Università Campus Bio-Medico

About: Università Campus Bio-Medico is a education organization based out in Rome, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 2829 authors who have published 8519 publications receiving 193689 citations. The organization is also known as: Universita Campus Bio-Medico & Campus Bio-Medico University.

Design and characterization of a compact rotary Series Elastic Actuator for knee assistance during overground walking

Abstract: In wearable robotics applications, actuators are required to satisfy strict constraints in terms of safety and controllability The introduction of intrinsic compliance can help to meet both these requirements However, the high torque and power necessary for robotic systems for gait assistance requires the use of custom elements, able to guarantee high performances with a compact and lightweight design This paper presents a rotary Series Elastic Actuator (SEA), suitable to be used in an active orthosis for knee assistance during overground walking The system includes a commercial flat brushless DC motor, a Harmonic Drive gear and a custom-designed torsion spring Spring design has been optimized by means of an iterative FEM simulations-based process and can be directly connected to the output shaft, thus guaranteeing high torque fidelity With a total weight of 18 kg, it is possible to directly include the actuator in the frame of a wearable orthosis for knee flexion/extension assistance The presented design allows to obtain a large-force bandwidth of 5 Hz and to regulate output impedance in a range compatible to locomotion assistance of elderly subjects with an age-related decay of motor performances

Marked pathological changes proximal and distal to the site of rupture in acute Achilles tendon ruptures

Abstract: A laboratory study was performed to evaluate the histopathological features of the macroscopically intact portion of the Achilles tendon in patients undergoing surgery for an acute rupture of the Achilles tendon. Tendon samples were harvested from 29 individuals (21 men, 8 women; mean age: 46 ± 12) who underwent repair of an Achilles tendon tear tear, and from 11 male patients who died of cardiovascular events (mean age: 61). Three pieces of tendon were harvested: at the rupture site, 4 cm proximal to the site of rupture, 1 cm proximal to the insertion of the Achilles tendon on the calcaneum. Slides were assessed using a semiquantitative grading scale assessing fiber structure and arrangement, rounding of the nuclei, regional variations in cellularity, increased vascularity, decreased collagen stainability, and hyalinization. Intra-observer reliability of the subscore readings was calculated. The pathological features were significantly more pronounced in the samples taken from the site of rupture than in the samples taken proximally and distal to it (0.008 < P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the mean pathologic sum-scores in the samples taken proximally and distal to the site of rupture. Unruptured Achilles tendons, even at an advanced age, and ruptured Achilles tendons are clearly part of two distinct populations, with the latter demonstrating histopathological evidence of failed healing response even in areas macroscopically normal.

Increased sensitivity of SARS-coronavirus to a combination of human type I and type II interferons.

Abstract: There is currently an urgent need to identify effective antiviral agents that will prevent and treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. In this study, we have investigated and compared the antiviral effect of different interferons (IFNs) on SARS-CoV replication in the epithelial kidney monkey Vero cell line. The results showed that SARS-CoV grown in Vero cells is moderately sensitive to IFN-beta and only weakly sensitive to IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma, in comparison to other IFN-sensitive viruses, such as those for encephalomyocarditis, vesicular stomatitis and Newcastle disease. Simultaneous incubation of Vero cells with IFN-beta and IFN-gamma indicated that they may act synergistically against SARS-CoV replication. The IFN-induced MxA protein was detected in the IFN-treated Vero cells. The data, however, suggest that the antiviral activity of IFN against SARS-CoV virus is independent of MxA expression.