Managing heat phenomena in epoxy composites production via graphenic derivatives: synthesis, properties and industrial production simulation of graphene and graphene oxide containing composites

A commercial two-components epoxy resin formulation was successfully modified by adding graphene and related materials (GRMs) and the effect of these nanofillers was assessed on their thermomechanical properties as well as on the simulation of their industrial application for the production of thick composites objects with interesting results. GMRs were added in different concentrations in order to improve thermo-mechanical properties of the nano-composite thermoset. Different dispersion methods were taken into account in order to produce stable long-lasting dispersion of the GRMs, that can withstand a commercial shelf life. Addition of the GRMs improves the glass transition temperature of the nanocomposite up to 20 °C with respect to the plain commercial formulation, and both stress and elongation at break increase up to almost 4 times the original values. Moreover, the industrial curing of some of the more promising modified resins was computer-simulated when the two-components resins are used to produce a carbon-fibre reinforced thick composite beam. Simulation results show that some of the applied GRMs helps reducing or even completely preventing the overheat phenomena that are well renown to induce significant thermal stresses negatively affecting the final object performances. These interesting effects would contribute reducing the time required for a single industrial production cycle, since no time for overheat dispersion is required, thus helping increasing the production rate

Effect of short-term aerobic exercise on cardiovascular remodelling in post-menopause women

It is well known that menopause is associated with an increase of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, including changes on metabolic profile, body composition, haemdynamic loads and cardiovascular remodelling. The latter starts with an increase of arterial elastance and early concentric left ventricular remodeling, manifested by an increment of the relative wall thickness. We investigated morphological and functional effects of short-term aerobic exercise at moderate intensity without diet restriction on cardiovascular apparatus in post-menopause women. Seventy-six post-menopausal healthy sedentary postwomen (56± 4 yrs) underwent clinical history, physician and anthropometric exam, 12-lead electrocardiography. Echocardiography was used to assess LV geometry and systolic and diastolic functions. Relative diastolic wall thickness (RWT), midwall fractional shortening (MFS) and arterial elastance (AE) were calculated to evaluate the LV concentric remodeling, the intrinsic systolic function and the vascular load, respectively. Data were collected before and after 14 weeks of moderate aerobic exercise training (four time per week). After the intervention program, systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, heart rate and hip circumference were significantly decreased (P = 0,01; P = 0,00; P = 0,00; P = 0,01, respectively). Left ventricular mass/height 2.7, ejection fraction and MFS were higher (p< 0,00; P= 0,00; P =0,00), while relative wall thickness (RWT) and AE were lower (P<0,03;P=0,00). Mitral E wave and E/A were higher (P = 0,001; P<0,0001). Left ventricular mass/height 2.7 was correlated to BMI (P = 0,04), WC (P = 0,034) and waist/hip ratio (P = 0,007). In post-menopause women aerobic exercise improves CV function (concentric remodelling, diastolic and systolic function) acting both on haemodynamic factors and body composition. Our data underline the role of non pharmacological interventions in the CV disease prevention

Giuseppe Verdi, «Luisa Miller», «La Fenice prima dell'opera», 2005-2006/5

La lettura analitica del primo saggio (Girardi) è finalizzata a formulare ipotesi critiche sulla drammaturgia musicale di questo pessimistico capolavoro, che tengono in considerazione anche una serie più che evidente di rimandi intertestuali a La traviata. Pur nel rispetto delle differenti concezioni poetiche che presiedono alle due opere, tali similitudini permettono di cogliere un pattern comune, che colloca entrambe le opere nell’ambito del dramma borghese, filone nuovo e fecondo per il teatro del secondo Ottocento. In questo contesto assume un ruolo fondamentale il librettista Salvadore Cammarano, su cui si sofferma Emanuele d’Angelo nel secondo saggio qui pubblicato. Se «poco del dramma schilleriano Kabale und Liebe resta nella Luisa Miller confezionata da Salvadore Cammarano per Verdi», lo scrittore riesce tuttavia ad aggirare «gli ostacoli convenzionali concretando tutte le soluzioni previste: anticipa la censura, adegua ragionevolmente l’azione alla naturale tensione aulica del genere melodrammatico, diminuisce i caratteri». E che il lavoro ‘borbonico’ dei censori sia stato particolarmente intenso, lo si evince esaminando la lista delle varianti in partitura pubblicata in appendice alla prima edizione napoletana del libretto (1849) curata da Marco Marica, autore di una guida all’ascolto come al solito ricca di osservazioni critiche pertinenti

Prevention, Assessment, and Management of Malnutrition in Older Adults with Early Stages of Cognitive Disorders

