Integrazione di celle solari di terza generazione nel vetromattone per la realizzazione di pannelli traslucidi fotovoltaici. Analisi prestazione e stato dell’arte

L’articolo illustra i primi risultati ottenuti nell’ambito dell’analisi prestazionale del vetromattone fotovoltaico, un prodotto edilizio innovativo derivato dall’integrazione di celle fotovoltaiche di terza generazione (DSSC) nel vetromattone, ideato per la realizzazione di involucri traslucidi energeticamente effi cienti ed “attivi”, in grado di ridurre i consumi energetici degli edifi ci e di produrre, al contempo, energia verde. L’analisi è stata condotta su quattro differenti ipotesi di integrazione. Attraverso simulazioni numeriche si è effettuata una valutazione dell’energia assorbita dagli strati attivi oltre che delle prestazioni ottiche complessive del dispositivo. Lo studio analitico via software rappresenta il primo passo nella valutazione delle prestazioni del prodotto e prelude ad un’analisi di tipo sperimentale. L’articolo illustra anche i risultati di una ricerca condotta nell’ambito della brevettazione nazionale ed internazionale riguardante la tecnologia DSSC e le sue applicazioni; i brevetti sono stati analizzati e classifi cati secondo diverse categorie di indagine ed attraverso le informazioni raccolte è stato costituito un esteso database digitale

Use of Intravenous Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) in a Pediatric Patient at the End of Life: Case Report

Abstract Background: For the better part of 100 years, acetaminophen (or paracetamol as it is known outside of the United States) has been a common first-line analgesic in pediatrics and is typically well tolerated with minimal side effects. Its use as an anti-pyretic is also well-documented and thus it is used broadly for symptom control in the general pediatric population. Discussion: In pediatric palliative care, acetaminophen is also used as an adjuvant to opioid therapy for pain as well as an anti-pyretic. For many pediatric patients near end-of-life, however, the ability to tolerate oral intake is diminished and rectal suppository administration can be distressing or contraindicated as in the setting of neutropenia, thus limiting use of acetaminophen by its usual routes. In Europe and Australia, an intravenous formulation of acetaminophen has been used for many years and has only recently become available in the United States. Conclusion: Here, we describe a case using intravenous acetaminophen in a pediatric patient at the end of life.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98460/1/jpm%2E2012%2E0117.pd

Analisi spettrale parametrica e di polarizzazione applicate agli eventi sismici registrati sul vulcano sottomarino Marsili

