Recycling of Wastes Deriving from the Production of Epoxy-Carbon Fiber Composites in the Production of Polymer Composites

The formulation of composites reinforced with shredded epoxy-carbon fibers wastes is investigated. Poly (buthylene terephthalate) PBT was selected as the matrix for the composites. In order to increase the interaction between the epoxy resin still coating the carbon fibers and the PBT matrix, polycarbonate (PC) was added either to the matrix formulation or as a waste coating. The flexural strength, impact strength, and dynamic-mechanical analysis of the new composites was investigated, as well as their microstructure by scanning electron microscopy. Experimental results show that the recycled fibers can be dispersed in both pure PBT and in its blend, enhancing the mechanical properties of the composites. An increase in the investigated properties is found specifically in the elastic modulus below 50 degrees C and in the impact strength. The extent of the increase depends on the obtained microstructure

A single blind, multicenter, randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost of a novel nutraceutical (LopiGLIK®) lowering cardiovascular disease risk

Context: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) costs the economy €210 billion per year in Europe. There is an association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and CVD risk. Objective: To evaluate the cost and effectiveness of LopiGLIK® (LOPI) in lowering LDL-C and CVD risk. Design: Single blind multicenter randomized controlled trial; patients were divided into two groups, subjected to centralized randomization. Setting: Four Italian regions. Participants: Thirty-one physicians enrolled 573 adult patients with mild hypercholesterolemia between January 2016 and January 2018. Intervention: Patients were treated for 16 weeks either with LOPI (intervention) or Armolipid Plus® (AP; control). Outcome measures: Primary outcome: percentage of patients who achieved LDL-C <130 mg/dL. Secondary outcomes: reduction of HbA1c, survival analysis and HR linked to 38.67 mg/dL reduction of LDL-C and 1% reduction of HbA1c. Costs were assessed per unit and cure. Results: Three hundred and seventy patients treated with LOPI and 203 treated with AP were randomized and completed the study. At baseline 8.9% (n=18) patients treated with AP and 9.5% (n=35) treated with LOPI had LDL-C levels <130 mg/dL (P=0.815). At the 16-week follow-up, 41.4% (n=84) of patients treated with AP and 67.6% (n=250) with LOPI achieved LDL-C levels <130 mg/dL (P<0.001). LOPI patients were three times more likely to achieve LDL-C levels <130 mg/dL; adjusted OR 2.97 (95% CI; 2.08–4.24; P<0.001), number needed to treat was four (95% CI; 5.60–2.90; P<0.001). Survival analysis demonstrated the superiority of LOPI vs AP relative to 38.67 mg/dL LDL-C reduction (P<0.002); HR was 0.761 (95% CI; 0.62–0.94; P<0.001). Both products reduced the HbA1c without a significant difference between them (P=0.156). Survival analysis and HR (0.91; 95% CI; 0.70–1.18) estimated for 1% HbA1c reduction, showed differences between LOPI and AP, which were not significant (P=0.411; P=0.464). The cost of LOPI was €2.11 (unit), €211 (cure), and AP €3.77 and €377, respectively. Conclusion: LOPI appeared more effective and less expensive than AP in lowering LDL-C and CVD risk. Trial registration: NCT02898805, September 8, 2016. Keywords: hypercholesterolemia, nutraceuticals, effectiveness, cardiovascular risk reductio

Survival to amputation in pre-antibiotic era: a case study from a Longobard necropolis (6th-8th centuries AD)

