New Guidelines in Italy for the Regulation of Odour Emissions

An Executive Decree was published in Italy on 28 June 2023 by which the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) adopted the guidelines for the management of odorous emissions from industrial plants and activities. The document provides a framework to be used in the investigation and decision-making procedures of the authorities responsible for environmental authorisations and for the future development of regional and state legislation. The guidelines contain criteria and detailed rules for the application of Article 272 bis of Legislative Decree 152/2006, the Italian Environmental Code. After a brief overview of the concept of channelled emissions, diffuse emissions and technically conveyable emissions, with a particular focus on odorous emissions, this paper aims to analyse, from a technical and legal point of view, the main contents of these guidelines

Measuring the Applications of the Subject Doctorate to Academic Librarianship in North America

This work records and discusses the results of an anonymous web-based survey administered in January and February of 2019 to academic librarians with subject doctorates (i.e. PhDs in disciplines outside of library and information science) employed in North America. Respondents answered a mixture of quantitative and qualitative questions about the fields of their PhDs, their MLSs or equivalent degrees, their current positions in academic libraries, and the relevancy of their doctoral training to their current positions. According to the principal finding of this study, a majority of those librarians surveyed apply their doctoral training directly to their current positions in academic libraries, albeit at lower rates than those observed in the preceding decade. Statistically significant correlations were found between the relevancy of respondents’ doctoral training to their current positions, the accreditation status of their MLS or equivalent, and the year they began their current positions.Master of Science in Library Scienc

Smart safety harness / Muhammad Zarith Idham Zalin and Mohamad Hamdan Othman

The construction industry in Malaysia has become one of the sectors with the highest growth rate. As a result of this growth, the demand for safety harnesses has also increased as many high-rise buildings are constructed nowadays. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is an important equipment that is worn by construction workers to protect themselves from risks of workspace hazards that can lead to serious injuries. In this study, safety harness was selected as one of the PPE options for innovation. It is anticipated to improve the performance of this equipment, ultimately making construction tasks both easier and safer. Based on the previous research, there are various challenges relating to the use of safety harness that might compromise the comfort and safety of the construction workers. By identifying these significant challenges, novel solutions can be proposed. In view of that, this study aims to improve the existing safety harness by applying new technological innovations that can provide enough safety to the construction workers

Genetic variation and exercise-induced muscle damage: implications for athletic performance, injury and ageing.

Prolonged unaccustomed exercise involving muscle lengthening (eccentric) actions can result in ultrastructural muscle disruption, impaired excitation-contraction coupling, inflammation and muscle protein degradation. This process is associated with delayed onset muscle soreness and is referred to as exercise-induced muscle damage. Although a certain amount of muscle damage may be necessary for adaptation to occur, excessive damage or inadequate recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage can increase injury risk, particularly in older individuals, who experience more damage and require longer to recover from muscle damaging exercise than younger adults. Furthermore, it is apparent that inter-individual variation exists in the response to exercise-induced muscle damage, and there is evidence that genetic variability may play a key role. Although this area of research is in its infancy, certain gene variations, or polymorphisms have been associated with exercise-induced muscle damage (i.e. individuals with certain genotypes experience greater muscle damage, and require longer recovery, following strenuous exercise). These polymorphisms include ACTN3 (R577X, rs1815739), TNF (-308 G>A, rs1800629), IL6 (-174 G>C, rs1800795), and IGF2 (ApaI, 17200 G>A, rs680). Knowing how someone is likely to respond to a particular type of exercise could help coaches/practitioners individualise the exercise training of their athletes/patients, thus maximising recovery and adaptation, while reducing overload-associated injury risk. The purpose of this review is to provide a critical analysis of the literature concerning gene polymorphisms associated with exercise-induced muscle damage, both in young and older individuals, and to highlight the potential mechanisms underpinning these associations, thus providing a better understanding of exercise-induced muscle damage

Synthesis, characterization and corrosion inhibition screening of Co(II) Dithiocarbamate Complexes: Co[BuMedtc]2 and Co[EtBenzdtc]2 / Nur Zalin Khaleda Razali ... [et al.]

