Quanta System (Italy)

Patient: Female, 13-year-oldFinal Diagnosis: Lymphangioma circumscriptumSymptoms: Multiple, reddish and pigmented papules located in medial scapular regionClinical Procedure: Combined laser approach (Erbium: Glass and CO2)Specialty: DermatologyObjective: Rare diseaseBackgroundLymphangioma circumscriptum (LC) is a rare condition characterized by a lymphatic malformation primarily affecting the cutaneous region. Although surgical excision has historically been the first-line treatment, it may be associated with substantial complications and recurrence. This case report presents the first documented use of a simultaneous combination of erbium glass (1540 nm) and CO2 (10 600 nm) lasers as a targeted therapeutic strategy for LC in a patient with a dark phototype.Case ReportA previously untreated 13-year-old Asian girl presented with a 5-month history of multiple reddish and pigmented papules located in the right medial scapular region. After histopathological confirmation, the lesions were simultaneously treated with an erbium glass (4.0 W, 1 millisecond, 4 mJ) and CO2 (15 W, 0.25 milliseconds, 3.8 mJ) laser system, followed by topical tacrolimus (0.03%). The protocol was well tolerated, with moderate procedural pain and transient effects that resolved within 2 months. Clinical observation suggested a notable reduction in vesicles, reaching near-total clearance at the 2-month follow-up.ConclusionsThese results suggest that the simultaneous combination of erbium glass and CO2 lasers represents a feasible therapeutic option for LC in patients with pigmented skin. Further investigation in larger studies with extended follow-up is required to establish long-term efficacy and safety compared with conventional surgical or laser-based standards.

The growing demand for energy-efficient computing in artificial intelligence requires novel memory technologies capable of storing and processing information. Memristors stand out in thanks to their ability to store information, mimic synaptic behavior and support in-memory computing architectures while requiring minimal active areas and energy consumptions. Here is presented a scalable and cost-effective approach to fabricate Ag/MoS2/Au memristors as resistive switching memory devices by combining roll-to-roll mechanical exfoliation of two-dimensional materials with inkjet printing. These devices exhibit reliable non-volatile switching behavior attributed to the formation and dissolution of metallic conductive filaments within the MoS2 layer, with high resistance ratios and robust retention times. A fully-connected neural networks is simulated using quantized weights mapped onto a virtual memristor crossbar array demonstrating that classification tasks can be performed with high accuracy even with limited bit-width precision, highlighting the potential of these devices for energy-efficient, high-throughput AI hardware.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic environmental contaminants with widespread industrial and consumer applications, characterized by strong chemical stability and environmental persistence. Recent studies have highlighted placental permeability to PFAS, though evidence of direct histopathological impairment remains limited. This study aimed to investigate potential associations between PFAS exposure and histopathological abnormalities in placental samples. A total of 23at-term pregnant women were recruited from two hospitals in Italy as part of a multicenter study. Placental samples, divided into maternal (decidua) and fetal (villi) compartments, were analyzed for PFAS concentration and histopathological alterations. PFAS were detected in 95.7% of samples. The most frequently detected PFAS were PFOS (88%), followed by PFHxS (83%), PFOA (83%), PFBS (54%) and PFHxA (54%). Preliminary findings suggest variable PFAS concentrations among subjects, with histopathological examination revealing placental alterations of potential clinical relevance. The observed histopathological alterations, particularly in cases of malperfusion and angiogenesis changes, suggest that PFAS may contribute to placental dysfunction, potentially affecting pregnancy outcomes. In particular, it could be hypothesized that PFHxA could exert an adverse influence on placental angiogenesis, due to pre-placental hypoxia stimulating the angiogenesis and resulting in increased ramification and number of branches. While direct causative links remain to be fully elucidated, these results underscore the need for further investigations into PFAS-related placental effects and their implications for fetal development.

This paper summarizes the content of the 20 tutorials that have been given at The Web Conference 2022: 85% of these tutorials are lecture style, and 15% of these are hands on.

In recent years, several authors have highlighted the merits of the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA), e.g., compared to Cost-Benefits Analysis (CBA), particularly for small projects appraisal (e.g., revamping or extraordinary maintenance interventions) and when the impacts of the project are difficult to value or quantify in monetary terms. CEA is a quite consolidated technique, typically applied in practice when one specific impact prevails over the others. This research extends the concept of CEA to a multi-dimensional decision-making context, outlining a methodological framework that includes several criteria to assess the impacts of railway station revamping in urban contexts. The proposed method has already been applied for the project appraisals of five railway stations in Italy; this paper presents the application to a case study representing the typical configuration of a medium-sized Italian railway station. Results have shown that the proposed approach is a valid tool for both designers and infrastructure managers for prioritizing railway station investments in the presence of multiple strategic objectives that also conflict with each other. A multi-dimensional CEA can provide, in a communicative, lean, and effective way, the information on investment costs and the impacts that different policies, layouts, and technological solutions would have, creating the basis for a more transparent debate on resource allocation priorities. Finally, results have shown that the CEA is not only a method for project assessment, but also a tool for improving and directing the design towards the identification of interventions that allow the achievement of the key objectives set ex ante.

