MURANO PIXEL. An experimental and shared research

The paper describes the motivation, approach and working methodology of a research project financed with POR FSE funds by the Veneto Region. The research involved two universities (Università Iuav di Venezia and Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia), three glassworks in Murano, two network partners (Anteferma Edizioni and WASP) dedicated to innovation and the dissemination of innovation, and three young researchers. A network of professional figures, production realities and interlocutors developed around the figures institutionally involved in the project. These collaborations arose from the desire to share knowledge, production skills and experimentation. Moreover, the research was not limited to Murano but opened up this territory to international debate. This paper proposes the Venice Lagoon as a case study to develop research dedicated to the recycling of materials towards an increasingly comprehensive and complex approach. This is a challenge. The short circuit between the vitality of artisan work and research activity must be triggered

Antifragile glass

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Why universities and scientific world should stay away from the tobacco industry. Journey in Big Tobacco deception

Universities are institutions dedicated to improving life through the research and dissemination of knowledge. They facilitates the "peer to peer" communication among young people; the acquisition of knowledge and skills to improve personal and community health; the propagation of healthy lifestyles through the emulation of behavior. Tobacco industry, through commercial policies, enlist young people and transform them, through dependence, into "loyal customers" for many years. The recent introduction of the "reduced risk" products, (the so-called "cold smoke" for example), are a threat for young people who might underestimate the dangers, not even completely known by the experts. Universities and Scientific world that turn a blind eye to tobacco market, accepting the advantages offered by grants and donations from tobacco industry, become accomplices in spreading the "tobacco epidemic" because the funding comes directly from the sale of tobacco products. This "dirty" money causes illness, suffering and death. Universities are invested with an important ethical responsibility to help the world reduce and eliminate the tobacco epidemic, with research, training and information. Universities should have a policy statement that specifically prohibits academic bodies from accepting tobacco industry funding including grant funding. In the U.S.A. several scientific journals no longer publish tobacco industry- supported researches

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and hexachlorobenzene, semen quality and testicular cancer risk

PURPOSE: We carried out a case-control study to investigate the possible role of occupational and environmental exposure to endocrine disruptors in the onset of testicular cancer (TC). METHODS: We evaluated 125 TC patients and 103 controls. Seminal fluid examination and organochlorine analysis were performed in all subjects. Cases and controls were also interviewed using a structured questionnaire to collect demographic information, residence, andrological medical history and dietary information. RESULTS: We found that a higher level of reproductive tract birth defects was associated with a higher risk of TC. With regard to diet, cases reported a higher consumption of milk and dairy products than controls. Overall, there was a statistically significant increase in TC risk in cases with detectable values of total polychlorinated organic compounds against controls (14.4 vs. 1.0 %; p < 0.001). TC patients with detectable levels of organochlorines had lower mean semen parameters than those with undetectable levels, although this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The International Agency for Research on Cancer recently included dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Group 1 of known human carcinogens. Our study confirmed and identified various risk factors for testicular cancer: cryptorchidism, consumption of milk and dairy products, parents' occupation and serum concentration of hexachlorobenzene and PCBs and, for the first time, we showed the correlation between semen quality and the serum concentration of these pollutants

The River Contract of the Tiber from Castel Giubileo to the Foce: An Innovative Practice for a Relationship between Tiber and Rome

The River Contract is a little-known practice and an unconventional planning procedure but an opportunity in many Italian Regions to overcome the problems of coherence between levels of Government and to promote participation. The River Contract is a voluntary agreement of strategic and negotiated planning, aiming the protection, proper management of water resources, recovery, and enhancement of the river territories, together with flood protection, contributing to the local development of such areas. In 2017, in Rome, started the procedure for the River Contract by Agenda Tevere Onlus. This paper illustrates a practice-oriented research built by multidisciplinary approach and a method able to mix cultural and participatory knowledge. Because the Tiber is the river of Rome, the research aims to raise the possibility of enhancing the strategic and fundamental role of the Tiber in relation to the City through four key issues: the urban landscape, because the Tiber is intrinsically related with the city; the public space, because the Tiber must be a good of the city; the sustainable use, because the Tiber must be for the city; the active participation, because the interventions on the Tiber must be shared in the city by those who live and work in Rome

Meta-analysis of risk factors for cutaneous melanoma: I. Common and atypical naevi

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Passive smoking outdoors is harmful: it is time to take a step forward!

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Redesigning an Electrochemical MIP Sensor for PFOS: Practicalities and Pitfalls

There is a growing interest in the technological transfer of highly performing electrochemical sensors within portable analytical devices for the in situ monitoring of environmental contaminants, such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). In the redesign of biomimetic sensors, many parameters should be taken into account from the working conditions to the electrode surface roughness. A complete characterization of the surface modifiers can help to avoid time-consuming optimizations and better interpret the sensor responses. In the present study, a molecularly imprinted polymer electrochemical sensor (MIP) for PFOS optimized on gold disk electrodes was redesigned on commercial gold screen-printed electrodes. However, its performance investigated by dierential pulse voltammetry was found to be poor. Before proceeding with further optimization, a morphological study of the bare and modified electrode surfaces was carried out by scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–EDS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and profilometry revealing an heterogeneous distribution of the polymer strongly influenced by the electrode roughness. The high content of fluorine of the target-template molecule allowed to map the distribution of the molecularly imprinted polymer before the template removal and to define a characterization protocol. This case study shows the importance of a multi-analytical characterization approach and identify significant parameters to be considered in similar redesigning studies

The unjustified fiscal and regulatory benefits of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products in Italy

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When the word "radioactive" was in fashion: The case of the Radium Girls

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