Joint Workplace Safety and Health Committees: Testimony of John A. Pompei Before the Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations

Testimony_Pompei_072893.pdf: 335 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

The DPOSS II distant compact group survey: the EMMI-NTT spectroscopic sample

This paper presents the results of the redshift survey of 138 candidate compact groups from the DPOSS II catalog (Iovino et al., 2003; de Carvalho et al. 2005), which extends the available redshift range of spectroscopically confirmed compact groups of galaxies to z~0.2. The aims of the survey are to confirm group membership via spectroscopic redshift information, to measure the characteristic parameters of the confirmed groups, namely mass, radius, luminosity, velocity dispersion and crossing time, and to compare them with those of nearby compact groups. Using available information from the literature, we also studied the surrounding group environment and searched for additional, previously unknown, group members, or larger scale structures to whom the group might be associated. Of the 138 observed groups, 96 had three or more concordant galaxies, i.e. a 70% success rate. Of these 96, 62 are isolated on the sky, while the other 34 are close on the sky to a larger scale structure. The remaining objects turned out to be couple of pairs or chance projection of galaxies on the sky. Group environment and the characteristics parameters (mass, crossing time, velocity dispersion) are evaluated and discussed.Comment: Accepted on A&A, version updated to match the printed one. The paper will read well even without printing figures 8 and

Photometric and spectroscopic study of the intermediate age open cluster NGC 3960

We present CCD UBVI photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy of the intermediate age open cluster NGC 3960. The colour - magnitude diagrams (CMDs) derived from the photometric data and interpreted with the synthetic CMD method allow us to estimate the cluster parameters. We derive: age = 0.9 or 0.6 Gyr (depending on whether or not overshooting from convective regions is included in the adopted stellar models), distance (m-M)0 = 11.6 +/- 0.1, reddening E(B-V) = 0.29 +/- 0.02, differential reddening Delta E(B-V) = 0.05 and approximate metallicity between solar and half of solar. We obtained high resolution spectra of three clump stars, and derived an average [Fe/H] = -0.12 (rms 0.04 dex), in very good agreement with the photometric determination. We also obtained abundances of alpha-elements, Fe-peak elements, and of Ba. The reddenings toward individual stars derived from the spectroscopic temperatures and the Alonso et al. calibrations give further support to the existence of significative variations across the cluster.Comment: Accepted for publication on MNRAS; fig. 3, 4, 5, 6 at degraded resolutio

Current, Projected Performance and Costs of Thermal Energy Storage

The technology for storing thermal energy as sensible heat, latent heat, or thermochemical energy has greatly evolved in recent years, and it is expected to grow up to about 10.1 billion US dollars by 2027. A thermal energy storage (TES) system can significantly improve industrial energy efficiency and eliminate the need for additional energy supply in commercial and residential applications. This study is a first-of-its-kind specific review of the current projected performance and costs of thermal energy storage. This paper presents an overview of the main typologies of sensible heat (SH-TES), latent heat (LH-TES), and thermochemical energy (TCS) as well as their application in European countries. With regard to future challenges, the installation of TES systems in buildings is being implemented at a rate of 5%; cogeneration application with TES is attested to 10.2%; TES installation in the industry sector accounts for 5% of the final energy consumption. From the market perspective, the share of TES is expected to be dominated by SH-TES technologies due to their residential and industrial applications. With regard to the cost, the SH-TES system is typically more affordable than the LH-TES system or the TCS system because it consists of a simple tank containing the medium and the charging/discharging equipment

Effects of Losartan and Irbesartan administration on brain angiotensinogen mRNA levels

Losartan, 2-n-butyl-4-chloro-5-hydroxymethyl-1-[(2'(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-biphenil-4-yl)methyl] imidazole, and Irbesartan, 2-n-butyl-3-[(2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-biphenyl-4-yl)methyl]-1,3-diaza-spiro[4,4]non -1-en-4-one, are two angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonists largely used in human health care as antihypertensive agents. Their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and to influence the central renin-angiotensin system are widely investigated, but how this brain system responds to the subchronic and chronic block of the angiotensin AT1 receptor is still unknown. Normotensive rats were intragastrically implanted for 7- and 30-day administration, with a dose of 3 and 30 mg/kg body weight. Treatments were shown to influence, in a dose-, time- and brain-area-dependent manner, angiotensinogen mRNA levels in scanned areas. This study showed a general up-regulation of angiotensinogen mRNA expression after 7 days and a widespread down-regulation or basal level of expression after a 30-day administration of two angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonists

Magnetic losses in Si-Fe alloys for avionic applications

This paper presents an experimental analysis of the rotational power losses of the magnetic materials of transformers, motors and actuators used in avionic environment. A large frequency range is investigated using a suitable experimental test frame developed to measure the power losses for a circular magnetization. The results about different silicon iron alloys with different textures and thickness are considered and compared

The pseudobulge of NGC 1292

The photometric and kinematic properties of Sb NGC 1292 suggest it hosts a pseudobulge. The properties of the stellar population of such a pseudobulge are consistent with a slow buildup within a scenario of secular evolution.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure to appear in the proceedings of "Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Disks", Rome, October 2007, Eds. J. Funes and E. M. Corsin

Water resource management through systemic approach: The case of Lake Bracciano

Today natural water resources are becoming scarce, both due to global climate change but also due to irresponsible behaviour of human beings. Lakes are among the most delicate aquatic systems due to their limited size. The objective of this paper is to propose a System Dynamics model, employed in a real case study regarding the city of Rome and one of its water reserves, the Bracciano Lake, for the evaluation of different strategies and policies to reduce environmental impacts, considering different climatic and context scenarios. The results indicate that, as the system is currently exposed to a high risk of ecological disaster, the situation might worsen, and the disaster effectively happen. Simulation models may help agencies and administrations to explore policies and find solutions to address this fundamental problem, that may become even worst over the next years, given the potential severe consequences deriving from the current global warming trends

The New Transverse-Facial Artery Musculomucosal Flap for Intraoral Reconstructions

Head/neck cancer resections often require reconstruction to restore form and function. Small-to-medium size intraoral defects can be successfully reconstructed by local pedicled flaps, such as the facial artery musculomucosal (FAMM) flap,1 which encompasses different layers: cheek mucosa and submucosa, the underlying layer of the buccinator muscle, a portion of the orbicularis oris close to the labial commissure, and the facial artery.2 The flap is usually outlined longitudinally over the facial artery course, and average size is 5 × 2.5 cm. We describe here an innovative flap design and dissection, apt to treat larger defects than the usual ones. Go to: METHODS In a 50-year-old patient with squamous carcinoma of the soft palate involving also surrounding oral soft tissue, after oncological resection, we designed on the cheek mucosa an 8 × 3 cm flap with a squamous carcinoma orientation. The flap axis was crossing about 90 degrees the projection of the facial vessels. Dissection was carried out in anteroposterior direction and the facial artery skeletonized in continuity 3.5 cm superiorly and inferiorly the flap entrance (Fig. ​(Fig.1).1). Once the vascular pedicles had been mobilized and the labial artery ligated, the transverse (t)-FAMM flap was transposed superoposteriorly and sutured to the residual mucosa of the hard palate. A contralateral t-FAMM flap was harvested and transposed. The whole soft palate was then reconstructed by suturing the 2 flaps together