Improved angular discretization and error analysis of the lattice boltzmann method for solving radiative heat transfer in a participating medium

In this paper, some improvements to the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for solving radiative heat transfer in a participating medium are presented and validated. Validation of the model is performed by investigating the effects of spatial and angular discretizations and extinction coefficient on the solution. The error analysis and the order of convergence of the scheme are also reporte

Aspetti socio-culturali e trasversalità nella certificazione delle competenze

This contribution offers a socio-cultural definition of cross-cultural competence and, in the last analysis, the recognition of macro-competence to the concept of citizenship. In the light of the scientific literature, regulatory issues of certifying skills, in completion of compulsory school and reorder of the second cycle of education, as well as the process of European convergence in relation to qualifications and the functional prerequisites to higher education, we can get an overview of the international scenario and its declination in the national context. Following some readings, documents and theoretical perspectives, it occurs that citizenship is the cornerstone of three types of skills (methodological, logical-argumentative, communicative-relational).Questo contributo propone una definizione culturale di competenza trasversale e, in ultima analisi, il riconoscimento di macrocompetenza al concetto di cittadinanza. Alla luce della letteratura scientifica, degli aspetti normativi della certificazione delle competenze, nell’assolvimento dell’obbligo scolastico e nel riordino dell’istruzione e formazione del secondo ciclo, nonché del processo europeo di convergenza in ordine alle qualifiche e ai prerequisiti funzionali all’alta formazione, siamo in grado di avere una visione d’insieme dello scenario internazionale e dellasua declinazione nel contesto nazionale. Sulla scorta della lettura e del raccordo di documenti e prospettive teoriche, la cittadinanza appare il caposaldo di tre tipologie di competenze (metodologiche, logico-argomentative, comunicative-relazionali)

A stochastic estimated version of the Italian dynamic General Equilibrium Model (IGEM)

We estimate with Bayesian techniques the Italian dynamic General Equilibrium Model (IGEM), which has been developed at the Italian Treasury Department, Ministry of Economy and Finance, to assess the effects of alter-native policy interventions. We analyze and discuss the estimated effects of various shocks on the Italian economy. Compared to the calibrated version used for policy analysis, we find a lower wage rigidity and higher adjustment costs. The degree of prices and wages indexation to past inflation is much smaller than the indexation level assumed in the calibrated model. No substantial difference is found in the estimated monetary parameters. Estimated fiscal multipliers are slightly smaller than those obtained from the calibrated version of the model

A wearable sensor to monitor localized sweat rate as support tool for monitoring athletes' performances

Objectives We developed a wearable sensor for the real time measurement of sweat rate in localized areas of the human body. This sensor represents the first step in the development of a wearable sensor network capable to estimate the global sweat rate via an ad hoc algorithm. Such device would be used to monitor athletes' hydration status during training and improve their performances. Equipment and Methods For this study, we tested our sensor on thirteen football players during a cycling test on a cycle ergometer. The sweat rate sensor was compared to a medical device that, although measuring a different physiological process, provides discrete data based on the same working principle, i.e. the diffusion of the water vapour emitted from the skin. Results Our sensor has a working range up to 400 g/m2·h. The statistical analysis and the Bland-Altman plot proved that our sensor is comparable to the medical device used as gold standard. At low sweat rate, the bias is 3.4 g/m2·h with a standard deviation of 7.6 g/m2·h. At maximum sweat rates, the bias is 2.3 g/m2·h with a standard deviation 6.9 g/m2·h. The p values for the Bland-Altman plots at low and maximum sweat rate (0.1331 and 0.2477 obtained by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, respectively) allow the hypothesis that there is a significant difference between our sweat rate sensor and the medical device to be rejected. Conclusion We presented a prototype of a wearable sweat rate sensor for localized measurements. The trials on thirteen athletes proved that the performance of our sensor is comparable to that of a commercial medical device. This sweat rate sensor can provide valuable information on athletes' hydration status

Aplicación móvil para la gestión y análisis de los datos espaciales de interés turístico en el territorio de Bilbao

El presente estudio ha desarrollado y puesto a punto los componentes software y datos de un sistema para la consulta in situ de cartografía en dispositivos móviles (smartphone y tablet) dotados de GPS y conexión a internet. Utilizando librerías de código abierto, ha sido implementada una aplicación para dispositivos Android que permite la consulta de servicios y análisis del territorio. La aplicación hace que el usuario obtenga información mediante combinaciones de consultas espaciales y de atributos. Mediante múltiples capas, la aplicación permite buscar el camino óptimo para alcanzar el punto o información deseada a través de implementación de algoritmos de routing sobre grafos de carretera. Los resultados de búsqueda se ven influidos por los ajustes personalizados por el usuario y se gestionan mediante un enfoque basado en la lógica difusa (fuzzy logic). Se obtuvieron múltiples objetivos: un mayor intercambio y utilización de datos espaciales, la mayor presencia de las entidades en el marco del geoturismo y el marco institucional y por último, la creación de un sistema de gestión y consulta de un territorio aumentado útil no sólo para los turistas y los ciudadanos, sino también para los profesionales y las empresas. Con particular importancia, se ha dado la posibilidad de seleccionar carriles bici con cálculos y algoritmos de routing adaptados a las exigencias de una movilidad sostenible

