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Although the phenomenon has been known, and investigated, as early as the nineteenth century, the interest in understanding Alpine lee cyclogenesis (often called Genoa cyclogenesis) has grown since the middle twentieth century, when it was realized that the largest fraction of cyclones affecting the central-eastern Mediterranean and later Eastern Europe originated in the area south of the Alps, more often in the Gulf of Genoa. Forecasting this type of cyclogenesis remained a challenging task until at least the mid- late 1980s, even after the development of the earlier NWP models, which failed in predicting this phenomenon, lacking the ability to adequately represent the orographic forcing. Monitoring and understanding of cyclogenesis in the lee of the Alps was the main objective of field projects, the most important being GARP-ALPEX in 1982. The following years were full of ideas and theories about this phenomenon, which is representative of orographic cyclogenesis in other regions of the world. The main steps in understanding the complex phenomenon of lee cyclogenesis, with particular reference to the Alps, are outlined here, focusing on theoretical explanations.

Background Fetal smoke exposure is a common and key avoidable risk factor for birth complications and seems to influence later risk of overweight. It is unclear whether this increased risk is also present if mothers smoke during the first trimester only or reduce the number of cigarettes during pregnancy, or when only fathers smoke. We aimed to assess the associations of parental smoking during pregnancy, specifically of quitting or reducing smoking and maternal and paternal smoking combined, with preterm birth, small size for gestational age, and childhood overweight. Methods and findings We performed an individual participant data meta-analysis among 229,158 families from 28 pregnancy/birth cohorts from Europe and North America. All 28 cohorts had information on maternal smoking, and 16 also had information on paternal smoking. In total, 22 cohorts were population-based, with birth years ranging from 1991 to 2015. The mothers’ median age was 30.0 years, and most mothers were medium or highly educated. We used multilevel binary logistic regression models adjusted for maternal and paternal sociodemographic and lifestyle-related characteristics. Compared with nonsmoking mothers, maternal first trimester smoking only was not associated with adverse birth outcomes but was associated with a higher risk of childhood overweight (odds ratio [OR] 1.17 [95% CI 1.02–1.35], P value = 0.030). Children from mothers who continued smoking during pregnancy had higher risks of preterm birth (OR 1.08 [95% CI 1.02–1.15], P value = 0.012), small size for gestational age (OR 2.15 [95% CI 2.07–2.23], P value < 0.001), and childhood overweight (OR 1.42 [95% CI 1.35–1.48], P value < 0.001). Mothers who reduced the number of cigarettes between the first and third trimester, without quitting, still had a higher risk of small size for gestational age. However, the corresponding risk estimates were smaller than for women who continued the same amount of cigarettes throughout pregnancy (OR 1.89 [95% CI 1.52–2.34] instead of OR 2.20 [95% CI 2.02–2.42] when reducing from 5–9 to ≤4 cigarettes/day; OR 2.79 [95% CI 2.39–3.25] and OR 1.93 [95% CI 1.46–2.57] instead of OR 2.95 [95% CI 2.75–3.15] when reducing from ≥10 to 5–9 and ≤4 cigarettes/day, respectively [P values < 0.001]). Reducing the number of cigarettes during pregnancy did not affect the risks of preterm birth and childhood overweight. Among nonsmoking mothers, paternal smoking was associated with childhood overweight (OR 1.21 [95% CI 1.16–1.27], P value < 0.001) but not with adverse birth outcomes. Limitations of this study include the self-report of parental smoking information and the possibility of residual confounding. As this study only included participants from Europe and North America, results need to be carefully interpreted regarding other populations. Conclusions We observed that as compared to nonsmoking during pregnancy, quitting smoking in the first trimester is associated with the same risk of preterm birth and small size for gestational age, but with a higher risk of childhood overweight. Reducing the number of cigarettes, without quitting, has limited beneficial effects. Paternal smoking seems to be associated, independently of maternal smoking, with the risk of childhood overweight. Population strategies should focus on parental smoking prevention before or at the start, rather than during, pregnancy. © 2020 Philips et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Objective: To assess the separate and combined associations of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain with the risks of pregnancy complications and their population impact. Design: Individual participant data meta-analysis of 39 cohorts. Setting: Europe, North America, and Oceania. Population: 265 270 births. Methods: Information on maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and pregnancy complications was obtained. Multilevel binary logistic regression models were used. Main outcome measures: Gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, small and large for gestational age at birth. Results: Higher maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain were, across their full ranges, associated with higher risks of gestational hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, and large for gestational age at birth. Preterm birth risk was higher at lower and higher BMI and weight gain. Compared with normal weight mothers with medium gestational weight gain, obese mothers with high gestational weight gain had the highest risk of any pregnancy complication (odds ratio 2.51, 95% CI 2.31– 2.74). We estimated that 23.9% of any pregnancy complication was attributable to maternal overweight/obesity and 31.6% of large for gestational age infants was attributable to excessive gestational weight gain. Conclusions: Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain are, across their full ranges, associated with risks of pregnancy complications. Obese mothers with high gestational weight gain are at the highest risk of pregnancy complications. Promoting a healthy pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain may reduce the burden of pregnancy complications and ultimately the risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity. Tweetable abstract: Promoting a healthy body mass index and gestational weight gain might reduce the population burden of pregnancy complications. © 2019 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Importance: Both low and high gestational weight gain have been associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes, but optimal gestational weight gain remains uncertain and not well defined for all prepregnancy weight ranges. Objectives: To examine the association of ranges of gestational weight gain with risk of adverse maternal and infant outcomes and estimate optimal gestational weight gain ranges across prepregnancy body mass index categories. Design, Setting, and Participants: Individual participant-level meta-analysis using data from 196 670 participants within 25 cohort studies from Europe and North America (main study sample). Optimal gestational weight gain ranges were estimated for each prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) category by selecting the range of gestational weight gain that was associated with lower risk for any adverse outcome. Individual participant-level data from 3505 participants within 4 separate hospital-based cohorts were used as a validation sample. Data were collected between 1989 and 2015. The final date of follow-up was December 2015. Exposures: Gestational weight gain. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome termed any adverse outcome was defined as the presence of 1 or more of the following outcomes: preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, cesarean delivery, preterm birth, and small or large size for gestational age at birth. Results: Of the 196 670 women (median age, 30.0 years [quartile 1 and 3, 27.0 and 33.0 years] and 40 937 were white) included in the main sample, 7809 (4.0%) were categorized at baseline as underweight (BMI

