From Sustainable Global Value Chains to Circular Economy-Different Silos, Different Perspectives, but Many Opportunities to Build Bridges.

A growing interest in the circular economy concept has pushed the discourse in various management-related disciplines beyond established boundaries, with calls to better address how such a model may be developed in a world of global value chains. Still, the conventional linear economy model continues to dominate business, society, and research. While the concept of better connecting physical output and input flows at multiple production or consumption levels is becoming more accepted, it remains unclear how to make this happen while ensuring that sustainability targets are met or exceeded.

Flash Sintering of YSZ/AlO Composites: Effect of Processing and Testing Conditions.

The flash sintering behavior of yttria-stabilized zirconia/alumina composites was investigated to understand the role of the fundamental processing and testing parameters (electric field intensity, electric current limit, thermal insulation, homogeneity and dispersion of the two phases) on densification. A strong relation between the composite compositions and the electric parameters needed to promote flash sintering is revealed. Interestingly, the composite preparation method, which affects the two-phases dispersion homogeneity, was shown to have a relevant effect on the flash onset conditions, where the more homogeneous material is more difficult to be flashed.

A Low-Cost IoT Sensors Network for Monitoring Three-Phase Induction Motor Mechanical Power Adopting an Indirect Measuring Method.

Three-phase induction motors are widely diffused in the industrial environment. Many times, the rated power of three-phase induction motors is not properly chosen causing incorrect operating conditions from an energetic point of view. Monitoring the mechanical dimension of a new motor is helpful, should an existing motor need to be replaced.

Ecosystem Services in Life Cycle Assessment: A novel conceptual framework for soil.

Ecosystem Services (ES) are the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human well-being, which include provision of food and water, regulation of flood and erosion processes, soil formation and non-material benefits such as recreation. The integration of ES impact modeling in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) still has limitations regarding the typology embodied and some conceptual errors in not actually evaluating the benefits provided by ES. In this context, soil is an important resource and provides a wide diversity of ES.

Cranial ultrasound findings in late preterm infants and correlation with perinatal risk factors.

Background: Late preterm infants are the most represented premature babies. They are exposed to a wide spectrum of brain lesions which are often clinically silent, supporting a possible role of cerebral ultrasound screening. Aim of the study is to describe the pattern of cranial ultrasound abnormalities in late preterm infants and to define the need for cranial ultrasound according to perinatal risk factors.

Perceptual-motor abilities in pre-school preterm children.

Background: Several studies report a high percentage of premature infants presenting perceptual motor difficulties at school age. The new version of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children allows the assessment of perceptual-motor abilities in children from the age of 3years.

Aims: To evaluate early perceptual-motor abilities in prematurely born children below the age of 4years.

Emerging executive skills in very preterm children at 2 years corrected age: a composite assessment.

Executive Function (EF) deficits have previously been identified in preterm children. However, only recently have emerging executive functions been studied in preschool children who were born preterm without major brain damage. Our study provides a broad assessment of EFs in 72 extremely preterm births (gestational age < 34 weeks and birth weight < 2500 g) and 73 full-term children, born between 2006 and 2008, at 24 months of corrected age.

Early visual assessment in preterm infants with and without brain lesions: correlation with visual and neurodevelopmental outcome at 12 months.

Background: Several studies have reported the development of various aspects of visual function in infancy and early childhood in both preterm and term-born infants, but only a few studies have focused on the predictive power of neonatal visual findings in infants with brain lesions.

Aims: To explore visual findings at term age, and at 3 and 12 months corrected age in preterm infants (gestational age <33 weeks) with and without brain lesions; to compare the assessment at term age and at 12 months; and to assess the relationship between visual findings and neurodevelopmental outcome at 12 months.

Study Design: Cranial ultrasound scans (US) were classified in normal, mild or major abnormalities.

Neonatal stroke.

The perinatal ischemic stroke is defined as "a group of heterogenous conditions with a focal disruption of cerebral flow secondary to an arterial or a venous thrombosis or embolization between the 20 week of foetal life through the 28 post-natal day". Three subgroups are identified: arterial ischemic stroke (AIS), cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) and haemorragic infarct. Many strokes are detected in the neonatal period due to early onset seizures, although symptoms can be more subtle leading to a significant delay in the diagnosis.

Fetal akinesia deformation sequence. Case report.

A patient with a rare congenital lethal skeletal dysplasia characterised by thin gracile bones and fractures secondary to a neuromuscular disease is reported. This disease has to be differentiated with other thin, gracile bone disorders.

Visual performance and brain structures in the developing brain of pre-term infants.

The presence of abnormal visual function has been related to overt lesions in the thalami, peritrigonal white matter (such as cavitational-necrotic periventricular leucomalacia) and optic radiations, and also to the extent of occipital cortex involvement. The normal development of visual function seems to depend on the integrity of a network that includes not only optic radiations and the primary visual cortex but also other cortical and subcortical areas, such as the frontal or temporal lobes or basal ganglia, which have been found to play a topical role in the development of vision. Therefore, the complex functions and functional connectivity of the developing brain of premature infants can be studied only with highly sophisticated techniques such as diffusion tensor tractography.

Obstetric risk factors for periventricular leukomalacia among preterm infants.

Objective: To evaluate the obstetric antecedents of cystic periventricular leukomalacia and transient echodense periventricular lesions among preterm infants.

Design: A cohort study of preterm singleton infants born between 25 and 33 weeks gestation.

Setting: Pavia, Italy.

Neurodevelopmental outcome in very low birth weight infants at 24 months and 5 to 7 years of age: changing diagnosis.

We describe the long-term development of 53 very low birth weight premature infants. The children were divided into 2 groups on the basis of ultrasound scan, and classified as: group I, patients with normal ultrasound scan or with uncomplicated hemorrhage; and group II, patients with complicated hemorrhage or only parenchymal lesions. Minor and major sequelae detected at 2 years of age were compared with those observed at 5 to 7 years.

Significance of low birthweight for gestational age among very preterm infants.

Objective: To estimate the risk of specific adverse neonatal events resulting from the combined effects of prematurity and low birthweight in very preterm infants (delivered at 24-31 weeks of gestation).

Design: A cohort study of specific adverse neonatal events in preterm infants born at between 24 and 31 weeks of gestation.

Setting: Pavia, Italy.

Effect of preterm premature rupture of membranes on neurodevelopmental outcome: follow up at two years of age.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of preterm premature rupture of membranes on the neurodevelopmental outcome of infants, assessed at two years of age.

Design: A prospective observational study of surviving preterm infants born after premature rupture of membranes and of infants born after spontaneous preterm labour with intact membranes. The study was carried out in the period 1986 to 1991.

[The Brazilian economy in the 80's and its impact on the living conditions of the population].

In the 80's the Brazilian economy underwent one of the most severe crises of its history, resulting in the stagnation of the gross national product and inflation rates such as never previously reported. Despite this unfavorable scenario social indicators have presented a positive evolution. This work shows that although the Brazilian family has adopted the over-use of the family work force as a strategy for facing this crisis on the work market, the evolution of both income and poverty in that period were poor.

Epidemiologic association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and intracranial hemorrhage in preterm infants.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on the risk of intracranial hemorrhage in preterm infants (born at 24 to 33 weeks of gestation). We conducted a case-control study of 96 preterm infants with intracranial hemorrhage and 96 gestational age-matched control subjects with negative cranial ultrasonographic findings. In conditional multiple logistic regression models, heavy maternal smoking ( > 10 cigarettes per day) during the latter half of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of mild (grade I or II) intracranial hemorrhage (odds ratio = 5.

Value of antenatal corticosteroid therapy in preterm birth.

This prospective observational study was designed to evaluate the magnitude of the corticosteroid-related reduction in the risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), intraventricular hemorrhage and neonatal death according to different etiologic subgroups of preterm delivery. Of 380 patients delivered before 35 weeks' gestation, 155 received a complete course of dexamethasone or betamethasone to promote fetal lung maturation. In logistic models, the steroid-related reduction of RDS was greater among patients with intact membranes as opposed to patients with premature rupture of membranes (excess risk = 0.

Antenatal risk factors for germinal matrix hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants.

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of antenatal risk factors on the occurrence of germinal matrix hemorrhage or intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants.

Study Design: Antenatal factors were evaluated in 302 infants delivered between 24 and 33 completed weeks gestation. Ultrasonographic screening of intracranial hemorrhage was carried out in all the infants.

Early neonatal complications after elective preterm delivery in hypertensive pregnancies.

We evaluated the rates of short-term neonatal complications, neonatal brain damage or mortality in a group of 96 singleton pregnancies complicated by hypertension and electively delivered before 36 weeks gestation. The neonatal outcome of these pregnancies was compared with that of a matched control group of 192 uneventful pregnancies delivered because of spontaneous preterm labor or premature rupture of membranes. Although the rates of acidosis, apneoic crises, bradycardia and ventilatory support were higher among cases than controls, the risk of intraventricular hemorrhage, severe brain damage (grade III-IV intraventricular hemorrhage or periventricular leucomalacia) or neonatal mortality were comparable between the two groups.

Neurodevelopmental outcome at 5-7 years in preterm infants with periventricular leukomalacia.

We describe outcome at 5-7 years of 37 subjects with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Children were divided into 3 groups based on PVL type and clinical outcome. Subjects with cystic PVL > or = 5 mm-1 cm or more (n = 14) all developed CP.

Early morbidity and neurodevelopmental outcome in low-birthweight infants born after third trimester bleeding.

Neonatal mortality, morbidity, and neurodevelopmental sequelae were compared between a consecutive series of 77 liveborn, low-birthweight (less than 2500 g) infants delivered after third trimester bleeding and 154 appropriate control infants of similar gestational age. Infants born after abruptio placentae had lower Apgar scores at 1 minute and higher rates of acidosis in comparison with control infants. In multivariate analysis, the infants in this group had higher risks of severe intraventricular hemorrhage and poor outcome (neonatal death or cerebral palsy) in comparison with control infants.

Severity of abruptio placentae and neurodevelopmental outcome in low birth weight infants.

The short term neonatal morbidity and 2-year neurodevelopmental outcome were evaluated in 40 low birthweight (< 2500 g) liveborn infants delivered after abruptio placentae and in 80 control infants of similar gestational age. Apgar scores at 1' and 5' were lower in infants born to mothers with severe abruption. The prevalence of intraventricular hemorrhage (Grades I-IV) was 17.

Infant neurodevelopmental outcome in pregnancies complicated by gestational hypertension and intra-uterine growth retardation.

The neonatal outcome of 78 consecutive singleton pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and gestational hypertension were compared with the outcome of 78 adequately matched pregnancies complicated by idiopathic IUGR. The rate of low (< 5) 1-minute Apgar scores was higher in infants born to hypertensive mothers (12.8% vs 2.