Energy and technological refurbishment of the School of Architecture Valle Giulia, Rome

Modern architecture built in historical urban contexts represents a demanding issue when its energy efficiency should be improved. Indeed, the strongest efforts have to be made to maintain the architectural identity and its harmony with the surrounding cultural heritage. This study deals with the main building of the School of Architecture Valle Giulia in Rome, designed by Enrico Del Debbio in the 30’s. Further constraints are related to several interventions of airspace expansion starting from 1958 which involved the building starting from 1958. So, preservation would mean highlighting its historic change but, adapting the built environment to the contemporary users’ needs. As above-mentioned, the building belongs to the Valle delle Accademie, within the historic park of Villa Borghese, so that to acquire landscaping values. Those latter ones call for ulterior requirements when any new design process is conceived. The study provides a global renewal of the building accounting for the current low Indoor Environmental Quality in both summer and winter seasons and the lack of suitability to the contemporary University student’s needs. The interaction between building performance and HVAC systems was studied by collecting data and architectural surveys conducted by all the architects who modified the building. This procedure was chosen since thermo-physical investigations are considered destructive due to required perforations to identify the actual wall layers. Moreover, thermographic surveys were carried out to validate the modelled building response. The result of the study is the identification of viable interventions to improve the accessibility and fruition of the building as well as its energy performance. A specific cost-benefit analysis was done to prioritize the design options along with considering the measures needed to preserve all the architectural features and values

Efeito da somatotropina bovina recombinante (RBST) sobre a produção de leite e gordura em vacas da raça Holandesas.

Este estudo foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos da aplicação de somatotropina bovina recombinante (rBST) sobre a produção de leite e gordura de vacas da raça Holandesa, durante os 60 aos 150 dias de lactação. O experimento foi desenvolvido no sistema de produção de leite do Centro de Pesquisa de Pecuária do Sudeste (Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste), em São Carlos, durante o período de abril a dezembro de 1999. Foram utilizadas 41 vacas distribuídas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em três tratamentos: sem aplicação de rBST (controle) ? 15 vacas; aplicação de rBST 60 dias após o parto (rBST-60) ? 15 vacas; e aplicação de rBST 100 dias após o parto (rBST-100) ? 11 vacas. Foram realizadas análises de variância para as variáveis produção de leite; produção de leite corrigida a 4% de gordura e produção de gordura, tanto em porcentagem como em kg/dia. A suplementação com rBST aos 60 dias apresentou significativo aumento na produção de leite e na produção de leite corrigida em relação ao tratamento controle, entretanto esse fato não foi verificado para o tratamento com rBST aos 100 dias. Não ocorreram efeitos significativos da aplicação de rBST sobre a produção de gordura no leite, em % e em kg/dia. A suplementação com rBST aumentou a produção de leite e a produção de leite corrigida a 4% de gordura quando administrada aos 60 dias pós -parto. Não foram observados efeitos da suplementação de rBST sobre a porcentagem e produção de gordura do leite

Efeito da somatotropina bovina recombinante (RBST) sobre a curva de lactação de vacas da raça holandesas.

Foi conduzido um estudo com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos da aplicaç ão de rBST sobre a curva de lactação de vacas da raça Holandesa. O experimento foi desenvolvido no sistema de produção de leite do Centro de Pesquisa de Pecuária do Sudeste (Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste), em São Carlos, durante o período de abril a dezembro de 1999. Foram avaliadas 41 vacas, dos 60 aos 150 dias de lactação, distribuídas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em três tratamentos: sem aplicação de rBST (controle) ? 15 vacas; aplicação de rBST 60 dias após o parto (rBST-60) ? 15 vacas; e aplicação de rBST 100 dias após o parto (rBST- 100) ? 11 vacas. Foram realizadas análises de regressão da produção de leite em função dos dias de lactação. A aplicação de rBST aos 60 dias de lactação apresentou maior resposta no aumento da produção de leite e menor queda na produção. Com relação ao tratamento rBST-100, foi verificada uma estabilização seguida da diminuição menos acentuada na curva de lactação quando comparado com o tratamento controle. Todos os tratamentos apresentaram diminuição na produção de leite em função dos dias de lactação. No tratamento com rBST-60 durante o período de 75 a 120 dias de lactação, a cada dia da lactação, a produção de leite diminuiu 25,7 g, enquanto que para o mesmo período no tratamento controle, a produção decresceu 80,9 g/dia. A suplementação com rBST aumentou a persistência de lactação e a produção de leite quando administrada aos 60 dias pós -parto

