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1. Charge identification of fragments produced in 16O beam interactions at 200 MeV/n and 400 MeV/n on C and C2H4 targets

Author

G. Galati, V. Boccia, A. Alexandrov, B. Alpat, G. Ambrosi, S. Argirò, M. Barbanera, N. Bartosik, G. Battistoni, M. G. Bisogni, G. Bruni, F. Cavanna, P. Cerello, E. Ciarrocchi, S. Colombi, A. De Gregorio, G. De Lellis, A. Di Crescenzo, B. Di Ruzza, M. Donetti, Y. Dong, M. Durante, R. Faccini, V. Ferrero, C. Finck, E. Fiorina, M. Francesconi, M. Franchini, G. Franciosini, L. Galli, M. Ionica, A. Iuliano, K. Kanxheri, A. C. Kraan, C. La Tessa, A. Lauria, E. Lopez Torres, M. Magi, A. Manna, M. Marafini, M. Massa, C. Massimi, I. Mattei, A. Mengarelli, A. Mereghetti, T. Minniti, A. Moggi, M. C. Morone, M. Morrocchi, S. Muraro, N. Pastrone, V. Patera, F. Pennazio, F. Peverini, P. Placidi, M. Pullia, L. Ramello, C. Reidel, R. Ridolfi, L. Salvi, C. Sanelli, A. Sarti, O. Sato, S. Savazzi, L. Scavarda, A. Schiavi, C. Schuy, E. Scifoni, A. Sciubba, L. Servoli, G. Silvestre, M. Sitta, R. Spighi, E. Spiriti, V. Tioukov, S. Tomassini, F. Tommasino, M. Toppi, G. Traini, A. Trigilio, G. Ubaldi, A. Valetti, M. Vanstalle, M. Villa, U. Weber, R. Zarrella, A. Zoccoli, and M. C. Montesi

Subjects
particle therapy, fragmentation, cross sections, nuclear emulsion detector, protons RBE, charge measurement, Physics, QC1-999
Abstract

Introduction: Charged Particle Therapy plays a key role in the treatment of deep-seated tumours, because of the advantageous energy deposition culminating in the Bragg peak. However, knowledge of the dose delivered in the entrance channel is limited by the lack of data on the beam and fragmentation of the target.Methods: The FOOT experiment has been designed to measure the cross sections of the nuclear fragmentation of projectile and target with two different detectors: an electronic setup for the identification of Z ≥ 3 fragments and a nuclear emulsion spectrometer for Z ≤ 3 fragments. In this paper, we analyze the data taken by exposing four nuclear emulsion spectrometers, with C and C2H4 targets, to 200 MeV/n and 400 MeV/n oxygen beams at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (Darmstadt, Germany), and we report the charge identification of produced fragments based on the controlled fading induced on nuclear emulsion films.Results: The goal of identifying fragments as heavy as lithium has been achieved.Discussion: The results will contribute to a better understanding of the nuclear fragmentation process in charged particle therapy and have implications for refining treatment planning in the presence of deep-seated tumors.

Published
2024
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2. Elemental fragmentation cross sections for a 16O beam of 400 MeV/u kinetic energy interacting with a graphite target using the FOOT ΔE-TOF detectors

Author

M. Toppi, A. Sarti, A. Alexandrov, B. Alpat, G. Ambrosi, S. Argirò, R. A Diaz, M. Barbanera, N. Bartosik, G. Battistoni, N. Belcari, S. Biondi, M. G. Bisogni, M. Bon, G. Bruni, P. Carra, F. Cavanna, P. Cerello, E. Ciarrocchi, A. Clozza, S. Colombi, G. De Lellis, A. De Gregorio, A. Del Guerra, M. De Simoni, A. Di Crescenzo, B. Di Ruzza, M. Donetti, Y. Dong, M. Durante, V. Ferrero, E. Fiandrini, C. Finck, E. Fiorina, M. Fischetti, M. Francesconi, M. Franchini, G. Franciosini, G. Galati, L. Galli, G. Giraudo, R. Hetzel, E. Iarocci, M. Ionica, A. Iuliano, K. Kanxheri, A.C. Kraan, C. La Tessa, M. Laurenza, A. Lauria, E. L Torres, M. Marafini, M. Massa, C. Massimi, I. Mattei, A. Meneghetti, A. Mengarelli, R. Mirabelli, A. Moggi, M.C. Montesi, M.C. Morone, M. Morrocchi, S. Muraro, F. Murtas, A. Muscato, A. Pastore, N. Pastrone, V. Patera, F. Pennazio, F. Peverini, P. Placidi, M. Pullia, L. Ramello, C. Reidel, R. Ridolfi, V. Rosso, C. Sanelli, G. Sartorelli, O. Sato, S. Savazzi, L. Scavarda, A. Schiavi, C. Schuy, E. Scifoni, A. Sciubba, A. Sécher, M. Selvi, L. Servoli, G. Silvestre, M. Sitta, R. Spighi, E. Spiriti, G. Sportelli, A. Stahl, S. Tomassini, F. Tommasino, V. Tioukov, G. Traini, A. Trigilio, S.M. Valle, M. Vanstalle, U. Weber, R. Zarrella, A. Zoccoli, and M. Villa

Subjects
fragmentation, cross section, timing detectors, particle therapy, space radioprotection, Physics, QC1-999
Abstract

The study of nuclear fragmentation plays a central role in many important applications: from the study of Particle Therapy (PT) up to radiation protection for space (RPS) missions and the design of shielding for nuclear reactors. The FragmentatiOn Of Target (FOOT) collaboration aims to study the nuclear reactions that describe the interactions with matter of different light ions (like H1, He4, C12, O16) of interest for such applications, performing double differential fragmentation cross section measurements in the energy range of interest for PT and RPS. In this manuscript, we present the analysis of the data collected in the interactions of an oxygen ion beam of 400 MeV/u with a graphite target using a partial FOOT setup, at the GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research facility in Darmstadt. During the data taking the magnets, the silicon trackers and the calorimeter foreseen in the final FOOT setup were not yet available, and hence precise measurements of the fragments kinetic energy, momentum and mass were not possible. However, using the FOOT scintillator detectors for the time of flight (TOF) and energy loss (ΔE) measurements together with a drift chamber, used as beam monitor, it was possible to measure the elemental fragmentation cross sections. The reduced detector set-up and the limited available statistics allowed anyway to obtain relevant results, providing statistically significant measurements of cross sections eagerly needed for PT and RPS applications. Whenever possible the obtained results have been compared with existing measurements helping in discriminating between conflicting results in the literature and demonstrating at the same time the proper functioning of the FOOT ΔE-TOF system. Finally, the obtained fragmentation cross sections are compared to the Monte Carlo predictions obtained with the FLUKA software.

Published
2022
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3. The fragmentation trigger of the FOOT experiment

Author

L. Galli, N. Bartosik, M.G. Bisogni, M. Bon, P. Cerello, E. Ciarrocchi, S. Colombi, A. De Gregorio, A.C. Kraan, M. Francesconi, G. Franciosini, M. Marafini, L. Marini, M. Morrocchi, V. Patera, R. Ridolfi, A. Sarti, M. Toppi, G. Traini, M. Villa, and R. Zarrella

Subjects
Nuclear and High Energy Physics, hadron therapy, nuclear physics, trigger, Instrumentation
Published
2023

4. The Microstrip Silicon Detector (MSD) data acquisition system architecture for the FOOT experiment

Author

K. Kanxheri, M. Barbanera, G. Ambrosi, G. Silvestre, S. Biondi, R. Ridolfi, M. Villa, D. Aisa, M. Caprai, M. Ionica, P. Placidi, L. Servoli, Kanxheri, K., Barbanera, M., Ambrosi, G., Silvestre, G., Biondi, S., Ridolfi, R., Villa, M., Aisa, D., Caprai, M., Ionica, M., Placidi, P., and Servoli, L.

Subjects
Data acquisition circuit, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, Front-end electronics for detector readout, Particle tracking detectors, Data acquisition circuits, Si microstrip and pad detectors, Instrumentation, Mathematical Physics, Si microstrip and pad detector
Abstract

The FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) multi-detector experiment aims at improving the accuracy of oncological hadrontherapy for tumor treatment. It studies the nuclear fragmentation due to the interactions of charged particle beams with patient tissues employing the inverse kinematic approach to boost the fragments in the laboratory reference system. Hence it is necessary a tracking system in a magnetic field to measure the momentum of the charged fragments. The Microstrip Silicon Detector (MSD) is part of the charged-ions-tracking magnetic spectrometer for the evaluation of the Linear Energy Transfer LET (dE/dx) and the nuclear fragments momentum. Here we describe the MSD architecture and its data acquisition system whose task is to collect and digitize the detectors output, generating a data packet to be sent to the experiment’s central acquisition. This data acquisition system is designed and tested to withstand the trigger rate and detector’s throughput; it has a small size and is easily portable, a necessary feature for an experiment that will move among the available ion beam accelerators and proton therapy treatment rooms.

