Functional adaptivity for digital library services in e-infrastructures: the gCube approach

We consider the problem of e-Infrastructures that wish to reconcile the generality of their services with the bespoke requirements of diverse user communities. We motivate the requirement of functional adaptivity in the context of gCube, a service-based system that integrates Grid and Digital Library technologies to deploy, operate, and monitor Virtual Research Environments defined over infrastructural resources. We argue that adaptivity requires mapping service interfaces onto multiple implementations, truly alternative interpretations of the same functionality. We then analyse two design solutions in which the alternative implementations are, respectively, full-fledged services and local components of a single service. We associate the latter with lower development costs and increased binding flexibility, and outline a strategy to deploy them dynamically as the payload of service plugins. The result is an infrastructure in which services exhibit multiple behaviours, know how to select the most appropriate behaviour, and can seamlessly learn new behaviours

Decarbonizing the cold chain: Long-haul refrigerated deliveries with on-board photovoltaic energy integration

Decarbonizing the cold chain is a priority for sustainability due to the increasing demand for chilled/frozen food and pharmaceutics. Refrigerated transport requires additional fuel for refrigeration other than for traction. Photovoltaic panels on the vehicle rooftop, a battery bank, and a power conversion system can replace the diesel engine driving the transport refrigerated unit. In long-haul deliveries, vehicles cross zones with different climate conditions, which affect both refrigeration requirements and photovoltaic energy conversion. Mandatory driver\u2019s breaks and rest also affect delivery timing and energy consumption. A multiperiod, multizone optimization model is developed to size the onboard photovoltaic system, based on features of the delivery tour. The model is applied to a palletized chilled food delivery from North-Eastern Italy, showing a payback time of around four years, which can drop under two years for expected reduction of component costs. Economic and environmental performances can be increased by also allowing refrigerated products on-board during the return journey, leading to more fuel savings. Photovoltaic-integrated long-haul delivery for frozen products is not convenient at current market costs. Different climate conditions are tested, showing the model ability to act as a decision support tool to foster renewable energy penetration into the cold chain

The Role of Pelvic Neurophysiology Testing in the Assessment of Patients with Voiding Dysfunction

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The role of pelvic neurophysiology testing in the evaluation of patients with lower urinary tract (LUT) symptoms is explored in this review. RECENT FINDINGS: Different neurophysiology tests such as sphincter EMG and pudendal somatosensory evoked potentials are useful in evaluating the sacral somatic afferent and efferent innervation. S2 and S3 dermatomal evoked potentials assess individual sacral roots and are feasible to perform using standard neurophysiology machines. SUMMARY: The innervation of the LUT has a substantial contribution from splanchnic and somatic nerves arising from the sacral segments. Pelvic neurophysiology tests, which assess somatic nerve functions, are therefore a useful tool in assessing sacral nerve functions in patients presenting with unexplained voiding dysfunction. In this review, the commonly performed neurophysiology studies that assess the S2, S3 and S4 sacral afferent and efferent pathways are outlined, and their clinical applications reviewed

Waste-to-energy application in an industrial district

Industrial districts present some features that can be recognized and exploited in the plant engineering through the proposal of solutions which are not simple applications of models created for individual companies. This work illustrates a waste-to-energy plant to be used for the industrial waste of the district of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The project from the union between university and local entrepreneurs. It is described how the expense for woodworking-waste disposal can turn from a charge into an advantage for the firms of the district thanks to the incineration of this waste in a plant unique for the typology of waste treated. Each plant section is described in detail, underlining innovative approaches and solutions

Hybrid applications over XML - integrating the declarative and navigational approaches

We discuss the design of a quasi-statically typed language for XML in which data may be associated with different structures and different algebras in different scopes, whilst preserving identity. In declarative scopes, data are trees and may be queried with the full flexibility associated with XML query algebras. In procedural scopes, data have more conventional structures, such as records and sets, and can be manipulated with the constructs normally found in mainstream languages. For its original form of structural polymorphism, the language offers integrated support for the development of hybrid applications over XML, where data change form to re flct programming expectations and enable their enforcement

