Positive and negative mood in the elderly: the ZENITH study

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Use of high intensity X-ray analysis as tool to create new, fundamental models for phase transformations and residual stress in ductile cast iron

Recent advances in high resolution X-Ray methods that involve use of synchrotron facilities have made it possible to do high resolution, in-situ experimental studies of phase transformations in engineering materials thus providing detailed and accurate information on the processes that take place during such phase transformations. This paper describes how such facilities can be applied to study solidification of cast iron and formation of residual stress after eutectoid transformation by resolving the processes in 3D and time

The immune system and the impact of zinc during aging

The trace element zinc is essential for the immune system, and zinc deficiency affects multiple aspects of innate and adaptive immunity. There are remarkable parallels in the immunological changes during aging and zinc deficiency, including a reduction in the activity of the thymus and thymic hormones, a shift of the T helper cell balance toward T helper type 2 cells, decreased response to vaccination, and impaired functions of innate immune cells. Many studies confirm a decline of zinc levels with age. Most of these studies do not classify the majority of elderly as zinc deficient, but even marginal zinc deprivation can affect immune function. Consequently, oral zinc supplementation demonstrates the potential to improve immunity and efficiently downregulates chronic inflammatory responses in the elderly. These data indicate that a wide prevalence of marginal zinc deficiency in elderly people may contribute to immunosenescence

Atmospheric pressure vapour phase decomposition: a proof of principle

In the present work we demonstrated that the digestion of difficult matrices (high boiling petrochemical fractions and distillation bottoms) can be achieved by oxidation with nitric acid vapours at atmospheric pressure employing simple laboratory glassware. The application of this procedure as a digestion method prior to Total Reflection X Ray Fluorescence (TXRF) is presented, although the employment of other detection techniques may be foreseen. The method ensured a fast, less than half an hour, treatment time and detection limits in the range 20 \u2013 100 microg/kg for As, Bi, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn, whereas higher values were obtained for Ba, Ca, K, P, Rh, Ti and V (0.3 \u2013 3 mg/kg). The potentialities and limitations of this procedure were discussed: the application to a broad range of matrices may be foreseen

Large scale Italian energy intensive storage installation: Safety issues and environmental compatibility

The paper gives a concise overview of the analyses and studies which have supported the first Italian "energy intensive" storage installations. These studies have covered chemistry, electrotechnics, fire behaviour and risk assessment. The battery characteristics are described in the paper, highlighting the technical solutions put on to ensure safe operation and environmental compatibility. In particular, the paper presents the safety enrichments which have been implemented, on Terna specific request, for the Italian installations preventing the fire spreading between the modules and redounding the general safety features of sodium-sulphur (Na-S) technology. The safer behaviour of the new "modules" has been confirmed by some tests commissioned by Terna Storage and conducted in contradictory in Japan. The Italian Academia and Terna Storage have carried out a risk assessment of Na-S units (composed of elementary cells, modules and 1.2 MW units, the latter also called assembly) and relevant accidents due to endogenous and exogenous fire, earthquake, flooding, direct and indirect lightning, sabotage, hunting activity, possible impact of aircraft. Furthermore, the European regulation which can be applied to the stationary application of sodium batteries is considered in the paper to take into account the hazardous substances