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The aims of the current study were to determine the most demanding passages of match play (MDP) and the distribution of match activities relative to maximum intensities during official matches in topclass women soccer players. Twenty-eight women players competing in European championship and international UEFA competitions were monitored during 38 official matches (277 individual samples). Maximum relative (m · min-1) total distance (TD), high-speed running (HSRD), very high-speed running (VHSRD), sprint, acceleration and deceleration distances were calculated across different durations (1-5, 10, 15, 90 min) using a rolling average analysis. Maximum intensities (1-minpeak) were used as the reference value to determine the distribution of relative intensity across the whole-match demands (90-minavg). Time and distance higher than 90-minavg (> 90-minavg) were also calculated. MDP showed moderate to very large [effect size (ES): 0.63/5.20] differences between 1-minpeak vs all durations for each parameter. The relative (m · min-1) 1-minpeak was greater than 90-minavg of about +63% for TD, +358% for HSRD, +969% for VHSRD, +2785% for sprint, +1216% for acceleration, and +768% for deceleration. The total distance covered > 90-minavg was ~66.6% of the total distance covered during the 90-minavg for TD, ~84.8% for HSRD, ~97.4% for VHSRD, ~100% for sprint, ~99.1% for acceleration and ~98.2% for deceleration. The relative distance > 90-minavg was higher (P < 0.05) than the 90-minavg for each metric (ES: 2.22 to 7.58; very large). The present results may help coaches and sport scientists to replicate the peak demands during training routine in top-class women soccer players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the European Union's legislation about sustainable development has promoted the gradual decarbonization of all industrial sectors, pushing towards the final goal of a carbon-neutral European glass industry in 2050. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the consequent natural gas supply crisis have led to significant increases in the costs of traditional energy commodities and CO2 emission allowances. In this scenario, the European glass industry, which is both an energy-intensive sector and a large emitter of CO2, needs to reduce its specific energy consumption, change its energy sources and decarbonize its production process. In order to understand and support this metamorphosis of the glass industry, the follwing questions must be answered: are the technologies reported in scientific publications merely theoretical exercises, or can they be adopted by the industry? In what timeframe can they be adopted? The aim of this study is to review consolidated and emerging technologies applicable to the glass industry and investigate which ones can be implemented in the short or medium term to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions related to the glass production process. This study is based on a review of the literature, the materials presented in technical conferences and the opinions of interviewed experts. This study showed that the literature is not very substantial, lacking detailed information on technologies and their effects in terms of energy savings or emissions. More information can be found in the proceedings of selected specialist conferences. This study found that, on one hand, some technologies are mature and only adopted when economically viable, and appropriate boundary conditions are available; the state of the art regarding these technologies was already extensively covered in past publications (e.g., cullet pre-heating). On the other hand, there are many promising technologies in the research or testing phase (i.e., steam methane reforming, process electrification, use of hydrogen); in-depth studies about them are limited due to the novelty of the solutions that they propose or not available due to industrial secrecy issues. In addition to periodicals and specialized conferences, interviews were carried out with managers and technicians from industry, as well as technicians from the Italian glass research institute and industrial machinery producers (especially melting furnaces). The interviews represent added value of this publication, useful in helping us to truly understand the state of the art and degree of readiness of the technologies identified. In addition, the production values of the glass industry were studied: our research confirmed that the most important sub-sectors are flat and container glass, as well as the largest glass-producing nations/continents. Finally, a review of specific energy consumption and CO2 emissions indexes was carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global call for an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and reliable energy system looks for the optimal integration of different technologies to allow a smooth and economically viable transition towards electrification. In this context, small, medium, and large industrial processes are relevant contributors to global CO2 emissions production due to the simultaneous requirement of electricity, heating, and cooling power generally obtained through fossil fuel combustion. In this context, Combined Heat and Power Energy converters based on internal combustion engines, such as reciprocating engines, gas turbines, and gas turbine combined cycles, and external combustion, such as backpressure and condensing steam power plants, are the most suitable solutions for the efficient and reliable generation of the above-mentioned assets. Typically, the industrial demand for heat and electricity differs in terms of heat-to-power ratio when compared to the heat-to-power ratio of the CHP plant, and this has led to requiring the selection of a control strategy to follow, partially or fully, the heat load or the electric load. In this paper, the authors propose an operating and design strategy addressed to fully covering the heat load demands by the heat generated by the CHP, allowing the system to have an excess of electricity generated. This electricity can be used for different purposes, as regards the novel electrification roadmap. Indeed, the authors have explored four configurations in which the excess of the CHP-generated electricity can be exported to the national grid, used for high-tension fast-charging electromobility systems, for running reverse osmosis desalination plants, and for the production of alternative fuels such as hydrogen. The authors propose a methodology for providing an extensive environmental techno-economic assessment that looks at 2050 CO2 targets. Accordingly, the environmental techno-economic assessment results are presented and discussed by considering the Net Present Value, payback period, and CO2 emission savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe an experimental breadboard developed for the investigation of nonequilibrimn fluctuations induced by macroscopic temperature and concentration gradients under microgravity conditions. Under these conditions the amplitude of the fluctuations diverges strongly for long wavelengths. The setup was developed at the University of Milan and at the University of California at Santa Barbara within the gradient-driven fluctuations experiment (GRADFLEX) project of the European Space Agency, in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The apparatus uses a quantitative shadowgraph technique for characterization of the static power spectrum of the fluctuations S(q) and the measurement of their dynamics. We present preliminary experimental results for S(q) obtained in the presence of gravity for gradient-driven fluctuations for two cases, those induced in a liquid mixture with a concentration gradient produced by the Sorer effect and those induced in a single-component fluid by a temperature gradient. OCIS codes: 120.5820, 070.2580, 110.6760, 040.2840, 100.2000.

Solar Hydrogen applications are getting more and more attention since competitiveness with conventional electric batteries is proven by several studies. Remote areas or weakly connected Islands are interesting context to apply such a comparison especially needing for seasonal storage due to the contemporary strong change of production due to solar radiation and consumption due to the tourism. Energy and economic analyses are needed tools for assessing the profitability of the solutions as well as sizing and operation of the energy system. Here a building complex of 5 buildings equipped with a total of 100 kWp of PV is investigated thanks to availability of recorded hourly datasets of loads and production. The storage facilities ranging from 500 to 2000 kWh were simulated over the year from an optimal dispatch perspective both for Hydrogen and Electric Battery options. Furthermore, the cost value for investment and operation of 2020, 2030 and 2040 were inserted as input to check the changes at increasing Technology Readiness Level of the mentioned storage medium. The analysis is carried out by means of the ©E-OPT platform based on a Mixed Integer Linear Programming solver. Finally, the yearly dispatch is compared at changes of the economic input for both Hydrogen and Battery solutions. • Hydrogen and battery solutions are compared in storing solar energy. • Solar Power To Gas and Electric Energy Storage applications to five buildings. • Seasonal change in production due to DNI and demand due to tourism. • CAPEX and OPEX of Hydrogen and Battery for 2020, 2030 and 2040. • Optimal dispatch of electricity leads to weekly or monthly storage, not seasonal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi‐energy microgrid (MEMG) comprises heterogeneous distributed generators (DGs) such as wind turbines, diesel generators, combined cooling, heat and power plants etc. Proper placement of these DGs is critical for the system energy efficiency and network reliability performance. This study proposes a two‐stage coordinated method for optimally placing heterogeneous DGs in an MEMG project considering the uncertainties from renewable energy sources (RESs). Apart from optimising the traditional DG size and location, this method considers the optimal DG type and investment year simultaneously by maximising the project net present value (NPV), which consists of investment costs and operation costs. The whole problem is modelled as a two‐stage coordinated stochastic optimisation model, where the long‐term DG investment is determined at the first stage and operation decisions are determined at the second stage. The proposed method is verified on a test MEMG system. The simulation results show that its NPV is positive, which means the method is effective and should be implemented. Compared with the conventional DG placement approaches, the proposed method is more robust against the RES uncertainties and can better coordinate the heterogeneous energies with higher dispatch flexibility and economic profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The storage of the natural gas under liquid phase is widely adopted and one of the intrinsic phenomena occurring in liquefied natural gas is the so-called boil-off gas; this consists of the regasification of the natural gas due to the ambient temperature and loss of adiabacity in the storage tank. As the boil-off occurs, the so-called cold energy is released to the surrounding environment; such a cold energy could potentially be recovered for several end-uses such as cooling power generation, air separation, air conditioning, dry-ice manufacturing and conditioning of inlet air at the compressor of gas turbine engines. This paper deals with the benefit corresponding to the cooling down of the inlet air temperature to the compressor, by means of internal heat transfer recovery from the liquefied natural gas boil-off gas cold energy availability. The lower the compressor inlet temperature, the higher the gas turbine performance (power and efficiency); the exploitation of the liquefied natural gas boil-off gas cold energy also corresponds to a higher amount of air flow rate entering the cycle which plays in favour of the bottoming heat recovery steam generator and the related steam cycle. Benefit of this solution, in terms of yearly work and gain increase have been established by means of ad hoc developed component models representing heat transfer device (air/boil-off gas) and heavy duty 300 MW gas turbine. For a given ambient temperature variability over a year, the results of the analysis have proven that the increase of electricity production and efficiency due to the boil-off gas cold energy recovery has finally yield a revenue increase of 600,000€/year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent study, we showed that lymphocytes of obese Italian children/adolescents displayed levels of double strand breaks (DSB), assayed as serine 139-phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX), about eightfold higher than normal weight controls, and that 30% of this damage-generated micronuclei. These findings suggested that obese children could be at increased risk of obesity-mediated cancer later in life. We therefore aimed to assess the level of γ-H2AX in a genetic animal model of obesity (Zucker rat) to identify a genotoxic/carcinogenic risk in some organs. The DSB marker was studied in 3- to 4-week-old rats and in 9- to 13-week-old rats. Paraffin-embedded sections of heart, thyroid, liver, pancreas, lung, kidney, esophagus, and gut from the fa−/fa− (obese) and the fa+/fa− (lean) control animals were processed for immunohistochemistry detection of γ-H2AX. Pancreas (0.0624 ± 0.0195), lung (0.1197 ± 0.0217), esophagus (0.1230 ± 0.0351), kidney (0.1546 ± 0.0149), and gut (0.1724 ± 0.0352) of 9- to 13-week-old obese rats showed a higher proportion of γ-H2AX-positive nuclei, than their lean counterparts (0.0092 ± 0.0033, 0.0416 ± 0.0185, 0.0368 ± 0.0088, 0.0686 ± 0.0318, and 0.0703 ± 0.0239, respectively). No difference was seen in the 3- to 4-week-old age group with regard to obesity, indicating that the DNA damage increased with older age of the rats. We hypothesize that the organs of the obese animals showing high levels of DSB could represent target tissues for the development of obesity-related cancers. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:477-484, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mesangiogenic progenitor cells (MPCs) have shown the ability to differentiate in-vitro toward mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as well as angiogenic potential. MPCs have so far been described in detail as progenitors of the mesodermal lineage and appear to be of great significance in tissue regeneration and in hemopoietic niche regulation. On the contrary, information regarding the MPC angiogenic process is still incomplete and requires further clarification. In particular, genuine MPC angiogenic potential should be confirmed in-vivo. Methods: In the present article, markers and functions associated with angiogenic cells have been dissected. MPCs freshly isolated from human bone marrow have been induced to differentiate into exponentially growing MSCs (P2-MSCs). Cells have been characterized and angiogenesis-related gene expression was evaluated before and after mesengenic differentiation. Moreover, angiogenic potential has been tested by in-vitro and in-vivo functional assays. Results: MPCs showed a distinctive gene expression profile, acetylated-low density lipoprotein uptake, and transendothelial migration capacity. However, mature endothelial markers and functions of endothelial cells, including the ability to form new capillaries, were absent, thus suggesting MPCs to be very immature endothelial progenitors. MPCs showed marked 3D spheroid sprouting activating the related molecular machinery, a clear invitro indication of early angiogenesis. Indeed, MPCs applied to chicken chorioallantoic membrane induced and participated in neovessel formation. All of these features were lost in mesengenic terminally differentiated P2-MSCs, showing definite separation of the two differentiation lineages. Conclusion: Our results confirm the bona-fide angiogenic potential of MPCs and suggest that the high variability reported for MSC cultures, responsible for the controversies regarding MSC angiogenic potential, could be correlated to variable percentages of co-isolated MPCs in the different culture conditions so far used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity has been implicated in the development of many cancers. This can lead to genome damage, especially in the form of double-strand break, the presence of which is now easily detected through nuclear phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) focus assay. Recently, the endothelin (ET) axis has also been shown to have a role in the growth and progression of several tumors, including lung cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ET-1 system transcriptional alterations and γ-H2AX in lung tissue of Zucker rats subdivided into obese (O, n=22) and controls (CO, n=18) rats: under either fasting conditions (CO fc-O fc) or acute hyperglycemia (CO AH-O AH). Significantly higher prepro-ET-1 ( p=0.05) and ET-converting enzyme ( ECE)-2 mRNA expression was observed in O with respect to CO. A significant positive association was observed between prepro-ET-1 and ET-A in the whole rat population ( p=0.009) or in the obese group alone ( p=0.007). The levels of γ-H2AX in O and in O AH rats were significantly higher ( p=0.019) than in the corresponding CO and CO AH rats ( p=0.038). The study shows an inappropriate secretion of ET-1 in O animals with a parallel DNA damage in their lungs, providing novel mechanisms by which ET receptor antagonist may exert organ protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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By using the critical Casimir force, we study the attractive strength dependent aggregation of colloids with and without gravity by means of near field scattering. Significant differences were seen between microgravity and ground experiments, both in the structure of the formed fractal aggregates as well as in the kinetics of growth. In microgravity purely diffusive aggregation is observed. By using the continuously variable particle interaction potential we can for the first time experimentally relate the strength of attraction between the particles and the structure of the aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunofluorescence is an indispensable method for the identification, localization and study of the expression of target antigens in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections of human bone marrow. However, the procedure shows technical limitations because of the chemical and physical treatments required for sample processing before imaging. Here we describe a revisited protocol to obtain high-resolution images of human bone marrow trephine biopsies, improving the antigen-antibody recognition and preserving the morphology and the architecture of the bone marrow microenvironment.

Background: Football is the most popular sport in the world, increasingly played by the youngsters. However, little epidemiological data exists regarding injuries in young players. The aim of this study was to describe the most common types and sites of injury among the different classes of a single professional football club., Methods: The present perspective study covered a three-season period, including 679 children divided in 9 age classes. All the athletes were managed by the same staff and for each injury, onset date, date of return to training, anatomic site and type of injury were recorded., Results: The mean age of the population was 12.7 years old (Range 7.4-16.9). A total 975 injuries were recorded without significant differences among seasons (P=0.682). The most affected classes were U17 and U16, while the lowest rate of injury was in U11. The most common injury in U9 and U10 affected foot and ankle, while in all the other classes thigh was the most frequently site involved. Focusing on the type of injury, the most common cause was traumatic (40.9%), followed by muscular diseases. The mean value of absence from soccer was 19.7 days (±1.2). The highest rate of injuries occurred in September and August. In January and February, injuries were more frequent during competitions, whereas in the other months the rate was inverted., Conclusions: This study highlights that preseason and the final phase of the season are more at risk of injury and the type of injury differs between classes.

Hematopoiesis is hosted, supported and regulated by a special bone marrow (BM) microenvironment known as "niche." BM niches have been classified based on micro-anatomic distance from the bone surface into "endosteal" and "central" niches. Whilst different blood vessels have been found in both BM niches in mice, our knowledge of the human BM architecture is much more limited. Here, we have used a combination of markers including NESTIN, CD146, and αSMA labeling different blood vessels in benign human BM. Applying immunohistochemical/immunofluorescence techniques on BM trephines and performing image analysis on almost 300 microphotographs, we detected high NESTIN expression in BM endothelial cells (BMECs) of small arteries (A) and endosteal arterioles (EA), and also in very small vessels we named NESTIN + capillary-like tubes (NCLTs), not surrounded by sub-endothelial perivascular cells that occasionally reported low levels of NESTIN expression. Statistically, NCLTs were detected within 40 μm from bone trabecula, frequently found in direct contact to the bone line and spatially correlated with hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Our results support the expression of NESTIN in human BMECs of EA and A in accordance with the updated classification of murine BM micro-vessels. NCLTs for their peculiar characteristics and micro-anatomical localization have been here proposed as transitional vessels possibly involved in regulating human hematopoiesis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Panvini, Pacini, Montali, Barachini, Mazzoni, Morganti, Ciancia, Carnicelli and Petrini.)

