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This study explored the use of machine learning to optimize low-friction microstructures for plastic syringe applications, eliminating the need for silicone oil. Machine learning was employed to analyze available experimental data collected from the literature and identify key microstructure features affecting the coefficient of friction (COF) reduction. An artificial neural network (ANN) was used to analyze how the features affect COF reduction. The contact pressure primarily influenced the magnitude of % COF reduction, with higher contact pressure leading to a decrease in % COF reduction. A lower pitch increased % COF reduction due to a smaller contact area. Microdimples were generally more effective at reducing friction than micropillars or protruded structures. Two-photon polymerization (TPP) was employed to fabricate microdimpled prototypes, and friction tests validated the ANN predictions. Experimental validation demonstrated up to 57% friction reduction on microdimpled surfaces, with pitch and aspect ratio identified as the most critical factors. While some discrepancies were observed between ANN predictions and experimental outcomes, the machine learning model effectively highlighted the relative significance of different factors. This study demonstrates the potential of combining machine learning with advanced manufacturing techniques to enhance the performance of microtextured surfaces for friction reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite the importance of adherence to immunosuppressants (IMMs) after an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for the treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD), no studies to date have reported the experiences of such patients concerning medication adherence (MA). Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore the perspective on MA to immunosuppressive oral therapy among allogeneic HSCT patients with aGvHD. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study following a reflexive thematic analysis methodological approach was performed involving a purposive sample of 16 patients with aGvHD who were being cared for in the outpatient setting of a bone marrow transplant centre and were willing to participate. Semi-structured audio-recorded interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed; member checking was performed. COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ) and the ESPACOMP Medication Adherence Reporting Guideline were followed. Results: Participants aged 25–74 years and mostly males (62.5%) were recruited for this study; 56.2% developed grade I, 37.5% grade II and 6.3% grade III aGvHD; 56.2% were receiving treatment with both cyclosporine and prednisone. Patients' perspectives have been summarised into four themes, named: “Transiting from an external obligation to a habit”; “Being in the middle between the negative and positive effects of the IMMs”; “Failure to systematically respect the rules”; and “Adopting personal strategies to become adherent”. After difficulties with the perception of feeling obliged, patients became used to adhering to IMMs. Although there were failures in systematically taking the medication correctly and there were episodes of non-adherence, the adoption of personal strategies helped patients to become adherent to their medication schedules. Conclusions: MA in patients with aGvHD is a complex behaviour and is often a challenge. These results can help healthcare professionals and centres to understand how best to design tailored strategies and behavioural interventions to maximise patients’ MA to IMMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers are versatile materials widely used in various industries, with significant applications in biomedicine where biofouling on polymer surfaces presents major health and economic challenges. Biofouling, initiated by bacterial adhesion, can be mitigated by modifying surface properties through laser micro- and nano-texturing, an approach that offers advantages over chemical treatments. This study introduces an economical mass production process for textured polymeric components using injection molding to replicate hierarchical textures. Testing revealed that all textured samples significantly reduced bacterial adhesion compared to untextured surfaces across different designs and bacteria types after 24 h of culture. The study examined factors like wettability, nanoscale roughness, and pattern dimensions to explain these outcomes, comparing them with existing studies. Despite all textured samples showing decreased wettability and roughness, these factors alone did not ensure reduced bacterial adhesion. The most effective anti-adhesive performance was observed in surfaces with parallel ridge patterns, which segmented the surface into isolated areas that limited bacterial interaction and hindered micro-colony formation, highlighting the importance of specific surface patterning in combating biofouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study investigates a model of general equilibrium banking that incorporates moral hazard and incentive mechanisms for bank risk-taking, with a particular focus on deposit market competition. Our findings reveal that when banks compete perfectly in the deposit market, it leads to maximal welfare and an optimal level of bank failure risk. This outcome remains valid even if the risk of failure for competitive banks is higher than that of banks with monopoly rents, and it is not affected by social costs associated with bank failures. Our model suggests that there is no trade-off between bank competition and financial stability. Our results support the empirical findings of Carlson, Correia, and Luck (J Polit Econ 130(2): 462–520, 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of the CRISPR-Cas toolbox is highly needed to accelerate the development of therapies for genetic diseases. Here, through the interrogation of a massively expanded repository of metagenome-assembled genomes, mostly from human microbiomes, we uncover a large variety (n = 17,173) of type II CRISPR-Cas loci. Among these we identify CoCas9, a strongly active and high-fidelity nuclease with reduced molecular size (1004 amino acids) isolated from an uncultivated Collinsella species. CoCas9 is efficiently co-delivered with its sgRNA through adeno associated viral (AAV) vectors, obtaining efficient in vivo editing in the mouse retina. With this study we uncover a collection of previously