Mild steel is a type of carbon steel with quite a low carbon content, or particularly known as plain- carbon steel. It is often used as a construction material because of its relatively low price. However, unlike stainless steel, it has low corrosion resistance, therefore some form of protective film should be applied to prevent it from rusting in corrosive environment. The inhibiting action of the synthesized dithiocarbamates (DTC), namely, Co(II) N-butylmethyldithiocarbamate, Co[BuMedtc]2 and Co(II) N- ethylbenzyldithiocarbamate, Co[EtBenzdtc]2 towards the corrosion behavior of mild steel in acidic solution was studied. The proposed structures of complexes were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), gravimetric analysis, molar conductivity, and melting point measurement. The analyses data deduced that the DTC ligands have successfully coordinated to Co(II) ion in a bidentate manner. The corrosion inhibition study showed that Co[BuMedtc]2 was a better corrosion inhibitor as compared to Co[EtBenzdtc]2 because this is most likely due to the presence of a less bulky alkyl substituent (-CH3) in Cu[BuMedtc]2 and hence, showing great corrosion inhibition performance. Besides, the shorter the alkyl chain length in Cu[BuMedtc]2, the higher the solubility of the complex in the acid medium. The complexes showed better effectiveness in hydrochloric acid (HCl) rather than sulphuric acid (H2SO4) solution. The corrosion happened more actively in HCl than H2SO4 due to the chloride ions showing more destructive effect than sulfate ion on the carburized low carbon steel samples. In addition, when the concentration of inhibitor increases, the corrosion rate will decrease

Gateways as inter-modal nodes in different ages: The Venetian region, eighteenth to twentieth centuries

This paper focuses on the theoretical implications of a regional case studyfor the analysis of transportation networks and gateway functions. Thestarting point is the result of a research on the changing role of gateways,and on the relocation of the gateway function from one city to a series ofcities in the Venetian region from the eighteenth to the twentieth century.Against this evolution, I test the validity and usefulness of a definition of thegateway as a point of inter-modal exchange for its historical interpretation.Changing transport technologies involve different organisations of inter-modal exchanges, and imply more or less intense economic functions ofgateway cities. These changes intertwine with political events and deci-sions, and more general economic changes: they could at the same time beread as an effect of these transformations, and as a causal factor. From this perspective, a study of intermodality shows to be useful to shed new lighton specific changes in the structure of urban hierarchie

Mast cell tryptase stimulates myoblast proliferation; a mechanism relying on protease-activated receptor-2 and cyclooxygenase-2

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mast cells contribute to tissue repair in fibrous tissues by stimulating proliferation of fibroblasts through the release of tryptase which activates protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2). The possibility that a tryptase/PAR-2 signaling pathway exists in skeletal muscle cell has never been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether tryptase can stimulate myoblast proliferation and determine the downstream cascade.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Proliferation of L6 rat skeletal myoblasts stimulated with PAR-2 agonists (tryptase, trypsin and SLIGKV) was assessed. The specificity of the tryptase effect was evaluated with a specific inhibitor, APC-366. Western blot analyses were used to evaluate the expression and functionality of PAR-2 receptor and to assess the expression of COX-2. COX-2 activity was evaluated with a commercial activity assay kit and by measurement of PGF₂α production. Proliferation assays were also performed in presence of different prostaglandins (PGs).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Tryptase increased L6 myoblast proliferation by 35% above control group and this effect was completely inhibited by APC-366. We confirmed the expression of PAR-2 receptor <it>in vivo </it>in skeletal muscle cells and in satellite cells and <it>in vitro </it>in L6 cells, where PAR-2 was found to be functional. Trypsin and SLIGKV increased L6 cells proliferation by 76% and 26% above control, respectively. COX-2 activity was increased following stimulation with PAR-2 agonist but its expression remained unchanged. Inhibition of COX-2 activity by NS-398 abolished the stimulation of cell proliferation induced by tryptase and trypsin. Finally, 15-deoxy-Δ-^12,14-prostaglandin J₂(15Δ-PGJ₂), a product of COX-2-derived prostaglandin D₂, stimulated myoblast proliferation, but not PGE₂and PGF₂α.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Taken together, our data show that tryptase can stimulate myoblast proliferation and this effect is part of a signaling cascade dependent on PAR-2 activation and on the downstream activation of COX-2.</p

