Interpretation of AMS-02 electrons and positrons data

We perform a combined analysis of the recent AMS-02 data on electrons, positrons, electrons plus positrons and positron fraction, in a self-consistent framework where we realize a theoretical modeling of all the astrophysical components that can contribute to the observed fluxes in the whole energy range. The primary electron contribution is modeled through the sum of an average flux from distant sources and the fluxes from the local supernova remnants in the Green catalog. The secondary electron and positron fluxes originate from interactions on the interstellar medium of primary cosmic rays, for which we derive a novel determination by using AMS-02 proton and helium data. Primary positrons and electrons from pulsar wind nebulae in the ATNF catalog are included and studied in terms of their most significant (while loosely known) properties and under different assumptions (average contribution from the whole catalog, single dominant pulsar, a few dominant pulsars). We obtain a remarkable agreement between our various modeling and the AMS-02 data for all types of analysis, demonstrating that the whole AMS-02 leptonic data admit a self-consistent interpretation in terms of astrophysical contributions.Comment: 33 pages, 26 figures and 4 tables, v2: accepted for publication in JCAP, minor changes relative to v

PROCEDURAL MODELLING FOR HBIM OF ITALIAN RAILWAYS IRON BRIDGES

Abstract. The development of the railways network in the 19th century represented a significant scenario for the technological advancement of the entire Italian building sector; consequently, it produced a relevant renewal of construction techniques. Icons of this robust infrastructure building program were the railway bridges built over the Po river; their construction represented an arduous technological challenge. Unfortunately, in the years following the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy the national industry was disorganized and unprepared to face this ambitious challenge; indeed, the first four bridges were built by foreign companies that could guarantee the necessary technological know-how. However, the industrial scenario immediately changed and the last two bridges were designed and built by Italian engineers and steelwork companies. The railway bridges over the River Po are now lost; the changing needs of railway traffic or bombings during the Second World War unavoidably led to their demolition. Their enhancement through 3d modelling and virtual representation is fundamental for the rediscovering of the role they played not only in the construction of the national infrastructural system but also in the life of the young state. To this aim, the paper proposes the outcomes of research that explores the potentialities of 3d software with Visual Programming Language (VPL), in order to create modelling tools useful for the disclosure and dissemination of the historical value of this lost heritage

THE LOST HERITAGE OF ROMAN IRON AND STEEL BRIDGES. VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF TWO CASE STUDIES

Abstract. In the second half of 19th century the city of Rome knew a period of great urban transformations: the Pope Pio IX and after, the government of the new Kingdom of Italy, strongly pushed the modernization of the ancient and underdeveloped city, trying to follow the examples of the main European capitals. One of the most relevant signs of that period was the construction of multiple iron and steel bridges along the Tiber, that were built to improve the crossing network guaranteed by the old masonry links. Different supporting systems were used and many experimental technologies for the Italian context were tested, representing a crucial phase for the settle of a design and an industrial know-how that was firstly imported from the most advanced countries of the Northern Europe. In the 20th century most of these connections were unfortunately replaced, losing this precious heritage which was strongly linked to the technological culture of the time. Garibaldi Bridge, still present but radically transformed, and Alari Bridge, completely demolished, have been accurately modelled thanks to the availability of appropriate archival documentation and on-site tests, applied following a proposed methodology. The virtual reconstruction of the two case studies permits to spread the knowledge of this lost heritage, to ease the divulgation of past technologies and to recover the unusual image of exposed iron and steel structures surrounded by the ancient panorama of the Eternal city.</p

HBIM AND THE 20TH CENTURY STEEL BUILDING HERITAGE – A PROCEDURE SUITABLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION HISTORY IN ITALY

Abstract. The use of steel technologies in Italian architecture still represents an unexplored field of research, characterised by limited and fragmented episodes that reveal important design experimentations and relevant architectural results of the 20th century. For this reason, the aim of the research consists of defining a HBIM methodological approach addressed to the study of modern steel architectures, considering their specific features and their hybrid constructive nature. Indeed these buildings are often characterized by a high level of industrial production of building components merged with the recovery of a craftsmanship tradition, particularly appearing at the scale of structure and envelope details. The balance between standardization and traditional techniques in production processes, leads to the definition of a HBIM method composed of three steps: an operational tools for existing buildings of 20th century made of steel that could support the construction of building digital archives, the organisation of maintenance programs and possible transformative actions, avoiding the loss of this heritage sometimes caused by bad interventions that deeply change original and valuable features of these architectures.</p

