How Could People and Communities Contribute to the Energy Transition? Conceptual Maps to Inform, Orient, and Inspire Design Actions and Education

Energy Transition (ET) is crucial for sustainable development, impacting inclusive pros perity and social justice. Knowledge development, innovative solutions, and awareness actions become crucial as energy systems transform. ET necessitates behavioural and cultural changes involving individuals in responsible decision making. The active engagement of all societal actors, including people and communities is essential. The article is authored by a university research team specializing in Design for Sustainability, Service Design, and Design for Experience, and it addresses two central research questions: (i) how can individuals and communities contribute to ET? and (ii) how can design theories, methods, and expertise contribute to generating knowledge and solutions for ET? The research employs a multidisciplinary literature review and case study analysis. It is structured into two main sections. The first section examines ET, drawing upon European Union (EU) official documents and academic literature to outline its values, objectives, actors, initiatives, and challenges, focusing on the role of citizens and communities. The second section explores the design’s contributions, summarizing relevant philosophies and solutions aligned with ET goals, challenges, and bottlenecks. Conceptual maps were created to address the knowledge gap on ET objectives and guidelines, providing design-oriented reference knowledge and principles. The purpose of the research is to define a conceptual framework made up of maps to guide researchers, designers, and design educators in understanding the complexity of ET and to inspire their intervention proposals

Characterization of Wild Corsican Hops and Assessment of the Performances of German Hops in Corsican Environmental Conditions through a Multidisciplinary Approach

Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) is a species that grows spontaneously in Corsica, but the characterization of this species in this territory has not yet been investigated. The main objectives of this study are to explore the features of wild hops from Corsica and to determine the effect of the island terroir on some cultivars in the first year of growth. A multidisciplinary approach consisting of the genetic analysis, morphological comparison and chemical characterization of essential oils was carried out on four wild Corsican hops and three hop cultivars grown in Tettnang, Germany and Corsica, France. The morphological and GC-MS analysis of Corsican wild hops, set cluster coastal samples apart from the one far from the coast. This dissimilarity is supported by the SSR analysis by two of the three coastal accessions. The genetics demonstrate a proximity between the European noble cultivar Tettnanger and the mountain Corsican wild hop from Corte. The morphological comparison between German hops cultivated in Tettnang and in Corsican soil, and the GC-MS characterization of their essential oils’ chemical profiles, show different features between year 0 and year +1 for each sample. This multidisciplinary approach highlights an acclimatization of hop cultivars to the Corsican terroir one year after planting

Nature and Mindfulness to Cope with Work-Related Stress: A Narrative Review

In recent years, work-related stress has grown exponentially and the negative impact that this condition has on people’s health is considerable. The effects of work-related stress can be distinguished in those that affect workers (e.g., depression and anxiety) and those that affect the company (e.g., absenteeism and productivity). It is possible to distinguish two types of prevention interventions. Individual interventions aim at promoting coping and individual resilience strategies with the aim of modifying cognitive assessments of the potential stressor, thus reducing its negative impact on health. Mindfulness techniques have been found to be effective stress management tools that are also useful in dealing with stressful events in the workplace. Organizational interventions modify the risk factors connected to the context and content of the work. It was found that a restorative workplace (i.e., with natural elements) reduces stress and fatigue, improving work performance. Furthermore, practicing mindfulness in nature helps to improve the feeling of wellbeing and to relieve stress. In this paper, we review the role of mindfulness-based practices and of contact with nature in coping with stressful situations at work, and we propose a model of coping with work-related stress by using mindfulness in nature-based practices

Construction of a frailty indicator with partially ordered sets: a multiple outcome proposal based on administrative healthcare data

Given the progressive ageing of Italian and European populations, chronic diseases attributable to ageing are rising steeply, calling for new strategies for health resources management and implementation of prevention policies. Among chronic patients, frail subjects have special and wider care needs, together with an increased risk of adverse health outcomes. Thus, their identification is a fundamental goal, claimed as the first step of the Italian National Program for Chronic Diseases

