Strategie per la realizzazione di supercondensatori con materiali di origine naturale.

In questa tesi viene presentata per la prima volta la possibilità di progettare e realizzare supercondensatori eco-compatibili avendo come obbiettivo non solo target prestazionali, ma anche la gestione di fine vita del dispositivo. L’approccio proposto si basa su un’intelligente combinazione di materiali, in particolare, leganti e separatori biodegradabili, entrambi solubili in acqua e liquidi ionici idrofobi come elettroliti. A fine vita, queste componenti sono facilmente riciclabili. In particolare, in questo lavoro di tesi, sono state studiate due tipologie di materiale polimerico di origine naturale: cellulosa e pullulano. Mentre la cellulosa è stata già proposta per applicazioni per supercondensatori, il pullulano viene qui proposto per la prima volta. L’implementazione di questi due polimeri è stata fatta producendo separatori tramite il processo di elettrofilatura. Le membrane realizzate sono state caratterizzate con attenzione alla loro stabilità e al loro contributo alla resistenza interna dei supercondensatori (mediante spettroscopia di impedenza elettrochimica EIS) in presenza di tre elettroliti organici, e in particolare dei liquidi ionici, 1-Etil-3-metilimidazolio bis (trifluorometilsolfonil) immide (EMIM-TFSI) e 1-metil-1-butil pirrolidinio bis(trifluorometilsolfonil)immide (PYR14TFSI). Pullulano/EMI-TFSI è risultata la migliore combinazione polimero/elettrolita. Pertanto, sono stati realizzati supercondensatori con elettrolita EMIM-TFSI, separatore in pullulano elettrofilato, ed elettrodi a base di un carbone commerciale ad elevata area specifica (1960 m2/g), additivo conduttore carbonioso e pullulano come legante. Sono state condotte misure EIS, voltammetriche e ciclici di carica-scarica. I supercondensatori hanno raggiunto tensioni pari a 3.2 V, superiori a quelle di celle commerciali, e valori di potenza ed energia confrontabili con quelli di sistemi commerciali

Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) in Connected or Weak Grids for Turbine-Based Wind Energy Conversion System

In the last thirty years the quantity of wind electricity generation has grown significantly due to its high-power density. Advances in wind energy technology have significantly decreased the cost of producing electricity from this renewable source. Nowadays, the generation of energy from wind sources plays a crucial role to increasing the green energy. In this context, wind energy conversion systems (WEC) must guarantee, in connected or weak grid operation, good stability in balanced or unbalanced conditions, high efficiency, high reliability and maximum power tracking in order to achieve the best performance when operating conditions vary

Biomarkers of Parkinson's disease: recent insights, current challenges, and future prospects

Marina Picillo,1 Marcello Moccia,2 Emanuele Spina,2 Paolo Barone,1 Maria Teresa Pellecchia1 1Department of Medicine and Surgery, Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEMAND), Neuroscience Section, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy; 2Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatologic Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy Abstract: A biomarker represents a tool possibly helping physicians in predicting onset, diagnosis, and progression of a disease as well as evaluating the response to disease-modifying treatments. Currently, there is no biomarker fulfilling all such ideal criteria for Parkinson's disease (PD). In this article, we have critically reviewed the literature searching for the most reliable and reproducible clinical, biochemical, and imaging biomarkers for prodromal phase, diagnosis, and progression of PD. Different comprehensive batteries of biomarkers have been proposed as a sensitive approach to predict the onset of PD during the prodromal phase. There is a discussion about the redefinition of the clinical diagnosis of PD, including clinical biomarkers as non-motor symptoms; however, on the other hand, we have also observed that imaging biomarkers support the differential diagnosis from other causes of parkinsonism. Various clinical (eg, freezing of gait or cognitive impairment), biochemical (eg, epidermal growth factor, insulin-like growth factor 1, uric acid, etc), and imaging (eg, functional magnetic resonance imaging, voxel-based morphometry, etc) biomarkers may help envisaging disease progression of PD. To conclude, given the lack of a single biomarker that could track the entire course of the disease, our challenge is to find the best combinations of biomarkers for the different stages of the disease. Keywords: biomarkers, Parkinson's disease, progression, motor, imaging , staging, non moto