Carbon nanomaterial-based membranes in solid-phase extraction

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have some excellent properties that make them ideal candidates as sorbents for solid-phase extraction (SPE). However, practical difficulties related to their handling (dispersion in the atmosphere, bundling phenomena, reduced adsorption capability, sorbent loss in cartridge/column format, etc.) have hindered their direct use for conventional SPE modes. Therefore, researchers working in the field of extraction science have looked for new solutions to avoid the above-mentioned problems. One of these is the design of CNM-based membranes. These devices can be of two different types: membranes that are exclusively composed of CNMs (i.e. buckypaper and graphene oxide paper) and polysaccharide membranes containing dispersed CNMs. A membrane can be used either as a filter, operating under flow-through mode, or as a rotating device, operating under the action of magnetic stirring. In both cases, the main advantages arising from the use of membranes are excellent results in terms of transport rates, adsorption capability, high throughput, and ease of employment. This review covers the preparation/synthesis procedures of such membranes and their potential in SPE applications, highlighting benefits and shortcomings in comparison with conventional SPE materials (especially, microparticles carbonaceous sorbents) and devices. Further challenges and expected improvements are addressed too

Effect of Systemic Hypertension With Versus Without Left Ventricular Hypertrophy on the Progression of Atrial Fibrillation (from the Euro Heart Survey).

Hypertension is a risk factor for both progression of atrial fibrillation (AF) and development of AF-related complications, that is major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). It is unknown whether left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) as a consequence of hypertension is also a risk factor for both these end points. We aimed to assess this in low-risk AF patients, also assessing gender-related differences. We included 799 patients from the Euro Heart Survey with nonvalvular AF and a baseline echocardiogram. Patients with and without hypertension were included. End points after 1 year were occurrence of AF progression, that is paroxysmal AF becoming persistent and/or permanent AF, and MACCE. Echocardiographic LVH was present in 33% of 379 hypertensive patients. AF progression after 1 year occurred in 10.2% of 373 patients with rhythm follow-up. In hypertensive patients with LVH, AF progression occurred more frequently as compared with hypertensive patients without LVH (23.3% vs 8.8%, p = 0.011). In hypertensive AF patients, LVH was the most important multivariably adjusted determinant of AF progression on multivariable logistic regression (odds ratio 4.84, 95% confidence interval 1.70 to 13.78, p = 0.003). This effect was only seen in male patients (27.5% vs 5.8%, p = 0.002), while in female hypertensive patients, no differences were found in AF progression rates regarding the presence or absence of LVH (15.2% vs 15.0%, p = 0.999). No differences were seen in MACCE for hypertensive patients with and without LVH. In conclusion, in men with hypertension, LVH is associated with AF progression. This association seems to be absent in hypertensive women

