Cities and Energy Consumption: a Critical Review

The relationship between cities and energy consumption has been of great interest for the scientific community for over twenty years. Most of the energy consumption, indeed, occurs in cities because of the high concentration of human activities. Thus, cities are responsible for a big share of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). However, the debate on this topic is still open, mainly because of the heterogeneity of published studies in the selection, definition and measurement of the urban features influencing energy consumption and CO2 emissions, as well as in the choice of the energy sectors to be considered, in the territorial scale of analysis, and in the geographical distribution of the sample. Therefore, the goal of this research is to systematize and compare the approach, methodology and results of the relevant literature on the relationship between cities and energy consumption over the last twenty years. Furthermore, this critical review identifies the knowledge gap between what is known and what is still under debate and, based on that, it proposes a conceptual framework that will help to outline a new direction for future research and support local policy makers in the definition of strategies and actions that can effectively reduce urban energy use and CO2 emissions

Micro-CT imaging of tomato seeds: Predictive potential of 3D morphometry on germination

The relationship between seed physical characteristics and seed quality is widely investigated by using X-ray based imaging techniques. Recently the use of X-ray micro-tomography (micro-CT) is increasingly used for more accurate characterisation of the internal seed morphology. In this work a germination test was carried out along with the morphometric characterisation of tomato seed internal structure by means of X-ray micro-CT and 3D image analysis. The aim was to accurately evaluate the predictive potential of internal seed 3D morphology for germination outcomes. The visual assessment allowed the relationship between specific internal seed abnormalities and the different germination outcomes to be demonstrated experimentally. Univariate analysis of morphometric seed traits allowed 3D free space % and Sauter diameter, among the most discriminant parameters, to be identified as the most effective for the prediction of germination outcomes. Discriminant Analysis (DA) of 3D morphometric dataset correctly classified 96.3% of normal seedlings, 83.3% of ungerminated seeds and 63.6% of abnormal seedlings, providing a high overall prediction potential of 91.9%. The above analyses have also been performed referring to the germination at 5 days after sowing. As a side effect of the applied technique, an increase of abnormal seedlings was observed at increasing X-ray exposure level. Overall, X-ray micro-CT coupled with DA of internal morphometric traits has proved to be an effective tool to investigate the relationship between tomato seed 3D morphology and seed physiology, although attention has to be paid to possible consequences of X-ray exposure

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Stress affects cognitive function. Whether stress enhances or impairs cognitive function depends on several factors, including the 1) type, intensity, and duration of the stressor; 2) type of cognitive function under study; and 3) timing of the stressor in relation to learning or executing the cognitive task. Furthermore, sex differences among the effects of stress on cognitive function have been widely documented. Described here is an adaptation of an automated operant strategy shifting paradigm to assess how variations in stress affect cognitive flexibility in male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Specifically, restraint stress is used before or after training in this operant-based task to examine how stress affects cognitive performance in both sexes. Particular brain areas associated with each task in this automated paradigm have been well-established (i.e., the medial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex). This allows for targeted manipulations during the experiment or the assessment of particular genes and proteins in these regions upon completion of the paradigm. This paradigm also allows for the detection of different types of performance errors that occur after stress, each of which has defined neural substrates. Also identified are distinct sex differences in perseverative errors after a repeated restraint stress paradigm. The use of these techniques in a preclinical model may reveal how stress affects the brain and impairs cognition in psychiatric disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), which display marked sex differences in prevalence

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Stress affects cognitive function. Whether stress enhances or impairs cognitive function depends on several factors, including the 1) type, intensity, and duration of the stressor; 2) type of cognitive function under study; and 3) timing of the stressor in relation to learning or executing the cognitive task. Furthermore, sex differences among the effects of stress on cognitive function have been widely documented. Described here is an adaptation of an automated operant strategy shifting paradigm to assess how variations in stress affect cognitive flexibility in male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Specifically, restraint stress is used before or after training in this operant-based task to examine how stress affects cognitive performance in both sexes. Particular brain areas associated with each task in this automated paradigm have been well-established (i.e., the medial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex). This allows for targeted manipulations during the experiment or the assessment of particular genes and proteins in these regions upon completion of the paradigm. This paradigm also allows for the detection of different types of performance errors that occur after stress, each of which has defined neural substrates. Also identified are distinct sex differences in perseverative errors after a repeated restraint stress paradigm. The use of these techniques in a preclinical model may reveal how stress affects the brain and impairs cognition in psychiatric disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), which display marked sex differences in prevalence