Abstract BackgroundThe increasing availability of multi omics data is leading to continually revise estimates of existing biodiversity data. In particular, the molecular data enable to characterize novel species yet unknown and to increase the information linked to those already observed with new genomic data. For this reason, the management and visualization of existing molecular data, and their related metadata, through the implementation of easy to use IT tools have become a key point for the development of future research. The more users are able to access biodiversity related information, the greater the ability of the scientific community to expand the knowledge in this area.ResultsIn our research we have focused on the development of ExTaxsI (Exploring Taxonomies Information), an IT tool able to retrieve biodiversity data stored in NCBI databases and provide a simple and explorable visualization. Through the three case studies presented here, we have shown how an efficient organization of the data already present can lead to obtaining new information that is fundamental as a starting point for new research. Our approach was also able to highlight the limits in the distribution data availability, a key factor to consider in the experimental design phase of broad spectrum studies, such as metagenomics.ConclusionsExTaxI can easily produce explorable visualization of molecular data and its metadata, with the aim to help researchers to improve experimental designs and highlight the main gaps in the coverage of available data.

The Facility Location Problem in general deals with problems with the objective of maximizing profits, minimizing costs, minimizing distances, maximizing the number of clients served or minimizing the number of facilities installed in a given logistics network.This work deals with the analysis of already known models and the construction of a mathematical model that optimizes the service of the police from the city of Boa Vista / RR with regard to maximum agility and minimum cost.The objective of the work is to model the problem in order to obtain an objective function that minimizes the number of vehicles, another that minimizes costs and one that minimizes total distance.For that, a software is developed that enables the generation of the data necessary for modeling and later resolution.Computational experiments are carried out in order to show the differences between the approaches used to solve the problem, that is, with Exclusive and shared demand.Finally, the idea of continuing the work through the use of the model and the software in other problems is also presented.

Dura mater repair represents a final and crucial step in cranial surgery: an inadequate dural reconstruction determines dreadful consequences that significantly increase morbidity and mortality rates. Different dural substitutes have been used with poor results. To overcome this issue, in previous studies we proposed a laser-based approach to the bonding of porcine dura mater, evidencing the feasibility of the laser assisted procedure. In this work, we present the optimization of the laser bonding approach ex vivo in porcine dura mater and in vivo in rats. An 810 nm cw laser was used to weld the ICG stained chitosan patch to the dura. The ex vivo tests enabled to optimize the laser parameters, using histology and leak pressure evaluation to study the bonding effect. The in vivo tests were performed on 32 adult Wistar rats: laser bonding was carried out in 16 rats, while a collagen matrix was used for duroplasty in the control group. After the treatment, the animals were left to recover and were observed in a 15 and 90 days follow up study. At sacrifice, the rats were anesthetized for fluid leakage pressure test; treated tissue was harvested and underwent standard histology. The results of this study pointed out that the laser bonding procedure can be used to close the dura mater, both ex vivo and in vivo. The thermal effect is limited and spatially confined. The technique can thus be proposed as a valid alternative to standard method for the closuring of dura mater in cranial surgery.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disorder characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and it is associated with different neurological disorders. Recent evidence has demonstrated that the gut-brain-axis has a central function in the perpetuation of IBS, and for this reason, it can be considered a possible therapeutic target. N-Palmitoylethanolamine-oxazoline (PEA-OXA) possesses anti-inflammatory and potent neuroprotective effects. Although recent studies have explained the neuroprotective properties of PEA-OXA, nothing is known about its effects on the gut-brain axis during colitis. The aim of this study is to explore the mechanism and the effect of PEA-OXA on the gut-brain axis in rats subjected to experimental colitis induced by oral administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Daily oral administration of PEA-OXA (10mg/kg daily o.s.) was able to decrease the body weight loss, macroscopic damage, colon length, histological alteration, and inflammation after DSS induction. Additionally, PEA-OXA administration enhanced neurotrophic growth factor release and decreased the astroglial and microglial activation induced by DSS. Moreover, PEA-OXA restored intestinal permeability and tight junctions (TJs) as well as reduced apoptosis in the colon and brain. In our work, we demonstrated, for the first time, the action of PEA-OXA on the gut-brain axis in a model of DSS-induced colitis and its implication on the "secondary" effects associated with colonic disturbance.

In this paper is analyzed the design of a software platform concerning a case study of process engineering involving the simultaneous adoption of data digitation, Data Mining –DM- processing, and Augmented Reality -AR-. Specifically is discussed the platform design able to upgrade the Knowledge Base –KBenabling production process optimizations in working sites. The KB is gained by following ‘Frascati’ research guidelines addressing the possible ways to achieve the Knowledge Gain –KG-. The technologies such as AR and data entry mobile app are tailored in order to apply innovative data mining algorithms. In the first part of the paper is commented the preliminary project specifications, besides, in the second part, are shown the use cases, the unified modeling language –UML- models, and the mobile app mockups enabling KG. The proposed work discusses preliminary results of an industry project.