Background: Gestational weight gain differs according to pre-pregnancy body mass index and is related to the risks of adverse maternal and child health outcomes. Gestational weight gain charts for women in different pre-pregnancy body mass index groups enable identification of women and offspring at risk for adverse health outcomes. We aimed to construct gestational weight gain reference charts for underweight, normal weight, overweight, and grades 1, 2 and 3 obese women and to compare these charts with those obtained in women with uncomplicated term pregnancies. Methods: We used individual participant data from 218,216 pregnant women participating in 33 cohorts from Europe, North America, and Oceania. Of these women, 9065 (4.2%), 148,697 (68.1%), 42,678 (19.6%), 13,084 (6.0%), 3597 (1.6%), and 1095 (0.5%) were underweight, normal weight, overweight, and grades 1, 2, and 3 obese women, respectively. A total of 138, 517 women from 26 cohorts had pregnancies with no hypertensive or diabetic disorders and with term deliveries of appropriate for gestational age at birth infants. Gestational weight gain charts for underweight, normal weight, overweight, and grade 1, 2, and 3 obese women were derived by the Box-Cox t method using the generalized additive model for location, scale, and shape. Results: We observed that gestational weight gain strongly differed per maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index group. The median (interquartile range) gestational weight gain at 40 weeks was 14.2 kg (11.4-17.4) for underweight women, 14.5 kg (11.5-17.7) for normal weight women, 13.9 kg (10.1-17.9) for overweight women, and 11.2 kg (7.0-15.7), 8.7 kg (4.3-13.4) and 6.3 kg (1.9-11.1) for grades 1, 2, and 3 obese women, respectively. The rate of weight gain was lower in the first half than in the second half of pregnancy. No differences in the patterns of weight gain were observed between cohorts or countries. Similar weight gain patterns were observed in mothers without pregnancy complications. Conclusions: Gestational weight gain patterns are strongly related to pre-pregnancy body mass index. The derived charts can be used to assess gestational weight gain in etiological research and as a monitoring tool for weight gain during pregnancy in clinical practice. © 2018 The Author(s).

Gasification of pelletized sugar cane bagasse, the waste residue from sugar cane, was carried out using an atmospheric pressure 100 kWth steam-oxygen blown circulating fluidized bed gasifier (CFBG). The purification of the syngas produced was carried out using a high temperature filter unit which contains 3 rigid ceramic candles with an outer diameter of 60 mm and a length of 1500 mm. Keeping the gasification temperature in the range of 800°-860°C and using magnesite M85 as the bed material, the effects of operational conditions (e.g. steam to biomass ratio (SBR) and oxygen to biomass stoichiometric ratio (ER)) and of catalytic and non-catalytic filtration on the composition distribution of the product gas and tar formation were investigated. Higher temperature and SBR values were favorable for increasing the mole ratio H2 to CO and decreasing the tar compound (PAH) concentration on dry basis, measured via solid phase adsorption (SPA) sampling and subsequent GC analysis varying from approximately 2 to 6 g/mn 3. At the same operational conditions, in the downstream filter, the conversion of tar content obtained using catalytic filter candles increased by a factor of 2.8 compared to the one with non-catalytic filter elements. The specification and distribution of major ash forming elements were investigated by SEM-EDS. Experimental results showed that bagasse is an interesting fuel for syngas production via the gasification process, both from a gas composition and from a tar production point of view.

Few tests have been carried out in order to evaluate the use of cardoon in gasification and combustion applications most of the researchers dealt with agglomeration problems. The aim of this work is to deal with the agglomeration problem and to present a solution for the utilization of this biofuel at a near industrial application scale. For this reason, two experiments were conducted, one in TU Delft and one in Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), using fuel cardoon and 50% w/w cardoon blended with 50% w/w giant reed respectively. Both experimental campaigns were carried out in similar atmospheric circulating fluidized bed gasifiers. Apart from the feedstock, the other differences were the gasification medium and the bed material used in each trial. The oxidizing agent at TUD׳s run was O2/steam, whereas CERTH׳s tests used air. When experiments with the cardoon 50% w/w–giant reed 50% w/w blend were performed no agglomeration problems were presented. Consequently, gasification could be achieved in higher temperature than that of pure cardoon which led to the reduction of tar concentration.

This study examines the interactions between tide, wave and surge in determining the total water level in the Mediterranean Sea, by using a high resolution finite element tide-wave-surge model.

The response of atmospheric convection to low-level shear is examined with highly idealized two-dimensional non-hydrostatic numerical experiments of intermediate (4 days) duration, where the environmental conditions for the development of convection are created by the solar cycle. Statistical properties of the simulated convective systems and their relation to environmental parameters are presented. Maxima of precipitation at intermediate values of low-level shear are obtained in days 2 to 4 of the simulation, but not in the first day, which might be too close to an arbitrary initial condition.

Satellite images of 30 October 2008 show the development over north-central Italy of rainbands and multiple waves during a strong south-westerly wind episode associated with a deepening synoptic trough and cold front passage. The event was studied by means of the ISAC model chain constituted of the hydrostatic model BOLAM and the nested non-hydrostatic model MOLOCH at 1 kilometer resolution. Diagnostics of model output were performed to reveal characteristic features of symmetric instability.

Two distinct non-hydrostatic models, a 2D version of MOLOCH and the 3D ARPS, were used to perform idealized experiments on the development and structural organization of convection in environments which either have a high degree of imposed conditional innstability or are near a condition of radiative-convective equilibrium determined by a balancing of sensible/latent heat fluxes at the surface and imposed radiative cooling. Reference cases for both kinds of experiments are shown and their relation to the scientific objective of the project discussed.

A simple representation of the effects of latent heat release on meso- and synoptic scale dynamics is given by the use of small static stability for ascending motions. The specific location where this condition is applied and the value of static stability depends on environmental parameters, including relative humidity, and other thermodynamic assumptions. A primitive equation model in simplified geometry which implements the above representation of moist processes is used to study the modifications induced on baroclinic instability and the generation of eddy-scale kinetic energy. Results of preliminary simulations of the life cycles of baroclinic waves will be presented.

This paper describes the architecture of a system, providing an integrated approach to the printing process, starting from the input of the basic components (images, texts, and graphics) up to the definition and modification of page layout and finally to driving high resolution output devices. The system allows an interactive management of the documents to be printed as well as of their elementary components, i.e. the pages, and at a lower level, the boxes, containing texts, images and graphics. The main peculiarities of the system architecture are interactivity, modularity and non-procedurality discussed in more details and some of its functions are illustrated by means of some system outputs.

