Therapeutic Potentials of Ketamine and Esketamine in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and Eating Disorders (ED): A Review of the Current Literature

The obsessive–compulsive spectrum refers to disorders drawn from several diagnostic categories that share core features related to obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), such as obsessive thoughts, compulsive behaviors and anxiety. Disorders that include these features can be grouped according to the focus of the symptoms, e.g., bodily preoccupation (i.e., eating disorders, ED) or impulse control (i.e., substance use disorders, SUD), and they exhibit intriguing similarities in phenomenology, etiology, pathophysiology, patient characteristics and clinical outcomes. The non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAr) antagonist ketamine has been indicated to produce remarkable results in patients with treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and OCD in dozens of small studies accrued over the past decade, and it appears to be promising in the treatment of SUD and ED. However, despite many small studies, solid evidence for the benefits of its use in the treatment of OCD spectrum and addiction is still lacking. Thus, the aim of this perspective article is to examine the potential for ketamine and esketamine in treating OCD, ED and SUD, which all involve recurring and intrusive thoughts and generate associated compulsive behavior. A comprehensive and updated overview of the literature regarding the pharmacological mechanisms of action of both ketamine and esketamine, as well as their therapeutic advantages over current treatments, are provided in this paper. An electronic search was performed, including all papers published up to April 2021, using the following keywords (“ketamine” or “esketamine”) AND (“obsessive” OR “compulsive” OR “OCD” OR “SUD” OR “substance use disorder” OR “addiction” OR “craving” OR “eating” OR “anorexia”) NOT review NOT animal NOT “in vitro”, on the PubMed, Cochrane Library and Web of Science online databases. The review was conducted in accordance with preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The use and efficacy of ketamine in SUD, ED and OCD is supported by glutamatergic neurotransmission dysregulation, which plays an important role in these conditions. Ketamine’s use is increasing, and preliminary data are optimistic. Further studies are needed in order to better clarify the many unknowns related to the use of both ketamine and esketamine in SUD, ED and OCD, and to understand their long-term effectiveness.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Identifying persistent hot spot areas of undersized fish and crustaceans in southern european waters: implication for fishery management under the discard ban regulation

The recent establishment of the "landing obligation" under the reformed EU Common Fishery Policy has the twofold objective of reducing the excessive practice of discarding unwanted catch at sea and encouraging more selective and sustainable fisheries. Within this context, the awareness of the spatial distribution of potential unwanted catches is important for devising management measures aimed to decrease discards. This study analyzed the distribution of Hot Spot density areas of demersal fish and crustaceans below the Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) in four different southern European seas: continental Portuguese coast, Catalan Sea, South of Sicily, Liguria and northern Tyrrhenian Seas using both bottom trawl survey data and information on the spatial distribution of commercial fisheries. Critical areas for discarding were identified as zones where the highest densities of individuals below MCRS were consistently recorded throughout a series of years. Results clearly showed a patchy distribution of undersized individuals in each investigated area, highlighting the overlap between high density patches of both discards and fishing effort. The present findings provide a relevant knowledge for supporting the application of spatial-based management actions, such as the designation of Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs), in order to minimize the by-catch of undersized specimens and improve the sustainability of demersal fisheriesUIDB/04326/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fuel Consumption Reduction and Efficiency Improvement in Urban Street Sweeper Using Power Split with Lockup Clutch Transmission

The aim of this work is to design a power split transmission for an urban street sweeper in order to reduce fuel consumption. The design process starts with the comparison between a hydrostatic and a hydromechanical power split transmission. Both transmissions have been tested through an acceleration test considering 30, 50, 70 and 100 percent of the rated engine power. The results of both models developed in the Simcenter AmesimTM environment show that the power split transmission presents a higher efficiency, which justifies the adoption of this type of transmission with respect to the hydrostatic system. Then, a pure mechanical gear is added to the base concept of the power split transmission. The mechanical gear is managed by a lockup clutch, which can be engaged during the working phase of the street sweeper, similar to an adaptive cruise control. In this case, both transmissions are tested through a regulated cycle, UNI-EN 151429-2, highlighting the advantage of using a pure mechanical branch. At the end, both transmissions are tested with a driving cycle acquired through an experimental setup consisting of a control unit, a GPS and a tablet for the monitoring of the speed profile. The results show that the adoption of a lockup clutch allows an increase in the system efficiency during the working phase, hence reducing the average fuel consumption during the mission test

Fuel Consumption Reduction and Efficiency Improvement in Urban Street Sweeper Using Power Split with Lockup Clutch Transmission

The aim of this work is to design a power split transmission for an urban street sweeper in order to reduce fuel consumption. The design process starts with the comparison between a hydrostatic and a hydromechanical power split transmission. Both transmissions have been tested through an acceleration test considering 30, 50, 70 and 100 percent of the rated engine power. The results of both models developed in the Simcenter AmesimTM environment show that the power split transmission presents a higher efficiency, which justifies the adoption of this type of transmission with respect to the hydrostatic system. Then, a pure mechanical gear is added to the base concept of the power split transmission. The mechanical gear is managed by a lockup clutch, which can be engaged during the working phase of the street sweeper, similar to an adaptive cruise control. In this case, both transmissions are tested through a regulated cycle, UNI-EN 151429-2, highlighting the advantage of using a pure mechanical branch. At the end, both transmissions are tested with a driving cycle acquired through an experimental setup consisting of a control unit, a GPS and a tablet for the monitoring of the speed profile. The results show that the adoption of a lockup clutch allows an increase in the system efficiency during the working phase, hence reducing the average fuel consumption during the mission test