The Longobard necropolis of Povegliano Veronese dates from the 6th to the 8th centuries AD. Among the 164 tombs excavated, the skeleton of an older male shows a well-healed amputated right forearm. The orientation of the forearm fracture suggests an angled cut by a single blow. Reasons why a forearm might be amputated include combat, medical intervention, and judicial punishment. As with other amputation cases reported in literature, this one exhibits both healing and osteoblastic response. We argue that the forelimb stump morphology suggests the use of a prosthesis. Moreover, dental modification of RI2 shows considerable wear and smoothing of the occlusal surface, which points to dental use in attaching the prosthesis to the limb. Other indications of how this individual adjusted to his amputated condition includes a slight change in the orientation of the right glenoid fossa surface, and thinning of right humeral cortical bone. This is a remarkable example in which an older male survived the loss of a forelimb in pre-antibiotic era. We link archaeological remains found in the tomb (buckle and knife) with the biological evidence to show how a combined bioarchaeological approach can provide a clearer interpretation of the life history of an individual

Paleo‐thermal constraints on the origin of native diagenetic sulfur in the Messinian evaporites : The Northern Apennines foreland basin case study (Italy)

This work has benefited from the equipment and frame-work of the COMP- HUB Initiative (University of Parma), funded by the Department of Excellence programme of the Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research (MIUR, 2018- 2022). This work has benefited from University of Roma Tre MIUR funds for the Department of Excellence. This work has benefited from the University of Parma FIL2016- 2018 responsible Professor Marco Roveri, University of Parma FIL2016- 2018 responsible Professor Vinicio Manzi, MIUR PhD scholarship 2016- 2019. Platte River Associates, Inc is kindly acknowledged for providing BasinMod2D® software for research purposes. Massimo Rossi (ENI S.p.A., Milano, Italy) is kindly acknowledged for his review of the manuscriptPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Informe de la primera campaña en la tumba de Amenmose (TT318), Luxor-Egipto

El propósito de esta comunicación es dar a conocer los resultados de la primera campaña de trabajo de la Misión argentina en la tumba de Amenmose (TT318), en Luxor, que cuenta con el aval del Ministerio de Turismo y Antigüedades de la República Árabe de Egipto. Esta campaña de trabajo se enmarca en el Proyecto de estudio y conservación de una tumba ubicada en la necrópolis de la antigua Tebas, datada circa 3500 AP. Convergen, en este proyecto, líneas de investigación interdisciplinarias que involucran a investigadoras e investigadores con pertenencia institucional en distintos centros académicos de universidades nacionales (UNLP, UNC, UBA) y CONICET. La campaña tuvo como objetivos el relevamiento de información sobre la decoración parietal y el estado de conservación integral del monumento e incluyó el registro fotográfico, visual y de catalogación temática. Se realizaron tareas vinculadas con la pre consolidación y la limpieza en algunos sectores de la tumba y, asimismo, se evaluaron las condiciones ambientales y estructurales del monumento funerario

Hematological Changes in Women and Infants Exposed to an AZT-Containing Regimen for Prevention of Mother-to-child-transmission of HIV in Tanzania.

Tanzanian guidelines for prevention of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV (PMTCT) recommend an antiretroviral combination regimen involving zidovudine (AZT) during pregnancy, single-dosed nevirapine at labor onset, AZT plus Lamivudine (3TC) during delivery, and AZT/3TC for 1-4 weeks postpartum. As drug toxicities are a relevant concern, we assessed hematological alterations in AZT-exposed women and their infants. A cohort of HIV-positive women, either with AZT intake (n = 82, group 1) or without AZT intake (n = 62, group 2) for PMTCT during pregnancy, was established at Kyela District Hospital, Tanzania. The cohort also included the infants of group 1 with an in-utero AZT exposure ≥4 weeks, receiving AZT for 1 week postpartum (n = 41), and infants of group 2 without in-utero AZT exposure, receiving a prolonged 4-week AZT tail (n = 58). Complete blood counts were evaluated during pregnancy, birth, weeks 4-6 and 12. For women of group 1 with antenatal AZT intake, we found a statistically significant decrease in hemoglobin level, red blood cells, white blood cells, granulocytes, as well as an increase in red cell distribution width and platelet count. At delivery, the median red blood cell count was significantly lower and the median platelet count was significantly higher in women of group 1 compared to group 2. At birth, infants from group 1 showed a lower median hemoglobin level and granulocyte count and a higher frequency of anemia and granulocytopenia. At 4-6 weeks postpartum, the mean neutrophil granulocyte count was significantly lower and neutropenia was significantly more frequent in infants of group 2. AZT exposure during pregnancy as well as after birth resulted in significant hematological alterations for women and their newborns, although these changes were mostly mild and transient in nature. Research involving larger cohorts is needed to further analyze the impact of AZT-containing regimens on maternal and infant health

