Abstract: A combined electrospinning and microextrusion apparatus includes a robotic manipulator having a plurality of degrees of freedom, an end effector supported and movable by the robotic manipulator, a plurality of extruders housed on the end effector, each extruder having an interchangeable nozzle for extrusion of material, a working plane for deposition of extruded material, a pneumatic circuit supplying a fluid flow to the extruders for controlling extrusion of material, and an electric generator selectively activatable to apply a potential difference between the nozzles of the extruders and the working plane. The extruders are capable of operating selectively in microextrusion mode with inactive electric generator or in electrospinning mode with active electric generator, in an independent manner from each other.

Abstract: Logistic device, for handling a package being collected that defines a contact surface with items not being collected, including a first robotic arm including adaptive gripper having at least three degrees of freedom to modify adaptive gripper position and spatial orientation; a second robotic arm including an end effector defining a resting surface and three degrees of freedom to modify end effector position and spatial orientation; control unit to command the first robotic arm to contact the adaptive gripper and package, to deform the adaptive gripper according to adhesion surface between the package and move the package from a storage position wherein the contact surface contacts the items and a collection position wherein the contact surface does not contact the items; the second robotic arm bringing the end effector resting surface into contact with the contact surface; and then the second robotic arm to move the package.

Abstract: A device for determining the real evapotranspiration of a vegetated surface of a soil includes a porous evaporator, at least one portion of which has resistance to water vapor flow depending on a parameter, the porous evaporator having an upper surface exposed to the atmosphere, a tank of liquid water underlying the porous evaporator to which the tank is connected by a suction tube, and provided with a meter for measuring water level, a sensor for measuring the humidity value of the soil, and a CPU controlling the parameter on which the resistance to the water vapor flow through the porous evaporator depends, depending on the humidity value of the soil detected by the sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to dense synthetic membranes made from polymerised phosphonium-based ionic liquids which were found to be particularly suitable for use in gas separation. The membranes are obtainable by copolymerization via UV-curing of a composition comprising a phosphonium-based ionic liquid monomer, a co-monomer, a cross-linker, a surfactant and a photo-initiator, the remainder of the polymerization mixture consisting of water. The invention also relates to a process of manufacturing said membranes, resulting in solid, dense and mechanically stable membranes, and to the use of the membranes so produced in the separation of gas mixtures, particularly gas mixtures containing carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds having structural formula (I) wherein R1 and R2 are defined as set forth in the description. The invention also relates to a process for the manufacture of the above compounds of formula (I), wherein a 4a,7,8,8a-tetrahydropyrido[4,3-e]-1,4,2-dioxazine reacts with a hydride selected from the group consisting of: lithium triethylborohydride (LiBHEt3), sodium triethylborohydride (NaBHEt3), and lithium tetrahydroaluminate (LiAlH4), in the presence of tetrahydrofuran. Furthermore, the invention is aimed at the above compounds of formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, for use in medicine, preferably in the treatment of the diabetes and pathologies or conditions correlated thereto.

Abstract: An artificial hand is provided. The artificial includes phalanges suitable to reproduce at least one finger, hinges hinging a first element identifying a phalanx to a second element identifying a second phalanx, and an implementation mechanism suitable to command a reciprocal rotation between the hinges defining a mutual rotation speed between the first and second element. The hinges define different damping coefficients so that, during a mutual rotation of the first and second element, they are subject to distinct damping forces opposing mutual rotation and proportional to the mutual rotation speed so as to vary the movement of the artificial hand as a function of the mutual rotation speed.

Abstract: Provided is a robotic hand which includes a palm, a plurality of phalanges adapted to reproduce a plurality of fingers, and an actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism may include a first pulley located at each hinge and bound to the first element, second pulleys located at each of the hinges and bound to the second element, a single cable running in all of the pulleys and a motor adapted to act on the cable by controlling the rotation of the phalanges.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds having structural formula (I) wherein R1 and R2 are defined as set forth in the description. The invention also relates to a process for the manufacture of the above compounds of formula (I), wherein a 4a,7,8,8a-tetrahydropyrido[4,3-e]-1,4,2-dioxazine reacts with a hydride selected from the group consisting of: lithium triethylborohydride (LiBHEt3), sodium triethylborohydride (NaBHEt3), and lithium tetrahydroaluminate (LiAlH4), in the presence of tetrahydrofuran. Furthermore, the invention is aimed at the above compounds of formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, for use in medicine, preferably in the treatment of the diabetes and pathologies or conditions correlated thereto.

Abstract: An artificial hand is provided. The artificial includes phalanges suitable to reproduce at least one finger, hinges hinging a first element identifying a phalanx to a second element identifying a second phalanx, and an implementation mechanism suitable to command a reciprocal rotation between the hinges defining a mutual rotation speed between the first and second element. The hinges define different damping coefficients so that, during a mutual rotation of the first and second element, they are subject to distinct damping forces opposing mutual rotation and proportional to the mutual rotation speed so as to vary the movement of the artificial hand as a function of the mutual rotation speed.

