ALBERT

Description: Sustainability, Vol. 10, Pages 782: A Review of Last Mile Logistics Innovations in an Externalities Cost Reduction Vision Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su10030782 Authors: Luigi Ranieri Salvatore Digiesi Bartolomeo Silvestri Michele Roccotelli In this paper, a review of the recent scientific literature contributions on innovative strategies for last mile logistics, focusing on externalities cost reduction, is presented. Transport is causing problems in urban areas, in particular in freight transport: modern cities need solutions to reduce externalities costs such as congestion, pollution and others, which have increased in the last few years, especially due to the growth of goods delivery. Online sales and globalization lead to new trends in freight transport, and moreover, a larger quantity of goods is expected to be delivered in the next future. In this context, most of the delivered goods end up in the city centers. Last mile logistics is the least efficient stage of the supply chain and comprises up to 28% of the total delivery cost. Therefore, the improvement of last mile logistics and a significant externalities reduction are very important challenges for researchers. New technologies and transport means, innovative techniques and organizational strategies allow handling in a more effective way the last mile delivery in urban areas. Based on the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, recent papers that significantly contributed, with original proposals, to the reduction of externalities in urban logistics are identified and analyzed in this work. Furthermore, a classification of the papers dealing with the externality reduction problem is presented. It is consistent with a general formulation proposed to evaluate external costs in urban area. The innovative contributions are classified into five main categories: innovative vehicles, proximity stations or points, collaborative and cooperative urban logistics, optimization of transport management and routing, innovations in public policies and infrastructures. The new paradigm of smart logistics is based on the combination of these concepts and on the proposed innovations.

Description: Stirling engines have a high potential to produce renewable energy due to their ability to use a wide range of sustainable heat sources, such as concentrated solar thermal power and biomass, and also due to their high theoretical efficiencies. They have not yet achieved widespread use and commercial Stirling engines have had reduced efficiencies compared to their ideal values. In this work we show that a substantial amount of the reduction in efficiency is due to the operation of Stirling engines using sinusoidal motion and quantify this reduction. A discrete model was developed to perform an isothermal analysis of a 100cc alpha-type Stirling engine with a 90 ∘ phase angle offset, to demonstrate the impact of sinusoidal motion on the net work and thermal efficiency in comparison to the ideal cycle. For the specific engine analyzed, the maximum thermal efficiency of the sinusoidal cycle was found to have a limit of 34.4%, which is a reduction of 27.1% from Carnot efficiency. The net work of the sinusoidal cycle was found to be 65.9% of the net work from the ideal cycle. The model was adapted to analyze beta and gamma-type Stirling configurations, and the analysis revealed similar reductions due to sinusoidal motion.

Description: Aim. To evaluate the long term (48 months) therapeutic efficacy of a soft monobloc mandibular advancement device in adult patients with mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea.Methods. The study population comprised 28 patients (6 female and 22 male, mean age52.2±6.8years) affected by obstructive sleep apnea. After a baseline medical and somnographic examination, a functional examination of the stomatognathic system, and a questionnaire focused on sleep-related qualities and a daytime somnolence, each patient received an individual device. Two follow-ups were made 6 months (T1) and 48 months (T2) after soft monobloc mandibular advancement device treatment had been initiated, and all initial examinations were repeated.Results. The statistical analysis showed a significant decrease in body mass index value between T1 and T2 (ρ= 0,012), an increase of Epworth sleepiness scale value between T1 and T2 (ρ= 0,012), and a significant improvement and decrease of apnea/hypopnea index between T0 and T1 (ρ= 0,010) and between T0 and T2 (ρ= 0,013).Conclusion. Treatment with the soft monobloc mandibular advancement device is a therapeutic solution with long term and stable effects (48 months) for patients suffering from mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea.