Developing of an Offline Monitoring Method for the Energy Demand of a Healthcare Facility in Italy

Hospitals are among the most energy-intensive buildings in the service industry. The development of energy management strategies could lead to important energy savings, and it must pass through detailed analyses of each specific activity energy requirement. The present study aims to find the main energy drivers of a healthcare facility and to develop an offline monitoring method appliable to future healthcare energy requirements. A Multiple Linear Regression model has been realized to define the standard energy consumption based on the year 2019, allowing to realize a Cumulative Sum of differences control chart including the 2020 energy consumption data. The proposed method allows to find variations between actual and standard building energy demands, being a useful tool to monitor the effectiveness of energy system control strategies

Effect of Dietary Supplements in Reducing Probability of Death for Uremic Crises in Dogs Affected by Chronic Kidney Disease (Masked RCCT)

Chitosan and alkalinizing agents can decrease morbidity and mortality in humans with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Whether this holds true in dog is not known. Objective of the study was to determine whether a commercial dietary supplement containing chitosan, phosphate binders, and alkalinizing agents (Renal), compared to placebo, reduces mortality rate due to uremic crises in dogs with spontaneous CKD, fed a renal diet (RD). A masked RCCT was performed including 31 azotemic dogs with spontaneous CKD. Dogs enrolled in the study were randomly allocated to receive RD plus placebo (group A; 15 dogs) or RD plus Renal (group B; 16 dogs). During a first 4-week period, all dogs were fed an RD and then randomized and clinically evaluated up to 44 weeks. The effects of dietary supplements on mortality rate due to uremic crises were assessed. At 44 weeks, compared to group A, dogs in group B had approximately 50% lower mortality rate due to uremic crises (P = 0.015). Dietary supplementation with chitosan, phosphate binders, and alkalinizing agents, along with an RD, is beneficial in reducing mortality rate in dogs with spontaneous CKD

Določitev smeri in značilnosti toka podzemne vode v krasu za namen izgradnje prometnih poti: primer nove železniške proge Divača‒Koper (JZ Slovenija)

The new railway line between Divača and Koper/Capodistria in south-western Slovenia is being built, a part of which crosses the southern outskirts of the Classical Karst plateaux. It will run through two tunnels, the northern tunnel T1 (6.7 km long) and the southern T2 (6 km long), which partially cross karst aquifer system. A multi-tracer test with injections of fluorescent dyes uranine and naphthionate, bypassing the karst vadose zone, was carried out to define the directions and dynamics of the underground water flow. The main goals were better understanding of the complex hydrogeological conditions in the area and assessment of possible environmental impacts on the nearby water sources. With tracing of uranine injected into a nearby cave stream, the direction of flow from the northern T1 tunnel mainly towards the Reka-Timavo aquifer system and further towards the Timava/Timavo springs was proved. The peak velocities, as determined from the peaks of the tracer breakthrough curves, range from 29 m/h to 36 m/h. Through the wider and well-connected conduits of the Reka-Timavo system, the peak velocities can reach up to 88 m/h. The recovery of uranine in an intermediate cave, i.e., Jama 1 v Kanjaducah, amounted to approximately 74 %. The northern section of the southern T2 tunnel is a part of a wider bifurcation zone between the Osapska Reka and the Boljunec/Bagnoli springs, where peak flow velocities between 10 and 13 m/h have been determined by tracing of naphthionate injected into a borehole located in the line of the planned tunnel. It has been estimated that about 25 % of the injected naphthionate flew out through the Osapska Reka spring and about 5 % through the Boljunec/ Bagnoli springs. Based on this research, proper monitoring of any potential negative impacts of the new railway line will be made possible. The study presents an approach to better planning of hazard control of traffic routes in complex and highly karstified rock settings.Med Divačo in Koprom v jugozahodni Sloveniji je v izgradnji nova železniška proga, ki deloma seka južno obrobje planote matičnega krasa. Proga ima dva predora, severni T1 (dolg 6,7 km) in južni T2 (dolg 6 km), ki potekata skozi kraški vodonosnik. Za določitev smeri in dinamike toka podzemne vode je bil izveden kombinirani sledilni poskus z injiciranjem fluorescenčnih sledil uranina in naftionata neposredno v zasičeno cono. Glavna cilja sta bila boljše razumevanje zapletenih hidrogeoloških razmer na tem območju in ocena možnih okoljskih vplivov na bližnje vodne vire. Z injiciranjem uranina v vodni tok v bližnji kraški jami je bila dokazana smer toka podzemne vode z območja severnega predora T1 predvsem proti vodonosnemu sistemu Reka-Timava in naprej proti izvirom Timave. Glede na pojav vrha krivulje iztekanja sledila so bile določene navidezne dominantne hitrosti med 29 m/h in 36 m/h. V večjih in dobro povezanih kraških kanalih sistema Reka-Timava lahko te hitrosti dosežejo 88 m/h. V Jami 1 v Kanjaducah, ki je del sistema, je bilo zaznanih približno 74 % injiciranega sledila. Severni del južnega predora T2 je del širšega bifurkacijskega območja med Osapsko reko in izviri v Boljuncu. V njem so bile z injiciranjem naftionata v eno izmed vrtin v trasi načrtovane železniške proge ugotovljene dominantne hitrosti toka med 10 in 13 m/h. Ocenjeno je bilo, da je približno 25 % injiciranega naftionata izteklo skozi izvir Osapske reke in približno 5 % skozi izvire v Boljuncu. Z upoštevanjem rezultatov raziskave bo mogoč ustrezen monitoring morebitnih negativnih vplivov nove železniške proge na podzemne vode. Študija prinaša izboljšan pristop k načrtovanju nadzora nad nevarnostmi prometnih poti na območjih zelo zakraselih kamnin s prepletanjem podzemnih vodnih tokov

