Numerical Investigation on the PM Emission Potential of Metal Sulphides Open Storage

Numerical simulations of the wind flow around isolated stockpiles of bulk material are performed to assess the emission potential (P) of particulate matter (PM) from the pile surfaces exposed to wind erosion (i.e., industrial wind erosion). The analysis is focused on two metal sulphides (lead and zinc sulphides), which are typically stored in the open yards of industrial plants that operate in the commodity sector for the production of non-ferrous metals. The EPA methodology is applied to the numerical simulated flow fields to quantify the effect of the wind stress over the erodible surfaces of the two ores. Two alternative open bay geometries and different volumes of material stocked within the enclosing walls are considered. Moreover, the protective effect of the walls is assessed by comparing the same pile configurations without walls. This is found to be highly dependent on the wind direction, as well as to the pile configuration. A methodology that can be easily customized to specific industrial sites is proposed to define the best storage configuration for PM emission prevention and control. View Full-Tex

Evaluation of growth potential and growth dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat fresh fruit

The consumption of fresh or RTE fruits is increasing every year and Listeria monocytogenes has been identified on raw or minimally processed fruits. A food product can become contaminated with L. monocytogenes anywhere along the pathway of food production during planting, harvesting, packaging, distribution and serving. The aim of this work was to assess the microbiological risks associated with consumption of ready-to-eat fruit such as melon, pineapple, coconut and fruit salad. The presence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes was also evaluated. Microbiological challenge tests were carried out for the evaluation of the L. monocytogenes growth potential in RTE fruit stored at 4 and 8°C. E. coli counts resulted under the detection limit of 10 CFU g-1, Salmonella and L. monocytogenes were not detected (absence in 25g). The growth potential values in coconut and melon (δ>0.5) showed the growth capacity of Listeria at the temperatures considered. A low initial load, also derived from good hygiene practices, and correct storage temperatures are essential to reduce bacterial growth in RTE fruit. The challenge test showed how each type of RTE fruit has a different commercial life based on its specific growth potential and that food should be stored at temperatures not higher than 4°C for a short period

Design, Validation and CFD Modeling of an Environmental Wind Tunnel

The wind erosion of granular materials stored within the open yards of industrial plants (i.e., industrial wind erosion) and the subsequent emission and dispersion of particulate matter (PM) in the surrounding areas represent an important issue for the exposed population and for the environment as a whole. The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and the design of emission control measures require a deep knowledge of the erosion phenomenon, and the precise estimation of the Emission Factors (EF) associated with the specific PM source under investigation. Aiming to characterize the emission potential of industrial granular materials, a new Environmental Wind Tunnel (EWT) has recently been built at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture (DICAAR) laboratories, in Cagliari University. The article discusses the EWT’s updated design and the set-up methodologies applied to reproduce the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) acting over the surfaces of coarse and heterogeneous granular materials. In addition, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of the EWT has been developed to reproduce and analyze the wind field throughout the entire tunnel volume and preliminarily evaluate possible modifications to the original design. The accuracy of the simulation has been verified by comparing the CFD model and the results of the experimental tests

MAVIS: system modelling and performance prediction

The MCAO Assisted Visible Imager and Spectrograph (MAVIS) Adaptive Optics Module has very demanding goals to support science in the optical: providing 15% SR in V band on a large FoV of 30arcsec diameter in standard atmospheric conditions at Paranal. It will be able to work in closed loop on up to three natural guide stars down to H=19, providing a sky coverage larger than 50% in the south galactic pole. Such goals and the exploration of a large MCAO system parameters space have required a combination of analytical and end- to-end simulations to assess performance, sky coverage and drive the design. In this work we report baseline performance, statistical sky coverage and parameters sensitivity analysis done in the phase-A instrument study.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, 7 tables. SPIE conference Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 14 - 18 December 2020, digital foru

Silenzi apparenti. Abbandono e spopolamento dei centri urbani in Sardegna tra passato e futuro

