University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
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An analytical model of evaporator performance under frosting conditions for lumped-parameter simulations of heat pumps
Get PDFEnhancing the energy efficiency of HVAC systems is crucial for meeting the nZEB standards. This involves developing analytical models for simulating building-system dynamics over time with low computational resources. However, existing models struggle with accuracy in heating mode due to evaporator frosting, a factor not usually accounted for commercial software. To address this, a new heat exchanger block that accurately models frosting and its impact on system performance is developed using the SimscapeTM language in Simulink ® environment. This innovative block enhances the predictive capability of heat-pump simulations that use a lumped-parameter approach, ensuring compatibility and easy integration with existing toolboxes. The improved model overcomes conventional limitations, offering reliable simulations in heating mode and providing insights into energy transport and efficiency. Incorporating accurate frosting representation aids in developing more effective defrost strategies, minimizing energy losses and improving compliance with energy efficiency standards
First Investigation of the marine gastrotrich fauna from the waters of North Tunisia, with the description of a new species of Halichaetonotus (Gastrotricha, Chaetonotida)
Get PDFGastrotrichs (hairy bellies) are microscopic, acoelomate worms that live in freshwater
and marine environments and represent one of the significant components of the
meiobenthic communities. There are over 520 marine species, and several of them are also
found in the Mediterranean Sea. However, data on the gastrotrich fauna from Tunisia is
negligible, with nearly zero annotated records. We have initiated a series of investigations
along the Tunisian shores to address this gap. Herein, we report data from four collecting
sites on the northern Tunisian coastline. Sandy samples from 2 m water depth yielded
21 species, 11 in the order Macrodasyida and 10 in Chaetonotida. One chaetonotidan
new to science is formally described, while morphometric data and photomicrographs are
provided for all the others. Incidentally, we report on the longest gastrotrich ever found.
Information about the microhabitat’s characteristics, including the water’s salinity and
temperature and granulometric parameters of the sediment, are also reported. Finally, we
provide information on Tunisian species previously discovered by our team and involved
in phylogenetic studies for which morphological data and details about their findings have
never been published. We explicitly address and correct the errors in GenBank concerning
the attribution of gene sequences for these species
Dermoscopia e microscopia laser confocale di lesioni rosa piatte solitarie: un nuovo score per la diagnosi del melanoma amelanotico
No full textBackground: La diagnosi differenziale del melanoma amelanotico/ipomelanotico tra le lesioni rosa piatte solitarie risulta spesso complessa, a causa dei limitati segni clinici e dermoscopici. L’utilizzo di dermoscopia e microscopia laser confocale migliora l'accuratezza diagnostica, ma la capacità combinata delle due metodiche nello studiuo delle lesioni rosa piatte solitarie deve ancora essere definita.
Obiettivi: Determinare (i) se l'accuratezza diagnostica è superiore utilizzando la dermoscopia combinata alla microscopia laser confocale, (ii) un modello per stimare la probabilità di diagnosticare un melanoma amelanotico/ipomelanotico piatto tra lesioni rosa piatte solitarie della cute.
Metodi: È stato condotto uno studio retrospettivo monocentrico su lesioni rosa piatte solitarie, asportate nel sospetto di malignità tra il 2011-2022. Le immagini sono state valutate in modo indipendente da due dermatologi, in cieco rispetto alla diagnosi istopatologica. La performance diagnostica è stata valutata in base alla curva ROC (receiver operating characteristic) e all'area sotto la curva. Le caratteristiche predittive sono state identificate mediante analisi di regressione logistica univariata e multivariata. Un nomogramma predittivo dei fattori di rischio indipendenti è stato calcolato mediante il backward likelihood ratio. L'ipotesi da testare è stata formulata prima della raccolta dei dati.
Risultati: Sono stati inclusi 184 pazienti (87 femmine, 47,3%); l'età media era di 57,6 anni (19-95). La combinazione di dermoscopia e microscopia laser confocale è risultata più sensibile (83%, CI 69,2-92,4 e 91,5%, CI 79,6-97,6) rispetto alla sola dermoscopia (76,6%, CI 62,0-87,7 e 85,1%, CI 71,7-93,8). Le caratteristiche predittive hanno definito un nuovo modello, comprendente i vasi irregolari lineari (4,26 pieghe, CI 1,5-12,1), il reticolo pigmentato periferico (6,07 pieghe, CI 1,83-20,15), i residui di pigmentazione (4,3 pieghe, CI 1,27-14,55) alla dermoscopia, e l’honeycomb pattern atipico (9,98 pieghe, CI 1,91-51. 96), il pattern epidermico disordinato (15,22 pieghe, CI 2,18-106,23), le cellule pagetoidi dendritiche nell'epidermide (3,77 pieghe, CI 1,25-11,26), le cellule pagetoidi ipopigmentate (27,05 pieghe, CI 1,57-465,5) e i nidi densi e sparsi (3,68 pieghe, CI 1,24-10,96) in microscopia laser confocale. L'accuratezza diagnostica del modello è risultata elevata (AUC 0,91).
