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Active noise control in a tractor cabin: implementation challenges and experimental testing in driving conditions
No full textTractor drivers are often exposed to high levels of low-frequency noise for prolonged periods, leading to discomfort and, in some cases, hearing loss. A major contributor to the noise transmitted into the cabin is the tractor engine, which generates a series of harmonic components, predominantly in the low-frequency range (below 1000 Hz). Due to space limitations inside the tractor cabin and the necessity of transparent surfaces to ensure visibility, effective passive noise mitigation can hardly be implemented. Active noise control (ANC) represents a suitable and modern technique to attenuate unwanted noise. This paper presents an experimental evaluation of a multi-channel ANC system applied to a tractor cabin, aimed at reducing the driver's exposure to noise generated by a four-cylinder engine. The system implements the well-established filtered-X least mean squares (FXLMS) algorithm in a multi-channel feedforward configuration to generate control signals, employing an accelerometer mounted on the engine as a reference sensor. Initial tests were carried out under stationary conditions, by varying the engine's revolutions per minute. Subsequent tests were performed under different driving conditions on an asphalt ring track, varying gear, range, and crankshaft rotational speed. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the ANC system in reducing engine-related noise components between 80 Hz and 500 Hz. The low-frequency limit is imposed by the frequency response of the control loudspeakers. To enhance algorithm efficiency, a digital low-pass filter is applied to prevent instability introduced by high frequencies
Biological Evaluation and SAR Exploration of Bile Acid-Dihydroartemisinin Hybrids as Potential Anticancer Agents for Colorectal Cancer
No full text: Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria, has demonstrated antitumor activity against a variety of human cancers, emphasizing its potential for repurposing as an anticancer agent. However, its short half-life and poor bioavailability hinder its application in cancer therapy. We previously demonstrated that the molecular hybridization of DHA with bile acids (BAs) enhances its anticancer activity by improving stability and reducing toxicity. Based on this rationale, here, we designed and synthesized a library of DHA-based hybrids through conjugation with ursodeoxycholic and chenodeoxycholic bile acids. Different conjugation sites and both cleavable and non-cleavable linkages were explored to enable a comprehensive structure-activity relationship analysis. The resulting BA-DHA hybrids were evaluated in vitro for their anticancer activity against HCT116 and RKO colorectal cancer cell lines. As a result of the synergistic effect of the linker type and conjugation site, the BA-DHA hybrids synthesized via click chemistry emerged as the most active compounds in both cell lines, displaying 2- to 20-fold higher activity than the parent DHA. Mechanistic investigations further revealed that the click-derived BA-DHA hybrids possess enhanced anticancer activity and antimetastatic potential, achieving comparable or even superior efficacy to the parent compound at markedly lower concentrations
ArcGis StoryMaps for Human Evolution: Use Impactful Digital Storytelling to Enhance the Prehistoric Collection of “P. Leonardi” Museum and Learn About the Present Environmental Change and Social Issues from Our Ancient Past
No full textDigital storytelling is a powerful way to combine the narrative power of stories with the versatility and accessibility of digital platforms giving a new voice to the museum artifact and to what they can teach us. At the Museum of Paleontology and Prehistory “P. Leonardi”, we decided to use “the geographical thinking skills” to explore and disseminate the story of human evolution from different perspectives. Human evolution and the prehistoric period can teach us a lot, improving the understanding of human interactions with the territory, the distribution of resources, migratory routes and environmental changes. The use of digital storytelling helps us to engage visitors with significant stories, effective and impactful, encouraging interaction and allows an in-depth understanding of our history and culture. To significantly improve the enjoyment of the collections of the P. Leonardi’s Museum we decided to use ESRI ArcGIS StoryMaps as digital storytelling tools, which fit perfectly with the application of “geographical thinking skills”
Comparative evaluation of reversed-phase and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography columns for untargeted profiling of bioactive compounds in Hypericum perforatum
No full textThe achievement of a comprehensive profiling of plant metabolites has long represented a challenge, not only due to their wide-ranging abundances but also as a result of their considerable chemical diversity. Recent advances in highly sensitive liquid chromatographic (LC) techniques, particularly when coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), have established metabolomics as a key approach for the analysis of thousands of non-volatile metabolites in crude natural extracts. Nevertheless, the different polarities of primary and secondary metabolites often limit the efficacy of conventional reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) in providing exhaustive compound coverage. To address this limitation, orthogonal separation techniques such as hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) should be employed as a complement to RPLC. In this work, four columns with identical geometrical specifications but with different stationary phase chemistry (one reversed-phase C18 and three different HILIC adsorbents) were employed for the untargeted analysis of bioactive compounds contained in Hypericum perforatum. The columns were evaluated not only in terms of chromatographic performance but also based on their ability to resolve challenging isobaric compound pairs of isobaric compounds. Finally, the integration of RPLC and HILIC data enabled a more comprehensive characterization of the metabolites associated with the plant
Accounting and reporting for human capital in a public healthcare organization: do they promote effective human capital management to achieve social sustainability?
