A New Pull-Out Technique for In-Place Estimation of Concrete Compressive Strength

A new type of postinstalled wedge anchor (B15G) is presented. A refined geometry of the anchor bolt and a careful choice of all the technical details allow the insert to work also in tensile stress states and to avoid much of the practical uncertainties that affect the commonly used procedures. The calibration of the procedure has been performed on 3 classes of concrete and for 5 stress distributions (medium and low compression, vanishing stress states, inhomogeneous compressive stresses, and inhomogeneous tensile stresses). It has been found that the correlation curves, pull-out force versus compressive strength, are not linear and depend on the stress state; besides, the statistical scattering of the calibration tests never exceeds 7-8% of the average values

Nano-indentation of a room-temperature ionic liquid film on silica: a computational experiment

We investigate the structure of the [bmim][Tf2N]/silica interface by simulating the indentation of a thin (4 nm) [bmim][Tf2N] film by a hard nanometric tip. The ionic liquid/silica interface is represented in atomistic detail, while the tip is modelled by a spherical mesoscopic particle interacting via an effective short-range potential. Plots of the normal force (Fz) on the tip as a function of its distance from the silica surface highlight the effect of weak layering in the ionic liquid structure, as well as the progressive loss of fluidity in approaching the silica surface. The simulation results for Fz are in near-quantitative agreement with new AFM data measured on the same [bmim][Tf2N]/silica interface at comparable thermodynamic conditions.Comment: 24 pages, including 8 fig

Identification of a bacteriocin-like compound from Lactobacillus plantarum with antimicrobial activity and effects on normal and cancerogenic human intestinal cells

In this paper, we demonstrate that the antimicrobial activity of L. plantarum PBS067 strain against antagonist microorganisms was mediated by the production of a bacteriocin-like compound secreted at the stationary phase of the growth. The novel bacteriocin-like compound, designed plantaricin P1053, was identified by using sorption\u2013desorption method, butanol extraction and SEC-HPLC. The molecular mass of plantaricin P1053 was shown to be 1053 Da by ESI-MS analysis. Plantaricin P1053 exhibited a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria as S. aureus and Gram-negative bacteria as E. coli. In addition to the antimicrobial activity, the isolated bacteriocin-like compound showed effects on normal and cancerogenic epithelial intestinal cell lines through an enhancing of viability of healthy cells and a proliferation reduction of cancer cells. Moreover, in this paper we demonstrate that the isolated bacteriocin-like compound acts on healthy cells through the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathways. In conclusion, plantaricin P1053 isolated from L. plantarum PBS067 strain could represent one of the first multifunctional bacteriocin-like compound acting on human epithelial intestinal cells

Integrated forest management to prevent wildfires under Mediterranean environments

This review presents a multidisciplinary framework for integrating the ecological, regulatory, procedural and technical aspects of forest management for fi res prevention under Mediterranean environments. The aims are to: i) provide a foreground of wildfi re scenario; ii) illustrate the theoretical background of forest fuel management; iii) describe the available fuel management techniques and mechanical operations for fi re prevention in forest and wildland-urban interfaces, with exemplifi cation of case-studies; iv)allocate fi re prevention activities under the hierarchy of forest planning. The review is conceived as an outline commentary discussion targeted to professionals, technicians and government personnel involved in forestry and environmental management

Gli incendi boschivi stanno cambiando: cambiamo le strategie per governarli

Forest fires in Italy are changing. More frequent heatwaves and drought increase the flammability of the vegetation; the abandonment of rural land produces 30.000 ha of newly afforested areas each year; and the wildland-urban interface is expanding with the sprawl of urbanized areas. However, forest fires are rarely understood and managed in their complexity. The public opinion is often misinformed on the causes and consequences of fires in the forest. Moreover, fire management relies almost exclusively on extinction and emergency response, resulting in high costs and limited efficacy versus extreme fire seasons. We advocate to increase the role and investments in wildfire prevention, which can be carried out by fuel-oriented silviculture, such as facilitating less flammable species or prescribed burning, in order to reduce the flammability of the vegetation and mitigate fire intensity in high-leverage areas. A centralized structure is necessary to implement such a strategy and coordinate the competences and actions of all local administrations and actors involved

Integrated forest management to prevent wildfi res under mediterranean environments

This review presents a multidisciplinary framework for integrating the ecological, regulatory, procedural and technical aspects of forest management for fi res prevention under Mediterranean environments. The aims are to: i) provide a foreground of wildfi re scenario; ii) illustrate the theoretical background of forest fuel management; iii) describe the available fuel management techniques and mechanical operations for fi re prevention in forest and wildland-urban interfaces, with exemplifi cation of case-studies; iv) allocate fi re prevention activities under the hierarchy of forest planning. The review is conceived as an outline commentary discussion targeted to professionals, technicians and government personnel involved in forestry and environmental managemen

"ProgettoBosco": a decision-support system as educational tool at the University level

n/

Contribution to the floristic knowledge of the head of the Po Valley (Piedmont, north Italy)

In 2014, the annual field trip of the working group for Floristics, Systematics, and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society was held in Piemonte (northern Italy), at the head of the Po Valley. This valley, at whose extremity is located the Monviso (3,841 m a.s.l.), belongs to the Cottian Alps about which very little is known from a floristic point of view. An inventory of the taxa of vascular plants collected during the field trip is reported here. The research led to the identification of 3,546 exsiccata, kept in nine public and nine private collections. A total of 669 taxa belonging to 79 plant families were recorded. Six taxa resulted endemic to Italy and three exclusive to Piemonte, while only nine alien species were detected; six taxa are new and five confirmed for the regional flora

Nuove liste rosse della flora italiana

Vengono presentate le nuove liste rosse per la Flora Italiana incluse le piante superiori, le briofite ed i fungh