Measurement results and improvements on an open EPR system

Electron spin resonance (ESR) is a spectroscopic method that allows to measure stable radicals induced by ionizing radiation. The EPR measurements can help to estimate the dose absorbed by people exposed during a nuclear disaster, detecting the number of radicals induced in their mobile phones due to the exposition [1]. Using conventional closed microwave cavities, the phone display must be fragmented in order to be introduced inside the resonator, becoming no more usable. The aim of this work is to develop a system, compatible with the spectrometer Bruker Elexys E500, able to preserve the sample integrity. The system uses an X-band resonant metallic cavity with a slit, realized on one side, for the leak of the excitation magnetic field and a Helmotz coil pair. The resonator allows measuring a sample lodged outside the cavity, while the coils produce a 100 kHz modulated field that encodes the output signal at a particular frequency and increases the SNR

From Mendel’s discovery on pea to today’s plant genetics and breeding

In 2015, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the presentation of the seminal work of Gregor Johann Mendel. While Darwin’s theory of evolution was based on differential survival and differential reproductive success, Mendel’s theory of heredity relies on equality and stability throughout all stages of the life cycle. Darwin’s concepts were continuous variation and “soft” heredity; Mendel espoused discontinuous variation and “hard” heredity. Thus, the combination of Mendelian genetics with Darwin’s theory of natural selection was the process that resulted in the modern synthesis of evolutionary biology. Although biology, genetics, and genomics have been revolutionized in recent years, modern genetics will forever rely on simple principles founded on pea breeding using seven single gene characters. Purposeful use of mutants to study gene function is one of the essential tools of modern genetics. Today, over 100 plant species genomes have been sequenced. Mapping populations and their use in segregation of molecular markers and marker–trait association to map and isolate genes, were developed on the basis of Mendel's work. Genome-wide or genomic selection is a recent approach for the development of improved breeding lines. The analysis of complex traits has been enhanced by high-throughput phenotyping and developments in statistical and modeling methods for the analysis of phenotypic data. Introgression of novel alleles from landraces and wild relatives widens genetic diversity and improves traits; transgenic methodologies allow for the introduction of novel genes from diverse sources, and gene editing approaches offer possibilities to manipulate gene in a precise manner

Fragility Curves and Economic Loss Assessment of RC Buildings after L’Aquila 2009 Earthquake

A buildings stock of 12,016 Reinforced Concrete (RC) buildings is investigated to propose vulnerability, fragility, and loss curves, as well as an Expected Annual Loss (EAL) assessment. The buildings data are collected within Da.D.O. database, considering the observed damage due to L’Aquila earthquake (2009). The adopted methodology allows us to add undamaged and not-surveyed buildings, not included within the database, by considering the typological distribution of two different reference municipalities. The obtained results highlight that the completed database allows a more reliable seismic risk assessment, even if resulting EAL is poorly influenced by reference municipality assumed for undamaged buildings estimation

Seismic risk assessment for masonry buildings typologies from L’Aquila 2009 earthquake damage data

In this study a seismic risk analysis of masonry buildings based on damage data of L’Aquila 2009 earthquake is presented. Typological loss curves and Expected Annualized Losses (EAL) values are presented, starting from the data collected into AeDES forms available in the Da.D.O. database. A completion is proposed for improving the sample statistical significance, and correctly including undamaged and not surveyed buildings that suffered low shaking values. Finally, the loss curves proposed permits to economically assess the effectiveness of some local and very frequent interventions (such as chains/ring beams), and their consequent impact in seismic risk mitigation