No full textIncreasing research on public sector organizations’ (PSOs) non-financial reporting has shown how these organizations rely on a high variety of non-financial reporting tools to disclose non-financial information (Manes-Rossi et al., 2020). Non-financial information relevant to external and internal stakeholders can include, as a matter of example, environmental and social sustainability and intellectual capital (Kaur and Lodhia, 2019). Although scholars show an increased interest to investigate non-financial reporting in PSOs, there is a lack of studies, related to the public sector, examining the link of non-financial reporting with management control and decision-making functions, as well as on the motivations and factors that support non-financial reports’ implementation (Manes-Rossi et al., 2020; Fusco and Ricci, 2018). When it comes to sustainability, many have called for the study of PSOs’ contribution to the achievement of SDGs, through sustainability accounting and reporting practices (Kaur and Lodhia, 2019). In this regard, studies emphasizing the link between intellectual capital (IC) and sustainability within non-financial reporting tools are still scant (i.e. Farneti et al., 2019), even while being highly encouraged, as IC is a potential enabler of value creation within organizations (Zambon et al., 2019; de Villiers and Sharma, 2020).
Among the dimensions of IC, human capital has been an object of special emphasis concerning sustainable value creation and its reporting (de Villiers and Sharma, 2020). As Ehnert (2016, p. 90) argues
Sustainable human resource management (SHRM) can be defined as the adoption of HRM strategies and practices that enable the achievement of financial, social and ecological goals, with an impact inside and outside of the organisation and over a long-term time horizon while controlling for unintended side effects and negative feedback.
Based on the perspective of human capital, implementing sustainable human capital practices is aimed at taking actions to pursue “developing mutually beneficial and regenerative relationships between internal and external resource providers (e.g. employees, their families, education systems, natural environment)” (Ehnert et al., 2016, p. 90). From a practical viewpoint, to what extent human capital management (as part of IC) contributes to sustainability within healthcare organizations is of interest (Cavicchi et al., 2022). Nevertheless, research in this field has mainly addressed dimensions such as financial sustainability and quality of care for patients, or environmental sustainability of healthcare facilities, leaving social sustainability quite unexplored, especially considering the organizational dimension of social sustainability (Paparatto et al., 2023). Sustainability regarding the healthcare services’ human capital has recently reached the attention of scholars, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that strongly impacted the physical and psychological health of healthcare professionals (Walton-Roberts, 2021; Brolan et al., 2022). In this regard, work–life balance was one of the main problems of unsustainability that emerged with the pandemic.
From a managerial viewpoint, scholars have called to study accounting and reporting in public healthcare organizations in times of crisis (Sargiacomo, 2015), such as the COVID-19 pandemic, to a) understand their capacity to provide effective solutions, and b) to inform sustainability decisions (Grossi et al., 2020; Rinaldi et al., 2020, Rinaldi, 2022). Addressing the call of scholars, this chapter focuses on action research developed to recount the pandemic’s impact on Italian public local health authority (LHA) professionals, to inform sustainable human capital practices, especially concerning gender equality, which was one of the main dimensions of unsustainability emerging from COVID-19
The importance of mitochondria and mitochondrial calcium signaling in health and disease: an updated outlook on inflammation
No full textMitochondria are central regulators of cellular bioenergetics, calcium homeostasis and apoptosis. Beyond these classical roles, emerging evidence highlights their pivotal involvement in inflammation and related disease progression. Under physiological conditions, mitochondria sustain metabolism and signaling; however, when dysfunctional, they can release mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns, such as mitochondrial DNA, reactive oxygen species, cardiolipin and ATP, into the intra- or extracellular environment.
