Innovative Technologies and Materials for more Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures

nnovative technologies and materials can develop the goals stated in the UN resolution A/RES/70/1. To be more precise, low-noise road pavements (for example Porous asphalt concretes, asphalt rubberised mixture, and texture-optimised pavements) have volumetric, surface (such as drainability, texture, friction and acoustic performance), and mechanistic properties that decay over time. This depends on the particular technology used and on the many variables, processes, and phenomena with consequences in terms of safety, quietness, and budget.    In light of these issues, the objectives of this study are confined into discussing several prospective developments related to the improvement of the road pavements currently used in the urban context. A new methodology aimed at improving the design of the main properties of a road pavement is presented.The abovementioned methodology was set up based on laboratory and on-site tests, which were carried out over recent decades in order to monitor the variation of surface and volumetric properties over time. Road surfaces with premium properties (such as low-noise emissions) can increase pavement and acoustic durability, and the proposed methodology can greatly improve the overall sustainability of current transportation infrastructures, fulfilling some of the goals stated in the UN Resolution A/RES/70/1. Tecnologie e materiali innovativi per infrastrutture di trasporto più sostenibiliLe tecnologie e i materiali innovativi possono favorire gli obiettivi contenuti nella risoluzione A/RES/70/1 delle Nazioni Unite. Le pavimentazioni stradali a bassa rumorosità (ad esempio le pavimentazioni porose, le miscele bituminose con gomma e le pavimentazioni con tessitura ottimizzata) hanno proprietà volumetriche, superficiali (quali drenabilità, tessitura, aderenza e prestazioni acustiche) e proprietà meccaniche che decadono nel tempo. Ciò dipende dalla particolare tecnologia utilizzata e da molteplici variabili. Molti processi e fenomeni sono coinvolti, con conseguenze in termini di sicurezza, rumorosità e budget. Alla luce di questi problemi, gli obiettivi di questo studio riguardano la messa a punto di una metodologia volta a migliorare la progettazione delle principali proprietà di una pavimentazione stradale e in particolare di quelle relative alla superficie. Le proprietà superficiali e volumetriche sono state monitorate, analizzate, in laboratorio e in situ. I risultati mostrano che l'uso di superfici stradali “speciali” (aventi, ad esempio, bassa emissione di rumore) può aumentare la durata complessiva della pavimentazione e che il metodo messo a punto può migliorare notevolmente la sostenibilità complessiva delle infrastrutture di trasporto, raggiungendo alcuni degli obiettivi indicati nella risoluzione A/RES/70/1.Innovative technologies and materials can develop the goals stated in the UN resolution A/RES/70/1. To be more precise, low-noise road pavements (for example Porous asphalt concretes, asphalt rubberised mixture, and texture-optimised pavements) have volumetric, surface (such as drainability, texture, friction and acoustic performance), and mechanistic properties that decay over time. This depends on the particular technology used and on the many variables, processes, and phenomena with consequences in terms of safety, quietness, and budget.    In light of these issues, the objectives of this study are confined into discussing several prospective developments related to the improvement of the road pavements currently used in the urban context. A new methodology aimed at improving the design of the main properties of a road pavement is presented.The abovementioned methodology was set up based on laboratory and on-site tests, which were carried out over recent decades in order to monitor the variation of surface and volumetric properties over time. Road surfaces with premium properties (such as low-noise emissions) can increase pavement and acoustic durability, and the proposed methodology can greatly improve the overall sustainability of current transportation infrastructures, fulfilling some of the goals stated in the UN Resolution A/RES/70/1. Tecnologie e materiali innovativi per infrastrutture di trasporto più sostenibiliLe tecnologie e i materiali innovativi possono favorire gli obiettivi contenuti nella risoluzione A/RES/70/1 delle Nazioni Unite. Le pavimentazioni stradali a bassa rumorosità (ad esempio le pavimentazioni porose, le miscele bituminose con gomma e le pavimentazioni con tessitura ottimizzata) hanno proprietà volumetriche, superficiali (quali drenabilità, tessitura, aderenza e prestazioni acustiche) e proprietà meccaniche che decadono nel tempo. Ciò dipende dalla particolare tecnologia utilizzata e da molteplici variabili. Molti processi e fenomeni sono coinvolti, con conseguenze in termini di sicurezza, rumorosità e budget. Alla luce di questi problemi, gli obiettivi di questo studio riguardano la messa a punto di una metodologia volta a migliorare la progettazione delle principali proprietà di una pavimentazione stradale e in particolare di quelle relative alla superficie. Le proprietà superficiali e volumetriche sono state monitorate, analizzate, in laboratorio e in situ. I risultati mostrano che l'uso di superfici stradali “speciali” (aventi, ad esempio, bassa emissione di rumore) può aumentare la durata complessiva della pavimentazione e che il metodo messo a punto può migliorare notevolmente la sostenibilità complessiva delle infrastrutture di trasporto, raggiungendo alcuni degli obiettivi indicati nella risoluzione A/RES/70/1

