Real-Time Particle Radiography by Means of Scintillating Fibers Tracker and Residual Range Detectors

In this chapter, a detailed description of the construction and the procedure for the measurement of performances of a charged particle imaging system is given. Such a system can be realized by the combined use of a position sensitive detector and a residual range detector. The position sensitive detector is made up of two superimposed and right-angled planes, each of which subsists of two layers of pre-aligned and juxtaposed scintillating fibers. The selected 500 μm square section fibers are optically coupled to two silicon photomultiplier arrays adopting a channel reduction system patented by the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare. The residual range detector consists of 60 parallel layers of the same fibers used in the position detector, each of which is optically coupled to a channel of silicon photomultiplier array by means of two wavelength-shifting fibers. The sensitive area of both detectors is 90 × 90 mm2. The performance of the prototypes was tested in different facilities with protons and carbon ions at energy up to about 250 MeV and rate up to about 109 particles per second. The comparison between simulations and measurements confirms the validity of this system. Based on the results, a future development is a real-time radiography system exploiting high-intensity pencil beams and real-time treatment plan verification

Identification and characterization of the nano-sized vesicles released by muscle cells

Several cell types secrete small membranous vesicles that contain cell-specific collections of proteins, lipids, and genetic material. The function of these vesicles is to allow cell-to-cell signaling and the horizontal transfer of their cargo molecules. Here, we demonstrate that muscle cells secrete nano-sized vesicles and that their release increases during muscle differentiation. Analysis of these nanovesicles allowed us to characterize them as exosome-like particles and to define the potential role of the multifunctional protein Alix in their biogenesis

Structure of Starch-Sepiolite Bio-Nanocomposites: Effect of Processing and Matrix-Filler Interactions

Sepiolite clay is a natural filler particularly suitable to be used with polysaccharide matrices (e.g., in starch-based bio-nanocomposites), increasing their attractiveness for a wide range of applications, such as packaging. Herein, the effect of the processing (i.e., starch gelatinization, addition of glycerol as plasticizer, casting to obtain films) and of the sepiolite filler amount on the microstructure of starch-based nanocomposites was investigated by SS-NMR (solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance), XRD (X-ray diffraction) and FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared) spectroscopy. Morphology, transparency and thermal stability were then assessed by SEM (scanning electron microscope), TGA (thermogravimetric analysis) and UV-visible spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that the processing method allowed to disrupt the rigid lattice structure of semicrystalline starch and thus obtain amorphous flexible films, with high transparency and good thermal resistance. Moreover, the microstructure of the bio-nanocomposites was found to intrinsically depend on complex interactions among sepiolite, glycerol and starch chains, which are also supposed to affect the final properties of the starch-sepiolite composite materials

NURE: An ERC project to study nuclear reactions for neutrinoless double beta decay

Neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) is considered the best potential resource to access the absolute neutrino mass scale. Moreover, if observed, it will signal that neutrinos are their own anti-particles (Majorana particles). Presently, this physics case is one of the most important research “beyond Standard Model” and might guide the way towards a Grand Unified Theory of fundamental interactions. Since the 0νββ decay process involves nuclei, its analysis necessarily implies nuclear structure issues. In the NURE project, supported by a Starting Grant of the European Research Council (ERC), nuclear reactions of double charge-exchange (DCE) are used as a tool to extract information on the 0νββ Nuclear Matrix Elements. In DCE reactions and ββ decay indeed the initial and final nuclear states are the same and the transition operators have similar structure. Thus the measurement of the DCE absolute cross-sections can give crucial information on ββ matrix elements. In a wider view, the NUMEN international collaboration plans a major upgrade of the INFN-LNS facilities in the next years in order to increase the experimental production of nuclei of at least two orders of magnitude, thus making feasible a systematic study of all the cases of interest as candidates for 0νββ

Clinical Features, Cardiovascular Risk Profile, and Therapeutic Trajectories of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Candidate for Oral Semaglutide Therapy in the Italian Specialist Care