Published
2022

5. Charge identification of fragments with the emulsion spectrometer of the FOOT experiment

Author

Maria Ionica, Eleuterio Spiriti, P. Carra, N. Bartosik, L. Scavarda, Osamu Sato, Adele Lauria, G. Silvestre, Alberto Del Guerra, Giovanni Ambrosi, Valeri Tioukov, Maria Cristina Montesi, Maria Giuseppina Bisogni, Nadia Pastrone, Alberto Clozza, S. Savazzi, M. Pullia, Alessandra Pastore, Antonio Zoccoli, M. Vanstalle, A. Moggi, E. Bellinzona, V. Lante, Elisa Fiorina, Antonia Di Crescenzo, A. Secher, Ilaria Mattei, Stefano Argiro, Giovanni De Lellis, Antonio Iuliano, Giuliana Galati, Chiara La Tessa, V. Gentile, Gaia Franciosini, Matteo Morrocchi, Luciano Ramello, R. Ridolfi, Giacomo Traini, Silvia Muraro, M. Selvi, Francesco Pennazio, Marco Francesconi, Michela Marafini, Alessio Sarti, A.C. Kraan, Marco Durante, M. Toppi, Pisana Placidi, S. Colombi, F. Raffaelli, C. Finck, Andrey Alexandrov, Christoph Schuy, Valeria Rosso, Adalberto Sciubba, Keida Kanxheri, Behcet Alpat, Nicola Belcari, Leonello Servoli, Sandro Tomassini, Achim Stahl, Angelo Schiavi, Giancarlo Sportelli, Ulrich Weber, Benedetto Di Ruzza, Luca Galli, R. Spighi, E. Iarocci, Martina Laurenza, Roberto Zarrella, Graziano Bruni, Raul Arteche Diaz, S. M. Valle, Y. Dong, Veronica Ferrero, R. Hetzel, Riccardo Faccini, Ernesto Lopez Torres, Silvia Biondi, Giuseppe Battistoni, Mario Sitta, M. Fischetti, Micol De Simoni, E. Scifoni, M. C. Morone, Giuseppe Giraudo, Marco Donetti, Gabriella Sartorelli, Vincenzo Patera, Federica Murtas, Alberto Mengarelli, Francesco Tommasino, E. Fiandrini, Esther Ciarrocchi, Mauro Villa, Matteo Franchini, Piergiorgio Cerello, Cristian Massimi, C. Sanelli, Galati G., Alexandrov A., Alpat B., Ambrosi G., Argiro S., Diaz R.A., Bartosik N., Battistoni G., Belcari N., Bellinzona E., Biondi S., Bisogni M.G., Bruni G., Carra P., Cerello P., Ciarrocchi E., Clozza A., Colombi S., Guerra A.D., Simoni M.D., Di Crescenzo A., Ruzza B.D., Donetti M., Dong Y., Durante M., Faccini R., Ferrero V., Fiandrini E., Finck C., Fiorina E., Fischetti M., Francesconi M., Franchini M., Franciosini G., Galli L., Gentile V., Giraudo G., Hetzel R., Iarocci E., Ionica M., Iuliano A., Kanxheri K., Kraan A.C., Lante V., Tessa C.L., Laurenza M., Lauria A., Torres E.L., Marafini M., Massimi C., Mattei I., Mengarelli A., Moggi A., Montesi M.C., Morone M.C., Morrocchi M., Muraro S., Murtas F., Pastore A., Pastrone N., Patera V., Pennazio F., Placidi P., Pullia M., Raffaelli F., Ramello L., Ridolfi R., Rosso V., Sanelli C., Sarti A., Sartorelli G., Sato O., Savazzi S., Scavarda L., Schiavi A., Schuy C., Scifoni E., Sciubba A., Secher A., Selvi M., Servoli L., Silvestre G., Sitta M., Spighi R., Spiriti E., Sportelli G., Stahl A., Tioukov V., Tomassini S., Tommasino F., Toppi M., Traini G., Valle S.M., Vanstalle M., Villa M., Weber U., Zarrella R., Zoccoli A., De Lellis G., De Lellis, Giovanni, Di Crescenzo, Antonia, Montesi, Maria Cristina, Lauria, Adele, Iuliano, Antonio, and Durante, Marco

Subjects
Materials science, Spectrometer, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Physics, QC1-999, Settore FIS/07, Analytical chemistry, General Physics and Astronomy, Charge (physics), 01 natural sciences, Fragmentation (mass spectrometry), particle therapy, nuclear emulsion, fragmentation, 0103 physical sciences, Emulsion, ddc:530, Nuclear emulsion, Nuclear Experiment, 010306 general physics
Abstract

Open physics 19(1), 383 - 394 (2021). doi:10.1515/phys-2021-0032, Published by de Gruyter, Berlin

Published
2021

6. THE FOOT EXPERIMENT: FRAGMENTATION MEASUREMENTS IN PARTICLE THERAPY

Author

E. Bellinzona, Nadia Pastrone, Alessandro Pastore, E. López Torres, M. Selvi, L. Alunni Solestizi, Pisana Placidi, E. Iarocci, F. Ferroni, Silvia Muraro, C. La Tessa, M. C. Morone, E. Spiriti, M. Ionica, P. Cerello, Y. Dong, R. Arteche Diaz, A. Zoccoli, A. Secher, Giuliana Galati, V. Lante, Elisa Fiorina, Christoph Schuy, M. De Simoni, M. Vanstalle, Luciano Ramello, K. Kanxheri, Stefano Argiro, S. M. Valle, M. Donetti, M. Garbini, A. C. Kraan, R. Ridolfi, Alberto Mengarelli, Marco Durante, N. Bartosik, A. Moggi, Valeria Rosso, M. Emde, Giacomo Traini, Angelo Schiavi, F. Raffaeli, Niccolò Camarlinghi, M. Pullia, M. Francesconi, G. De Lellis, L. Scavarda, M. Franchini, Mario Sitta, M. Villa, E. Fiandrini, M. Rovituso, Ilaria Mattei, R. Faccini, Alberto Clozza, S. Savazzi, Gabriella Sartorelli, Graziano Bruni, Matteo Morrocchi, Esther Ciarrocchi, Vincenzo Patera, A. Di Crescenzo, A. Sciubba, A. Del Guerra, G. Ambrosi, Valeri Tioukov, M. Fischetti, Veronica Ferrero, E. Scifoni, Francesco Pennazio, Livio Narici, Osamu Sato, Alessio Sarti, Adele Lauria, Francesco Tommasino, S. Colombi, Giancarlo Sportelli, M. G. Bisogni, A. Stahl, V. Gentile, S. Bianucci, R. Mirabelli, Leonello Servoli, U. Weber, Luca Galli, R. Spighi, Nicola Belcari, M. Marafini, A. Embriaco, C. Sanelli, S. Tommasini, C. Finck, Maria Cristina Montesi, P. Carra, G. Silvestre, A. Alexandrov, R. Hetzel, Silvia Biondi, Giuseppe Battistoni, Giuseppe Giraudo, A. Alexandrov, L. Alunni Solestizi, G. Ambrosi, S. Argirò, R. Arteche Diaz, N. Bartosik, G. Battistoni, N. Belcari, E. Bellinzona, S. Bianucci, S. Biondi, M. G. Bisogni, G. Bruni, N. Camarlinghi, P. Carra, P. Cerello, E. Ciarrocchi, A. Clozza, S. Colombi, G. De Lellis, A. Del Guerra, M. De Simoni, A. Di Crescenzo, M. Donetti, Y. Dong, M. Durante, A. Embriaco, M. Emde, R. Faccini, V. Ferrero, F. Ferroni, E. Fiandrini, C. Finck, E. Fiorina, M. Fischetti, M. Francesconi, M. Franchini, G. Galati, L. Galli, M. Garbini, V. Gentile, G. Giraudo, R. Hetzel, E. Iarocci, M. Ionica, K. Kanxheri, A. C. Kraan, V. Lante, A. Lauria, C. La Tessa, E. Lopez Torres, M. Marafini, I. Mattei, A. Mengarelli, R. Mirabelli, A. Moggi, M. C. Montesi, M. C. Morone, M. Morrocchi, S. Muraro, L. Narici, A. Pastore, N. Pastrone, V. Patera, F. Pennazio, P. Placidi, M. Pullia, F. Raffaeli, L. Ramello, R. Ridolfi, V. Rosso, M. Rovituso, C. Sanelli, A. Sarti, G. Sartorelli, O. Sato, S. Savazzi, L. Scavarda, A. Schiavi, C. Schuy, E. Scifoni, A. Sciubba, A. Sécher, M. Selvi, L. Servoli, G. Silvestre, M. Sitta, R. Spighi, E. Spiriti, G. Sportelli, A. Stahl, V. Tioukov, S. Tommasini, F. Tommasino, G. Traini, S. M. Valle, M. Vanstalle, M. Villa, U. Webe, A. Zoccoli, Alexandrov, A., Alunni Solestizi, L., Ambrosi, G., Argirò, S., Arteche Diaz, R., Bartosik, N., Battistoni, G., Belcari, N., Bellinzona, E., Bianucci, S., Biondi, S., Bisogni, M. G., Bruni, G., Camarlinghi, N., Carra, P., Cerello, P., Ciarrocchi, E., Clozza, A., Colombi, S., De Lellis, G., Del Guerra, A., De Simoni, M., Di Crescenzo, A., Donetti, M., Dong, Y., Durante, M., Embriaco, A., Emde, M., Faccini, R., Ferrero, V., Ferroni, F., Fiandrini, E., Finck, C., Fiorina, E., Fischetti, M., Francesconi, M., Franchini, M., Galati, G., Galli, L., Garbini, M., Gentile, V., Giraudo, G., Hetzel, R., Iarocci, E., Ionica, M., Kanxheri, K., Kraan, A. C., Lante, V., Lauria, A., La Tessa, C., Lopez Torres, E., Marafini, M., Mattei, I., Mengarelli, A., Mirabelli, R., Moggi, A., Montesi, M. C., Morone, M. C., Morrocchi, M., Muraro, S., Narici, L., Pastore, A., Pastrone, N., Patera, V., Pennazio, F., Placidi, P., Pullia, M., Raffaeli, F., Ramello, L., Ridolfi, R., Rosso, V., Rovituso, M., Sanelli, C., Sarti, A., Sartorelli, G., Sato, O., Savazzi, S., Scavarda, L., Schiavi, A., Schuy, C., Scifoni, E., Sciubba, A., Sécher, A., Selvi, M., Servoli, L., Silvestre, G., Sitta, M., Spighi, R., Spiriti, E., Sportelli, G., Stahl, A., Tioukov, V., Tommasini, S., Tommasino, F., Traini, G., Valle, S. M., Vanstalle, M., Villa, M., Weber, U., and Zoccoli, A.

Subjects
Nuclear physics, Particle therapy, Materials science, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, medicine.medical_treatment, Quantitative Biology::Tissues and Organs, Physics::Medical Physics, Media Technology, medicine, Fragmentation (computing), Nuclear Experiment, fragmentation, hadrotherapy, cross section, Settore FIS/07 - Fisica Applicata(Beni Culturali, Ambientali, Biol.e Medicin)
Abstract

Charged Particle Therapy (CPT) is a powerful radiotherapy technique for the treatment of deep-seated tumours characterized by a large dose released in the Bragg peak area (corresponding to the tumour region) and a small dose delivered to the surrounding healthy tissues. The precise measurement of the fragments produced in the nuclear interactions of charged particle beams with patient tissues is a crucial task to improve the clinical treatment plans. The FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment is an international project, funded by the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), aimed to study the dose released by the tissues and particle beams fragmentation. The target (16O, 12C) fragmentation induced by 150-400 MeV/n proton beams will be studied via the inverse kinematic approach, where 16O and 12C therapeutic beams collide on graphite and hydrocarbon target to provide the cross section on Hydrogen. A table-top detector is being developed and it includes a drift chamber as a beam monitor upstream of the target to measure the beam direction, a magnetic spectrometer based on silicon pixel and strip detectors, a scintillating crystal calorimeter able to stop the heavier produced fragments, and a ΔE detector, with TOF capability, for the particle identification. A setup based on the concept of the “Emulsion Cloud Chamber”, coupled with the interaction region of the electronic FOOT setup, will complement the physics program by measuring lighter charged fragments to extend the angular acceptance up to about 70 degrees. In this work, the experimental design and the requirements of the FOOT experiment will be discussed and preliminary results on the emulsion spectrometer tests will be presented.

