Technical-economic and financial feasibility of new technologies in the energy refurbishment of residential buildings

The revision of the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD) provides for the construction of zero-emission buildings. The present work investigates possible solutions aimed at phasing out fossil fuel systems in buildings, in accordance with the EPBD requirements. An insulated residential building located in Rome is presented. The proposed refurbishment approach is based on the heating system replacement (heat pump, hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen-ready boiler), and the use of renewable energy produced by a photovoltaic system. The results show that, although the energy optimal solution consists of the replacement of the heat plant with a heat pump coupled to both a PV and a fuel cell system, from the economicfinancial point of view the proven solution of heat pump coupled with PV is still the only feasible one

Exosomal transfer of miR-126 promotes the anti-tumour response in malignant mesothelioma: Role of miR-126 in cancer-stroma communication

none11MiR-126 has been shown to suppress malignant mesothelioma (MM) by targeting cancer-related genes without inducing toxicity or histopathological changes. Exosomes provide the opportunity to deliver therapeutic cargo to cancer stroma. Here, a tumour stromal model composed of endothelial cells (HUVECs), fibroblasts (IMR-90 cells), non-malignant mesothelial cells (Met-5A cells) and MM cells (H28 and MM-B1 cells) was used. The cells were treated with exosomes from HUVECs carrying endogenous (exo-HUVEC) and enriched miR-126 (exo-HUVECmiR-126), and the uptake/turnover of exosomes; miR-126 distribution within the stroma; and effect of miR-126 on cell signalling, angiogenesis and cell proliferation were evaluated. Based on the sensitivity of MM cells to exo-HUVEC miR-126 treatment, miR-126 was distributed differently across stromal cells. The reduced miR-126 content in fibroblasts in favour of endothelial cells reduced angiogenesis and suppressed cell growth in an miR-126-sensitive environment. Conversely, the accumulation of miR-126 in fibroblasts and the reduced level of miR-126 in endothelial cells induced tube formation in an miR-126-resistant environment via VEGF/EGFL7 upregulation and IRS1-mediated cell proliferation. These findings suggest that transfer of miR-126 via HUVEC-derived exosomes represents a novel strategy to inhibit angiogenesis and cell growth in MM.noneMonaco, Federica; Gaetani, Simona; Alessandrini, Federica; Tagliabracci, Adriano; Bracci, Massimo; Valentino, Matteo; Neuzil, Jiri; Amati, Monica; Bovenzi, Massimo; Tomasetti, Marco; Santarelli, LoryMonaco, Federica; Gaetani, Simona; Alessandrini, Federica; Tagliabracci, Adriano; Bracci, Massimo; Valentino, Matteo; Neuzil, Jiri; Amati, Monica; Bovenzi, Massimo; Tomasetti, Marco; Santarelli, Lor

MiR-126 in intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinomas: exosomal transfer of MiR-126 promotes anti-tumour responses

Background: Intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinomas (ITACs) are aggressive malignancies related to wood dust and leather exposure. ITACs are generally associated with advanced stage at presentation due to the insidious growth pattern and non-specific symptoms. Therefore, biomarkers that can detect the switch from the benign disease to malignancy are needed. Essential for tumour growth, angiogenesis is an important step in tumour development and progression. This process is strictly regulated, and MiR-126 considered its master modulator. Methods: We have investigated MiR-126 levels in ITACs and compared them to benign sinonasal lesions, such as sinonasal-inverted papillomas (SIPs) and inflammatory polyps (NIPs). The tumour-suppressive functions of MiR-126 were also evaluated. Results: We found that MiR-126 can significantly distinguish malignancy from benign nasal forms. The low levels of MiR- 126 in ITACs point to its role in tumour progression. In this context, restoration of MiR-126 induced metabolic changes, and inhibited cell growth and the tumorigenic potential of MNSC cells. Conclusions: We report that MiR-126 delivered via exosomes from endothelial cells promotes anti-tumour responses. This paracrine transfer of MiRs may represent a new approach towards MiR-based therapy

Predicting needlestick and sharps injuries in nursing students: Development of the SNNIP scale

© 2020 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Aim: To develop an instrument to investigate knowledge and predictive factors of needlestick and sharps injuries (NSIs) in nursing students during clinical placements. Design: Instrument development and cross-sectional study for psychometric testing. Methods: A self-administered instrument including demographic data, injury epidemiology and predictive factors of NSIs was developed between October 2018–January 2019. Content validity was assessed by a panel of experts. The instrument's factor structure and discriminant validity were explored using principal components analysis. The STROBE guidelines were followed. Results: Evidence of content validity was found (S-CVI 0.75; I-CVI 0.50–1.00). A three-factor structure was shown by exploratory factor analysis. Of the 238 participants, 39% had been injured at least once, of which 67.3% in the second year. Higher perceptions of “personal exposure” (4.06, SD 3.78) were reported by third-year students. Higher scores for “perceived benefits” of preventive behaviours (13.6, SD 1.46) were reported by second-year students

Digital Twin Technology: New Frontiers for Personalized Healthcare

Rapidly evolving health digital technologies are changing modern healthcare in unprecedented ways [...

A Matlab toolbox for morphological analysis and 3D reconstruction of arterial histological sections

The present paper describes a Matlab toolbox for automatic analysis of histological arterial sections, for both morphometric investigations and 3D reconstructions. The aim of this program is to simplify and improve the processing of histological images, which is usually carried out by means of specific or standard image editing software, where measuring is mainly mouse-based, therefore manual and affected by subjective errors. A user-friendly interface has been also developed, to help a non Matlab-expert through the steps of the elaboration. The main phases in the image processing are: unwarping, registration, identification of the three layers in the arterial thickness, stacking and smoothing of each cross section, definition of surfaces and volumes for 3D reconstruction. The most delicate step is the edge detection for the identification of the layers, that requires the validation of three algorithms, one for each edge. A medical application is reported that investigates the effects of balloon angioplasty on the biological tissues. Several porcine arteries, healthy or treated with balloon, have been observed for evaluating lumen area and the layers’ thicknesses. It is worth noting also that Finite Element models of arterial segments can be conveniently developed using 3D reconstruction, carried out with this toolbox, exploiting the high level of morphometric information of histological images