Depopulation and abandonment of towns in Sardinia represent a rapidly developing phenomena , with severe repercussions in terms of socio-cultural and environmental sustainability. Since the 1970s, these phenomena have stimulated the interest of many scholars from different disciplines, such as anthropologists, sociologists, archaeologists, demographers and planners. However, sectorial contributions do not provide a unitary framework and overlook aspects linked to the cultural, architectural and material values of the studied settlements. Starting from this awareness, the Chair of Restoration of the University of Cagliari has recently launched a line of research on this topic, which involves the entire Sardinian territory. The goal is to obtain a cognitive overview that is fully aware of the on-going dynamics, through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates different specialized skills, aiming to direct the analysis procedure and outline effective future lines of action.These premises aim to lay down a significant foundation for monitoring the investigated contexts, to conscientiously guide the processes of social, economic and environmental transformation, attempting to avoid the sacrifice of this heritage. At the same time, indications on the inception and “contagion” mechanisms of depopulation in the inland Sardinian areas may be deduced, where community erosion and loss of vitality could be preventable, if re-considered in terms of (re)connection between territorial systems. Silenzi apparenti. Abbandono e spopolamento dei centri urbani in Sardegna tra passato e futuroIn Sardegna lo spopolamento e l’abbandono dei centri abitati sono fenomeni in rapida evoluzione, con preoccupanti ricadute in termini di sostenibilità ambientale e socio-culturale, tali da aver stimolato, già a partire dagli anni settanta del Novecento, l’interesse di numerosi studiosi afferenti a diversi settori disciplinari: antropologico, sociologico, archeologico, demografico e urbanistico. Gli apporti specialistici, però, non forniscono  un quadro unitario e tralasciano gli aspetti legati alla valenza storico-culturale, architettonica e materica dei sistemi insediativi in questione.Partendo da questa consapevolezza, la cattedra di Restauro dell’Università di Cagliari ha avviato un filone di ricerca sul tema, in riferimento all’intero territorio regionale, allo scopo di ottenere un panorama conoscitivo consapevole delle dinamiche in atto, tramite un approccio interdisciplinare, basato sull’integrazione tra diverse competenze settoriali, al fine di orientare i processi di analisi e di delineare efficaci future linee operative.Il monitoraggio dei contesti indagati ha l’intento di accompagnare con coscienza i processi di trasformazione sociale, economica e ambientale, e di scongiurare il sacrificio dei valori storico-culturali e identitari di cui essi sono testimonianza, traendone al contempo indicazioni sui meccanismi di innesco e di “contagio” dello spopolamento nell’interno dell’isola, laddove l’assimilazione tra erosione abitativa e perdita di vitalità potrebbe rivelarsi non inevitabile se rivalutata in chiave di (ri)connessione tra sistemi territoriali ancora fruibili, attraversabili, inscrivibili nelle mappe mentali di popolazioni a vario gradiente di insediamento.In Sardegna lo spopolamento e l’abbandono dei centri abitati sono fenomeni in rapida evoluzione, con preoccupanti ricadute in termini di sostenibilità ambientale e socio-culturale, tali da aver stimolato, già a partire dagli anni settanta del Novecento, l’interesse di numerosi studiosi afferenti a diversi settori disciplinari: antropologico, sociologico, archeologico, demografico e urbanistico. Gli apporti specialistici, però, non forniscono  un quadro unitario e tralasciano gli aspetti legati alla valenza storico-culturale, architettonica e materica dei sistemi insediativi in questione.Partendo da questa consapevolezza, la cattedra di Restauro dell’Università di Cagliari ha avviato un filone di ricerca sul tema, in riferimento all’intero territorio regionale, allo scopo di ottenere un panorama conoscitivo consapevole delle dinamiche in atto, tramite un approccio interdisciplinare, basato sull’integrazione tra diverse competenze settoriali, al fine di orientare i processi di analisi e di delineare efficaci future linee operative.Il monitoraggio dei contesti indagati ha l’intento di accompagnare con coscienza i processi di trasformazione sociale, economica e ambientale, e di scongiurare il sacrificio dei valori storico-culturali e identitari di cui essi sono testimonianza, traendone al contempo indicazioni sui meccanismi di innesco e di “contagio” dello spopolamento nell’interno dell’isola, laddove l’assimilazione tra erosione abitativa e perdita di vitalità potrebbe rivelarsi non inevitabile se rivalutata in chiave di (ri)connessione tra sistemi territoriali ancora fruibili, attraversabili, inscrivibili nelle mappe mentali di popolazioni a vario gradiente di insediamento. Apparent Calm. Abandonment and Depopulation of Sardinian Towns, Past and PresentDepopulation and abandonment of towns in Sardinia represent a rapidly developing phenomena , with severe repercussions in terms of socio-cultural and environmental sustainability. Since the 1970s, these phenomena have stimulated the interest of many scholars from different disciplines, such as anthropologists, sociologists, archaeologists, demographers and planners. However, sectorial contributions do not provide a unitary framework and overlook aspects linked to the cultural, architectural and material values of the studied settlements. Starting from this awareness, the Chair of Restoration of the University of Cagliari has recently launched a line of research on this topic, which involves the entire Sardinian territory. The goal is to obtain a cognitive overview that is fully aware of the on-going dynamics, through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates different specialized skills, aiming to direct the analysis procedure and outline effective future lines of action.These premises aim to lay down a significant foundation for monitoring the investigated contexts, to conscientiously guide the processes of social, economic and environmental transformation, attempting to avoid the sacrifice of this heritage. At the same time, indications on the inception and “contagion” mechanisms of depopulation in the inland Sardinian areas may be deduced, where community erosion and loss of vitality could be preventable, if re-considered in terms of (re)connection between territorial systems