A Case of Treatment Resistant Depression and Alcohol Abuse in a Person with Mental Retardation: Response to Aripiprazole and Fluvoxamine Therapy upon Consideration of a Bipolar Diathesis after Repetitive Failure to Respond to Multiple Antidepressant Trials

Mental Retardation (MR) is a developmental disability characterized by impairments in adaptive daily life skills and difficulties in social and interpersonal functioning. Since multiple causes may contribute to MR, associated clinical pictures may vary accordingly. Nevertheless, when psychiatric disorders as Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) and/or alcohol abuse co-exist, their proper detection and management is often troublesome, essentially due to a limited vocabulary MR people could use to describe their symptoms, feelings and concerns, and the lack of reliable screening tools. Furthermore, MR people are among the most medicated subjects, with (over) prescription of antidepressants and/or typical antipsychotics being the rule rather than exception. Thus, treatment resistance or even worsening of depression, constitute frequent occurrences. This report describes the case of a person with MR who failed to respond to repetitive trials of antidepressant monotherapies, finally recovering using aripiprazole to fluvoxamine augmentation upon consideration of a putative bipolar diathesis for “agitated” TRD. Although further controlled investigations are needed to assess a putative bipolar diathesis in some cases of MR associated to TRD, prudence is advised in the long-term prescription of antidepressant monotherapies in such conditions

Celiac disease-associated Neisseria flavescens decreases mitochondrial respiration in CaCo-2 epithelial cells: Impact of Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 on bacterial-induced cellular imbalance

: We previously identified a Neisseria flavescens strain in the duodenum of celiac disease (CD) patients that induced immune inflammation in ex vivo duodenal mucosal explants and in CaCo-2 cells. We also found that vesicular trafficking was delayed after the CD-immunogenic P31-43 gliadin peptide-entered CaCo-2 cells and that Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 (L. paracasei-CBA) supernatant reduced peptide entry. In this study, we evaluated if metabolism and trafficking was altered in CD-N. flavescens-infected CaCo-2 cells and if any alteration could be mitigated by pretreating cells with L. paracasei-CBA supernatant, despite the presence of P31-43. We measured CaCo-2 bioenergetics by an extracellular flux analyser, N. flavescens and P31-43 intracellular trafficking by immunofluorescence, cellular stress by TBARS assay, and ATP by bioluminescence. We found that CD-N. flavescens colocalised more than control N. flavescens with early endocytic vesicles and more escaped autophagy thereby surviving longer in infected cells. P31-43 increased colocalisation of N. flavescens with early vesicles. Mitochondrial respiration was lower (P < .05) in CD-N. flavescens-infected cells versus not-treated CaCo-2 cells, whereas pretreatment with L. paracasei-CBA reduced CD-N. flavescens viability and improved cell bioenergetics and trafficking. In conclusion, CD-N. flavescens induces metabolic imbalance in CaCo-2 cells, and the L. paracasei-CBA probiotic could be used to correct CD-associated dysbiosis

Antimicrobial efficacy of Punica granatum Lythraceae peel extract against pathogens belonging to the ESKAPE group

The improper use and abuse of antibiotics have led to an increase in multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria resulting in a failure of standard antibiotic therapies. To date, this phenomenon represents a leading public health threat of the 21st century which requires alternative strategies to fight infections such as the identification of new molecules active against MDR strains. In the last 20 years, natural extracts with biological activities attracted scientific interest. Following the One Health Approach, natural by-products represent a sustainable and promising alternative solution. Consistently, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of hydro-alcoholic pomegranate peel extract (PPE) against MDR microorganisms belonging to Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. “ESKAPE” group pathogens. Through semiquantitative and quantitative methods, the PPE showed effective antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative MDR bacteria. The kinetics of bactericidal action of PPE highlighted that microbial death was achieved in a time- and dose-dependent manner. High concentrations of PPE exhibited antioxidant activity, providing a protective effect on cellular systems and red blood cell membranes. Finally, we report, for the first time, a significant intracellular antibacterial property of PPE as highlighted by its bactericidal action against the staphylococcal reference strain and its bacteriostatic effect against clinical resistant strain in the HeLa cell line. In conclusion, due to its characterized content of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity strength, the PPE could be considered as a therapeutic agent alone or in conjunction with standard antibiotics against challenging infections caused by ESKAPE pathogens

Geniculate Ganglion Meningioma

The geniculate ganglion is an unusual location for an intratemporal/intracranial meningioma. We present a case of meningioma intrinsic to the geniculate ganglion that presented peculiar features on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and magnetic resonance imaging. On HRCT, we found erosion of the geniculate ganglion with enlargement of the facial canal associated with the appearance of some calcifications within the lesion. These latter findings were confirmed at histological examination. In our patient, the T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance images had an intermediate signal and a mild hyperintensity, respectively. Although intracranial meningiomas can have calcifications within the mass, none of the cases of geniculate ganglion meningiomas described in the literature presented with calcifications. To our knowledge, our case is the first with this combination. The presence of calcifications led us to suspect a meningioma of the geniculate segment, which was confirmed at histological examination