Conclusione: L’utilizzo congiunto di microscopia laser confocale e dermoscopia
aumenta la sensibilità diagnostica nella diagnosi differenziale del melanoma amelanotico/ ipomelanotico piatto. Il modello proposto richiederà una successiva validazione.Background: Differential diagnosis of amelanotic / hypomelanotic melanoma among solitary flat pink lesions is challenging, due to limited clinical and dermoscopic clues. Dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy assessments improve diagnostic accuracy, but their combined capacity among solitary flat pink lesions is yet to be defined.
Objectives: To determine (i) whether diagnostic accuracy is improved with combined dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy, (ii) a model to estimate probability of flat amelanotic / hypomelanotic melanoma among solitary flat pink lesions.
Methods: A retrospective single-center study of solitary flat pink lesions, excised for suspected malignancy between 2011-2022 was performed. Images were independently evaluated by two dermatologists, blinded to histopathological diagnosis. Diagnostic performance was evaluated on the receiver operating characteristic curve and the area under the curve. Predictive features were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A final predictive nomogram of independent risk factors was calculated by backward likelihood ratio. Hypothesis being tested was formulated before data collection.
Results: A total of 184 patients (87 females, 47.3%) were included; mean age was 57.6 years (19-95). Combined dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy was more sensitive (83%, CI 69.2-92.4 and 91.5%, CI79.6-97.6) than dermoscopy alone (76.6%, CI 62.0-87.7 and 85.1%, CI 71.7-93.8). Predictive features defined the new model, including linear irregular vessels (4.26 folds, CI 1.5-12.1), peripheral pigment network (6.07 folds, CI 1.83-20.15), remnants of pigmentation (4.3 folds, CI 1.27-14.55) at dermoscopy, and atypical honeycomb (9.98 folds, CI 1.91-51.96), disarranged epidermal pattern (15.22 folds, CI 2.18-106.23), dendritic pagetoid cells in the epidermis (3.77 folds, CI 1.25-11.26), hypopigmented pagetoid cells (27.05 folds, CI 1.57-465.5), and dense and sparse nests (3.68 folds, CI 1.24-10.96) in reflectance confocal microscopy. Diagnostic accuracy of the model was high (AUC 0.91).
Conclusions: Adjunctive reflectance confocal microscopy increases diagnostic sensitivity of flat amelanotic/hypomelanotic melanoma differential diagnosis. The proposed model requires validation
Postmortem biochemistry of GFAP, NSE and S100B in cerebrospinal fluid and in vitreous humor for estimation of postmortem interval: a pilot study
No full textPostmortem interval (PMI) is a challenging issue in forensic practice. Although postmortem biomarkers of traumatic brain injury (TBI) are recognised as an emerging resource for PMI estimation, their role remains controversial. This study aims to evaluate postmortem concentrations of three TBI biomarkers (GFAP, NSE and S100B) in two matrices (cerebrospinal fluid and vitreous humor), in order to find out if these markers could be adopted in PMI estimation. Thirty-five deceased individuals with known PMI who underwent forensic autopsy at the University of Parma were examined. Matrices were collected during autopsy, then biomarker concentrations were determined through the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical significance of the data in relation to PMI was studied. The correlation of biomarkers with PMI, examined with samples divided into six groups according to the number of days elapsed since death, was not statistically significant, although S100B in cerebrospinal fluid showed an increasing trend in cases from 1 to 5 days of PMI. Comparison between cases with 1 day of PMI and those with 2 or more days of PMI showed a statistically significant correlation for GFAP and NSE in cerebrospinal fluid. GFAP and NSE in cerebrospinal fluid represent appropriate biomarkers in PMI estimation to distinguish cases with one day of PMI from those with two or more days of PMI. The current study was limited by the scarcity of the cohort and the narrow spectrum of cases. Further research is needed to confirm these observations
Hybrid mineral-bonded protective layers for enhanced self-centering capacity of reinforced concrete beams subjected to blast
No full textWith the aging of infrastructure and the threat of terrorist attacks and military actions worldwide, there is a need to develop retrofits for critical infrastructure, which is often made of reinforced concrete. While it is paramount that these retrofits enhance robustness of structural members so that structural elements remain operable, it is also desired that they show minimal signs of significant plastic deformation (self-centering) and reduce spalling and fragmentation. Mineral-bonded composites with textile and/or short, dispersed fiber reinforcement are one such solution to provide existing structural elements with additional resistance and resilience. To determine the improvements provided by the devised retrofitting strategies, four reinforced concrete beams were constructed and tested in a shock tube research facility under a series of progressively higher blast loads. The results of these tests show that retrofits featuring either textile reinforcement or hybrid reinforcement (i.e., a combination of textile and short dispersed fibers) have a strong self-centering capability, even in situations where reinforced concrete beams would fail. In addition, single-degree of freedom analytical simulations are performed to highlight the predictive capabilities of the method and the accuracy of the calculated sectional capacity of the beams
