Description of the first instar larva of Euzonitis rubida with remarks on the systematics of the subfamily Nemognathinae (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

The first instar larva (triungulin) of Euzonitis rubida (Ménétriés, 1832) is described and illustrated. This is the first description of a triungulin of the nemognathine genus Euzonitis Semenow, 1893. This larva is very similar to that of the genus Zonitis Fabricius, 1775, the distinction of these two genera remaining difficult by using both larval and adult features. The examination at the scanning electron microscope of several characters of these and other genera of the subfamily Nemognathinae, confirms themain distinction of tribes, but better outlines the condition of some features previously incorrectly defined. Additional species of some genera were also examined and partially figured

An analytic framework to assess organizational resilience

Background: Resilience Engineering is a paradigm for safety management that focuses on coping with complexity to achieve success, even considering several conflicting goals. Modern socio-technical systems have to be resilient to comply with the variability of everyday activities, the tight-coupled and underspecified nature of work and the nonlinear interactions among agents. At organizational level, resilience can be described as a combination of four cornerstones: monitoring, responding, learning and anticipating. Methods: Starting from these four categories, this paper aims at defining a semi-quantitative analytic framework to measure organizational resilience in complex socio-technical systems, combining the Resilience Analysis Grid (RAG) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Results: This paper presents an approach for defining resilience abilities of an organization, creating a structured domain-dependent framework to define a resilience profile at different levels of abstraction, to identify weaknesses and strengths of the system and thus potential actions to increase system’s adaptive capacity. An illustrative example in an anaesthesia department clarifies the outcomes of the approach. Conclusions: The outcome of the RAG, i.e. a weighted set of probing questions, can be used in different domains, as a support tool in a wider Safety-II oriented managerial action to bring safety management into the core business of the organization

Ultra-thin clay layers facilitate seismic slip in carbonate faults

Many earthquakes propagate up to the Earth's surface producing surface ruptures. Seismic slip propagation is facilitated by along-fault low dynamic frictional resistance, which is controlled by a number of physico-chemical lubrication mechanisms. In particular, rotary shear experiments conducted at seismic slip rates (1 ms(-1)) show that phyllosilicates can facilitate co-seismic slip along faults during earthquakes. This evidence is crucial for hazard assessment along oceanic subduction zones, where pelagic clays participate in seismic slip propagation. Conversely, the reason why, in continental domains, co-seismic slip along faults can propagate up to the Earth's surface is still poorly understood. We document the occurrence of micrometer-thick phyllosilicate-bearing layers along a carbonate-hosted seismogenic extensional fault in the central Apennines, Italy. Using friction experiments, we demonstrate that, at seismic slip rates (1 ms(-1)), similar calcite gouges with pre-existing phyllosilicate-bearing (clay content ≤3 wt.%) micro-layers weaken faster than calcite gouges or mixed calcite-phyllosilicate gouges. We thus propose that, within calcite gouge, ultra-low clay content (≤3 wt.%) localized along micrometer-thick layers can facilitate seismic slip propagation during earthquakes in continental domains, possibly enhancing surface displacement

A CFD-based virtual test-rig for rotating heat exchangers

Rotating heat exchangers are used in steel industry, air conditioning and thermal power plants to pre-heat air used in steam generators or for waste heat recovery. Here we focus on a rotating heat exchanger on a so-called Ljungström arrangement operated in thermal power plants to pre-heat the air fed to the steam generators. In these devices the heat exchange between two fluids is achieved through a rotating matrix that gets in contact alternatively with the two fluid streams and acts as a thermal accumulator. To increase the heat capacity and the overall exchange surface, the rotating matrix is filled by a series of folded metal sheets. In the paper we de-scribe a methodology to account for the effects of the Ljungström in a virtual test-rig implemented in a Computational Fluid Dynamics environment. To this aim, a numerical model based on the work of Molinari and Cantiano was derived and implemented in the OpenFOAM library. RANS numerical results were compared with those of a mono-dimensional tool used by ENEL to design Ljungström heat exchangers and validated against available measurements in a real configuration of a thermal power plant

Larval morphology of the genus Cerocoma (Coleoptera: Meloidae) and phylogenetic implications

