University of Cagliari

About: University of Cagliari is a education organization based out in Cagliari, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Dopamine. The organization has 11029 authors who have published 29046 publications receiving 771023 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Cagliari & Universita degli Studi di Cagliari.

Cascade Control of PM DC Drives Via Second-Order Sliding-Mode Technique

Abstract: This paper presents a novel scheme for the speed/position control of permanent-magnet (PM) DC motor drives. A cascade-control scheme, based on multiple instances of a second-order sliding-mode-control (2-SMC) algorithm, is suggested, which provides accurate tracking performance under large uncertainty about the motor and load parameters. The overall control scheme is composed of three main blocks: (1) a 2-SMC-based velocity observer which uses only position measurements; (2) a 2-SMC-based velocity control loop that provides a reference command current; and 3) a 2-SMC-based current control loop generating the reference voltage. The proposed scheme has been implemented and tested experimentally on a commercial PM DC motor drive. The experimental results confirm the precise and robust performance and the ease of tuning and implementation, featured by the proposed scheme.

Prevalence and Clinical Picture of Celiac Disease in Italian Down Syndrome Patients: A Multicenter Study

Abstract: Background: A multicenter research study of Down syndrome patients was carried out to estimate the prevalence of celiac disease in patients with Down syndrome and to show clinical characteristics and laboratory data of Down syndrome patients. Methods: The authors studied 1,202 Down syndrome patients. Fifty-five celiac disease patients (group I ) were compared with 55 immunoglobulin A antigliadin-positive antiendomysium antibodies-negative patients (group 2) and with 57 immunoglobulin A antigliadin-negative antiendomysium antibodies-negative patients (group 3). Results: Celiac disease was diagnosed in 55 of 1,202 Down syndrome patients (4.6%). In group 1, weight and height percentiles were shifted to the left, whereas these parameters were normally distributed in groups 2 and 3. In celiac patients, diarrhea, vomiting, failure to thrive, anorexia, constipation, and abdominal distension were higher than in the other two groups. Low levels of hemoglobinemia, serum iron, and calcium were observed more frequently in group 1. The diagnosis of celiac disease was made after a mean period of 3.8 years from the initiation of symptoms. Sixty-nine percent of patients showed a classic presentation, 11% had atypical symptoms, and 20% had silent celiac disease. Autoimmune disorders were more frequent (30.9%) in group I than in the other two groups examined (15%; P<0.05). Conclusions: This study reconfirms a high prevalence of celiac disease in Down syndrome. However, the diagnostic delay, the detection of atypical symptoms or silent form in one third of the cases, and the increased incidence of autoimmune disorders suggest the need for the screening of celiac disease in all Down syndrome patients.

The Parkes High-Latitude pulsar survey

Abstract: The Parkes High-Latitude pulsar survey covers a region of the sky enclosed by Galactic longitudes 220° < l < 260° and Galactic latitudes |b| < 60°. The observations have been performed using the 20-cm multibeam receiver on the Parkes 64-m radio telescope. A total of 6456 point-ings of 265 s each have been collected. The system adopted provided a sensitivity limit, for long-period pulsars with 5 per cent duty cycles, of ∼0.5 mJy. Data analysis resulted in the detection of 42 pulsars of which 18 were new discoveries. Four of these belong to the class of the millisecond - or recycled - pulsars; three of these four are in binary systems. The double pulsar system J0737-3039 is among those and has been presented elsewhere. Here, we discuss the other discoveries and provide timing parameters for the objects for which we have a phase-connected solution.

European Dermatology Forum S1-guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of sclerosing diseases of the skin, Part 1: localized scleroderma, systemic sclerosis and overlap syndromes.

Abstract: The term 'sclerosing diseases of the skin' comprises specific dermatological entities, which have fibrotic changes of the skin in common. These diseases mostly manifest in different clinical subtypes according to cutaneous and extracutaneous involvement and can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from each other. The present guideline focuses on characteristic clinical and histopathological features, diagnostic scores and the serum autoantibodies most useful for differential diagnosis. In addition, current strategies in the first- and advanced-line therapy of sclerosing skin diseases are addressed in detail. Part 1 of this guideline provides clinicians with an overview of the diagnosis and treatment of localized scleroderma (morphea), and systemic sclerosis including overlap syndromes of systemic sclerosis with diseases of the rheumatological spectrum.