Assessing landslide susceptibility and dynamics at cultural heritage sites by integrating machine learning techniques and persistent scatterer interferometry
Get PDFLandslides can significantly affect cultural heritage sites worldwide, often leading to irreversible damage and loss of invaluable cultural assets, and the assessment of the spatio-temporal distribution of such processes in culturally relevant sites is still a challenge. In this study, we propose a workflow to assess landslide susceptibility at the catchment scale and landslide dynamics, in terms of state of activity, at the slope scale with reference to built environments. A fully open-source and quantitative approach that integrates machine learning methods and persistent scatterer interferometry is proposed. The workflow was tested to identify cultural heritage sites potentially affected by landslides in a catchment of the Northern Apennines (Italy) characterized by the occurrence of earth slides and earth flows. The research reveals that 18 sites are located in highly susceptible terrains and five of them display notable displacement rates. Two sites in the highest susceptibility class and with high displacements rates were selected as case studies. One of the sites showed displacement rates up to 8 mm/ year, while the second one up to 80 mm/year. A seasonal pattern of displacements was observed, with higher rates during summer and autumn. The analysis suggested a remarkable influence of topographic conditioning factors for the identification of earth slide susceptibility, while lithology was more important for the identification of earth flow susceptibility. Limitations due to the widespread occurrence of landslides characterized by a complex style of activity and the yearly update schedule of the interferometric data used are acknowledged. Nonetheless, the proposed workflow demonstrates its replicability with minimal operational costs to assess landslide susceptibility and state of activity in diverse geomorphological contexts
Renewable Energy Communities: Paradigmatic Example of a New Decentralised Governance of the Energy Market
No full textBenchmark dose modeling for epidemiological dose–response assessment using case‐control studies
Get PDFFollowing a previous article that focused on integrating epidemiological data from prospective cohort studies into toxicological risk assessment, this paper shifts the focus to case-control studies. Specifically, it utilizes the odds ratio (OR) as the main epidemiological measure, aligning it with the benchmark dose (BMD) methodology as the standard dose–response modeling approach to determine chemical toxicity values for regulatory risk assessment. A standardized BMD analysis framework has been established for toxicological data, including input data requirements, dose–response models, definitions of benchmark response, and consideration of model uncertainty. This framework has been enhanced by recent methods capable of handling both cohort and case-control studies using summary data that have been adjusted for confounders.
The present study aims to investigate and compare the “effective count” based BMD modeling approach, merged with an algorithm used for converting odds ratio to relative risk in cohort studies with partial data information (i.e., the Wang algorithm), with the adjusted OR-based BMD analysis approach. The goal is to develop an adequate BMD modeling framework that can be generalized for analyzing published case-control study data. As in the previous study, these methods were applied to a database examining the association between bladder and lung cancer and inorganic arsenic exposure. The results indicate that estimated BMDs and BMDLs are relatively consistent across both methods. However, modeling adjusted OR values as continuous data for BMD estimation aligns better with established practices in toxicological BMD analysis, making it a more generalizable approach
Definizione di specifici sottotipi di melanoma e tumori cutanei aggressivi in base agli aspetti clinici e morfologici (dermoscopia e microscopia confocale a riflettanza)
No full textIl melanoma e i tumori cutanei non-melanoma rappresentano i sottotipi di cancro più comuni nella popolazione caucasica. Nonostante l'incidenza in costante aumento a livello mondiale, questi tumori cutanei maligni mostrano tassi di mortalità stabili o in diminuzione. In questo contesto, l'avvento di tecniche diagnostiche non invasive, quali la dermoscopia e la microscopia confocale a riflettanza (RCM), ha avuto un ruolo significativo, poiché la diagnosi precoce è essenziale per ridurre la morbilità e la mortalità causate dai tumori cutanei. L'integrazione di dati clinici, morfologici e istopatologici è cruciale per la stratificazione del rischio e la gestione del paziente.