uncharacterized Cas9 nucleases, including CoCas9, which enriches the genome editing toolbox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Grape (Vitis labrusca L.) processing results in some residues, such as bagasse, which still contains many bioactive compounds from the fruit. Considering that food processing residues are very promising sources of value-added materials, their recovery has emerged as a priority at a global level. Therefore, we sought to obtain grape bagasse extracts with antioxidant and antiproliferative activity in Hepatoma Tissue Culture (HTC) cells. Methods: We obtained the extracts using solvents considered safe for human health, viz. ethanol and ethyl acetate, by the immersion method at 35 °C. The MTT test was used to evaluate the cytotoxic/antiproliferative activity in 24, 48, and 72 h with 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 250, 500, 750, 1000, and 2500 µg of extract mL−1 of culture medium. Results: Ethanol extract showed 9% of mass yield (MY) and 196.5 µM of TEAC 100 g−1 for antioxidant potential (AP) and ethyl acetate extract 5% of MY and 178.8 µM of TEAC 100 g−1 for AP. After 24 h, neither extract showed cytotoxicity to the tumor cells; after 48 h, both extracts provided an increase in cell viability; and after 72 h, both the ethyl acetate extract (50, 75, and 100 µg m−1) and ethanolic extract (all concentrations) were cytotoxic to HTC cells. Conclusion: The extracts showed antioxidant activity and induced mortality of HTC tumor cells after 72 h, and the ethanolic extract showed better results than ethyl acetate extract in relation to the bioactivities evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a soft sensor–based digital twin (DT) was developed to reduce the startup time in manufacturing plastic tubes and enable real-time product quality monitoring, i.e., the weight per unit length and the inner and outer diameters of the tube. An experimental campaign was conducted on a real tube extrusion line using three polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compounds and different process conditions, and machine learning regression algorithms were trained and tested to create the models of the extruder and the extrusion die the DT is based on. The characterization of the considered material, whose properties were given as input to the digital models, was carried out according to a procedure based only on the data collected by the production line. The DT was tested for the startup of the production of a single-layer tube and allowed to achieve the specified customer requirements (thickness and weight) in a few minutes. The proposed solution thus proved to be a valuable tool for reducing the setup time, thus increasing the efficiency of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the manufacturing process of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes, the required thickness and weight depend on the extruder flow rate. The extruder setup can be very time-consuming and inefficient since it requires adjusting the screw rotational speed by trial and error, as the relation between the flow rate and the rotational speed is not known a priori. Furthermore, it is also affected by the material properties, the melt temperature, and the pressure drop in the die. Direct measuring the flow rate or the tube thickness would require expensive gravimetric dosers or X-ray systems, respectively. Therefore, a soft sensor was developed to monitor tube thickness and its weight per unit length. Two alternative approaches are proposed to predict the extruder flow rate under wall slip conditions: one is based on a developed analytical model and one on data-driven algorithms. Results show that machine learning regression models can achieve high predictive performance (a relative error of 1.2% using a support vector regressor). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational drug repositioning aims at ranking and selecting existing drugs for novel diseases or novel use in old diseases. In silico drug screening has the potential for speeding up considerably the shortlisting of promising candidates in response to outbreaks of diseases such as COVID-19 for which no satisfactory cure has yet been found. We describe DrugMerge as a methodology for preclinical computational drug repositioning based on merging multiple drug rankings obtained with an ensemble of disease active subnetworks. DrugMerge uses differential transcriptomic data on drugs and diseases in the context of a large gene co-expression network. Experiments with four benchmark diseases demonstrate that our method detects in first position drugs in clinical use for the specified disease, in all four cases. Application of DrugMerge to COVID-19 found rankings with many drugs currently in clinical trials for COVID-19 in top positions, thus showing that DrugMerge can mimic human expert judgment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to carry out the physical–chemical characterization, assess the functional potential and sensory analysis of bread made with 2.10, 5, 7.1 and 10% of cajá-manga peel flour (Spondias cytherea Sonn.; CMPF), using a mixture experimental design. CMPF showed high antioxidant activity and content of phenolic compounds (PCs). Breads showed a reduction in PC content due to the baking process; however, it still maintained a fraction of them, in greater quantity in breads containing CMPF. In general, the formulations showed good scores for sensory acceptability, with emphasis on formulations with lower addition of CMPF, being flavor and texture the most influential attributes. Formulations containing from 5 to 10% of CMPF (presented higher correlation for physical–chemical variables and PCs) differed from those containing from 0.0 to 2.10% of CMPF (presented higher correlation for texture variables), through principal component (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Therefore, the addition of CMPF in breads, especially to a concentration of 5%, is an effective alternative for using fruit residue, obtaining a product with antioxidant potential, which contributes to the popularization of cajá-manga consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we report light-induced rotation of millimeter-sized objects driven by their non-symmetric shape. The light-induced torque is originated by the thermal gradient on different sides of the teeth of star-shaped objects floating on liquid surfaces that leads to unbalanced surface tension due to the Marangoni effect. The dependence of the