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- Artini, Cristina, et al.
(author)
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Roadmap on thermoelectricity
- 2023
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In: Nanotechnology. - : IOP Publishing Ltd. - 0957-4484 .- 1361-6528. ; 34:29
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The increasing energy demand and the ever more pressing need for clean technologies of energy conversion pose one of the most urgent and complicated issues of our age. Thermoelectricity, namely the direct conversion of waste heat into electricity, is a promising technique based on a long-standing physical phenomenon, which still has not fully developed its potential, mainly due to the low efficiency of the process. In order to improve the thermoelectric performance, a huge effort is being made by physicists, materials scientists and engineers, with the primary aims of better understanding the fundamental issues ruling the improvement of the thermoelectric figure of merit, and finally building the most efficient thermoelectric devices. In this Roadmap an overview is given about the most recent experimental and computational results obtained within the Italian research community on the optimization of composition and morphology of some thermoelectric materials, as well as on the design of thermoelectric and hybrid thermoelectric/photovoltaic devices.
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- Berne, Olivier, et al.
(author)
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PDRs4All : A JWST Early Release Science Program on Radiative Feedback from Massive Stars
- 2022
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In: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. - : IOP Publishing. - 0004-6280 .- 1538-3873. ; 134:1035
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Massive stars disrupt their natal molecular cloud material through radiative and mechanical feedback processes. These processes have profound effects on the evolution of interstellar matter in our Galaxy and throughout the universe, from the era of vigorous star formation at redshifts of 1-3 to the present day. The dominant feedback processes can be probed by observations of the Photo-Dissociation Regions (PDRs) where the far-ultraviolet photons of massive stars create warm regions of gas and dust in the neutral atomic and molecular gas. PDR emission provides a unique tool to study in detail the physical and chemical processes that are relevant for most of the mass in inter- and circumstellar media including diffuse clouds, proto-planetary disks, and molecular cloud surfaces, globules, planetary nebulae, and star-forming regions. PDR emission dominates the infrared (IR) spectra of star-forming galaxies. Most of the Galactic and extragalactic observations obtained with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will therefore arise in PDR emission. In this paper we present an Early Release Science program using the MIRI, NIRSpec, and NIRCam instruments dedicated to the observations of an emblematic and nearby PDR: the Orion Bar. These early JWST observations will provide template data sets designed to identify key PDR characteristics in JWST observations. These data will serve to benchmark PDR models and extend them into the JWST era. We also present the Science-Enabling products that we will provide to the community. These template data sets and Science-Enabling products will guide the preparation of future proposals on star-forming regions in our Galaxy and beyond and will facilitate data analysis and interpretation of forthcoming JWST observations.
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- Chiesa, Nicoletta, et al.
(author)
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The KCNQ1OT1 imprinting control region and non-coding RNA : new properties derived from the study of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and Silver-Russell syndrome cases
- 2012
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 21:1, s. 10-25
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A cluster of imprinted genes at chromosome 11p15.5 is associated with the growth disorders, Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS). The cluster is divided into two domains with independent imprinting control regions (ICRs). We describe two maternal 11p15.5 microduplications with contrasting phenotypes. The first is an inverted and in cis duplication of the entire 11p15.5 cluster associated with the maintenance of genomic imprinting and with the SRS phenotype. The second is a 160 kb duplication also inverted and in cis, but resulting in the imprinting alteration of the centromeric domain. It includes the centromeric ICR (ICR2) and the most 5' 20 kb of the non-coding KCNQ1OT1 gene. Its maternal transmission is associated with ICR2 hypomethylation and the BWS phenotype. By excluding epigenetic mosaicism, cell clones analysis indicated that the two closely located ICR2 sequences resulting from the 160 kb duplication carried discordant DNA methylation on the maternal chromosome and supported the hypothesis that the ICR2 sequence is not sufficient for establishing imprinted methylation and some other property, possibly orientation-dependent, is needed. Furthermore, the 1.2 Mb duplication demonstrated that all features are present for correct imprinting at ICR2 when this is duplicated and inverted within the entire cluster. In the individuals maternally inheriting the 160 kb duplication, ICR2 hypomethylation led to the expression of a truncated KCNQ1OT1 transcript and to down-regulation of CDKN1C. We demonstrated by chromatin RNA immunopurification that the KCNQ1OT1 RNA interacts with chromatin through its most 5' 20 kb sequence, providing a mechanism likely mediating the silencing activity of this long non-coding RNA.
