Publications by authors named "Maddalena R"

Background: Standardized efficacy surface tests for disinfectants are performed on pristine surfaces. There is a growing interest in understanding the impact of surface ageing on disinfectant activity, owing for example to the increased usage of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and oxidative chemistries for surface decontamination. This acknowledges that general surface 'wear and tear' following UV radiation and oxidative biocide exposure may impact biocidal product efficacy.

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According to Quality-Adjusted Life Expectancy, novel oral anticoagulant therapy is preferred when the stroke risk is higher than 0.9% per year. CHA2DS2-VASc is a tool to select those patients at high risk for stroke due to atherosclerosis and atrial cardiopathy, who could benefit from anticoagulation even in sinus rhythm.

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There is a growing concern for finding alternative solutions to construction materials in order to minimise their environmental impact as well as enhancing their service life. This study investigated the durability of cementitious mortars prepared by replacing fine aggregate (sand) with recycled tyre shreds and crumbs, aiming at providing an alternative outlet to tyre waste disposal. Tyre shreds obtained at different particle sizes, from fibres of 0.

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Article Synopsis
  • Household cleaning products can expose users to harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs), which may pose health risks, including an increased risk of breast cancer for women.
  • There’s no official standard for "green" cleaning products, making it hard for consumers to identify safer options and understand the chemicals they might encounter.
  • A study showed that conventional cleaning products like bleach and disinfectants led to higher air concentrations of hazardous VOCs compared to "green" products, although some "green" cleaners also emitted concerning fragrance chemicals.
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: To assess the effect of continuous cold flow (CCF) therapy on pain reduction, opioid consumption, fast recovery, less perioperative bleeding and patient satisfaction in patients undergoing a total knee arthroplasty. : Patients affected by knee osteoarthritis between September 2020 and February 2022 were enrolled in this case-control study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups ( = 50, each): the study group received postoperative CCF therapy while the control group was treated by cold pack (gel ice).

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Shape memory polymer (SMP) products have been developed for application as crack closure devices in concrete. They have been made from PET in the form of both fibres and hollow tubes. Here, manufacturing methods using die-drawing and mandrel-drawing to induce shape memory are reported.

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This case report describes a third successful attempt to ablate a focal atrial tachycardia originating from the left atrial appendage in a highly symptomatic 49-year-old woman using a combined endocardial-epicardial approach, which could be taken into consideration as a safe and effective alternative method for treating similar arrhythmias originating from complex sites.

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Background: Household cleaning products may be a significant source of chemical exposures, including carcinogens and suspected endocrine disruptors.

Objectives: We characterized exposures during routine household cleaning and tested an intervention to reduce exposures to cleaning product chemicals.

Methods: The Lifting Up Communities with Interventions and Research (LUCIR) Study is a youth-led, community-based intervention project.

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Self-healing concrete has the potential to optimise traditional design approaches; however, commercial uptake requires the ability to harmonize against standardized frameworks. Within EU SARCOS COST Action, different interlaboratory tests were executed on different self-healing techniques. This paper reports on the evaluation of the effectiveness of proposed experimental methodologies suited for self-healing concrete with expansive mineral additions.

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"Sub-ohm" atomizers with reduced resistance can deliver more power than conventional electronic cigarettes. Typical battery outputs are 100 W or more. These devices are particularly popular among young users, and can be a significant source of volatile carbonyls in the indoor environment.

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Vaporizable cannabis concentrates (VCCs) consumed as a liquid (vaping) or a waxy solid (dabbing) are becoming increasingly popular. However, their associated emissions and impacts have not been fully described. Mixtures containing different proportions of 12 VCC terpenoids and high MW compounds were heated at 100-500 °C inside a room-sized chamber to simulate emissions.