angular rotation on the number of teeth is demonstrated. The angular velocity is linearly dependent on the light intensity and follows a simple time behavior typical of objects moving under fluid friction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffractive microstructured surfaces are nowadays increasingly applied to polymeric parts for aesthetic, security and optical functionalities. However, both the machining of the mould blaze-grating and its replication on plastic are still representing challenging issues, from both the technical and economical points of view. In this work, an innovative process chain based on carbide tools micromilling of mould gratings was developed for mass production of diffractive patterns on injection moulded parts. A micromilling experimental campaign was conducted on a nickel-phosphorus (NiP) thick coating to machine a blaze-grating on the mould surface, evaluating the influence of the cutting parameters on the diffractive surface quality. Subsequently, the microstructures were replicated on ABS, PC and PMMA by injection moulding. The roughness parameters Sk, Spk and Svk were added with the idea that their sum is representative of the polymer replication of regular diffraction grating pattern. Moreover, the effect of the moulded grating surface quality on the optical performance was preliminarily assessed. The obtained results show that the proposed process chain is suitable for low-cost mass production of polymeric parts with diffractive microstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genes are organized in functional modules (or pathways), thus their action and their dysregulation in diseases may be better understood by the identification of the modules most affected by the disease (aka disease modules, or active subnetworks). We describe how an algorithm based on the Core&Peel method is used to detect disease modules in co-expression networks of genes. We first validate Core&Peel for the general task of functional module detection by comparison with 42 methods participating in the Disease Module Identification DREAM challenge. Next, we use four specific disease test cases (colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis), four state-of-the-art algorithms (ModuleDiscoverer, Degas, KeyPathwayMiner, and ClustEx), and several pathway databases to validate the proposed algorithm. Core&Peel is the only method able to find significant associations of the predicted disease module with known validated relevant pathways for all four diseases. Moreover, for the two cancer datasets, Core&Peel detects further eight relevant pathways not discovered by the other methods used in the comparative analysis. Finally, we apply Core&Peel and other methods to explore the transcriptional response of human cells to SARS-CoV-2 infection, finding supporting evidence for drug repositioning efforts at a pre-clinical level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suboptimal meta-analyses with misleading conclusions are frequently published in the health areas, and they can compromise decision making in clinical practice. Aimofthereview: This systematic review aimed to map the characteristics of published meta-analyses of pharmacy services and their association with the study conclusions. Method: We searched electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) to identify published meta-analyses of pharmacy services up to January 2019. Components of meta-analyses were extracted (i.e. studies' metadata; methods used in the systematic review; description of the statistical model used for the meta-analysis; main results; conflict of interest and funding source). The methodological quality was evaluated using the R-AMSTAR tool. Results: A total of 85 meta-analyses were included, with 2016 as the median publication year. Overall, the methodological quality of meta-analyses of pharmacy services was considered suboptimal. Only one-third of authors registered a protocol; complete search strategy and raw data were provided by 55.3% and 9.4% of studies, respectively. Evidence strength (GRADE) was evaluated in only 19.2% of studies. PRISMA and Cochrane recommendations were stated to be followed in 60% and 27.4% of articles, respectively. Around half of studies performed sensitivity analysis, however, the prediction interval was presented by only one meta-analysis. Studies that favoured the pharmacists' interventions poorly discussed the methodological quality and heterogeneity of primary trials. Conclusion: Poor conduction and reporting were observed in meta-analyses of pharmacy services, especially in those that favoured the pharmacist's interventions. Reproducibility and transparency should be rigorously ensured by journal editors and peer-reviewers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show how the impact of a government bailout in the form of liquidity assistance on the ex ante effort of a representative bank depends on the volatility of its investment. The bank's investment delivers a cashflow that follows a geometric Brownian motion and the government guarantees the bank's liabilities. To counter the bank's expectations of a bailout, the government may choose a tighter liquidity policy when the bank's effort is not observable. This tighter liquidity induces more prudent ex ante behavior by the bank, but it may have the opposite effect when investment volatility is high. This novel effect arises because the bank could be discouraged to be prudent precisely because the chances of receiving liquidity assistance are low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) may be complicated by severe hypertension (HT) and in turns severe HT can occur with neurological damage mimicking a GBS, so that underlying causes should be investigated. We describe a case of a 62-year-old woman presented to the emergency department for hypertensive crisis with symmetric flaccid paralysis, hypotonia and hyporeflexia of both upper and lower limbs. Brain computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and lumbar puncture were normal. Laboratory investigations revealed severe hypokalemia, renal failure, liver impairment, rabdomyolysis, metabolic alkalosis, and low plasma renin and aldosterone levels. Continuous potassium replacement led to complete clinical resolution. A detailed history revealed chronic intake of 250 g/day black liquorice. Hypokalaemic muscle weakness may simulate a GBS. When serum potassium level falls below 2.5 mmol/l, rhabdomyolysis may occur. In this clinical case, an apparent