Malnutrition is common in older adults, and its risk is greater in those living with dementia. Relative to cognitively healthy peers, the prevalence of malnutrition is also increased in individuals with early stages of cognitive disorders owing to pathophysiological, cognitive, and psychosocial changes related to cognitive impairment. Malnutrition is associated with adverse health outcomes, including faster cognitive and functional decline. Here, we provide an overview of the prevention, assessment, and management of malnutrition in older adults, with a special focus on the aspects that are important to consider in individuals with early stages of cognitive disorders. Strategies to prevent malnutrition include systematic screening for malnourishment using validated tools to detect those at risk. If the screening reveals an increased risk of malnutrition, a detailed assessment including the individual’s nutritional, medical, and functional status as well as dietary intake should be performed. The management of malnutrition in the early stages of cognitive disorders should be based on the findings of a comprehensive assessment and be personalized according to the individual’s specific characteristics. In the article, we also provide an overview of the evidence on vitamin supplements and specific dietary patterns to prevent cognitive decline or attenuate its progression

Biological and Physical Performance Markers for Early Detection of Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults

Dementia is a major cause of poor quality of life, disability, and mortality in old age. According to the geroscience paradigm, the mechanisms that drive the aging process are also involved in the pathogenesis of chronic degenerative diseases, including dementia. The dissection of such mechanisms is therefore instrumental in providing biological targets for interventions and new sources for biomarkers. Within the geroscience paradigm, several biomarkers have been discovered that can be measured in blood and that allow early identification of individuals at risk of cognitive impairment. Examples of such markers include inflammatory biomolecules, markers of neuroaxonal damage, extracellular vesicles, and DNA methylation. Furthermore, gait speed, measured at a usual and fast pace and as part of a dual task, has been shown to detect individuals at risk of future dementia. Here, we provide an overview of available biomarkers that may be used to gauge the risk of cognitive impairment in apparently healthy older adults. Further research should establish which combination of biomarkers possesses the highest predictive accuracy toward incident dementia. The implementation of currently available markers may allow the identification of a large share of at-risk individuals in whom preventive interventions should be implemented to maintain or increase cognitive reserves, thereby reducing the risk of progression to dementia

Decentralized Health Data Distribution: a DLT-based Architecture for Data Protection

The management, protection and sharing of sensitive data such as those associated with the health domain are crucial in enabling personal care and contributing to worldwide medical advancements. Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs) allow for data protection compliant solutions in untrusted contexts that guarantee data immutability, protection and transparency when needed. This paper proposes an architecture based on DLTs, smart contracts and Distributed File Storage (DFS), allowing data sovereignty to users, confidentiality and secure access control. A use case on health data is presented, along with a distributed ledger and the access control mechanism implementation. We present an experimental evaluation of the overall architecture that shows the viability of implementing practical DLT-based healthcare solutions

GROTTA DI POZZO, AN EARLY EPIGRAVETTIAN SITE OF THE LGM IN THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL ITALY

Résumé: Grotta di Pozzo, qui s’ouvre à moyenne altitude dans le cœur de l’Apennin, à 710m snm et à 42° de latitude Nord, sur le bord d’un lac aujourd’hui asséché, est entourée de montagnes hautes plus de 2000m. La séquence archéologique commence vers 23ka cal BP, dès que les eaux du lac, qui venait d’atteindre son maximum, se retirent de la grotte. Des groupes humains porteurs d’industrie de l’Epigravettien ancien à pointes à cran exploitent au fil des saisons un milieu naturel steppique, où les ressources offerte par le lac se couplent à celles des proches lieux de chasse estivale en montagne. La recolonisation précoce de cette partie interne de l’Apennin s’explique par ce milieu favorable, ainsi que, probablement, par des changements dans les territoires de chasse à plus basse altitude, dus à la progressive disparition de la grande plaine adriatique. Plus tard, entre 15,5 et 14,5 cal BP, l’occupation de la grotte se fera plus intense, avec production d’industrie lithique de l’Epigravettien final

Filtering of systems with heavy tailed noise: application to 3D target tracking with glint noise

Abstract—In this paper a filtering method for non-Gaussian linear systems is adopted to face the problem of the target tracking in the presence of the glint noise. In particular, we extend the quadratic filtering method with virtual measurements to the three-dimensional case of the target tracking problem. Moreover, we present extensive numerical simulation by comparing our method with several filtering algorithms used in the case of heavy tailed noises. The latter numerical results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach

Enhanced Antioxidant Activity under Biomimetic Settings of Ascorbic Acid Included in Halloysite Nanotubes

Antioxidant activity of native vitamin C (ascorbic acid, AH2) is hampered by instability in solution. Selective loading of AH2 into the inner lumen of natural halloysite nanotubes (HNT) yields a composite nanoantioxidant (HNT/AH2), which was characterized and investigated for its reactivity with the persistent 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) radical and with transient peroxyl radicals in the inhibited autoxidation of organic substrates, both in organic solution (acetonitrile) and in buffered (pH 7.4) water in comparison with native AH2. HNT/AH2 showed excellent antioxidant performance being more effective than native ascorbic acid by 131% in acetonitrile and 290% (three-fold) in aqueous solution, under identical settings. Reaction with peroxyl radicals has a rate constant of 1.4 × 106 M−1 s−1 and 5.1 × 104 M−1 s−1, respectively, in buffered water (pH 7.4) and acetonitrile, at 30 °C. Results offer physical understanding of the factors governing HNT/AH2 reactivity. Improved performance of HNT/AH2 is unprecedented among forms of stabilized ascorbic acid and its relevance is discussed on kinetic grounds