Gastropods from the Rockshelter Deodoro Roca (Sector B), Ongamira Valley (Cordoba, Argentina): A preliminary analysis

Se presentan los primeros resultados de la caracterización taxonómica y la cuantificación de gasterópodos procedentes de distintas unidades estratigráficas asociadas con las ocupaciones fechadas ca. 3000 AP. del Sector B del sitio ADR. El alero en cuestión había sido excavado en las décadas de 1940 y 1950, oportunidad en la que se obtuvieron gran cantidad de restos faunísticos incluidos camélidos, cérvidos, rheidos y gasterópodos (Menghin y González 1954, Pascual 1954). En 2010 se realizó la excavación de algunos sectores trabajados en la década de 1950 dejando los antiguos perfiles expuestos y la excavación de áreas no trabajadas previamente, lo que permitió identificar la presencia de fogones estructurados, con la particularidad de estar asociados a espesas capas de valvas de gasterópodos donde fueron recuperadas todas las valvas enteras y se realizó un muestreo para su cuantificación en cinco sectores del sitio. El análisis de estas valvas permitió la determinación de seis especies: cinco vivientes y una aparentemente extinta en la región; a partir de lo cual se explora su recurrencia en los sitios arqueológicos de la región, así como su potencial para la subsistencia de los grupos que habitaron el alero en el Holoceno Tardío. La cuantificación permitió interpretar que ca. 3000AP la biomasa disponible de gasterópodos terrestres en el área era muy elevada, por lo cual puede haber resultado de interés para la incorporación a la dieta prehispánica.This paper presents the first results of the taxonomic characterization and the quantification of gastropods from the Sector B of the Deodoro Roca rockshelter, Ongamira (Ischilín, Córdoba), in order to understand their role in pre-Hispanic groups subsistence strategy focusing in occupation ca. 3000bp. The site was firstly excavated in the 1940s and 1950s at which time it was obtained many faunal remains from camelids, deers, rheas and gastropods. In 2010 we proceeded to re-excavate some sectors worked in the 1950´s leaving exposed profiles and excavate other not previously worked; thus we were able to identify the presence of different spaces with structured hearths which had the distinction of being associated with thick layers of gastropods shells. The analysis of these valves allowed the determination of six species, including five that live currently in the region and other that nowadays it is apparently extinct. From this we explore the recurrence of these animals in archaeological sites in the region and its potential for the understanding of the subsistence of the groups that inhabited the rockshelter during the Late Holocene.Fil: Izeta, Andres Dario. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Filosofia y Humanidades. Museo de Antropologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Silva Ferreira Da Costa, Thiago. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Filosofia y Humanidades. Museo de Antropologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gordillo, Sandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Cattaneo, Gabriela Roxana. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Filosofia y Humanidades. Museo de Antropologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Boretto, Gabriella Margherita. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Robledo, Andrés Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Filosofia y Humanidades. Museo de Antropologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Calmodulin Enhances Cryptochrome Binding to INAD in Drosophila Photoreceptors

Light is the main environmental stimulus that synchronizes the endogenous timekeeping systems in most terrestrial organisms. Drosophila cryptochrome (dCRY) is a light-responsive flavoprotein that detects changes in light intensity and wavelength around dawn and dusk. We have previously shown that dCRY acts through Inactivation No Afterpotential D (INAD) in a light-dependent manner on the Signalplex, a multiprotein complex that includes visual-signaling molecules, suggesting a role for dCRY in fly vision. Here, we predict and demonstrate a novel Ca2+-dependent interaction between dCRY and calmodulin (CaM). Through yeast two hybrid, coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and calorimetric analyses we were able to identify and characterize a CaM binding motif in the dCRY C-terminus. Similarly, we also detailed the CaM binding site of the scaffold protein INAD and demonstrated that CaM bridges dCRY and INAD to form a ternary complex in vivo. Our results suggest a process whereby a rapid dCRY light response stimulates an interaction with INAD, which can be further consolidated by a novel mechanism regulated by CaM

