The celebrity factory: new modes of fashion entrepreneurship

The aim of the paper is to analyze the contribution of celebrity culture to the re-shaping of the fashion industry, distancing from an oppositional view while embracing a systemic one, where celebrity is considered a fundamental engine of the contemporary cultural production of fashion and a global consumerist culture. The scope of our paper tries to overcome the endorsement point of view to address the relationship between celebrity and fashion as a two-way relationship which is re-wiring the fashion industry. The paper will explore the multiple manifestations of the so-called celebrity brand labels, from Kim Kardashian to Victoria Beckham

Epigenetic reprogramming of muscle progenitors: inspiration for clinical therapies

In the context of regenerative medicine, based on the potential of stem cells to restore diseased tissues, epigenetics is becoming a pivotal area of interest. Therapeutic interventions that promote tissue and organ regeneration have as primary objective the selective control of gene expression in adult stem cells. This requires a deep understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms controlling transcriptional programs in tissue progenitors. This review attempts to elucidate the principle epigenetic regulations responsible of stem cells differentiation. In particular we focus on the current understanding of the epigenetic networks that regulate differentiation of muscle progenitors by the concerted action of chromatin-modifying enzymes and noncoding RNAs. The novel exciting role of exosome-bound microRNA in mediating epigenetic information transfer is also discussed. Finally we show an overview of the epigenetic strategies and therapies that aim to potentiate muscle regeneration and counteract the progression of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)

Whisper: Fast Flooding for Low-Power Wireless Networks

This paper presents Whisper, a fast and reliable protocol to flood small amounts of data into a multi-hop network. Whisper relies on three main cornerstones. First, it embeds the message to be flooded into a signaling packet that is composed of multiple packlets. A packlet is a portion of the message payload that mimics the structure of an actual packet. A node must intercept only one of the packlets to know that there is an ongoing transmission. Second, Whisper exploits the structure of the signaling packet to reduce idle listening and, thus, to reduce the radio-on time of the nodes. Third, it relies on synchronous transmissions to quickly flood the signaling packet through the network. Our evaluation on the Flocklab testbed shows that Whisper achieves comparable reliability but significantly lower radio-on time than Glossy -- a state-of-the-art flooding algorithm. Specifically, Whisper can disseminate data in FlockLab twice as fast as Glossy with no loss in reliability. Further, Whisper spends 30% less time in channel sampling compared to Glossy when no data traffic must be disseminated

A possible new approach in the prediction of late gestational hypertension: The role of the fetal aortic intima-media thickness

The aim was to determine the predictive role of combined screening for late-onset gestational hypertension by fetal ultrasound measurements, third trimester uterine arteries (UtAs) Doppler imaging, and maternal history. This prospective study on singleton pregnancies was conducted at the tertiary center of Maternal and Fetal Medicine of the University of Padua during the period between January 2012 and December 2014. Ultrasound examination (fetal biometry, fetal wellbeing, maternal Doppler study, fetal abdominal aorta intima-media thickness [aIMT], and fetal kidney volumes), clinical data (mother age, prepregnancy body mass index [BMI], and parity), and pregnancy outcomes were collected. The P value <0.05 was defined significant considering a 2-sided alternative hypothesis. The distribution normality of variables were assessed using Kolmogorov–Smirnoff test. Data were presented by mean (±standard deviation), median and interquartile range, or percentage and absolute values. We considered data from 1381 ultrasound examinations at 29 to 32 weeks’ gestation, and in 73 cases late gestational hypertension developed after 34 weeks’ gestation. The final multivariate model found that fetal aIMT as well as fetal umbilical artery pulsatility index (PI), maternal age, maternal prepregnacy BMI, parity, and mean PI of maternal UtAs, assessed at ultrasound examination of 29 to 32 weeks’ gestation, were significant and independent predictors for the development of gestational hypertension after 34 weeks’ gestation. The area under the curve of the model was 81.07% (95% confidence interval, 75.83%–86.32%). A nomogram was developed starting from multivariate logistic regression coefficients. Late-gestational hypertension could be independently predicted by fetal aIMT assessment at 29 to 32 weeks’ gestation, ultrasound Doppler waveforms, and maternal clinical parameters

The parental bond and alcohol use among adolescents: The mediating role of drinking motives

Background: Alcohol use and alcohol-related problems represent a significant health concern. Few empirical researches focused on understanding the interrelationships and links between the parental bond, drinking motives, and alcohol use during adolescence.Objectives: The present study examined the relationships between a supportive parental bond, drinking motives, and alcohol use, with a focus on the role of mediation.Methods: The sample comprised 298 adolescents, aged from 16 to 20 years. The technique of structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to assess the direct and indirect effects of the parental bond on alcohol use among adolescents through motives for drinking.Results: The relationship between the parental bond and frequency of alcohol use by adolescents was not mediated by any motives for drinking, neither for males nor females. Regarding the relationships between the parental bond and quantity of adolescent alcohol consumption, findings for females showed significant indirect effects of maternal bond on alcohol quantity, when coping, enhancement, and social drinking motives were entered as mediator variables. Rather, paternal bond did not predict drinking quantity, not even indirectly. On the contrary, results for males indicated that the parental bond was neither directly nor indirectly associated with adolescent alcohol use.Conclusions/Importance: Mothers are the relational fulcrum of the family, while fathers seem to maintain a more peripheral position. Gender differences are discussed on the basis of the different cultural and parental socialisation processes that operate for male and female adolescents

