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Rehabilitation in virtual reality offers advantages in terms of flexibility and parametrization of exercises, repeatability, and continuous data recording and analysis of the progress of the patient, also promoting high engagement and cognitive challenges. Still, most of the proposed virtual settings provide a high quality, immersive visual and audio feedback, without involving the sense of touch. In this paper, we show the design, implementation, and first evaluation of a gaming scenario for upper limb rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy. In particular, we took care to introduce haptic feedback as a useful source of sensory information for the proposed task, considering—at the same time—the strict constraints for haptic wearable devices to comply with patient’s comfort, residual motor abilities, and with the embedded tracking features of the latest VR technologies. To show the potential of haptics in a rehabilitation setup, the proposed device and rendering method have been used to improve the velocity control of upper limb movements during the VR exercise, given its importance as a motor recovery metric. Eight healthy participants were enrolled, and results showed that haptic feedback can lead to lower speed tracking errors and higher movement smoothness, making the proposed setup suitable to be used in a rehabilitation context as a way to promote movement fluidity during exercises.

Objectives: The definition of standardized criteria to determine the correct timing of return to sport (RTS) after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) is gaining an increasing importance. This study aims to assess the advantage of the integrated evaluation with functional, clinical and psychological tests, to[for full text, please go to the a.m. URL], Deutscher Kongress für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie (DKOU 2019)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a higher risk of fractures even in presence of normal or increased bone mineral density. The purpose of this three-year longitudinal study was to evaluate the risk of osteoporotic fractures by assessing the changes of Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) parameters in a group of postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) compared with non-diabetic controls. The measurements were taken on a group of 18 postmenopausal women affected by T2DM and 18 healthy age-matched controls, aged 55-70 years, referring to the Osteolab laboratory at the ISBEM Research Institute (Brindisi, Italy) between 2009 and 2013. Subjects had baseline and 3-year follow-up measurements with phalangeal QUS carried out by a DBM Sonic Bone Profiler 1200 (Igea®); medical history, current drug therapies and risk factors for fractures were recorded for each patient. The analyzed phalangeal QUS parameters were Amplitude-Dependent Speed of Sound (AD-SoS), Bone Transmission Time (BTT), Fast Wave Amplitude (FWA) and Signal Dynamic (SDy). At the baseline visit we found no statistically significant difference between T2DM and non-diabetic patients when looking at phalangeal QUS parameters. At the three-year follow-up visit, a significantly higher decrease of both BTT (P

This paper deals with the design and the preliminary optimization of the remediation of a . Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)-contaminated aquifer by Pump and Treat technique (P&T) or Permeable . Reactive Barrier (PRB). The experimental site is located near a solid waste landfill in the metropolitan area . North of Naples (Italy) where a considerable amount of solid waste has been deposited over the past . decades. For both remediation technologies, adsorption onto granular activated carbon was adopted to . remove PCE from water. In particular, a comparison of the results obtained, both in terms of efficacy of . pollutant removal and the corresponding preliminary overall cost, was conducted. The design of both . remediation techniques was conducted by using a commercial 3D hydrodynamic code to simulate . groundwater flow and contamination transport and a second code, developed by the authors, to describe . the adsorption phenomena involving the pollutant.

"\"This paper deals with the application of a Permeable Adsorbing Barrier (PAB) for the remediation of an aquifer contaminated by Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and Trichloroethylene (TCE). Based on a hydrological and geotechnical characterization of the entire polluted aquifer, the design and optimization of the barrier parameters (location, orientation and dimensions) are defined by an iterative procedure using a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) approach. Laboratory adsorption tests on binary system (i.e. PCE+TCE) on a commercial activated carbon are carried out to support the PAB design. A site located near a solid waste landfill in the metropolitan area North of Naples (Italy), where PCE and TCE are simultaneously present, is considered as a case study. Model results show that the PAB designed is effective for the remediation of the contaminated aquifer, both for single-compound and binary contamination, since the concentration of pollutants flowing out of the barrier is everywhere always lower than the concentration limits provided for Italian regulations on groundwater quality.\""