Performance Analysis of a Magnetorheological Shock Absorber Prototype Designed According to a Quasi-Static No-Slip Model

The aim of this paper is to investigate the limits of the quasi-static, no-slip approach when modeling the activation of magnetorheological (MR) devices. A quasi-static model is implemented to define the hydraulic and magnetic characteristics of an MR damper prototype. Then, an FE (Finite Element) magnetic simulation activity is carried out to validate theoretical findings, and an optimization procedure is carried out to adjust nominal geometry to actual application. Furthermore, a prototype is realized re-using the maximum number of components that constitute the existing conventional shock absorber. Finally, experimental tests at bench stands are performed. The predictable results demonstrate that neglecting the transient slipping effects, the Force–Velocity performance of the device is correlated with the model findings only for low current intensities acting in the magnetic circuit

Investigation of the Wettability Properties of Different Textured Lead/Lead-Free Bronze Coatings

Hydraulic components are often subjected to sliding contacts under starved or mixed lubrication. The condition of starved lubrication occurs during the start-up phase of the hydraulic machines or at low working temperature, causing friction and wear of components such as the cylinder block or the valve plate. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the hydrophobicity and oleophilic behavior of lead/lead-free bronze coatings under different texture conditions obtained by varying the diameter and the density of the dimples. The wettability tests were performed using sessile drop tests with oil and water liquids. The dimple parameters were analyzed using confocal microscopy, while the XRF analyses were performed to evaluate the composition of the bronze coatings. Based on the wettability measurements using oil and water, it was possible to assess that the porous surface acted as oil reservoirs that could prolong the life of lubricating oil layer, and may have resulted in a superior wear resistance. Furthermore, a relevant hydrophobicity was highlighted, suggesting that the surface texturing promoted the water-repellent barrier action on the surface. The experimental results showed that the discrepancy in surface properties in oil and water was raised when using the lead bronze coating. These coupled oleophilic and hydrophobic behaviors could play a beneficial role in sustaining the durability of a lubricating oil layer under a condition of continuous water-droplet impact

Investigation of the Wettability Properties of Different Textured Lead/Lead-Free Bronze Coatings

Hydraulic components are often subjected to sliding contacts under starved or mixed lubrication. The condition of starved lubrication occurs during the start-up phase of the hydraulic machines or at low working temperature, causing friction and wear of components such as the cylinder block or the valve plate. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the hydrophobicity and oleophilic behavior of lead/lead-free bronze coatings under different texture conditions obtained by varying the diameter and the density of the dimples. The wettability tests were performed using sessile drop tests with oil and water liquids. The dimple parameters were analyzed using confocal microscopy, while the XRF analyses were performed to evaluate the composition of the bronze coatings. Based on the wettability measurements using oil and water, it was possible to assess that the porous surface acted as oil reservoirs that could prolong the life of lubricating oil layer, and may have resulted in a superior wear resistance. Furthermore, a relevant hydrophobicity was highlighted, suggesting that the surface texturing promoted the water-repellent barrier action on the surface. The experimental results showed that the discrepancy in surface properties in oil and water was raised when using the lead bronze coating. These coupled oleophilic and hydrophobic behaviors could play a beneficial role in sustaining the durability of a lubricating oil layer under a condition of continuous water-droplet impact

Investigation of the Tribological Properties of Different Textured Lead Bronze Coatings under Severe Load Conditions

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the variation in the coefficient of friction (CoF) and also the wear in a lead bronze coating under different texture conditions. The tribological tests were performed using a tribometer with pin on disk configuration. Several kinds of textures, realised by a surface laser texturing, were tested by varying the diameter, depth, and density of the dimples under severe working conditions. The innovative aspect concerns the behaviour of the textured lead bronze coating and the lubrication conditions when the sample is subjected to extreme load conditions. Confocal microscopies and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy)/EDS (Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy) analyses were performed to evaluate the texture behaviour and also the surface deterioration of the coating. The results show that the application of texture processing leads to an improvement in the tribological properties of the coating. By analysing separately the variation of the different geometric parameters of the dimples, it has been shown that the best results are obtained with a diameter of 50 μm, a density of 5%, and a depth of 5 μm

An Approach to the Definition of the Aerodynamic Comfort of Motorcycle Helmets

The aim of this work is to obtain a reliable testing methodology for the characterization of the perceived aerodynamic comfort of motorcycle helmets. Attention was paid to the rider’s perception of annoying vibrations induced by wind. In this optic, an experimental comparative campaign was performed in the wind tunnel, testing 16 helmets in two different configurations of neck stiffness. The dataset was collected within a convolutional neural network (CNN or ConvNet) of images, creating a ranking by identifying the best and the worst helmets. The results revealed that each helmet has unique aerodynamic characteristics. Depending on the ranking scale previously created, the aerodynamic comfort of each helmets can be classified within the scale