In Italia aumentano in modo impressionante, anche a causa dell’elevata aspettativa di vita, il numero di malati cronici, con molti anni vissuti in condizioni di non autosufficienza. Persone anziane e malate, tuttavia, hanno il diritto ad una vita dignitosa e di qualità. Un ben vivere, perché no? La qualità della vita dei malati cronici varia enormemente a seconda del tipo di patologia e della fase. La malattia ha effetti sul fisico, eminentemente per il dolore e la sofferenza che questa comporta. Ha certamente effetti psicologici per l’incertezza e le preoccupazioni che l’accompagnano. Il contesto di malattia, ovvero la famiglia del malato, la più estesa comunità nella quale egli/ella vive, e anche il suo personale livello di istruzione e reddito modificano la qualità della sua vita con la malattia. Inoltre, la malattia cronica rende evidente il legame tra benessere dei pazienti e dei loro familiari, che spesso svolgono la maggior parte del lavoro di assistenza. L’obiettivo del contributo è quello di pensare al benessere nella malattia, rivedendo il concetto di salute in termini di capacità di creare nuove relazioni. Si può pensare all’idea di una comunità “accogliente”, che dia numerose possibilità di socializzazione, eventualmente stimolata dal volontariato e dalla municipalità. Inoltre, la salute digitale è ormai una realtà imprescindibile. Gli anziani di oggi, ma soprattutto di domani, sono sempre più digitalizzati. Attraverso computer e smartphone, è possibile accedere a un numero elevatissimo di servizi e possibilità di comunicazione. Infine, per anticipare cronicità e anni in disabilità è bene coltivare stili di vita sani e pratiche di wellness. Alla politica spetta di stimolare queste possibilità rimuovendo o comunque minimizzando le posizioni di svantaggio.

Summary Public health technical expertise is of crucial importance to inform decision makers’ action in the field of health and its broader determinants. Improving education and training of public health professionals for both practice and research is the starting point to strengthen the role of public health so that current health challenges can be efficiently tackled. At the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) Deans’ & Directors’ 2017 Annual Retreat, we presented the structure and management of public health training system in Italy, and we reported recent data on Italian public health specialists’ educational experience, employment opportunities and job satisfaction. Public health training in Italy is implemented in the context of the post-graduate medical education residency programme in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, delivered by 34 University-based Schools of Public Health. We report relatively high employment rates across the county and wide spectrum of career opportunities for young public health specialists. However, job security is low and training expectations only partially met. We call upon other Schools of Public Health to scale up the survey within the broad ASPHER community in a shared and coordinated action of systematically collecting useful data that can inform the development of public health education and training models, their implementation and fruitful interaction with population health, health systems and services.

Background The Italian Ministry of Health declared oncology a priority and stressed the importance of ensuring continuity and integration in cancer care pathways. In order to monitor the quality of cancer care pathways, we need to explore patients’ experience of the continuity of care, identifying the dimensions that define continuity Methods We found 886 relevant articles in the Pubmed database from 1987 to 5 November 2013. The search strategy for the electronic database was defined using the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome(s) framework (PICO) to identify keywords. Two researchers independently reviewed records identified through the search strategy, analyzing continuity dimensions, specificity and/or transversal domains Results We selected 20 articles that measure the patients’ experience of continuity of care: 7 articles including 5 questionnaires [Questionnaire by King et al. 2008; Cancer care coordination Questionnaire (Cccq); Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire (Pccq); Medical Care Questionnaire (Mcq); Continuity and Coordination of Care Questionnaire (CCCQ)]; 6 articles evaluating the relationship between patient and his/her physician (the same across the care pathway) in terms of frequency and/or dispersion; 6 articles considering one subscale of larger scales designed to evaluate the generic cancer care service patient experience; 1 revealing four organizational indicators of care pathway continuity / discontinuity Conclusion We traced 3 transversal dimensions across the individual analyses: informational, organizational, relational continuity. It follows that in order to cater to the needs of cancer patients, we need to simultaneously focus on these three dimensions along the cancer care pathway. In line with these results, we promoted the “R.In.Cu.ORAM.i” study (Networks for Integrated Treatment of colorectal and breast cancer), in Area Vasta Romagna Area (Italy), and developed a continuity of care patient-experience continuity tool

Adjuvant therapy represents the gold standard treatment for radically resected pancreatic cancer. Results from randomized clinical trials confirmed the efficacy of adjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer but did not define what is the "right choice" in terms of type of antiblastic drug (among gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil or other drugs), role of polychemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy. The objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of adjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy for radically resected pancreatic cancer through a systematic review of literature data, emphasizing the benefits regarding overall survival, disease-free survival and toxicity.

