Biophilia as Emotion

Biophilia is defined as the innate human tendency to experience a bond or deep connection  with other forms of life. It is innate, but not instinctive, and it is based on a set of learning rules that appear to be genetically determined. The ways through which biophilia is manifested strongly suggest that would be best described as an emotion, intended as an immediate and consequent reaction to a natural stimulus, which may be positive (biophilia, sensu strictu) or negative (biophobia). In this article, we will attempt to contextualise biophilia and biophobia within the two principle theories of emotional development in the child: the Socioemotional Development Model by L.A. Sroufe and the Differential Emotion Theory by C.E. Izard. Whatever the origin and ontological development of biophilia may be, it is clear that the biophilic emotion constitutes a fundamental resource available to all human beings who are aware of their dependence upon the natural processes of this world, from which each of us draws physical, psychological and spiritual nourishment.

Development Of Technologies For High Value Products From Biomass Pyrolysis

Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex. Steud. is an invasive perennial grass found in North America, which is rapidly spreading throughout Ontario, damaging the native ecosystem and endangering the wildlife. This infestation has caused a decrease in biodiversity and nutrient availability to the agricultural crops through competition. One of the most effective management practices is spading them, leaving a huge number of dead stalks that need to be disposed of. Pyrolysis was selected as an alternative thermochemical method to convert this feedstock to value-added bioproducts, such as bio-oil and biochar, and to produce valuable renewable chemicals from the pyrolysis oil, such levoglucosan and acetic acid. This research study objectives are the conversion of Phragmites australis through slow pyrolysis with an existing technology developed in ICFAR in previous years and with a new pyrolysis unit designed and built for the scope of this research, to investigate the impact of different operating conditions on the biochar and bio-oil products. Model compounds made of different ratio of the lignocellulosic components were investigated as well to study differences and similarities. Fast pyrolysis was carried out in the new bench scale pyrolysis unit to study the effect of different pre-treatments on the removal of the alkali and alkaline earth metals (AAEMs) to improve the levoglucosan yield in the bio-oil product. Finally, the performance of the biochar and activated biochar produced from Phragmites australis as sorbent materials was investigated for the removal of ibuprofen, this molecule was chosen as a model compound for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)

How to produce a potential high value bio-char from the worst invasive plant in Canada

Phragmites Australis is a perennial plant, native to Eurasia, which is spreading worldwide, increasing fire hazards, and causing damage to wildlife and its surrounding habitat. Phragmites is classified as Canada’s worst invasive plant due to the difficulty of achieving its full eradication. Phragmites plants are fast growing and can spread quickly through seeds or rhizomes. They must be processed locally to destroy seeds and rhizomes. For these reasons, mobile pyrolysis was selected as a destruction method that provides valuable bio-char. The aim of this work is to study the effect of different pre-treatment and post-treatment strategies on bio-char characteristics, such as metal content, surface area, and porosity. Please click on the file below for full content of the abstract

Influence of pre-treatment on grass pyrolysis for high value products

Pyrolysis of biomass is a process which yields high quality, clean, and green products like bio-oil and bio-char. Bio-oil has a wide range of applications and also includes liquid fuels and raw chemical products. Therefore, it will be attractive to tailor the bio-oil properties to improve the yields of specific compounds that are economically interesting. In particular, pyrolytic sugar can be used for fermentation while phenolic compounds have an array of industrial applications such as adhesives; moreover, they can substitute petroleum-based phenols. However, it is difficult to achieve high yields of specific chemicals in the bio-oil without adequate biomass pre-treatments. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Typography and dyslexia: A preliminary study on university students

Specific fonts for people with dyslexia are designed under the assumption that text readability can benefit from decreased letter confusability. We asked university students (18-33 yr), either diagnosed with developmental dyslexia (DD= 8) or normal (N= 31) to perform several tasks on materials printed in 7 different fonts. The subjective ranking of fonts was not a strong predictor of individual performance in objective task

Integrating batch pyrolysis and fractional condensation (2D MFR) to get high-value products from biomass

