Flows of Energy and matter cycles in the ecosystems : a conceptual tool to deal with issues of global sustainability

Preprin

Applicazione di un sistema di monitoraggio alle prestazioni di valvole e regolatori industriali

La tesi si inquadra nell'ambito del monitoraggio dei sistemi controllati ed è consistito in una attività di assistenza all’utilizzo del sistema 'Loop Control', consistente in applicazioni specifiche per supervisione/miglioramento di loops, valutazione dei benefici derivanti dall’implementazione del sistema di monitoraggio, risposta a specifiche esigenze avanzate dagli operatori attraverso eventuali modifiche dell’architettura o degli algoritmi adottati. La tesi si articola nei capitoli elencati di seguito. Capitolo 1 - Illustrazione del sistema di monitoraggio Loop Control Descrizione dell’architettura e delle principali tecniche utilizzate nel sistema di monitoraggio in uso alla raffineria Eni di Livorno sviluppato da CPCLab. Capitolo 2 - Applicazione di Loop Control in fase di manutenzione delle valvole regolatrici Utilizzo del sistema in fase di raccolta di un gruppo di valvole da togliere dalla lista di manutenzione prima della fermata dell’impianto (MTA) e successiva verifica del buon funzionamento su un campione di valvole revisionate. Capitolo 3 – Un nuovo criterio di significatività dell’oscillazione Definizione di un nuovo test per la significatività dell’oscillazione dopo uno studio sui risultati ottenuti con tre test su campioni diversi per tipologia di loop. Capitolo 4 – Tuning dei loop in cascata Studio degli andamenti registrati e delle modalità di intervento adottate dall’operatore sui loop in cascata, intervento in apparente contrasto con le indicazioni del sistema Loop Control. Capitolo 5 – Modifiche minori e nuova struttura del sistema Descrizione di altre modifiche riguardo ai verdetti d’attrito sui loop in cascata, alla saturazione, alla definizione della lentezza di un loop. Riassunto di tutte le modifiche apportate e illustrazione della struttura del nuovo programma e dei file di ingresso e di uscita modificati. Capitolo 6 – Verifiche fuori linea Illustrazione dei risultati delle verifiche fuori linea effettuate sul programma per un campione di loop scelto in modo da rappresentare una completa casistica delle modifiche apportate. La verifica ha preceduto la messa in linea del nuovo programma a Dicembre 2011

Une ambassade de Perse à Venise : le tableau de Gabriele Caliari au Palais des Doges

Un telero vénitien, peinture sur toile de grandes dimensions, réalisé pour le Palais des Doges au début du XVIIe siècle illustre un moment clé de la stratégie d’amitiés orchestrée par la République de Venise le long de la Route de la soie

Driving, dementia and Australian physicians: primum non nocere?

Older Australians are increasingly reliant on automobiles as their sole form of transport. As our population is ageing and the prevalence of dementia is increasing, it is anticipated that the number of drivers with dementia will rise over time. Much of the literature relating to driving and dementia focuses on safety rather than mobility. The objective of this paper is to highlight several topical ethical issues that pertain to Australian drivers with dementia. It is recommended that future research, policy and practice should centre on the crucial mobility and transport needs of our senior citizens

Mechanistic models of α\alpha-synuclein homeostasis for Parkinson's disease: A blueprint for therapeutic intervention

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, yet there is no disease-modifying therapy up to this date. The biological complexity underlying PD hampers the investigation of the principal contributors to its pathogenesis. In this context, mechanistic models grounded in molecular-level knowledge provide virtual labs to uncover the primary events triggering PD onset and progression and suggest promising therapeutic targets. Multiple modeling efforts in PD research have focused on the pathological role of $\alpha$-synuclein ($\alpha$syn), a presynaptic protein that emerges from the intricate molecular network as a crucial driver of neurodegeneration. Here, we collect the advances in mathematical modeling of $\alpha$syn homeostasis, focusing on aggregation and degradation pathways, and discussing potential modeling improvements and possible implications in PD therapeutic strategy design

Life Cycle Based Evaluation of Environmental and Economic Impacts of Agricultural Productions in the Mediterranean Area

