Search results for " quality."

Fatigue, sleep, and nocturnal complaints in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2012

Background and purpose: Fatigue is a common symptom in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although sleep disturbances are a candidate factor that may interfere with fatigue in patients with ALS, the role of sleep-related abnormalities in determining fatigue in ALS is unknown. Objective: To evaluate the frequency and determinants of fatigue in a group of 91 consecutive patients with ALS, with special attention to the relationship between fatigue and sleep problems. Methods: Measures included the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), ALS Functional Rating ScaleRevised (ALSFRS-R), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: The…

Development of pre-academic skills and motivation in kindergarten : a subgroup analysis between classroom quality profiles

2017

AbstractThe present study extends research on classroom quality profiles by examining the differences between profiles with respect to children’s development in pre-academic skills and motivation across the kindergarten year. Teacher–child interactions were observed in 49 Finnish kindergarten classrooms using the CLASS Pre-K instrument. Based on prior identification of latent profiles of classroom quality, subgroup analyses on children’s data were carried out on three profiles representing high Emotional Support and Classroom Organisation and intermediate Instructional Support (Profile 1), higher-intermediate Emotional Support and Classroom Organisation and lower-intermediate Instructional …

Effects of functional endoscopic sinus surgery on the acoustics of the sinonasal tract

2017

Background: Nasal and paranasal cavities are supposed to contribute substantially to the vocal tract resonator properties. However, their acoustical effects as well as the effects of sinus surgery on the voice remain unclear. In this work we investigate resonance phenomena of paranasal sinuses prior to and after various rhinosurgical procedures in cadaveric human sinonasal tracts and corresponding 3D casts. Methodology: Nasal and paranasal cavities of formalin-preserved cadavers and corresponding 3D replicas were excited by sine tone sweeps from an earphone placed in the epipharynx.The response was picked up by a microphone at the nostrils. Different FESS procedures were performed and the a…

The waiting time for prostate cancer treatment in Italy: analysis from the PROS-IT CNR Study.

2022

Background Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common neoplasm in male patients. To date, there's no certain indication about the maximum waiting time (WT) acceptable for treatment beginning and the impact on oncological and functional outcomes has not been well established. Methods Data from the National Research Council PCa monitoring multicenter project in Italy (Pros-IT CNR) were prospectively collected and analyzed. WT was defined as the time from the bioptical diagnosis of PCa to the first treatment received. Patients were divided in two groups, using a time frame of 90 days. Quality of life was measured through the Italian version of the University of California Los Angeles-Pros…

Waiting-time and quality of care deserved to patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing RFA treatment

2017

The state of water resources in major mediterranean islands

2014

This work analyses the state of water resources in six Mediterranean islands: Corsica, Crete, Cyprus, Mallorca, Malta and Sicily. The analysis is focused on the prevailing social, economic and hydroclimatological characteristics of these islands in order to identify the main common features affecting water availability, demand and use. A detailed analysis of the state of water resources in all the considered islands has been carried out. A background of current conditions relating to freshwater availability, quality and use has been established. Different strategies to face water scarcity and enhance water quality in theislands have been assessed in a context of climate change which is a co…

Groundwater radon measurements in the Mt. Etna area.

2003

Radon levels were measured in 119 groundwater samples collected throughout the active volcanic area of Mt. Etna by means of a portable Lucas-type scintillation chamber. The measured activity values range from 1.8 to 52.7 Bq l(-1). About 40% of the samples exceed the maximum contaminant level of 11 Bq l(-1) proposed by the USEPA in 1991. The highest radon levels are measured in the eastern sector of the volcano, which is the seismically most active zone of the volcano. On the contrary the south-western sector, which is both seismically active and a site of intense magmatic degassing, display lower radon levels. This is probably due to the formation of a free gas phase (oversaturation of CO(2…

The role of water in the impact of high pressure on the myrosinase activity and glucosinolate content in seedlings from Brussels sprouts

2019

Abstract In this study, it was shown that the amount of available water was found to influence the high pressure processing (HPP) effect on both myrosinase activity and total glucosinolate concentration in Brussels sprouts seedlings. Brussels sprouts seedlings with different water content (wc = 4.8–89.4%) and water activity (aw = 0.17–0.97) were pressurized at selected pressures between 200 and 800 MPa (5 °C and 3 min), thereby affecting pressure-induced enzyme denaturation, molecular diffusion, and cell permeability differently. The myrosinase activity and intact glucosinolate content in the dry seedlings (wc  Industrial relevance High pressure processing (HPP) is increasingly applied in t…

Moisture loss, gain and migration in foods and its impact on food quality

2010

Abstract: Moisture loss, gain and transfer, whether originating from exchanges with the atmosphere or with another component of the food, always cause deterioration in the overall quality of the food through softening, toughening, breakdown, and swelling or shrinkage caused by phase transitions or dissolution (Petersen et al., 1999). In most cases, water migrations lead to a deterioration of the overall quality (organoleptic or hygienic) of the food. With a view to better understanding physical deterioration of food and to provide a tool to better control food quality (and give a longer shelf life) this chapter reviews the water relationships in foods with a particular focus on glass-transi…

Evaluating the Efficiency of Water Distribution Network Sectors Using the DEA-Weight Russell Directional Distance Model: The Case of the City of Vale…

2021

In many cities, sectorization projects of the drinking water distribution network have been implemented. This study provides a methodology to evaluate the efficiency of the sectors of a water distribution network by applying a data envelopment analysis weighted Russell directional distance (DEA-WRDD) model. This non-radial DEA model gives the overall efficiency of each unit of analysis, as well as each input, output, and undesirable output considered in the evaluation. The variables used in the analysis provide a multidisciplinary view: economic factors (covering costs), water quality parameters, and technical aspects. The empirical analysis was performed for the sectors of the water distri…