Effect of airborne particle abrasion on microtensile bond strength of total-etch adhesives to human dentin

Aim of this study was to investigate a specific airborne particle abrasion pretreatment on dentin and its effects on microtensile bond strengths of four commercial total-etch adhesives. Midcoronal occlusal dentin of extracted human molars was used. Teeth were randomly assigned to 4 groups according to the adhesive system used: OptiBond FL (FL), OptiBond Solo Plus (SO), Prime & Bond (PB), and Riva Bond LC (RB). Specimens from each group were further divided into two subgroups: control specimens were treated with adhesive procedures; abraded specimens were pretreated with airborne particle abrasion using 50 mu m Al2O3 before adhesion. After bonding procedures, composite crowns were incrementally built up. Specimens were sectioned perpendicular to adhesive interface to producemultiple beams, which were tested under tension until failure. Data were statistically analysed. Failure mode analysis was performed. Overall comparison showed significant increase in bond strength (p < 0.001) between abraded and no-abraded specimens, independently of brand. Intrabrand comparison showed statistical increase when abraded specimens were tested compared to no-abraded ones, with the exception of PB that did not show such difference. Distribution of failure mode was relatively uniform among all subgroups. Surface treatment by airborne particle abrasion with Al2O3 particles can increase the bond strength of total-etch adhesive

Making the Communication of CCS more "human"

CCS communication has proven a tough challenge, particularly for the difficulty in raising interest for the technology, which is still unknown to the majority of the population, and for the complexity of conveying information about its potential for reducing emissions. In this paper we present a research based effort for bringing CCS nearer to people, through visual material developed taking into account emotional needs related to the technology. The production of a short introductory film on CCS is illustrated and its testing with a sample of 700 high school students

Preliminary results of geological characterization and geochemical monitoring of Sulcis Basin (Sardinia), as a potential CCS site

The Sulcis Basin is an area situated in SW Sardinia (Italy) and is a potential site for the development of CCS in Italy. This paper illustrates the preliminary results of geological characterization of fractured carbonate reservoir (Miliolitico Fm.) and the sealing sequence, composed by clay, marl and volcanic rocks, with a total thickness of more than 900 m. To characterize the reservoircaprock system an extensive structural-geological survey at the outcrop was conducted. It was also performed a study of the geochemical monitoring, to define the baseline conditions, measuring CO2 concentrations and flux in the study site

DESIGN FOR EMERGENCIES. Innovative design strategies, processes and proposals for critical contexts