Brain interaction during cooperation: Evaluating local properties of multiple-brain network

Subjects’ interaction is the core of most human activities. This is the reason why a lack of coordination is often the cause of missing goals, more than individual failure. While there are different subjective and objective measures to assess the level of mental effort required by subjects while facing a situation that is getting harder, that is, mental workload, to define an objective measure based on how and if team members are interacting is not so straightforward. In this study, behavioral, subjective and synchronized electroencephalographic data were collected from couples involved in a cooperative task to describe the relationship between task difficulty and team coordination, in the sense of interaction aimed at cooperatively performing the assignment. Multiple-brain connectivity analysis provided information about the whole interacting system. The results showed that averaged local properties of a brain network were affected by task difficulty. In particular, strength changed significantly with task difficulty and clustering coefficients strongly correlated with the workload itself. In particular, a higher workload corresponded to lower clustering values over the central and parietal brain areas. Such results has been interpreted as less efficient organization of the network when the subjects’ activities, due to high workload tendencies, were less coordinated

Neurophysiological Profile of Antismoking Campaigns

Over the past few decades, antismoking public service announcements (PSAs) have been used by governments to promote healthy behaviours in citizens, for instance, against drinking before the drive and against smoke. Effectiveness of such PSAs has been suggested especially for young persons. By now, PSAs efficacy is still mainly assessed through traditional methods (questionnaires and metrics) and could be performed only after the PSAs broadcasting, leading to waste of economic resources and time in the case of Ineffective PSAs. One possible countermeasure to such ineffective use of PSAs could be promoted by the evaluation of the cerebral reaction to the PSA of particular segments of population (e.g., old, young, and heavy smokers). In addition, it is crucial to gather such cerebral activity in front of PSAs that have been assessed to be effective against smoke (Effective PSAs), comparing results to the cerebral reactions to PSAs that have been certified to be not effective (Ineffective PSAs). &e eventual differences between the cerebral responses toward the two PSA groups will provide crucial information about the possible outcome of new PSAs before to its broadcasting. &is study focused on adult population, by investigating the cerebral reaction to the vision of different PSA images, which have already been shown to be Effective and Ineffective for the promotion of an antismoking behaviour. Results showed how variables as gender and smoking habits can influence the perception of PSA images, and how different communication styles of the antismoking campaigns could facilitate the comprehension of PSA’s message and then enhance the related impac

Childhood immunization coverage during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Province of Siracusa, Italy

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted routine immunization activities and a decline in vaccination coverage has been documented around the world. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood vaccination coverage in the Province of Siracusa, Italy. Methods: We compared 2020 and 2019 vaccination coverage by age group and vaccine type. Results were considered statistically significant at a two-tailed p-value ≤0.05. Results: Our findings show that vaccination coverage rates for mandatory and recommended vaccinations decreased in 2020 compared with the previous year (range from -1.4 % to -7.8%). Anti-rotavirus vaccination increased (+4.8%, as compared to 2019), while the reductions observed for polio vaccination (hexavalent) and human papillomavirus vaccination in males were not statistically significant. The reduction did not hit the population in the same manner, with the greater decreases observed for children aged >24 months compared to the younger (-5.5% vs. -2.2%) and for booster doses compared to the primary vaccinations (-6.4% vs. -2.6%). Conclusions: This study found that vaccination coverage of routine childhood immunisations was negatively affected during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Province of Siracusa. It is of huge importance to put in place some catch-up programs to ensure vaccinations at the earliest of individuals who missed immunization during the pandemic

Retrograde Positive Contrast Urethrocystography of the Fish Urogenital System

The radiological differences between the urinary tract of  Dicentrarchus labrax, Sparus aurata, Tinca tinca, and Cyprinus carpio are shown. In fresh water teleosts the urinary bladder is sigmoid and a short urethra leads to the urinary pore. Genital and anal pores are present. In Sparus aurata the urinary bladder has a globoid shape. In Dicentrarchus labrax the urinary bladder is smaller and elongate. In both marine teleosts a single urogenital pore is visible. Positive contrast was used to survey the urogenital system and evaluate shape and size of the bladder, urethra, ureter, and gonadal ducts. Results demonstrate the morphological variability of the urinary bladder and the craniodorsal entry of the ureters into the bladder. It is envisaged that this work will provide baseline information for further imaging studies for investigating the urogenital morphology and can be applied to identify disorders in fishes. Furthermore, the main interest of this study is that it demonstrates the morphological variability of the lower urinary system that exists between different species of fishes