Innovative solution for reducing the run-down time of the chipper disc using a brake clamp device

Wood-chippers are widely used machines in the forestry, urban and agricultural sectors. The use of these machines implies various risks for workers, primarily the risk of contact with moving and cutting parts. These machine parts have a high moment of inertia that can lead to entrainment with the cutting components. This risk is particularly high in the case of manually fed chippers. Following cases of injury with wood-chippers and the improvement of the technical standard (Comit\ue9Europ\ue9en de Normalisation-European Norm) EN 13525: 2005 + A2: 2009, this technical note presents the prototype of an innovative system to reduce risks related to the involved moving parts, based on the \u201cbrake caliper\u201d system and electromagnetic clutch for the declutching of the power take-off (PTO). The prototype has demonstrated its potential for reducing the run-down time of the chipper disc (95%) and for reducing the worker\u2019s risk of entanglement and entrainment in the machine\u2019s feed mouth

Perché e come promuovere la camminabilitá urbana a partire dalle esigenze degli abitanti piú svantaggiati: il progetto "Extrapedestri. Lasciati conquistare dalla mobilità aliena!"

La città contemporanea è una città a misura di automobilista. Chi non vuole o non può usare l'automobile per spostarsi non è in grado di esercitare pienamente il proprio diritto urbano di accesso ed uso degli spazi e delle strade sottratti dalle automobili all'uso pubblico e collettivo. Il prerequisito per la riconquista di questo diritto urbano negato è la promozione di un vero e proprio cambiamento culturale in materia di mobilità, attraverso il coinvolgimento consapevole e responsabile degli abitanti nelle politiche e nei progetti di promozione della mobilità altra, in particolare di coloro che subiscono la maggior parte delle conseguenze negative determinate dalla presenza invasiva delle automobili nella città: bambini, anziani, persone disabili e pedoni (e ciclisti) in generale. Nell'articolo descriveremo il progetto pilota "Extrapedestri. Lasciati conquistare dalla mobilità aliena!" che si pone l'obiettivo di promuovere la camminabilità urbana di due quartieri marginali della città di Sassari (e, in prospettiva, di tutta la città, trattandosi un progetto facilmente replicabile) a partire dalle esigenze, dai desideri e dalla "capacità di disobbedienza" dei bambini, uno dei gruppi di abitanti più svantaggiati in materia di mobilità.Contemporary city is a car-friendly city. Those who cannot or do not want to use a car are not capable to fully exercise their fundamental urban right to access and to use the public spaces and the streets. In this paper, we argue that it is possible to make more effective policies aimed at building walkable cities making reference to the desires and needs of disadvantaged groups. In particular, we concentrate on children as one of the most vulnerable groups of inhabitants of the city. The role children can play in improving urban quality of life is fundamental, for a number of reasons, most important of which, for the purpose of this paper, is their "capability of disobedience" which might be used as a force of urban transformation. Then, we present one project through which we try to promote the urban walkability of the city of Sassari starting from children's involvement: "ExtraPedestrians: let yourself be conquered by the 'alien' mobility".Peer Reviewe

Wine polyphenols and health: quantitative research literature analysis

The relationship between wine polyphenols and health has been receiving growing scientific attention in the last few years. To confirm this point, the proposed paper identifies the major contributors to academic journals regarding the relationships between wine polyphenols and health. The endpoints of the proposed study are to provide a comprehensive overview and analysis of the literature regarding the relationships between wine polyphenol and health based on a bibliometric analysis. Bibliometric data were extracted from the Scopus online database using the search string TITLE-ABS-KEY (wine AND polyphenol* AND health OR (french paradox OR cardiovascular disease* OR atherosclerosis OR microbiota) and analyzed using the VOSviewer bibliometric software to generate bubble maps and to visualize the obtained results. This perspective paper analyzes: (i) the research themes addressing the relationships between wine polyphenols and health; (ii) the major contributors origin, e.g., country and/or regions; (iii) the institutions where the research is based; (iv) the authors; and (v) the type of paper. These results represent a useful tool to identify emerging research directions, collaboration networks, and suggestions for more in-depth literature searches.Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of a Portuguese honey harvested over two consecutive years.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Towards sustainable regional development through social networking - "Negotinska krajina" case