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- Coradeschi, Silvia, et al.
(author)
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GiraffPlus : A System for Monitoring Activities and Physiological Parameters and Promoting Social Interaction for Elderly
- 2014
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In: Human-Computer Systems Interaction. - Cham : Springer. - 2194-5357. - 9783319084909 - 9783319084916 ; , s. 261-271
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This chapter presents a telehealth system called GiraffPlus supporting independent living of elderly in their own home. GiraffPlus system is a complex system which monitors activities and physiological parameters in the home using a network of sensors. The elaborated information is presented to the primary user, the elderly, and to secondary users like health care and home care providers and possibly to family members as a help to assess possible health and wellbeing deterioration, provide acute alarms, and support health procedure. The secondary users can also visit the elderly via the Giraff, a teleoperated robot that can communicate and move in the home under the control of the secondary user. The chapter focusses in particular on the deployment of the system in six real homes in Sweden, Italy and Spain. The chapter outlines the technological various components used, the expectations of the users and the evaluation method.
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- Coradeschi, Silvia, 1968-, et al.
(author)
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GiraffPlus : combining social interaction and long term monitoring for promoting independent living
- 2013
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In: 2013 6TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HUMAN SYSTEM INTERACTIONS (HSI). - New York : IEEE. - 9781467356374 - 9781467356350 ; , s. 578-585
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Early detection and adaptive support to changing individual needs related to ageing is an important challenge in today’s society. In this paper we present a system called GiraffPlus that aims at addressing such a challenge and is developed in an on-going European project. The system consists of a network of home sensors that can be automatically configured to collect data for a range of monitoring services; a semi-autonomous telepresence robot; a sophisticated context recognition system that can give high-level and long term interpretations of the collected data and respond to certain events; and personalized services delivered through adaptive user interfaces for primary users. The system performs a range of services including data collection and analysis of long term trends in behaviors and physiological parameters (e.g. relating to sleep or daily activity); warnings, alarms and reminders; and social interaction through the telepresence robot. The latter is based on the Giraff telepresence robot, which is already in place in a number of homes. Particular emphasis is put on user evaluation outside the laboratories. A distinctive aspect of the project is that the GiraffPlus system will be installed and evaluated in at least 15 homes of elderly people. The concept of “useworthiness” is central in order to assure that the GiraffPlus system provides services that are easy to use and worth using. In addition, by using existing and affordable components we strive to achieve a system that is affordable and close to commercialization.
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- Palumbo, Filippo, et al.
(author)
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Sensor Network Infrastructure for a Home Care Monitoring System
- 2014
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In: Sensors. - Basel : MDPI AG. - 1424-8220. ; 14:3, s. 3833-3860
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the sensor network infrastructure for a home care system that allows long-term monitoring of physiological data and everyday activities. The aim of the proposed system is to allow the elderly to live longer in their home without compromising safety and ensuring the detection of health problems. The system offers the possibility of a virtual visit via a teleoperated robot. During the visit, physiological data and activities occurring during a period of time can be discussed. These data are collected from physiological sensors (e.g., temperature, blood pressure, glucose) and environmental sensors (e.g., motion, bed/chair occupancy, electrical usage). The system can also give alarms if sudden problems occur, like a fall, and warnings based on more long-term trends, such as the deterioration of health being detected. It has been implemented and tested in a test environment and has been deployed in six real homes for a year-long evaluation. The key contribution of the paper is the presentation of an implemented system for ambient assisted living (AAL) tested in a real environment, combining the acquisition of sensor data, a flexible and adaptable middleware compliant with the OSGistandard and a context recognition application. The system has been developed in a European project called GiraffPlus.
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