Experimental data collection and modelling of dry deposition velocities for urban surfaces

Dry deposition process is recognized as an important pathway among the removal processes of radioactive pollutants in atmosphere. There is not a unique and accepted theoretical description of involved dry deposition phenomena due to the complexity of the fluid-dynamic processes that influence the deposition flux, but also because there is a lack of experimental data covering all scenarios of interest. In this paper, that is the result of a National Research Program a research activity conducted by DEIM Department of the University of Palermo and ENEA and funded by the Italian Minister of Economic Development, a new schema for parameterization of particle dry deposition velocity on urban are…

Fattibilità di una diversa configurazione della facility SPES-3

Analysis of a full-scale integral test in PERSEO facility by using TRACE code

Over the last decades a lot of experimental researches have been done to increase the reliability of passive decay heat removal systems implementing in-pool immersed heat exchanger. In this framework, a domestic research program on innovative safety systems was carried out leading the design and the development of the PERSEO facility at the SIET laboratories. The configuration of the system consists of an heat exchanger contained in a small pool which is connected both at the bottom and at the top to a large water reservoir pool. Within the frame of a national research program funded by the Italian minister of economic development, the DEIM department of the University of Palermo in coopera…

Validazione e Verifica (V&V) di CATHARE2 e TRACE sul Programma Sperimentale SPES-2

Bathy-morphological analysis of submarine canyons across the north-western Sicily continental slope

We present here the results of the morpho-bathymetric analyses of the main submarine canyons along the upper slope off the north-western Sicily. This region developed during the Neogene as the transition area between the Sicilian fold and thrust belt and the Tyrrhenian basin realm. Along the upper slope, a dense network of submarine canyon develops from 80 m water depth up to more than 2000 m, showing a large variability of sizes and morphology. In this area submarine canyons play a crucial role related to the along-slope sedimentary transport and are among the most distinctive features of the submarine seascape. This study is based on a quantitative analysis of a high resolution multibeam …

Suture intradermiche totali

Two kind of total intradermal suture techniques are described in the present report. These procedures allow an effective reduction of post-operative pain of surgical wound, prevent infections, cut down tissutal trauma, achieve better aesthetic results, making easier postoperative patient''s management. From January 2001 to December 2007, 1,427 patients underwent surgical treatment and the wounds have been sewn with self-locking knots or intradermal skin closure with introflecting knots. This kind of procedures allow a sharp reduction of postoperative pain as well as the incidence of wound infections. Also the number of wound medication required after surgery is significantly reduced.

Surgical vascular access in the porcine model for long-term repeatedblood sampling

A simple technique for implanting a long-term jugular catheter in piglets under general anesthesia is described. We report our experience in 10 young female pigs with a body weight of 20-30 Kg. The surgical procedure involves implantation of a jugular central venous catheter (11Fr polyurethane) tunneled in the subcutaneous fat layer of the neck. This procedure may be performed in about 15 minutes. The maintenance of the catheter is described which allows several daily blood samples to be taken. This procedure reduces both the stress in piglets and the chance of catheter dislodgement due to the animals scratching or rubbing. Blood sampling can be easily performed with a low incidence of infe…

Analysis of a Station Black-Out transient in SMR by using the TRACE and RELAP5 code

The present paper deals with the investigation of the evolution and consequences of a Station Black-Out (SBO) initiating event transient in the SPES3 facility [1]. This facility is an integral simulator of a small modular reactor being built at the SIET laboratories, in the framework of the R&D program on nuclear fission funded by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and led by ENEA. The SBO transient will be simulated by using the RELAP5 and TRACE nodalizations of the SPES3 facility. Moreover, the analysis will contribute to study the differences on the code predictions considering the different modelling approach with one and/or three-dimensional components and to compare the capa…

Transient analysis of "2 inch Direct Vessel Injection line break" in SPES-2 facility by using TRACE code

In the past few decades a lot of theoretical and experimental researches have been done to understand the physical phenomena characterizing nuclear accidents. In particular, after the Three Miles Island accident, several reactors have been designed to handle successfully LOCA events. This paper presents a comparison between experimental and numerical results obtained for the “2 inch Direct Vessel Injection line break” in SPES-2. This facility is an integral test facility built in Piacenza at the SIET laboratories and simulating the primary circuit, the relevant parts of the secondary circuits and the passive safety systems typical of the AP600 nuclear power plant. The numerical analysis her…

