Self-healing organic/inorganic composites

Nature provides us with amazingly complex and clever systems, structures and substances that make up the world we see around us. We can refer to nature, borrowing its ingenious solutions to solve engineering challenges or improve existing man-made materials. The process of assimilating real- world biological examples into technology is called “bio-inspiration,” and for many years scientists have been attempting to imitate the design of natural materials. This project seeks to mimic some of the complex architectures with outstanding properties found in nature: the shells of molluscs, with extraordinary toughness due to a highly hierarchical structure of platelets on the micro- and nano- scale, and human bone, with its ability to self-heal and regenerate its complex composite organic/inorganic microstructure after fracture. In this work it will therefore be investigated the effect of composite polymer/ceramic structures obtained via a manufacturing technique called freeze-casting, it is observed and optimised the role of the thin interface in self-healing organic/inorganic composites and the composition of the soft supramolecular phase and the inorganic phase is varied in order to obtain structures with properties closer to the behaviour of natural ones. The study couples interface and composite design with mechanical tests to determine interfacial adhesion in order to understand the factors that control the strength of the composite and the effectiveness and timescale of its self-healing. The same self-healing polymer is moreover used in the production of an innovative light composite exhibiting electrical conductivity and compression and flexion sensing capabilities in the attempt to mimic the outstanding properties of skin.Open Acces

Climate and Human Health: Relations, Projections, and Future Implementations

It is widely accepted by the scientific community that the world has begun to warm as a result of human influence. The accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, arising primarily from the combustion of carbon fossil fuels and agricultural activities, generates changes in the climate. Indeed various studies have assessed the potential impacts of climate change on human health (both negative and positive). The increased frequency and intensity of heat waves, the reduction in cold-related deaths, the increased floods and droughts, and the changes in the distribution of vector-borne diseases are among the most frequently studied effects. On the other hand, climate change differs from many other environmental health problems because of its gradual onset, widespread rather than localized effect, and the fact that the most important effects will probably be indirect. Some recent and important publications show that only the collaboration between the meteorological and the public health communities can help us to thoroughly study the link between climate and health, thus improving our ability to adapt to these future changes. The aim of this editorial is to give different perspectives on a widely discussed topic, which is still too complicated to be addressed to a satisfactory extent. Moreover, it is necessary to underline the importance of using new biometeorological indices (i.e. thermal indexes, etc.) for future projections, in order to reduce the impacts of negative outcomes, protecting the population through adaptation measures and public awareness

Quantum computing algorithms: getting closer to critical problems in computational biology

The recent biotechnological progress has allowed life scientists and physicians to access an unprecedented, massive amount of data at all levels (molecular, supramolecular, cellular and so on) of biological complexity. So far, mostly classical computational efforts have been dedicated to the simulation, prediction or de novo design of biomolecules, in order to improve the understanding of their function or to develop novel therapeutics. At a higher level of complexity, the progress of omics disciplines (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) has prompted researchers to develop informatics means to describe and annotate new biomolecules identified with a resolution down to the single cell, but also with a high-throughput speed. Machine learning approaches have been implemented to both the modelling studies and the handling of biomedical data. Quantum computing (QC) approaches hold the promise to resolve, speed up or refine the analysis of a wide range of these computational problems. Here, we review and comment on recently developed QC algorithms for biocomputing, with a particular focus on multi-scale modelling and genomic analyses. Indeed, differently from other computational approaches such as protein structure prediction, these problems have been shown to be adequately mapped onto quantum architectures, the main limit for their immediate use being the number of qubits and decoherence effects in the available quantum machines. Possible advantages over the classical counterparts are highlighted, along with a description of some hybrid classical/quantum approaches, which could be the closest to be realistically applied in biocomputation

Raw Materials Information System (RMIS) - RMIS Newsletter n.3 (September 2020)

This newsletter is a bi-annual summary of the main developments related to the European Commission’s Raw Materials Information System (RMIS). It provides key highlights on raw materials knowledge support to policy.JRC.D.3-Land Resource