Stress, coping, resilience, and sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic: A representative survey study of US adults

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health emergency resulting in widespread death and substantial disruption to daily life. Previous research has shown that novel disease outbreaks are associated with high stress levels and sleep impairments that lead to neuropsychiatric consequences. Therefore, it is vital to study both stress and protective factors such as coping and resilience that may hinder or help sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, as gender disparities exist in sleep quality, it is important to understand the relationship between pandemic-related stress, coping strategies, resilience, and sleep in bothgenders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Our study examined how gender, stress, coping, and resilience were associated with sleep cross-sectionally during the COVID-19 pandemic in a representative sample of US adults (N = 393). Results: Consistent with many recent studies, we found that worsened sleep quality in women compared to men persisted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, pandemic-related stress was not significantly associated with sleep quality, but pandemic-related coping was associated with sleep independent of robust controls and trait resilience. Conclusions: Greater primary control engagement coping was associated with better sleep quality, while involuntary engagement coping was associated with poor sleep quality. Future research should extend the findings with actigraphy and explore ways to enhance beneficial coping and sleep health during pandemics

Protein tyrosine phosphatase activity modulation by endothelin-1 in rabbit platelets

AbstractProtein tyrosine phosphorylation, modulated by the rate of both protein tyrosine kinase and protein tyrosine phosphatase activities, is critical for cellular signal transduction cascades. We report that endothelin-1 stimulation of rabbit platelets resulted in a dose- and time-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of four groups of proteins in the molecular mass ranges of 50, 60, 70–100 and 100–200 kDa and that one of these corresponds to focal adhesion kinase. This effect is also related to the approximately 60% decrease in protein tyrosine phosphatase activity. Moreover, this inhibited activity was less sensitive to orthovanadate. In the presence of forskolin that increases the cAMP level a dose-dependent inhibition of the endothelin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of different protein substrates and a correlation with an increase in the protein tyrosine phosphatase activity (11.6-fold compared to control) have been found. Further studies by immunoblotting of immunoprecipitated soluble fraction with anti-protein tyrosine phosphatase-1C from endothelin-stimulated platelets have demonstrated that the tyrosine phosphorylation of platelet protein tyrosine phosphatase-1C is correlated with the decrease in its phosphatase activity. As a consequence, modulation and regulation by endothelin-1 in rabbit platelets can be proposed through a cAMP-dependent pathway and a tyrosine phosphorylation process that may affect some relevant proteins such as focal adhesion kinase

Morpho-densitometric traits for quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) seed phenotyping by two X-ray micro-CT scanning approaches

Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. Facultad de Industrias AlimentariasRecent studies are increasingly focusing on quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) as a high-quality protein-rich food source and, in general, on seed quality. This latter is a complex trait difcult to characterize with standard measurements or analyses. X-ray micro-CT allows to visualise the internal structure of small objects and has been already used in seed research, mostly for maize kernel characterization. To date this technique has not yet been applied to study quinoa seeds, despite the increasing interest for their nutritional properties. The aim of this work was to explore the use of X-ray icrotomography to provide new traits improving the seed phenotyping of quinoa. Two different scanning approaches have been compared: one based on the simultaneous scanning of multiple seeds (30) at lower resolution (20 μm voxel size) and one based on the scanning of a single seed at higher resolution (2 μm voxel size). Such approaches were tested on a study case consisting of four different quinoa genotypes. Among the measured morpho-densitometric parameters, the embryo volume and weight ratios (derived from bulk and single seed scanning, respectively) showed high positive correlation with the total protein content, while the thickest fraction of the pericarp was the best correlated with the presence of saponin

AD HOC SURVEYS: HOW TO MEASURE AND REPORT QUALITY METHODS

Surveys need a clear report on adopted quality methods to support surveillance, research and to implement evidence-based health policies. Aim of this report is to provide a simple and practical tool to those interested in survey, like HIS or HES , suggesting the different aspects of the quality to be controlled. These are crucial to generate useful and reliable results that can help the monitoring of health policy in Europe. Starting from the wide literature available in the field, the various quality dimensions that should be documented in a quality report and support the published results are briefly presented. In this paper, the six dimensions of the quality are analysed, as well as the different steps necessary to implement a survey, with particular attention to the quality and taking account of the remarkable expertise in the field. Before starting the survey, as known, the planning of specific steps is required. Moreover, to improve quality, training and testing of personnel involved in the different sets (organization, data collection, data processing, and statistical analysis) are fundamental. The methods used and the results obtained need to be published

Calibration of Elekta aSi EPIDs used as transit dosimeter.