STUDIO CLINICO RANDOMIZZATO DEL THYMOGLOBULIN/ALEMTUZUMAB VS. THYMOGLOBULIN/DACLIZUMAB COME INDUZIONE COMBINATA (CON ELIMINAZIONE DI CORTICOSTEROIDI) NEL TRAPIANTO RENALE: ANALISI DI UN ANNO

Introduzione: Uno studio prospettico randomizzato che valuta l’efficacia del Thymoglobulin (Thymo) in combinazione con l’Alemtuzumab (CH1) versus Daclizumab (DAC) deve ancora essere riportato. Materiali e metodi: Da Febbraio 2006 a Ottobre 2008, 148 riceventi di trapianto di rene da donatore cadavere (DC) e da donatore vivente (DV) HLA non identico furono randomizzati in due gruppi (N=74 per gruppo): il gruppo A (THYMO/CH1) e il gruppo B (THYMO/DAC) con ridotto dosaggio di tacrolimus (livelli target di 6-8 ng/ml), micofenolato sodico (EC-MPS) 360 mg due volte al giorno per il gruppo A e 720 mg due volte al giorno per il gruppo B ed eliminazione dei corticosteroidi ad una settimana dall’inte…

UNA NUOVA STRATEGIA TERAPEUTICA NEI PAZIENTI RICEVENTI TRAPIANTO DI RENE DA DONATORE VIVENTE SENSIBILIZZATI CON ANTICORPI ANTI-HLA SPECIFICI CONTRO IL DONATORE

Introduzione: I riceventi sensibilizzati con anticorpi anti-HLA specifici contro il donatore (ASD) hanno un elevato rischio di rigetto anticorpo e cellulo-mediato. Un nuovo approccio terapeutico è stato designato per affrontare questo problema presso il nostro centro. Materiali e metodi: Da Gennaio a Dicembre 2007, 19 pazienti con ASD hanno ricevuto un trapianto di rene da donatore vivente (11 da donatori consanguinei, 8 da non consanguinei). Tutti i pazienti hanno ricevuto un singolo trattamento plasmaferetico prima dell’intervento. La terapia di induzione prevedeva Thymoglobulin 1 mg/Kg per 3 dosi (trapianto pediatrico) o 5 dosi (ritrapianto), Zenapax 1mg/kg (2 dosi), Rituxan 375 mg/m2 (1…

ENDOTRACHEAL STENT IN A CASE OF SEVERE TRACHEAL STENOSIS FROM RELAPSING GOITER

Objectives:The surgical approach for tracheal complications in thyroidectomy sometimes requires tracheotomy in urgency for supporting the airways flow (especially in presence of giant goiter). Nevertheless, tracheotomy, even if necessary to guarantee the restoration of respiratory function, it can not be considered as definitive therapy in presence of alterations of trachea (i.e. stenosis) susceptible to heal. An useful help in clinical management comes by tracheal prosthesis as we showed in a case of a giant relapsing multinodular goiter. Materials and methods: A 72 yr old woman, affected by giant relapsing goiter rapidly growing, came to our observation with severe orthopnea, due to steno…

A NEW KIND OF DISPOSABLE AUTOSTATIC SURGICAL RETRACTOR IN INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR

Objectives: The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a new kind of disposable autostatic surgical retractor in hernias procedures in order to achieve an easier, faster, and safer surgical intervention. Material and Methods: Between January and March 2008, 42 inguinal hernioplasty procedures have been performed using the 3PAWS model of ReeTrakt™ a self-retaining, low profile retractor. Equivalent patients samples, in which operations were performed using conventional retraction devices, were considered for comparison of the intra and postoperative results. Results: In all of the 42 inguinal hernioplasty procedures performed, the ReeTrakt™ system has simplified the perform…

PROFILASSI UNIVERSALE CONTRO IL CITOMEGALOVIRUS CON VALGANCICLOVIR NEI SOGGETTI RICEVENTI TRAPIANTO DI RENE

Introduzione: In questo studio descriviamo l’incidenza di infezione da citomegalovirus (CMV) e della malattia da CMV dopo profilassi universale contro il CMV con valganciclovir orale in un gruppo di pazienti riceventi trapianto di rene trattati in differenti studi clinici randomizzato con un potente regime immunosoppressivo. Metodi: Da Maggio 2000 a Ottobre 2008, 622 riceventi (R) il primo trapianto di rene da donatore (D) vivente e cadavere furono randomizzato in differenti protocolli. Questo report descrive in dettaglio l’incidenza dell’infezione e della malattia da CMV. Tutti i pazienti furono trattati con ganciclovir® endovenoso per 3 giorni, seguito dalla somministrazione orale quotidi…

