A multipurpose modular drone with adjustable arms produced via the FDM additive manufacturing process

AbstractThe present paper shows an innovative multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) which is able to easily and quickly change its configuration. In order to satisfy this feature, the principal structure is made of an universal plate, combined with a circular ring, to create a rail guide able to host the arms, in a variable number from 3 to 8, and the legs. The arms are adjustable and contain all the avionic and motor drivers to connect the main structure with each electric motor. The unique arm design, defined as all-in-one, allows classical single rotor configurations, double rotor configurations and amphibious configurations including inflatable elements positioned at the bottom of the arms. The proposed multi-rotor system is inexpensive because of the few universal pieces needed to compose the platform which allows the creation of a kit. This modular kit allows to have a modular drone with different configurations. Such configurations are distinguished among them for the number of arms, number of legs, number of rotors and motors, and landing capability. Another innovation feature is the introduction of the 3D printing technology to produce all the structural elements. In this manner, all the pieces are designed to be produced via the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technology using desktop 3D printers. Therefore, an universal, dynamic and economic multi-rotor UAV has been developed

Filiera della canapa industriale (Cannabis sativa L.): sfide e nuove opportunità

La Cannabis Sativa è una pianta utilizzata in maniera sempre maggiore in diverse filiere del mercato: agro- alimentare, tessile, edile, cosmetico e della chimica verde, sostituendo prodotti "classici" con nuovi prodotti più performanti dal punto di vista ambientale e tecnologico. La "canapa industriale" ha un contenuto in tetraidriocannabinolo (THC) inferiore allo 0,2%, che ne permette la coltivazione e la commercializzazione in Europa (Reg. CE n.1673/2000 e Reg. CE n.73/2009). Ampiamente coltivata in Italia e nel mondo fino alla metà del secolo scorso, principalmente per ottenerne prodotti da impiegare nell'industria tessile, motivazioni economiche e politiche (Legge 22/12/1975 n.685) ne hanno segnato il declino. Oggi comunque questa coltura sta conoscendo un nuovo periodo di espansione per le caratteristiche e i molteplici usi che la rendono particolarmente vicina ai principi della green economy. In Europa la superficie coltivata ha raggiunto il valore di circa 25.000 ha nel 2016, in crescita del 37% rispetto al 2014. Il ritorno della canapicoltura sta avvenendo su basi completamente diverse rispetto al passato, quando l'unico prodotto vendibile era la fibra lunga, per la creazione di tessuti e cordami, ottenuta attraverso procedimenti che richiedevano enormi impieghi di manodopera. Oggi, dal punto di vista delle possibilità d'impiego, la canapa presenta caratteristiche di versatilità che rendono questa materia prima utilizzabile in molti settori per le sue proprietà: produzione di carta (la canapa ha una resa in polpa per ettaro 4 volte superiore rispetto al legno, oltre a richiedere 1/7 del quantitativo di solventi chimici), industria chimica, industria alimentare (attraverso l'impiego di olio e farine ricavate dai semi della canapa) e produzione di energia pulita. Inoltre è importante ricordare la capacità fitodepuratrice della canapa (già sfruttata nel nostro Paese per il recupero dell'area industriale di Porto Marghera nel Veneziano). Le radici fittonanti riescono a raggiungere profondità maggiori rispetto ad altre piante a rapido accrescimento, inoltre gli inquinanti vengono accumulati in foglie e semi, permettendo un utilizzo sicuro della fibra. Dunque la canapa, pur essendo una coltura tradizionale, ben si presta a molteplici utilizzazioni innovative, che la identificano come una delle colture erbacee più promettenti nello scenario agricolo internazionale. Il presente lavoro ha l'obiettivo di analizzare il mercato e le potenzialità di crescita della canapa nei differenti settori, tenendo in considerazione anche le iniziative finalizzate a promuovere e sostenere, sul territorio, un modello di sviluppo diffuso fondato sulla valorizzazione delle risorse presenti a livello locale e, quindi, sull'integrazione delle diverse attività economiche potenzialmente interessate all'impiego della canapa