Aportes para la Enseñanza de la Matemática

Se organiza en cinco secciones. La primera hace una presentación de la prueba, relevando los aprendizajes que evalúa. La segunda sección detalla los resultados de los estudiantes en los distintos dominios y procesos cognitivos evaluados. La tercera describe el enfoque de la enseñanza de la matemática en la región, a partir de la revisión del análisis curricular que sirve como marco de evaluación de las pruebas, especificando los propósitos, objetivos, características y orientación de la enseñanza de esta disciplina. La cuarta sección se acerca al tema de la evaluación, y el modo en que es posible monitorear el avance de los estudiantes en la adquisición de los aprendizajes centrales de la disciplina. Finalmente, se abordan los resultados de TERCE y su relación con el trabajo docente; se muestran ejemplos de preguntas que representan distintos niveles de logro y se entregan sugerencias o propuestas de prácticas pedagógicas para promover que los estudiantes alcancen los niveles más avanzados

Aportes para la enseñanza de las ciencias naturales

Se organiza en cuatro secciones. La primera presenta el enfoque de la enseñanza de las ciencias naturales en la región, a partir de la revisión del análisis curricular que sirve como marco de evaluación de las pruebas, especificando los propósitos, objetivos, características y orientación de la enseñanza de esta disciplina. La segunda hace una presentación de la prueba TERCE, detallando los aprendizajes que evalúa. La tercera sección, muestra los resultados de los estudiantes en los distintos dominios y procesos cognitivos evaluados en las pruebas de tercer y sexto grados. En la cuarta sección se entregan ejemplos de preguntas representativas de distintos niveles de logro en las pruebas y se aportan sugerencias o propuestas de prácticas pedagógicas para promover que los estudiantes alcancen los niveles más avanzados

Aportes para la enseñanza de la escritura

Se organiza en cinco secciones. La primera presenta el enfoque de la enseñanza de la escritura en la región, a partir de la revisión del análisis curricular que sirve como marco de evaluación de las pruebas, especificando los propósitos, objetivos, características y orientación de la enseñanza de esta disciplina. La segunda describe la prueba TERCE, relevando los aprendizajes que evalúa a partir de las dimensiones e indicadores que componen las rúbricas con que se corrigieron los textos producidos por los estudiantes. La tercera sección analiza los resultados de los estudiantes en los indicadores evaluados en las pruebas de tercer y sexto grados. En la cuarta sección se muestran ejemplos de respuestas que representan distintos niveles de logro y, en la quinta, se entregan sugerencias o propuestas de prácticas pedagógicas para promover que los estudiantes alcancen los niveles más avanzados

Virtual excavation and analysis of the early Neanderthal cranium from Altamura (Italy).

The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04644-1.Complete Neanderthal skeletons are almost unique findings. A very well-preserved specimen of this kind was discovered in 1993 in the deepest recesses of a karstic system near the town of Altamura in Southern Italy. We present here a detailed description of the cranium, after we virtually extracted it from the surrounding stalagmites and stalactites. The morphology of the Altamura cranium fits within the Neanderthal variability, though it retains features occurring in more archaic European samples. Some of these features were never observed in Homo neanderthalensis, i.e. in fossil specimens dated between 300 and 40 ka. Considering the U-Th age we previously obtained (>130 ka), the morphology of Altamura suggests that the archaic traits it retains may have been originated by geographic isolation of the early Neanderthal populations from Southern Italy.Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y PaleontologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEItalian Ministry of Education, University and Researchpu