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Enterocystoplasty is the most commonly used treatment for bladder reconstruction. However, it has some major complications. In this study, we systematically reviewed the alternative techniques for enterocystoplasty using different scaffolds. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and a total of 10 studies were included in this study. Five different scaffolds were evaluated, including small intestinal submucosa (SIS), biodegradable scaffolds seeded with autologous bladder muscle and urothelial cells, dura mater, human cadaveric bladder acellular matrix graft, and bovine pericardium. The overall results revealed that bladder reconstruction using regenerative medicine is an excellent alternative method to enterocystoplasty regarding the improvement of bladder capacity, bladder compliance, and maximum detrusor pressure; however, more large-scale studies are required.

•The selection of the regularization parameter λ is more challenging in the EEG resting-state condition than task.•An accurate source reconstruction is crucial to understand brain dynamics.•The regularization parameter in MNE impacts both source and connectivity estimation.•The optimal parameter is estimated from both simulated and real data.•Conventional λ value of 10–2 (=1102) is recommended for connectivity estimation, while 10–1 (⋍132) is suggested for source localization. Accurate EEG source localization is crucial for mapping resting-state network dynamics and it plays a key role in estimating source-level functional connectivity. However, EEG source estimation techniques encounter numerous methodological challenges, with a key one being the selection of the regularization parameter in minimum norm estimation. This choice is particularly intricate because the optimal amount of regularization for EEG source estimation may not align with the requirements of EEG connectivity analysis, highlighting a nuanced trade-off. In this study, we employed a methodological approach to determine the optimal regularization coefficient that yields the most effective reconstruction outcomes across all simulations involving varying signal-to-noise ratios for synthetic EEG signals. To this aim, we considered three resting state networks: the Motor Network, the Visual Network, and the Dorsal Attention Network. The performance was assessed using three metrics, at different regularization parameters: the Region Localization Error, source extension, and source fragmentation. The results were validated using real functional connectivity data. We show that the best estimate of functional connectivity is obtained using 10−2, while 10−1 has to be preferred when source localization only is at target.

Rationale Inadequate responses to current schizophrenia treatments have accelerated research into novel therapeutic approaches. Objectives This study investigated the efficacy and tolerability of adjunctive L-theanine, an ingredient with neuroimmunomodulatory and neuroprotective properties, for chronic schizophrenia. Methods Eighty chronic schizophrenia inpatients were equally assigned to receive risperidone (6 mg/day) plus either L-theanine (400 mg/day) or matched placebo in this 8-week, randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The participants were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) by recording the results of subscales at baseline and weeks 4 and 8 to measure treatment efficacy. Additionally, the participants were assessed for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and adverse events, including the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS). Results Sixty patients, 30 in each group, were included in the analyses. All baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable between the groups ( p -values > 0.05). The reduction rates from baseline to endpoint in negative, general psychopathology, and total scores of PANSS were greater in the L-theanine group ( p -values = 0.03, 0.01, and 0.04, respectively). Regarding general psychopathology scores, the reduction in the L-theanine group was also greater until week 4 ( p -value < 0.01). The time × treatment interaction effect was significant on negative ( p -value = 0.03), general psychopathology ( p -value < 0.01), and total ( p -value = 0.04) scores of PANSS, indicating additional improvements in the L-theanine group. The HDRS and side effects were comparable between the groups ( p -values > 0.05). Conclusions L-Theanine adjunct to risperidone safely and tolerably outperformed adjunctive placebo for schizophrenia, and promising evidence indicated its effects on primary negative symptoms, which need to be scrutinized in further studies. Trial registration The study protocol was registered and published prospectively in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials ( http://www.irct.ir ; registration number: IRCT20090117001556N133) on 2020–12-12.

The absolute measurement of the Earth angular rotation rate with ground-based instruments becomes challenging if the 1 part in 109 of precision has to be obtained. This threshold is important for fundamental physics and for geodesy, to investigate effects of General Relativity and Lorentz violation in the gravity sector and to provide the fast variation of the Earth rotation rate. High sensitivity Ring Laser Gyroscopes (RLG) are currently the only promising technique to achieve this task in the near future, but their precision has been so far limited by systematics related to the laser operation. In this paper we analyze two different sets of observations, each of them three days long. They were obtained from the G ring laser at the Geodetic Observatory Wettzell. The applied method has been developed for the GINGERINO ring laser in order to identify and extract the laser systematics. For the available data sets the residuals show mostly white noise behavior and the Allan deviation drops below 1 part in 109 after an integration time of about 104 s.