The release of these mitochondrial components activates innate immune receptors and inflammasomes, thereby initiating or sustaining inflammatory cascades implicated in aging and a broad range of diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders. Mitochondrial calcium signaling plays a crucial role in energy production and metabolic adaptation; yet when dysregulated, it promotes ROS generation, membrane permeabilization and cell death, all of which further amplify inflammation. Structural and functional mitochondrial messengers, including mtDNA fragments and mitochondria-derived vesicles, also contribute to intercellular communication, enhancing immune activation or driving chronic inflammation depending on their context. Therapeutically, mitochondria are emerging as promising targets to counteract inflammation. Investigational strategies include mitochondrial transplantation, engineered mitovesicles, pharmacological modulators of Ca2 + flux, antioxidants, and agents that restore mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism. By reestablishing mitochondrial integrity, these interventions aim to reduce inflammatory signaling, restore cellular homeostasis, and slow disease progression.
This review underscores mitochondria as both initiators and regulators of inflammatory processes across multiple diseases, highlighting their dual role as drivers of pathology and as promising therapeutic targets. A deeper understanding of mitochondrial signaling, mitochondrial messengers, and inter-organelle communication will be essential for developing effective mitochondria-based therapies to mitigate inflammation and improve patient outcomes
In tribute to Francesco Di Virgilio, a great scientist and a wonderful friend
No full textFrancesco Di Virgilio, one of the giants of purinergic signalling, died suddenly on September 22, 2024, which is an immense loss to so many friends and colleagues and especially to his beloved wife, Dorianna. Here, 1 year on, we pay tribute to him and his immense contribution to our field. Francesco graduated in medicine from the University of Padova, Italy, in 1979, with what became a lifelong interest in inflammation. He then held post-doctoral positions at University College London, Padova University, and Columbia University, New York, where he became acquainted with P2X7 receptors. He then returned to Padova as an Associate Professor of Molecular Pathology before moving to the University of Ferrara in 1992, where he set up a world-leading lab that studied the roles and underlying cellular mechanisms of the action of P2X7 receptors in inflammatory pathologies. Francesco published over 370 peer-reviewed articles, which have been cited > 35,000 times, giving him an H-index > 100. In addition, he filed several patents related to purinergic signalling. He also collaborated extensively, both within the University of Ferrara and worldwide, including in universities in the UK, Spain, Germany, the USA, and Brazil. Francesco was a man of great passion and intellect, who possessed scientific vision, intuition, and integrity, and he became the go-to world expert on P2X7 receptors and inflammation. We have lost a giant in the field and a dear friend, but he leaves behind an exceptional body of work, an outstanding legacy, and many friends who will miss him
“Leggibilità”, “visibilità” e “agevole identificabilità” dei prezzi dei prodotti offerti nei locali commerciali (Cass. 3 giugno 2025, n. 14826)
No full textUn recente arresto della Corte di cassazione offre l’occasione per ricostruire la disciplina in materia di pubblicità dei prezzi dei prodotti offerti ai consumatori – attualmente ripartita tra il Codice del consumo e la “legge sul commercio” – soffermandosi, in particolare, sull’obbligo di indicazione “chiara, leggibile (e visibile?)” del prezzo di vendita al pubblico, stabilito dall’art. 14, 1° comma, D.Lgs. 31 marzo 1998, n. 114. Una nozione, quella di “leggibilità”, da interpretarsi conformemente al criterio della “agevole identificabilità” sancito dall’art. 4, par. 1, Dir. 98/6/CE (di cui il D.Lgs. 31 marzo 1998, n. 114, almeno in parte, costituisce attuazione). Il contributo, inoltre – sulla scorta della vicenda de qua – si propone di sottolineare le possibili conseguenze in termini di public e private enforcement derivanti dall’intreccio tra la disciplina relativa al settore del commercio e quella, di origine comunitaria, dettata in materia di pratiche commerciali sleali
Smart and Sustainable Ice Cream Making Through Edge Machine Learning
