Ansaldo (Italy)

Icing on wind turbine blades compromises both safety and energy yield, yet existing detection systems often lack reliability. This study presents a compact, passive, wireless sensor based on shear-horizontal surface acoustic waves (SHSAW) for discrete ice thickness measurement. Simulations identified <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$41^{\circ} \mathrm{Y}$</tex>-cut <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\text{LiNbO}_{3}$</tex> with a <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\text{SiO}_{2}$</tex> waveguide as the optimal configuration, offering high electromechanical coupling and strong differentiation of surface loads with a fully metallized wave propagation path. Reflective delay line sensors fabricated accordingly exhibited distinct attenuation in the time-domain <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$S_{11}$</tex> reflection coefficient under water and ice loading, enabling discrete ice thickness detection from 0 to over 13 mm. The sensor also provides temperature readings unaffected by surface conditions, enabling predictive icing condition detection.

The European DEMO is considered the nearest-term fusion reactor with the aim to generate several hundred MWs of net electricity, operate with a closed tritium fuel-cycle (achieving the tritium self-sufficiency) and qualify technological solutions for a Fusion Power Plant. Two Breeding Blanket (BB) concepts - relying on different cooling and breeding technologies - are considered for the baseline design: the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) BB and the Water Cooled Lithium Lead (WCLL) BB. The selection of the BB type has a strong impact on the whole DEMO plant design and, in particular, on the Balance of Plant (BoP). The aim of the present work is to investigate a possible concept design of the BoP accommodating two different BB. A flexible tool made with Matlab® was developed to study this configuration and allows to propose several uses of the heat fluxes.

Abstract State‐of‐the art Electrochemical Double‐Layer Capacitors (EDLCs) usually extend their operating electrochemical stability window (ESW) by means of organic electrolytes, or highly concentrated aqueous (water‐in‐salt) electrolytes hindering parasitic water splitting reactions. Unfortunately, organic solvents and high concentrations of ions penalize the dielectric constant of the electrolyte, hence the capacitive performance. We suggest here a new concept of cost‐effective and sustainable aqueous electrolytes based on concentrated amino acid water solutions with a dielectric permittivity much higher than pure water, unlocking the capacitive performance of aqueous EDLC references. Amino acids are natural zwitterionic molecules with a large separation between the positive and negative moiety, leading to huge dipoles with excellent dielectric properties. Some of them (e. g., lysine and proline), have a solubility 10 m at ambient temperature. With an experimental characterization we prove that aqueous EDLCs based on electrolytes obtained with L‐ lysine or L‐proline added to 2 M NaNO3 solution have +50 % of gravimetric capacitance enhancement at low specific currents (0.1 A/g) compared to a reference device based on 2 M NaNO3 electrolyte without amino acids. A theoretical model suggests that this performance may be further enhanced by increasing the ionic accessibility of commercially available active materials, with porosity optimized to the size of amino acid ions.

Abstract Ansaldo Nucleare S.p.A. has designed, fabricated and qualified a high integrity container, CONTAS, for the conditioning, transportation and long term storage of solid ILW with low content of α-emitter radionuclides. CONTAS is a carbon steel forged cylindrical container 1500mm high by 1100mm in external diameter, offering a general shielding wall thickness of 160mm and an internal usable volume of approximately 0,5m3. Based on national and international norms and standards, CONTAS complies with stringent requirements to ensure protection of persons and environment: • UNI 11784 [1] (the reference norm in Italy for solid heterogenous ILW conditioning and storage) • IAEA SSR-6 [3] as Type IP-3 package • Raccolta V.S.R. [7] as pressure equipment for nuclear purpose CONTAS design, within the scope of a proper defined Qualification Plan, has been successfully qualified through a mix of experimental and analytical tests, performed on material samples, full-scale prototypes, FEM models, arranging the test sites in compliance with the criteria defined by standards and involving qualified Suppliers and Laboratories. The experimental tests include free drop tests, thermal test, degradation tests, leak tightness tests, pressure test, functional tests. Several innovative elements of CONTAS, especially concerning the sealing systems, are currently patent pending.