Exploring the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Manchester Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) in an Italian sample

The goal of the present study is to provide a contribution to the adaptation and validation of the Italian version of the Manchester Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ). Findings are based on a self-report questionnaire survey filled out by 360 drivers (50% males), between 18 and 41 years of age. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the hypothesized four-factor structure of the DBQ was identified. Reliability of the scale was also confirmed within the Italian context. In addition to the four first-order factors, two second-order factors (violations and unintentional mistakes) were found, supporting the original structure proposed by Reason, Manstead, Stradling, Baxter, and Campbell (1990). Finally, the present study provided support for the good criterion-related and construct validity of the DBQ. Altogether, the Italian version of the DBQ demonstrated a robust factor structure and good psychometric properties, confirming the reliability and validity of the tool also within the Italian context

Low-cost and environmentally friendly physic-mechanical pre-treatments to recycle lithium iron phosphate cathodes

Recycling Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries is challenging, as their low economic value hinders the profitability of full-scale processes. Optimized pre-treatments are crucial for the overall efficiency and economic profitability of recycling processes. This study explored chemicals-free physic-mechanical pre-treatment processes aimed to detach waste LFP cathodes (production scraps and end-of-life, EoL) from aluminium current collectors. The technical performances of ultrasounds (35 kHz, in water at 25 °C for 5, 15, 30 min), ball milling (840–1080 rpm for 8, 16, 24 min), and thermal treatment (30 min at 200, 250, 300, 350,°C) coupled with ball milling (840 rpm for 5 min) have been compared. Environmental impacts and economic cost were calculated based on energy demand. The highest separation efficiency achieved were 95 ± 5% for Li, 99 ± 6% for Fe, and 80 ± 3% for P in scrap cathodes, treated at 200 °C for 30 min and ball milled at 840 rpm for 5 min; 93 ± 15% for Li, 97 ± 21% for Fe and 82 ± 20% for P in EoL cathodes, treated at 250 °C for 30 min and ball milled. The global warming impacts were: 3.33 ± 0.55 kg CO2 eq/kg of detached cathode for scraps and 3.08 ± 0.25 kg CO2 eq/kg for EoL cathodes; the costs were 1.45 ± 0.24 €/kg of detached cathode for production scraps samples and 1.34 ± 0.11 €/kg for EOL samples. In conclusion, chemicals-free mechanical detachment was effective both for production scraps and EoL cathodes, while thermal treatment was especially beneficial for EoL cathodes, and reducing milling time improved the environmental impacts and costs of the pre-treatment processes

Material Flow Analysis of Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling in Europe: Environmental and Economic Implications

This study aimed at a quantitative analysis of the material flows associated with End of Life (EoL) lithium-ion batteries’ (LIBs) materials in Europe. The European electric vehicles fleet in 2020 was taken as a case study, assuming a 10-year lifetime for the batteries and that the related EoL LIBs would be processed by existing recycling plants via pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, or their combination in sequence. The economic implications (recycling operative costs compared to the revenues from the sales of the recycled metals) and the environmental performances (CO2 eq. emitted, energy demand and circularity performances) were assessed. Based on the gathered results, the existing European recycling capacity will overlook over 78% of the forecasted EoL LIBs. The treatment efficiencies of the full-scale recycling processes allow for the recovery of over 90% of copper, cobalt, nickel, and manganese, 87% of aluminum, and only 42% of lithium and 35% of iron entering the recycling facilities. In overall, LIBs recycling in 2030 will involve the emission of 3.7 Mt of CO2 eq. and an energy demand of 33.6 GWh. Hydrometallurgy presents the best economic and environmental trade-off compared to other recycling strategies. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that current European LIBs’ recycling infrastructure will be inadequate in the near future and the direction (i.e., hydrometallurgy) that its strengthening should pursue

A DIC based technique to measure the contraction of a skeletal muscle engineered tissue

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary science based on the application of engineering approaches to biologic tissue formation. Engineered tissue internal organization represents a key aspect to increase biofunctionality before transplant and, as regarding skeletal muscles, the potential of generating contractile forces is dependent on the internal fiber organization and is reflected by some macroscopic parameters, such as the spontaneous contraction. Here we propose the application of digital image correlation (DIC) as an independent tool for an accurate and noninvasive measurement of engineered muscle tissue spontaneous contraction. To validate the proposed technique we referred to the X-MET, a promising 3-dimensional model of skeletal muscle. The images acquired through a high speed camera were correlated with a custom-made algorithm and the longitudinal strain predictions were employed for measuring the spontaneous contraction. The spontaneous contraction reference values were obtained by studying the force response.The relative error between the spontaneous contraction frequencies computed in both ways was always lower than 0.15%. In conclusion, the use of a DIC based systemallows for an accurate and noninvasive measurement of biological tissues’ spontaneous contraction, in addition to the measurement of tissue strain field on any desired region of interest during electrical stimulation