The Crystal Structure of Tobermorite 14 Å (Plombierite), a C-S-H phase

The crystal structure of tobermorite 14 Å (plombierite) was solved by means of the application of the order-disorder (OD) theory and was refined through synchrotron radiation diffraction data. Two polytypes were detected within one very small crystal from Crestmore, together with possibly disordered sequences of layers, giving diffuse streaks along c*. Only one of the two polytypes, could be refined: it has B11b space group symmetry and cell parameters a = 6.735(2) Å, b = 7.425(2) Å, c = 27.987(5) A, γ = 123.25(1)° . The refinement converged to R = 0.152 for 1291 reflections with F 0>4σ(F 0). The characteristic reflections of the other polytype, F2dd space group, a ≈11.2 Å, b ≈ 7.3 Å, c ≈ 56 Å, were recognized but they were too weak and diffuse to be used in a structure refinement. The structure of tobermorite 14 Å is built up of complex layers, formed by sheets of sevenfold coordinated calcium cations, flanked on both sides by wollastonite-like chains. The space between two complex layers contains additional calcium cations and H 2O molecules; their distribution, as well as the system of hydrogen bonds, are presented and discussed. The crystal chemical formula indicated by the structural results is Ca 5Si 6O 16(OH) 2 ·7H 2O

Design of Cloud Robotic Services for Senior Citizens to Improve Independent Living and Personal Health Management

A cloud robotics solution was designed and initially tested with a mobile robotic platform and a smart environment, in order to provide health-care management services to senior citizens and improve their independent living. The solution was evaluated in terms of Quality of Service (QoS) and tested in the realistic scenario of the DomoCasa Living Lab, Peccioli, Italy. In particular, a medication reminding service, a remote home monitoring and a user indoor localization algorithm were outsourced in the cloud and provided to the robots, users and carers. The system acquired data from a smart environment and addressed the robot to the user for service delivery. Experiments showed a service's Reliability of Response at least of the 0.04 % and a Time of Response of the same order of magnitude of the processing time required by the user localization algorithm

Improving domiciliary robotic services by integrating the ASTRO Robot in an AmI Infrastructure

This work describes the ECHORD Experiment ASTROMOBILE, a project aimed to design, develop and test a system for favourable independent living, improved quality of life and efficiency of care for senior citizens in domestic environments. The system, composed of a mobile robotic platform (called ASTRO) and an Ambient Intelligent Infrastructure that actively cooperated between them and with the end-user, was designed and implemented with a user-centred design approach, involving different stakeholders. The system was designed to deliver services to users, like drug delivery, stand support, reminding, info-entertainment. The design took advantages of the integration of robotic platforms with smart environments, to provide to users higher quality and localization based services. Senior end-users were involved in the experimentation of the system in the DomoCasa Living Lab and feedbacks were gathered for the technology assessment. Particularly, this paper demonstrates the general feasibility of the ASTROMOBILE system and thanks to users feedbacks its acceptability and usability

System consolidation of spatial memories in mice: effects of enriched environment.

Environmental enrichment (EE) is known to enhance learning and memory. Declarative memories are thought to undergo a first rapid and local consolidation process, followed by a prolonged process of system consolidation, which consist in a time-dependent gradual reorganization of brain regions supporting remote memory storage and crucial for the formation of enduring memories. At present, it is not known whether EE can affect the process of declarative memory system consolidation. We characterized the time course of hippocampal and cortical activation following recall of progressively more remote spatial memories. Wild-type mice either exposed to EE for 40 days or left in standard environment were subjected to spatial learning in the Morris water maze and to the probe test 1, 10, 20, 30, and 50 days after learning. Following the probe test, regional expression of the inducible immediate early gene c-Fos was mapped by immunohistochemistry, as an indicator of neuronal activity. We found that activation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), suggested to have a privileged role in processing remote spatial memories, was evident at shorter time intervals after learning in EE mice; in addition, EE induced the progressive activation of a distributed cortical network not activated in non-EE mice. This suggests that EE not only accelerates the process of mPFC recruitment but also recruits additional cortical areas into the network supporting remote spatial memories

Urban noise and psychological distress: A systematic review

Chronic exposure to urban noise is harmful for auditory perception, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and nervous systems, while also causing psychological annoyance. Around 25% of the EU population experience a deterioration in the quality of life due to annoyance and about 5–15% suffer from sleep disorders, with many disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost annually. This systematic review highlights the main sources of urban noise, the relevant principal clinical disorders and the most effected countries. This review included articles published on the major databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus), using a combination of some keywords. The online search yielded 265 references; after selection, the authors have analyzed 54 articles (5 reviews and 49 original articles). From the analysis, among the sources of exposure, we found the majority of items dealing with airports and wind turbines, followed by roads and trains; the main disorders that were investigated in different populations dealt with annoyance and sleep disorders, sometimes associated with cardiovascular symptoms. Regarding countries, studies were published from all over the world with a slight prevalence from Western Europe. Considering these fundamental health consequences, research needs to be extended in such a way as to include new sources of noise and new technologies, to ensure a health promotion system and to reduce the risk of residents being exposed

Hydroxyapatite Whiskers Based Resin Composite versus Commercial Dental Composites: Mechanical and Biocompatibility Characterization

A systematic evaluation of mechanical and biocompatibility properties of different volume fractions of hydroxyapatite whiskers in comparison with three commercial dental composites filled with micro- and nanosilica particles was carried out. Six groups with different hydroxyapatite whiskers mass fractions were taken into account in order to be compared with the performances of silica particles based composites group. Flexural properties were evaluated via a universal testing machine (2.5 kN Zwick Line) with a 2 kN load-cell (sensitivity 0.001 N). The test was replicated 10 times for the seven experimental groups to better identify statically the significance of the mechanical performances data. MTT quantitative colorimetric assay was performed in order to evaluate the mitochondrial activity of living cells exposed to different resin composites. Data obtained show better interfacial interaction with filler/matrix until 20 wt% of hydroxyapatite whiskers partially replaced silica particles filler. After this threshold, the mechanical performances decrease dramatically due to both the hydroxyapatite agglomerates formation and the low degree of resin conversion. In addition, biocompatibility test showed less cytotoxic effect with the addition of 20 wt% of hydroxyapatite in comparison with higher rates

Intrinsic and well-defined second generation hot spots in gold nanobipyramids: Versus gold nanorods

An effective strategy for regioselective modification and directional assembly of anisotropic nanoparticles is demonstrated to explore the electric field enhancement in assembled gold nanobipyramids compared with gold nanorods. The well-defined secondary plasmonic hot spots between the coupled gold nanobipyramids exhibit the capability for single molecule detection

UK export performance research - review and implications

Previous research on export performance has been criticized for being a mosaic of autonomous endeavours and for a lack of theoretical development. Building upon extant models of export performance, and a review and analysis of research on export performance in the UK for the period 1990-2005, an integrated model of export performance is developed and theoretical explanations of export performance are put forward. It is suggested that a multi-theory approach to explaining export performance is viable. Management and policy implications for the UK emerging from the review and synthesis of the literature and the integrated model are discussed