Published
2019

7. 'Smettere di fumare: perché non cominci Tu?' Survey sul fumo di tabacco dei dipendenti dell’Istituto per la Sicurezza Sociale di San Marino

Author

M. Morini, D. Pianori, E. Boetto, G. Gherardi, R. Messina, F. Rallo, C. Reno, R. Ridolfi, V. Conti, E. Rossi, G. Miano, M. P. Fantini, and M. Morini, D. Pianori, E. Boetto, G. Gherardi, R. Messina, F. Rallo, C. Reno, R. Ridolfi, V. Conti, E. Rossi, G. Miano, M.P. Fantini

Subjects
Tabaccologia, smoking cessation, survey
Abstract

Introduzione Due recenti metanalisi (Duaso, 2014; Duaso, 2016) hanno dimostrato che lo status di fumatore dei professionisti sanitari influenza negativamente l’approccio nel consigliare la cessazione del fumo. Altre evidenze di letteratura indicano che una quota di medici ritiene che la promozione della cessazione del fumo richieda troppo tempo e sia inefficace (Vogt, 2005). Secondo i dati della sorveglianza condotta dall’Istituto Superiore di Sanità italiano (PASSI, 2018) solo il 51,4% dei fumatori dichiara di aver ricevuto il consiglio di smettere di fumare da un medico o da un operatore sanitario. Nell’ambito dei progetti di promozione della salute sostenuti dall’Istituto per la Sicurezza Sociale (ISS) di San Marino, il presente studio vuole indagare le abitudini tabagiche dei suoi professionisti sanitari. Materiali e metodi È stata condotta una survey rivolta ai dipendenti dell’ISS San Marino mediante la distribuzione di un questionario cartaceo auto-somministrato, costituito da una parte iniziale contenente le informazioni anagrafiche e da cinque domini: abitudine al fumo, cessazione del fumo, valutazione dei percorsi anti-fumo, opinione circa la presa in carico dei fumatori, opinione sulla validità dei metodi di disassuefazione tabagica. Risultati Sono stati distribuiti circa 1.000 questionari a medici, infermieri e personale tecnico/amministrativo dell’ISS e sono state raccolte le risposte di 352 dipendenti. I partecipanti al questionario hanno un’età media di 45,3 anni e sono per il 72,6% femmine. Il 55,9% dichiara di non aver mai fumato (NF), il 23,3% fuma attualmente (F) ed il 21,3% è ex-fumatore (EF). L’abitudine tabagica presenta differenze significative tra i due generi per quanto riguarda lo stato di NF (57,9% donne, 50% uomini) e lo stato di EF (19% donne, 26,6% uomini); praticamente identica inveca la quota di fumatori nei due generi: 23,1% tra le donne e 23,4% tra gli uomini. L’83,8% dei fumatori ha dichiarato di aver pensato di smettere di fumare e il 53,7% di questi prenderebbe in considerazione un percorso presso un Centro Antifumo (CA). Alla domanda “Pensa che valga la pena impiegare tempo e risorse nel trattamento del fumatore?” hanno risposto 324 partecipanti. La maggior parte ha risposto “Sempre” (media tra i gruppi 79,6%; NF 82,3%; F 70%; EX 84,1%). Per quanto riguarda la domanda “Secondo lei quali metodi potrebbero essere efficaci per smettere di fumare?” hanno risposto in 343: “Breve colloquio motivazionale individuale” è il metodo che ha ricevuto il maggior numero di risposte positive (63,4%), seguito da “Eventi formativi” (62,4%), “Terapie di gruppo” (62,1%), “Terapia farmacologica” (42%) ed infine “Multe e sanzioni” (38,4%). Conclusioni Evidenze in letteratura (DoH, 2009) mostrano che la popolazione tende ad accettare meno favorevolmente le indicazioni di professionisti sanitari che non seguono un corretto stile di vita. Dal momento che circa un quarto dei dipendenti dell’ISS attualmente fuma e che la maggior parte di questi ha pensato di smettere di fumare, potrebbe essere utile attuare un programma di cessazione tabagica rivolto ai dipendenti; questo permetterebbe di migliorare il loro stato di salute e li renderebbe un veicolo più efficace di educazione ai corretti stili di vita. Uno strumento utile potrebbe essere la creazione di un Centro Antifumo dove implementare i metodi di cessazione tabagica che sono stati valutati come i maggiormente efficaci dai dipendenti intervistati, in cui prendere in carico anche i cittadini e i pazienti con patologie croniche motivati a smettere di fumare.

Published
2019

8. Greater Average Meal Planning Frequency Predicts Greater Weight Loss Outcomes in a Worksite-Based Behavioral Weight Loss Program

Author

Jacqueline F. Hayes, Danielle R. Ridolfi, Katherine N. Balantekin, R. Robinson Welch, Joshua J. Jackson, Ellen E. Fitzsimmons-Craft, Holley S Boeger, and Denise E. Wilfley

Subjects
Adult, Male, medicine.medical_specialty, Calorie, 030209 endocrinology & metabolism, Body Mass Index, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, Weight loss, Weight Loss, Medicine, Humans, 030212 general & internal medicine, Obesity, Workplace, Exercise, Meals, General Psychology, Meal, Models, Statistical, business.industry, Weight Loss Program, Middle Aged, Random effects model, medicine.disease, Personnel, Hospital, Weight Reduction Programs, Psychiatry and Mental health, Physical therapy, Female, medicine.symptom, business, Weight gain, Body mass index, Regular Articles
Abstract

BackgroundPlanning in behavioral weight loss (BWL) programs helps participants enact changes in eating and exercise, although the direct impact on weight loss is unclear.PurposeTo examine how meal and exercise planning frequencies change in a BWL program and their relations to weight loss outcomes.MethodsParticipants (N = 139) in a 40 week worksite-based BWL program completed a questionnaire regarding meal and exercise planning frequency at Weeks 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 and were weighed weekly. Growth curve models were used to determine trajectories in meal and exercise planning frequency and to assess the role of an individual’s average meal and exercise planning (between-person effect) and individual variation in planning (within-person effect) on body mass index (BMI).ResultsThe best-fitting model, a linear random effect with a quadratic fixed-effect model, demonstrated that meal and exercise planning frequency increased over the course of the program with slowing growth rates. Between participants, higher average meal planning frequency (B = −0.029, t = −3.60), but not exercise planning frequency, was associated with greater weight loss. Within participants, exercise planning, but not meal planning, predicted a higher than expected BMI (B = 3.17, t = 4.21).ConclusionsFrequent meal planning should be emphasized as a continued, as opposed to intermittent, goal in BWL programs to enhance weight loss. Average exercise planning frequency does not impact weight loss in BWL programs; however, acute increases in exercise planning frequency may be a popular coping strategy during a weight loss setback or, alternatively, may lead to increased calorie consumption and weight gain.

Published
2020

9. Measurement of 12C Fragmentation Cross Sections on C, O, and H in the Energy Range of Interest for Particle Therapy Applications

Author

E. Spiriti, P. Cerello, G. De Lellis, Alberto Mengarelli, Angelo Schiavi, M. Francesconi, Nicola Belcari, L. Scavarda, E. Iarocci, F. Ferroni, C. La Tessa, Sandro Tomassini, Cristian Massimi, Giancarlo Sportelli, R. Ridolfi, Nadia Pastrone, A. Embriaco, P. Carra, M. Pullia, G. Silvestre, Silvia Muraro, Giacomo Traini, M. Marafini, M. Emde, S. Colombi, E. Catanzani, G. Ambrosi, A. Di Crescenzo, C. Sanelli, Francesco Tommasino, Francesco Pennazio, Y. Dong, Leonello Servoli, R. Mirabelli, M. Rovituso, Alberto Clozza, S. Savazzi, C. Schuy, Alessio Sarti, A. Del Guerra, Luca Galli, C. Finck, Matteo Franchini, E. Fiandrini, A. Alexandrov, S. M. Valle, M. Ionica, R. Hetzel, Sebastian Hild, Silvia Biondi, Giuseppe Battistoni, Esther Ciarrocchi, Valeria Rosso, Mario Sitta, Maria Cristina Montesi, R. Faccini, A. Stahl, Antonio Zoccoli, V. Lante, Elisa Fiorina, M. Vanstalle, Vincenzo Patera, A. Secher, A. Sciubba, M. Fischetti, M. De Simoni, E. Scifoni, N. Bartosik, Graziano Bruni, Luciano Ramello, M. Selvi, Stefano Argiro, M. C. Morone, A. C. Kraan, Niccolò Camarlinghi, Mauro Villa, L. Alunni Solestizi, K. Kanxheri, Ilaria Mattei, Matteo Morrocchi, V. Gentile, Veronica Ferrero, Osamu Sato, Adele Lauria, M. Donetti, M. Toppi, Pisana Placidi, R. Spighi, Maria Giuseppina Bisogni, Marco Durante, G. Sartorelli, Ulrich Weber, Alessandro Pastore, T. Valeri, E. Lopez Torres, L. Narici, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Perugia (INFN, Sezione di Perugia), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Politecnico di Torino = Polytechnic of Turin (Polito), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare [Pisa] (INFN), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (LNF), Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris (IAP), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC), Département d'Astrophysique, de physique des Particules, de physique Nucléaire et de l'Instrumentation Associée (DAPNIA), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Département Recherches Subatomiques (DRS-IPHC), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Engineering, Università degli Studi di Ferrara (UniFE), Department of Materials [ETH Zürich] (D-MATL), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology [Zürich] (ETH Zürich), Biophysics Department [Darmstadt], Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (GSI), Dipartimento di Fisica dell'Università di Bologna, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bologna (INFN, Sezione di Bologna), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN)- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN)-Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna [Bologna] (UNIBO), University of York [York, UK], Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza' = Sapienza University [Rome], Dipartimento di Energetica, Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, Italy, Mattei, I., Bisogni, M. G., Bruni, G., Camarlinghi, N., Carra, P., Catanzani, E., Ciarrocchi, E., Cerello, P., Clozza, A., Colombi, S., De Lellis, G., Alexandrov, A., Del Guerra, A., De Simoni, M., Di Crescenzo, A., Donetti, M., Dong, Y., Durante, M., Embriaco, A., Emde, M., Faccini, R., Ferrero, V., Alunni Solestizi, L., Ferroni, F., Fiandrini, E., Finck, C., Fiorina, E., Fischetti, M., Francesconi, M., Franchini, M., Galli, L., Gentile, V., Hetzel, R., Ambrosi, G., Hild, S., Iarocci, E., Ionica, M., Kanxheri, K., Kraan, A. C., Lante, V., Lauria, A., La Tessa, C., Lopez Torres, E., Massimi, C., Argiro, S., Marafini, M., Mengarelli, A., Mirabelli, R., Montesi, M. C., Morone, M. C., Morrocchi, M., Muraro, S., Narici, L., Pastore, A., Pastrone, N., Bartosik, N., Patera, V., Pennazio, F., Placidi, P., Pullia, M., Ramello, L., Ridolfi, R., Rosso, V., Rovituso, M., Sanelli, C., Sartorelli, G., Battistoni, G., Sato, O., Savazzi, S., Scavarda, L., Schiavi, A., Schuy, C., Scifoni, E., Sciubba, A., Secher, A., Selvi, M., Servoli, L., Belcari, N., Silvestre, G., Sitta, M., Spighi, R., Spiriti, E., Sportelli, G., Stahl, A., Tomassini, S., Tommasino, F., Traini, G., Toppi, M., Biondi, S., Valeri, T., Valle, S. M., Vanstalle, M., Villa, M., Weber, U., Zoccoli, A., Sarti, A., Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar (Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA))-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar (Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA))-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Università degli Studi di Ferrara = University of Ferrara (UniFE), Dipartimento di Fisica [Bologna], Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna [Bologna] (UNIBO), and Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza' = Sapienza University [Rome] (UNIROMA)

