How dark is the night: the consumers’ mood coping with the crisis.Evidences from ISAE Consumer Survey

Since 2008 the global economy, following also the financial crisis, is facing a severe decline in economic activity and the economic estimates concerning the first quarter 2009 are even worse. While in the major industrialized economies Consumers Confidence Indicators (CCI) show common negative trends, in Italy we have observed a different pattern. After a sharp fall beginning in 2007, the CCI (in the Italian definition) is unexpectedly showing some signals of recovery since the end of summer 2008. Specifically, the confidence on the personal condition improved, while the economic picture was considered in deterioration at least till the first quarter of 2009. From another point of view, whereas the expectations on the future are worsening, the evaluation on present conditions are recovering. It seems that the effects of the financial crisis have not influenced Italian consumers yet, as it is documented worldwide. It is worth sorting out this puzzle. The paper tries to explain these trends starting from the role played by the single elements on which the composite indicator of confidence climate is determined. Then the recent price evolution and its influence on the Italian Consumer Confidence dynamics are investigated. Since end of summer 2008, the sharp inflation slowdown together with nominal wages increase, may have contributed to keep confidence from falling. A further tool for explaining recent CCI dynamics could also be represented by a micro-data analysis of opinions of population sub-groups, because some of these could have been more exposed than others to the crisis. Therefore the paper explores reactions of different consumers segments (e.g. by income, professional status, household composition).Consumers Confidence, Consumption, Survey data

Ship Propulsion Plant Performance Assessment Using An Artificial Neural Network

Nowadays, more than in the past, the attention towards the environmental impact of shipping has gained great interest. In particular, several international rules were issued to set new standards in terms of ship energy efficiency and emissions. Most of the actual worldwide fleets are not compliant with the new standards, and it is unthinkable that ship-owners will replace the existing ships with new buildings in a short time. According to this, the retrofit of either the propulsion plant or auxiliary system is the good compromise choice. The first task that the designer has to face is the evaluation of the actual propulsion plant performance to detect where to act. On the view of this, the authors present two different approaches to identify the performance of an existing ship propulsion plant equipped with a four-stroke diesel engine and a controllable pitch propeller. The first approach is the standard approach, relying on the static performance assessment of the required power and fuel consumption, starting from the design data of the hull and machinery, not always available several years past ship fabrication. The second approach is based on the application of an artificial neural network, trained using the results of sea trials. Ship speed, shaft revolution speed, pitch angle, engine torque and fuel consumption have been recorded, then part of the data have been used as a training set for the artificial neural network, and the remaining as a validation set to compare the two approaches. The main idea is to evaluate the best strategy, in term of developing time and accuracy, to obtain the global, even if static, evaluation of the propulsion plant performance, with the final aim to have a handy tool to be used to assess potential energy saving solutions. Eventually, a comparison between the two methodologies and sea trials is shown and critically discussed

Dual effects of leptin in perioperative gas exchange of morbidly obese patients

Leptin has shown positive effects on respiratory function in experimental settings. The role of leptin on perioperative respiratory function in morbidly obese patients has not been established. We performed a retrospective analysis of morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Fasting serum leptin and interleukin (IL)-6 were measured preoperatively, and arterial blood gases were obtained pre- and postoperatively. Outcome variables were arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), and differences in PaO2 and PaCO2 between pre- and postoperative values (\u394PaO2, \u394PaCO2; postoperative minus preoperative). Patients with lower (<40 \u3bcg/L) and higher ( 6540 \u3bcg/L) leptin levels were compared. Bravais-Pearson's correlation, multiple linear regression, and logistic regression analysis were performed. A total of 112 morbidly obese patients were included. Serum leptin was significantly higher in females than in males (42.86\ub112.89 vs. 30.67\ub113.39 \u3bcg/L, p<0.0001). Leptin was positively correlated with body mass index (r = 0.238; p = 0.011), IL-6 (r = 0.473; p<0.0001), and \u394PaO2 (r = 0.312; p = 0.0008). Leptin was negatively correlated with preoperative PaO2 (r = -0.199; p = 0.035). Preoperative PaO2 was lower, \u394PaCO2 was smaller, and \u394PaO2 was greater in the high leptin group than in the low leptin group. In multiple regression analysis, leptin was negatively associated with preoperative PaO2 (estimate coefficient = -0.147; p = 0.023). In logistic regression analysis, leptin was associated with improved \u394PaO2 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.104; p = 0.0138) and \u394PaCO2 (OR = 0.968; p = 0.0334). Leptin appears to have dual effects related to perioperative gas exchange in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. It is associated with worse preoperative oxygenation but improved respiratory function after surgery

Motion Control for Autonomous Navigation in Blue and Narrow Waters Using Switched Controllers

Autonomous ships represent one of the new frontiers of technological innovation in marine engineering, which demand the development of innovative control systems to guarantee efficient and safe navigation of vessels. A convenient control system should be able to command the several actuators installed on board in different conditions\u2014for instance, during oceanic navigation, harbor approach, narrow channels, and crowed areas. Such tasks are accomplished by different switching controllers for high and low speed motion, which have to be orchestrated to ensure an effective maneuvering. An approach to the design of hierarchies of controllers for maneuvering and navigation of ships equipped with a standard propulsion configuration in both blue and narrow water is proposed. Different levels of control, from global to local, are defined and integrated to steer the vessel in such a way to increase the maneuvering capability in various scenarios