Purpose: Many studies have evaluated the role of DWI in musculoskeletal diseases but less is known on muscle tears. Especially for professional athletes, muscle injuries are responsible for large time lost. The aim of this study was to investigate on potential relationship between the muscle tear degree and the diffusion characteristics., Methods: In this retrospective study, patients signed a comprehensive consent form according to Good Clinical Practice guidelines before proceeding with all examinations. It satisfied all the requirements of the Declaration of Helsinki and the Italian national law for the protection of personal data. We have analyzed 38 professional athletes (36 males; mean age±standard deviation 27±8 years) with a muscle tear. They were 26 football and 12 athletics players, with clinically suspected injuries of the lower limbs muscles. All of patients underwent a 1.5-T MRI with standard protocol (STIR, TSE T2, SE T1, PD T2, PD fat sat T2) plus the DWI sequences with 0, 400 and 800 B-values (s/mm2). Per each B value, an experienced radiologist measured the signal intensity (SI, in arbitrary units [au]) using a region of interest (ROI) placed within the tear on DWI images. SI drop off at the third B value was calculated referred to the first B value. Similarly, ADC was measured using the ADC map in a small ROI within the tear. Bivariate associations were evaluated using the Student t test. Logistic regression was performed using the tear degree as dependent variable. Data were given as mean±standard deviation., Results: According the Muller-Wohlfarth classification, the 38 muscle tears were classified in type 3a in 22/38 cases and 3b in 16/38 cases. At bivariate analysis, 3a-tears had a SI at the third B value (24±9 au) lower (P=0.003) than that of 3b-tears (34±9 au). Similarly, 3a-tears had a SI drop off (73±10%) lower (P=0.008) than that of 3b-tears (82±9%). ADC was not significantly associated to tear degree (P=0.093). At regression analysis, SI at the third B value was the only independent predictor of the tear degree (P=0.032), while the SI drop off was borderline significant (P=0.070)., Conclusion: This preliminary data showed a positive correlation between the degree of muscle tears and the SI at the third B-value. Compared to 3a- tears, 3b-tears tend to show higher SI and a higher SI drop off.

We report data for nonequilibrium density fluctuations in a layer of liquid CS(2) subjected to temperature gradients on Earth and in a satellite. The structure factor S(q) was measured using a calibrated shadowgraph. Upon removing gravity, S(q) increased dramatically at small wave vector, until the fluctuations generated by thermal noise were limited only by the 3 mm sample thickness. The results agree with theory to within a few percent on Earth and are ∼14% below theory in microgravity, demonstrating that the use of equilibrium Langevin forces is appropriate in this nonequilibrium situation.

Spatial scale invariance represents a remarkable feature of natural phenomena. A ubiquitous example is represented by miscible liquid phases undergoing diffusion. Theory and simulations predict that in the absence of gravity diffusion is characterized by long-ranged algebraic correlations. Experimental evidence of scale invariance generated by diffusion has been limited, because on Earth the development of long-range correlations is suppressed by gravity. Here we report experimental results obtained in microgravity during the flight of the FOTON M3 satellite. We find that during a diffusion process a dilute polymer solution exhibits scale-invariant concentration fluctuations with sizes ranging up to millimetres, and relaxation times as large as 1,000 s. The scale invariance is limited only by the finite size of the sample, in agreement with recent theoretical predictions. The presence of such fluctuations could possibly impact the growth of materials in microgravity.

Planar cellular networks are made of polygonal cells usually having an average of six sides and trivalent vertices. We analyze the topological properties of spoke patterns observed in the convection of highly viscous fluids. The competition between ascending and descending columns of fluid generates dual networks where on average cells are four sided and vertices tetravalent. This observation identifies a new class of dual networks satisfying a mutual Voronoi relation. The metric of the pattern is dominated by the distance between nearest neighbors vertices of opposite species.

We investigate the early stages of mass convection in a colloidal suspension at high solutal Rayleigh number Ras. From the time evolution of shadowgraph images and by assuming a diffusive growth of the boundary layers we obtain an indirect measurement of the concentration boundary layer thickness delta* at the onset of convection. We show that the dimensionless boundary layer thickness delta=delta*/d scales as Ra-ps, where Ras=Rasdelta is a modified solutal Rayleigh number for convection which accounts for the actual density unbalance and d is the thickness of the sample layer. This scaling behavior is analogous to that reported at steady state for turbulent convection in simple fluids. We find p=0.35, a value compatible with the exponent 1/3, reported for turbulent heat convection in simple fluids at steady state.