Subjects
Materials science, Proton, Radiation therapy clinical/preclinical evaluation/application studies, Analytical chemistry, Scintillator, scintillators radiation detector, Kinetic energy, 01 natural sciences, Particle identification, 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, Radiation therapy studie, 0103 physical sciences, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging, 010306 general physics, Instrumentation, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, Range (particle radiation), Settore FIS/04, scintillators radiation detectors for medical applications, Settore FIS/07, Center (category theory), therapy imaging clinical/preclinical evaluation/application studies, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Charged particle, Deuterium, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-MED-PH]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Medical Physics [physics.med-ph], therapy imaging
Abstract

In a carbon ion treatment the nuclear fragmentationof both target and beam projectiles impacts on the dose releasedon the tumor and on the surrounding healthy tissues. Carbon ionfragmentation occurring inside the patient body has to be stud-ied in order to take into account this contribution. These dataare also important for the development of the range monitoringtechniques with charged particles. The production of chargedfragments generated by carbon ion beams of 115-353 MeV/ukinetic energy impinging on carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen tar-gets has been measured at the CNAO particle therapy center(Pavia, Italy). The use of thin targets of graphite (C), PMMA(C2O5H8) and polyvinyl-toluene [plastic scintillator (PS), CbHa]allowed to measure fragments production cross sections, exploit-ing a time-of-flight (ToF) technique. PS detectors have been usedto perform the ToF measurements, while LYSO crystals havebeen used for the deposited energy measurement and to performparticle identification. Cross sections have been measured at 90◦and 60◦with respect to the beam direction. The measured pro-ton, deuteron, and triton differential production cross sectionson C, O, and H, obtained exploiting the target subtraction strat-egy, are presented here as a function of the fragment kineticenergy.

Published
2020

10. Ion charge separation with new generation of nuclear emulsion films

Author

E. Bellinzona, Alberto Mengarelli, M. Villa, E. Fiandrini, F. Raffaelli, Y. Dong, M. Ionica, Esther Ciarrocchi, Marco Francesconi, Nadia Pastrone, Francesco Pennazio, P. Carra, R. Spighi, Alessio Sarti, Antonio Zoccoli, M. Pullia, F. Ferroni, Pisana Placidi, M. Vanstalle, G. Silvestre, M. Emde, C. La Tessa, S. Muraro, L. Narici, M. C. Morone, A.C. Kraan, Marco Durante, R. Arteche Diaz, A. Di Crescenzo, L. Alunni Solestizi, Valeria Rosso, A. Secher, Niccolò Camarlinghi, L. Ramello, Nicola Belcari, E. Iarocci, L. Galli, M. De Simoni, Riccardo Faccini, E. Lopez Torres, C. Finck, Mario Sitta, M. Rovituso, G. De Lellis, M. Marafini, Marco Donetti, Gabriella Sartorelli, V. Gentile, S. Bianucci, Vincenzo Patera, Alberto Clozza, S. Savazzi, M. Fischetti, C. Sanelli, S. M. Valle, A. Sciubba, Osamu Sato, Adele Lauria, E. Scifoni, A. Embriaco, M. Selvi, Ambrosi Giovanni, Maria Cristina Montesi, Francesco Tommasino, Matteo Franchini, Veronica Ferrero, S. Colombi, K. Kanxheri, Christoph Schuy, Uli Weber, Leonello Servoli, A. Alexandrov, Achim Stahl, Stefano Argiro, A. Moggi, R. Mirabelli, Ilaria Mattei, Matteo Morrocchi, M. Garbini, R. Ridolfi, Giacomo Traini, L. Scavarda, Eleuterio Spiriti, Piergiorgio Cerello, V. Lante, Elisa Fiorina, R. Hetzel, Alessandra Pastore, Silvia Biondi, Giuseppe Battistoni, A. Del Guerra, Giuseppe Giraudo, G. Galati, N. Bartosik, Valeri Tioukov, Graziano Bruni, Sandro Tomassini, Giancarlo Sportelli, M. G. Bisogni, A. Schiavi, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Montesi M.C., Lauria A., Alexandrov A., Solestizi L.A., Giovanni A., Argiro S., Diaz R.A., Bartosik N., Battistoni G., Belcari N., Bellinzona E., Bianucci S., Biondi S., Bisogni M.G., Bruni G., Camarlinghi N., Carra P., Cerello P., Ciarrocchi E., Clozza A., Colombi S., Guerra A.D., Simoni M.D., Crescenzo A.D., Donetti M., Dong Y., Durante M., Embriaco A., Emde M., Faccini R., Ferrero V., Ferroni F., Fiandrini E., Finck C., Fiorina E., Fischetti M., Francesconi M., Franchini M., Galati G., Galli L., Garbini M., Gentile V., Giraudo G., Hetzel R., Iarocci E., Ionica M., Kanxheri K., Kraan A.C., Lante V., Tessa C.L., Torres E.L., Marafini M., Mattei I., Mengarelli A., Mirabelli R., Moggi A., Morone M.C., Morrocchi M., Muraro S., Narici L., Pastore A., Pastrone N., Patera V., Pennazio F., Placidi P., Pullia M., Raffaelli F., Ramello L., Ridolfi R., Rosso V., Rovituso M., Sanelli C., Sarti A., Sartorelli G., Sato O., Savazzi S., Scavarda L., Schiavi A., Schuy C., Scifoni E., Sciubba A., Secher A., Selvi M., Servoli L., Silvestre G., Sitta M., Spighi R., Spiriti E., Sportelli G., Stahl A., Tioukov V., Tomassini S., Tommasino F., Traini G., Valle S.M., Vanstalle M., Villa M., Weber U., Zoccoli A., Lellis G.D., Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Montesi, M. C., Lauria, A., Alexandrov, A., Solestizi, L. Alunni, Giovanni, Ambrosi, Argirò, S., Diaz, R. Arteche, Bartosik, N., Battistoni, G., Belcari, N., Bellinzona, E., Bianucci, S., Biondi, S., Bisogni, M. G., Bruni, G., Camarlinghi, N., Carra, P., Cerello, P., Ciarrocchi, E., Clozza, A., Colombi, S., Guerra, A. Del, Simoni, M. De, Crescenzo, A. Di, Donetti, M., Dong, Y., Durante, M., Embriaco, A., Emde, M., Faccini, R., Ferrero, V., Ferroni, F., Fiandrini, E., Finck, C., Fiorina, E., Fischetti, M., Francesconi, M., Franchini, M., Galati, G., Galli, L., Garbini, M., Gentile, V., Giraudo, G., Hetzel, R., Iarocci, E., Ionica, M., Kanxheri, K., Kraan, A. C., Lante, V., Tessa, C. La, Torres, E. Lopez, Marafini, M., Mattei, I., Mengarelli, A., Mirabelli, R., Moggi, A., Morone, M. C., Morrocchi, M., Muraro, S., Narici, L., Pastore, A., Pastrone, N., Patera, V., Pennazio, F., Placidi, P., Pullia, M., Raffaelli, F., Ramello, L., Ridolfi, R., Rosso, V., Rovituso, M., Sanelli, C., Sarti, A., Sartorelli, G., Sato, O., Savazzi, S., Scavarda, L., Schiavi, A., Schuy, C., Scifoni, E., Sciubba, A., Sécher, A., Selvi, M., Servoli, L., Silvestre, G., Sitta, M., Spighi, R., Spiriti, E., Sportelli, G., Stahl, A., Tioukov, V., Tomassini, S., Tommasino, F., Traini, G., Valle, S. M., Vanstalle, M., Villa, M., Weber, U., Zoccoli, A., and Lellis, G. De

Subjects
Health Physics and Radiation Effects, Materials science, QC1-999, General Physics and Astronomy, 29.40.Rg, 7. Clean energy, 01 natural sciences, 030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging, Ion, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, Charge identification, 0103 physical sciences, charged particles therapy, nuclear emulsions, Nuclear emulsion, ddc:530, Detectors and Experimental Techniques, 42.62.Be, Nuclear Experiment, [PHYS]Physics [physics], 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Settore FIS/04, Physics, Settore FIS/07, Chemical physics
Abstract

In hadron therapy, the accelerated ions, interacting with the body of the patient, cause the fragmentation of both projectile and target nuclei. The fragments interact with the human tissues depositing energy both in the entrance channel and in the volume surrounding the tumor. The knowledge of the fragments features is crucial to determine the energy amount deposited in the human body, and - hence - the damage to the organs and to the tissues around the tumor target. The FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment aims at studying the fragmentation induced by the interaction of a proton beam (150-250 MeV/n) inside the human body. The FOOT detector includes an electronic setup for the identification of Z ≥ 3 fragments integrated with an emulsion spectrometer to measure Z ≤ 3 fragments. Charge identification by nuclear emulsions is based on the development of techniques of controlled fading of the particle tracks inside the nuclear emulsion, that extend the dynamical range of the films developed for the tracking of minimum ionising particles. The controlled fading strongly depends on temperature, relative humidity and treatment duration. In this study the performances in terms of charge separation of proton, helium and carbon particles, obtained on a batch of new emulsion films produced in Japan are reported.