Nel luglio 2006, nell’ambito della campagna di ricerche PRO.ME.TH.E.US (PROgram of Mediterranean Exploration for THermal Energy Use), l’OBS Lab dell’Osservatorio Geofisico di Gibilmanna dell’INGVCNT, ha deposto un prototipo di OBS/H sulla sommità del vulcano sottomarino Marsili (39° 16,383’ lat. Nord, 14° 23,588’ long. Est.) alla profondità di 790 m (D’Anna et alii, 2007); lo strumento ha registrato l’attività sismica del vulcano dal 12 al 21 luglio 2006. L’OBS/H era equipaggiato con un sismometro Trillium 40s della Nanometrics e un idrofono OAS E-2PD. La digitalizzazione è stata effettuata da un convertitore A/D a 21 bit a quattro canali (SEND Geolon MLS) e i segnali sono stati campionati ad una frequenza di 200 c/s (D’Anna et alii, 2007).In una prima fase di studio D’Alessandro et alii (2006) hanno individuato, nel segnale acquisito, la presenza di una elevata attività sismica (oltre 1000 eventi registrati in 9 giorni) legata probabilmente all’attività del vulcano Marsili oltre a eventi tettonici e forme d’onda transitorie di origine non sismica. In base ad analisi spettrali non parametriche, l’attività registrata era stata suddivisa in: eventi noti in letteratura come VT-B (Volcanic-Tectonic event, type B) che si manifestano in sciami, eventi ad alta frequenza legati a probabile attività idrotermale ed eventi classificabili come “Tornillo” o LPE (Long- Period Event) probabilmente generati da fenomeni di risonanza legati ad attività magmatica (Chouet, 1996). Al fine di caratterizzare con idonei parametri quantitativi i segnali appartenenti ai gruppi individuati e fare delle ipotesi sui diversi meccanismi sorgente, sono state successivamente eseguite analisi spettrali parametriche e di polarizzazione, che sono oggetto di questo lavoro. Rispetto all’analisi di Fourier, l’analisi spettrale parametrica permette di ottenere una migliore risoluzione, quando il segnale da analizzare presenta breve durata. Noi abbiamo applicato tale tipo di analisi agli eventi classificabili come Tornillo. Tali eventi sono generalmente quasi-monocromatici e presentano un inizio di tipo impulsivo, seguito da un lento e graduale decadimento in ampiezza. La descrizione delle frequenze di oscillazione di un Tornillo è di fondamentale importanza per stimare le caratteristiche della sorgente. Un metodo ad alta risoluzione spettrale basato sulle proprietà di un sistema dinamico è stato sviluppato da Kumazawa et alii (1990). Questo metodo chiamato Sompi è stato successivamente esteso da Yokoyama et alii (1997) alle equazioni AR non omogenee. Noi abbiamo utilizzato quest’ultimo metodo, implementando la procedura di Nakano et alii (1998), per analizzare i Tornillo ed attribuirgli una frequenza complessa.L’analisi di polarizzazione, risolvendo il problema agli autovalori associato alla matrice di covarianza dei segnali relativi alle tre componenti del moto, permette di definire l’orientazione e la lunghezza degli assi dell’ellissoide di polarizzazione associato alla finestra temporale del segnale sismico presa in esame. Al fine di migliorare la stima degli attributi di polarizzazione, la matrice di covarianza è stata corretta per la presenza di rumore sismico, sotto l’ipotesi di stocasticità e stazionarietà del rumore stesso. L’analisi di polarizzazione è stata applicata a oltre 200, tra gli eventi VT-B con maggiore energia, per individuare attraverso la direzione di polarizzazione delle fasi P (linearmente polarizzate) eventuali direzioni prevalenti di provenienza e quindi l’esistenza e ubicazione di volumi sismogenetici

On the existence of stationary states during granular compaction

When submitted to gentle mechanical taps a granular packing slowly compacts until it reaches a stationary state that depends on the tap characteristics. The properties of such stationary states are experimentally investigated. The influence of the initial state, taps properties and tapping protocol are studied. The compactivity of the packings is determinated. Our results strongly support the idea that the stationary states are genuine thermodynamic states.Comment: to be published in EPJE. The original publication will be available at www.europhysj.or

Hall Anomaly and Vortex-Lattice Melting in Superconducting Single Crystal YBa2Cu3O7-d

Sub-nanovolt resolution longitudinal and Hall voltages are measured in an ultra pure YBa2Cu3O7-d single crystal. The Hall anomaly and the first-order vortex-lattice melting transition are observed simultaneously. Changes in the dynamic behavior of the vortex solid and liquid are correlated with features of the Hall conductivity sxy. With the magnetic field oriented at an angle from the twin-boundaries, the Hall conductivity sharply decreases toward large negative values at the vortex-lattice melting transition.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures included, Postscript, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Urban sprawl and health: a review of the scientific literature

Urban sprawl is the development of sparse suburban areas with low population density, limited land use diversity, and poor street connectivity. Numerous studies demonstrated that urban form settings influence indoor and outdoor environments and, consequently, public health in diverse ways. This review aims to assess the association between sprawl and each health outcome evaluated in the literature to better define urban sprawl and its effects on human health. Using the PRISMA statement, this narrative review evaluates the associations between urban sprawl and any health outcome analyzed by researchers seeking to assess a possible relationship. A total of 826 records were identified via PubMed/MEDLINE (227) and Scopus (599) and 36 studies were deemed suitable for inclusion: 21/36 studies (58%) focused on obesity as the primary health outcome, 4/36 (11%) on life expectancy and/or mortality, 7/36 (19%) on accidents or emergency medical service response, and 4/36 (11%) on the self-reported psychological distress and/or physical health conditions associated with urban sprawl. In most studies, there is a general lack of uniformity and urban sprawl is loosely defined, with urban sprawl definitions frequently corresponding to different combinations of items within sprawl indexes. Nonetheless, urban sprawl appeared to be a determinant of health in many of the examined outcomes; therefore, it is necessary to promote alternatives to sprawling patterns when developing urban settings