In search of a new attractant for monitoring Stegobium paniceum L. (Coleoptera: Anobiidae): Poster

Stegobium paniceum (L.) is a major pest for several stored products worldwide. Monitoring methods for this species, based on pheromone traps, are affected by the complexity and expensiveness of the chemical synthesis of the pheromone isomer [(2S,3R,1’R)-Stegobinone] and/or by its lost of efficacy after two weeks at room temperature. So other semiochemicals that can be exploited for monitoring this species are highly desirable. In this study was tested the behavioral response in two-choice olfactometer of S. paniceum adults to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) collected from colonized substrate. The elution of the headspace collection from S. paniceum colony elicited attraction of both sexes. The GC-MS chemical analysis of the extract indicated the presence of several alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes and fatty acids, some of them already reported to attract other stored product coleopteran pests and promising candidates for further studies to test their attractiveness on S. paniceum.Stegobium paniceum (L.) is a major pest for several stored products worldwide. Monitoring methods for this species, based on pheromone traps, are affected by the complexity and expensiveness of the chemical synthesis of the pheromone isomer [(2S,3R,1’R)-Stegobinone] and/or by its lost of efficacy after two weeks at room temperature. So other semiochemicals that can be exploited for monitoring this species are highly desirable. In this study was tested the behavioral response in two-choice olfactometer of S. paniceum adults to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) collected from colonized substrate. The elution of the headspace collection from S. paniceum colony elicited attraction of both sexes. The GC-MS chemical analysis of the extract indicated the presence of several alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes and fatty acids, some of them already reported to attract other stored product coleopteran pests and promising candidates for further studies to test their attractiveness on S. paniceum

Blockchain e le nuove tecnologie nel trasporto dei prodotti fashion

La logistica nel mondo fashion è sempre più complessa per l’elevato numero di articoli, l’esigenza di tempestività delle consegne e la frammentarietà degli ordini dei punti vendita. Ecco che le nuove tecnologie entrano nella logistica e vengono usate per migliorare l’efficienza e la qualità della distribuzione dei prodotti. In questo Suitex Fashion Meeting è stato fornito un aggiornamento delle innovazioni considerate più interessati nel settore della logistica e del trasporto, mostrando come possano migliorare l’operatività delle aziende di moda e limitare i rischi di sanzioni da parte delle autorità per chi incarica i trasportatori ed i fornitori di servizi logistici. Blockchain, il fashion è pronto ad adottarla? Contraffazione e monitoraggio nel trasporto, la Blockchain ha il potenziale per risolvere questi problemi

Comparison of a continuous glucose monitoring system with a portable blood glucose meter to determine insulin dose in cats with diabetes mellitus.

Background:The continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) Guardian REAL‐Time® allows the generation of very detailed glucose profiles in cats. The performance of CGMS to generate short‐term glucose profiles to evaluate treatment response has not been yet evaluated in diabetic cats.Hypothesis:Analysis of glucose profiles generated using the CGMS produces insulin dose recommendations that differ from those of profiles generated using the portable blood glucose meter (PBGM) in diabetic cats.Animals:Thirteen client‐owned diabetic cats.Methods:Prospective, observational study. Simultaneous glucose profiles were generated over an 8‐10 hour period using the CGMS, blood glucose concentration was measured every 2 hours with the PBGM. Profiles were submitted to three internal medicine specialists who used them to determine the insulin dose. Differences between insulin doses deduced from paired profiles were compared. Percentages of nadirs recorded with the CGMS that were lower, higher, or equal to those derived with the PBGM were calculated.Results:Twenty‐one paired glucose profiles were obtained. There was no difference of insulin doses based on CGMS and PBGM profiles (median 0 U; range: −1 to +0.5). Treatment decisions did not differ among investigators. Compared with the observed PBGM nadir, the CGMS nadir was lower, higher, or equal in 17, 2, and 2 of 21 cases, respectively.Conclusions and Clinical Importance:Adjustments in insulin dose based on glucose profiles generated with the CGMS are similar to those based on the PBGM. The common occurrence of lower nadirs recorded with the CGMS suggests that this device detects hypoglycemic periods that are not identified with the PBGM