0000000000385274
AUTHOR
S. Pecoraro
Detection, characterization and sizing of hydrogen induced cracking in pressure vessels using phased array ultrasonic data processing
Abstract Pressure vessels operating in sour service conditions in refinery environments can be subject to the risk of H₂S cracking resulting from the hydrogen entering into the material. This risk, which is related to the specific working conditions and to the quality of the steel used, shall be properly managed in order to maintain the highest safety at a cost-effective level. Nowadays the typical management strategy is based on a risk based inspection (RBI) evaluation to define the inspection plan used in conjunction with a fitness for service (FFS) approach in defining if the vessel, although presenting dangerous defects such as cracks, can still be considered “fit for purpose” for a giv…
How radical prostatectomy procedures have changed over the last 10 years in Italy: a comparative analysis based on more than 1500 patients participating in the MIRROR-SIU/LUNA and the Pros-IT CNR study
Purpose Therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer (PCa) have been evolving dramatically worldwide. The current article reports on the evolution of surgical management strategies for PCa in Italy. Methods The data from two independent Italian multicenter projects, the MIRROR-SIU/LUNA (started in 2007, holding data of 890 patients) and the Pros-IT-CNR project (started in 2014, with data of 692 patients), were compared. Differences in patients' characteristics were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify characteristics associated with robot-assisted (RA) procedure, nerve sparing (NS) approach, and lymph node dissection (LND). Results The two cohorts did not …
Chromatin Maturity Index (CMI) in unfixed and live spermatozoa and Aniline Blue (AB) stained as an additional evaluation parameter in idiopathic male infertility
Study question: To investigate whether idiopathic male infertility may be due to the presence of histones in motile spermatozoa using a modified AB staining protocol. Summary answer: No correlation between CMI in live motile spermatozoa, DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI) and other conventional seminal parameters were found in male infertile patients. What is known already: The AB stain discriminates between lysine-rich histones and arginine/cysteine-rich protamines. Transition from histones to protamines during spermatogenesis remodels chromatin packaging and abnormalities in the substitution of those proteins maybe interfere with seminal parameters and affect male infertility. The correlation …