L’emergenza è una circostanza imprevista di varia durata, che genera uno stato di cambiamento il quale richiede un intervento di gestione immediato per cercare di porre rimedio alle conseguenze. Normalmente quando parliamo del termine “emergenza” le prime situazioni che salgono alla mente possono essere quelle legate alla sicurezza dell’uomo come, per esempio, le alluvioni, gli eventi sismici, le valanghe, ecc. Ad oggi però la maggior consapevolezza degli impatti sull’ambiente, i cui effetti si propagano anche altrove innescando processi irreversibili, ha fatto emergere nuovi rischi che possono mettere in pericolo la stabilità già precaria di una società e dei suoi ecosistemi, generando imprevisti nuovi che trovano impreparati i contesti interessati dall’emergenza. Alle condizioni di pericolo riconosciute dalla società, infatti, si aggiungono tutti quei fenomeni emergenti e potenzialmente dannosi derivanti da una consapevolezza maggiore nei confronti dei limiti e delle risorse del pianeta; ciò implica il l suo immediato collasso a causa dei cambiamenti climatici e, allo stesso tempo, una serie di crisi sociali diffuse che alimentano le paure. Sulla base degli imprevisti emergenziali, il design ha sempre messo in pratica un approccio di prevenzione studiando prima il fenomeno potenzialmente dannoso, elaborando poi soluzioni efficienti utili a ridurre i rischi qualora si dovessero ripresentare le stesse condizioni emergenziali. Le soluzioni, finalizzate al “salvavita”, possono essere collocate in contesti potenzialmente critici ed “attivarsi” in base agli imprevisti dell’emergenza. Ma lo sviluppo di questo tipo di prodotti, che avviene in modalità preventive rispetto all’emergenza, non è sufficiente per affrontare le complessità delle variabili dei fenomeni emergenziali che ad oggi ci troviamo ad affrontare. Ed ecco quindi, che il design dovrà basarsi su di un diverso processo strategico, essere anche anticipatore, per prevedere una serie di azioni sia sostenibili per sfruttare le risorse residue senza intaccarle, che sociali, per creare valore. C’è necessità, in primo luogo, della progettazione di strategie per l’emergenza, che includano il numero più elevato di variabili, che interpretino i bisogni individuali e collettivi, che considerino le differenze e le caratteristiche peculiari dei contesti dell’emergenza, che coinvolgano tutti i principali stakeholders pubblici e privati, al fine di orientare e massimizzare l’utilità e l’efficacia degli interventi progettuali. Per questi motivi il progetto di ricerca proposto intende strutturare uno strumento utile a prefigurare nuovi scenari e dinamiche, processi metodologico- produttivi per un design in grado di rispondere adeguatamente alla salvaguardia delle comunità e dell’ambiente durante uno stato emergenziale. Per fare ciò sarà necessario: - Indagare il termine ”emergenza” in tutte le sue eccezioni, dialogando con ambiti disciplinari quali l’ingegneria e la filosofia per tutti quegli aspetti intrinseci ed estrinseci legati agli aspetti organizzativi, alle dinamiche psicologiche, ai materiali e quelli di natura epistemologica (che contribuiscono all’indagine sui processi e dinamiche di controllo e cambiamento); - Ricostruire e discutere lo scenario storico-culturale del design per l’emergenza; - Indagare, definire e catalogare il contributo dell’industrial design, attraver- so l’analisi di casi studio sviluppati in contesti emergenziali. Questi step preliminari consentiranno, successivamente, di strutturare delle analisi metodologiche al fine di identificare, catalogare e mettere in relazione le strategie, i processi e i materiali che possono essere implementati all’interno di un processo progettuale di emergenza guidato dal design. Ma, essendo l’emergenza un fenomeno complesso legato ad una quantità incredibile di situazioni e di fenomeni, si è resa necessaria l’elaborazione di uno strumento grafico esplicativo. Questo è utile per destrutturare l’emergenza nelle sue componenti, nelle relative connessioni ed impatti, declinando, infine, il fenomeno emergenza in distinti cicli tipologici sulla base di parametri individuati. Questo processo si è rivelato molto utile alla ricerca, individuando un primo supporto per: - capire le logiche di intervento della disciplina del design lungo tutte le fasi del ciclo di vita dell’emergenza; - catalogare le risposte progettuali al fine di identificare la fase in cui il ruolo dell’industrial design sia più promettente; - analizzare i precedenti punti costruendo una base di partenza per la redazione di uno strumento metodologico/concettuale che costituirà uno dei risultati della ricerca. Tutto questo permetterà di contribuire ad alimentare il dibattito culturale intorno al tema del design per l’emergenza, ancora oggi non ben definito e in continua evoluzione all’interno della disciplina scientifica dell’Industrial Design, definendo i suoi limiti, le possibilità, le buone pratiche e i necessari rapporti interdisciplinari.Emergency is an unforeseen circumstance of varying duration, which generates a state of change that requires immediate management intervention to try to remedy the consequences. Normally when we talk about the term “emergency,” the first situations that come to mind may be those related to human safety such as floods, seismic events, avalanches, etc. However, today, the increased awareness of environmental impacts, whose effects also spread elsewhere triggering irreversible processes, has brought forth new risks that can endanger the already precarious stability of a society and its ecosystems, generating new unforeseen events that find unprepared the contexts affected by the emergency. To the danger conditions recognized by society, indeed, are added all those emerging and potentially harmful phenomena resulting from a greater awareness of the limits and resources of the planet; this implies its immediate collapse due to climate change and, at the same time, a series of diffuse social crises that feed fears. Based on emergent contingencies, design has always implemented a preventive approach by first studying the potentially harmful phenomenon, then developing efficient solutions useful for reducing risks should the same emergency conditions arise again. The solutions, aimed at “saving lives,” can be placed in potentially critical contexts and “activated” based on the emergencies of the situation. However, the development of this type of products, which occurs in a preventive manner with respect to the emergency, is not sufficient to address the complexities of the variables of the emergent phenomena that we are facing today. And here, therefore, design will have to be based on a different strategic process, also being anticipatory, to foresee a series of actions both sustainable to exploit remaining resources without depleting them, and social, to create value. There is a need, first of all, for the design of emergency strategies, which include the highest number of variables, interpret individual and collective needs, consider the differences and peculiar characteristics of emergency contexts, and involve all major public and private stakeholders in order to guide and maximize the utility and effectiveness of design interventions. For these reasons, the proposed research project aims to structure a tool useful for envisioning new scenarios and dynamics, methodological-produc- tive processes for a design capable of adequately responding to the safe- guarding of communities and the environment during an emergency state. To do this, it will be necessary to: - Investigate the term “emergency” in all its exceptions, dialoguing with disciplinary fields such as engineering and philosophy for all those intrinsic and extrinsic aspects related to organizational aspects, psychological dynamics, materials, and those of epistemological nature (which contribute to the investigation of control and change processes); - Reconstruct and discuss the historical-cultural scenario of design for emergencies; - Investigate, define, and catalog the contribution of industrial design through the analysis of case studies developed in emergency contexts. These preliminary steps will subsequently allow the structuring of methodological analyses in order to identify, catalog, and relate the strategies, processes, and materials that can be implemented within a design-led emergency design process.However, since emergency is a complex phenomenon linked to an incredible amount of situations and phenomena, the development of an explanatory graphical tool has become necessary. This is useful for deconstructing the emergency into its components, their connections, and impacts, ultimately declining the emergency phenomenon into distinct typological cycles based on identified parameters. This process has proven to be very useful for research, identifying initial support for: - understanding the intervention logics of the design discipline throughout all phases of the emergency lifecycle; - cataloging design responses in order to identify the phase in which the role of industrial design is most promising; - analyzing the previous points by building a starting point for drafting a methodological/conceptual tool that will be one of the research outcomes. All of this will contribute to fueling the cultural debate around the theme of design for emergencies, still not well defined and continuously evolving within the scientific discipline of Industrial Design, defining its limits, possibilities, best practices, and necessary interdisciplinary relationships