mineralocorticoid excess syndrome was induced by chronic ingestion of liquorice. This latter contains the glycyrrhetic acid that inhibits the enzyme 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme type-2 leading an aldosterone-like effect and causing hypertension, hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis and low renin values. The clinical presentation is similar to that observed in the primary aldosteronism, but in this syndrome plasma aldosterone levels are low rather than elevated as in primary aldosteronism. Liquorice-induced hypertension with severe hypokalemia and rhabdomyolysis is a rare condition and the initial presentation with acute muscle paralysis is still more unusual. Before performing instrumental examinations in middle-aged peoples with hypertension crisis and neurological impairment, a detailed clinical history is mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound injection molding has emerged as an alternative production route for the manufacturing of micro-scale polymeric components, where it offers significant benefits over the conventional micro-injection molding process. In this work, the effects of ultrasound melting on the mechanical and morphological properties of micro-polypropylene parts were characterized. The ultrasound injection molding process was experimentally compared to the conventional micro-injection molding process using a novel mold, which allows mounting on both machines and visualization of the melt flow for both molding processes. Direct measurements of the flow front speed and temperature distributions were performed using both conventional and thermal high-speed imaging techniques. The manufacturing of micro-tensile specimens allowed the comparison of the mechanical properties of the parts obtained with the different processes. The results indicated that the ultrasound injection molding process could be an efficient alternative to the conventional process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A broad range of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is available. However, the efficacy and safety of traditional DMTs compared with the recently developed DMTs remain unclear.Objective: Therefore, we have synthesised available evidence of clinical outcomes for DMTs in adults with RRMS.Methods: PubMed, Scopus and a manual search were performed. Bayesian network meta-analyses of randomised clinical trials assessing DMTs as monotherapies were conducted. SUCRA and GRADE were used to rank therapies and to assess quality of general evidence, respectively.Results: Thirty-three studies were included in the meta-analyses. The most effective therapies for the outcome of annualised relapse rate were alemtuzumab (96% probability), natalizumab (96%) and ocrelizumab (85%), compared with all other therapies (hazard ratio versus placebo, 0.31, 0.31 and 0.37, respectively; p < 0.05 for all comparisons) (high-quality evidence). However, no significant differences among these three therapies were found. Discontinuation due to adverse events revealed similarity across all therapies, except for alemtuzumab, which showed less discontinuation when compared with interferon-1a intramuscular (relative risk 0.37; p < 0.05).Conclusion: High-quality evidence shows that alemtuzumab, natalizumab and ocrelizumab present the highest efficacy among DMTs, and other meta-analyses are required regarding adverse events frequency, to better understand the safety of therapies. Based on efficacy profile, guidelines should consider a three-category classification (i.e. high, intermediate and low efficacy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The form accuracy of microinjection-molded parts is significantly affected by the friction at the interface with the mold during the ejection phase. In this work, an ultrasound-assisted ejection system was designed and tested for different polymers (PS, COC, and POM) and mold topographies. The proposed innovative solution aims at reducing the ejection friction by decreasing the adhesion component of the frictional force, which is controlled by the real contact area generated during the filling phase of the injection molding process. The experiments indicate a positive effect of ultrasound vibration on the friction force values acquired during ejection, with a maximum reduction of 16% for PS. The effect depends on polymer selection and it increases for higher mold roughness. Moreover, the combined effect on the ejection force of mold surface roughness, melt viscosity during filling and polymer elastic modulus at ejection was modeled to the experimental data. This demonstrated that the effect of ultrasound vibration on the ejection friction reduction is due to the heating of the contact interface and the consequent reduction of the polymer elastic modulus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optic pathway glioma (OPG) represents the most common central nervous system tumor in children with Neurofibromatosis type-1 (NF1). Although overall survival is usually good, no clear prognostic factors have been identified so far. We assessed the natural history of OPG in a cohort of unselected patients affected by NF1. We retrospectively evaluated 414 consecutive patients affected by NF1 and referred to our NF1 clinic before age 6. Average follow-up was 11.9 years: 52 out of 414 patients had OPG with a total cumulative incidence of 15.4% at age 15 (Kaplan-Meier estimate) and a statistically significant difference according to sex. Brain and orbit MRI was performed in 44.7% of patients: 34.6% for screening purposes and 65.4% because of the presence of neurological, ocular or other symptoms. OPG was diagnosed in 12.5% of cases in the first group, whereas in 36.4% in the latter group (p = 0.001). Clinical management was conservative in most patients, while 8 of them underwent therapy mainly because of visual deterioration. OPG was diagnosed earlier in treated patients, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conversely, all patients who underwent screening MRI had normal visual outcome. In conclusion, OPG location does not correlate with need for treatment; female patients were more frequently affected by OPG but not more frequently treated. OPG diagnosis by screening MRI does not affect the natural history of the tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete and uniform replication of micro-structured functional surfaces is still challenging, even using state-of-the-art micro injection molding technologies, thus hindering