INCIDENZA DEL DIABETE MELLITO TIPO 2 DOPO TRAPIANTO COMBINATO RENE-PANCREAS

Introduzione: Scopo di questo studio è determinare il tasso di incidenza del diabete mellito (DM) tipo 2 dopo trapianto combinato di rene-pancreas (SPK). Materiali e metodi: da Settembre 2000 a Gennaio 2008, è stato eseguito uno studio randomizzato a lungo termine, prospettico, in un singolo centro su 164 riceventi di SPK con drenaggio endocrino sistemico ed esocrino vescicale, comparando la rapamicina (Gruppo A, n=82) vs micofenolato mofetile (Gruppo B, n=82). La terapia all’induzione incluse in entrambi i gruppi l’uso di daclizumab (1mg/kg, 2 dosi) e timoglobulina (1mg/kg, 5 dosi). La terapia immunosoppressiva di mantenimento in entrambi i gruppi incluse inoltre tacrolimus e corticosteroi…

SUCCESFULLY TREATED HEMOLITIC UREMIC SYNDROME (HUS) BY PLASMA APHERESIS AFTER KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION

Objectives: The HUS is a rare disease; it exists a kind related to acute toxicity by Cyclosporine on the short time following kidney transplantation. Although the causes of this syndrome are still unclear, data from the literature show that patients with high levels of Reactive Antibodies (PRA test), Alport syndrome (as primitive renal disease), or which have history of HUS present a higher risk of HUS after renal transplantation. Materials and Methods: We report a case of a 58 yr old woman whose cause of uremia we did not know dependent on an episode of HUS. The patients underwent renal transplantation from deceased donor and treated with Cyclosporine, Mycophenolate Mofetil and steroids as…

RITRAPIANTO DI PANCREAS DOPO RICORRENZA DI DIABETE MELLITO (DM) AUTOIMMUNE NEL PANCREAS TRAPIANTATO

Introduzione: Il trapianto di pancreas rappresenta un trattamento efficace per la cura del diabete mellito (DM) tipo 1. Tuttavia alcuni pazienti sviluppano anticorpi anti-insule dopo il trapianto che sono in grado di distruggere il pancreas endocrino e culminare in DM ricorrente difficile da gestire. Materiali e metodi: uno studio retrospettivo è stato eseguito su pazienti che hanno ricevuto il ri-trapianto di pancreas per fallimento dell’organo trapiantato dopo trapianto combinato rene-pancreas (SPK) tra 1990 e 2008 presso il nostro centro. Furono analizzati i dati clinici, di laboratorio, istopatologici ottenuti dagli studi immunologici. Risultati: su un totale di 16 ri-trapianti di pancr…

USE OF HARMONIC SCALPEL FOR BRACHIO-BASILIC VEIN TRANSPOSITION IN AUTOGENOUS PROXIMAL ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULA

Objectives: This study evaluates the effectiveness and helpfulness of ultrasonic surgical device for atraumatic surgical dissection and hemostasis in brachio-basilic vein transposition. Since prosthetic grafts have been reached poor results and high costs, the primary use of autogenous AVF is recommended. Materials and Methods: From March 2004 to March 2009 67 cases (61 F ; 6 M; mean age 52 years) of brachio-basilic arteriovenous fistulae (BBAVF) were fashioned; in second stage, after vein maturation (about 30 days), we performed a superficial transposition of arterialized basilic vein by harmonic scalpel (UltracisionTM).. Results : On 67 cases of transposition of BBAVF 2 cases failed after…

USO DEL BISTURI AD ULTRASUONI IN UN CASO DI DISSEZIONE "DIFFICILE" DEI VASI ILIACI IN CORSO DI TRAPIANTO DI RENE

Introduzione: La preparazione “difficile” dei vasi iliaci nel ricevente causata da uno stato di fibrosi serrata periavventiziale con linfoadenomegalia satellite a volte è gravata da complicanze nel post trapianto ( linfocele, sieroma ed ematoma). Le aderenze tra l’asse vascolare iliaco e soprattutto la linfoadenomegalia sono spesso dovute al cateterismo femorale. Materiali e metodi: Il caso clinico riguarda una paziente di 60 anni, da circa 4 anni in dialisi per insufficienza renale cronica di n.d.d. con fibrosi periavventiziale dell’asse iliaco e linfoadenomegalia satellite da cateterismo femorale bilaterale. In corso di trapianto di rene la preparazione dei vasi iliaci è stata effettuata …