Introduction: This study aimed to address therapeutic inertia in the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) by investigating the potential of early treatment with oral semaglutide. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 2021 and April 2022 among specialists treating individuals with T2D. A scientific committee designed a data collection form covering demographics, cardiovascular risk, glucose control metrics, ongoing therapies, and physician judgments on treatment appropriateness. Participants completed anonymous patient questionnaires reflecting routine clinical encounters. The preferred therapeutic regimen for each patient was also identified. Results: The analysis was conducted on 4449 patients initiating oral semaglutide. The population had a relatively short disease duration (42%  60% of patients, and more often than sitagliptin or empagliflozin. Conclusion: The study supports the potential of early implementation of oral semaglutide as a strategy to overcome therapeutic inertia and enhance T2D management

Numerical Analysis of Combustion of the Exhaust Gas of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

As the energy demand and the pollution concerns continue to grow, new sources of energy and environmental friendly power generation systems are being developed. In this context, syngas is considered as an attractive fuel, as it can be produced from a broad range of fossil fuel and biomass sources, including agriculture and municipal waste, using gasification processes. It is mainly composed of H2 and CO, along with varying amounts of N2, CO2, and H2O. In the following work a comprehensive study about a low-energy-content fuel, presenting the characteristic components of syngas, is developed. This fuel differs from common syngas in the relative ratios between the species of the mixture; in the reported case the presence of H2 and CO is largely reduced. The present research deals with the combustion of the exhaust gas of a solid oxide fuel cell. The exhaust stream from the SOFC stack, fed with biogas, contains CO2, H2O and some trace amount of H2 and CO resulting from incomplete utilization of fuel in the SOFC stack. Consequently exhaust anodic fuel can be combusted with depleted air leaving the cathodic compartments of the stack, with the aim of exploiting its retained energy content and enhance the global efficiency of the system. This combustion process, however, generates several undesirable compounds, especially NOX . Modifying of the combustion atmosphere, a change from air to oxy-combustion, allows elimination of nitrogen oxides. Recently, oxygenenriched combustion is obtaining greater acceptance, in fact its potential value in terms of both improved heat transfer and reduction of NOX can overcome the cost penalty of burning a fuel in a oxidizer other than air. For these reasons, both pure oxygen and air solutions are covered. An extensive investigation of the considered mixture is provided, beginning with equilibrium calculation as a preliminary analysis, continuing with opposed flow flame simulations, that allow a better understanding about the suitable combustion temperatures, the production of pollutant compounds, the influence of strain rate on the diffusion flame and the flammability limits. In the second part of the thesis, the main focus shifts towards the development of a detailed study about the extinction behavior of syngas fuels. For this matter, a common syngas mixture (50% H2- 50% CO) is employed as fuel for counterflow flames. Multidimensional simulations are carried out using an advance software for unsteady reacting flows. Studies about extinction limits, blow off extinction and effects related to scalar dissipation rate have been extensively covered in the present thesis as principal objective of this part. Differences and analogies between one- and two-dimensional simulations outputs are reported and discussed, introducing an interesting field of research

Strategic thinking and planning in international institutions and NGOs

No abstract available

Strategic thinking and planning

Modern international organization managers are confronted with an articulated and fast-changing environment. The competitive environment increasingly challenges them because financial resources are highly volatile, new entrants and sister agencies have become more aggressive and donor expectations for demonstrable value for money have risen and become much more precise. The challenges facing populations in need as well as international cooperation priorities are also highly dynamic and increasingly complicated, requiring organizations to focus on their competitive advantages and to show adaptability and flexibility. In such a context, organizations need to assume a “strategic” approach. In this chapter we will explore the main concepts, systems and tools of International Institutions (II) and International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGO) strategic management. We start this chapter with an exploration of the concept of strategy for IIs andINGOs and of its growing importance in the context of current management reforms. We then identify a tailored definition of strategy both in terms of “positioning” in a competitive arena and “fit” of the organization within the external environment. In the following sections, we explore the process of strategy formulation and its complementary aspects of strategic “thinking” and “planning”, where the first is intended as a moment of discontinuity and creation and the second as one of rationalization and alignment. We conclude with a section on how to assess, manage and monitor strategy. We examine how to distinguish operational from strategic decisions. We utilize the “strategic triangle” framework that Michael Moore (2000) first introduced as conceptual lenses to use when formulating strategic decisions. Finally, we adapt and tailor the competitive forces model (Porter 1985) to the context of IIs and provide a framework for assessment of the relative strength of the positioning of an organization in its competitive arena

Governance models and reforms in international institutions and INGOs

No abstract available