Patient-reported outcomes in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with dual oral therapy: a multicenter, observational study from Italy

Objective: To assess patient-reported outcomes after two years of use of dual oral anti-diabetes drug (OAD) therapy in elderly people (≥65 years) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from Italy under real-life settings. Methods: 3-AGE was a prospective, non-interventional study in elderly people with T2DM inadequately controlled on metformin monotherapy (defined as glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] 7.0–9.0%), in whom a second OAD was prescribed. Primary endpoint was to assess the physical and psychological symptoms associated with T2DM from baseline to 24 months using the Diabetes Symptom Check List revised (DSC-R) questionnaire. Patient's quality of life and health status, treatment satisfaction, consumption of healthcare resources, and physician satisfaction with treatment were also assessed (secondary endpoints) using validated questionnaires. Additionally, safety and clinical characteristics were also evaluated. Results: The mean age of the study population (N = 860) was 71.5 ± 5.2 years. Addition of a second OAD significantly (p p p Conclusion: Addition of a second OAD improved physical and psychological symptoms associated with T2DM and was well tolerated in elderly people under real-life settings

Codesign of Humanoid Robots for Ergonomy Collaboration with Multiple Humans via Genetic Algorithms and Nonlinear Optimization

Ergonomics is a key factor to consider when designing control architectures for effective physical collaborations between humans and humanoid robots. In contrast, ergonomic indexes are often overlooked in the robot design phase, which leads to suboptimal performance in physical human-robot interaction tasks. This paper proposes a novel methodology for optimizing the design of humanoid robots with respect to ergonomic indicators associated with the interaction of multiple agents. Our approach leverages a dynamic and kinematic parameterization of the robot link and motor specifications to seek for optimal robot designs using a bilevel optimization approach. Specifically, a genetic algorithm first generates robot designs by selecting the link and motor characteristics. Then, we use nonlinear optimization to evaluate interaction ergonomy indexes during collaborative payload lifting with different humans and weights. To assess the effectiveness of our approach, we compare the optimal design obtained using bilevel optimization against the design obtained using nonlinear optimization. Our results show that the proposed approach significantly improves ergonomics in terms of energy expenditure calculated in two reference scenarios involving static and dynamic robot motions. We plan to apply our methodology to drive the design of the ergoCub2 robot, a humanoid intended for optimal physical collaboration with humans in diverse environment

Process for preparing zinc dicarboxylate and use thereof as a catalyst in the synthesis of polyalkylene carbonate from co2 by heterogeneous catalysis

The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of a zinc-based compound having general formula (I): wherein L is selected in the group consisting of: NO3, CH3CO2, (SO4)0.5, halide, and acetyl acetonate (AcAc), 2x = y + z; wherein x is comprised between 1 and 5, y is comprised between 1 and 8, z is comprised between 1 and 2, and n is comprised between 0 and 20. Said zinc-based compound is then used for the synthesis of a zinc dicarboxylate catalyst to be used for the heterogeneous catalytic copolymerization of a polyalkylene carbonate starting from CO2 and an alkyl epoxide, preferably containing at least 3 atoms of carbon, said polyalkylene carbonate being characterised by chemical-physical and mechanical properties which make it advantageous for a variety of different applications

Polyalkylene carbonate obtained from biodegradable co2 and with self-healing properties

The present invention relates to a polyalkylene carbonate, preferably PRC, and the use thereof in packaging, in coating surfaces, in cosmetics, in the biomedical or textile sector or to produce composite materials or moisture absorption devices. Preferably, said polyalkylene carbonate is obtained by reacting CO2 with an alkyl epoxide preferably containing at least 3 atoms of carbon, preferably propylene oxide, in the presence of a zinc dicarboxylate catalyst; said catalyst being obtained by reacting, with a preferably saturated aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, a zinc-based compound comprising a mixture of ZnO and a compound having the general formula (I): Znx(0H)y(L)z-nH2 O (I) wherein L is selected in the group consisting of: NO3, CH3CO2, (SO4)0.5, halide, and acetyl acetonate (AcAc), 2x = y + z; wherein x is comprised between 1 and 5, y is comprised between 1 and 8, z is comprised between 1 and 2, and n is comprised between 0 and 20