the Resonance Frequency in QCM-D Systems via Low-Cost Digital Techniques.

In this paper, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array)-based digital architecture for the measurement of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) oscillating frequency of transient responses, i.e., in QCM-D (QCM and Dissipation) applications, is presented.

46, XY Disorders of Sexual Development: a case report and theoretical framework.

Background And Aim: Disorders of sexual differentiation (DSD) with karyotype 46,XY include gonadal developmental differences such as complete gonadal dysgenesis, partial gonadal dysgenesis, testicular regression and ovotesticular sexual differentiation disorder, differences in androgen synthesis or action, such as androgen synthesis deficiency, androgen action deficits, LH receptor deficiency, AMH synthesis or action deficits, and other conditions such as severe hypospadias, cloaca estrophy, etc. Methods: A 17 years-old girl came to our attention for hirsutism, clitoral hypertrophy, primary amenorrhea, and bilateral mammary hypoplasia. According to clinical features and anamnesis, the diagnosis of 46, XY DSD was made.

KO-Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Foams: Production, Porosity Characterization and Permeability Test.

In this paper, four near-net shaped foams were produced via direct foaming, starting from a benchmark metakaolin-based geopolymer formulation. Hydrogen peroxide and metallic silicon were used in different amounts as blowing agents to change the porosity from meso- to ultra-macro-porosity. Foams were characterized by bulk densities ranging from 0.

Ion Current Sensor for Gas Turbine Condition Dynamical Monitoring: Modeling and Characterization.

This paper aims to thoroughly investigate the potential of ion current measurements in the context of combustion process monitoring in gas turbines. The study is targeted at characterizing the dynamic behavior of a typical ion-current measurement system based on a spark-plug. Starting from the preliminary study published in a previous work, the authors propose a refined model of the electrode (spark plug), based on the Langmuir probe theory, that incorporates the physical surface effects and proposes an optimized design of the conditioning electronics, which exploits a low frequency AC square wave biasing of the electrodes and allows for compensating some relevant parasitic effects.

An Adaptive Measurement System for the Simultaneous Evaluation of Frequency Shift and Series Resistance of QCM in Liquid.

In this paper, a novel measurement system based on Quartz Crystal Microbalances is presented. The proposed solution was conceived specifically to overcome the measurement problems related to Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) applications in dielectric liquids where the Q-factor of the resonant system is severely reduced with respect to in-gas applications. The QCM is placed in a Meacham oscillator embedding an amplifier with adjustable gain, an automatic strategy for gain tuning allows for maintaining the oscillator frequency close to the series resonance frequency of the quartz, which is related in a simple way with the physical parameters of interest.

Expression of acid-labile subunit (ALS) in developing and adult zebrafish and its role in dorso-ventral patterning during development.

Mammalian acid-labile subunit (ALS) is a serum protein that binds binary complexes between Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) extending their half-life and keeping them in the vasculature. Human ALS deficiency (ACLSD), due to homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in IGFALS, leads to moderate short stature with reduced levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3. There is only one corresponding zebrafish ortholog gene and it has not yet been studied.

Ice-templated geopolymer beads for dye removal.

Geopolymer beads, conceived as alternative low cost adsorbents for wastewater treatment, were shaped by a dripping technique in liquid nitrogen, through an ice-templating process. PEG600 was added as a binder to ease the process, standardizing the beads dimension. The beads were investigated in terms of morphology, microstructure and mechanical strength, following compressive tests by ISO 18591.

A novel heterozygous STAT5B variant in a patient with short stature and partial growth hormone insensitivity (GHI).

Background: The most frequent monogenic causes of growth hormone insensitivity (GHI) include defects in genes encoding the GH receptor itself (GHR), the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT5B), the insulin like-growth factor type I (IGF1) and the acid-labile subunit (IGFALS). GHI is characterized by a continuum of mild to severe post-natal growth failure.

Objective: To characterize the molecular defect in a patient with short stature and partial GHI.

A homozygous mutation in the highly conserved Tyr60 of the mature IGF1 peptide broadens the spectrum of IGF1 deficiency.

Background: IGF1 is a key factor in fetal and postnatal growth. To date, only three homozygous IGF1 gene defects leading to complete or partial loss of IGF1 activity have been reported in three short patients born small for gestational age. We describe the fourth patient with severe short stature presenting a novel homozygous IGF1 gene mutation.

Nano-topography: Quicksand for cell cycle progression?

The 3-D spatial and mechanical features of nano-topography can create alternative environments, which influence cellular response. In this paper, murine fibroblast cells were grown on surfaces characterized by protruding nanotubes. Cells cultured on such nano-structured surface exhibit stronger cellular adhesion compared to control groups, but despite the fact that stronger adhesion is generally believed to promote cell cycle progression, the time cells spend in G1 phase is doubled.

Slow ventricular tachycardia in a 91-year-old man with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and acute respiratory failure.

Slow ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with devices such as an implantable cardioverter - defibrillator (ICD) is more common than in the rest of the population. The incidence in elderly patients with an ICD remains largely unknown. In younger patients, slow VT is generally asymptomatic or associated with limited clinical relevance.