the development of new optical and bio-medical applications. Injection-compression molding is a candidate process to overcome the inherent limitations of conventional injection molding by evening the polymer pressure inside the cavity. However, injection-compression molding is characterized by a more complex process control, especially when a rapid heat cycle molding is adopted. In this work, the applicability of variothermal injection-compression molding for the manufacturing of high aspect ratio micro-structured surfaces was experimentally investigated. To achieve the required replication accuracy the study and the optimization of process parameters were carried out, considering the factors that control the compression phase, which pushes the hesitating polymer into micro features. The results show how the optimization of process parameters that are related to the compression phase can be effective to improve and level the replication of high aspect ratio micro features. Moreover, the critical issues arising from the selection of very high mold temperature were investigated, controlling the breakage of the replicated micro features inside the mold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro injection molding enables the manufacture of micro-scale features with good accuracy at high production rates. However, the replication of complex micro and nano features is still challenging hindering the development of new functional surface topographies. The marked thermal gradient between injected polymer and mold surface and the reduced dimensions promote a rapid drop of melt temperature that causes the incomplete filling of the micro features. This study aims to investigate the combined effects of vacuum venting and mold wettability on the replication of micro-structured surfaces. A low-viscosity polystyrene and a cyclic olefin copolymer were selected and their wetting properties were evaluated. The results showed that a polymer with high wetting properties and an elevated viscosity dependence on temperature improves the replication of the micro features. Moreover, high interfacial effects can be exploited to significantly enhance the filling ratio when applying vacuum venting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In critically ill patients with permissive hyperglycemia, it is uncertain whether exogenous insulin administration suppresses or enhances c-peptide secretion (a marker of pancreatic beta-cell response). We aimed to explore this effect in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: We prospectively enrolled a cohort of 45 critically ill patients with type 2 diabetes managed according to a liberal glucose protocol (target blood glucose 10-14 mmol/l). We recorded the administration of insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents and measured plasma c-peptide as surrogate marker of endogenous insulin secretion on the first two consecutive days in ICU. Results: Overall, 20 (44.4%) patients required insulin to achieve target blood glucose. Insulin-treated patients had higher glycated hemoglobin A1c, more premorbid insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes, and greater blood glucose levels but lower c-peptide levels on admission. Premorbid insulin-requiring diabetes was independently associated with lower admission c-peptide, whereas greater plasma creatinine was independently associated with higher levels. Increases in c-peptide were positively correlated with an increase in blood glucose both in patients who did ( r = 0.54, P = 0.01) and did not ( r = 0.56, P = 0.004) receive insulin. However, insulin administration was independently associated with a greater increase in c-peptide ( P = 0.04). This association was not modified by the use of oral insulin secretagogues. Conclusions: C-peptide, a marker of beta-cell response, responds to and is influenced by glycemia and renal function in critically ill patients with type 2 diabetes. In addition, in our cohort, exogenous insulin administration was associated with a greater increase in c-peptide in response to hyperglycemia. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12615000216516). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a simple general equilibrium model in which investment in a risky technology is subject to moral hazard and banks can extract market power rents. We show that more bank competition results in lower economy-wide risk, higher social welfare, lower bank capital ratios, more efficient production plans and Pareto-ranked real allocations. Perfect competition supports a second best allocation and optimal levels of bank risk and capitalization. These results are at variance with those obtained by a large literature that has studied a similar environment in partial equilibrium, they are empirically relevant, and carry significant implications for policy guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of vacuum venting for the removal of air from mould cavity has been introduced in injection moulding with the intent to enhance micro/nano features replication and definition. The technique is adopted to remove air pockets trapped in the micro-features, which are out of reach for conventional venting technologies and can create considerable resistance to the melt filling flow. Nonetheless, several studies have revealed a negative effect on replication that could possibly arise from the application of vacuum venting. Although the incomplete filling of micro-scale features has often been attributed to poor venting, the limited research examining the application of vacuum venting has produced mixed results. In this work, the effect of air evacuation was experimentally investigated, monitoring mould and polymer temperature evolution during the micro injection moulding process by means of a high-speed infrared camera and a sapphire window, which forms part of the mould wall. The results show that air evacuation removes a mould surface heating effect caused by rapid compression of the air ahead of the flow front and subsequent conduction of that heat into the mould surface. Hence, with the increase of the surface-to-volume ratio in micro-cavities, air evacuation has a detrimental effect on the cavity filling with polymers that are sensitive to changes of the mould temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An intragastric balloon is a non-surgical device enhancing a sensation of early satiety and reducing food intake. The aim of this study is to analyze the results in terms of weight loss and patient