Published
2019

11. Development and characterization of a ΔE-TOF detector prototype for the FOOT experiment

Author

R. Hetzel, Silvia Biondi, Giuseppe Battistoni, Alessandra Pastore, M. Pullia, Marco Francesconi, Giovanni De Lellis, M. C. Morone, Pisana Placidi, Giuseppe Giraudo, Mario Sitta, Alberto Mengarelli, Graziano Bruni, Nicola Belcari, Adalberto Sciubba, E. Fiandrini, Niccolò Camarlinghi, A.C. Kraan, S. Colombi, Esther Ciarrocchi, Maria Ionica, A. Embriaco, Eleuterio Spiriti, Nadia Pastrone, Livio Narici, N. Bartosik, Alberto Del Guerra, Christoph Schuy, Sebastian Hild, P. Carra, L. Scavarda, M. Selvi, V. Lante, Elisa Fiorina, G. Silvestre, Sandro Tomassini, Osamu Sato, Adele Lauria, Behcet Alpat, Stefano Argiro, Marco Durante, Valeria Rosso, Giancarlo Sportelli, M. G. Bisogni, F. Ferroni, M. Emde, Ulrich Weber, R. Mirabelli, Veronica Ferrero, Francesco Pennazio, Keida Kanxheri, G. Ambrosi, M. Garbini, Valeri Tioukov, Alessio Sarti, R. Ridolfi, Giacomo Traini, Leonello Servoli, Achim Stahl, M. Fischetti, Raul Arteche Diaz, Silvia Muraro, S. M. Valle, Antonia Di Crescenzo, Micol De Simoni, M. Rovituso, Chiara La Tessa, C. Finck, Matteo Bertazzoni, Andrey Alexandrov, Alberto Clozza, S. Savazzi, Y. Dong, E. Scifoni, V. Gentile, Ilaria Mattei, Marco Donetti, Gabriella Sartorelli, Matteo Morrocchi, M. Villa, Vincenzo Patera, Luciano Ramello, A. Schiavi, Roberto Spighi, Piergiorgio Cerello, L. Galli, C. Sanelli, Maria Cristina Montesi, Riccardo Faccini, M. Marafini, Ernesto Lopez Torres, Antonio Zoccoli, M. Vanstalle, Francesco Tommasino, Matteo Franchini, Morrocchi, Matteo, Ciarrocchi, Esther, Alexandrov, Andrey, Alpat, Behcet, Ambrosi, Giovanni, Argirò, Stefano, Arteche Diaz, Raul, Bartosik, Nazar, Battistoni, Giuseppe, Belcari, Nicola, Bertazzoni, Matteo, Biondi, Silvia, Bruni, Graziano, Camarlinghi, Niccolò, Carra, Pietro, Cerello, Piergiorgio, Clozza, Alberto, Colombi, Sofia, De Lellis, Giovanni, Del Guerra, Alberto, Simoni, Micol De, Crescenzo, Antonia Di, Donetti, Marco, Dong, Yunsheng, Durante, Marco, Embriaco, Alessia, Emde, Max, Faccini, Riccardo, Ferrero, Veronica, Ferroni, Fernando, Fiandrini, Emanuele, Finck, Christian, Fiorina, Elisa, Fischetti, Marta, Francesconi, Marco, Franchini, Matteo, Galli, Luca, Garbini, Marco, Gentile, Valerio, Giraudo, Giuseppe, Hetzel, Ronja, Hild, Sebastian, Ionica, Maria, Kanxheri, Keida, Kraan, Aafke Christine, Lante, Valeria, Lauria, Adele, La Tessa, Chiara, Lopez Torres, Ernesto, Marafini, Michela, Mattei, Ilaria, Mengarelli, Alberto, Mirabelli, Riccardo, Montesi, Maria Cristina, Morone, Maria Cristina, Muraro, Silvia, Narici, Livio, Pastore, Alessandra, Pastrone, Nadia, Patera, Vincenzo, Pennazio, Francesco, Placidi, Pisana, Pullia, Marco, Ramello, Luciano, Ridolfi, Riccardo, Rosso, Valeria, Rovituso, Marta, Sanelli, Claudio, Sarti, Alessio, Sartorelli, Gabriella, Sato, Osamu, Savazzi, Simone, Scavarda, Lorenzo, Schiavi, Angelo, Schuy, Christoph, Scifoni, Emanuele, Sciubba, Adalberto, Selvi, Marco, Servoli, Leonello, Silvestre, Gianluigi, Sitta, Mario, Spighi, Roberto, Spiriti, Eleuterio, Sportelli, Giancarlo, Stahl, Achim, Tomassini, Sandro, Tommasino, Francesco, Traini, Giacomo, Tioukov, Valeri, Valle, Serena Marta, Vanstalle, Marie, Villa, Mauro, Weber, Ulrich, Zoccoli, Antonio, Bisogni, Maria Giuseppina, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Milano (INFN), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Département de Radiobiologie, Hadronthérapie et Imagerie Moléculaire (DRHIM-IPHC), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik (MPQ), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Perugia (INFN, Sezione di Perugia), Department of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering, Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza' = Sapienza University [Rome], INFN Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare [Frascati], Dipartimento di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l'Ingegneria (SBAI), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP), and UITP

Subjects
Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, Particle therapy, Particle detectors, Particle detectors Particle therapy Plastic scintillator Silicon photomultiplier, Scintillator, Silicon photomultiplier, Kinetic energy, 01 natural sciences, Ion, Settore FIS/04 - Fisica Nucleare e Subnucleare, Optics, 0103 physical sciences, Plastic scintillator, Instrumentation, Irradiation, 010306 general physics, Image resolution, Particle detectors, Particle therapy, Plastic scintillator, Silicon photomultiplier, [PHYS]Physics [physics], Physics, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, business.industry, Detector, Settore FIS/07 - Fisica Applicata(Beni Culturali, Ambientali, Biol.e Medicin), Time of flight, High Energy Physics::Experiment, business
Abstract

This paper describes the development and characterization of a Δ E-TOF detector composed of a plastic scintillator bar coupled at both ends to silicon photomultipliers. This detector is a prototype of a larger version which will be used in the FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment to identify the fragments produced by ion beams accelerated onto a hydrogen-enriched target. The final Δ E-TOF detector will be composed of two layers of plastic scintillator bars with orthogonal orientation and will measure, for each crossing fragment, the energy deposited in the plastic scintillator ( Δ E), the time of flight (TOF), and the coordinates of the interaction position in the scintillator. To meet the FOOT experimental requirements, the detector should have energy resolution of a few percents and time resolution of 70 ps, and it should allow to discriminate multiple fragments belonging to the same event. To evaluate the achievable performances, the detector prototype was irradiated with protons of kinetic energy in the 70–230 MeV range and interacting at several positions along the bar. The measured energy resolution σ Δ E ∕ Δ E was 6–14%, after subtracting the fluctuations of the deposited energy. A time resolution σ between 120 and 180 ps was obtained with respect to a trigger detector. A spatial resolution σ of 1.9 cm was obtained for protons interacting at the center of the bar.

Published
2019

12. The FOOT experiment

Author

R. Ridolfi

Subjects
Physics, History, medicine.medical_specialty, Physical medicine and rehabilitation, medicine, Foot (unit), Computer Science Applications, Education
Abstract

The main goal of the FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment is the measurement of the differential cross sections with respect to the energy and angle of the produced fragments in nuclear interactions between an ion beam, such as proton, Helium, Carbon, and different targets (proton, Carbon, Oxygen). Two important fields can benefit from these kind of measurements: firstly, in the 150 — 400MeV/u beam energy range, the data will be used to evaluate the nuclear fragmentation occurring in a standard hadrontherapy treatment and thus potential side effects. Secondly, in the 700 — 1000MeV/u beam energy range, the FOOT experiment aims at studying novel shields for spacecrafts involved in long term missions within the Solar System. The experiment has been funded by INFN since September 2017 and it is currently in its construction phase while the first data taking is scheduled by the end of 2020. A description of the experiment and a overview of expected performances and test beam results will be presented.

Published
2020

13. Emergy and sustainability

Author

Fabiana Morandi, Simone Bastianoni, Mariana Oliveira, R. Ridolfi, and Federico Maria Pulselli

Subjects
business.industry, Emergy algebra, Ecosystems, Emergy evaluation, Nations, Productive system, Sustainability, Environmental economics, Solar energy, Natural resource, Environmental accounting, Emergy, Ecological indicator, Food chain, Environmental science, business, Embodied energy
Abstract

This article presents emergy evaluation and its application to ecosystems and territorial systems. The emergy approach is an environmental accounting methodology that can be used to assess natural inflows and services within a system. This ecological indicator was inspired by the food chain and the observations that energy quality increases along the chain while energy content decreases. Emergy analysis is able to differentiate between the various units (processes) of an ecosystem. It highlights processes that are sustained by low-quality energy and processes that need high-quality fluxes. The method is an embodied energy analysis that uses solar energy as reference. By evaluating natural resources on a common basis, emergy analysis has proved useful at the interface between human and natural systems and for assessing the impact of human activity on ecosystems. Based on a rigorous algebra, emergy evaluation provides indicators to measure sustainability.

Published
2018

14. Reaction Times to Appearance-Related or Non-appearance-Related Word Choice Among Women With and Without Eating Psychopathology

Author

Janis H. Crowther, Taryn A. Myers, and Danielle R. Ridolfi

Subjects
Eating pathology, Word choice, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Word stem, medicine.disease, Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale, Developmental psychology, Clinical Psychology, Eating disorders, Schema (psychology), medicine, Cognitive Assessment System, Psychology, Psychopathology
Abstract

Activation of schemas related to one’s appearance has been studied extensively using implicit tasks such as the word stem completion task and the Stoop paradigm. The current study utilized a word stem completion task adapted for presentation on a Personal Data Assistant to examine differences in reaction times to appearance- and non-appearance-related words. Participants were 93 undergraduate women, 30 of whom met criteria for eating psychopathology utilizing the diagnostic algorithm for the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (Stice et al. in Psychol Assess 12:123–131. doi:10.1037/1040-3590.12.2.123, 2000). The remaining 63 participants served as a comparison group. A significant interaction effect indicated that women with eating pathology exhibited significantly longer reaction times when selecting the appearance-related words than those without eating psychopathology. This research introduces a novel method of measuring reaction time to appearance- and non-appearance-related words and demonstrates the relevance of appearance schematicity in the naturalistic environment by showing that these schemas have the potential to impact the way young women process schema-relevant information on a day-to-day basis.

Published
2014

15. Effect of the dendritic morphology on hot tearing of carbon steels

Author

M R Ridolfi

Subjects
010302 applied physics, Austenite, Coalescence (physics), Void (astronomy), Materials science, Metallurgy, Fluid mechanics, 02 engineering and technology, 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology, Alloy composition, 01 natural sciences, Brittleness, 0103 physical sciences, Tearing, Grain boundary, 0210 nano-technology
Abstract

Hot tears form during solidification in the brittle region of the dendritic front. Most hot tearing criteria are based on solid and fluid mechanics, being the phenomenon strictly depending on the solid resistance to applied strains and on the liquid capability of filling the void spaces. Modelling both mechanisms implies the precise description of the dendritic morphology. To this scope, the theory of coalescence of the dendritic arms at grain boundaries of Rappaz et al. has been applied, in this work, to the columnar growth of carbon steels by means of a simple mathematical model. Depending on the alloy composition, solid bridging starts at solid fractions down to about 0.8 and up to above 0.995 (very low carbon). The morphology of the brittle region changes drastically with increasing carbon and adding other solutes. In particular, ferritic dendrites, typical of low carbon steels, tend to offer short and wide interdendritic spaces to the surrounding liquid making possible their complete filling, and few solid bridges; peritectic steels show the rise of austenite growing and bridging rapidly in the interdendritic spaces, preventing void formation; austenitic dendrites form long and narrow interdendritic spaces difficult to reach for the liquid and with a lot of solid bridges. Sulphur addition mainly acts in delaying the coalescence end, more markedly in ferritic dendrites.