Like many other rural regions in post-socialist countries, Negotinska krajina wine region faces serious decline in wine production and severe depopulation. In order to reverse these negative trends, strengthening local capacities, through development of social networks, exchange and transfer of knowledge, expertise and know-how, is recognised in planning theory and practice as vital for more sustainable development of rural regions. This paper presents a process of developing a complex and dynamic model of collaboration between local institutions, companies and communities from Negotinska krajina region and Serbian and Italian academic and scientific institutions, experts and companies, in order to achieve: a) Increased transfer of knowledge, experiences and practices of local representatives and wine growers from Negotinska krajina region and partners; b) Increased knowhow transfer among academic partners and practical knowledge transfer among local public, private and civic stakeholders and academic institutions from Serbia and Italy; c) Institutionalized inter sectorial collaboration and ‘city to city’ cooperation. Some of the partners in this collaboration are: University of Belgrade-Faculty of Architecture;..... Fondazione De Vittorio (ex IRES – Istituto Ricerche Economiche e Sociali); Department......– Società cooperativa Agricola per azioni; Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade; University of Belgrade-Faculty of Philosophy, and Italian Embassy in Belgrade

Nanotopography Induced Human Bone Marrow Mesangiogenic Progenitor Cells (MPCs) to Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) Transition

Mesangiogenic progenitor cells (MPCs) are a very peculiar population of cells present in the human adult bone marrow, only recently discovered and characterized. Owing to their differentiation potential, MPCs can be considered progenitors for mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), and for this reason they potentially represent a promising cell population to apply for skeletal tissue regeneration applications. Here, we evaluate the effects of surface nanotopography on MPCs, considering the possibility that this specific physical stimulus alone can trigger MPC differentiation toward the mesenchymal lineage. In particular, we exploit nanogratings to deliver a mechanical, directional stimulus by contact interaction to promote cell morphological polarization and stretching. Following this interaction, we study the MPC-MSC transition by i. analyzing the change in cell morphotype by immunostaining of the key cell-adhesion structures and confocal fluorescence microscopy, and ii. quantifying the expression of cell-phenotype characterizing markers by flow cytometry. We demonstrate that the MPC mesengenic differentiation can be induced by the solely interaction with the NGs, in absence of any other external, chemical stimulus. This aspect is of particular interest in the case of multipotent progenitors as MPCs that, retaining both mesengenic and angiogenic potential, possess a high clinical appeal

Patients with multiple sclerosis: a burden and cost of illness study

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease negatively impacting patients' physical, psychological and social well-being with a significant economic burden. Objectives The study estimates MS burden and cost of illness in Italy from a societal perspective in 2019. Methods Information on the impact of the disease on daily activities, symptoms, employment, resource utilization and the role of caregivers was collected through questionnaires completed by 944 patients and caregivers. Results were stratified according to both disease severity and payer. Mean costs and overall costs were extrapolated from the sample to the Italian MS population considering published distribution of severity. Results The study showed a great impact of the disease on daily and work activities increasing with the disability. The overwhelming burden of fatigue emerged. Mean annual costs were estimated at euro39,307/patient (euro29,676, euro43,464 and euro53,454 in mild, moderate and severe cases, respectively). Direct healthcare costs were the major component (euro21,069), followed by indirect costs (euro15,004). The overall cost of the disease in Italy was euro4.8 billion. The National Healthcare System (NHS) sustained most of the costs (80%), most notably direct healthcare costs, while patients paid almost all non-healthcare expenses. Conclusions This study confirmed that MS carries a substantial burden to patients and society, highlighting the need for awareness of this disease

Grape seeds: chromatographic profile of fatty acids and phenolic compounds and qualitative analysis by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy

The primary product of the oenological sector is wine. Nonetheless, the grape processing produces large amounts of by-products and wastes, e.g., the grape seeds. In the context of a sustainable production, there is a strong push towards reutilizing these by-products and waste for making useful derivatives since they are rich of bioactive substances with high additional value. As it is true for the wine itself, bringing these by-products derivatives to the market calls for quality measures and analytical tools to assess quality itself. One of the main objectives is to collect analytical data regarding bioactive compounds using potentially green techniques. In the present work, the profile of fatty acids and the main phenolic compounds were investigated by conventional methods. The qualitative analysis of the main functional groups was carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Moreover, the successful use of FTIR technique in combination with chemometric data analysis is shown to be a suitable analytical tool for discriminating the grape seeds. Grape seeds of different origin have different content of bioactive substances, making this technique useful when planning to recover a certain substance with specific potential application in health area as food supplement or nutraceutical. For example, Cesanese d’Affile seeds were found to have a rather high fat content with a significant fraction of unsaturated fatty acids. On the other hand, the seeds of Nero d’Avola exhibit the highest amount of phenolic compounds.This research received funding from Italcol SpA, Consulente Enologica Srl and the support of the Project NATUR-BAKERY-INNOV” Innovative production of a bakery line, for well-being and sport, based on functional natural extracts”—POR FESR 2014–2020—CUP 7429.31052017.113000254. Authors thank the support of the project: Nutraceutica come supporto nutrizionale nel paziente oncologico; CUP: B83D18000140007info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio