Integrated Approach of Life Cycle Assessment and Experimental Design in the Study of a Model Organic Reaction: New Perspectives in Renewable Vanillin-Derived Chemicals.

This work is focused on performing a quantitative assessment of the environmental impacts associated with an organic synthesis reaction, optimized using an experimental design approach. A nucleophilic substitution reaction was selected, employing vanillin as the substrate, a phenolic compound widely used in the food industry and of pharmaceutical interest, considering its antioxidant and antitumoral potential. To carry out the reaction, three different solvents have been chosen, namely acetonitrile (ACN), acetone (Ace), and dimethylformamide (DMF).

Special Issue: "Computational Mechanics of Structures and Materials".

Computational methods have always affected many engineering fields due to their enormous potential and ability to facilitate various tasks [...

Special Issue: "Feature Papers in Materials Simulation and Design".

The title of the current Special Issue, "Feature Papers in Materials Simulation and Design", has identified the aims of this collection since its opening: the gathering of research works and comprehensive review papers that advance the understanding and prediction of material behavior at different scales, from atomistic to macroscopic, through innovative modeling and simulation [...

Reading and spelling disorders in a school-based population screening in Sicily (Italy).

This research was carried out according to the Italian Consensus Conference on Specific Learning Disability guidelines for screening initiatives. It describes a three-year screening project involving 2.469 students, aged 8-15 years, from various classes of primary, lower and upper secondary schools of Sicily.

Congestive heart failure and comorbidity as determinants of colorectal cancer perioperative outcomes.

There has been an increase in surgical interventions in frailer elderly with concomitant chronic diseases. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the impact of aging and comorbidities on outcomes in patients who underwent surgery for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Veneto Region (Northeastern Italy). This is a retrospective cohort study in patients ≥ 40 years who underwent elective or urgent CRC surgical resection between January 2013 and December 2015.

Third-Order Theory for the Bending Analysis of Laminated Thin and Thick Plates Including the Strain Gradient Effect.

The aim of the paper is the development of a third-order theory for laminated composite plates that is able to accurately investigate their bending behavior in terms of displacements and stresses. The starting point is given by the corresponding Reddy's Third-order Shear Deformation Theory (TSDT). This model is then generalized to consider simultaneously the Classical Laminated Plate Theory (CLPT), as well as the First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT).

Special Issue: "Advances in Structural Mechanics Modeled with FEM".

The current Special Issue entitled "Advances in Structural Mechanics Modeled with FEM" aims to collect several numerical investigations and analyses focused on the use of the Finite Element Method (FEM) [...

Free Vibrations of Sandwich Plates with Damaged Soft-Core and Non-Uniform Mechanical Properties: Modeling and Finite Element Analysis.

The paper aims to investigate the natural frequencies of sandwich plates by means of a Finite Element (FE) formulation based on the Reissner-Mindlin Zig-zag (RMZ) theory. The structures are made of a damaged isotropic soft-core and two external stiffer orthotropic face-sheets. These skins are strengthened at the nanoscale level by randomly oriented Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and are reinforced at the microscale stage by oriented straight fibers.

Human papilloma virus in the tonsillar microbiota of an Afghan population group.

Cancer of the oral cavity is known to have a diverse aetiology that includes infectious agents. Human papilloma virus has been found to be associated with several types of human cancer, inclusive of cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile, anal, and cancer of tonsil. The aim of this manuscript is to investigate the presence of human papilloma virus in tonsillar microbiota of an Afghan population group.

Human polyomavirus in tonsillar microbiota of an Afghan population group.

Some studies have evidenced the role of human polyomaviruses in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. BK, JC and SV40 human polyoma viruses are widely recognized as etiological agents associated with malignancies. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of BK, IC and SV40 in tonsillar microbiota in a group of Afghan volunteers.

Detection of endocarditis bacteria in tonsillar mucosa of Afghan population.

Endocarditis is a cardiovascular disease caused by the inflammation of the inner tissues of the heart, the endocardium, usually of the valves. Bacteraemia is essential in the development of endocarditis, and there are some findings that the main pathogens of endocarditis are viridans group streptococci: Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Enterococcus faecalis. There is strong evidence that endocarditis bacteria are present in the tonsillar microbiota, so that tonsillar infection is associated with an increased risk of endocarditis.

Preoperative evaluation of the elderly surgical patient and anesthesia challenges in the XXI century.

Universally recognized goals of preoperative anesthesia assessment are the evaluation of patient's health status to define the entity of the surgical risk, and the anticipation of possible complications while optimizing and planning preventive strategies. Data obtained by Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) and frailty evaluation are of extreme usefulness in surgical risk evaluation in older patients and in the decision about surgery. It is from the team-based discussion of such results that the most appropriate treatment can be individuated, surgery invasiveness and duration critically analyzed and if needed modified, and the best perioperative strategy carefully tailored.

Radar detection of pedestrian-induced vibrations on Michelangelo's David.

This paper summarizes the results of a two-day dynamic monitoring of Michelangelo's David subject to environmental loads (city traffic and pedestrian loading induced by tourists visiting the Accademia Gallery). The monitoring was carried out by a no-contact technique using an interferometric radar, whose effectiveness in measuring the resonant frequencies of structures and historic monuments has proved over the last years through numerous monitoring activities. Owing to the dynamic behavior of the measurement system (radar and tripod), an accelerometer has been installed on the radar head to filter out the movement component of the measuring instrument from the measurement of the David's displacement.

Hyaluronic acid: Perspectives in dentistry. A systematic review.

To date, topical therapies guarantee a better delivery of high concentrations of pharmacologic agents to the soft periodontal tissue, gingiva, and periodontal ligament as well as to the hard tissue such as alveolar bone and cementum. Topical hyaluronic acid (HA) has recently been recognized as an adjuvant treatment for chronic inflammatory disease in addition to its use to improve healing after dental procedures. The aim of our work was to systematically review the published literature about potential effects of HA as an adjuvant treatment for chronic inflammatory disease, in addition to its use to improve healing after common dental procedures.

Confrontation Naming and Reading Abilities at Primary School: A Longitudinal Study.

Background: Confrontation naming tasks are useful in the assessment of children with learning and language disorders.

Objectives: The aims of this study were (1) providing longitudinal data on confrontation naming; (2) investigating the role of socioeconomic status (SES), intelligence, age, and gender in confrontation naming; (3) identifying relationship between confrontation naming and reading abilities (fluency, accuracy, and comprehension).

Method: A five-year longitudinal investigation of confrontation naming (i.

Assessment of stone columns as a mitigation technique of liquefaction-induced effects during Italian earthquakes (May 2012).

Soil liquefaction has been observed worldwide during recent major earthquakes with induced effects responsible for much of the damage, disruption of function, and considerable replacement expenses for structures. The phenomenon has not been documented in recent time with such damage in Italian context before the recent Emilia-Romagna Earthquake (May 2012). The main lateral spreading and vertical deformations affected the stability of many buildings and impacted social life inducing valuable lessons on liquefaction risk assessment and remediation.

A new autologous venous valve by intimal flap. One case report.

Various surgical techniques have been proposed for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency of post-thrombotic recanalized deep veins of the lower limbs. The preferable method seems to be represented by intravenous valvuloplasty except for the cases affected by extensive valvular damage. For this reason some experimental autologous, heterologous and prosthetic venous valves have been proposed.