Published
2016

17. The Drift Chamber detector of the FOOT experiment: Performance analysis and external calibration

Author

Lante Valeria, M. G. Bisogni, Morrocchi Matteo, Sartorelli Gabriella, Fiandrini Emanuele, Mattei Ilaria, Colombi Sofia, Kanxheri Keida, Ionica Maria, Narici Livio, Spiriti Eleuterio, Giraudo Giuseppe, Laurenza Martina, Benedetto Di Ruzza, Argirò Stefano, Tomassini Sandro, Iarocci Enzo, Maria Cristina Montesi, Traini Giacomo, Mengarelli Alberto, Y. Dong, Sportelli Giancarlo, Ferrero Veronica, Antonia Di Crescenzo, Weber Ulrich, Schiavi Angelo, Alpat Behcet, Scifoni Emanuele, Franciosini Gaia, Spighi Roberto, Silvestre Gianluigi, Barbanera Mattia, Ciarrocchi Esther, Clozza Alberto, Chiara La Tessa, Pastore Alessandra, M. Villa, M. C. Morone, Alexandrov Andrey, Sato Osamu, Donetti Marco, Galli Luca, Ridolfi Riccardo, Massimi Cristian, Pastrone Nadia, Ernesto Lopez Torres, Sciubba Adalberto, Rosso Valeria, Cerello Piergiorgio, Alberto Del Guerra, Micol De Simoni, A.C. Kraan, Marafini Michela, Leonello Servoli, Ramello Luciano, Gentile Valerio, Raul Arteche Diaz, S. M. Valle, Pullia Marco, Galati Giuliana, Raffaelli Fabrizio, Franchini Matteo, Vincenzo Patera, Fiorina Elisa, Francesconi Marco, Savazzi Simone, Finck Christian, Toppi Marco, Pennazio Francesco, Selvi Marco, Schuy Christoph, Bellinzona Elettra, Durante Marco, Placidi Pisana, Giovanni De Lellis, Sanelli Claudio, Sécher Alexandre, Belcari Nicola, Bartosik Nazar, Francesco Tommasino, Sarti Alessio, Giuseppe Battistoni, Sitta Mario, Fischetti Marta, Ambrosi Giovanni, Valeri Tioukov, Hetzel Ronja, M. Vanstalle, Carra Pietro, Stahl Achim, Zoccoli Antonio, Muraro Silvia, Moggi Andrea, Lauria Adele, Bruni Graziano, Biondi Silvia, Scavarda Lorenzo, Dong Y., Gianluigi S., Sofia C., Andrey A., Behcet A., Giovanni A., Stefano A., Arteche Diaz R., Mattia B., Nazar B., Nicola B., Elettra B., S. Biondi, Bisogni M.G., G. Bruni, Pietro C., Piergiorgio C., Esther C., Alberto C., De Lellis G., Del Guerra A., De Simoni M., Di Crescenzo A., Di Ruzza B., Marco D., Veronica F., Emanuele F., Christian F., Elisa F., Marta F., Marco F., M. Franchini., Gaia F., Giuliana G., Luca G., Valerio G., Giuseppe G., Ronja H., Enzo I., Maria I., Keida K., Kraan A.C., Valeria L., La Tessa C., Martina L., Adele L., Lopez Torres E., Michela M., Cristian M., Ilaria M., A. Mengarelli, Andrea M., Montesi M.C., Morone M.C., Matteo M., Silvia M., Livio N., Alessandra P., Nadia P., Patera V., Francesco P., Pisana P., Marco P., Fabrizio R., Luciano R., R. Ridolfi, Valeria R., Claudio S., Alessio S., G. Sartorelli, Osamu S., Simone S., Lorenzo S., Angelo S., Christoph S., Emanuele S., Adalberto S., Alexandre S., Marco S., Mario S., R. Spighi, Eleuterio S., Giancarlo S., Achim S., Sandro T., Marco T., Giacomo T., Tioukov V., Valle S.M., Vanstalle M., Villa M., Ulrich W., A. Zoccoli, Battistoni G., Servoli L., Tommasino F., Dong, Yunsheng, Gianluigi, Silvestre, Sofia, Colombi, Alexandrov, Andrey, Behcet, Alpat, Giovanni, Ambrosi, Stefano, Argirò, Arteche Diaz, Raul, Mattia, Barbanera, Nazar, Bartosik, Nicola, Belcari, Elettra, Bellinzona, Silvia, Biondi, Bisogni, Maria Giuseppina, Graziano, Bruni, Pietro, Carra, Piergiorgio, Cerello, Esther, Ciarrocchi, Alberto, Clozza, De Lellis, Giovanni, Del Guerra, Alberto, De Simoni, Micol, Di Crescenzo, Antonia, Di Ruzza, Benedetto, Marco, Donetti, Durante, Marco, Veronica, Ferrero, Emanuele, Fiandrini, Christian, Finck, Elisa, Fiorina, Marta, Fischetti, Marco, Francesconi, Matteo, Franchini, Gaia, Franciosini, Galati, Giuliana, Luca, Galli, Valerio, Gentile, Giuseppe, Giraudo, Ronja, Hetzel, Enzo, Iarocci, Maria, Ionica, Keida, Kanxheri, Kraan, Aafke Christine, Valeria, Lante, La Tessa, Chiara, Martina, Laurenza, Lauria, Adele, Lopez Torres, Ernesto, Michela, Marafini, Cristian, Massimi, Ilaria, Mattei, Alberto, Mengarelli, Andrea, Moggi, Montesi, Maria Cristina, Morone, Maria Cristina, Matteo, Morrocchi, Silvia, Muraro, Livio, Narici, Alessandra, Pastore, Nadia, Pastrone, Patera, Vincenzo, Francesco, Pennazio, Pisana, Placidi, Marco, Pullia, Fabrizio, Raffaelli, Luciano, Ramello, Riccardo, Ridolfi, Valeria, Rosso, Claudio, Sanelli, Alessio, Sarti, Gabriella, Sartorelli, Osamu, Sato, Simone, Savazzi, Lorenzo, Scavarda, Angelo, Schiavi, Christoph, Schuy, Emanuele, Scifoni, Adalberto, Sciubba, Alexandre, Sécher, Marco, Selvi, Mario, Sitta, Roberto, Spighi, Eleuterio, Spiriti, Giancarlo, Sportelli, Achim, Stahl, Sandro, Tomassini, Marco, Toppi, Giacomo, Traini, Tioukov, Valeri, Valle, Serena Marta, Vanstalle, Marie, Villa, Mauro, Ulrich, Weber, Antonio, Zoccoli, Battistoni, Giuseppe, Servoli, Leonello, Tommasino, Francesco, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Silicon, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, medicine.medical_treatment, Nuclear physics, chemistry.chemical_element, 01 natural sciences, Microstrip, Optics, nuclear physics, Silicon microstrip detector, silicon microstrip detector, 0103 physical sciences, medicine, Perpendicular, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], 010306 general physics, Instrumentation, Image resolution, Physics, drift chamber, Particle therapy, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Projectile, business.industry, Settore FIS/04, Settore FIS/07, Detector, chemistry, Nuclear physic, Drift chamber, business, Beam energy
Abstract

The study that we present is part of the preparation work for the setup of the FOOT (FragmentatiOn Of Target) experiment whose main goal is the measurement of the double differential cross sections of fragments produced in nuclear interactions of particles with energies relevant for particle therapy. The present work is focused on the characterization of the gas-filled drift chamber detector composed of 36 sensitive cells, distributed over two perpendicular views. Each view consists of six consecutive and staggered layers with three cells per layer. We investigated the detector efficiency and we performed an external calibration of the space–time relations at the level of single cells. This information was then used to evaluate the drift chamber resolution. An external tracking system realized with microstrip silicon detectors was adopted to have a track measurement independent on the drift chamber. The characterization was performed with a proton beam at the energies of 228 and 80 MeV. The overall hit detection efficiency of the drift chamber has been found to be 0 . 929 ± 0 . 008 , independent on the proton beam energy. The spatial resolution in the central part of the cell is about 150 ± 10 μ m and 300 ± 10 μ m and the corresponding detector angular resolution has been measured to be 1 . 62 ± 0 . 16 mrad and 2 . 1 ± 0 . 4 mrad for the higher and lower beam energies, respectively. In addition, the best value on the intrinsic drift chamber resolution has been evaluated to be in the range 60 − 100 μ m. In the framework of the FOOT experiment, the drift chamber will be adopted in the pre-target region, and will be exploited to measure the projectile direction and position, as well as for the identification of pre-target fragmentation events.

Published
2021

18. Resuscitation With Vitamin C, Hydrocortisone, and Thiamin in Children With Septic Shock: A Multicenter Randomized Pilot Study.

Author

Schlapbach LJ, Raman S, Buckley D, George S, King M, Ridolfi R, Harley A, Cree M, Long D, Erickson S, Singh P, Festa M, Gibbons K, and Bellomo R

Subjects
Child, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Ascorbic Acid therapeutic use, Hydrocortisone therapeutic use, Multiple Organ Failure, Pilot Projects, Thiamine therapeutic use, Infant, Child, Preschool, Adolescent, Shock, Shock, Septic therapy
Abstract

Objectives: Adjunctive therapy with vitamin C, hydrocortisone, and thiamin has been evaluated in adults, but randomized controlled trial (RCT) data in children are lacking. We aimed to test the feasibility of vitamin C, hydrocortisone, and thiamin in PICU patients with septic shock; and to explore whether the intervention is associated with increased survival free of organ dysfunction., Design: Open-label parallel, pilot RCT multicenter study. The primary endpoint was feasibility. Clinical endpoints included survival free of organ dysfunction censored at 28 days and nine secondary outcomes, shock reversal, and two proxy measures of intervention efficacy., Setting: Six PICUs in Australia and New Zealand., Patients: Children of age between 28 days and 18 years requiring vasoactive drugs for septic shock between August 2019 and March 2021., Interventions: Patients were assigned 1:1 to receive 1 mg/kg hydrocortisone every 6 hours (q6h), 30 mg/kg ascorbic acid q6h, and 4 mg/kg thiamin every 12 hours (n = 27), or standard septic shock management (n = 33)., Measurements and Main Results: Sixty of 77 (78%) eligible patients consented with 91% of approached parents providing consent. The median time from randomization to intervention was 44 (interquartile range [IQR] 29-120) min. Seventy of seventy-seven (28%) patients had received IV steroids before randomization. Median survival alive and free of organ dysfunction was 20.0 (0.0-26.0) days in the intervention and 21.0 (0.0-25.0) days in the standard care group. Median PICU length of stay was 5.3 (2.5-11.3) days in the intervention group versus 6.9 (3.0-11.5) days in the control group. Shock reversal occurred at a median of 35.2 (14.6-101.2) hours in the intervention group versus 47.3 (22.4-106.8) hours in the standard care group (median difference -12 hr; 95% CI, -56.8 to 32.7 hr)., Conclusions: In children requiring vasopressors for septic shock, a protocol comparing adjunctive treatment with high-dose vitamin C, hydrocortisone, and thiamin versus standard care was feasible. These findings assist in making modifications to the trial protocol to enable a better-designed larger RCT., Competing Interests: Drs. Schlapbach and Long received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council Practitioner Fellowship, the Children`s Hospital Foundation, the Emergency Medicine Foundation Queensland, Financial Markets for Children Australia, the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation, and Children’s Health Queensland Study, Education and Research Trust Account grant. Dr. George’s institution received funding from Gold Coast Hospital Foundation and Emergency Medicine Foundation. Drs. Singh and Festa’s institution received funding from the University of Queensland. The remaining authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies.)

