Radiative Cooling Properties of Portlandite and Tobermorite: Two Cementitious Minerals of Great Relevance in Concrete Science and Technology.

Although concrete and cement-based materials are the most engineered materials employed by mankind, their potential for use in daytime radiative cooling applications has yet to be fully explored. Due to its complex structure, which is composed of multiple phases and textural details, fine-tuning of concrete is impossible without first analyzing its most important ingredients. Here, the radiative cooling properties of Portlandite (Ca(OH)) and Tobermorite (CaSiO(OH)·4HO) are studied due to their crucial relevance in cement and concrete science and technology.

Cementitious materials as promising radiative coolers for solar cells.

Nowadays, radiative coolers are extensively investigated for the thermal management of solar cells with the aim of improving their performance and lifetime. Current solutions rely on meta-materials with scarce elements or complex fabrication processes, or organic polymers possibly affected by UV degradation. Here, the potential of innovative cement-based solutions as a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative is reported.

Thermoelectric Performance of IV-VI Compounds with Octahedral-Like Coordination: A Chemical-Bonding Perspective.

Thermoelectric materials provide a challenge for materials design, since they require optimization of apparently conflicting properties. The resulting complexity has favored trial-and-error approaches over the development of simple and predictive design rules. In this work, the thermoelectric performance of IV-VI chalcogenides on the tie line between GeSe and GeTe is investigated.

Linking soil, water, and honey composition to assess the geographical origin of argentinean honey by multielemental and isotopic analyses.

The objective of this research was to investigate the development of a reliable fingerprint from elemental and isotopic signatures of Argentinean honey to assess its geographical provenance. Honey, soil, and water from three regions (Córdoba, Buenos Aires, and Entre Rı́os) were collected. The multielemental composition was determined by ICP-MS.

The role of imaging in the evaluation of joint involvement in 102 consecutive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of joint involvement in consecutive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by means of clinical assessment, joint US and MRI and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of physician evaluation of joint involvement.

Methods: At enrollment, patients underwent a complete physical examination including a 44-joint count, and hand deformities were scored. On the day of enrollment, each patient underwent a non-dominant hand-wrist ultrasound (US) examination and a non-dominant hand-wrist MRI study without contrast injection.

Elemental and isotopic fingerprint of Argentinean wheat. Matching soil, water, and crop composition to differentiate provenance.

The aim of this study was to investigate if elemental and isotopic signatures of Argentinean wheat can be used to develop a reliable fingerprint to assess its geographical provenance. For this pilot study we used wheat cultivated at three different regions (Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Entre Ríos), together with matching soil and water. Elemental composition was determined by ICP-MS.

Rhupus syndrome: assessment of its prevalence and its clinical and instrumental characteristics in a prospective cohort of 103 SLE patients.

The term "rhupus" is traditionally used to describe patients with coexistence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of the present work was to investigate prevalence, clinical and radiological picture as well as the serological profile of a series of rhupus patients; SLE patients and RA patients from our Unit were used as disease control groups. A total of 103 consecutive SLE patients were screened; among the entire cohort, 10 patients (9.

How much do soil and water contribute to the composition of meat? A case study: meat from three areas of Argentina.

The main goal of this study was to propose a reliable method to verify the geographical origin of meat, establishing the influence of soil and water on its isotopic and elemental composition. Thus, beef meat, soil, and water samples were collected from three major cattle-producing regions of Argentina (Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Entre Ríos). Multielemental composition was determined on these three matrices by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), δ(13)C and δ(15)N by isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), and the (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratio by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS).

Fingerprints for main varieties of argentinean wines: terroir differentiation by inorganic, organic, and stable isotopic analyses coupled to chemometrics.

Our main goal was to investigate if robust chemical fingerprints could be developed for three Argentinean red wines based on organic, inorganic, and isotopic patterns, in relation to the regional soil composition. Soils and wines from three regions (Mendoza, San Juan, and Córdoba) and three varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Syrah) were collected. The phenolic profile was determined by HPLC-MS/MS and multielemental composition by ICP-MS; (87)Sr/(86)Sr and δ(13)C were determined by TIMS and IRMS, respectively.

Methodological models for in vitro amplification and maintenance of human articular chondrocytes from elderly patients.

Articular cartilage defects, an exceedingly common problem closely correlated with advancing age, is characterized by lack of spontaneous resolution because of the limited regenerative capacity of adult articular chondrocytes. Medical and surgical therapies yield unsatisfactory short-lasting results. Recently, cultured autologous chondrocytes have been proposed as a source to promote repair of deep cartilage defects.