Cryopreservation and characterization of canine preantral follicles

The aim of this study was to define the population, morphological and ultrastructural characteristics of bitch preantral follicles (PAFs) and to compare the effects on the morphology of PAF of two cryopreservation techniques - slow freezing (SF) and vitrification (V) - of bitches' ovarian tissue. The average population (number per ovary) of PAFs was 48,541 ± 18,366, where 94.25% were primordial (45,145 ± 16,076). The average diameter of the primordial follicles was 27.5 ± 4.2 μm. The overall percentage of morphologically normal PAFs was 93.66 ± 6.81% for the control group, 86.16 ± 11.05% after SF and 68.14 ± 12.75% after V. The percentage of normal primordial follicles was 96.69 ± 4.72% in control, 89.51 ± 10.39% in SF and 75.32 ± 9.23% in V. There was no significant difference in the overall percentage of normal PAFs among SF and the control. However, slow frozen follicles presented ultrastructural damage, while vitrified primordial and primary follicles were well preserved. In conclusion, although slow freezing seemed to be a good preserving method, vitrification was more effective than slow freezing in preserving the ultrastructure of primordial and primary follicles of bitches

High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective Observational Study

Background. Accumulating evidence suggests that inflammation plays a key role in acute kidney injury (AKI) pathogenesis. We explored the relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and AKI in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods. We prospectively included 2,063 AMI patients in whom hs-CRP was measured at admission. AKI incidence and a clinical composite of in-hospital death, cardiogenic shock, and acute pulmonary edema were the study endpoints. Results. Two-hundred-thirty-four (11%) patients developed AKI. hs-CRP levels were higher in AKI patients (45 \ub1 87 vs. 16 \ub1 41 mg/L; p < 0.0001). The incidence and severity of AKI, as well as the rate of the composite endpoint, increased in parallel with hs-CRP quartiles (p for trend <0.0001 for all comparisons). A significant correlation was found between hs-CRP and the maximal increase of serum creatinine (R = 0.23; p < 0.0001). The AUC of hs-CRP for AKI prediction was 0.69 (p < 0.001). At reclassification analysis, addition of hs-CRP allowed to properly reclassify 14% of patients when added to creatinine and 8% of patients when added to a clinical model. Conclusions. In AMI, admission hs-CRP is closely associated with AKI development and severity, and with in-hospital outcomes. Future research should focus on whether prophylactic renal strategies in patients with high hs-CRP might prevent AKI and improve outcome

Prognostic impact of admission high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in acute myocardial infarction patients with and without diabetes mellitus

Background: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) elevation frequently occurs in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and is associated with adverse outcomes. Since diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by an underlying chronic inflammation, hs-CRP may have a different prognostic power in AMI patients with and without DM. Methods: We prospectively included 2064 AMI patients; hs-CRP was measured at hospital admission. Patients were grouped according to hs-CRP quartiles and DM status. The primary endpoint was a composite of in-hospital mortality, cardiogenic shock, and acute pulmonary edema. Two-year all-cause mortality was the secondary endpoint. Results: Twenty-six percent (n = 548) of patients had DM and they had higher hs-CRP levels than non-DM patients (5.32 vs. 3.24 mg/L; P < 0.0001). The primary endpoint incidence in the overall population (7%, 9%, 13%, 22%; P for trend < 0.0001), in DM (14%, 9%, 21%, 27%; P = 0.0001), and non-DM (5%, 8%, 10%, 19%; P < 0.0001) patients increased in parallel with hs-CRP quartiles. The adjusted risk of the primary endpoint increased in parallel with hs-CRP quartiles in DM and non-DM patients but this relationship was less evident in DM patients. In the overall population, the adjusted OR of the primary endpoint associated with an hs-CRP value ≥ 2 mg/L was 2.10 (95% CI 1.46-3.00). For the same risk, hs-CRP was 7 and 2 mg/L in patients with and without DM. A similar behavior was observed for the secondary endpoint when the HR associated with an hs-CRP value ≥ 2 mg/L found in the overall population was 2.25 (95% CI 1.57-3.22). For the same risk, hs-CRP was 8 and 1.5 mg/L in DM and non-DM patients. Conclusions: This study shows that hs-CRP predicts in-hospital outcome and two-year mortality in AMI patients with and without DM. However, in DM patients, the same risk of developing events as in non-DM patients is associated to higher hs-CRP levels