1D stratified two-phase flow modelling of a parabolic trough collector for direct vapour generation

The purpose of this work is to investigate the potential of using PTC (parabolic trough collector) technology for the direct evaporation of ammonia from a solution of ammonia-lithium nitrate in absorption cooling systems. This system solution, currently under study by the research group ITEA of the University Carlos III of Madrid, allows eliminating the use of heat transfer fluids (thermal oil, pressurized water, etc.), thus entailing benefits as regards the overall efficiency, the environmental protection and the reduction of the installation costs. After a general overview of solar absorption cooling applications, a one-dimensional, stratified, two-phase flow model in steady state conditions has been developed. The resulting set of equations was subsequently discretized and then solved using the calculation software Mathcad 14.0. Finally, the results, obtained for different varying input values, were reported and commented

Soil Sampling Protocol to Certify the Changes of Organic Carbon Stock in Mineral Soils of the European Union

The Kyoto Protocol considers soils as an essential component to account to mitigate dangerous concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Two supplementary reports: (1) Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) and (2) Good practice Guidance for LULUCF identify soil organic carbon (SOC) monitoring to be an obligatory when implementing Articles 3.3 and 3.4 of the Protocol. However, these documents provide general rules on the countrywide SOC account and reporting which are insufficient to be practically applied in the agricultural fields and forests. The lack of agreed method to sample soil to certify changes of carbon stock in soils might be a serious constraint for the Kyoto implementation in EU. The urgency to set out common soil sampling extends beyond the protocol. The SOC is a parameter drving a majority of soil ecological functions, e.g. fertility, buffering capacity, absorption of dangerous chemicals, water quality, regulation of atmospheric gas composition etc. Thus this methodology contributes to establish common criteria of soil quality in EU. The scope of the guidance is to set out the main rules for soil-sampling to certify changes of carbon stock in soils caused by LULUCF activities in EU. It includes the following procedures: localization of points from which samples should be taken; identification of sample amount and composition; methods of the sample collection.JRC.H.6-Spatial data infrastructure

Role of temperature on nonlinear cardiac dynamics.

Thermal effects affecting spatiotemporal behavior of cardiac tissue are discussed by relating temperature variations to proarrhythmic dynamics in the heart. By introducing a thermoelectric coupling in a minimal model of cardiac tissue, we are able to reproduce experimentally measured dynamics obtained simultaneously from epicardial and endocardial canine right ventricles at different temperatures. A quantitative description of emergent proarrhythmic properties of restitution, conduction velocity, and alternans regimes as a function of temperature is presented. Complex discordant alternans patterns that enhance tissue dispersion consisting of one wave front and three wave backs are described in both simulations and experiments. Possible implications for model generalization are finally discussed

The Foreign Language Effect on Tolerance of Ambiguity

Previous research has shown that bilingual speakers may be more tolerant to ambiguity, they might perceive situations of ambiguity more interesting, challenging and desirable (e.g., Dewaele & Li, 2013). To our knowledge, no data is available addressing the question whether the language in use can have an effect on the personality trait of tolerance of ambiguity (ToA). This study investigated whether and how reading statements in a second language (L2), as opposed to the native language (L1), affects ToA. 387 Italian/English bilingual adults completed a questionnaire measuring levels of ToA either in English or Italian. Results revealed that processing information in L2 promoted higher scores of ToA overall and in sentences that were related to challenging perspectives and change. Age, gender and L2 proficiency were significant predictors of higher ToA scores. This study offers new evidence that processing information in a L2 can affect tolerance of ambiguous situations

Is it possible to study paleoenvironmental changes in Alpine spring habitats? A few examples from the south-eastern Alps (NE Italy)

Palaeolimnological techniques were applied to spring habitats in the Trentino Region (NE Italy) as a test in order to reconstruct past environmental changes in these crucial and fragile milieus. Three different sites were selected from a database of more than one hundred on the basis of morphological, geological, and biological factors, including human impact evaluation: Nambrone, Paul and Madonnina Val Lomasona. Sampling was performed by adapting standard lake-sediment coring methods, and the retrieved sediment was described and subsampled following standard "lake" procedures. Field work and sedimentological analyses revealed clear influence from nearby fluvial environment for the Nambrone site, whereas Paul and Madonnina Val Lomasona were selected for further analyses (e.g., dating, diatoms, chironomids). Lead-210 and Caesium-137 dating methods were used to obtain a chronological framework, in addition to historical information on land use and other events in the area. The upper part of the Paul sequence presented organic rich sediment compatible with spring environments, but the lower and essentially detrital part appeared to record alluvial deposition, probably linked to extraordinary flood events (1882, 1966). This interpretation is indirectly confirmed by the records of the fallout nuclides Caesium-137 and Lead-210, that were both unfortunately concentrated in the topmost 1 cm, making it impossible to construct a normal age-depth profile. Madonnina Val Lomasona sedimentological and biological indicators point to a marked change around ca 5 cm, dividing the sequence in two units, corresponding to different environmental conditions. Although the interpretation of the dating results is not completely straightforward, the assembled data suggest that the upper 5 cm of the record represents ca the last 50 years. During this period we found typical limnocrenic, clear-water spring conditions, while before 1960s the coexistence of lotic and lentic chironomid species including several opportunistic ones and the low richness, emphasized the presence of a disturbance (e.g., highly variable flow and/or trophic conditions), as confirmed also by diatom assemblages and sedimentological features. The recorded disturbance is probably linked to a water-level change due to the local land use, as also testified by historical data. The results of this study support the idea that carefully selected spring sites might be approached with adapted palaeolimnological techniques to extract valuable palaeoenvironmental information. However, it also highlighted the low percentage of "good sites" (1%) and considerable difficulties in coring and sampling without disturbing the sediment