satisfaction undergoing intragastric balloon implantation. Methods: Air-filled and water-filled devices were used. All patients were participated in strict follow-up programs. Weight, body mass index (BMI), total body weight loss (TWL), percentage of excess weight loss (EWL), and satisfaction degree were taken into account. Results: Eighty-one patients completed a 6-month period with a device in place; 72 of them were then contacted for a follow-up at 12.3 ± 2.4 months post-removal. During treatment period, in 76 cases (93.8 %), a statistically significant reduction in weight was observed. A statistically meaningful linear correlation between a 3-month EWL (or TWL) and a 6-month EWL (or TWL) was found. At the end of endoscopic treatment, a significant link between baseline BMI and EWL >20 % was found. Sixty-three percent of the patients were not satisfied with the procedure, did not deem useful to change their diet, and refused to perform it again. Conclusions: In our study, at device removal and 1 year thereafter, a statistically significant reduction in weight was observed. Most of the patients were found to have a weight loss more than the cut-off of 20 %. The weight reached at the third month appears to be predictive of the effectiveness of endoscopic treatment. Data showed an overall dissatisfaction with procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hartmann procedure (HP) consists of a sigmoidectomy followed by a terminal colostomy in the left iliac fossa and closure of the rectal stump. Although done as a temporary procedure, up to 74 % of patients will not have stoma reversal with subsequent negative impact on the quality of life. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE (PubMed), The Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, and the articles from January 2000 until December 2015, edited in English, Italian and French, prospective or retrospective, were analyzed. Outcome variables included number of patients, mean age, sex, etiology of Hartmann's procedure, time interval between initial procedure and reversal procedure (in days), mean operative time (in minutes), number of patients converted to open surgery, causes of conversion, length of hospital stay, mortality, and complication rates. For the purpose of this review, only 21 studies were considered for the final analysis and a total of 681 patients were evaluated. The mean time interval between the initial procedure and the reversal (reported in 18 articles) was 181.6 days (range 95-330 days), while the mean operative time (reported in 20 articles) was 163.2 min (range 62-285). Overall, 80 patients (11.7 %) were converted to open technique. The length of hospitalization was between 3 and 12 days. The mortality rate was reported in 19 articles and was 0.7 % (5 patients). 113 patients (16.6 %) underwent post-operative complications. The HP reversal is a challenging procedure, but it can be safely performed laparoscopically providing various advantages when compared to the open technique and it should be proposed only to a selected group of patients, young and without a severe peritonitis at the first operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurofibromatosis type I is a genetic condition with an autosomal dominant transmission characterized by neurocutaneous involvement and a predisposition to tumor development. Central nervous system manifestations include benign areas of dysmyelination and possibly hazardous glial tumors whose clinical management may result challenging. Here, we report on three patients diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis type I whose brain MRI follow-up showed the presence of gadolinium-enhancing lesions which spontaneously regressed. In none of the three cases, the lesions showed any clinical correlate and eventually presented a striking reduction in size while gadolinium enhancement disappeared despite no specific therapy administration during the follow-up. Although their nature remains undetermined, these lesions presented a benign evolution. However, they might be misdiagnosed as potentially life-threatening tumors. Hitherto, a similar behavior has been described only in scattered cases and we believe these findings may be of particular interest for the clinical management of patients affected by neurofibromatosis type I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A way to measure flow rate inside a microchannel using a contactless optical technique is reported. The optofluidic device consists of a Bragg grating written on a soft wall, namely a Mylar stripe glued on the top of a microfluidic channel. Diffraction of a white-light probe beam is used to detect the small displacements of the grating caused by the liquid flowing inside the microchannel. A simple model of the hydraulic circuit gives theoretical expressions for the response time of the diffracted signal allowing to fit the experimental data and determine the applied flow rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroimaging is increasingly used in the study of peripheral nerve diseases, and sometimes may have a pivotal role in the diagnostic process. We report on three patients with atypical chronic inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) in whom magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nerve Ultrasound (US) were crucial for a correct diagnostic work-out. A literature review on MRI and US in acquired demyelinating polyneuropathies is also provided. Awareness of the imaging features of CIDP will assist in confirmation of the diagnosis, institution of the appropriate therapy, and prevention of inadequate or delayed treatment in atypical CIDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing vehicle weight to reduce energy consumption and engine emissions is one of the major objectives of the automotive industry. The novel molding technology, presented in this paper, is suited to meet this demand. In this process, a thermoformed fiber-reinforced thermoplastic sheet is inserted into the mold and a long-fiber reinforced thermoplastic is injected to form a rib structure. Short cycle times make the technique an economic option for the manufacturing of hybrid high performance composites. This special integrative injection molding method optimizes efficiencies and thus energy consumption. A basic concept was realized to show the manufacture procedure. The mechanism of adhesion bonding between the long fiber thermoplastic material and the formed fabric and the influence of the main injection