Agricultural crop residues are a source of inexpensive biomass to convert into bioproducts. The recovery of valuable chemicals from plant waste would partly solve the disposal issue and offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic chemical production. One approach to separate and concentrate valuable chemicals from biomass is pyrolysis using a batch reactor process. A mechanically fluidized reactor (MFR) was developed to pyrolyze biomass from ambient to temperatures near 600 °C, forming gases that are then condensed in an ice-chilled condenser to form a bio-oil. The bio-oil produced by the MFR can be separated within temperature ranges, termed one-dimensional or 1-D pyrolysis. Further separation of bio-oil can be achieved by two condensers, one set at a high and one at a low temperature, to isolate the gases by boiling point, termed two-dimensional or 2-D pyrolysis. The biomass investigated, tobacco leaf, tomato plant, spent coffee ground, and hydrolysis and organosolv lignin, were chosen based on availability and the valuable products previously identified in the bio-oil. After 2-D MFR pyrolysis, a total nicotine recovery of 90% from tobacco bio-oil compared to solvent extraction was obtained when the nicotine concentration was 20%. Both the tobacco and tomato bio-oils could be separated through the 2-D MFR to isolate fractions with high insecticide activity, and the antioxidant concentration in the tomato and organosolv lignin bio-oil was 97 and 91%, respectively. In summary, valuable products including pesticides, antioxidants and activated carbon can be recovered from crop waste by MFR pyrolysis demonstrating a successful example of a biorefinery, a sustainable process for converting biomass into a range of bio-based products

A rapid ethnographic study of breastfeeding in the North and South of Italy

BACKGROUND: The past ten years have witnessed a rising trend in the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding in Italy, but breastfeeding rates increase in an unequal way; they are higher in the North of Italy than in the South. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences, expectations and beliefs of a sample of mothers, and to identify differences, if any, between the North and the South of Italy. METHODS: The study was conducted in two regions of Italy, Friuli Venezia Giulia in the Northeast and Basilicata in the South. Two hundred and seventy-nine mothers of infants and children 6 to 23 months of age were interviewed using an 85-item questionnaire including closed and open questions on infant feeding experiences and beliefs, sources of information and support, reasons for intended and actual choices and practices, and some demographic and social variables. Face-to-face interviews were conducted between May 2001 and September 2002. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The distribution of the mothers by age, education, employment and parity did not differ from that of the general population of the two regions. The reported rates of initiation and duration of breastfeeding were also similar: 95% started breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding was 32% at three and 9% at six months, with 64% and 35% of any breastfeeding, respectively. Some differences were reported in the rates of full breastfeeding, reflecting different ages of introduction of non-nutritive fluids. These, as well as nutritive fluids – including infant formula – and complementary foods, were introduced far too early. Advice on infant feeding was generally provided by health professionals and often was not based on up-to-date recommendations. Mothers were generally aware of the advantages of breastfeeding, but at the same time reported problems that they were not able to solve alone or through social and health system support. Most mothers would welcome the support of a peer counsellor. More mothers in Basilicata than in Friuli Venezia Giulia reported difficulties with breastfeeding related to returning to work and were not familiar with their rights on breastfeeding and maternity leave. CONCLUSION: Programmes for the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding in these and similar regions of Italy should concentrate on better training of health professionals with regards to lactation management, communication, and counselling skills. The addition of trained peer counsellors could reinforce the work done by the health system and, through community involvement, could help change social prejudice in the mid- and long-term. The differences between regions should be taken into account in formulating these programmes to avoid increasing, and possibly to decrease, the current gaps

The influence of naturalness of the landscape structure on children’s connectedness to Nature in north-eastern Italy

Connectedness to Nature and the ability to perceive the restorative value of places characterised by the presence of natural elements are personal characteristics that, when appropriately measured, make it possible to predict an individual’s attitude towards pro-environmental behaviour. While these characteristics have an innate basis, they are also shaped by personal experiences and various cognitive, affective and sociocultural factors. In this exploratory study in North-eastern Italy, we delve into an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between the environment of the residential area and its impact on children's attitudes toward Nature. To do so, we conducted a comprehensive questionnaire amongst 533 primary schoolchildren, aged 6-11 years, to gauge their connectedness to Nature, their perceptions of restorativeness in surrounding natural settings, and their schoolyard environment. Drawing from optical satellite imageries, we calculated a combined multispectral index to assess the naturalness degree of participants' residential areas, focusing on their 68 residential areas, located in three administrative Italian Regions (Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto), which were classified into four different classes with respect to their level of presence of natural areas ("coastal," "low," "average," "high"). By performing non-parametric tests for multiple comparisons amongst groups, we detected a significantly higher level of connectedness to Nature amongst children living in areas with high naturalness, compared to those living in areas with average or low naturalness. Perceived restorativeness scores exhibit a similar trend to that of connectedness to Nature, reinforcing the importance of natural spaces in fostering positive attitudes towards the environment. This result confirms that accessibility and the viewability of natural spaces, even semi-natural ones, seemed to play a crucial role in children's preference for these environments. However, schoolyards were consistently perceived as less regenerative than natural places, regardless of the naturalness of the neighbourhood. These findings raise intriguing questions about the potential consequences of inadequate exposure to Nature on children's affiliation to the natural world and possible subsequent effects on pro-environmental behaviour in adulthood. By shedding light on the complex interplay between personal characteristics, environment and attitudes towards Nature, our study underscores the significance of fostering a deeper connection with natural spaces to nurture a sustainable and environmentally conscious society

