Development of aerogel based internal thermal plasters for the energy retrofit of existing buildings: First results

A relevant part of research activities dealing with the energy retrofitting of existing buildings is currently focused on the development of highly insulating plasters, which represent a feasible and effective solution as far as thermal bridges, mold growth risk and heat loss reduction are concerned. Within this framework, the EU funded research project “Wall- ACE” started in October 2016. The project involves industrial partners, research centres and public bodies, with the aim of developing, testing and implementing, a new set of high performance aerogel based insulating products. In this first stage, the activity carried out by the authors was mainly focused on internal insulating plasters. The first blends of lightweight samples were experimentally characterized as far as thermohygrometric and mechanical properties are concerned. Moreover, the thermal behavior of typical wall assemblies retrofitted using the developed aerogel based plasters, were assessed through numerical simulations. The first results and the technical issues which have arisen during the initial stage of the research, are here presented

Enhancement of Second Harmonic Signal in Nanofabricated Cones

Geometrical effects in optical nanostructures on nanoscale can lead to interesting phenomena such as inhibition of spontaneous emission,(1,2) high-reflecting omnidirectional mirrors, structures that exhibit low-loss-waveguiding,(3) and light confinement.(4,5) Here, we demonstrate a similar concept of exploiting the geometrical effects on nanoscale through precisely fabricating lithium niobate (LiNbO3) nanocones arrays devices. We show a strong second harmonic generation (SHG) enhancement, shape and arrangement dependent, up to 4 times bigger than the bulk one. These devices allow below diffraction limited observation, being perfect platforms for single molecule fluorescence microscopy(6) or single cell endoscopy.(7) Nanocones create a confined illumination volume, devoid from blinking and bleaching, which can excite molecules in nanocones proximity. Illumination volume can be increased by combining the SH enhancement effect with plasmon resonances, excited thanks to a gold plasmonic shell deposited around the nanostructures. This results in a local further enhancement of the SH signal up to 20 times. The global SH enhancement can be rationally designed and tuned through the means of simulations

The experience of educational research at doctoral level in the region of Cuyo, Argentina

[EN] In this paper are reported the results of an exploratory-analytical research of a qualitative nature, whose intention is to approach the comprehension of the experiences, their peculiarities and problems, of a sample of students and graduates from the three doctorates in Education existing in the region of Cuyo, Argentina, which –though they reach a certain maturity– also show in these years some specific difficulties, among which the most relevant is the low rate of completion (close to 20%). The administered questionnaire, elaborated ad hoc, by means of open-ended questions, inquires on three dimensions that can explain the experience of the PhD student: 1) educational research methodology training, 2) practice in scientific research and 3) doctoral research process. The results show that curricular paths of doctorate’s research methodology, in dependence of their approach, play an important role in the process of theses, in synergy with other factors: integration into a research team, a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motives in the choice of the topic, a more elaborated conceptualization of educational research, conceptual changes of greater importance. Among the peculiarities, one warns the primacy of the experience and/or teacher workplace in decisions concerning doctoral research; among the difficulties, stand out the lack of time and the major frequency of intrinsic difficulties to the thesis in delayed students.[ES] En este trabajo se informan los resultados de una investigación exploratorio-analítica de carácter cualitativo, cuyo propósito es acercarnos a la comprensión de las experiencias, sus particularidades y problemáticas, de una muestra de alumnos y egresados de los tres doctorados en Educación existentes en la región de Cuyo, Argentina, los que –si bien alcanzan una cierta madurez– también muestran en estos años algunas dificultades específicas, entre las cuales la más relevante es la baja tasa de finalización (cercana al 20%). El cuestionario que se administra, elaborado ad hoc, mediante preguntas abiertas, indaga sobre tres dimensiones que pueden explicar la experiencia del doctorando: 1) formación en metodología de la investigación educativa, 2) práctica en investigación científica y 3) proceso de investigación doctoral. Los resultados muestran que los trayectos curriculares de metodología de la investigación del doctorado, en dependencia de su enfoque, desempeñan un papel relevante en el proceso de tesis, en sinergia con otros factores: la inserción en un equipo de investigación, una combinación de motivos intrínsecos y extrínsecos en la elección del tema, una conceptualización más elaborada de investigación educativa, cambios conceptuales de mayor envergadura. Entre las peculiaridades, se advierte la primacía de la experiencia y/o desempeño docente en decisiones relativas a la investigación doctoral; entre las dificultades, destaca la falta de tiempo y la mayor frecuencia de dificultades intrínsecas a la tesis en los estudiantes demorados.Difabio De Anglat, H.; Portela De Nieto, A.; Gelonch Villarino, S.; Muscará, F.; Boarini De Dutto, MG. (2018). La experiencia de investigación educativa de nivel doctoral en la región de Cuyo, Argentina. 11-32. doi:10.4995/redu.2018.5690SWORD113

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 7

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions of taxa in the genera Abies, Actinidia, Alooe, Amaryllis, Anredera, Arctotheca, Bidens, Cardiospermum, Celosia, Commelina, Cotoneaster, Cyclamen, Eclipta, Euphorbia, Grevillea, Hedera, Hibiscus, Impatiens, Juglans, Kalanchoe, Koelreuteria, Lindernia, Melinis, Myriophyllum, Nandina, Nicotiana, Oenothera, Oxalis, Parthenocissus, Phoenix, Phyllanthus, Physalis, Plumbago, Pteris, Quercus, Setaria, Symphytum, Tagetes, and Washingtonia. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1

Molecular and Functional Characterization of the Odorant Receptor2 (OR2) in the Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus

In mosquitoes, the olfactory system plays a crucial role in many types of behavior, including nectar feeding, host preference selection and oviposition. Aedes albopictus, known also as the tiger mosquito, is an anthropophilic species, which in the last few years, due to its strong ecological plasticity, has spread throughout the world. Although long considered only a secondary vector of viruses, the potential of its vector capacity may constitute a threat to public health. Based on the idea that an improved understanding of the olfactory system of mosquitoes may assist in the development of control methods that interfere with their behavior, we have undertaken a study aimed at characterizing the A. albopictus Odorant Receptors. Here we report the identification, cloning and functional characterization of the AalOR2 ortholog, that represents the first candidate member of the odorant receptor (OR) family of proteins from A. albopictus. AalOR2 is expressed in the larval heads and antennae of adults. Our data indicate that A. albopictus OR2 (AalOR2) shares a high degree of identity with other mosquito OR2 orthologs characterized to date, confirming that OR2 is one of the most conserved mosquito ORs. Our data indicate that AalOR2 is narrowly tuned to indole, and inhibited by (-)-menthone. In agreement with this results, these two compounds elicit two opposite effects on the olfactory-based behavior of A. albopictus larvae, as determined through a larval behavioral assay. In summary, this work has led to the cloning and de-orphaning of the first Odorant Receptor in the tiger mosquito A. albopictus. In future control strategies this receptor may be used as a potential molecular target