Evaluating the environmental and economic impact of fruit and vegetable waste valorisation: The lettuce waste study-case

The fruit and vegetable sector generates large amounts of waste, which poses both environmental and economic issues. Different strategies can be applied to valorise fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) by turning it into value-added products. However, the economic and environmental impact of such strategies is largely unknown. In this paper, the environmental and economic impact of FVW valorisation on an industrial scale was evaluated by developing a Decision Support System (DSS). To this aim, the lettuce waste study-case was considered, since different innovative laboratory-scale strategies have been recently proposed for its valorisation. Investment and running costs, energetic demand and yields of lettuce waste valorisation processes were collected based on laboratory tests and industrial surveys. The application of the DSS estimated that if 30% of lettuce waste annually produced by a large company was valorised by using a system configuration that involves not only anaerobic digestion and composting, but also high pressure homogenisation to produce fresh juices, and ultrasound-assisted extraction to produce antioxidant extracts, this configuration would lead to an investment lower than 10 million \u20ac, a 1 year-pay-back time and a 72 tons-reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, thus representing a rational compromise between economic returns and environmental advantage. The developed multi-objective DSS is a valuable tool to identify the most sustainable and investment-worthy processes for the valorisation of FVW

Introduction to radar scattering application in remote sensing and diagnostics: Review

The manuscript reviews the current literature on scattering applications of RADAR (Radio Detecting And Ranging) in remote sensing and diagnostics. This paper gives prime features for a variety of RADAR applications ranging from forest and climate monitoring to weather forecast, sea status, planetary information, and mapping of natural disasters such as the ones caused by earthquakes. Both the fundamental parameters involved in scattering mechanisms of RADAR applications and the factors affecting RADAR performances are also discusse

Screening for cardiovascular disease risk factors beginning in childhood

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Individual detection and intervention on CVD risk factors and behaviors throughout childhood and adolescence has been advocated as a strategy to reduce CVD risk in adulthood. The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has recently recommended universal screening of several risk factors in children and adolescents, at odds with several recommendations of the U.S. Services Task Force and of the U.K. National Screening committee. In the current review, we discuss the goals of screening for CVD risk factors (elevated blood pressure, abnormal blood lipids, diabetes) and behaviors (smoking) in children and appraise critically various screening recommendations. Our review suggests that there is no compelling evidence to recommend universal screening for elevated blood pressure, abnormal blood lipids, abnormal blood glucose, or smoking in children and adolescents. Targeted screening of these risk factors could be useful but specific screening strategies have to be evaluated. Research is needed to identify target populations, screening frequency, intervention, and follow-up. Meanwhile, efforts should rather focus on the primordial prevention of CVD risk factors and at maintaining a lifelong ideal cardiovascular health through environmental, policy, and educational approaches

Screening for cardiovascular disease risk factors beginning in childhood

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Individual detection and intervention on CVD risk factors and behaviors throughout childhood and adolescence has been advocated as a strategy to reduce CVD risk in adulthood. The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has recently recommended universal screening of several risk factors in children and adolescents, at odds with several recommendations of the U.S. Services Task Force and of the U.K. National Screening committee. In the current review, we discuss the goals of screening for CVD risk factors (elevated blood pressure, abnormal blood lipids, diabetes) and behaviors (smoking) in children and appraise critically various screening recommendations. Our review suggests that there is no compelling evidence to recommend universal screening for elevated blood pressure, abnormal blood lipids, abnormal blood glucose, or smoking in children and adolescents. Targeted screening of these risk factors could be useful but specific screening strategies have to be evaluated. Research is needed to identify target populations, screening frequency, intervention, and follow-up. Meanwhile, efforts should rather focus on the primordial prevention of CVD risk factors and at maintaining a lifelong ideal cardiovascular health through environmental, policy, and educational approaches