During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, an increasing number of fungal infections associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported. Among them, cryptococcosis could be a life-threatening disease. We performed a Systematic Review (PRISMA Statement) of cryptococcosis and COVID-19 co-infection, case report/series were included: a total of 34 cases were found, then we added our case report. We collected patients' data and performed a statistical analysis comparing two groups of patients sorted by outcome: "dead" and "alive". Three cases were excluded for lack of information. To compare categorical data, we used a Fisher-exact test (α=0.05). To compare quantitative variables a U Mann-Whitney test was used (α=0.05), with a 95% Confidence Interval. A total of 32 co-infected patients were included in the statistical analysis. Mortality rate was 17/32 (53.1%): these patients were included in "dead" group, and 15/32 (46.9%) patients survived and were included in "alive" group. Overall, males were 25/32 (78.1%), the median age was 60 years (IQR 53-70) with non-statistically significant difference between groups (p=0.149 and p=0.911, respectively). Three variables were associated with mortality: ARDS, ICU admission and inadequate treatment. Overall, 21 out of 24 (87.5%) patients were in ARDS with a statistically significant difference among two groups (p=0.028). ICU admission for COVID-19 was observed in 18/26 (69.2%), more frequently among dead group (p=0.034). Finally, 15/32 (46.9%) patients had adequate treatment (amphotericin B + flucytosine for invasive cryptococcosis) mostly among alive patients (p=0.039). In conclusion, mortality due to cryptococcal infection among COVID-19 patients remains high but an early diagnosis and appropriate treatment could reduce mortality.

The issue of bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients has received increasing attention among scientists. Antibiotics were widely prescribed during the early phase of the pandemic. We performed a literature review to assess the reasons, evidence and practices on the use of antibiotics in COVID-19 in- and outpatients. Published articles providing data on antibiotics use in COVID-19 patients were identified through computerized literature searches on the MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases. Searching the MEDLINE database, the following search terms were adopted: ((antibiotic) AND (COVID-19)). Searching the SCOPUS database, the following search terms were used: ((antibiotic treatment) AND (COVID-19)). The risk of bias in the included studies was not assessed. Both quantitative and qualitative information were summarized by means of textual descriptions. Five-hundred-ninety-three studies were identified, published from January 2020 to 30 October 2022. Thirty-six studies were included in this systematic review. Of the 36 included studies, 32 studies were on the use of antibiotics in COVID-19 inpatients and 4 on antibiotic use in COVID-19 outpatients. Apart from the studies identified and included in the review, the main recommendations on antibiotic treatment from 5 guidelines for the clinical management of COVID-19 were also summarized in a separate paragraph. Antibiotics should not be prescribed during COVID-19 unless there is a strong clinical suspicion of bacterial coinfection or superinfection.

The collection and management of spontaneous reports of suspected adverse drug reactions represents a passive pharmacovigilance method for post-marketing drug safety surveillance, as it is a practical and rapid way to detect a potential warning sign. We performed an in-depth retrospective analysis of suspected adverse reaction reports in the National Pharmacovigilance Network (RNF) for the first eight months of 2019 (pre-pandemic period), 2020 (global pandemic covid-19 onset), 2021 (first post-pandemic period due to vaccine phase). The reports of suspected adverse drug reactions were extrapolated from the National Network of Pharmacovigilance. Data from Italy, the Campania Region, and the Local Health Unit Naples 3 South were compared. A retrospective qualitative analysis of demographics data, clinical status, suspected drugs, adverse drug reactions (ADRs) description and its degree of seriousness were collected. We observed 1071 ADRs, of which 281 were serious; of these, 39 led to hospitalization, 779 were not serious, and 2 caused death. In the pre-pandemic period, chemotherapy drugs most frequently induced ADRs. The year 2020, in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, saw a clear reduction in the number of drug reports, compared to 2019 and 2021, both at national and regional level, and at ASL Napoli 3 Sud. A reduction in 2020 that ranges from -40.75% to -72.56% at the national and regional level, respectively; reaching as much as -88.13% at the local level in the health authority under analysis. In 2021, on the other hand, there is a clear increase in the number of reports, which numerically exceed even those in 2019 by +194.71% in Italy, +15.25% in the Campania Region, and +90.68% in the Local Health Unit Naples 3 South. The covid-19 pandemic has affected the trend in the number of reports of suspected adverse drug reactions. This is for several reasons: first, frontline exposed health care workers have been able to devote less time to pharmacovigilance activities to cope with the health emergency, second, since the start of the covid-19 vaccination campaign, health care workers have been more focused on reporting suspected adverse reactions to vaccines. Clinicians should beware of these adverse effects and monitor early warning signs carefully.