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Slow pyrolysis of biomass represents a renewed opportunity to produce both bioenergy and high value co-products using modern technologies. The present work aims at valorizing the total outputs from slow oxidative pyrolysis: a process that convert the lignocellulosic feedstock without an external heat supply (hence an autothermal pyrolysis process) into char, bio-oil and non-condensable gaseous products. By means of an innovative fractional condensation unit developed in the framework of H2020 BECOOL project, liquid fractions can be collected at different condensing temperature and separated from permanent gases. Therefore, three lignocellulosic feedstocks have been processed in a slow pyrolysis unit of 50 kg per hour as biomass capacity, and part of the pyrogas has been condensed and collected in the innovative condensing system. The system includes two bubbler condensers and an electrostatic precipitator (ESP), located between the first two. The first stage of condensation was maintained above 100 °C to avoid water condensation; the second stage traps the not-collected droplets from the first stage by means of an electrostatic precipitator (ESP); the third cold stage collects water and low boiling compounds at about 0 °C. The main scope of the work was achieved by producing: an organic fraction of pyrolysis oil (with reduced water content) suitable for downstream conversion to advanced biofuels for transports or other chemical compounds of interest; a water fraction enriched in acids and alcohols suitable for downstream conversion to biochemicals., Proceedings of the 29th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 26-29 April 2021, Online, pp. 755-758

The consciousness is the expression of an enormous and complex variety of neurobiological events, phenomenological and psychological that, from the early stages of development, prepare the emergence soil of the Self. It is a complex of tangible and intan- gible characters distinct from one another - neural infrastructure, awareness, temporality, qualitative subjectivity, intentionality - to such an extent as to seem welded faces of the same prism. Consciousness is not a simple function of the mind, but its organization. In this paper we intend to show how its order is not strictly hierarchical, but sustained by multiple horizontal levels, each of which in a structural and functional continuum with several emerging phenomena. The same distinction between quantitative aspects (surveil- lance) and qualitative (content of consciousness) of consciousness is founded on the premise that the supervision is regulated by widespread in projection systems of the brain stem, hypothalamus and thalamus; while the content of consciousness depends on the cortical activity, and particularly from the associative areas of the cortex connected between them. The so-called disturbances of consciousness (vegetative state, the minimally conscious state, a coma, the Locked in syndrome) suggests the existence of an altera- tion of a common underlying system. Although the current heterogeneity of the data makes it impossible to attribute with certainty whether positive or negative about the alleged absence of consciousness in the individual patient, the search is deriving significant benefits from the accumulation of neuroimaging evidence in paintings like coma, general anesthesia , sleep, epilepsy and somnambu- lism. In this sense, it seems increasingly urgent a deeper understanding of the neural correlates during sleep or general anesthesia, as well as the relationships between neural processes and altered states of consciousness generated by pharmacological manipulations.

Our brain is not only a reactive organ, capable of reacting quickly to the stimuli that arrive from the external environment, but also, and above all, it is a pro-active organ that allows us to make hypotheses, anticipate the consequences of actions, and formulate expectations, thereby enabling us to wrong-foot an adversary. Without this ability, humans would not be able to interact with each other, nor create forms of social coexistence. Certainly evolution has spurred the higher cognitive functions to develop mechanisms of reorganizing action according to unforeseen events as quickly as possible, integrating them into a perceptionaction cycle that may only take fractions of a second. Recent neuroscientific advances have shown the fallacy of imagining an anatomical and functional dichotomy between perception and action. The discovery of mirror neurons has shown that there is, instead, a very close link between perception and movement, confirming the existence of a relationship between what we perceive and how we act that hinges on the activation of the same neural substrate in both cases. In light of this evidence, perception becomes the ability to interpret an object in terms of the potential movements and actions that the perceiver could activate in relation to it. Motor acts are formulated and anticipated through the joint activity of perception and action and a mechanism of embodied simulation, which automatically perceives “the other” as an agent like oneself whose actions can be predicted on the basis both of their similarity to one’s own motor repertoire and the physical characteristics of the situation in question.

In the last few years, the development of non-invasive research techniques that explore cerebral functions has not only increased our knowledge on the correlations between mental processes and cerebral structures, but it has fed our hopes for the possibility of facing the ancient and elusive question about the mind–brain relationship with a new way of thinking. Science has always faced the problem of consciousness. Consciousness differs radically from the ordinary objects researched by science: not only because of the complexity of the neural infrastructures which are at its base or because of the subtle connections between these infrastructures and phenomena such as decision making, morals and artistic creativity, but above all because of that which gives life to the qualitative dimension and to the subjectivity of its states. Humankind’s singular ability to make decisions has allowed human beings to face innumerable environmental challenges and complex evolutionary dynamics. Environmental pressures are not so urgent anymore, comparing to our ancestors. Nonetheless, the number of decisions that contemporary humans are called to make is very high. During the last three centuries, the change from normative to descriptive theories, from formal to natural logic, from substantive to limited rationality has allowed us to explain how many of the decisional strategies are coherent with the functioning of the cognitive economy of our species, even if they are limited and fallible.

