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Two separate goals should be jointly pursued in wastewater treatment: nutrient removal and energy conservation. An efficient controller performance should cope with process uncertainties, seasonal variations and process nonlinearities. This paper describes the design and testing of a model predictive controller (MPC) based on neuro-fuzzy techniques that is capable of estimating the main process variables and providing the right amount of aeration to achieve an efficient and economical operation. This algorithm has been field tested on a large-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant of about 500,000 PE, with encouraging results in terms of better effluent quality and energy savings.

The social distancing measures adopted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a profound change in the behavioral habits of the population. This study analyzes the impact of restriction measures on the shaping of the epidemiology of common winter respiratory pathogens in the pediatric population of northeast of Italy. From August 2020 to March 2021, a total of 1,227 nasopharyngeal swabs from symptomatic pediatric patients were tested for the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A and B, adenovirus, other coronaviruses, parainfluenza virus 1–4, enterovirus, bocavirus, metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. To relate virus positivity with the clinic characteristics of the subjects enrolled, multinomial logistic models were estimated. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 5.2% of the children; fever resulted as risk factor for infection [relative risk ratio (RRR) = 2.88, p = 0.034]. Rhinovirus was detected in the 40.7% of the subjects, with cough and rhinitis as risk factors (respectively, RRR = 1.79, p = 0.001 and RRR = 1.53, p = 0.018). Other coronaviruses were found in 10.8% of children and were associated to pharyngodynia (RRR = 4.94, p < 0.001). Adenovirus, observed in 11.6% of subjects, showed to have fever as risk factor (RRR = 6.44, p < 0.001). Bocavirus was detected in 3.2% of children. In conclusion, our results showed that social isolation measures had an impact on the circulation of RSV and influenza, although children under the age of 2 were most affected by the other respiratory infections. Therefore, this study highlights the need for continuing surveillance for a delayed spread of RSV and other respiratory pathogens.

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Children with HIV infection have an unusual susceptibility to bacterial infection, related to several immune abnormalities. Selection of initial antibiotic therapy must be individualized in these children. Patients with community‐acquired disease are most likely to have infection by polysaccharide‐encapsulated bacterial organism, most commonly Streptococcus pneumoniae and less frequently by Haemophilus influenzae type b. If it is possible to treat the patients at home, the use of amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid might be appropriate. Other authors propose management with parenteral ceftriaxone because of the better compliance and the malabsorption. In hospitalized patients, concern for Gram‐negative enteric pathogens other than polysaccharide‐encapsulated organisms requires initial therapy with a third‐generation cephalosporine in combination with an aminoglycoside. Trimethoprim‐sulfamethizole is the most common drug used in HIV‐infected children because it is recommended for the initial therapy and for prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, which occurs in as many as 42% of these children.