Social energy e produzione distribuita in ambiente urbano: nuova vocazione e nuovo business per gli spazi pubblici. Il caso della piccola centrale idroelettrica Michelotti del Comune di Torino

L'articolo discute il tema della produzione di energia da fonti rinnovabili per mezzo di piccoli impianti distribuiti sul territorio. Si riflette sul ruolo di queste infrastrutture nel più ampio fine di costruire un paradigma urbano in grado di offrire risposte concrete al progetto di smart city, con un coinvolgimento, anche economico, dei cittadini, e un possibile bilancio energetico "distrettuale". A tal fine si riporta il caso della piccola centrale idroelettrica Michelotti che verrà costruita a Torino, su un tratto del Po prossimo alla zona centrale della città

Territori del cibo e dell'energia. Gestione efficiente delle risorse nella smart city: nuovi temi di progetto

In the smart city era, eating and producing energy for one’s own needs are intrinsic aspects of housing that, the city has to face in a systemic way in relation to the resources of its territory for the economic, environmental and social wellness of its community. The revival of the importance of short supply chains, both in the agrifood and in the pure energy fields, calls into play the internal balance of the built landscape and redefines the hierarchies in the organization of the production platform, stimulating a reflection on renewed themes of design in the urban metropolitan scope.Nutrirsi e produrre energia per i propri fabbisogni sono aspetti intrinseci dell’abitare che, in epoca di smart city, la città deve affrontare in maniera sistemica rispetto alle risorse del proprio territorio per il benessere economico, ambientale e sociale della comunità. Il rilancio dell’importanza delle filiere corte, tanto in campo agroalimentare quanto in quello energetico puro, rimette in gioco gli equilibri interni del paesaggio costruito e ridefinisce le gerarchie nell’organizzazione della piattaforma produttiva, stimolando una riflessione su rinnovati temi di progetto in ambito urbano metropolitano

Antilisterial Activity of Nisin-Like Bacteriocin-Producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis Isolated from Traditional Sardinian Dairy Products

With the aim of selecting LAB strains with antilisterial activity to be used as protective cultures to enhance the safety of dairy products, the antimicrobial properties of 117 Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis isolated from artisanal Sardinian dairy products were evaluated, and six strains were found to produce bacteriocin-like substances. The capacity of these strains to antagonize Listeria monocytogenes during cocultivation in skimmed milk was evaluated, showing a reduction of L. monocytogenes counts of approximately 4 log units compared to the positive control after 24 h of incubation. In order for a strain to be used as bioprotective culture, it should be carefully evaluated for the presence of virulence factors, to determine what potential risks might be involved in its use. None of the strains tested was found to produce biogenic amines or to possess haemolytic activity. In addition, all strains were sensitive to clinically important antibiotics such as ampicillin, tetracycline, and vancomycin. Our results suggest that these bac+ strains could be potentially applied in cheese manufacturing to control the growth of L. monocytogenes

Profiles of VGF peptides in the rat brain and their modulations after Phencyclidine treatment

From the VGF precursor protein originate several low molecular weight peptides, whose distribution in the brain and blood circulation is not entirely known. Among the VGF peptides, those containing the N-terminus portion were altered in the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) and hypothalamus of schizophrenia patients. "Hence, we aimed to better investigate the involvement of the VGF peptides in schizophrenia by studying their localization in the brain regions relevant for the disease, and revealing their possible modulations in response to certain neuronal alterations occurring in schizophrenia". We produced antibodies against different VGF peptides encompassing the N-terminus, but also C-terminus-, TLQP-, GGGE- peptide sequences, and the so named NERP-3 and -4. These antibodies were used to carry out specific ELISA and immunolocalization studies while mass spectrometry (MS) analysis was also performed to recognize the intact brain VGF fragments. We used a schizophrenia rat model, in which alterations in the prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response occurred after PCP treatment. In normal rats, all the VGF peptides studied were distributed in the brain areas examined including hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, accumbens and amygdaloid nuclei and also in the plasma. By liquid chromatography-high resolution mass, we identified different intact VGF peptide fragments, including those encompassing the N-terminus and the NERPs. PCP treatment caused behavioral changes that closely mimic schizophrenia, estimated by us as a disruption of PPI of the acoustic startle response. The PCP treatment also induced selective changes in the VGF peptide levels within certain brain areas. Indeed, an increase in VGF C-terminus and TLQP peptides was revealed in the prefrontal cortex (p < 0.01) where they were localized within parvoalbumin and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) containing neurons, respectively. Conversely, in the nucleus accumbens, PCP treatment produced a down-regulation in the levels of VGF C-terminus-, N-terminus- and GGGE- peptides (p < 0.01), expressed in GABAergic- (C-terminus/GGGE) and somatostatin- (N-terminus) neurons. These results confirm that VGF peptides are widely distributed in the brain and modulated in specific areas involved in schizophreni