The transit in vivo dosimetry performed by the Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID), avoids the problem of solid-state detector positioning on the patient. Moreover, the dosimetric characterization of the recent Elekta aSi EPIDs in terms of signal stability and linearity enables these detectors adaptable for the transit in vivo dosimetry with 6, 10 and 15 MV photon beams. However, the implementation of the EPID transit dosimetry requires several measurements. Recently, the present authors have developed an in vivo dosimetry method for the 3D CRT based on correlation functions defined by the ratios between the transit signal, st (w,L), by the EPID and the phantom mid-plane dose, Dm(w,L), at the Source to Axis Distance (SAD) as a function of the phantom thickness, w, and the square field dimensions, L. When the phantom mid-plane was positioned at distance d from the SAD, the ratios st(w,L)/s't(d,w,L), were used to take into account the variation of the scattered photon contributions on the EPID as a function of, d and L. The aim of this paper was the implementation of a procedure that uses generalized correlation functions obtained by nine Elekta Precise linac beams. The procedure can be used by other Elekta Precise linacs equipped with the same aSi EPIDs assuring the stabilities of the beam output factors and the EPID signals. The calibration procedure of the aSi EPID here reported avoids measurements in solid water equivalent phantoms needed to implement the in vivo dosimetry method in the radiotherapy center. A tolerance level ranging between ±5% and ±6% (depending on the type of tumor) was estimated for the comparison between the reconstructed isocenter dose, Diso and the computed dose Diso, TPS by the treatment planning system (TPS)

The Outcome of Technical Intraoperative Complications Occurring in Standard Aortic Endovascular Repair

Background Technical intraoperative complications (TICs) may occur during standard endovascular repair (EVAR) with possible effects on the outcome. This study evaluates the early and midterm effects of TICs on EVARs. Methods All EVARs (from 2012 to 2016) were analyzed to identify all TICs: (1) endoluminal defects (stenosis, dissection, rupture, compression of native arteries, or endograft); (2) type I-III endoleaks; (3) unplanned artery coverage; and (4) surgical access complications. Follow-up was performed by Doppler ultrasound/ontrast enhanced ultrasound/computed tomography scan at yearly intervals. The outcome was compared with that of uneventful cases (UCs) through Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Maier curve. Results TICs occurred in 68 (18%) of 377 patients undergoing EVAR. Thirty-two endoluminal defects were relined endovascularly; 24 type I-III endoleaks were treated with cuff deployment/forced ballooning (23) and surgical conversion (1); 3 of 8 unplanned artery coverages were revascularized (2 renal and 1 hypogastric); 5 hypogastric coverages had an unsuccessful correction; and 4 access artery injuries were repaired. Although fluoroscopy time and contrast usage were significantly higher in the TIC group than those in the UC group (309 cases), 30-day outcome was similar for death (1.4% TIC vs 0% UC, P = 0.18), reintervention (0% TIC vs 0.3% UC, P = 1), type I-III endoleak (0% TIC vs 0.9% UC, P = 1), steno-occlusions (0% TIC vs 0.3% UC, P = 1), buttock claudication, and renal failure (0% in both groups). At 24 months, TIC and UC groups had similar survival (91.7 ± 8% vs 96.2 ± 2.1%, P = 0.5), freedom from reintervention (81.4 ± 9.9% vs 96 ± 2.2%, P = 0.49), overall complication rate (13.4 ± 7.6% vs 11.4 ± 3.5%, P = 0.49), type I-III endoleak (11.2 ± 7.5% vs 7 ± 2.9%, P = 0.8), buttock claudication (0% vs 2 ± 2% P = 0.6), and hemodialysis (0% in both). Midterm iliac leg occlusion was significantly higher in the TIC group (26.9 ± 12.3% vs 3 ± 2.1%, P = 0.01). Conclusion TICs may affect several aspects during EVAR, leading to the necessity of adjunctive maneuvers, which have no impact on early outcome but may cause an increased rate of midterm iliac leg occlusion