CREB Is Activated by Muscle Injury and Promotes Muscle Regeneration

The cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) plays key roles in differentiation of embryonic skeletal muscle progenitors and survival of adult skeletal muscle. However, little is known about the physiologic signals that activate CREB in normal muscle. Here we show that CREB phosphorylation and target genes are induced after acute muscle injury and during regeneration due to genetic mutation. Activated CREB localizes to both myogenic precursor cells and newly regenerating myofibers within regenerating areas. Moreover, we found that signals from damaged skeletal muscle tissue induce CREB phosphorylation and target gene expression in primary mouse myoblasts. An activated CREB mutant (CREBY134F) potentiates myoblast proliferation as well as expression of early myogenic transcription factors in cultured primary myocytes. Consistently, activated CREB-YF promotes myoblast proliferation after acute muscle injury in vivo and enhances muscle regeneration in dystrophic mdx mice. Our findings reveal a new physiologic function for CREB in contributing to skeletal muscle regeneration

Augmentation of keratinocyte differentiation by the epidermal mitogen, 8-bromo-cAMP

The effect of the epidermal mitogen, 8-bromo-cAMP, on keratinocyte differentiation was studied. A 3 x 10-4 M dose of 8-bromo-cAMP was added to primary neonatal mouse epidermal keratinocyte cultures that slowly proliferate, stratify and differentiate over 2-3 weeks time. [3H]Thymidine autoradiography coupled with an NH4Cl plus reducing agent technic which separates basal and differentiating keratinocytes was used to determine the target cell for the 8-bromo-cAMP mitogenic effect. A histologic stain and a four buffer protein extraction protocol, in conjunction with PAGE and fluorographic technics, were used to assess the differentiation of the cultures. The data indicated that 8-bromo-cAMP primarily stimulated the proliferation of the basal cell monolayer. Simultaneous with the mitogenic effect was an increase in the production of keratohyalin granule, keratin and cell envelope proteins, which are specific markers of epidermal differentiation. The results indicate that keratinocytes stimulated by the epidermal mitogen 8-bromo-cAMP simultaneously express differentiation-related processes.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/25070/1/0000501.pd

A Proof Theoretic Analysis of Intruder Theories

We consider the problem of intruder deduction in security protocol analysis: that is, deciding whether a given message M can be deduced from a set of messages Gamma under the theory of blind signatures and arbitrary convergent equational theories modulo associativity and commutativity (AC) of certain binary operators. The traditional formulations of intruder deduction are usually given in natural-deduction-like systems and proving decidability requires significant effort in showing that the rules are "local" in some sense. By using the well-known translation between natural deduction and sequent calculus, we recast the intruder deduction problem as proof search in sequent calculus, in which locality is immediate. Using standard proof theoretic methods, such as permutability of rules and cut elimination, we show that the intruder deduction problem can be reduced, in polynomial time, to the elementary deduction problem, which amounts to solving certain equations in the underlying individual equational theories. We show that this result extends to combinations of disjoint AC-convergent theories whereby the decidability of intruder deduction under the combined theory reduces to the decidability of elementary deduction in each constituent theory. To further demonstrate the utility of the sequent-based approach, we show that, for Dolev-Yao intruders, our sequent-based techniques can be used to solve the more difficult problem of solving deducibility constraints, where the sequents to be deduced may contain gaps (or variables) representing possible messages the intruder may produce.Comment: Extended version of RTA 2009 pape