Soil Sampling Protocol to Certify the Changes of Organic Carbon Stock in Mineral Soils Of European Union - Version 2

The revised second edition of the “Soil Sampling Protocol to Certify the Changes of Organic Carbon Stock in Mineral Soils of European Union” updates the Manual published in 2005. The revision is based on the practical testing in the field. Following numerous comments of the users the revised manual is illustrated by examples of the application of the manual and computation routine.JRC.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

Treatment with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 preserves glomerular slit diaphragm-associated protein expression in experimental glomerulonephritis

In this study, we investigated the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3on proteinuria and on the alteration of slit diaphragm-associated proteins induced by anti-Thy 1.1 in Wistar rats. Four groups of animals were studied: group I, anti-Thy 1.1 treated rats; group II, anti-Thy1.1 treated group that at day 2, after the onset of overt proteinuria, started the treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3; group III, normal control rats injected with vehicle alone; group IV, rats that received only 1,25(OH)2D3. At day 2, in group I and II, before the administration of 1,25(OH)2D3, protein excretion was significantly increased when compared to controls. Overt proteinuria was maintained until day 14 in group I whereas in group II protein excretion was significantly reduced from day 3 to day 14. Moreover, treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3abrogated podocytes injury, detected as desmin expression and loss of nephrin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), two slit diaphragm-associated proteins, and glomerular polyanion staining, that were observed in group I. In conclusion, these results suggest that 1,25(OH)2D3administrated with a therapeutic regiment may revert proteinuria, counteracting glomerular podocyte injury

Il Suolo della Provincia di Pavia (Parte due)

Il presente Rapporto completa lo studio effettuato sul territorio della Provincia di Pavia, già pubblicato come EUR Report nel 2006. Questo rapporto presenta in modo completo i dati di metalli pesanti e diossine ottenuti attraverso l'analisi di campioni di sedimento. I dati relativi ai suoli superficiali sono stati integrati con gli elementi Co, Mn e alcuni macroelementi. I dati ottenuti non evidenziano valori anomali per tutto il territorio indagato. Per quanto riguarda l'utilizzo dei bioindicatori e dei concetti di biodiversità, batteri e muschi, i dati sono stati ampliati presentando la distribuzione spaziale della loro concentrazione nelle aree a valenza prevalentemente industriale. In conclusione l'apporto dato da questo rapporto completa in modo significativo il Precedente EUR report. I dati ottenuti sono sovrapponibili a quanto già descritto e confermano la buona qualità dei suoli pavesi.JRC.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

Fetal Oxygenation from the 23rd to the 36th Week of Gestation Evaluated through the Umbilical Cord Blood Gas Analysis

The embryo and fetus grow in a hypoxic environment. Intrauterine oxygen levels fluctuate throughout the pregnancy, allowing the oxygen to modulate apparently contradictory functions, such as the expansion of stemness but also differentiation. We have recently demonstrated that in the last weeks of pregnancy, oxygenation progressively increases, but the trend of oxygen levels during the previous weeks remains to be clarified. In the present retrospective study, umbilical venous and arterial oxygen levels, fetal oxygen extraction, oxygen content, CO2, and lactate were evaluated in a cohort of healthy newborns with gestational age < 37 weeks. A progressive decrease in pO2 levels associated with a concomitant increase in pCO2 and reduction in pH has been observed starting from the 23rd week until approximately the 33–34th week of gestation. Over this period, despite the increased hypoxemia, oxygen content remains stable thanks to increasing hemoglobin concentration, which allows the fetus to become more hypoxemic but not more hypoxic. Starting from the 33–34th week, fetal oxygenation increases and ideally continues following the trend recently described in term fetuses. The present study confirms that oxygenation during intrauterine life continues to vary even after placenta development, showing a clear biphasic trend. Fetuses, in fact, from mid-gestation to near-term, become progressively more hypoxemic. However, starting from the 33–34th week, oxygenation progressively increases until birth. In this regard, our data suggest that the placenta is the hub that ensures this variable oxygen availability to the fetus, and we speculate that this biphasic trend is functional for the promotion, in specific tissues and at specific times, of stemness and intrauterine differentiation