The cerium content of the Milky Way as revealed by Gaia DR3 GSP-Spec abundances

[Abstract]: The recent Gaia third data release contains a homogeneous analysis of millions of high-quality Radial Velocity Spectrometer (RVS) stellar spectra by the GSP-Spec module. This led to the estimation of millions of individual chemical abundances and allows us to chemically map the Milky Way. The published GSP-Spec abundances include three heavy elements produced by neutron-captures in stellar interiors: Ce, Zr, and Nd. Aims. We study the Galactic content in cerium based on these Gaia/RVS data and discuss the chemical evolution of this element. Methods. We used a sample of about 30 000 local thermal equilibrium Ce abundances, selected after applying different combinations of GSP-Spec flags. Based on the Gaia DR3 astrometric data and radial velocities, we explore the cerium content in the Milky Way and, in particular, in its halo and disc components. Results. The high quality of the Ce GSP-Spec abundances is quantified through literature comparisons. We found a rather flat [Ce/Fe] versus [M/H] trend. We also found a flat radial gradient in the disc derived from field stars and, independently, from about 50 open clusters. This agrees with previous studies. The [Ce/Fe] vertical gradient was also estimated. We also report an increasing [Ce/Ca] versus [Ca/H] in the disc, illustrating the late contribution of asymptotic giant branch stars with respect to supernovae of type II. Our cerium abundances in the disc, including the young massive population, are well reproduced by a new three-infall chemical evolution model. In the halo population, the M 4 globular cluster is found to be enriched in cerium. Moreover, 11 stars with cerium abundances belonging to the Thamnos, Helmi Stream, and Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus accreted systems were identified from chemo-dynamical diagnostics. We found that the Helmi Stream might be slightly underabundant in cerium compared to the two other systems. Conclusions. This work illustrates the high quality of the GSP-Spec chemical abundances, which significantly contribute to unveiling the heavy-element evolution history of the Milky Way.We thank the referee for their valuable comments. ES received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under SPACE-H2020 grant agreement number 101004214 (EXPLORE project). ARB also acknowledges support from this Horizon program. PAP and EP thanks the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) for funding support. VG acknowledges support from the European Research Council Consolidator Grant funding scheme (project ASTEROCHRONOMETRY, G.A. n. 772293, http://www.asterochronometry.eu ). Special thanks to Niels Nieuwmunster and Botebar for grateful comments on figures. This work has made use of data from the European Space Agency (ESA) mission Gaia ( https://www.cosmos.esa.int/gaia ), processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC, https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/dpac/consortium ). Funding for the DPAC has been provided by national institutions, in particular the institutions participating in the Gaia Multilateral Agreement

First line avelumab in PD-L1+ve metastatic or locally advanced urothelial cancer (aUC) patients unfit for cisplatin (cis): The ARIES trial

Background: Avelumab (ave) was approved as maintenance therapy after platinum-based first line (1L) therapy for patients (pts) with aUC based on ph. 3 Javelin Bladder 100 study (NCT02603432), showing significant overall survival (OS) improvement. Here we tested the activity of ave as 1L of therapy in cis-unfit pts with aUC and PD-L1+ve expression. Methods: ARIES is a single-arm, multi-site, open-label phase II trial. Enrolled pts had aUC, were cis-unfit (at least one of: ECOG-PS = 2, CrCl < 60 mL/min, grade ≥2 peripheral neuropathy/hearing loss, progression within 6-mos before the end of neo/adj chemo), had not previously received chemo for aUC and PD-L1≥5% (SP263) centrally assessed. Pts received ave 10 mg/Kg IV Q2W until progression, unacceptable toxicity and withdrawal, whichever occurred first. The primary endpoint was the 1-year OS. Key secondary endpoints were median-OS, -PFS, ORR and safety. Results: A total of 198 eligible cis-unfit pts have been tested for PD-L1 and 71 (35.6%) have been found positive. Among enrolled patients (N = 71), median age was 75 y, 35 (49.3%) had visceral disease, and 22 (31.0%) had ECOG-PS = 2; 50 (70.4%) had CrCl < 60 mL/min and 9 (12.7%) progressed within 6-mos from the end of neo/adj chemo. At the cut-off data (Oct 7, 2021), median follow up was 9.0 mo and 13 patients are still on treatment. The median OS was 10.0 mos (95% CI, 5.7-14.3), and 40.8% of patients were alive at 1-year. The ORR for all patients was 22.5%; complete response, 1.4% (n = 1); partial response, 21.1% (n = 15). Clinical benefit was 43.6% (n = 31). Median PFS was 2.0 mos (95% CI, 1.4-2.6). Among the 56 pts who received at least 3 cycles (29 days) of therapy the median OS was 16.0 vs 1.0 mos. Five (7.0%) grade 3 ave-related adverse events, and no treatment-related death were reported. Conclusions: Ave is active and safe in pts with cis-unfit, PD-L1+ve aUC and poor baseline characteristics