Published
2024
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19. Resuscitation in Paediatric Sepsis Using Metabolic Resuscitation-A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (RESPOND PICU): Study Protocol and Analysis Plan.

Author

Schlapbach LJ, Gibbons K, Ridolfi R, Harley A, Cree M, Long D, Buckley D, Erickson S, Festa M, George S, King M, Singh P, Raman S, and Bellomo R

Abstract

Introduction: Septic shock remains amongst the leading causes of childhood mortality. Therapeutic options to support children with septic shock refractory to initial resuscitation with fluids and inotropes are limited. Recently, the combination of intravenous hydrocortisone with high dose ascorbic acid and thiamine (HAT therapy), postulated to reduce sepsis-related organ dysfunction, has been proposed as a safe approach with potential for mortality benefit, but randomized trials in paediatric patients are lacking. We hypothesize that protocolised early use of HAT therapy ("metabolic resuscitation") in children with septic shock is feasible and will lead to earlier resolution of organ dysfunction. Here, we describe the protocol of the Resuscitation in Paediatric Sepsis Using Metabolic Resuscitation-A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (RESPOND PICU). Methods and Analysis: The RESPOND PICU study is an open label randomized-controlled, two-sided multicentre pilot study conducted in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in Australia and New Zealand. Sixty children aged between 28 days and 18 years treated with inotropes for presumed septic shock will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either metabolic resuscitation (1 mg/kg hydrocortisone q6h, 30 mg/kg ascorbic acid q6h, 4 mg/kg thiamine q12h) or standard septic shock management. Main outcomes include feasibility of the study protocol and survival free of organ dysfunction censored at 28 days. The study cohort will be followed up at 28-days and 6-months post enrolment to assess neurodevelopment, quality of life and functional status. Biobanking will allow ancillary studies on sepsis biomarkers. Ethics and Dissemination: The study received ethical clearance from Children's Health Queensland Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/18/QCHQ/49168) and commenced enrolment on June 12th, 2019. The primary study findings will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12619000829112). Protocol Version : V1.8 22/7/20., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Schlapbach, Gibbons, Ridolfi, Harley, Cree, Long, Buckley, Erickson, Festa, George, King, Singh, Raman, Bellomo and the RESPOND PICU study investigators and the Australian New Zealand Intensive Care Society Paediatric Study Group (ANZICS PSG).)

Published
2021
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20. Traces of heavy metals in children toenails as a bio-indicator of environmental exposure in Forlì (Northern Italy): an observational study.

Author

Ridolfi R, Gentilini P, Renzetti S, and Lucchini RG

Subjects
Child, Environmental Monitoring, Humans, Italy epidemiology, Environmental Exposure analysis, Metals, Heavy analysis, Nails chemistry
Abstract

Objectives: to assess the concentration of heavy metals in the nails of children aged 6-9 years residing in Forlì (Emilia-Romagna Region, Northern Italy)., Design: biomonitoring survey., Setting and Participants: in March 2017, a total of 236 toenail samples were collected, 221 of them were eligible; the concentration of 23 metals were measured in these eligible samples., Main Outcome Measures: a spatial analysis was conducted, considering home addresses as grouped in the four macroareas in which the local territory is administratively divided., Results: In the two North-Center and East areas - which include various industrial operations, two waste incinerators and a motorway - the total concentration of all metals resulted 60% higher than in the West and South areas. Given the lack of Italian reference values, comparison tests between areas were performed for aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), which concentrations were detectable in over 50% of the subjects. Higher concentrations were observed in the East area compared with the other areas, with statistical significance for Al (vs North-Center), Cu and Zn (vs West), and Al and Mn (vs South). Further comparisons showed significantly higher concentration of Cu in Nord-Center vs West, which in turn had higher concentrations of Zn compared to the Southern area. By applying a Tobit regression to evaluate possible confounding factors, a marginally significant correlation resulted for the nail concentration of Mn among children practicing outdoor sports and eating locally grown vegetables. The consumption of local vegetables was at the limits of significance also for Cd., Conclusions: the data obtained came from a voluntary and crowdfunded study and suggest a possible relationship between the exposure to air pollutants and subsequent accumulation of metals in the nails. Further and more detailed epidemiological studies are warranted to identify the exposure sources and to yield preventive intervention.

Published
2020
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21. Biomonitoring of Metals in Children Living in an Urban Area and Close to Waste Incinerators.

Author

Di Ciaula A, Gentilini P, Diella G, Lopuzzo M, and Ridolfi R

Subjects
Adult, Child, Environmental Exposure, Environmental Monitoring, Humans, Metals, Urban Population, Biological Monitoring, Environmental Pollutants, Incineration, Metals, Heavy
Abstract

The impact of waste incinerators is usually examined by measuring environmental pollutants. Biomonitoring has been limited, until now, to few metals and to adults. We explored accumulation of a comprehensive panel of metals in children free-living in an urban area hosting two waste incinerators. Children were divided by georeferentiation in exposed and control groups, and toenail concentrations of 23 metals were thereafter assessed. The percentage of children having toenail metal concentrations above the limit of detection was higher in exposed children than in controls for Al, Ba, Mn, Cu, and V. Exposed children had higher absolute concentrations of Ba, Mn, Cu, and V, as compared with those living in the reference area. The Tobit regression identified living in the exposed area as a significant predictor of Ba, Ni, Cu, Mn, and V concentrations, after adjusting for covariates. The concentrations of Ba, Mn, Ni, and Cu correlated with each other, suggesting a possible common source of emission. Exposure to emissions derived from waste incinerators in an urban setting can lead to body accumulation of specific metals in children. Toenail metal concentration should be considered a noninvasive and adequate biomonitoring tool and an early warning indicator which should integrate the environmental monitoring of pollutants.

Published
2020
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22. The search for a melanoma-tailored chemotherapy in the new era of personalized therapy: a phase II study of chemo-modulating temozolomide followed by fotemustine and a cooperative study of GOIM (Gruppo Oncologico Italia Meridionale).

Author

Guida M, Tommasi S, Strippoli S, Natalicchio MI, De Summa S, Pinto R, Cramarossa A, Albano A, Pisconti S, Aieta M, Ridolfi R, Azzariti A, Guida G, Lorusso V, and Colucci G

Subjects
Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Brain Neoplasms mortality, Brain Neoplasms secondary, DNA Modification Methylases antagonists & inhibitors, DNA Repair Enzymes antagonists & inhibitors, Drug Administration Schedule, Drug Resistance, Neoplasm drug effects, Female, Humans, Male, Melanoma mortality, Melanoma secondary, Middle Aged, Nitrosourea Compounds administration & dosage, Organophosphorus Compounds administration & dosage, Prognosis, Progression-Free Survival, Skin Neoplasms mortality, Skin Neoplasms pathology, Temozolomide administration & dosage, Treatment Outcome, Tumor Suppressor Proteins antagonists & inhibitors, Young Adult, Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating administration & dosage, Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols administration & dosage, Brain Neoplasms drug therapy, Melanoma drug therapy, Skin Neoplasms drug therapy
Abstract

Background: It is frequently asked whether chemotherapy can still play a role in metastatic melanoma considering the effectiveness of the available drugs today, including antiCTLA4/antiPD1 immunotherapy and antiBRAF/antiMEK inhibitors. However, only approximately half of patients respond to these drugs, and the majority progress after 6-11 months. Therefore, a need for other therapeutic options is still very much apparent. We report the first large trial of a sequential full dose of fotemustine (FM) preceded by a low dose of temozolomide (TMZ) as a chemo-modulator in order to inactivate the DNA repair action of O(6)-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT). Primary endpoints were overall response and safety. We also evaluated specific biological parameters aiming to tailor these chemotherapies to selected patients., Methods: A total of 69 consecutive patients were enrolled. The main features included a median age of 60 years (21-81) and M1c stage, observed in 74% of the patients, with brain metastases in 15% and high LDH levels in 42% of the patients. The following schedule was used: oral TMZ 100 mg/m 2 on days 1 and 2 and FM iv 100 mg/m 2 on day 2, 4 h after TMZ; A translational study aiming to analyse MGMT methylation status and base-excision repair (BER) gene expression was performed in a subset of 14 patients., Results: We reported an overall response rate of 30.3% with 3 complete responses and a disease control rate of 50.5%. The related toxicity rate was low and mainly of haematological types. Although our population had a very poor prognosis, we observed a PFS of 6 months and an OS of 10 months. A non-significant correlation with response was found with the mean expression level of the three genes involved in the BER pathway (APE1, XRCC1 and PARP1), whereas no association was found with MGMT methylation status., Conclusion: This schedule could represent a good alternative for patients who are not eligible for immune or targeted therapy or whose previous therapies have failed., Trial Registration: EUDRACT 2009-016487-36l ; date of registration 23 June 2010.

Published
2018
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24. Dendritic cell vaccination for metastatic melanoma: a 14-year monoinstitutional experience.

Author

de Rosa F, Ridolfi L, Fiammenghi L, Petrini M, Granato AM, Ancarani V, Pancisi E, Soldati V, Cassan S, Bulgarelli J, Framarini M, Tauceri F, Migliori G, Brolli C, Gentili G, Petracci E, Nanni O, Riccobon A, Ridolfi R, and Guidoboni M

Subjects
Female, Humans, Male, Melanoma pathology, Middle Aged, Skin Neoplasms pathology, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome, Cancer Vaccines therapeutic use, Dendritic Cells immunology, Melanoma drug therapy, Skin Neoplasms drug therapy
Abstract

Although immunomodulating antibodies are highly effective in metastatic melanoma, their toxicity, related to the activation of T lymphocytes, can be severe. Anticancer vaccines promote a fairly specific response and are very well tolerated, but their effectiveness has yet to be demonstrated. We have been treating patients with advanced melanoma with an autologous dendritic cell vaccine since 2001; to better characterize the safety and efficacy of our product, we designed a retrospective study on all of our patients treated with the vaccine to date. We retrospectively reviewed both case report forms of patients included in clinical trials and medical records of those treated within a compassionate use program. Response was assessed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors criteria and toxicity has been graded according to CTCAE 4.0. Although the response rate has been rather low, the median overall survival of 11.4 months and the 1-year survival rate of 46.9% are encouraging, especially considering the fact that data were obtained in a heavily pretreated population and only about one quarter of the patients had received ipilimumab and/or BRAF inhibitors. Multivariate analysis confirmed that the development of an immune response was significantly correlated with a better prognosis (hazard ratio 0.54; P=0.019). The adverse events observed were generally mild and self-limiting. Our analysis confirms the excellent tolerability of our vaccine, making it a potential candidate for combination therapies. As efficacy seems largely restricted to immunoresponsive patients, future strategies should aim to increase the number of these patients.