The cellular basis of heart's pacemaking activity, and specifically the degree of contribution of the different mechanisms involved, is still debated. Reliable computational models of the sinoatrial (SAN) action potential (AP) may help gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. Recently, novel models incorporating a detailed calcium-handling dynamics have been proposed, but they fail in reproducing experimental effects of “funny” current (If) reduction. We therefore developed a SAN AP model, based on available experimental data, to reproduce and investigate autonomic and drug-induced rate modulation.Cell compartmentalization and all the intracellular Ca2+ handling mechanisms were formulated as in the Maltsev-Lakatta model. Membrane current equations were revised on the basis of published experimental data. Modifications to the current formulations to simulate autonomic modulation and drug effects (Acetylcholine, Isoprenaline, Ivabradine, Cesium, BAPTA, Ryanodine) were derived from experimental data.The model generates AP waveforms typical of rabbit SAN cells, whose parameters fall within the experimental ranges: 176ms AP duration, 329ms cycle length, 73mV AP amplitude, −56mV maximum diastolic potential and 6.23V/s maximum upstroke velocity. Rate modulation by If-blocking drugs agrees with experimental findings: 18% and 20% Cesium-induced (5mM) and Ivabradine-induced (3μM) rate reductions, respectively. The model reproduces the autonomic modulation effects, with Acetylcholine- and Isoprenaline-induced rate variations, in a way that is quantitatively consistent with experimental data. Model testing of Ryanodine and BAPTA effects showed slowing of rate without cessation of beating.Our up-to-date model describes satisfactorily experimental data concerning autonomic stimulation, funny-channel blockade and inhibition of the Ca-related system by specific drugs, making it a useful tool for further investigations. Simulation results suggest that a detailed description of the intracellular calcium fluxes is fully compatible with the observation that If is a major component of pacemaking and rate modulation.

In this paper, the complete procedure to design and construct reusable moulds for implant-based ear prosthesis and manufacture substructures by means of a computer aided design-computer aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) procedure and rapid prototyping (RP) technology is presented. The scan of the healthy ear, the virtual superimposition of its mirrored image on to the defective side, and the rapid manufacturing of the substructure and of the mould eliminate several steps of traditional procedures (wax, stone, try-in). Moreover, the precise design and customization of the substructure is presented, with the original and engineered shape for the retention of the silicone. The time and cost saving results of this protocol are presented together with a discussion of the main design features that make the prosthesis a stable and reproducible system to improve rehabilitation of patients with auricular defects or absence.

In product development processes, the definition of an adequate design methodology allows to reduce the Time to Market (TTM) and create new products meeting user’s requirements. In particular, for a generic product the process starts from the Mission Statement, which gives a brief description of the product and its goals, underling target market and stakeholders, assumptions and constrains that guide product development. Hence, in the early steps of the development process, alternative concepts of new products are generated, evaluated and then selected for further development and testing. In this phase, the first activities consist in identifying customer needs and establishing target specifications. Following actions regard concepts generation and selection. In this context new technologies, such as knowledge based engineering and rapid prototyping have a significant impact on the reduction of the time and costs needed to verify the technical and functional aspects of the project. This paper reports the teaching experience carried out in the course of “Project Methodologies for Industrial Engineering” of the second degree course (MSc) in Mechanical Engineering of the Second Faculty of Engineering at the University of Bologna. The aim of this course is to supply students with design methodologies and all the related activities that are at the basis of concept development and prototyping. Therefore, students are directly involved, through a design experience, in the creation of a new product from some defined topics and issues. Besides the conceptual design and the Computer Aided Design specification of the product students experience the rapid prototyping of the designed shape by means of a FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) technique. In the projects of the last academic year, students, working in groups up to 4 persons, were requested to design a helmet, with an advanced level of customization. Following the phases of the design process, their ideas evolved into new products, which addressed latent needs defined in accordance with the typology and functions of the helmet chosen by each team and compared to similar existing products. Therefore, each project resulted in significant different products concerning several markets in spite of the few same guiding indications and workflow. By this teaching approach, it is possible to transmit course’s contents through students’ direct experience and applying product design concepts and innovative technologies on a specific case study. In this way, the final step of the paper is to compare the different projects, and underline in each of them the workflow of each product design and how each team developed the ideas of future engineers