The Palaearctic blister beetle genus Cerocoma Geoffroy, 1762 includes species with great morphological differences in the adults, emphasised in the four subgenera. First instar larvae of three species, belonging to two different subgenera — C. (Cerocoma) schaefferi (Linnaeus, 1758), C. (Metacerocoma) prevezaensis Dvorak, 1993, C. (Metacerocoma) schreberi Fabricius, 1781 — are described and compared to that of the single other species previously known in literature, C. (Cerocomina) vahli Fabricius, 1787. First instar larvae of Cerocoma have typical features of the subfamily Meloinae, without derived characters. No relevant differences were found by a SEM morphological study, and the species can be distinguished only by morphometric characters. Consequently, subgeneric divisions, based on the adult morphology, are not supported by larval characters

Evaluating Alpha and Beta Taxonomy in Ant-Nest Beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Paussini)

We evaluated completeness, accuracy, and historical trend of the taxonomic knowledge on the myrmecophilous ground beetle tribe Paussini (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Paussinae). Accumulation curves for valid names and synonyms of species, subgenera, and genera were modelled using logistic functions. Analyses of trends in synonymies suggest that few currently accepted taxa will be recognized to be synonymous in the future. This may indicate that Paussini are a taxonomically relatively stable tribe of carabid beetles. However, this result might also be due to the lack of recent taxonomic work in some biogeographical regions

Strange loves: a remarkable case of aberrant copulation in beetles (Coleoptera: Meloidae, Chrysomelidae)

A case of copulation between two mimic and repellent beetle species (a male of Timarcha fracassii, and a female of Meloe autumnalis), belonging to distinct families (Chrysomelidae, Meloidae), is recorded

Prediction of Manoeuvring Properties for a Tanker Model by Computational Fluid Dynamics

The turning circle manoeuvre of a self-propelled tanker like ship model is numerically simulated through the integration of the unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations coupled with the equations of the motion of a rigid body. The solution is achieved by means of the unsteady RANS solver developed at CNR-INSEAN. The model is considered with two different stern appendages configurations (each one providing a different dynamic behaviour): twin screw with a single rudder and twin screw, twin rudder with a central skeg. Each propeller is taken into account by a model based on the actuator disk concept; anyhow, in order to correctly capture the turning manoeuvring behaviour of the model, a suitable description of the propeller performance in oblique flow operation has be considered. Comparison with experimental data from free running tests will demonstrate the feasibility of the CFD computations. The main features of the flow field, with particular attention to the vortical structures detached from the hull is presented as well

Frictional Instabilities and Carbonation of Basalts Triggered by Injection of Pressurized H2O- and CO2- Rich Fluids

The safe application of geological carbon storage depends also on the seismic hazard associated with fluid injection. In this regard, we performed friction experiments using a rotary shear apparatus on precut basalts with variable degree of hydrothermal alteration by injecting distilled H2O, pure CO2, and H2O + CO2fluid mixtures under temperature, fluid pressure, and stress conditions relevant for large-scale subsurface CO2storage reservoirs. In all experiments, seismic slip was preceded by short-lived slip bursts. Seismic slip occurred at equivalent fluid pressures and normal stresses regardless of the fluid injected and degree of alteration of basalts. Injection of fluids caused also carbonation reactions and crystallization of new dolomite grains in the basalt-hosted faults sheared in H2O + CO2fluid mixtures. Fast mineral carbonation in the experiments might be explained by shear heating during seismic slip, evidencing the high chemical reactivity of basalts to H2O + CO2mixtures

Turning Ability Characteristics Study of a Twin Screw Vessel by CFD

The turning circle manoeuvre of a self-propelled tanker like ship model is numerically simulated through the integration of the Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations coupled with the equations of the motion of a rigid body. The solution is achieved by means of the unsteady RANS solver Xnavis developed at CNR-INSEAN. The ship model is in its fully appended conguration, and it is characterized by the presence of two propellers and one rudder. Each propeller is taken into account by a model based on the actuator disk concept. It is shown that, in order to accurately predict the trajectory, the side force developed by the propeller should be taken into account; several models are tested. Comparison with experimental data from free running tests is provided. The main features of the ow eld, with particular attention to the vortical structures detached for the hull is presented as well