molding process parameters on the adhesion quality was experimentally investigated according to the Design of Experiments method. Then experimental tests were used to measure the structural properties of hybrid composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Peripheral, acute or chronic, neurotoxicity is one of the main dose-limiting adverse effects of oxaliplatin (OXA). Acute neurotoxicity is typically characterized by distal and perioral cold-induced paresthesias and dysesthesias, but other uncommon symptoms might also be present. Objectives: The aim of this post hoc analysis of data extracted from a prospective, multicenter study was to assess the incidence of uncommon acute OXA neurotoxicity symptoms in patients undergoing OXA-based chemotherapy. Methods: One hundred chemotherapy-naïve patients (62 males, 38 females, aged 64.7 ± 8.7 years) with colorectal cancer scheduled to receive OXA-based therapy (FOLFOX-4, FOLFOX-6, and XELOX) underwent neurologic evaluation after the 1st infusion and then after 3 and 6 months of OXA-based chemotherapy (after 6th or 4th and 12th or 8th cycles, respectively, according to regimen). At evaluation, patients were asked to report the presence and characteristics of acute hyperexcitability symptoms. Results: Eighty-two patients presented typical symptoms of acute OXA neurotoxicity in the form of cold-induced paresthesias and dysesthesias. In 45/82 (54.9 %) of patients, uncommon symptoms were also present; shortness of breath (32 %), jaw spasm (26 %), fasciculations (25 %), cramps (20 %), and difficulty in swallowing (18 %) were more frequently reported, while voice (4 %) and visual changes, ptosis and pseudolaryngospasm (1 %) occurred rarely. No significant correlation was disclosed between acute OXA neurotoxicity and chemotherapy regimen, cumulative dose of OXA or patients' age. Conclusions: A high percentage of patients treated with OXA-based chemotherapy develop acute neurotoxicity also with uncommon manifestations. Since OXA acute neurotoxicity might be related to the onset of chronic neurotoxicity, these patients should be closely monitored to avoid this dose-limiting adverse effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropathic pain is a disabling symptom frequently reported by patients with neuropathies. Pain-questionnaires are the best way to investigate it. Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) questionnaire specifically assesses the different symptoms of neuropathic pain. The objective of this study was to evaluate, through the NPSI, the different neuropathic painful symptoms in a population of neuropathic patients. 277 patients with different neuropathies were evaluated with the NPSI to investigate the prevalence of the different neuropathic symptoms. Neuropathic pain was reported by 94.4% of the patients, resulting to be common not only in diabetic and iatrogenic neuropathies, but also in hereditary, paraproteinemic, and idiopathic neuropathies. The majority of our patients (88.6%) presented paresthesia/dysesthesia. The results of our study point out the difference in the occurrence of the painful symptoms. A scale able to discriminate distinct types of neuropathic pain may provide clinicians with adequate therapeutic choices in the daily practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-injection moulding (micro-moulding) is a process which enables the mass production of polymer micro-products. In order to produce high-quality injection moulded micro-parts, a crucial aspect to be fully understood and optimised is the filling of the cavity by the molten polymer. As a result, the relationships between the filling pattern and the different process parameter settings have to be established. In this paper, a novel approach based on the use of weld lines as flow markers to trace the development of the flow front during the filling is proposed. The effects on the filling stage of process parameters such as temperature of the melt, temperature of the mould, injection speed and packing pressure have been investigated. An optical coordinate measuring machine has been employed for the investigation. The micro-cavity, which presents micro-features ranging from 600 μm down to 150 μm, has been manufactured by micro-electrodischarge machining. A commercially available polystyrene grade polymer has been moulded using a high-speed injection moulding machine. The design of experiment technique was employed to determine the effect of the process parameters on the filling phase of the micro-cavity. In addition, extensive measuring uncertainty analysis was performed to validate the experimental plan. Results show that the temperature of the mould and the injection speed are the most influencing process parameters during the injection moulding of a micro-component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a preliminary investigation on applicability of Single Point Incremental Forming techniques (SPIF) to composite laminates. Initially the possibility of quickly and economically forming sheet metal moulds with complex geometry was evaluated. Then experimental tests were conducted to achieve the direct incremental forming of composite laminates. Different types of diaphragm were considered to avoid wrinkling and to improve the composite adhesion. The first results showed how this automated and flexible process is particularly suited for forming composite/metal hybrid materials. These laminates, consisting of alternating layers of thin metal sheet and composite, are used for their excellent damage tolerance properties, such as fatigue and impact resistance. In order to evaluate the possibility of simultaneously forming aluminium and composite sheets, different configurations of Fiber Metal Laminates (FML) were tested. Finally, compression tests were carried out to compare ductile fracture limits of the aluminium sheet and the FML. The preliminary experimental investigations reported in this paper show how moulds with complex geometry can be realized by SPIF. Choosing sufficiently stiff diaphragm and using vacuum to conform the composite materials, wrinkle-free parts can be formed in an incremental fashion, even if problems of non-uniform resin distribution still need to be solved. Moreover, FML with different configurations can be formed successfully, significantly improving the mechanical properties of sheet metal structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer injection moulding is a process widely used to produce components in a lot of different