Among the different techniques of (RE), laser scanners are one of the most used instruments. The output of these optical technologies is a digital 3D description of a studying object, which is defined by a point cloud that approximates its surface. Reverse pipeline consists in a process beginning with the acquisition of object’s surface, described by range maps acquired from different points of view. Further steps of the post-processing procedure allow to obtain the final output as a unique and well defined mesh. Laser scanners, as measure instruments, introduce errors in the 3D coordinates of each point cloud acquired, due to object’s surface appearance and reflection property, and also to noise components caused from the instrumentation itself. This paper presents an error experimental analysis of range maps acquired by an optical triangulation laser scanning system (Konica Minolta Vivid 9i), using a painted glass plane as reference object. This study is conducted considering that all point clouds acquired are affected by an error which is composed by two elements: a random component and a systematic one. In scanning processes it is not possible to completely remove the random component, but it is only possible to reduce it, in order to detect and define the systematic one, which is caused by laser scanner’s inner components and constructive features. The goal of this experimental work is to identify a compensation array to apply to the 3D coordinates of the range map points, in order to reduce the systematic component of error. It is possible to define a different array for every operative condition, depending on the distance from object to scanner and on the lens used during the scanning operation. By identifying an appropriate compensation array, it is possible to increase data precision and reduce noise of the collected laser scanning data

AR (Augmented Reality) has been investigated in the last decade as a promising candidate technology to build up advanced interfaces for maintenance operators. Nevertheless, many factors, such as the scarce usability of cumbersome hardware, the need to use markers and the complexity in creating digital contents for single applications seem to affect its effective implementation in industry. In this paper we describe an AR interface designed to support bringing this technology to the industrial context. A Testing prototype taking into account usability requirements has been provides. The display is composed of the main window where the video stream and the virtual layer are overlaid. The 3D animation in the virtual layer depends on the specific status of the maintenance intervention. Different contents have been derived through the task analysis of the aircraft daily inspection. Finally, the evaluation of the system performed by operators is presented.

We developed a model to test new bone constructs to replace spare skeletal segments originating from new generation scaffolds for bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Using computed tomography (CT) data, scaffolds were defined using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) for rapid prototyping by three-dimensional (3D) printing. A bone defect was created in pig mandible ramus by condyle resection for CT and CAD/CAM elaboration of bone volume for cutting and scaffold restoration. The protocol produced a perfect-fitting bone substitute model for rapid prototyped hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds. A surgical guide system was developed to accurately reproduce virtually planned bone sectioning procedures in animal models to obtain a perfect fit during surgery.

A major issue in the industrial product development is the reduction of the “time to market”. Early releases of the initial design usually need to be tested and several first prototypical versions are manufactured. In this phase the use of “soft tooling” is compulsory, since the “hard tools” of serial production are unsuitable for the several changes necessary during the development phase. This paper presents the potentials of the rapid prototyping process adopted in our laboratories to overcome problems due to the standard production cycle in the industrial field. Even with virtual prototyping, several problems arise during the manufacturing process, where important technological constraints impose modification of the original, strictly functional, CAD model. Over constrained, feature based design is an old dream of product managers, material purchasers and manufacturers. Through the rapid prototyping process, one of the most useful “time compression technologies”, it is possible to implement the 3D CAD model into a prototyping machine and to realise physical models for several kind of applications in competitive time and costs. For aircraft/helicopter/naval components where weight, performance and reliability are in the top part of the list, this approach may cancel some overcomplicated solution that unavoidably conduct to difficult manufacturing, long development time, production and quality problems.

This project describes the monitoring campaign developed jointly with the Archaeological Superintendence of Rome and performed in situ with the collaboration of Konica Minolta Sensing Europe, in order to verify the actual conservation state of the internal wall surfaces of the Room with Golden Vault in the Domus Aurea in Rome. Particularly, the main aim of this work was to evaluate the problems caused by aggressive environmental conditions (combination of low air temperature and high relative humidity). During this survey, characterized by the integrated use of two and three-dimensional techniques, the environmental conditions were carefully monitored. Reference sample regions of the vault were acquired by means of the 3D laser scanner Konica Minolta Vivid 9i (optical triangulation-based) that allows capturing morphological details of the stucco decorations with a good resolution. Moreover, each detailed scan was supplied with related high resolution images taken by a digital reflex camera Olympus E-510 rigidly connected to the scanner. In Cultural Heritage monitoring applications it is important to integrate the data acquired with different instruments and techniques. Therefore, by this methodological approach, it has been possible to integrate both two and three dimensional data by the projection of the acquired images on the corresponding digital model. In order to complete the cognitive framework of the vault, systematic measures of spectrophotometry by means of the portable spectrophotometer Konica Minolta CM-2660d were also carried out. The digital data, collected and elaborated by this monitoring campaign, allowed to create a database of morphological information, high resolution digital images, colorimetric values and reflectance curves that may be used in the future as reference data to periodically monitor the conservation state of the surfaces.