Probiotic lactobacilli attenuate oxysterols-induced alteration of intestinal epithelial cell monolayer permeability: Focus on tight junction modulation

Oxidative stress and inflammation lead by dietary oxidised lipids, as oxysterols, have been linked to the loss of intestinal barrier integrity, a crucial event in the initiation and progression of intestinal disorders. In the last decade, probiotic lactobacilli have emerged as an interesting tool to improve intestinal health, thanks to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of two commercial probiotic strains of lactobacilli (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v® (DMS 9843) and Lacticaseibacillus casei DG® (CNCMI-1572)), both as live bacteria and intracellular content, to attenuate the oxysterols-induced alteration of intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cell monolayer permeability. Our investigation was focused on the modulation of tight junctions (TJs) proteins, occludin, ZO-1 and JAM-A, in relation to redox-sensitive MAPK p38 activation. Obtained results provided evidence on the ability of the two probiotics to counteract the alteration of monolayer permeability and loss of TJs proteins, at least in part, through the modulation of p38 pathway. The protective action was exerted by live bacteria, whose adhesion to Caco-2 cells was not altered by oxysterols, and bacterial intracellular components equally able to interact with the signaling pathway

ASO Visual Abstract:Improved Postoperative Outcomes After Prehabilitation for Colorectal Cancer Surgery in Older Patients: An Emulated Target Trial

This study (https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-022-12623-9) aimed to assess the effect of a multimodal prehabilitation program on perioperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients using an emulated target trial design. The study identified potential benefits of prehabilitation in daily clinical practice

ASO Visual Abstract:Improved Postoperative Outcomes After Prehabilitation for Colorectal Cancer Surgery in Older Patients: An Emulated Target Trial

This study (https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-022-12623-9) aimed to assess the effect of a multimodal prehabilitation program on perioperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients using an emulated target trial design. The study identified potential benefits of prehabilitation in daily clinical practice

Technical efficiency evaluation of colorectal cancer care for older patients in Dutch hospitals

BACKGROUND: Preoperative colorectal cancer care pathways for older patients show considerable practice variation between Dutch hospitals due to differences in interpretation and implementation of guideline-based recommendations. This study aims to report this practice variation in preoperative care between Dutch hospitals in terms of technical efficiency and identifying associated factors. METHODS: Data on preoperative involvement of geriatricians, physical therapists and dieticians and the clinicians’ judgement on prehabilitation implementation were collected using quality indicators and questionnaires among colorectal cancer surgeons and specialized nurses. These data were combined with registry-based data on postoperative outcomes obtained from the Dutch Surgical Colorectal Audit for patients aged ≥75 years. A two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach was used to calculate bias-corrected DEA technical efficiency scores, reflecting the extent to which a hospital invests in multidisciplinary preoperative care (input) in relation to postoperative outcomes (output). In the second stage, hospital care characteristics were used in a bootstrap truncated regression to explain variations in measured efficiency scores. RESULTS: Data of 25 Dutch hospitals were analyzed. There was relevant practice variation in bias-corrected technical efficiency scores (ranging from 0.416 to 0.968) regarding preoperative colorectal cancer surgery. The average efficiency score of hospitals was significantly different from the efficient frontier (p = <0.001). After case-mix correction, higher technical efficiency was associated with larger practice size (p = <0.001), surgery performed in a general hospital versus a university hospital (p = <0.001) and implementation of prehabilitation (p = <0.001). CONCLUSION: This study showed considerable variation in technical efficiency of preoperative colorectal cancer care for older patients as provided by Dutch hospitals. In addition to higher technical efficiency in high-volume hospitals and general hospitals, offering a care pathway that includes prehabilitation was positively related to technical efficiency of hospitals offering colorectal cancer care