Given the good performances in terms of geometrical acceptance and energy resolution, calorimeters are the best suited detectors to measure high energy cosmic rays directly in space. However, in order to exploit this potential, the design of calorimeters must be carefully optimized to take into account all limitations related to space missions, due mainly to the mass of the experimental apparatus. CaloCube is a three years R&D project, approved and financed by INFN in 2014, aiming to optimize the design of a space-borne calorimeter by the use of a cubic, homogeneous and isotropic geometry. In order to maximize detector performances with respect to the total mass of the apparatus, comparative studies on different scintillating materials, different sizes of crystals and different spacings among them have been performed making use of Monte Carlo simulations. In parallel to this activity, several prototypes instrumented with CsI:Tl cubic crystals have been constructed and tested with particle beams (muons, electrons, protons and ions). Both simulations and prototypes showed that the CaloCube design leads to a good particle energy resolution (< 2% for electromagnetic showers, < 40% for hadronic showers) and a good effective geometric factor (> 3:5 m2 sr for electromagnetic showers, > 2:5 m2 sr for hadronic showers). Thanks to these performances, in 5 years of operation it would be possible to measure the ux of electrons+positrons up to some tens of TeV and the uxes of protons and nuclei up to some units of PeV/nucleon, hence extending these measurements by at least one order of magnitude in energy compared to the experiments currently operating in space.

The direct measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum, up to the knee region, is one of the instrumental challenges for next generation space experiments. The main issue for these measurements is a steeply falling spectrum with increasing energy, so the physics performance of the space calorimeters are primarily determined by their geometrical acceptance and energy resolution. CaloCube is a three-year R&D project, approved and financed by INFN in 2014, aiming to optimize the design of a space-born calorimeter. The peculiarity of the design of CaloCube is its capability of detecting particles coming from any direction, and not only those on its upper surface. To ensure that the quality of the measurement does not depend on the arrival direction of the particles, the calorimeter will be designed as homogeneous and isotropic as possible. In addition, to achieve a high discrimination power for hadrons and nuclei with respect to electrons, the sensitive elements of the calorimeter need to have a fine 3-D sampling capability. In order to optimize the detector performances with respect to the total mass of the apparatus, which is the most important constraint for a space launch, a comparative study of different scintillating materials has been performed using detailed Monte Carlo simulation based on the FLUKA package. In parallel to simulation studies, a prototype consisting in 14 layers of 3 x 3 CsI(Tl) crystals per layer has been assembled and tested with particle beams. An overview of the obtained results during the first two years of the project will be presented and the future of the detector will be discussed too.

In this paper, a meshless method based on the local petrov-galerkin approach is proposed for the three dimensional (3D) elasto-plastic problems. Galerkin weak-form formulation is applied to derive the discrete governing equations. A weak formulation for the set of governing equations is transformed into local integral equations on local sub-domains by using a unit test function. Nodal points are distributed in the 3D analyzed domain and each node is surrounded by a cubic sub-domain to which a local integral equation is applied. Three dimensional Moving Least-Square (MLS) approximation is used as shape function to approximate the field variable of scattered nodes in the problem domain. Hencky's total deformation theory is used to define effective elastic material parameters, which are treated as spatial field variables and considered as functions of the equilibrium stress state and material properties. These effective material parameters are obtained in an iterative process. Several example problems are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the numerical approach.

CaloCube is an R&D project borne to develop a novel calorimeter design, optimized for high-energy cosmic ray measurements in space. A small prototype made of CsI(Tl) elements has been built and tested on particle beams. A final version, made of 5×5×18 crystals and with dual readout (two photodiodes for each crystal), to cover the full required dynamic range, is under construction and will be tested at CERN SPS in Summer 2016. The dual readout compensation technique were developed and the feasibility to extract Čerenkov signals from CsI crystals verified.

Acute fulminant myocarditis is a critical clinical condition with sudden onset of severe congestive heart failure followed by severe haemodynamic deterioration. Instituting early left ventricular support may improve outcome and result in better long term survival. The case of an immunocompromised patient who developed acute fulminant myocarditis in the setting of disseminated mucormycosis is presented.