Science has always faced the problem of consciousness. Nevertheless, consciousness differs radically from the ordinary objects researched by science: not only because of the complexity of the neural infrastructures which are at its base or because of the subtle connections between these infrastructures and phenomena such as decision making, morals and artistic creativity, but above all because of that which gives life to the qualitative dimension and to the subjectivity of its states. If it is true that consciousness is caused by specific neuronal processes and, therefore, conscious states are causally reducible to neurobiological processes, it is also true that conscious states exist at a higher level than a few bundles of neurons. For this reason it is necessary not only to go beyond a hierarchical idea of levels of consciousness, but also to refute the idea according to which the ‘mental’ sphere is qualitative, subjective, and in the ‘first person’, while the ‘physical’ sphere is quantitative, objective and in the ‘third person’.

L’obiettivo di questo libro è di considerare l’importanza dell’intuizione e della logica naturale nel processo decisionale. L’intuizione entra in gioco in situazioni in cui vincoli temporali e cognitivo-computazionali ci impediscono di riflettere e valutare i dati a nostra disposizione. Fin dalla notte dei tempi ci permette di evitare molte sofferenze ed è una straordinaria alleata quando è in gioco la nostra sopravvivenza. Leggere rapidamente le intenzioni di un altro individuo aumenta le chance di sopravvivenza. Questo spiega perché spesso i primi istanti di un incontro possono rivelare molto più di mille discorsi. D’altro canto, in tutte le culture planetarie la capacità di lettura dei segnali non verbali ha un rilievo enorme. Sebbene l’intuizione si basi su una quantità molto limitata di informazioni, soprattutto in situazioni di stress o in condizioni temporali limitate, essa può liberarci rapidamente dai nostri dubbi. Questa capacità salda le nostre azioni con le esperienze depositate nella memoria a lungo termine. Naturalmente, senza ragionamento il pensiero intuitivo può essere impreciso e fuorviante. Ma noi non sbagliamo solo quando ci affidiamo al nostro intuito. Sbagliamo anche quando riflettiamo troppo sulle azioni da compiere, perché ‘soffochiamo’ le nostre sensazioni viscerali, privandoci della loro ‘saggezza’.

A partire dalla metà del XX secolo, le scienze cognitive sono state protagoniste di una svolta teorica ed empirica basata sulla dimostrazione che la grande maggioranza delle decisioni dell’uomo non deriva da processi razionali formalizzati, ma da strategie adattative informali in cui la sfera emotiva gioca un ruolo fondamentale. Questo volume è un viaggio nell’evoluzione storica del concetto di decisione, ma anche un’esplorazione del sorprendente arcipelago della razionalità, della morale, delle emozioni, della coscienza. Da un chiaro e serrato dialogo con la psicologia cognitiva e la neurobiologia, l’economia e la logica, emerge che la razionalità non è una caratteristica innata della nostra specie, ma il risultato di un lungo processo evolutivo sostenuto da una logica naturale e da strategie cognitive semplici, rapide ed efficaci. Demistificando il luogo comune sulla necessità di riflettere a lungo prima di agire, gli autori mostrano quanto sia stato cruciale per l’evoluzione della specie umana, decidere senza pensare.

The semantic horizon of the term innovation is fairly broad, at least as broad as the mental processes that are at its origin and the changes it engenders. Through ever new combinations of ideas and events, innovation brings about changes and discontinuity in scienti c, cultural, and social paradigms. Above all, innovation is the ability of the mind to combine ludic and logic elements, extract from apparently banal data new and surprising elements, provide divergent and creative responses, and generate different hypotheses, scenarios, and solutions in almost casual fashion – even outside a structured logic.

O que acontece quando temos uma experiência artística e, em sentido mais geral, uma experiência estética? Nos últimos 30 anos, as neurociências levaram suas explorações até o limiar que divide as ciências da Natureza das ciências da cultura, esclarecendo a natureza biológica e psíquica da experiência estética, uma das mais controversas e fascinantes das experiências humanas. Na realidade, já nos séculos passados escritores e filósofos – de Platão a Goethe, de Kant a Winckelmann – haviam tentado penetrar a essência do senso estético, da beleza. Nenhum deles, no entanto, podia imaginar que um dia observaríamos in vivo as dinâmicas do cérebro diante de uma obra de arte. No entanto, o desenvolvimento dos novos métodos de brain imaging – que nos mostram a atividade do cérebro enquanto cumprimos uma ação, pensamos ou nos emocionamos – propicia avanços formidáveis no conhecimento da fisiologia cerebral. A ressonância magnética funcional, especialmente, nos permite estudar os padrões de ativação das diferentes áreas do cérebro, mostrando como toda estrutura cerebral é especializada em uma ou mais tarefas específi cas, como a elaboração dos estímulos sensoriais (visuais, táteis, auditivos etc.), o planejamento e a execução de processos motores ou a percepção de determinados estímulos emotivos.

