Photovoltaic road pavements as a strategy for low-carbon urban infrastructures

Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) are expanding in anthropized areas, causing serious climatic consequences such as rising temperatures and citizens' discomfort. Several studies have identified and confirmed how the use of cool road pavements can mitigate and reduce the negative effects of UHIs. This study performs a microclimate simulation of San Pietro in Vincula Square in Rome through ENVI-Met software by replacing the current asphalt pavement in the parking area with a cool one. The proposed layout consists of light concrete pavers in the parking lots, parking aisles made of photovoltaic (PV) panels, and a perimeter hedge. The innovative use of PVs is analysed from the thermal and economic viewpoints alike. In the first case, its thermal characteristics like those of asphalt provide results in terms of air temperature, mean radiant temperature, and predicted mean vote close to the current ones. Furthermore, the energy analysis shows the PV's effectiveness in terms of economic impact. Indeed, the electricity produced by the proposed PV system is enough to light the area, and its surplus can power public activities such as electric vehicle charging. The initial investment would pay for itself in the 25-year service life as confirmed by the positive net present value (NPV), and the cash flow reveals a break-even point in the 15th year

Traffic Stream Analysis by Radar Sensors on Two-Lane Roads for Free-Moving and Constrained Vehicles Identification

This paper focuses on the analysis of traffic streams on two-lane highways, which are crucial components of transportation networks. Traffic flow measurement technologies, such as detection stations, radar guns, or video cameras, have been used over the years to detect the level of traffic and the operating conditions. This type of sensor can record a large amount of data which is useful to evaluate and monitor road traffic conditions, and it is possible to identify free-moving and constrained vehicles by processing the collected data. This study introduces an exponential headway model to identify the headway threshold above which vehicles can be considered as unconditioned. However, this value could identify vehicles which still retain some autonomy in their speed and maneuvering. Therefore, an additional criterion to distinguish between apparently and actually conditioned vehicles has been introduced, analyzing the speed differences between a vehicle and the preceding one. Three-month sequences of traffic monitored through radar devices placed on some Italian two-lane roads have been analyzed and an exponential headway model has been introduced, as an illustrative example. The results show that introducing the criterion of maneuvering freedom can significantly improve traffic flow analysis, modifying the starting critical values of 4 and 8 s per each studied section, to 2.5 and 3 s, approaching the values suggested by international manuals for traffic flow quality analysis

Malondialdehyde–Deoxyguanosine Adducts among Workers of a Thai Industrial Estate and Nearby Residents

Background: Humans living near industrial point emissions can experience high levels of exposures to air pollutants. Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Thailand is the location of the largest steel, oil refinery, and petrochemical factory complexes in Southeast Asia. Air pollution is an important source of oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species, which interact with DNA and lipids, leading to oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation, respectively. Objective: We measured the levels of malondialdehyde-deoxyguanosine (dG) adducts, a biomarker of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, in petrochemical workers, nearby residents, and subjects living in a control district without proximity to industrial sources. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study to compare the prevalence of malondialdehyde-dG adducts in groups of subjects experiencing various degrees of air pollution. Results: The multivariate regression analysis shows that the adduct levels were associated with occupational and environmental exposures to air pollution. The highest adduct level was observed in the steel factory workers. In addition, the formation of DNA damage tended to be associated with tobacco smoking, but without reaching statistical significance. A non significant increase in DNA adducts was observed after 4-6 years of employment among the petrochemical complexes. Conclusions: Air pollution emitted from the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate complexes was associated with increased adduct levels in petrochemical workers and nearby residents. Considering the mutagenic potential of DNA lesions in the carcinogenic process, we recommend measures aimed at reducing the levels of air pollution

Benign hereditary chorea: clinical and neuroimaging features in an Italian family.