Abstract: Provided is a robotic hand which includes a palm, a plurality of phalanges adapted to reproduce a plurality of fingers, and an actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism may include a first pulley located at each hinge and bound to the first element, second pulleys located at each of the hinges and bound to the second element, a single cable running in all of the pulleys and a motor adapted to act on the cable by controlling the rotation of the phalanges.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds of general formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: (I) wherein Ri is selected from an SCN— group or is an RCONH— group; in particular, where Ri=RCONH, R is selected from an aromatic benzene ring substituted with an SCN— group in the ortho, meta or para position, according to the following formula: SCN— or R is a C1-C4 alkyl chain, substituted with an SCN— group; n can be equal to 0 or else 1. The invention also relates to the use of such compounds for the treatment of osteoporosis and in general of bone pathologies characterized by a progressive loss of bone mass, for example rheumatoid arthritis, hyperparathyroidism or bone tumor metastases.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds of general formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: (I) wherein Ri is selected from an SCN— group or is an RCONH— group; in particular, where Ri=RCONH, R is selected from an aromatic benzene ring substituted with an SCN— group in the ortho, meta or para position, according to the following formula: SCN— or R is a C1-C4 alkyl chain, substituted with an SCN— group; n can be equal to 0 or else 1.

Abstract: The invention is a field-effect transistor with a channel consisting of a thin sheet of one or more atomic layers of lateral heterostructures based on hybridized graphene. The role of lateral heterostructures is to modify the energy gap in the channel so as to enable the effective operation of the transistor in all bias regions. This solution solves the problem of the missing bandgap in single-layer and multi-layer graphene, which does not allow the fabrication of transistors that can be efficiently switched off. The possibility of fabricating lateral heterostructures, with patterns of domains with different energy dispersion relations, enables the realization of field-effect transistors with additional functionalities with respect to common transistors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel synthetic analogs of xanthohumol and the use thereof.

Abstract: A variable pliability actuator is provided to move a movable component including two electric rotary motors, at least one output shaft connected to be set in rotation by the motors around a rotation axis, an elastic transmission system to enable motion transfer from the motors to the output shaft and to vary the pliability the output shaft, a control unit to adjust at least the pliability of the output shaft through the elastic transmission system, and a holding structure to hold at least the motors, the elastic transmission system, the output shaft and the control unit. The holding structure has a driving output placed at the outer surface controlled by the output shaft and connected to set the movable component in rotation about the rotation axis, at least one stiff coupling element to enable a stiff connection of the holding structure, and a support output opposite the driving output, substantially coaxial with the rotation axis and partly housing and stabilizing the rotation of the movable component.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses compounds having general formula (I) able to inhibit the lactate production (lactic acid) involved in the angiogenesis of tumoral tissues, in the glycolytic metabolic process of tumoral cells, of immune system cells in asthmatic diseases, in vascular cells in the pulmonary hypertension, in the treatment of chronic back pain or hyperoxaluria, and in the process by which the parasites protozoan causing malaria obtain most of the necessary energy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new copolymers made of polylactic acid and aromatic polycarbonate, to processes for their preparation and their uses.

Abstract: A method is described for detecting the gamma-glutamyl transferase enzyme isoforms (GGT, EC 2.3.2.2) in a sample of biological fluid, such as for example plasma or serum. The method comprises an HPLC separation step of the sample proteins based on the molecular size and a second step for detecting the GGT isoforms by post-column reaction with a GGT enzyme substrate capable of generating a detectable final product, preferably by spectrophotometric or fluorimetric means. The GGT isoforms can be separated by ultra-centrifugation, thereby obtaining three enzymatic isoforms characterized by molecular weights of approximately 2000, 940, and 140 KDa, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention concerns compounds, some of which are novel, and their pharmaceutical applications. The compounds of the invention inhibit the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) involved both in the metabolic process of hypoxic tumour cells, and in the process used by parasitic protozoa that cause malaria to obtain most of the energy they need.

Abstract: A variable pliability actuator for moving a movable component and including rotary electric motors, an output shaft rotated by the motors, around a rotation axis an elastic transmission system for transferring motion from the motors to the output shaft and for varying the pliability of output shaft, a control unit for adjusting that pliability through the elastic transmission system, and a holding structure defining an outer surface and an inner volume for holding the electric motors, elastic transmission system, output shaft and control unit. The holding structure has a driving output controlled by the output shaft and rotates the movable component, at least one stiff coupling element for enabling a stiff connection of the holding structure, and a support output opposite to the driving output and substantially coaxial with the rotation axis to partly house and stabilize the rotation of the movable component.