Renal functional reserve is impaired in patients with systemic sclerosis without clinical signs of kidney involvement.

Objective: To evaluate the functional response of the kidney to an amino acid challenge (the so called renal functional reserve (RFR)) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with no clinical sign of renal involvement.

Methods: Before and after an intravenous amino acid load (Freamine III Baxter, 8.5% solution, 4.

The Story Behind: Pineal mythology and chronorisk. The Swan Song of Brunetto TARQUINI.

Brunetto Tarquini became professor of medical semeiotics and cardiology in 1981, and chief of an internal medicine department in 1990, a position he held until his untimely death. As director of the Inter-University Center for Clinical Chronobiology and as coordinator of a post-doctoral school in chronobiology, Brunetto influenced many young Italian physicians. He became the leader of a budding specialty of chronomedicine, coordinating an international group.

Nerve growth factor and neuropeptides circulating levels in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

Objective: To determine the circulating levels of nerve growth factor (NGF), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in systemic sclerosis (SSc), and to correlate these levels with clinical and laboratory features.

Methods: Forty four patients with SSc were evaluated for circulating NGF (immunoenzymatic assay), NPY and VIP (radioimmunoassay), anticentromere and antitopoisomerase I autoantibodies, lung disease (pulmonary function tests with carbon monoxide transfer factor (TLCO), ventilation scintiscan with 99mTc DTPA radioaerosol, high resolution computed tomography (HRCT), pulmonary pressure (echo colour Doppler)), heart disease (standard and 24 ECG, echocardiography), cutaneous involvement (skin score), joint involvement (evidence of tender or swollen joints, or both), peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement (electromyography), rheumatoid factor, angiotensin converting enzyme (fluorimetric method), von Willebrand factor (ELISA), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (Westergren).

Results: Circulating NGF levels in SSc were significantly increased compared with controls (p<0.

Systemic sclerosis. A clinical overview.

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem disease that affects the skin and internal organs (i.e., gastrointestinal tract, lung, heart, kidney and peripheral nervous system).

Oxidative stress in Systemic Sclerosis.

In 63 patients affected by Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) (limited subset: 40; diffuse subset: 23; early: 30; advanced: 33) the peroxidation product diene-conjugates (DC) and antibodies against oxidised low density lipoproteins (Ab oxLDL) were tested in serum by a spectrophotometer (absorbance 234 mn) and by a standard ELISA respectively. The data were compared with those obtained by 21 healthy subjects. DC was significantly higher in patients (73.

Discrepant expression of neprilysin on fibroblasts in diffuse systemic sclerosis.

Objective: Neprilysin (NEP; EC3.4.24.

Anti-endothelial cell antibodies in systemic sclerosis: significant association with vascular involvement and alveolo-capillary impairment.

Objective: To assess the frequency of antiendothelial cell autoantibodies (AECAs) in a group of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and possible associations with clinical and serologic features of the disease.

Methods: Sera from 50 patients with SSc (38 with the limited and 12 with the diffuse form) were screened for AECA (ELISA). The reference limits were were 56.

Circulating Vdelta1+ T cells are activated and accumulate in the skin of systemic sclerosis patients.

Objective: An increased percentage of Vdelta1+/gamma/delta T cells has been detected both in the peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). This study evaluated the subset distribution, activation status, and expression of cellular adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (CD54), very late activation antigen alpha4 (CD49d), and lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1alpha (CD11a), on circulating gamma/delta T cells, as well as their presence in the skin of SSc patients.

Methods: We studied 12 patients with SSc and 16 healthy volunteer donors.

Peripheral nervous system involvement in systemic sclerosis: the median nerve as target structure.

Objectives: To investigate the frequency and the main electrophysiological characteristics of the canalicolar passage nerve involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Thirty-two SSc patients were enrolled in the study, classified according to the type (diffuse or limited) and the duration (> / < 5 years) of the disease. Sensory-motor nerve conduction studies (NCS) of the upper and lower limbs, in particular at the critical canalicolar points, were conducted by recording the Compound Muscular Action Potential (CMAP) and the Sensory Action Potential (sNAP).

Effect of melatonin on normal and sclerodermic skin fibroblast proliferation.

Objective: We studied the effect of melatonin (MLT) (N-acetyl 5-methoxytryptamine) on the growth rate of normal skin fibroblasts and of fibroblasts from involved and apparently uninvolved skin of patients affected by systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: The growth rate was evaluated on the basis of growth curves and a 3H-thymidine incorporation assay.

Results: Our results demonstrate that a dose of 200 micrograms/ml of MLT inhibits (> 80%) both control and SSc fibroblasts.