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Quality of life (QOL) has been considered an important outcome measure in psychiatric research and determinants of QOL have been widely investigated. We aimed at detecting predictors of QOL at baseline and at testing the longitudinal interrelations of the baseline predictors with QOL scores at a 1-year follow-up in a sample of patients living in Residential Facilities (RFs). Logistic regression models were adopted to evaluate the association between WHOQoL-Bref scores and potential determinants of QOL. In addition, all variables significantly associated with QOL domains in the final logistic regression model were included by using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). We included 139 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum. In the final logistic regression model level of activity, social support, age, service satisfaction, spiritual well-being and symptoms' severity were identified as predictors of QOL scores at baseline. Longitudinal analyses carried out by SEM showed that 40% of QOL follow-up variability was explained by QOL at baseline, and significant indirect effects toward QOL at follow-up were found for satisfaction with services and for social support. Rehabilitation plans for people with schizophrenia living in RFs should also consider mediators of change in subjective QOL such as satisfaction with mental health services.

The impact behavior of a carbon-Kevlar hybrid composite, widely used in sport car manufacturing, was evaluated. To highlight the hybridization effect, comparative analyses were performed with the basic CFRP laminate having the same lay-up. Tensile, bending and low velocity impact tests, followed by nondestructive inspections, highlighted that Kevlar first lamina hybridization leads to an increment in specific impact strength, up to 55%. To assess the most reliable technique to detect the impact damage, nondestructive evaluation was performed by pulsed thermography, phased array ultrasonic technique, computed tomography and digital radiography. Phased array ultrasonic technique can be considered the most appropriate technique.

Among the innovative materials, an important role is played by the so-called biocomposites, generally made by an eco-friendly matrix reinforced with natural fibers. Unfortunately, due to the degradability of the green matrixes as well as to hydrophilicity of the natural fibers, the resistance of such innovative materials to the environmental agents is, in general, relativity low, and it can significantly limit their use in outdoor conditions. To contribute to the knowledge of the effects of the leading environmental agents on the mechanical properties of highperformance biocomposites made of a green epoxy matrix reinforced by agave fibers, a systematic experimental testing campaign has been carried out by considering three types of biocomposite laminates (unidirectional, cross-ply and quasi-isotropic with a Vf = 70%). In detail, the different effects of aging on matrix and reinforcement have been highlighted by also considering samples consisting of simple epoxy matrix alone. The usual outdoor operating conditions associated with frequent exposure to sunlight (temperature and UV cycles) and humidity have been reproduced by subjecting the biocomposites to an accelerated aging process. Successive tensile and delamination tests have shown that aging leads to significant mechanical properties reductions, ranging from about 40% (tensile) to about 70% (delamination). A systematic analysis of the experimental results has allowed to develop reliable models that can be used to predict the degradation affecting the mechanical properties when these biocomposites are subjected to the actual aging related to the outdoor service conditions.

Thanks to good mechanical performances, high availability, low cost and low weight, the agave sisalana fiber allows to obtain biocomposites characterised by high specific properties, potentially very attractive for the replacement of synthetic materials in various industrial fields. Unfortunately, due to the low strength versus transversal damage processes mainly related to the matrix brittleness and/or to the low fiber/matrix adhesion, the tensile performance of random short fiber biocomposites are quite low, and to date most of the fiber treatments proposed in literature to improve the fiber-matrix adhesion, have not led to very satisfactory results. In order to overcome such a drawback, this work in turn proposes the proper introduction of low fractions carbon nanotubes to activate advantageous improvements in matrix toughness as well as fiber-matrix bridging effects, that can both lead to appreciable increments of the tensile strength.Systematic experimental static and fatigue tests performed on high quality biocomposites obtained by an optimized compression molding process, have shown that the introduction of 1% of carbon nanotubes is sufficient to gives significant improvement in both stiffness and static tensile strength, respectively by approximately 28% and 30%. Furthermore, toughening the biocomposite with 1% of nanotubes results in an appreciable enhancement in lifetime of at least 3 orders of magnitude. Biocomposites with 2% of CNTs show instead more limited improvement of 13% in stiffness, 6% in strength and 150% in lifetime. Also, a thorough analysis of the damage processes by SEM micrographs, as well as of the main fatigue data, has allowed to determine the model that can be used to predict the fatigue performance of such biocomposites.

Due to its good mechanical characteristics, low cost and high availability in the current market, sisal fiber is one of the most used for the manufacturing of biocomposites in various industrial fields (automotive, marine, civil construction etc.). The particular sub-fibrillar structure of the sisal fiber (similar to aramid fibers) and the corresponding anisotropic behavior detected by recent research activities, suggest that such biocomposites should exhibit also high impact strength, in such a way to permit their advantageously use also for the manufacturing of crashworthy components (bumpers, helmets, protection systems etc.), that are at the same time also eco-friendly, lightweight and cheap. Through a low-velocity impact tests campaign, integrated by computer tomography (CT) and carried out on various “green epoxy”/sisal laminates, by varying the main influence parameters such as reinforcement distribution, fiber volume fraction and lay-up, it has been detected that angle-ply laminates exhibits specific impact performances superior to those of biocomposites reinforced by other natural fibers (flax, hemp, jute, etc.), and comparable with those of the best composites specially reported in literature, so that they can be actually used to substitute the synthetic materials for the manufacture of interesting eco-friendly energy absorbing devices, that are also lighter and cheaper.

Background/Aims: Several linkage studies demonstrated that different chromosomal regions are involved in the susceptibility to bipolar disorder. In particular, some genome scans evidenced the role of chromosome 12. For this reason, our group chose this chromosome for a preliminary genome scan on a sample of 137 Italian sib pairs, including at least 1 bipolar subject. Methods: The analyses were carried out by means of DNA extracted from whole blood. DNA samples were genotyped by 19 simple tandem repeat markers (microsatellites). Starting from the genetic data, we performed two- and multipoint linkage analyses (both parametric and nonparametric) by means of Easy Linkage plus package (version 5.05). Results: The multipoint linkage analyses pointed out a region suggestive of linkage between the markers D12S310 and D12S364, at locus 12p12. In particular, we reached the best evidence of linkage performing multipoint analyses and assuming a recessive model, under the hypothesis of genetic heterogeneity (heterogeneity LOD score = 2.01 and α = 0.77). Conclusion: It is interesting to notice that the region at the marker D12S364 is located inside the gene coding for the glutamatergic receptor GRIN2B. Therefore, our finding not only confirmed the role of genetics in determining liability to bipolar disorder, but suggested glutamatergic transmission impairment as a possible cause. Nevertheless, we acknowledge that our study is heavily underpowered. Therefore, independent replication is needed.