Commercial hemp seed oils: a multimethodological characterization

Nine commercial hemp seed oils from different countries were studied using a multimethodological approach to obtain information about their quality and chemical composition. Due to the lack of a specific regulation for hemp seed oils, quality parameters used in the case of olive oils (free acidity, peroxides number, spectrophotometer parameters) and anisidine number were measured and compared with those reported for extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Free acidity and peroxides number showed a great variability, ranging from 0.4 to 17.24% and from 4.32 to 22.14 meqO2/kg, respectively, whereas the anisidine number ranged from 0.11 to 3.58. K232 value turned out to be generally below the limit reported for EVOO, whereas K270 and ΔK values were higher, with respect to EVOO limits, due to the high amount of tri-unsaturated fatty chains. Colorimetric analysis showed a peculiar curve trend that could represent the fingerprint of this product. Untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance methodology allowed to measure the amount of fatty chains, ω-6:ω-3 ratio, β-sitosterol, and aldehydes. The ω-6:ω-3 ratio turned out to be, in some cases, different from that reported on the bottle labels. Finally, lipoperoxidation assays were also carried out under different storage (light and temperature) and time exposure conditions, confirming that the exposure to direct light is the condition that interferes more with the product quality

Chemico-biological characterization of Torpedino Di Fondi® tomato fruits. A comparison with San Marzano cultivar at two ripeness stages

Torpedino di Fondi (TF) is a hybrid tomato landrace developed in Sicily and recently introduced in the south Lazio area along with the classical San Marzano (SM) cultivar. The present study aimed at characterizing TF tomatoes at both pink and red ripening stages, and at comparing them with traditional SM tomatoes. A multidisciplinary approach consisting of morphological, chemical (FT‐ICR MS, NMR, HPLC, and spectrophotometric methods), and biological (antioxidant and antifungal in vitro activity) analyses was applied. Morphological analysis confirmed the mini‐ San Marzano nature and the peculiar crunchy and solid consistency of TF fruits. Pink TF tomatoes displayed the highest content of hydrophilic antioxidants, like total polyphenols (0.192 mg/g), tannins (0.013 mg/g), flavonoids (0.204 mg/g), and chlorophylls a (0.344 mg/g) and b (0.161 mg/g), whereas red TF fruits were characterized by the highest levels of fructose (3000 mg/100 g), glucose (2000 mg/100 g), tryptophan (2.7 mg/100 g), phenylalanine (13 mg/100 g), alanine (25 mg/100 g), and total tri‐unsaturated fatty acids (13% mol). Red SM fruits revealed the greatest content of lipophilic antioxidants, with 1234 mg/g of total carotenoids. In agreement with phenolics content, TF cultivar showed the greatest antioxidant activity. Lastly, red TF inhibited Candida species (albicans, glabrata and krusei) growth

A Multimethodological Characterization of Cannabis sativa L. Inflorescences from Seven Dioecious Cultivars Grown in Italy: The Effect of Different Harvesting Stages

The chemical profile of the female inflorescence extracts from seven Cannabis sativa L. dioecious cultivars (Carmagnola, Fibranova, Eletta Campana, Antal, Tiborszallasi, Kompolti, and Tisza) was monitored at three harvesting stages (4, 14, and 30 September), reaching from the be ginning of flowering to end of flowering/beginning of seed formation, using untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and targeted (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and spectrophotometry) analyses. The tetrahydrocannabinol content was always below the legal limits (<0.6%) in all the analyzed samples. The NMR metabolite profile (sugars, organic acids, amino acids, and minor compounds) subjected to principal components analysis (PCA) showed a strong variability according to the harvesting stages: samples harvested in stage I were characterized by a high content of sucrose and myo-inositol, whereas the ones harvested in stage II showed high levels of succinic acid, alanine, valine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and threonine. Samples harvested in stage III were characterized by high levels of glucose, fructose, choline, trigonelline, malic acid, formic acid, and some amino acids. The ratio between chlorophylls and carotenoids content indicated that all plants grew up exposed to the sun, the Eletta Campana cultivar having the highest pigment amount. Tiborszallasi cultivar showed the highest polyphenol content. The highest antioxidant activity was generally observed in stage II. All these results suggested that the Cannabis sativa L. inflorescences of each analyzed dioecious hemp cultivar presented a peculiar chemical profile affected by the harvesting stage. This information could be useful for producers and industries to harvest inflorescences in the appropriate stage to obtain samples with a peculiar chemical profile suitable for proper applications.15s

Geographical heterogeneity of clinical and serological phenotypes of systemic sclerosis observed at tertiary referral centres. The experience of the Italian SIR-SPRING registry and review of the world literature