Mesostructured γ-Al2O3-Based Bifunctional Catalysts for Direct Synthesis of Dimethyl Ether from CO2

In this work, we propose two bifunctional nanocomposite catalysts based on acidic mesostructured γ-Al2O3 and a Cu/ZnO/ZrO2 redox phase. γ-Al2O3 was synthesized by an Evaporation-Induced Self-Assembly (EISA) method using two different templating agents (block copolymers Pluronic P123 and F127) and subsequently functionalized with the redox phase using an impregnation method modified with a self-combustion reaction. These nanocomposite catalysts and their corresponding mesostructured supports were characterized in terms of structural, textural, and morphological features as well as their acidic properties. The bifunctional catalysts were tested for the CO2-to-DME process, and their performances were compared with a physical mixture consisting of the most promising support as a dehydration catalyst together with the most common Cu-based commercial redox catalyst (CZA). The results highlight that the most appropriate Pluronic for the synthesis of γ-Al2O3 is P123; the use of this templating agent allows us to obtain a mesostructure with a smaller pore size and a higher number of acid sites. Furthermore, the corresponding composite catalyst shows a better dispersion of the redox phase and, consequently, a higher CO2 conversion. However, the incorporation of the redox phase into the porous structure of the acidic support (chemical mixing), favoring an intimate contact between the two phases, has detrimental effects on the dehydration performances due to the coverage of the acid sites with the redox nanophase. On the other hand, the strategy involving the physical mixing of the two phases, distinctly preserving the two catalytic functions, assures better performances.MIUR—National Program PON Ricerca e InnovazioneUniversity of CagliariFondazione di Sardegna (FdS)Regional Government of Sardinia ASSET projectPeer Reviewe

On the design of mesostructured acidic catalysts for the one-pot dimethyl ether production from CO2

Dimethyl ether (DME) production from hydrogenation of CO2 based on two-function (redox and acidic) catalysts is receiving increasing attention due to the high demand for alternative and green fuels. In this work, we propose different mesostructured acidic metal oxides as methanol dehydration catalysts to be used as physical mixtures in combination with a commercial Cu-based redox catalyst (CZA) for the CO2-to-DME one-pot production. Al-MCM41, TiO2 and TiO2-ZrO2 mixed oxides, obtained through Sol-Gel methods, either in a conventional or Evaporation-Induced Self-Assembly approach were selected as mesostructured acidic systems and compared with a commercial zeolite (ferrierite). The regular mesoporous structure should render the active sites of the acidic catalyst easily accessible for CO2 and H2 and allow a homogeneous dispersion of the redox phase inside the mesopores in view of a possible development of bifunctional catalysts (redox + acidic). With the aim of understanding how the textural and acidic properties can be correlated with the performances and eventually design efficient dehydration catalysts, a careful study on the acidic sites was performed by both adsorption microcalorimetry with ammonia and FTIR-monitored adsorption of pyridine. The results of the performances highlighted a higher activity toward methanol dehydration for catalysts featured by Bronsted sites (zeolite and Al-MCM-41); as for catalysts with Lewis sites only (TiO2, Ti0.77Zr0.23O2) better performances were shown in case of systems presenting sites of moderate strength (Ti0.77Zr0.23O2). In the light of the above, Al-MCM-41 and TiO2ZrO2 demonstrated to be the most promising mesostructured dehydration catalysts in terms of selectivity to DME