na scienza della decisione esige non solo metodiche sofisticate, ma anche accurate strategie epistemologiche per il proprio sviluppo. Gli enormi sforzi che le neuroscienze e le scienze cognitive portano avanti sono solo il primo passo per la costruzione di un corpo di conoscenze ben integrate. Per ora, nonostante la fortunata stagione di studi, siamo ancora ad una fase iniziale. Questa ricerca è un tentativo di gettar luce su un così affascinante e cruciale problema. I Manuali di scienze psicosociali raccolgono e sistematizzano una serie di nozioni finora reperibili soltanto attraverso la consultazione di più testi. Molto utili agli studenti universitari (psicologia, scienze della formazione, sociologia, corsi di laurea dell'area medica e socioassisten-ziale) per la preparazione degli esami, possono divenire una lettura stimolante per quanti intendano avvicinarsi ai problemi della psiche e dei comportamenti umani sulla base degli studi più avanzati.

After having ignored it for over a century, science is again facing the problem of consciousness. Many scholars believe that soon, with the aid of new neuroimaging methods, it will be possible to comprehend the fundamental aspects of consciousness. Consciousness, however, differs radically from the ordinary objects researched by science: not only because of the complexity of the neural infrastructures which are at its base or because of the subtle connection of these infrastructures with phenomena such as decision making, morals and artistic creativity, but above all because of that which gives life to the qualitative dimension and to the subjectivity of its states. In this sense, self-awareness, perception, intentionality, qualia, and free will are not characteristics which are separate from consciousness, but rather aspects of the same phenomenon. If it is true that consciousness is caused by specific neuronal processes and, therefore, conscious states are causally reducible to neurobiological processes, it is also true that conscious states exist at a higher level than a few bundles of neurons. Accounts in the first person are real phenomena from the real world. For this reason we cannot reduce consciousness solely to its biological bases, because such a reduction to the third person would exclude experience in the first person. It is necessary, once and for all, not only to go beyond a hierarchical idea of levels of consciousness, but also to refute the idea according to which the ’mental’ sphere is qualitative, subjective, and in the ’first person’, while the ’physical’ sphere is quantitative, objective and in the ’third person’. There are no plausible reasons for why a physical system, such as a human being or an animal, cannot have qualitative, subjective and intentional states. From a naturalistic perspective consciousness and intentionality are a part of the physical world.

Over the last decade, much effort has been made to develop robots and virtual agents acting as assistants of elderly people in order to support them in their daily activities. In this context users’ acceptance of such virtual assistants is fundamental for engaging them in order to maximize the assistance’s effectiveness and users’ comfort. Therefore, improving assessment techniques for elders’ acceptance of virtual agents is necessary for understanding the impressions they arouse and determining their design accordingly. This paper is a proposition to introduce an EEG emotion detection procedure to gain further insight in implementing effective virtual agents’ acceptance.

For over a century, it has been accepted that there exists a remote psychic space that influences our way of thinking, perception, decision-making and so on. This space, defined by Freud as the ‘unconscious’, embodies the psychic element that we are unaware of. It is a space that is an extension and a wider representation of the complex and sophisticated metapsychological apparatus he conceived. With respect to the conscious sphere (whose related anatomical function concerns the encephalic trunk, diencephalon and associative cortical areas), this unconscious dimension relates to the limbic lobe and specific areas of the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes. This complex neurophysiological system connects and coordinates the sensory, emotional, cognitive and behavioural systems. Its sophisticated adaptive functions, implied and unaware, allow the prefrontal cortex to transform a huge amount of information into explicit behaviour, thus affecting our behaviour in terms of executive functions, decision-making, moral judgments and so on. In this paper, we advance the hypothesis that these subcortical components constitute interconnected modal matrices that intervene under certain circumstances to respond to environmental requirements. In this space of functional integration, they act as an intermediary between the frontal cortex, the limbic system and the basal ganglia and are a key player in the planning, selection and decision to carry out appropriate actions. Due to their generativity and intramodal and extramodal connections, it is plausible to assume that they also play a role in mediation between unconscious and conscious thought. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020.

The study of personality has been developed according to different lines of research in which it is also possible to identify transversal elements that are useful for an unprecedented trans-theoretical research programme. The existence of a close relation between the contents of thought (narrative system) and the vegetative and motor functions (experiential system) of the human being is currently considered of great relevance. However, until now, the studies using classic psychological test in order to describe the contents of the narrative system customize the experiential system and produce partial descriptions and non-integrated description of the personality. Nevertheless, when the people reflect about the questions in a personality test, they present (under the action of this cognitive stimulus) a synchronous activity of the narrative and experiential system. The intention of the study proposed in this paper, with the use of biofeedback and neurofeedback methods, is to record the physiological responses of the subject while answering to the items of a personality test, in order to describe it as a functional unit of thoughts, behaviours and affective states. The personality assessment tool, Cloninger’s temperament and character inventory, will be provided with a computerized system: the electrophysiological recording will be produced using the neurofeedback system “Neurobit Optima 4”; for the analysis of electrophysiological measurements, software (“BioExplorer” system) will be used to manage the brain–computer interface (BCI). It is expected that the aforementioned methodology will allow for an original description of the personality as a functional unit of thoughts, behaviours and affective states.

A field experiment was carried out on maize (Zea mays, L.) to study the effects of different fertilizer management on nitrogen status in soil and plant response. Three different fertilizers, mineral (MN), mineral plus buffalo manure (MN + BM) and organo-mineral with peat (OMP), were added at the usual (140, 61 and 116 kg ha−1) and the reduced (70, 31 and 58 kg ha−1) rates of N, P and K. respectively. Soil samples were analyzed for N by both the Kjeldahl method and the electro-ultrafiltration technique (EUF). The soil Kjeldahl-N concentrations were scarcely affected by the different fertilizer treatments, while the EUF-N concentrations were closely correlated with the amounts of N added. The EUF also discriminated between the NO3-N and the sum of the ammonium and the easily extractable organic N forms (EUF-Norg + NH4). The largest proportions of EUF-Norg + NH4 were found in the untreated plots and in the plots treated with buffalo manure. The different fertilizer treatments significantly affected grain yield, which ranged from a minimum of 6.3 t ha−1 from the untreated plots, to a maximum of 11.9 t ha−1 from those supplied with 140 kg N, 61 kg P and 116 kg K ha−1 by OMP fertilizer. The highest agronomic efficiency index for N was exhibited in the OMP treatment at the reduced rate. The grain yield was closely correlated with the total extractable EUF-N, but different relationships were found between the rate of N added, the level of EUF-NO,-N in soil and grain yield for the different fertilizer treatments.

Naturalistic decision-making (NDM) investigates the cognitive strategies used by experts in making decisions in real-world contexts. Unlike studies conducted in the laboratory, the NDM paradigm is applied to real human interactions, often characterized by uncertainty, risk, complexity, time pressures and so on. In this approach, the role of experience is crucial in making possible a quick classification of decision-making situations and therefore in making an effective, rapid and prudent choice. Models of behaviour resulting from these studies represent an extraordinary resource for research and for the application of decision-making strategies in high-risk environments. They particularly underline not only that most of the critical decisions that we take are based on our intuition, but that the ability to recognize patterns and other signals that allow us to act effectively is a natural extension of experience. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020.

Personality disorders (PDs) are one of the major problems for the organization of public health systems. Deepening the link between personality traits and psychopathological drifts, it seems increasingly essential for the often dramatic repercussions that PDs have on social contexts. Some of these disorders, such as borderline PD, antisocial PD, in their most tragic expression, are the basis of problems related to crime, sexual violence, abuse, and mistreatment of minors. Many authors propose a dimensional classification of personality pathology, which has received empirical support from numerous studies over the last 20 years based on more robust theoretical principles than those applied to current nosography. The present study investigates the nature of the research carried out in the last years on the personality in the clinical field exploring the contents of current research on personality relapses, evaluating, on the one hand, the emerging areas of greatest interest and others, those that they stopped generating sufficient motivations in scholars. This study evaluates text patterns regarding how the terms “personality” and “mental health” are used in titles and abstracts published in PubMed in the last 5 years. We use a topic analysis: Latent Dirichlet Allocation that expresses every report as a probabilistic distribution of latent topics that are represented as a probabilistic distribution of words. A total of 7,572 abstracts (from 2012 to 2017) were retrieved from PubMed for the query on “mental health” and “personality.” The study found 30 topics organized in eight hierarchical clusters that describe the type of current research carried out on personality and its clinical relapse. The hierarchical clusters latent themes were the following: social dimensions, clinical aspects, biological issues, clinical history of PD, internalization and externalization symptoms, impulsive behaviors, comorbidities, criminal behaviors. The results indicate that the concept of personality is associated with a wide range of conditions. The study of personality and mental health still proceeds, mainly, according to a practical-clinical approach; too little moves, however, according to an innovative research approach, but the work shows the common commitment of scholars to a new way of dealing with the study of personality.