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Article Synopsis
  • Dry anaerobic digestion (AD) of municipal solid waste, followed by composting, helps produce biogas and improves soil quality while reducing landfill methane emissions.
  • However, emissions of other greenhouse gases and pollutants during this process can still pose climate and air quality risks.
  • Research shows that composting contributes significantly to methane and other emissions, suggesting that better aeration could help mitigate these issues.
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Ozonation is a common remediation approach to eliminate odors from mold, tobacco and fire damage in buildings. Little information exists to: 1) assess its effectiveness; 2) provide guidance on operation conditions; and 3) identify potential risks associated with the presence of indoor ozone and ozonation byproducts. The goal of this study is to evaluate chemical changes in thirdhand smoke (THS) aerosols induced by high levels of ozone, in comparison with THS aerosols aged under similar conditions in the absence of ozone.

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Microalgae produce specific chemicals indicative of stress and/or death. The aim of this study was to perform non-destructive monitoring of algal culture systems, in the presence and absence of grazers, to identify potential biomarkers of incipient pond crashes. Here, we report ten volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are robustly generated by the marine alga, , in the presence and/or absence of the marine grazer, .

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Introduction: Femoral shaft fractures with third fragments have a high non-union rate, which may reach 14%. This study aims to assess the impact of the radiological features of the third fragment, evaluated on post-operative X-rays, on the outcome of femoral shaft fractures type 32-B managed with intramedullary nailing, in order to obtain an algorithm which could predict the fracture healing time.

Materials And Methods: We have retrospectively evaluated a series of 52 patients.

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Although many U.S. children spend time in child care, little information exists on exposures to airborne particulate matter (PM) in this environment, even though PM may be associated with asthma and other respiratory illness, which is a key concern for young children.

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The use of modular stems is still debated and controversial. Some authors have highlighted a number of disadvantages of modular prostheses including high costs, the tendency to fracture, the fretting and corrosion and the increased production of debris. Other authors have emphasized several advantages to adapt the prosthesis to the morphometric differences of patients, to allow better accuracy in restoring the anatomy and biomechanics of hip joint.

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Little information exists about exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in early childhood education (ECE) environments. We measured 38 VOCs in single-day air samples collected in 2010-2011 from 34 ECE facilities serving California children and evaluated potential health risks. We also examined unknown peaks in the GC/MS chromatographs for indoor samples and identified 119 of these compounds using mass spectral libraries.

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Little information is available about air quality in early childhood education (ECE) facilities. We collected single-day air samples in 2010-2011 from 40 ECE facilities serving children ≤6 years old in California and applied new methods to evaluate cancer risk in young children. Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were detected in 100% of samples.

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Aquifer contamination with diesel fuel is a worldwide environmental problem, and related available remediation technologies may not be adequately efficient, especially for the simultaneous treatment of both solid and water phases. In this paper, a lab-scale 2.45 GHz microwave (MW) treatment of an artificially diesel-contaminated aquifer was applied to investigate the effects of operating power (160, 350 and 500 W) and time on temperature profiles and contaminant removal from both solid and water phases.

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Unlabelled: Ventilation rates (VRs) in buildings must adequately control indoor levels of pollutants; however, VRs are constrained by the energy costs. Experiments in a simulated office assessed the effects of VR per occupant on perceived air quality (PAQ), Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms, and decision-making performance. A parallel set of experiments assessed the effects of VR per unit floor area on the same outcomes.

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Approximately 13 million U.S. children less than 6 years old spend some time in early childhood education (ECE) facilities where they may be exposed to potentially harmful chemicals during critical periods of development.

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Article Synopsis
  • Infants and young children in the U.S. spend a significant amount of time (up to 50 hours per week) in early childhood education (ECE) facilities, but there is limited information on their exposure to harmful environmental chemicals.
  • Measurements taken from 40 California ECE facilities revealed the presence of various flame retardants, with 100% of dust samples containing compounds like Firemaster 550 and tris phosphates, indicating a widespread issue.
  • Notably, estimated doses of certain flame retardants exceeded safety levels for young children in several facilities, highlighting the need for further research to mitigate harmful exposure in these environments.
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While small- and medium-sized commercial buildings (SMCBs) make up 96% of the commercial buildings in the U.S., serving a large variety of uses, little information is available on indoor air quality (IAQ) in SMCBs.

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The effect of temperature and humidity on formaldehyde emissions from samples collected from temporary housing units (THUs) was studied. The THUs were supplied by the U.S.

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