Diagnostica e trattamento nelle complicanze della Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: la nostra esperienza

Scopo: L'intervento di laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) rappresenta attualmente uno dei principali interventi di chirurgia bariatrica proposti in Europa. Le sue complicanze sono infrequenti, ma tra di esse lo sviluppo di raccolte fluide paragastriche, sia a breve che a medio-lungo termine, risulta un'eventualit\ue0 nota. La gestione di questi Pazienti coinvolge il Radiologo tanto nella diagnosi, quanto nel follow-up e nell'eventuale trattamento interventistico. Si presenta l'esperienza degli ultimi 6 anni in un centro di riferimento. Materiali e metodi: E' stato realizzato uno studio retrospettivo nell'intervallo temporale da Aprile 2012 al Febbraio 2018. La popolazione di studio \ue8 costituita da 21 pazienti giunti all'attenzione dell'Istituto di Radiologia dell'Universit\ue0 degli studi di Padova per l'insorgenza di complicanze in esiti di sleeve gastrectomy, in particolare per l'insorgenza di raccolta paragastrica. Sono state prese in esame le informazioni cliniche dei pazienti, le indagini radiologiche e le procedure di radiologia interventistica eseguite. Tutti i Pazienti hanno eseguito almeno una radiografia del tubo digerente prime vie (RXTDPV), una tomografia computerizzata (TC) addome con o senza mezzo di contrasto endovenoso e una procedura di radiologia interventistica. Risultati: La popolazione comprende 19 femmine e 2 maschi, di et\ue0 media di 44 anni (range 30-61 anni). Il BMI medio dei pazienti \ue8 di 45.6 kg/m^2 (range 66-34 kg/m^2). In 11 pazienti la LSG ha rappresentato il primo intervento addominale, 5 pazienti avevano eseguito altri interventi di chirurgia bariatrica (4 bendaggi gastrici, 1 plicatura), 5 pazienti chirurgia addominale di altro tipo. La RXTDPV del primo giorno post-operatorio, eseguita in tutti i Pazienti, \ue8 risultata negativa in tutti i casi. Le complicanze sono state diagnosticate in 20 casi con TC ed in 1 caso con RXTDPV, eseguite per peggioramento clinico in media a 22 gg dall'intervento (intervallo 1-189 gg). Tra i segni e sintomi presenti all'esordio i pi\uf9 frequenti sono stati la febbre (14 casi, 67%) e il dolore addominale (13 casi, 62%). Altri dati clinici riportati comprendono alterazioni dell'alvo (dal vomito alla mancata canalizzazione), melena, ematemesi, alterazioni degli indici di flogosi, aumento dell'output di eventuali drenaggi addominali. Tutti i pazienti hanno presentato una raccolta addominale paragastrica, 10 dei quali con evidenza di fistola. La diagnosi di fistola \ue8 stata ottenuta in tutti i casi attraverso RXTDPV; dalle indagini TC non sono emersi segni diretti di fistolizzazione. Ciascun paziente \ue8 stato sottoposto ad almeno una procedura di Radiologia interventistica per un totale di 59 procedure: 44 TC guidate, 14 in scopia e 1 ecografica, con una media di 2.8 procedure per paziente (range 1- 11). Tra le procedure eseguite, la grande maggioranza (54, pari al 92%) ha riguardato il drenaggio di raccolte o il posizionamento di drenaggi addominali; le altre l'embolizzazione della fistola mediante colla cianoacrilica ed il drenaggio di raccolte pleuriche. In 9 pazienti il solo trattamento interventistico ha portato alla risoluzione clinica. I restanti 12 pazienti hanno necessitato di una terapia combinata chirurgico/endoscopica e radiologica; in 3 di questi ultimi la procedura radiologica \ue8 stato l\u2019ultimo trattamento. La mortalit\ue0 e le complicanze periprocedurali sono risultate nulle. Conclusioni: Lo sviluppo di raccolte paragastriche nel Paziente con esiti di LSG, anche a mesi di distanza dall'intervento, rappresenta un motivo di accesso al reparto di Radiologia. In questi Pazienti la presentazione clinica pu\uf2 essere varia; nella nostra esperienza il dolore addominale e la febbre rappresentano i sintomi pi\uf9 frequenti. Aneddoticamente la sintomatologia addominale pu\uf2 anche essere misconosciuta per una sospetta embolia polmonare. Nella popolazione in esame, la RXTDPV in prima giornata si \ue8 rivelato un esame poco utile nella previsione a medio-lungo termine dello sviluppo di raccolte paragastriche nella LSG. Non solo, ma anche nel caso di complicanze a breve termine, la sensibilit\ue0 della metodica per aspetti non francamente fistolosi si \ue8 rivelata nulla. La metodica pi\uf9 indicata per l'inquadramento iniziale di questi pazienti nella nostra esperienza \ue8 rappresentata dalla TC addome. In presenza di forte sospetto clinico, in alcuni casi pu\uf2 essere poi possibile condensare in un unico momento radiologico l'atto diagnostico mediante TC e la prima procedura interventistica. Una volta identificata la raccolta, la RXTDPV rappresenta un utile esame di secondo livello per identificare una eventuale origine fistolosa della raccolta stessa. Utile sottolineare che essa pu\uf2 non essere evidente ai primi controlli, ma manifestarsi successivamente nel prosieguo della storia clinica. In vista di un possibile risparmio di tempo e di dose, un'alternativa a questo approccio multimetodico potrebbe essere rappresentato dalla sola TC con mdc orale, ma l'eventuale efficacia diagnostica di questa tecnica nella popolazione bariatrica dovr\ue0 essere validata attraverso opportuni studi clinici. Da un punto di vista terapeutico le procedure di radiologia interventistica, ed in particolare il drenaggio delle raccolte, possono offrire discrete soddisfazioni in questi pazienti: nella nostra esperienza in quasi la met\ue0 dei casi esse si sono rivelate l'unico intervento necessario per la risoluzione del quadro clinico. La mortalit\ue0 pari a zero e l'assenza di complicanze periprocedurali nel nostro campione sottolineano la sicurezza di questo tipo di approccio nella risoluzione di raccolte paragastriche in esiti di LSG