No full textThe manufacturing process of frozen dairy desserts, such as ice cream and gelato, is very sensitive to human errors in ingredient preparation: even minor variations in the ingredient mix can lead to quality issues and material waste. To become more sustainable, next generation ice cream making machines need to implement intelligent and adaptive processes that are both efficient and forgiving of human mistakes in mixture preparations. Toward that goal, we developed Hard-O-Tronic AI-driven (HOT-AI), a novel edge AI solution specifically designed for Carpigiani’s ice cream making machines. Leveraging the innovative multimilestone classification methodology, HOT-AI performs inference at multiple stages—or milestones—during the ice cream making process, with increasing accuracy over time. This enables HOT-AI to take corrective actions by adapting the preparation process accordingly, thus improving batch-to-batch uniformity, minimizing ingredient waste, and enhancing production efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. HOT-AI has been successfully validated under real production conditions, and its large-scale implementation is planned across Carpigiani Group machines
Episodic aridification at the onset of the Carnian Pluvial Episode in Western Tethys
No full textDuring the Carnian Pluvial Episode (CPE; Late Triassic), repeated emissions of CO2 into the exogenic reservoirs of the C-cycle, likely from large igneous province (LIP) volcanism, caused relatively long-term warming and perturbed mega-monsoon circulation. A general long-term (>1 Myr) shift to more humid conditions is observed in many geological records during the CPE, but the pattern of climate change in response to the initial rapid CO2 pulse (<100 Kyr) and its immediate effects on ecosystems remain, however, poorly understood. Here, we performed high-resolution multi-proxy analyses across the onset of the CPE in a marine succession of Western Tethys, including palynology, mineralogy and geochemistry. We show that in these tropical regions the initial CO2 emissions into the atmosphere–land–ocean system at the onset of the CPE did not cause a sudden increase in humidity but rather resulted in a succession of relatively rapid (likely <50 Kyr) climate swings. Short intervals dominated by episodic aridification alternated with periods of higher moisture, modulating the intensity of silicate chemical weathering on land and the modes of sediment transport to the marine basin. The abrupt climate swings caused changes in the composition of terrestrial floral and a substantial reduction in plants generic richness in the basin’s catchment area. Notably, plants exhibiting modern-type characters rose during this phase. After the CPE’s initial C-cycle perturbation, the environment in Western Tethys remained more persistently humid, but plants generic richness did not recover, pointing to a longer term vegetation crisis.During the Carnian Pluvial Episode (CPE; Late Triassic), repeated emissions of CO2 into the exogenic reservoirs of the C-cycle, likely from large igneous province (LIP) volcanism, caused relatively long-term warming and perturbed mega-monsoon circulation. A general long-term (>1 Myr) shift to more humid conditions is observed in many geological records during the CPE, but the pattern of climate change in response to the initial rapid CO2 pulse (<100 Kyr) and its immediate effects on ecosystems remain, however, poorly understood. Here, we performed high-resolution multi-proxy analyses across the onset of the CPE in a marine succession of Western Tethys, including palynology, mineralogy and geochemistry. We show that in these tropical regions the initial CO2 emissions into the atmosphere–land–ocean system at the onset of the CPE did not cause a sudden increase in humidity but rather resulted in a succession of relatively rapid (likely <50 Kyr) climate swings. Short intervals dominated by episodic aridification alternated with periods of higher moisture, modulating the intensity of silicate chemical weathering on land and the modes of sediment transport to the marine basin. The abrupt climate swings caused changes in the composition of terrestrial floral and a substantial reduction in plants generic richness in the basin's catchment area. Notably, plants exhibiting modern-type characters rose during this phase. After the CPE's initial C-cycle perturbation, the environment in Western Tethys remained more persistently humid, but plants generic richness did not recover, pointing to a longer-term vegetation crisis