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by a complex etiopathogenesis encompassing both host genetic and environmental -infectious/toxic- factors responsible for altered fibrogenesis and diffuse microangiopathy. A wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes may be observed in patients' populations from different geographical areas. We investigated the prevalence of specific clinical and serological phenotypes in patients with definite SSc enrolled at tertiary referral centres in different Italian geographical macro-areas. The observed findings were compared with those reported in the world literature.Materials and methods: The clinical features of 1538 patients (161 M, 10.5%; mean age 59.8 +/- 26.9 yrs.; mean disease duration 8.9 +/- 7.7 yrs) with definite SSc recruited in 38 tertiary referral centres of the SPRING (Systemic sclerosis Progression INvestiGation Group) registry promoted by Italian Society of Rheumatology (SIR) were obtained and clustered according to Italian geographical macroareas.Results: Patients living in Southern Italy were characterized by more severe clinical and/or serological SSc phenotypes compared to those in Northern and Central Italy; namely, they show increased percentages of diffuse cutaneous SSc, digital ulcers, sicca syndrome, muscle involvement, arthritis, cardiopulmonary symptoms, interstitial lung involvement at HRCT, as well increased prevalence of serum anti-Scl70 autoantibodies. In the same SSc population immunusppressive drugs were frequently employed. The review of the literature underlined the geographical heterogeneity of SSc phenotypes, even if the observed findings are scarcely comparable due to the variability of methodological approaches.Conclusion: The phenotypical differences among SSc patients' subgroups from Italian macro-areas might be correlated to genetic/environmental co-factors, and possibly to a not equally distributed national network of information and healthcare facilities

Biotechnologies for Clean Energy Production

Waste biomass for local sustainable development: a case study in Keny

Italian Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Seed Oil Nutrients: Fatty Acids and Antioxidant

Industrial hemp is an ancient multi-purpose culture. Its reborn involved consumers, academia and industry attention, due to important sustainability features. It belongs to the Cannabis Sativa L. species known for its psychoactive effects. Some varieties, with tetra-hydro-cannabinol (THC) content &lt; 0.2%, are allowed for cultivation (EC Reg. No 1673/2000; EC Reg. No 73/2009). From hemp cultivation main products obtainable are: fiber (from the stem) and seeds (from the inflorescences). The seeds are characterized by a good content of macro and micro nutrients, leading to consider this product as an important nutritional and nutraceutical resource. By pressing the seeds itʼs possible to obtain an oil with a characteristic fatty acids composition. A 3:1 ratio in ω3-ω6 fatty acids is considered ideal for human needs, in accordance with the recommendations of the European Food Safety Agency EFSA. Hempseed oil contains linoleic and linolenic acid, otherwise of other oils. Several studies reported health benefits associated with consumption of these fatty acids in cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and types of dermatitis. Hemp seed oil shows excellent oxidative stability, suggesting the presence of phenolic and antioxidant compounds. Natural antioxidants may play a role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases and in containing the oxidative damage to cellular components. In this study different oils are analyzed. Sampling was carried out by considering Italian hempseed oil in different processing of seeds and in different years of cultivation. The determination of the fatty acid profile was carried out with HPLC-UV, after a pre-column derivatization. The antioxidant capacity was determined by ABTS and DPPH assays. The total phenolic content, indeed, was determined with Folin-Ciocalteu reagents. Moreover,the multivariate statistical (chemometric) treatment of the data has allowed to characterize the oils on the basis of the original cultivar and the place of cultivation

Extra Virgin Oil’s quality parameters by sustainable methods

Europe is the world's largest producer of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with 2,317,174 tons in 2014. Spain, Italy and Greece cover more than 90% of European EVOO production. Extra virgin olive oil is a high value product, obtained from the mechanical pressing of olives. Several studies correlate the health benefits due to its composition: high content of unsaturated fatty acids (more than 75%, especially monounsaturated oleic acid), presence of phytosterols and antioxidant compounds. The economic implication of this commodity makes it particularly susceptible to fraud. The COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 2568/91 sets out several "characteristics of olive oil and oliveresidue oil and on the relevant methods of analysis" in order to guarantee the purity and quality of the oil. The legislation's annexes illustrate the analysis methods and the decision tree "for verifying whether an olive oil sample is consistent with the category declared" (i.e. free fatty acidity ≤ 0.8 % for extra virgin olive oil). These methods take into account the variety of each matrix and define the amount of sample and reagents that have to been used for the determination of the quality parameters. The aim of this work is to develop optimized methods (starting from the official ones) and make them sustainable by using a smaller amount of chemicals (e.g. reagents, solvents), reducing also the production of waste and the sample needed. Since the production and disposal of solvents has negative effect on the environment, the evaluation of sustainable methods is a very topical issue. The quality parameters chosen are free fatty acidity, peroxides number and anisidine number (from Regulation EEC No 2568/91 and ISO 6885: 2016). A comparison between the regulation’s method and the new ones was made. The new methods were validated and their results were not statistically different (p&lt;0.05) from the standard ones. The miniaturized methods have greater sustainability, saving more than 45% of resources (fig. 1)