Published
2017
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25. Safety and immunogenicity of the PRAME cancer immunotherapeutic in metastatic melanoma: results of a phase I dose escalation study.

Author

Gutzmer R, Rivoltini L, Levchenko E, Testori A, Utikal J, Ascierto PA, Demidov L, Grob JJ, Ridolfi R, Schadendorf D, Queirolo P, Santoro A, Loquai C, Dreno B, Hauschild A, Schultz E, Lesimple TP, Vanhoutte N, Salaun B, Gillet M, Jarnjak S, De Sousa Alves PM, Louahed J, Brichard VG, and Lehmann FF

Abstract

Purpose: The PRAME tumour antigen is expressed in several tumour types but in few normal adult tissues. A dose-escalation phase I/II study (NCT01149343) assessed the safety, immunogenicity and clinical activity of the PRAME immunotherapeutic (recombinant PRAME protein (recPRAME) with the AS15 immunostimulant) in patients with advanced melanoma. Here, we report the phase I dose-escalation study segment., Patients and Methods: Patients with stage IV PRAME-positive melanoma were enrolled to 3 consecutive cohorts to receive up to 24 intramuscular injections of the PRAME immunotherapeutic. The RecPRAME dose was 20, 100 or 500 µg in cohorts 1, 2 and 3, respectively, with a fixed dose of AS15. Adverse events (AEs), including predefined dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and the anti-PRAME humoral response (ELISA), were coprimary end points. Cellular immune responses were evaluated using in vitro assays., Results: 66 patients were treated (20, 24 and 22 in the respective cohorts). AEs considered by the investigator to be causally related were mostly grade 1 or 2 injection site symptoms, fatigue, chills, fever and headache. Two DLTs (grade 3 brain oedema and proteinuria) were recorded in two patients in two cohorts (cohorts 2 and 3). All patients had detectable anti-PRAME antibodies after four immunisations. Percentages of patients with predefined PRAME-specific-CD4+T-cell responses after four immunisations were similar in each cohort. No CD8+ T-cell responses were detected., Conclusions: The PRAME immunotherapeutic had an acceptable safety profile and induced similar anti-PRAME-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in all cohorts. As per protocol, the phase II study segment was initiated to further evaluate the 500 µg PRAME immunotherapeutic dose., Trial Registration Number: NCT01149343, Results., Competing Interests: Employment: MG (GSK group of companies); NV (GSK group of companies); BS (GSK group of companies); SJ (GSK group of companies); PMDeSA (GSK group of companies); FFL (GSK group of companies); JL (GSK group of companies); VGB (GSK group of companies). Stock Ownership: SJ (GSK group of companies), FFL (GSK group of companies); JL (GSK group of companies); VGB (GSK group of companies); PMDeSA (GSK group of companies). Honoraria: BD (Roche, GSK, BMS), DS (GSK, Roche, BMS, Amgen, Novartis, Merck/MSD), JJG (GSK, BMS, Roche, Amgen, MSD, Novartis, Meda), AT (BMS, GSK, Amgen, Roche), AH (Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Eisai, GSK, MedImmune, MelaSciences, Merck Serono, MSD/Merck, Novartis, Oncosec, Roche Pharma), RG (GSK, Roche, BMS, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Janssen, Amgen, Merck Serono, Boehringer, Almirall Hermal), JU (Roche, GSK, BMS), PA (BMS, Roche/Genentech, GSK, Ventana), RR (BMS, GSK), ES (Novartis, BMS, DermaPharm), TL (GSK, BMS, Merck, Roche). Consultant or Advisory Role: BD (Roche, BMS, GSK), DS (GSK, Roche, BMS, Amgen, Novartis, Merck/MSD), JJG (GSK, BMS, Roche, Amgen, MSD, Novartis, Meda), AT (BMS, GSK, Amgen, Roche), AH (Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Eisai, GSK, MedImmune, MelaSciences, Merck Serono, MSD/Merck, Novartis, Oncosec, Roche Pharma), RG (GSK, BMS, Roche, Novartis, Almirall Hermal, MSD, Amgen), JU (Roche, GSK), PA (BMS, Roche/Genentech, MSD, GSK, Ventana, Novartis, Amgen), PQ (GSK, Roche, Bristol, MSD), CL (Roche, BMS, MSD), ES (BMS). Speakers’ Bureau: DS (GSK; Roche, BMS, Amgen, Novartis, Merck/MSD), JJG (GSK), RG (GSK), JU (Roche), CL (Roche, BMS, MSD, Leo), TL (GSK, Merck, Roche), LD (GSK, BMS, Roche, MSD). Research funding: BD (Roche, GSK), DS (Merck), JJG (Roche), AH (trial grants from Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Eisai, GSK, MelaSciences, Merck Serono, MSD/Merck, Novartis, Oncosec, Roche Pharma), RG (Roche, Novartis, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson), PA (BMS, Roche/Genentech, Ventana). Patents, royalties, other intellectual property: ES (Royalties from Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research for contribution to a patent on human tumor antigen). Travel, accommodations, expenses: BD (Roche, BMS), DS (GSK, Roche, BMS, Amgen, Novartis, Merck/MSD), AT (Oncovision), RG (Roche, BMS), JU (Roche, GSK), PQ (Roche, GSK, MSD), CL (Roche, BMS, Leo), TL (Roche). EL, LR, AS declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Published
2016
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26. Three-year follow-up of advanced melanoma patients who received ipilimumab plus fotemustine in the Italian Network for Tumor Biotherapy (NIBIT)-M1 phase II study.

Author

Di Giacomo AM, Ascierto PA, Queirolo P, Pilla L, Ridolfi R, Santinami M, Testori A, Simeone E, Guidoboni M, Maurichi A, Orgiano L, Spadola G, Del Vecchio M, Danielli R, Calabrò L, Annesi D, Giannarelli D, Maccalli C, Fonsatti E, Parmiani G, and Maio M

Subjects
Adult, Aged, Antibodies, Monoclonal administration & dosage, Brain Neoplasms mortality, Brain Neoplasms secondary, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Ipilimumab, Male, Melanoma mortality, Melanoma pathology, Middle Aged, Neoplasm Staging, Nitrosourea Compounds administration & dosage, Organophosphorus Compounds administration & dosage, Prognosis, Skin Neoplasms mortality, Skin Neoplasms pathology, Survival Rate, Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols therapeutic use, Biological Therapy mortality, Brain Neoplasms drug therapy, Melanoma drug therapy, Skin Neoplasms drug therapy
Abstract

Background: In the NIBIT-M1 study, we reported a promising activity of ipilimumab combined with fotemustine in metastatic melanoma (MM) patients with or without brain metastases. To corroborate these initial findings, we now investigated the long-term efficacy of this combination., Patients and Methods: This analysis captured the 3-year outcome of MM patients who received ipilimumab combined with fotemustine as first- or second-line treatment. Median overall survival (OS), 3-year survival rates, immune-related (ir) progression-free survival (irPFS), brain PFS, and ir duration of response (irDOR) for the entire population and for patients with brain metastases were assessed. Clinical results were correlated with circulating CD3(+)CD4(+)ICOS(+)CD45RO(+) or CD45RA(+) T cells, neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratios, and tumorBRAF-V600 mutational status., Results: Eighty-six MM patients, including 20 with asymptomatic brain metastases that had been pre-treated with radiotherapy in 7 subjects, were enrolled in the study. With a median follow-up of 39.9 months, median OS and 3-year survival rates were 12.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 7.1-18.7 months] and 28.5% for the whole study population, and 12.7 months (95% CI 2.7-22.7 months) and 27.8% for patients with brain metastases, respectively. Long-term ir adverse events consisting of G1 rush and pruritus occurred in 21% of patients. The absolute increase from baseline to week 12 in 'memory' but not in 'naïve' T cells identified patients with a better survival (P = 0.002). The N/L ratio correlated with a significantly better survival at early time points. BRAF status did not correlate with clinical outcome., Conclusions: Long-term analysis of the NIBIT-M1 trial continues to demonstrate efficacy of ipilimumab combined with fotemustine in MM patients. Fotemustine does not seem to impair the immunologic activity of ipilimumab., Eudract Number: 2010-019356-50., Cinicaltrialsgov: NCT01654692., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Published
2015
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27. [SENTIERI studies: scientific evidence and lack of use for prevention].

Author

Di Ciaula A, Romagnoli C, and Ridolfi R

Subjects
Biodegradation, Environmental, Environmental Exposure, Environmental Policy, Environmental Pollutants adverse effects, Government Agencies, Health Policy, Humans, Industrial Waste, Italy, Population Surveillance, Primary Prevention organization & administration, Risk Assessment, Risk Reduction Behavior, Environmental Health
Abstract

Studies from SENTIERI project have been crucial to show high-risk levels (mortality and morbidity) in communities living close to polluted sites. Despite the presence of some methodological limits, these studies represent a strong invitation towards primary prevention, also considering a possible underestimation of the health risk. The same pollutants responsible for the results showed in the SENTIERI studies are able to induce diseases (i.e., endocrine-metabolic diseases, spontaneous abortion, foetal malformations, autism, neurologic diseases) still unevaluated or not evaluable considering the actually available tools. SENTIERI illustrated only part of the health risk involving about 6 millions of Italians exposed since decades to environmental toxics, generated by legally approved plants. The well-documented health effects (avoidable since years) should be wider if a more extensive concept of «polluted site» was considered, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA) indications. It is ethically unacceptable to drive a model of public health based on damage recording in large communities living since decades in risky areas, absolutely neglecting preventive risk analysis. The clear results from SENTIERI did not induce great attention in politicians, who should be the main drivers of primary prevention measures. Our Country is not structured to act primary prevention actions, an unfeasible target in the short-medium term. Remediation measures were not effectively started or concluded in any of the examined sites; in some of these, additional polluting plants were realised, delaying the risk reduction. Health and environmental policies have not travelled on capable ways, until now. It is crucial to open collaborative and participative path to epidemiologists and experts skilled in environmental medicine to draw plans for prevention, which could be rapidly and effectively useful.

Published
2015

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