"\"Emissions of unpleasant odours are associated to many different types of industrial . activities (e.g. paper mills, tanneries, refineries, slaughterhouses, distilleries, . pharmaceutical industries, etc.), civil and industrial wastewater treatment plants, landfills . and composting plants. Their production is generally related to microbial degradation . processes of putrescible organic substances. . In recent decades, the increasing number of landfills located in residential areas has . attracted the attention of the scientific and technical community, placing greater emphasis . on how odour emissions from landfills can be measured and how they can be diminished. . This paper proposes a Fuzzy Early Warning System (FEWS) for the mitigation of the risk . of exposure to odorous substances emitted from a waste landfill in a highly urbanised . area. A fuzzy logic approach was chosen to tackle the complex task of modelling an . automatic decision support system considering several risk variables, such as the wind . speed, the time derivative of the velocity, the wind direction, the time derivative of the . wind direction and the temperature. Indeed the fuzzy logic approach proved to be very . effective both for its “native” capability to deal with nonlinear models and for the possibility . to take into account heuristic and political rules. . The FEWS takes into account both hazard variables (e.g. the contaminant source . emission rate) and vulnerability and exposure variables (e.g. the distance of the landfill . and the typology of human activities). The case study of a solid waste landfill near Naples . (Italy), located in a densely populated area was considered. . The analysis of odour transport was carried out by using ISCST3-BREEZE developed by . EPA. This allows odour dispersion in air to be assessed as a function of weather . conditions (data provided by Capodichino Airport weather station) and contaminant . emissions (estimated using scientific literature). The FEWS is part of a MATLAB . framework in which the fuzzy input variables considered were modelled with a . “membership function” and the risk mitigation actions (e.g., covering of waste, spraying of . fragrant substances, extraction wells to maintain the landfill body at a pressure below . atmospheric, pressure, etc.) were inferred using a set of SUGENO fuzzy output rules. . The simulation results show that FEWS is very effective as compared to simulations . without any mitigation actions. Indeed the use of FEWS allowed for a considerable . reduction in the number of exceedances in all the sensitive centers analyzed, although in . some cases the FEWS operates also when it does not need. The next steps will consist . in improving the optimization of fuzzy rules and membership functions with other . techniques. \""

Cities are increasingly becoming a focal point for economies and societies at large, particularly because of on-going urbanisation and the trend towards increasingly knowledge-intensive economies. Cities need to change and develop, but this change needs to be achieved in a smart way, making cities "smart cities". Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) present new opportunities for Smart WAter Networks (SWAN) as a key asset for Smart Cities. The Ctrl+SWAN (Cloud Technologies & ReaL time monitoring+Smart WAter Network) Action Group (AG) was created within the European Innovation Partnership on Water, in order to promote innovation in the water sector by advancing existing solutions. The integration of smart meters and biosensors with cloud computing and innovative software allows the development of new network management schemes. A more effective monitoring in terms of quantity and quality variables makes partitioning of large water networks possible, thus improving customer service, quality of maintenance and protection from accidental or intentional contamination. The vision of the AG consists of treating the water network not as a traditional system with devices trivially added, but as a SWAN featuring new applications that result in optimal management and protection. After providing the state of the art on the best technologies already available on the market, new perspectives for SWAN monitoring, partitioning and protection with innovative sensors are proposed. Each AG partner describes methodologies, best practices, novel devices and possible integrations among meters, biosensors, models and optimization algorithms.

The growing awareness of the impact of environmental conditions on quality of life has led to the consideration of odours as atmospheric contaminants causing “olfactory pollution”. Odorous compounds do not directly represent a risk to human health; they are rarely dangerous in nature, not necessarily toxic, and generally found at low concentrations. Nevertheless it has been recognized that exposure to odours may cause different negative effects on human beings, ranging from emotional stress to physical symptoms. Consequently, when a system characterized by high emissions of odours is located in an urban context, its acceptance by the population is affected by its olfactory impact. This paper aims to assess the impact of odorous substances emitted from a landfill on the exposed population, by presenting a specific plant management methodology to minimize exposure to odours in terms of intensity and frequency. The results, evaluated for different percentiles, show that some residential areas may be affected by “olfactory harassment” if specific waste landfill management criteria are not applied. This methodology, if applied during the landfill design phase, may be a major tool for institutional decision-makers for comparing different options when choosing landfill sites.

La contaminazione delle falde acquifere da composti organo-clorurati è un problema particolarmente rilevante per gli alti livelli di concentrazione che spesso sono rilevati. Tali sostanze costituiscono un elevato rischio di tossicità per la salute umana ed animale e richiedono interventi di bonifica che, nella maggior parte dei casi, risultano essere molto costosi e complessi sia nella fase di progettazione che in quella di gestione. Le Barriere Permeabili Reattive Adsorbenti (PRB-A), possono essere una soluzione tecnicamente valida ed economica ma necessitano di studi più approfonditi su alcuni aspetti legati all’adsorbimento e all’ottimizzazione della forma e delle dimensioni. Lo scopo del seguente lavoro è quello di analizzare l’efficacia di una PRB-A nel trattamento di un acquifero nel caso di contaminazione multipla da Tetracloroetilene (PCE) e Tricloroetilene (TCE). A tal fine, è stato preso in esame, quale caso studio, un sito reale adibito a discarica. Le simulazioni realizzate con codici di calcolo dedicati hanno consentito di valutare l’evoluzione del plume di inquinante nello spazio e nel tempo, e di valutare l’efficacia delle PRB-A nel contenere al di sotto dei limiti normativi, la concentrazione di entrambi gli inquinanti studiati.

In virtù del crescente interesse per la. qualità dell’ambiente e della vita, gli odori molesti sono considerati veri e propri inquinanti atmosferici e si parla di “inquinamento olfattivo” per indicarne. l’impatto negativo sull'ambiente e sulla popolazione esposta. I composti odorosi non sono necessariamente tossici per la salute umana, ma è dimostrato che il benessere psicofisico e il comportamento. delle persone sono influenzati negativamente dall'esposizione agli odori. L’inserimento in un contesto urbanizzato di un impianto contraddistinto da notevoli emissioni di odori e la sua accettazione da parte della popolazione sono condizionati in misura sempre più rilevante dall'impatto olfattivo. Il seguente lavoro si propone di. valutare l’impatto delle sostanze odorigene emesse da una discarica controllata sulla popolazione. esposta, presentando una metodologia di conduzione dell’impianto atta a ridurre l’esposizione agli odori sia in termini di intensità che di frequenza.

In virtù del crescente interesse per la qualità dell’ambiente e della vita gli odori. molesti sono considerati veri e propri inquinanti atmosferici e si parla di“inquinamento olfattivo”. per indicarne l’impatto negativo sull'ambiente e sulla popolazione esposta. I composti odorosi. non sono necessariamente tossici per la salute umana ma è dimostrato che il benessere. psicofisico e il comportamento delle persone sono influenzati negativamente dall'esposizione. agli odori. L’inserimento in un contesto urbanizzato di un impianto contraddistinto da notevoli. emissioni di odori e la sua accettazione da parte della popolazione sono condizionati in misura. sempre più rilevante dall'impatto olfattivo. Questo lavoro si propone di valutare l’impatto delle. sostanze odorigene emesse da una discarica controllata sulla popolazione esposta, presentando. una metodologia di conduzione dell’impianto atta a ridurre l’esposizione agli odori sia in termini. di intensità che di frequenza."

In this paper, a Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) made with activated carbon, namely a Permeable Adsorptive Barrier (PAB), is put forward as an effective technique for the remediation of aquifers simultaneously contaminated by some chlorinated organic compounds. A design procedure, based on a computer code and including different routines, is presented as a tool to accurately describe mass transport within the aquifer and adsorption/desorption phenomena occurring inside the barrier. The remediation of a contaminated aquifer near a solid waste landfill in the district of Napoli (Italy), where Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and Trichloroethylene (TCE) are simultaneously present, is considered as a case study. A complete hydrological and geotechnical site characterization, as well as a number of dedicated adsorption laboratory tests for the determination of activated carbon PCE/TCE adsorption capacity in binary systems, are carried out to support the barrier design. By means of a series of numerical simulations it is possible to determine the optimal barrier location, orientation and dimensions. PABs appear to be an effective remediation tool for the in-situ treatment of an aquifer contaminated by PCE and TCE simultaneously, as the concentration of both compounds flowing out of the barrier is everywhere lower than the regulatory limits on groundwater quality.

This work presents an innovative configuration of a permeable adsorptive barrier (PAB) for the in situ remediation of benzene-contaminated groundwater in the area of Naples (Italy). A PAB is a type of permeable reactive barrier (PRB) made with adsorbing materials (e.g. activated carbon). This particular PAB is a discontinuous permeable adsorptive barrier (PAB-D), consisting in an array of deep passive adsorptive wells whose hydraulic conductivity is higher than the surrounding soil. The design was based on COMSOL Multi-physics((R)) simulations, which allow for the description of pollutant transport in groundwater and adsorption onto the barrier by means of a 2D model solved using a finite element approach. Based on a hydrological and geotechnical characterization of the entire polluted aquifer, the design and optimization of PAB-D parameters (location, orientation, number of wells and dimensions) were defined. The influence of hydraulic conductivity and dispersivity on the total number of wells for a complete aquifer remediation was investigated. Finally, a comparison with a continuous barrier (PAB-C), i.e. a wall of adsorptive material, in terms of total adsorbing material needed, is presented.

This paper deals with a procedure to optimize the design of permeable reactive barrier (PRB) built with activated carbon for the in situ remediation of a polluted aquifer. A simulation-based heuristic procedure is developed to define, with an iterative procedure, the optimal position and geometrical dimensions of the barrier itself, which simultaneously assure the respect of pollutant concentration limits and minimum barrier size. A computer code is used to describe the field motion of the aquifer, the contaminant transport and the adsorption phenomena occurring inside the barrier. A real aquifer polluted by tetrachloroethylene (PCE) situated in the area north of Naples (Italy) is presented as a case study. Simulation results show that a PRB formed by sections of different width, tuned to the different values of PCE concentration in the plume, can assure an effective remediation of the site.