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) applied to estimate the cradle-to-grave environmental impact of agricultural products or processes. Furthermore, including in the analysis an economic evaluation, from the perspective of an integrated life cycle approach, appears nowadays as a fundamental improvement. In particular, Life Cycle Costing (LCC), is a method that could integrate financial data and cost information with metrics of life cycle approaches. In this study, LCA in conjunction with LCC methods were used, with the aim to evaluate the main cost drivers—environmental and economic—of five widely diffused and market-valued agricultural productions (organic tomato and pear, integrated wheat, apple and chicory) and to combine the results in order to understand the long-term externalities impacts of agricultural productions. Data obtained in local assessment show a wide margin of improvement of resources management at farms level in the short-term, but also allow for the investigation of future effects of environmental impacts not expressed in product price on the market. Reaching a real sustainable model for agriculture could be a value added approach firstly for farmers, but also for all the people who live in rural areas or use agricultural products

Valorisation of tomato dried peels powder as thickening agent in tomato purees.

Tomato pomade, consisting of peels and seeds, represents 3-4% of fresh fruit weight. If it remains a waste, it gives rise to disposal problems and aggravate environmental pollution. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of dried peels powder as thickening ingredient in commercial tomato purées. Dried peels were ground in fine and rough sizes and physic-chemically characterized. Samples of creamy and rustic purées with tomato fine and rough dried peels powders at different percentages (0.5-5.0%) were prepared and tested for rheological properties and organoleptic characteristics (colour and flavour). The addiction of 3.0% of fine and 1.0% of rough dried peels powder to rustic purees, and 2.0% of fine dried peels powder to creamy purees resulted as the best combination to reduce the impact of industrial evaporation. The proposed approach could transform a waste in a value-added product to be reused, even in the producer’s supply chain itself

Distant yet personal: equality in distant education during Covid-19 lockdown in Italy

Since March 2020, Italy imposed a lockdown to the Northern-Central regions, leading to the massive use of distant learning approaches in middle and high school level. This change was sudden and unsupported by any forms of preparation for the teachers, who were required to shift attitude towards digital devices in their teaching from (cit.): “They cannot have their phones in class, into use whatever you can!” This article aims at investigating the main challenges experienced by middle and high school teachers in literature and languages related subjects, through eleven interviews. We conducted a thematic analysis and identified three main challenges related to: Efficiency of teaching, social contact, and technical challenges. The sum of these challenges undermines equality in the pupils’ participation during class activities. It also highlights existing issues related to social status and family role in education, pupils’ engagement, and proficiency. At the same time, we found that teachers experienced their role, as actors in creating a framework for equality in education in digital learning rooms, dividing teachers and pupils while connecting them on a more personal level

Modifications induced by acylphosphatase in the functional properties of heart sarcolemma Na+,K+ pump

AbstractAcylphosphatase purified from cardiac muscle actively hydrolyzes the phosphoenzyme intermediate of heart sarcolemma Na+,K+-ATPase. This effect occurred with acylphosphatase amounts (up to 800 unitsmg membrane protein) that fall within the physiological range and the low value of the apparent Km (0.69 × 10−7 M) indicates a considerable affinity of the enzyme towards this specific substrate. Acylphosphatase addition to purified sarcolemmal vesicles significantly increased the rate of Na+,K+-dependent ATP hydrolysis. Maximal stimulation, observed with 800 unitsmg protein, resulted in an ATPase activity which was about 2-fold over basal value. The same acylphosphatase amounts significantly stimulated, in a similar and to an even greater extent, the rate of ATP driven Na+ transport into sarcolemmal vesicles. These findings lead to suppose that an accelerated hydrolysis of the phosphoenzyme may result in an enhanced activity of heart sarcolemmal Na+,K+ pump, therefore suggesting a potential role of acylphosphatase in the control of this active transport system

Mechanistic models of α-synuclein homeostasis for Parkinson's disease: A blueprint for therapeutic intervention

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, yet there is no disease-modifying therapy up to this date. The biological complexity underlying PD hampers the investigation of the principal contributors to its pathogenesis. In this context, mechanistic models grounded in molecular-level knowledge provide virtual labs to uncover the primary events triggering PD onset and progression and suggest promising therapeutic targets. Multiple modeling efforts in PD research have focused on the pathological role of α-synuclein (αsyn), a presynaptic protein that emerges from the intricate molecular network as a crucial driver of neurodegeneration. Here, we collect the advances in mathematical modeling of αsyn homeostasis, focusing on aggregation and degradation pathways, and discussing potential modeling improvements and possible implications in PD therapeutic strategy design