Abstract: Benign hereditary chorea is an autosomal domi- nant disorder characterized by early onset nonprogressive chorea, caused by mutations of the thyroid transcription factor-1 (TITF-1) gene. Clinical heterogeneity has been reported and thyroid and respiratory abnormalities may be present. We describe 3 patients of an Italian family carrying the S145X mutation in the TITF-1 gene with mild motor delay, childhood onset dyskinesias, and subtle cognitive impairment. A child in the third generation pre- sented with congenital hypothyroidism and neonatal respi- ratory distress. Imaging studies in 2 patients showed mild ventricular enlargement and empty sella at magnetic reso- nance imaging and hypometabolism of basal ganglia and cortex at 18-Fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography

Targeting Taxanes to Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells by Nanobubbles and Extracorporeal Shock Waves

To target taxanes to castration-resistant prostate cancer cells, glycol-chitosan nanobubbles loaded with paclitaxel and docetaxel were constructed. The loaded nanobubbles were then combined with Extracorporeal Shock Waves, acoustic waves widely used in urology and orthopedics, with no side effects. Nanobubbles, with an average diameter of 353.3 ± 15.5 nm, entered two different castration-resistant prostate cancer cells (PC3 and DU145) as demonstrated by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. The shock waves applied increased the amount of intracellular nanobubbles. Loading nanobubbles with paclitaxel and docetaxel and combining them with shock waves generated the highest cytotoxic effects, resulting in a paclitaxel GI50 reduction of about 55% and in a docetaxel GI50 reduction of about 45% respectively. Combined treatment also affected cell migration. Paclitaxel-loaded nanobubbles and shock waves reduced cell migration by more than 85% with respect to paclitaxel alone; whereas docetaxel-loaded nanobubbles and shock waves reduced cell migration by more than 82% with respect to docetaxel alone. The present data suggest that nanobubbles can act as a stable taxane reservoir in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells and shock waves can further increase drug release from nanobubbles leading to higher cytotoxic and anti-migration effect

muography with nuclear emulsions stromboli and other projects

The muon radiography is a novel imaging technique to probe the volcanoes interior, using the capability of high energy cosmic ray muons to penetrate large thicknesses of rock. In this way it is possible to derive a 2D density map along the muon trajectory of volcanic edifices and deduce information on the variations in the rock density distribution, like those expected from dense lava conduits, or low density magma supply paths. This method is applicable also to study geological objects as glaciers, faults, oil underground reservoirs, engineering constructions, where a density contrast is present. Nuclear emulsions are well suited to be employed in this context for their excellent angular resolution; they are compact and robust detectors, able to work in harsh environments without need of power supply. On the other side, a long exposure time is required for a reasonable detector surface (~10 m 2 ) in order to collect a sufficient statistics of muons, and a quasi-real time analysis of the emulsion data is rather difficult due to the scanning time needed by the optical microscopes. Such drawback is on the way to be overcome thanks to a recent R&D program on ultra-fast scanning systems. Muon radiography technique, even if limited to the summit part of the volcano edifice, represents an important tool of investigation, at higher spatial resolution, complementary to the conventional geophysics techniques. The first successful result in this field was obtained by a Japanese group that observed in 2007 the conduit structure of Mt. Asama. Since 2010, other interesting volcanoes have been probed with the same method: Stromboli in 2011, Mt. Teide in 2012 and La Palma in 2014. Here we discuss the muon imaging technique reporting the nuclear emulsion detector design exposed at Stromboli and results of the data analysis

Bulky DNA adducts, 4-aminobiphenyl-haemoglobin adducts and diet in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) prospective study

In contrast to some extensively examined food mutagens, for example, aflatoxins, N-nitrosamines and heterocyclic amines, some other food contaminants, in particular polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and other aromatic compounds, have received less attention. Therefore, exploring the relationships between dietary habits and the levels of biomarkers related to exposure to aromatic compounds is highly relevant. We have investigated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort the association between dietary items (food groups and nutrients) and aromatic DNA adducts and 4-aminobiphenyl-Hb adducts. Both types of adducts are biomarkers of carcinogen exposure and possibly of cancer risk, and were measured, respectively, in leucocytes and erythrocytes of 1086 (DNA adducts) and 190 (Hb adducts) non-smokers. An inverse. statistically significant, association has been found between DNA adduct levels and dietary fibre intake (P=0.02), vitamin E (P =0.04) and alcohol (P=0.03) but not with other nutrients or food groups. Also, an inverse association between fibre and fruit intake, and BMI and 4-aminobiphenyl-Hb adducts (P=0.03, 0.04, and 0.03 respectively) was observed. After multivariate regression analysis these inverse correlations remained statistically significant, except for the correlation adducts v. fruit intake. The present study suggests that fibre intake in the usual range can modify the level of DNA or Hb aromatic adducts, but Such role seems to be quantitatively modest. Fibres could reduce the formation of DNA adducts in different manners, by diluting potential food mutagens and carcinogens in the gastrointestinal tract, by speeding their transit through the colon and by binding carcinogenic substances