Effects of different fat-enriched concentrates on fatty acid profile of cheese from grazing dairy sheep

A trial on different fatty acid supplementation was run in grazing dairy sheep. Forty-eight lactating Sarda ewes were randomly allocated to four homogeneous groups: PAS, control group grazing for 22h/d without supplementation; NOF, group supplemented with a cereal based non-fat enriched concentrate; C182, group supplemented with a concentrate rich in sunflower seeds; and C183, group supplemented with a concentrate rich in linseeds. The results showed that the concentrates, based on oilseeds from both sunflower and linseed sources determined high C18:1 t11 and CLA c9 t11 cheese fat content. Moreover linseeds supplementation improved the concentration in the cheese of other beneficial fatty acids such as LN and PUFAω3

Vascular Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Rett Syndrome and Effects of Curcumin Treatment

Mutations in the coding sequence of the X-linked gene MeCP2 (Methyl CpG–binding protein) are present in around 80% of patients with Rett Syndrome, a common cause of intellectual disability in female and to date without any effective pharmacological treatment. A relevant, and so far unexplored feature of RTT patients, is a marked reduction in peripheral circulation. To investigate the relationship between loss of MeCP2 and this clinical aspect, we used the MeCP2 null mouse model B6.129SF1-MeCP2tm1Jae for functional and pharmacological studies. Functional experiments were performed on isolated resistance mesenteric vessels, mounted on a pressurized myograph. Vessels from female MeCP2(+/−) mice show a reduced endothelium-dependent relaxation, due to a reduced Nitric Oxide (NO) availability secondary to an increased Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation. Such functional aspects are associated with an intravascular increase in superoxide anion production, and a decreased vascular eNOS expression. These alterations are reversed by curcumin administration (5% (w/w) dietary curcumin for 21 days), which restores endothelial NO availability, decreases intravascular ROS production and normalizes vascular eNOS gene expression. In conclusion our findings highlight alterations in the vascular/endothelial system in the absence of a correct function of MeCP2, and uncover related cellular/molecular mechanisms that are rescued by an anti-oxidant treatment

Response of non-motor symptoms to levodopa in late-stage Parkinson's disease: results of a levodopa challenge test

Article under a CC-BY-NC-ND license - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/"BACKGROUND: Non-motor symptoms (NMS) are extremely common among late-stage Parkinson's disease (LSPD) patients. Levodopa (L-dopa) responsiveness seems to decrease with disease progression but its effect on NMS in LSPD still needs to be investigated. OBJECTIVE: To assess the response of blood pressure (BP), pain, fatigue and anxiety to L-dopa in LSPD patients. METHODS: 20 LSPD patients, defined as Schwab and England ADL Scale 3 (MED ON) and 22 PD patients treated with subthalamic deep brain stimulation (advanced PD group) underwent an L-dopa challenge. BP and orthostatic hypotension (OH) assessment, a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and fatigue and the Strait Trait Anxiety (STAI) were evaluated before and after the L-dopa challenge. RESULTS: Systolic BP dropped significantly after L-dopa intake (p < 0.05) in LSPD patients, while there was no change in pain, fatigue or anxiety. L-dopa significantly improved (p < 0.05) pain and anxiety in the advanced PD group, whereas it had no effect on BP or fatigue. L-dopa-related adverse effects (AEs), namely OH and sleepiness, were more common among LSPD patients. 40% and 65% of LSPD patients were not able to fill out the VAS and the STAI, respectively, while measurement of orthostatic BP was not possible in four LSPD patients. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study concludes that some non-motor variables in LSPD do not benefit from the acute action of L-dopa while it can still induce disabling AEs. There is a need for assessment tools of NMS adapted to these disabled LSPD patients."info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio