Innovative teaching on photovoltaic generation

One of the most important technologies for the renewable energy production is the Photovoltaic (PV) one. In the last decades, the enormous growth in the world of Photovoltaic installation capacity, and future trends, makes the knowledge of this topic fundamental for engineers working in the energy field with this competence, and not only. Thus, for students enrolled in industrial engineering courses, appropriate and innovative teaching methods are necessary. This paper aims to describe the structure of the course 'Photovoltaic Power Generation' in which solar resource and the photovoltaic generators, including power electronics, are explained. The topics of traditional theoretical lectures are presented, with the links to practical exercises and laboratories

Innovative Laboratories for Teaching on Photovoltaic Generation in Higher Education

The production of energy from Photovoltaic technology is becoming more and more relevant. Therefore, it is essential that academic world focuses attention on this topic in order to properly teach and transmit knowledge, skills and abilities. These ones are very useful in work activities. The academic course 'Photovoltaic Power Generation' aims to better explain theoretical aspects by practical activities which require the implementation of innovative laboratories for learning. This paper presents the guidelines for replication of laboratory practices (twin labs), already offered to Italian students, in the context of the project EU-MONG

Goat and buffalo milk fat globule membranes exhibit better effects at inducing apoptosis and reduction the viability of HT-29 cells

Bovine milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) has shown many health benefits, however, there has not been much study on non-cattle MFGMs. The purpose of this study was to compare the anti-proliferation effects and investigate the mechanisms of MFGMs from bovine, goat, buffalo, yak and camel milk in HT-29 cells. Results showed that protein content in MFGM of yak milk is the highest among five MFGM. All MFGMs inhibited cellular proliferation which was in agreement with cell morphology and apoptosis. However, the number of cells in S-phase from 24 h to 72 h was increased significantly by treatment with goat, buffalo and bovine MFGMs (100 μg/mL), but not yak and camel. All MFGMs treatment significantly reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential (with an order of goat>buffalo>bovine>camel>yak) and Bcl-2 expression, but increased the expression of both Bax and Caspase-3. Taken together, the results indicate that all MFGMs, especially goat and buffalo MFGMs, showed better effects at inducing apoptosis and inhibition of the proliferation of HT-29 cells. The mechanism might be arresting the cell cycle at S phase, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and increase of Bax and Caspase-3 expression

"Delirium Day": A nationwide point prevalence study of delirium in older hospitalized patients using an easy standardized diagnostic tool

Background: To date, delirium prevalence in adult acute hospital populations has been estimated generally from pooled findings of single-center studies and/or among specific patient populations. Furthermore, the number of participants in these studies has not exceeded a few hundred. To overcome these limitations, we have determined, in a multicenter study, the prevalence of delirium over a single day among a large population of patients admitted to acute and rehabilitation hospital wards in Italy. Methods: This is a point prevalence study (called "Delirium Day") including 1867 older patients (aged 65 years or more) across 108 acute and 12 rehabilitation wards in Italian hospitals. Delirium was assessed on the same day in all patients using the 4AT, a validated and briefly administered tool which does not require training. We also collected data regarding motoric subtypes of delirium, functional and nutritional status, dementia, comorbidity, medications, feeding tubes, peripheral venous and urinary catheters, and physical restraints. Results: The mean sample age was 82.0 \ub1 7.5 years (58 % female). Overall, 429 patients (22.9 %) had delirium. Hypoactive was the commonest subtype (132/344 patients, 38.5 %), followed by mixed, hyperactive, and nonmotoric delirium. The prevalence was highest in Neurology (28.5 %) and Geriatrics (24.7 %), lowest in Rehabilitation (14.0 %), and intermediate in Orthopedic (20.6 %) and Internal Medicine wards (21.4 %). In a multivariable logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.03, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05), Activities of Daily Living dependence (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.12-1.27), dementia (OR 3.25, 95 % CI 2.41-4.38), malnutrition (OR 2.01, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), and use of antipsychotics (OR 2.03, 95 % CI 1.45-2.82), feeding tubes (OR 2.51, 95 % CI 1.11-5.66), peripheral venous catheters (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.06-1.87), urinary catheters (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.30-2.29), and physical restraints (OR 1.84, 95 % CI 1.40-2.40) were associated with delirium. Admission to Neurology wards was also associated with delirium (OR 2.00, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), while admission to other settings was not. Conclusions: Delirium occurred in more than one out of five patients in acute and rehabilitation hospital wards. Prevalence was highest in Neurology and lowest in Rehabilitation divisions. The "Delirium Day" project might become a useful method to assess delirium across hospital settings and a benchmarking platform for future surveys

Il sistema delle acque del parco: il restauro dei ponti e delle dighe

Il grande cantiere di restauro del sistema delle acque del parco di Racconigi (2005-2006) ha coinvolto anche tutti manufatti interessati dal complesso idraulico: dighe, opere di presa e scarico, sottopassi di canali, tratti di sponde in muratura, palificate e ponti. Tra questi, gli interventi più significativi di restauro e consolidamento descritti nel contributo riguardano il «Ponte dell’Arco», in muratura, in prossimità della darsena; il «Ponte Alto», in muratura, a collegamento del «Parco dei Daini» con l’«Isola della Torre»; il «Ponte della Madonnina», in corrispondenza della cappella lungo via Stramiano; il «Ponte delle Colonne», lacerto del ponte sospeso ottocentesco, poi sostituito da una soletta in calcestruzzo armato, posto all’estremità settentrionale del lago

COMPARISON OF POWER QUALITY IMPACT OF DIFFERENT PHOTOVOLTAIC INVERTERS: THE VIEWPOINT OF THE GRID

This paper presents the results of an experimental analysis performed with the aim of evaluating the effect of many photovoltaic plants on power quality of the grid. Several parameters as voltage and current distortion, flicker, voltage variations at fundamental frequency and power factor have been observed. The measured values have been compared with the limits reported in the standards and, when possibiIe, their dependence on the characteristics of the grid in terms of its impedance has been pointed out