applications. One of the most critical aspects related to this process is to control the warpage of the parts after the extraction from the mould. Numerical simulations can predict a part warpage by using specific warpage models. Among numerical codes, Autodesk Moldflow Insight® uses a Corrected In Mold Residual Stress (CRIMS) model, that calculate the residual stresses develop during the moulding process. Warpage is then predicted calculating the deformations of the component induced by the considered stresses. Using experimental and numerical techniques, a new identification procedure was introduced to evaluate the six parameters of the CRIMS model included in the Moldflow® material properties database. The study was conducted on a box for an automotive application made of polypropylene. On the base of a complete rheological, thermal and physical characterization of the employed material, a numerical simulation of the process was implemented, integrating it with an optimization procedure to identify the values of the CRIMS parameters that force numerical results to fit measured deformations. As this procedure was very time consuming, requiring to run several computationally intensive simulations, artificial neural networks were employed to approximate numerical results with lower computational time. Results were verified with independent samples, showing good correspondence between experimental results and numerical calculated deformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently the use of injection moulded bonded magnets has become very widespread. This is mainly due to the interesting price of injection moulded magnets. However the process is actually limited by some critical aspects that are related to rheological and thermal properties of the melt. Compared to a non-filled polymer melt, the high filler content (about 90% in weight), leads to a much higher viscosity, heavily affected by temperature. Furthermore, injection moulding of bonded magnets is characterized by high cooling rate, due to the high diffusivity of the metal filler. This can often lead to a premature gate freezing, negatively affecting the quality of the moulded part. Therefore, a reliable no-flow temperature is a prerequisite for a robust numerical simulation of the process. This paper presents a full characterization of the no-flow temperature of a commercial polyamide-based compound. To this aim, a method based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been compared with another approach that relies on rheological data. Great attention was paid to evaluate the influence of cooling rate on no-flow temperature and a regression model was proposed for describing the relation between these two variables. Furthermore, a comparison between numerical and experimental results was carried out in order to validate the numerical simulation of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the processing of fibre-reinforced thermoplastics, such as in extrusion and injection moulding, fibre breakage takes place and the average fibre length is reduced. This reduction in length might result in a loss of reinforcement efficiency because the mechanical properties of the composite strongly depend on residual fibre length. For this reason an accurate measure of the fibre length obtained at different process conditions is necessary to relate it with the process parameters. The most used method for determining a fibre length distribution is performed measuring the fibre length by image analysis from micrographs. In the case of thermoplastics reinforced with long fibres, the inability to measure the longer fibres may lead to an underestimation of the average fibre length and thus the correlation between the process parameters and the fibre damage is impaired. In this paper a new procedure is proposed, based on template matching and image mosaic, allowing the measure of fibres of any size. Furthermore this technique allows a researcher to consider all the fibre contained within the specimen. The results obtained with this new procedure is a more accurate estimation of the average fibre length and its distribution even with fibres longer than the available sizes of the micrographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To cope with environmental variability, animals should gather and use information to reduce uncertainty. In insect parasitoids, associative learning has been widely documented in the context of host foraging. However, despite its potential adaptive value, the insect food searching strategy and cues used to search are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the ability of hymenopteran Venturia canescens females to associate food to a visual cue. To broaden the scope of our results, experiments were performed with both arrhenotokous (sexual) and thelytokous (asexual) individuals. The wasps showed innate attraction for yellow and orange stimuli when presented versus blue stimuli. When trained to associate a food reward with one of the attractive colours (orange), they significantly moved from a distance towards the colour previously associated with food. The choice of the innately preferred colour (yellow) was not modified by associative learning. In the context of food foraging, this study is the first to show associative learning using visual stimuli in a parasitoid and active choice of this colour. This ability gives new insights concerning potential food sources for V. canescens in the field, since flowers are sugar sources, which emit colour signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents some preliminary investigations on applicability of Single Point Incremental Forming techniques (SPIF) to thermoplastic materials. A 24-1 fractional factorial design of experiments with three replications was performed to investigate the effects of forming parameters on material formability. To study the formability of the thermoplastic sheets, a cone-shaped part with circular generatrix with varying wall angles with respect to depth was considered. The formability of SPIF to the thermoplastic sheets can be defined in terms of the maximum wall angle reached without tearing and/or failure. This angle was measured at position where the mechanical failure of the deformed sheet occurred such as wrinkling, crushing and tearing. It is concluded that the existing knowledge and know-how of sheet metal on SPIF process can be applied to thermoplastic sheets that has potential and preeminent benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]