Investigation on the topological optimization of cooling channels for extrusion dies

During the extrusion process, high temperatures are generated, due to friction and deformation works, potentially leading to profile and die defects. Among the suggested solutions aimed at controlling the thermal field of the process, the most accredited one involves the manufacturing of cooling channels at the mating face between the die and a third plate. Despite the proven efficiency of well-designed channels, the main drawback lies in the managing of the many variables involved that strongly affect the cooling efficiency and balancing. In this frame, aim of the work is to investigate the applicability of the topological optimization tool, proposed by COMSOL Multiphysics software, for the design of cooling channels in extrusion dies. To validate the tool, an industrial case study has been selected and results compared between not optimized and optimized cooling solutions

Experimental analysis and modeling of the recrystallization behaviour of a AA6060 extruded profile

The microstructure of Al-Mg-Si alloys is gaining nowadays an increasing industrial interest because it influences the strength, crash, corrosion and esthetic properties of the extruded profiles. In order to investigate and predict the recrystallization behaviour in the extrusion of 6XXX aluminum alloys, experimental and numerical activities are still needed. In this work, the extrusion of an industrial-scale AA6060 aluminum alloy hollow profile was carried out. An innovative recrystallization model was developed and optimized by comparing the microstructural data experimentally acquired with the outputs of the simulation performed using the Finite Element commercial code Qform Extrusion. A good correlation between numerical prediction and experimental data was found, thus proving the reliability of the proposed AA6060 recrystallization model

Advancements in extrusion and drawing: a review of the contributes by the ESAFORM community

The present review paper would celebrate the 25&nbsp;years anniversary of the ESAFORM association by summarizing the studies performed by the delegates of the ESAFORM conference series within mini-symposium “Extrusion and Drawing” and of the papers published in the International Journal of Material Forming in the same fields. The 160 analyzed papers have been divided in four main categories corresponding to the paper main chapters (Hot Metal Extrusion, Cold Metal Extrusion, Polymer Extrusion and Drawing) then further divided in sub-chapters in order to group them in more specific research subjects. The aim of this review paper is then to provide to the reader a complete overview of the investigated topics and of the research trends over the years within the ESAFORM associate researchers

Inhibition of interleukin-6-induced matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression and invasive ability of lemon peel polyphenol extract in human primary colon cancer cells

Among matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-9/2 are key enzymes involved in the proteolysis of extracellular matrices in the inflammatory process and in cancer. Since MMP-9/2 expression levels, activity, and secretion is up-regulated during inflammation in response to pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), many efforts have been devoted to identifying factors that could inhibit the IL-6-induced MMP-9/2 expression. Up to now, several reports in-dicated that polyphenols from fruits and vegetables are among the major components of health promotion for their antioxidant properties and also for their anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents. Among plant derived polyphenols, lemon (Citrus limon) peel extract (LPE) shows anti-cancer properties in various cancer types. In our previous work, we demonstrated that LPE can reduce IL-6-induced migration/invasiveness and MMP-9/2 up-regulation in some gastric cancer cell lines. This study aims to exploit the anti-cancer properties of LPE using an in vitro system model of inflam-mation, consisting of IL-6-exposed human primary colon cancer cells. We first analyzed the effect of LPE on IL-6-induced cell migration and invasiveness by wound healing and Boyden chamber assay, respectively. The MMP-2 mRNA expression levels and gelatinolytic activity in the cell culture media were determined by q-PCR analysis and gelatin zymography, respectively, and finally, the effects of LPE on IL-6-induced JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways have been investigated by Western blotting analysis. Our results show that LPE is able to inhibit the IL-6-dependent cell migration and invasiveness associated with the up-regulation of MMP-2 expression levels and that these effects are correlated to the STAT3 phosphorylation in human primary T88 and T93 colon cancer cells