Early progression as a predictor of survival in marginal zone lymphomas: An analysis from the FIL-NF10 study

Marginal zone lymphomas (MZLs) are indolent nonfollicular B-cell lymphomas (INFLs) and have heterogeneous clinical behavior. Recently, time to progression of disease at 24 months (POD24) was identified to stratify overall survival (OS) in follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma and in INFL. Here, we examined the ability of POD24 to predict subsequent OS in a large, international cohort of MZL as part of the NF10 prospective international registry headed by Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL). POD24 was only calculated for MZL patients requiring immediate therapy and was defined as experiencing lymphoma progression within 24 months from diagnosis. Among the 1325 patients enrolled in the NF10 study, we identified 321 patients with MZL for whom immediate therapy was planned right after lymphoma diagnosis. Overall, POD24 was confirmed in 59 patients (18%). Three-year OS for patients with POD24 was 53% with a hazard ratio of 19.5 (95% confidence interval, 8.4-45) compared with patients without POD24 (3-year OS, 95%). Association of POD24 with OS was confirmed for the subgroup of splenic and extranodal MZLs. Assessment of POD24 stratifies subsequent outcome inMZL and identifies a high-risk population

Initial Experience Using the New pHLO 0.072-inch Large-Bore Catheter for Direct Aspiration Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Purpose A direct aspiration, first pass technique (ADAPT) has been introduced as a rapid and safe thrombectomy strategy in patients with intracranial large vessel occlusion (LVO). The aim of the study is to determine the technical feasibility, safety, and functional outcome of ADAPT using the newly released large bore pHLO 0.072-inch aspiration catheter (AC; Phenox). Materials and Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of data collected prospectively (October 2019–November 2021) from 2 comprehensive stroke centers. Accessibility of the thrombus, vascular recanalization, time to recanalization, and procedure-related complications were evaluated. National Institutes of Health stroke scale scores at presentation and discharge and the modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at 90 days post-procedure were recorded. Results Twenty-five patients (14 female, 11 male) with occlusions of the anterior circulation were treated. In 84% of cases, ADAPT led to successful recanalization with a median procedure time of 28 minutes. In the remaining cases, successful recanalization required (to a total of 96%; modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score 2b/3) the use of stent retrievers. No AC-related complications were reported. Other complications included distal migration of the thrombus, requiring a stent-retriever, and symptomatic PH2 hemorrhage in 16% and 4%, respectively. After 3 months, 52% of the patients had mRS scores of 0–2 with an overall mortality rate of 20%. Conclusion Results from our retrospective case series revealed that thrombectomy of LVOs with pHLO AC is safe and effective in cases of large-vessel ischemic stroke. Rates of complete or near-complete recanalization after the first pass with this method might be used as a new benchmark in future trials

Small-bowel capsule endoscopy with panoramic view: results of the first multicenter, observational study (with videos).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The first small-bowel video-capsule endoscopy (VCE) with 360° panoramic view has been recently developed. This new capsule has a wire-free technology, 4 high frame-rate cameras, and a long-lasting battery life. The present study was aimed at assessing performances and the safety profile of the 360° panoramic-view capsule in a large series of patients from a multicenter clinical practice setting. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing a 360° panoramic-view capsule procedure in 7 European Institutions between January 2011 and November 2015 were included. Both technical (ie, technical failures, completion rate) and clinical (ie, indication, findings, retention rate) data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire. VCE findings were classified according to the likelihood to explain reason for referral: P0-low, P1-intermediate and P2-high. RESULTS: Among 172 patients (94 men; median age: 68 years, IQR: 53-75), 142 underwent VCE for obscure (32 overt, 110 occult) GI bleeding (OGIB) and 28 for suspected (17) or established (2) Crohn's disease (CD). Overall, 560 findings were detected; 252 of them were P2. The overall diagnostic yield was 40.1%; 42.2% and 30.0% in patients with OGIB and CD, respectively. The rate of complete enteroscopy was 90.2%. All of the patients but one, who experienced capsule retention (1/172: 0.6%), excreted and retrieved the capsule. VCE failure occurred in 4 of 172 (2.3%) cases for technical problems. CONCLUSION: The present multicenter study, conducted in clinical practice setting and based on a large consecutive series of patients, showed that DY and safety profile of 360° panoramic-view capsule are similar to those of forward-view VCEs