EU country profiles in the Raw Materials Information System (RMIS): Greece: Country-level key data and information related to non-food, non-energy raw materials

The module European Country Profiles of the European Commission’s Raw Materials Information System (RMIS) provides country-specific data and indicators related to non-food, non-energy raw materials. These data and indicators are derived from data from official sources and well-established data providers, or by their elaboration. Each profile is structured into nine thematic sections: i) Key indicators; ii) Investment and regulatory framework; iii) research, development and innovation; iv) Resources and reserves; v) Supply; vi) Raw materials use; vii) Trade; viii) Environment; and ix) Social & Policy. The current country report presents the data and indicators for Greece, mirroring the EU Country Profile for Greece included in the RMIS in July-August 2019, which is the reference period of the data used.JRC.D.3-Land Resource

EU Country profiles in the Raw Materials Information System (RMIS): Denmark: Country-level key data and information related to non-food, non-energy raw materials

The module European Country Profiles of the European Commission’s Raw Materials Information System (RMIS) provides country-specific data and indicators related to non-food, non-energy raw materials. These data and indicators are derived from data from official sources and well-established data providers, or by their elaboration. Each profile is structured into nine thematic sections: i) Key indicators; ii) Investment and regulatory framework; iii) research, development and innovation; iv) Resources and reserves; v) Supply; vi) Raw materials use; vii) Trade; viii) Environment; and ix) Social & Policy. The current country report presents the data and indicators for Denmark, mirroring the EU Country Profile for Denmark included in the RMIS in May 2019, which is the reference month of the data used.JRC.D.3-Land Resource

EU country profiles in the Raw Materials Information System (RMIS): Hungary: Country-level key data and information related to non-food, non-energy raw materials

The module European Country Profiles of the European Commission’s Raw Materials Information System (RMIS) provides country-specific data and indicators related to non-food, non-energy raw materials. These data and indicators are derived from data from official sources and well-established data providers, or by their elaboration. Each profile is structured into nine thematic sections: i) Key indicators; ii) Investment and regulatory framework; iii) research, development and innovation; iv) Resources and reserves; v) Supply; vi) Raw materials use; vii) Trade; viii) Environment; and ix) Social & Policy. The current country report presents the data and indicators for Hungary, mirroring the EU Country Profile for Hungary included in the RMIS in March 2020, which is the reference month of the data used.JRC.D.3-Land Resource

EU Country Profiles in the Raw Materials Information System (RMIS): Belgium: Country-level key data and information related to non-food, non-energy raw materials

The module European Country Profiles of the European Commission’s Raw Materials Information System (RMIS) provides country-specific data and indicators related to non-food, non-energy raw materials. These data and indicators are derived from data from official sources and well-established data providers, or by their elaboration. Each profile is structured into nine thematic sections: i) Key indicators; ii) Investment and regulatory framework; iii) research, development and innovation; iv) Resources and reserves; v) Supply; vi) Raw materials use; vii) Trade; viii) Environment; and ix) Social & Policy. The current country report presents the data and indicators for Belgium, mirroring the EU Country Profile for Belgium included in the RMIS in May 2019, which is the reference month of the data used.JRC.D.3-Land Resource

EU Country profiles in the Raw Materials Information System (RMIS): Austria: Country-level key data and information related to non-food, non-energy raw materials

The module European Country Profiles of the European Commission’s Raw Materials Information System (RMIS) provides country-specific data and indicators related to non-food, non-energy raw materials. These data and indicators are derived from data from official sources and well-established data providers, or by their elaboration. Each profile is structured into nine thematic sections: i) Key indicators; ii) Investment and regulatory framework; iii) research, development and innovation; iv) Resources and reserves; v) Supply; vi) Raw materials use; vii) Trade; viii) Environment; and ix) Social & Policy. The current country report presents the data and indicators for Austria, mirroring the EU Country Profile for Austria included in the RMIS in May 2019, which is the reference month of the data used.JRC.D.3-Land Resource