Burden of Disease Caused by Otitis Media: Systematic Review and Global Estimates

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Otitis media (OM) is a leading cause of health care visits and drugs prescription. Its complications and sequelae are important causes of preventable hearing loss, particularly in developing countries. Within the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study, for the year 2005 we estimated the incidence of acute OM, chronic suppurative OM, and related hearing loss and mortality for all ages and the 21 WHO regional areas.</p> <h3>Methods</h3><p>We identified risk factors, complications and sequelae of OM. We carried out an extensive literature review (Medline, Embase, Lilacs and Wholis) which lead to the selection of 114 papers comprising relevant data. Data were available from 15 of the 21 WHO regions. To estimate incidence and prevalence for all countries we adopted a two stage approach based on risk factors formulas and regression modelling.</p> <h3>Results</h3><p>Acute OM incidence rate is 10.85% i.e. 709million cases each year with 51% of these occurring in under-fives. Chronic suppurative OM incidence rate is 4.76‰ i.e. 31million cases, with 22.6% of cases occurring annually in under-fives. OM-related hearing impairment has a prevalence of 30.82 per ten-thousand. Each year 21thousand people die due to complications of OM.</p> <h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Our study is the first attempt to systematically review the available information and provide global estimates for OM and related conditions. The overall burden deriving from AOM, CSOM and their sequelae is considerable, particularly in the first five years of life and in the poorest countries. The findings call for incorporating OM-focused action within preventive and case management strategies, with emphasis on the more affected.</p> </div