Mechanisms of Disease Progression and Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: An Update

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by the presence of the BCR-ABL1 fusion gene, which encodes a constitutive active tyrosine kinase considered to be the pathogenic driver capable of initiating and maintaining the disease. Despite the remarkable efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting BCR-ABL1, some patients may not respond (primary resistance) or may relapse after an initial response (secondary resistance). In a small proportion of cases, development of resistance is accompanied or shortly followed by progression from chronic to blastic phase (BP), characterized by a dismal prognosis. Evolution from CP into BP is a multifactorial and probably multistep phenomenon. Increase in BCR-ABL1 transcript levels is thought to promote the onset of secondary chromosomal or genetic defects, induce differentiation arrest, perturb RNA transcription, editing and translation that together with epigenetic and metabolic changes may ultimately lead to the expansion of highly proliferating, differentiation-arrested malignant cells. A multitude of studies over the past two decades have investigated the mechanisms underlying the closely intertwined phenomena of drug resistance and disease progression. Here, we provide an update on what is currently known on the mechanisms underlying progression and present the latest acquisitions on BCR-ABL1-independent resistance and leukemia stem cell persistence

Optimal Management of a Diesel-Electric Propulsion Plant with Either Constant or Variable Diesel Generators Speed

In recent years, diesel-electric propulsion has become a standard for many ship types. The traditional way to manage the electric flow onboard is by using AC distribution, and to run diesel generators at constant rotational speed to get the correct distribution frequency and to limit the weight and the size of the electric machinery. More recently, the current progress in DC field allowed exploiting the advantages of this technology, for instance, greater flexibility in the mode of operation of diesel generators in terms of rotational speed, with benefits in terms of efficiency. In this article, a pleasure craft, originally powered with a traditional propulsion plant, is repowered with two alternative diesel-electric propulsion plant layouts: a standard one, with AC distribution and torque controlled diesel generators at a constant speed, and a DC-link one with variable speed controlled generators. Variable speed diesel generators require a custom control system to manage the additional degree of freedom involved. For such a reason, the optimal working points of the diesel engines are assessed in design and off-design conditions by using a genetic algorithm, with the final aim of minimising the overall fuel consumption rate. The performance of the two analysed propulsion plants are evaluated and compared at different power levels. Eventually, the results are presented and discussed

Critical concepts, practice recommendations, and research perspectives of pixantrone therapy in non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a SIE, SIES, and GITMO consensus paper

Objectives: In this paper, we present a review of critical concepts and research perspectives and produce recommendations on the optimal use of pixantrone in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) by group discussion from an expert panel appointed by the Italian Society of Hematology and the affiliate societies, Societa Italiana di Ematologia Sperimentale and Gruppo Italiano Trapianto di Midollo Osseo. Methods: Recommendations were produced using the Delphi process. Scientific evidence on pixantrone efficacy was analyzed using Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology in the areas where at least one randomized trial was published. The following key issues were addressed for practical recommendations: pixantrone monotherapy in aggressive relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas and toxicity risk management in patients candidates to pixantrone. Results and conclusions: After a balanced and value-oriented discussion, the panel agreed that the benefit/risk profile was in favor of pixantrone in the treatment of adult patients with multiply relapsed or refractory aggressive NHL B-cell lymphomas. Pixantrone was deemed to be contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled cardiovascular disease. Despite a low rate of cardiotoxicity of pixantrone reported in clinical trials, the panel recommended that all patients receiving pixantrone should undergo periodical cardiac monitoring

EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF ASYMMETRICAL BEHAVIOUR OF RUDDER / PROPELLER FOR TWIN SCREW SHIPS

the present work addresses the asymmetrical functioning of rudder/propeller complex of twin screw/twin rudders ships. A series of free running model test results are analysed, with the aid of some simplified numerical calculations. this analysis allows to show the asymmetrical propeller loading during manoeuvres and the considerably different rudder functioning. A possible simplified model to include these effects in manoeuvring simulators is proposed and discussed, allowing to define the needs for future research activities to further improve the understanding of the different phenomena shown

Rapid prototyping for enhanced dynamic positioning systems

The paper aims to show the design procedure for a Class-2 dynamic positioning system, from initial conceptualisation to factory assessment test. The approach involves the use of simulation-based design combined with hardware in the loop testing. This kind of approach involves a detailed knowledge of the investigated ship but gives significant well-known advantages. The main are: the reduction of the design duration, the optimisation of the system performance, the debug of the control logics before the installation onboard, the reduction of the sea trial costs. Finally, the result of this process is a product ready to be installed onboard. Moreover, over the years, the interest of the classification societies in simulation results for certifying such systems is increased. This study shows both the approach and the results of designing a dynamic positioning system for a Platform Supply Vessel. A custom simulation platform has been developed to have realistic feedbacks of the case-study ship. The DP controller structure, including regulator, force and thrust allocation; have been conceptualised, and then, after the porting procedure, the DP software has been downloaded in the real PCL. Several HIL tests have been carried out to fine-tune the controller parameters. The results show, under different environmental conditions, the respect of the design criteria