University of Palermo

About: University of Palermo is a education organization based out in Palermo, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 15621 authors who have published 40250 publications receiving 964384 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Palermo & Universita degli Studi di Palermo.

Maternal Diet and Nutrient Requirements in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding. An Italian Consensus Document

Abstract: The importance of lifestyle and dietary habits during pregnancy and breastfeeding, for health of mothers and their offspring, is widely supported by the most recent scientific literature. The consumption of a varied and balanced diet from the preconceptional period is essential to ensure both maternal well-being and pregnancy outcomes. However, the risk of inadequate intakes of specific micronutrients in pregnancy and lactation is high even in the most industrialized countries. This particularly applies to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), iron, iodine, calcium, folic acid, and vitamin D, also in the Italian population. Moreover, the risk of not reaching the adequate nutrient supply is increased for selected groups of women of childbearing age: those following exclusion diets, underweight or overweight/obese, smokers, adolescents, mothers who have had multiple or close pregnancies, and those with previous unfavorable pregnancy outcomes.

Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and Periodontitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract: Background: Several epidemiological studies have reported an association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and periodontal diseases (PDs). The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the existence and magnitude of this association. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of the literature was conducted looking for case-control, cross-sectional, cohort studies and population surveys including patients with measures of MetS and PD. Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and Cochrane library databases were used for the search by 2 independent reviewers. A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the association for coexistence of MetS and PD. Results: A total of 20 studies were included in the review, from an initial search of 3486 titles. Only 1 study reported longitudinal data on the onset of MetS components in association with periodontal measures. However, several studies investigated coexistence. A random effects meta-analysis showed that the presence of MetS is associated with the presence of peri...

Model Predictive Control for Shunt Active Filters With Fixed Switching Frequency

Abstract: This paper presents a modification to the classical Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithm and its application to active power filters. The proposed control is able to retain all the advantages of a finite control set MPC while improving the generated waveforms harmonic spectrum. In fact, a modulation algorithm, based on the cost function ratio for different output vectors, is inherently included in the MPC. The cost function-based modulator is introduced and its effectiveness on reducing the current ripple is demonstrated. The presented solution provides an effective and straightforward single loop controller, maintaining an excellent dynamic performance despite the modulated output and it is self-synchronizing with the grid. This promising method is applied to the control of a shunt active filter for harmonic content reduction through a reactive power compensation methodology. Significant results obtained by experimental testing are reported and commented, showing that MPC is a viable control solution for active filtering systems.

How do freshwater organisms cross the “dry ocean”? A review on passive dispersal and colonization processes with a special focus on temporary ponds

Abstract: Lakes and ponds are scattered on Earth’s surface as islands in the ocean. The organisms inhabiting these ecosystems have thus developed strategies to pass the barrier represented by the surrounding land, to disperse and to colonize new environments. The evidences of a high potential for passive long-range dispersal of organisms producing resting stages inspired the idea that there were no real barriers to their actual dispersal, and that their distribution was only limited by the ecological characteristics of the available habitats. The development of genetic techniques allowed to criticize this view and revealed the existence of a more complex and diverse biological scenario governed by an assortment of historical and ecological factors. In this paper, we review the literature related to the passive dispersal of organisms producing resting stages among inland lentic ecosystems, with special emphasis to temporary ponds, which represent “isolated” ecosystems both in space and in time, and are characterized by high levels of biological diversity. The existence of a sharp decoupling between “dispersal potential” and “actual establishment rates” is stressed, thus urging a definitive overcome of the so-called “Everything is Everywhere” hypothesis in order to gain a proper understanding of the biogeography and ecology of inland water organisms.