Feasibility study of a combi-pv panel for greenhouse energy supply and water recovery by nightly radiation towards the sky

In southern European areas, characterized by high irradiation, the use of water for both evaporative cooling systems and hydroponic fertigation, represents a serious drawback for crop cultivation under cover. Water recovery systems seem to be an attractive solution, especially when they are integrated in the greenhouse construction. In this research, a feasibility study of applying a water recovery system driven by a combi-PV panel, in a semi-closed greenhouse was carried out. The prototype combi-PV panel was made by coupling an amorphous silicon panel with a sump stacked on the rear PV panel surface and filled with saline water. The system is driven by a cold-heat sink which is the PV panel itself. During night, the combi-PV panel exploits the radiative cooling of a ‘gray’ surface towards clear sky, chilling the water in the sump. In opposition, during day-time, the water in the sump is heated at a temperature higher than the environment. Thus, the water vapour will be condensing on the rear panel surface during night, being the warm air circulation facilitated by bouyancy effect. The evaluation of the system is in progress in order to assess the real amount of energy irradiated and consequently the water-drips to be collected on a proper surface inside the sump. The condensed water can be mixed with saline water to reduce the salinity and be used for fertigation

Chiral-Yang-Mills theory, non commutative differential geometry, and the need for a Lie super-algebra

In Yang-Mills theory, the charges of the left and right massless Fermions are independent of each other. We propose a new paradigm where we remove this freedom and densify the algebraic structure of Yang-Mills theory by integrating the scalar Higgs field into a new gauge-chiral 1-form which connects Fermions of opposite chiralities. Using the Bianchi identity, we prove that the corresponding covariant differential is associative if and only if we gauge a Lie-Kac super-algebra. In this model, spontaneous symmetry breakdown naturally occurs along an odd generator of the super-algebra and induces a representation of the Connes-Lott non commutative differential geometry of the 2-point finite space.Comment: 17 pages, no figur

Constraints on the Physical Parameters of TeV Blazars

We consider the constraints on the physical parameters of a homogeneous SSC model that can be derived from the spectral shape and variability of TeV blazars. Assuming that the relativistic electron spectrum is a broken power law, where the break energy $\gamma_b$ is a free parameter, we write the analytical formulae that allow to connect the physical parameters of the model to observable quantities. The constraints can be summarized in a plane where the coordinates are the Doppler factor and the magnetic field. The consistency between the break energy and the balance between cooling and escape and the interpretation of the soft photon lags measured in some sources as radiative cooling times are treated as additional independent constraints. We apply themethod to the case of three well known blazars, PKS 2155-304, Mrk 421 and Mrk 501.Comment: 36 pages, incl. 6 figures in PS format, AAS LaTeX, to be published in ApJ, Dec 199

Clinicopathological findings in cats tested for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological changes in a population of cats tested for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), in an Italian Veterinary University Hospital, in the period between January 2002 and May 2016. During the period of 14 years, 1834 cats were tested, and of these 241/1834 (13.1%) were positive for FIV antibodies and 92/1834 (5%) cats were positive for FeLV antigen. These data confirm the presence of a high prevalence of these viruses on Italian territory. To the authors’ knowledge, this study describes findings that have never been evaluated before, such as iron status in retrovirus-infected cats and urinalysis in FeLV-positive cats. In this study, FIV-positive cats were more likely to have higher serum protein concentration and lower albumin-globulin ratio than other groups of cats. Lower urine specific gravity and higher urine protein to creatinine ratio were also detected for FIV-positive cats when compared with negative and healthy cats. FeLV-positive cats were more likely to have cytopenia, decreased haemoglobin, haematocrit and RBC compared with other groups of cats. The data obtained underline the importance of considering retroviral infections in the presence of a broad spectrum of risk factors and laboratory anomalies

Bike Lane Design: the Context Sensitive Approach

In these days of increasing congestion on roads, bicycles continue to provide a valuable contribution to mobility in Europe. Their relatively small size and low cost enable them to blend efficiently into in the traffic flow while needing less space compared to other vehicles. However, cyclists form one of the most vulnerable groups of road users. So the design of safe infrastructures for all travellers categories, included the cyclists, becomes a primary requirement. To obtain these results, a Context Sensitive Design approach is a very useful tool. In this way, in fact, it is possible to examine a project or existing road, reporting its crash potential and safety performances and detecting its deficiencies, taking into consideration communities and lands which it passes through. In this paper the authors, starting from results collected on a bike lane placed in Rimini, provide useful results for designers, construction and maintenance contractors, in order to obtain safe bike lanes