a performance based management system for cost prediction suitable for school building stock

The national existing school heritage is wide and varies significantly (e.g. morphology, age, construction, capacity, etc.) and many initiatives are ongoing to improve its safety, energy and functional situation. In a case study research the Municipality of Seregno has been adopted as sample municipality to analyze data collection and processing procedures with the aim to highlight the critical points and to develop and configure a management system able to bridge them. The research starts from the analysis of the energy performance of the school buildings pointing out the main needs and weaknesses. The following step is the tracking of the management procedures and data organization introduced to define a structure of the information able to support the new management system. Thus, a description and application of KPI helps to provide clear and data driven strategies for the improvement of the management system enabling a cost reduction. Finally, a proposed new energy management system, to be implemented within the Municipality procedures, defines a database, crucial to collect all the information about different properties and the energy audit procedures to gather and analyze the heating costs. The system is tested and discussed and furthermore allows to provide an energy predictive model for energy costs suitable for the Municipality to support a reliable resources plan

Integrated Design and Modelling-based Smart School Concept to Renovate the Existing School Building Sector

The schools lacking energy performance promotes deep buildings refurbishments, considering also LCC evaluation to define the cost-optimality criteria in building renovation. Moreover, available funding programs are not frequently appropriate to deal with energy law compliance because of the safety and accessibility issues are currently leading topics to be accomplished before. The governance indicates the school as the favoured centre of local community improvement and activities and the school building is advocated to encourage social interaction, clusters’ cooperation and space sharing, as a civic centre. These growing needs ask for new methodologies to approach the renovation of the school buildings considering on the one hand the energy demand and on the other hand the management of the spaces flexibility and of the whole asset during the entire life span. The method described here and applied to a case study is based on BIM to BEM procedures; it aims to demonstrate how to define a building database to store all the data able to endorse the management of maintenance strategies and energy developments, together with cost analysis for energy retrofitting

Antiviral and antioxidant activity of a hydroalcoholic extract from Humulus lupulus L.

A hydroalcoholic extract from female inflorescences of Humulus lupulus L. (HOP extract) was evaluated for its anti-influenza activity. The ability of the extract to interfere with different phases of viral replication was assessed, as well as its effect on the intracellular redox state, being unbalanced versus the oxidative state in infected cells. The radical scavenging power, inhibition of lipoperoxidation, and ferric reducing activity were assayed as antioxidant mechanisms. A phytochemical characterization of the extract was also performed. We found that HOP extract significantly inhibited replication of various viral strains, at different time from infection. Viral replication was partly inhibited when virus was incubated with extract before infection, suggesting a direct effect on the virions. Since HOP extract was able to restore the reducing conditions of infected cells, by increasing glutathione content, its antiviral activity might be also due to an interference with redox-sensitive pathways required for viral replication. Accordingly, the extract exerted radical scavenging and reducing effects and inhibited lipoperoxidation and the tBOOH-induced cytotoxicity. At phytochemical analysis, different phenolics were identified, which altogether might contribute to HOP antiviral effect. In conclusion, our results highlighted anti-influenza and antioxidant properties of HOP extract, which encourage further in vivo studies to evaluate its possible application

Advanced Label-Free Optical Methods for Spermatozoa Quality Assessment and Selection

Current in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques require a severe selection of sperm, generally based on concentration, morphology, motility, and DNA integrity. Since routinely separation methods may damage the viability of the sperm cell, there is a growing interest in providing a method for noninvasively analyzing spermatozoa taking into account all those parameters. This chapter first reviews the state-of-the-art of label-free sperm cell imaging for IVF, highlighting the limitations of the used techniques. Then, our innovative approach combining Raman spectroscopy and digital holography will be described and its advantages detailed. These include the ability to perform a simultaneous and correlative morphological and biochemical analysis of sperm cells, without labeling, in a fast and reliable way. Finally, the difficulty in reaching clinical use will be discussed, as well as the possible solutions offered by new technological improvements