RNAseq Analysis of Novel 1,3,4-Oxadiazole Chalcogen Analogues Reveals Anti-Tubulin Properties on Cancer Cell Lines

1,3,4-Oxadiazole derivatives are among the most studied anticancer drugs. Previous studies have analyzed the action of different 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives and their effects on cancer cells. This study investigated the characterization of two new compounds named 6 and 14 on HeLa and PC-3 cancer cell lines. Based on the previously obtained IC50, cell cycle effects were monitored by flow cytometry. RNA sequencing (RNAseq) was performed to identify differentially expressed genes, followed by functional annotation using gene ontology (GO), KEGG signaling pathway enrichment, and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analyses. The tubulin polymerization assay was used to analyze the interaction of both compounds with tubulin. The results showed that 6 and 14 strongly inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells by arresting them in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Transcriptome analysis showed that exposure of HeLa and PC-3 cells to the compounds caused a marked reprograming of gene expression. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched throughout the cell cycle and cancer-related biological processes. Furthermore, PPI network, hub gene, and CMap analyses revealed that compounds 14 and 6 shared target genes with established microtubule inhibitors, indicating points of similarity between the two molecules and microtubule inhibitors in terms of the mechanism of action. They were also able to influence the polymerization process of tubulin, suggesting the potential of these new compounds to be used as efficient chemotherapeutic agents

Real-Life Experience of Molnupiravir in Hospitalized Patients Who Developed SARS-CoV2-Infection: Preliminary Results from CORACLE Registry

Real-life experience of molnupiravir treatment is lacking, especially in people hospitalized for underlying diseases not related to COVID-19. We conducted a retrospective analysis regarding molnupiravir therapy in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted for underlying diseases not associated with COVID-19. Forty-four patients were included. The median age was 79 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 51-93 years), and most males were 57,4%. The median Charlson Comorbidity Index and 4C score were, respectively, 5 (IQR: 3-10) and 9.9 (IQR: 4-12). Moreover, 77.5% of the patients had at least two doses of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, although 10.6% had not received any SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Frequent comorbidities were cardiovascular diseases (68.1%), and diabetes (31.9%), and most admissions were for the acute chronic heart (20.4%) or liver (8.5%) failure. After molnupiravir started, 8 (18.1%) patients developed acute respiratory failure, and five (11.4%) patients died during hospitalisation. Moreover, molnupiravir treatment does not result in a statistically significant change in laboratory markers except for an increase in the monocyte count (p = 0.048, Z = 1.978). Molnupiravir treatment in our analysis was safe and well tolerated. In addition, no patients' characteristics were found significantly related to hospital mortality or an increase in oxygen support. The efficacy of the molecule remains controversial in large clinical studies, and further studies, including larger populations, are required to fill the gap in this issue

Osteogenesis from Dental Pulp Derived Stem Cells: A Novel Conditioned Medium Including Melatonin within a Mixture of Hyaluronic, Butyric, and Retinoic Acids

Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) have shown relevant potential for cell therapy in the orthopedic and odontoiatric fields. The optimization of their osteogenic potential is currently a major challenge. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF A) has been recently reported to act as a major conductor of osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Here, we attempted to prime endogenous VEGF A expression without the need for viral vector mediated gene transfer technologies. We show that hDPSCs exposure to a mixture of hyaluronic, butyric, and retinoic acids (HA + BU + RA) induced the transcription of a gene program of osteogenesis and the acquirement of an osteogenic lineage. Such response was also elicited by cell exposure to melatonin, a pleiotropic agent that recently emerged as a remarkable osteogenic inducer. Interestingly, the commitment to the osteogenic fate was synergistically enhanced by the combinatorial exposure to a conditioned medium containing both melatonin and HA + BU + RA. These in vitro results suggest that in vivo osteogenesis might be improved and further studies are needed