Messina 1908-2008: understanding crust dynamics and subduction in Southern Italy

To mark the centennial anniversary of the 1908 earthquake that shook Messina, Italy, the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) has begun the "Messina 1908- 2008" research project. The aim is to clarify the extension deformation processes that occur in the Messina Strait and to understand relationships between subduction and crustal deformation there by merging existing data and studies, and by collecting new and more detailed seismological, geodetic, historical, and satellite observations. More than 20 permanent seismic stations and about 15 temporary stations are located in the study region. A dense permanent geodetic network also operates in the region, several campaign surveys are newly available, and new geodetic campaign measurements were performed in March 2008. In addition, during July 2008, five ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) were deployed to better monitor the area largely covered by the sea. Records of historical earthquakes that struck the Strait of Messina will be analyzed, and synthetic aperture radar images will help define surface deformation of the region. The Messina 1908-2008 project's assemblage of a database and integration of innovative technologies could transform our understanding of the crust and mantle structure of the active tectonics and seismic hazards of the Strait of Messina

Integration of onshore and offshore seismic arrays to study the seismicity of the Calabrian Region: a two steps automatic procedure for the identification of the best stations geometry

We plan to deploy in the Taranto Gulf some Ocean Bottom broadband Seismometer with Hydrophones. Our aim is to investigate the offshore seismicity of the Sibari Gulf. The seismographic network optimization consists in the identification of the optimal sites for the installation of the offshore stations, which is a crucial factor for the success of the monitoring campaign. In this paper, we propose a two steps automatic procedure for the identification of the best stations geometry. In the first step, based on the application of a set of a priori criteria, the suitable sites to host the ocean bottom seismic stations are identified. In the second step, the network improvement is evaluated for all the possible stations geometries by means of numerical simulation. The application of this procedure allows us to identify the best stations geometry to be achieved in the monitoring campaign

Contraceptive methods and knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases in nursing students. Results from a survey conducted at the University of Palermo

Background: The main purpose of the study was to evaluatesexual habits, sexual relations and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among the students in the nursing science course of University of Palermo, and to evaluate the use of contraceptive methods.Methods: In April 2019, a survey was provided to students who attend daily lessons in the nursing science course of University of Palermo, that investigate primarily about sexual habits, sexual relations and knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases. A multivariable logistic regression was performed.Results: The sample size consists of 405 students. The average age of the sample is 21.65 years, 69.63% of the interviewees are women. In relation to the question "Do you think you are sufficiently informed to be able to avoid risks of infection from sexually transmitted diseases? No", the analysis shows that this independent variable is significantly associated with the following independent variables: female gender (aOR 3.11, 95% CI 1.01 - 9.65); "how would you define your knowledge about contraceptive methods? - Poor" (aOR 5.38, 95% CI 1.79 - 16.20); "have you ever received information on sex education and/or sexually transmitted diseases? - No" (aOR 11.59, 95% CI 2.26 - 59.42); "do you know the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination? - yes, but I'm not vaccinated" (aOR 3.09, 95% CI 1.12 - 8.51); "do you know that men can also undergo HPV vaccination? - No" (aOR 2.67, 95% CI 1.01 - 7.04).Conclusion: Based on our findings, it is necessary to implement sexual education programs for the improvement of knowledge in terms of STIs and the promotion of health. Improving sexual health outcomes for young people is a priority for the public health