NaturWall©: facciate in legno multifunzionali per la riqualificazione del patrimonio edilizio / NaturWall©:multifunctional wood façade in existent building refurbishment

Naturwall© is a research conducted by Politecnico of Turin (DAD) (under supervision of Prof.G.Callegari) and a local PMI support (Natural House, Castellamonte), promoted by Giovanni Goria Foundation "Master dei Talenti" programme. It consists in an innovative energy saving system by using wood multifunctional components for existent buildings . The goal of the project is the refurbishment of the existing building stock which were built from 1950's to 1980's. This stock is not equipped with recent energy requirements. The project aims to create a representative model of solution that will be promoted in Italy. In the field of renovation and refurbishment high energy results and greenhouse gases reduction could be achieved by using multifunctional facade system

Foreword: Seminars in Research 2014 Joint Experiences in Rheumatology and Dermatology

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Cognitive and Behavioural Changes After Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus in Parkinson\u27s Disease

Cognitive and behavioural disturbances in patients with Parkinson’s disease seem to be relatively more frequent after deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus, as compared with deep brain stimulation of the internal globus pallidus. This finding might be at least partially due to the fact that the subthalamic nucleus is a smaller target, with different neural circuits (motor, associative, and limbic circuits) in close proximity to each other. Thus, electrode misplacements or current spreading to non-motor circuits involving the subthalamic nucleus may give rise to cognitive and behavioural disturbances after subthalamic implants.On the whole, nonetheless, most studies agree about the view that the cognitive and behavioural morbidity of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in patients with Parkinson’s disease can be considered relatively low, even in the long term, provided that appropriate criteria are used to select candidates for neurosurgery. Further studies are certainly needed to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the postoperative cognitive and behavioural changes which may be observed in Parkinsonian patients treated by deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleu

Clinical trial of time-resolved scanning optical mammography at 4 wavelengths between 683 and 975 nm

The first time-resolved optical mammograph operating beyond 900 nm (683, 785, 913, and 975 nm) is presently being used in a clinical trial to test the diagnostic potential of the technique in detecting and characterizing breast lesions. Between November 2001 and October 2002, 101 patients with malignant and benign lesions were analyzed retrospectively. Scattering plots, as derived from a homogeneous model, and late gated intensity images, to monitor spatial changes in the absorption properties, are routinely used. The intensity images available at four wavelengths provide sensitivity to the main tissue constituents (oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin, water, and lipids), in agreement with expected tissue composition and physiology, while the scattering plots mirror structural changes. Briefly, tumors are usually identified due to the strong blood absorption at short wavelengths, cysts to the low scattering, and fibroadenomas to low absorption at 913 nm and high at 975 nm, even though the optical features of fibroadenomas seem not to be uniquely defined. The effectiveness of the technique in localizing and discriminating different lesion types is analyzed as a function of various parameters (lesion size, compressed breast thickness, and breast parenchymal pattern).

Identify the type of pleural effusion with lung ultrasound: a case report and State-of-Art

Pleural effusion is the most common pleural pathology and is seen in a large group of patients admitted to internal medicine wards.The purpose of this state of art literature review is to describe the various ultrasound findings that can be observed, to highlight the ability of lung ultrasound to facilitate differential diagnosis by pointing to a specific type of effusion and its cause.To this end, the clinical case description aims to demonstrate the above and promote the use of bedside lung ultrasound by considering this technique as the fifth physical examination technique after inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation

Naturwall: active timber wall for renovation of existent buildings

The renovation of old buildings is actually the challenge to cope with increased effort in order to reduce climate global change, channeling more investment and awareness in this sense, defining more experimentations and find innovative solutions. The difficulty of carrying out an intervention on the existing buildings necessarily arise from the lack of information on the existing structure and the lack of coordinated processes between the multidisciplinary skills involved, as well as a difficulty to optimize the process that would make it even more competitive on the renovation work instead on the new construction. Naturwall is an innovative energy saving system for existent buildings by using wood in multifunctional components able to mitigate the environmental effort in building management. The project meant to introduce an industrialized design method in the renovation of existing build environment that highlights opportunities gave by "off site" production and parametric design approach, without neglecting the aesthetical values and the possibility to change the architectural image of residential and non residential constructions. The project aims to create a representative model of solution that will be promoted in Italy and widespread in other similar contex

Time-Resolved Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy: A Differential Absorption Approach

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NATURWALL© - A Solar Timber Façade System for Building Refurbishment: Optimization Process through in Field Measurements

Building renovation is one of the key issues of recent European policies towards energy efficiency. The concept of an opaque, modular and prefabricated vertical façade, made of wood and lightweight components, is proposed in this framework. Naturwall© is an Italian patented project intended for the retrofitting of existing buildings, to improve both the energy performance of the building and its architectural aspect. Different prototypes of the façade were tested during an experimental campaign carried out in outdoor test cells. The here presented results describe the winter and summer behavior of the façade through the use of synthetic indexes i.e. the U-value and pre-heating efficiency