Using mesoporous thin films as nano-micro-fluidic tools

Achieving active control on small amounts of liquids represents a substantial challenge in both scientific and engineering aspects. Imbibition of fluids in bodies with nanoscale dimensions enables the spontaneous propelling of nano-flows because of the powerful capillarity at small-length scales. Peculiarities of nanopore imbibition at the thin film level lead to distinctive capillary transport phenomena of fluids across the nanopore matrix. This particular imbibition also impacts on the behavior of the in-contact liquid micro-volumes. These both features add versatile alternatives to the high interest in the management of femtolitre to microlitres amounts of liquids. Herein, we show a brief discussion-outlook based on recent advances in the design of versatile tools to attain programmable nano/microfluidics using mesoporous thin film platforms.Cited as: Berli, C. L. A., Bellino, M. G. Using mesoporous thin films as nano-micro-fluidic tools. Capillarity, 2022, 5(6): 123-127. https://doi.org/10.46690/capi.2022.06.0

The Role of Trauma in Early Onset Borderline Personality Disorder: A Biopsychosocial Perspective

The role of childhood trauma in the development of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in young age has long been studied. The most accurate theoretical models are multifactorial, taking into account a range of factors, including early trauma, to explain evolutionary pathways of BPD. We reviewed studies published on PubMed in the last 20 years to evaluate whether different types of childhood trauma, like sexual and physical abuse and neglect, increase the risk and shape the clinical picture of BPD. BPD as a sequela of childhood traumas often occurs with multiple comorbidities (e.g. mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, eating, dissociative, addictive, psychotic, and somatoform disorders). In such cases it tends to have a prolonged course, to be severe, and treatment-refractory. In comparison with subjects who suffer from other personality disorders, patients with BPD experience childhood abuse more frequently. Adverse childhood experiences affect different biological systems (HPA axis, neurotransmission mechanisms, endogenous opioid systems, gray matter volume, white matter connectivity), with changes persisting into adulthood. A growing body of evidence is emerging about interaction between genes (e.g. FKBP5 polymorphisms and CRHR2 variants) and environment (physical and sexual abuse, emotional neglect)

A time-varying inertia pendulum: Analytical modelling and experimental identification

In this paper two of the main sources of non-stationary dynamics, namely the time-variability and the presence of nonlinearity, are analysed through the analytical and experimental study of a time-varying inertia pendulum. The pendulum undergoes large swinging amplitudes, so that its equation of motion is definitely nonlinear, and hence becomes a nonlinear time-varying system. The analysis is carried out through two subspace-based techniques for the identification of both the linear time-varying system and the nonlinear system. The flexural and the nonlinear swinging motions of the pendulum are uncoupled and are considered separately: for each of them an analytical model is built for comparisons and the identification procedures are developed. The results demonstrate that a good agreement between the predicted and the identified frequencies can be achieved, for both the considered motions. In particular, the estimates of the swinging frequency are very accurate for the entire domain of possible configurations, in terms of swinging amplitude and mass positio