Crystal structural and optical properties of Cr-doped Y2Ti2O7 and Y2Sn2O7 pyrochlores

Pyrochlore-type [A(2)(VIII)B(2)(VI)O(6)O] rare earth stannates (PS) and titanates (PT), doped with increasing amounts of Cr, develop colours 2 2 ranging from magenta to brown. Combined X-ray and neutron diffraction data revealed that Cr solubility in both pyrochlores is very limited, i.e. 0.07 atoms/formula unit in PS and 0.06 atoms/formula unit in PT. A further increase in the Cr amount determines the formation of the YCrO3 perovskite. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy data showed that the optical properties of Cr-doped yttrium titanates and stannates are rather similar, and that the final colour of the powders is due to the overlapping peaks of Cr4+ in the octahedral site of the pyrochlore and of Cr3+ in the ternary perovskite. The oxygen occupancy refinement showed that no anion vacancies are formed upon Cr substitution for Sn4+ or Ti4+, implying that such a charge compensation mechanism does not occur, confirming that the Cr in titanate and stannate pyrochlores is mainly in a tetravalent state

Genesis of the La Espingarda kaolin deposit. Implications for epithermal deposit exploration in Patagonia

The La Espingarda kaolin deposit was formed by ?in situ? alteration of sub-alkaline rhyolites belonging to the Jurassic Marifil Formation. Three altered volcanic lithofacies were identified: a porphyric biotitic ignimbrite (RPB), a coarse lithic ignimbrite (ILG), and a fluidal intrusive rhyolite (RFI). The kaolinization covers an ellipsoidal surface area of ∼20,000 m2, with the alteration intensity decreasing downwards and disappearing at 8?12 m from the surface. In two mine sectors small stockworks of fine quartz veins appears (b3 m2). The deepest alteration is related to two fault zones where the three volcanic units are in contact. There is no lateral clay zoning at the faults. The mineralogical composition is kaolinite? halloysite ?illite quartz+feldspars +Fe-hydr(oxides). At least three kaolinite generations were identified. The first is pervasive; the second appears as a filling of vugs in the quartz veinlets that crosscut the pervasively altered rocks; and the third occurs as pure kaolin veins without quartz vein cross cuts. During the alteration processes almost total alkali cations were leached. The argillized lithofacies showed Ni enrichment and Cu, Sr, and Ba depletions. The main weathering genesis for La Espingarda is supported by the deposit morphology, its location in topographic lows, the paleoclimatic record, its simple mineralogical composition; vertical zonation, the kaolinite veins isotopes (δ18O ? 18.3; δD ? −59.0), and the trace element distribution. A steam heated water activity produced some kaolinite overprint according to one isotopic value and the S and P contents slightly higher in the kaolinized rocks. Neither Au, Ag, As, Sb, Hg, or Ba epithermal pathfinders\u27 anomalies nor drill data support the existence of any metallic mineralization at the kaolin blanket bottom. In Patagonia hydrothermal kaolinite manifestations are located around and beneath silicified, erosion-resistant hills and include some of the following minerals: dickite, alunite, pyrophyllite, or pyrite and have As, S, Ba, and Ag trace elements within the range of weak geochemical anomalie

Concomitant infections with canine parvovirus type 2 and intracellular tick-borne pathogens in two puppy dogs

In this report the concomitant infection with canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2), Hepatozoon canis and Ehrlichia canis in two puppy dogs from Southern Italy is described. Dogs were referred to a veterinary university hospital for the acute onset of lethargy and gastrointestinal signs. A complete clinical and clinicopathological evaluation was carried out and the multiple infection was confirmed by microscopic detection of inclusion bodies in peripheral blood smear, rapid immunoenzymatic tests, indirect fluorescent antibody tests, and molecular assays. Sequence analysis revealed that the CPV-2 identified belonged to the 2c variant and had amino acid residues in the predicted VP2 protein typical of "Asian-like" strains widespread in Asia and occasionally reported in Romania, Nigeria and Italy, particularly in the region of Sicily. Numerous monocytes were infected by both H. canis gamonts and E. canis morulae, suggesting that this co-infection is not accidental and that E. canis preferably infects those cells parasitized by H. canis. The clinical presentation of these animals was severe but supportive cares associated with early etiological therapy allowed a good prognosis. Movement of puppies from geographic areas where vector-borne pathogens are endemic must be carefully evaluated and core vaccinations and ectoparasite prevention treatments must be rigorously adopted