L'obiettivo di questo progetto di Dottorato di Ricerca è ottenere nuove conoscenze sulle caratteristiche clinico-patologiche, dermoscopiche e RCM associate a forme aggressive di tumori cutanei, inclusi melanoma, carcinoma squamocellulare, carcinoma a cellule di Merkel e tumori annessiali della cute.
Questa tesi presenta otto articoli che forniscono nuovi dati relativi a due principali aree di ricerca. La prima area riguarda l'identificazione e la validazione di specifiche caratteristiche morfologiche di diversi tumori cutanei mediante l’utilizzo di tecniche diagnostiche non invasive come la dermoscopia e la microscopia confocale (Capitolo 1 al Capitolo 4). La seconda area riguarda l'analisi e la descrizione di specifici pattern clinici, patologici e prognostici associati a tumori cutanei aggressivi (Capitolo 5 al Capitolo 8).
Gli articoli qui riportati forniscono risultati importanti in ciascun campo specifico, aiutando i clinici a riconoscere varianti specifiche di tumori cutanei aggressivi e assistendoli nella selezione del trattamento più appropriato e della strategia di sorveglianza personalizzata per i loro pazienti.Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers are the most common types of cancer in the Caucasian population. Despite the steadily increasing incidence rate worldwide, these malignant skin tumors show decreasing or stable mortality rates. In this scenario, the advent of non-invasive diagnostic techniques, such as dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), has played a significant role, as early detection is essential in reducing the morbidity and mortality caused by skin tumors. The integration of clinical, morphological and histopathological data is crucial for risk stratification and patient management.
The aim of this PhD project is to gain new insights into the clinicopathological, dermoscopic and RCM features associated with aggressive forms of skin cancer, including melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and adnexal skin tumors.
This thesis presents eight papers that provide new data in two main research areas. The first area is the identification and validation of specific morphological features of different skin tumors by means of non-invasive diagnostic techniques such as dermoscopy and RCM (Chapter 1 to Chapter 4). The second area is the analysis and description of specific clinical, pathological and prognostic patterns associated with aggressive skin tumors (Chapter 5 to Chapter 8).
The papers here reported provide important results in each individual field, aiding clinicians in recognizing specific variants of skin cancer and assisting them in selecting the most appropriate treatment and individualized surveillance strategy for patients diagnosed with aggressive skin cancer
Red Yeast Rice or Lovastatin? A Comparative Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy Through a Multifaceted Approach
Get PDFThe increasing use of red yeast rice (RYR) as a natural supplement to manage blood cholesterol levels is driven by its active compound, monacolin K (MK), which is chemically identical to the statin drug lovastatin (LOV). Despite its growing popularity, concerns persists regarding the safety and efficacy of RYR compared to pure statins. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition, pharmacological effects, and safety profile of various RYR samples in comparison with LOV. RYR samples with different MK content were analyzed using HPLC-DAD to quantify monacolins and other bioactive compounds. The inhibitory activity on HMG-CoA reductase was assessed through an enzymatic assay, while pharmacokinetic properties were predicted using in vitro simulated digestion and in silico models. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated in intestinal, hepatic, renal, and skeletal muscle cell models. Additionally, the transcriptional levels of muscle damage-related target genes were evaluated by qRT-PCR in skeletal muscle cells treated with a selection of RYR samples. Significant variability in the phytochemical composition of RYR samples was observed, particularly in the content of secondary monacolins, triterpenes, and polyphenols. The RYR phytocomplex exhibited superior inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase activity compared to isolated LOV, suggesting synergistic effects between secondary monacolins and other compounds. Molecular insights revealed that RYR samples had a lower impact on muscle cells than LOV, as reflected also by cell viability. These findings suggest that RYR could serve as a safe alternative to purified statins. However, further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms behind the synergistic activity of the phytocomplex and to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of this natural product