Role of MWCNTs Loading in Designing Self-Sensing and Self-Heating Structural Elements.

This work proposes nanocomposites with carbon nanotubes characterized by self-sensing and self-heating properties. Recently, a growing interest in these two properties has been found in many industrial sectors, especially in the aerospace and automotive fields. While the self-sensing function allows diagnosing the presence of micro-damage in the material thanks to the detection of residual resistance, the self-heating function is exploited to properly tune the heating performance in terms of the heating rate and final temperature values. An electrical percolation value of around 0.5% by weight of carbon nanotubes was found by electrical characterization. The AC conductivity of the nanocomposites, in the range of 100 Hz to 1 MHz, evidences that beyond a CNTs amount of 0.5% wt/wt, they are characterized by a purely resistive behavior. The self-sensing analysis displayed a gauge factor value of 4.1. The solid thermal stability up to 300 °C makes the material suitable as a heating element at high temperatures. SEM investigations and temperature maps evidence a good dispersion of the conductive filler in the epoxy matrix and, consequently, good isotropy in heat distribution. As regards the trend of electrical resistance by varying the temperature, the electro-thermal investigation has shown the presence of both Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) and Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) behaviors with a predominance of NTC as soon as the temperature becomes closer to the glass transition temperature of the epoxy resin.

Disentangling binge eating disorder and food addiction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The concept of "Food Addiction" has been based on criteria of Substance Use Disorder. Several studies suggested a relationship between food addiction and eating disorders, but little is known about its extent or role. We aim at exploring if food addiction is coincident with a specific eating disorder (binge eating disorder appears the closest) or it is a separate diagnostic entity that afflicts in comorbidity with eating disorders or other conditions like obesity or even in the general population. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis analyzed observational studies with a comparative estimation on rates of subjects affected by binge eating disorder and food addiction. RESULTS: Binge eating disorder shows higher comorbidity with food addiction compared to other eating disorders (OR = 1.33, 95% CI, 0.64-2.76; c2 = 4.42; p = 0.44;I2 = 0%), or each eating disorder [anorexia nervosa purging type (OR = 1.93, 95% CI, 0.20-18.92; p = 0.57) and restrictive type (OR = 8.75, 95% CI, 1.08-70.70; p = 0.04)], obese patients (OR = 5.72, 95% CI, 3.25-10.09; p = < 0.0001) and individuals from the general population (OR = 55.41, 95% CI, 8.16-376.10; c2 = 18.50; p < 0.0001; I2 = 0%)but has decreased prevalence when compared to bulimia nervosa (OR = 0.85, 95% CI, 0.33-2.22; c2 = 0.35; p = 0.74; I2 = 0%). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that the prevalence of food addiction in binge eating disorder is higher than in other eating disorders except in bulimia nervosa. Moreover, it is a separate diagnostic reality and can be detected in people without mental illness and in the general population. Food addiction might have a prognostic value, since in comorbidity, and should be addressed to boost treatment efficacy and patient's recovery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I: Evidence obtained systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Therapeutic termination of pregnancy and women's mental health: Determinants and consequences.

The therapeutic termination of pregnancy (TToP) is an induced abortion following a diagnosis of medical necessity. TToP is applied to avoid the risk of substantial harm to the mother or in cases of fetal unviability. This type of induced abortion is provided after the second semester of gestation if fetal illness or the pregnancy cause physical danger or pathological mental distress to the mother. Socio-cultural and economic determinants could influence the desire for children and family planning in couples, as well as the use of effective contraception and the choice to perform an induced abortion. Also, pre-existing mental health problems could affect the decision between carrying on a problematic pregnancy or having TToP. Furthermore, the TToP is a reproductive event with an important traumatic burden, but also with an intrinsic therapeutic effect and it can produce different psychological and psychopathological effects on women and couples. The aim of this review is to evaluate what demographic, reproductive and psychopathological determinants are involved in the choice of undergoing a TToP in women. Also, we will examine both positive and negative consequences of this procedure on women's mental health, underlying which factors are related to a worse outcome in order to provide the best clinical support to vulnerable groups.

Child abuse and psychopathy: Interplay, gender differences and biological correlates.

Child abuse is an important source of mental and physical adverse consequences for victims, their family, and their community. The impact of violence during childhood on the development of the victim is a very sensitive theme. Other than internalizing symptoms, it is interesting to analyze the possibility that a victim may assume the role of persecutor. With this aim, we evaluate Literature and examine the interplay among different types of child abuse (emotional neglect, emotional abuse, physical neglect, physical abuse and sexual abuse) and the development of psychopathy. We consider the role of post-traumatic stress disorder and that of personal environment as potential mediators between abuse and psychopathy. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis on possible differences due to the victim's gender is performed. Finally, analysis focused on genetic variants, such as the polymorphism of 5HTT and MAO-A, or a biological alteration, like the difference in daily cortisol levels that could be related to the development of psychopathy after a trauma.