Transport and fluctuation-dissipation relations in asymptotic and pre-asymptotic diffusion across channels with variable section

We study the asymptotic and pre-asymptotic diffusive properties of Brownian particles in channels whose section varies periodically in space. The effective diffusion coefficient $D_{\mathrm{eff}}$ is numerically determined by the asymptotic behavior of the root mean square displacement in different geometries, considering even cases of steep variations of the channel boundaries. Moreover, we compared the numerical results to the predictions from the various corrections proposed in the literature to the well known Fick-Jacobs approximation. Building an effective one dimensional equation for the longitudinal diffusion, we obtain an approximation for the effective diffusion coefficient. Such a result goes beyond a perturbation approach, and it is in good agreement with the actual values obtained by the numerical simulations. We discuss also the pre-asymptotic diffusion which is observed up to a crossover time whose value, in the presence of strong spatial variation of the channel cross section, can be very large. In addition, we show how the Einstein's relation between the mean drift induced by a small external field and the mean square displacement of the unperturbed system is valid in both asymptotic and pre-asymptotic regimes.Comment: RevTeX 4-1, 11 Pages, 11 pdf figure

Anomalous diffusion and response in branched systems: a simple analysis

We revisit the diffusion properties and the mean drift induced by an external field of a random walk process in a class of branched structures, as the comb lattice and the linear chains of plaquettes. A simple treatment based on scaling arguments is able to predict the correct anomalous regime for different topologies. In addition, we show that even in the presence of anomalous diffusion, Einstein's relation still holds, implying a proportionality between the mean square displacement of the unperturbed systems and the drift induced by an external forcing.Comment: revtex.4-1, 16 pages, 7 figure

Potential role of compost and green manure amendment to mitigate soil GHGs emissions in Mediterranean drip irrigated maize production systems

Organic fertilization can preserve soil organic matter (SOM) and is foreseen as an effective strategy to reduce green house gases (GHGs) emissions in agriculture. However, its effectiveness needs to be clarified under specific climate, crop management and soil characteristics. A field experiment was carried out in a Mediterranean drip irrigated maize system to assess the pattern of soil CO2 and N2O fluxes in response to the replacement of a typical bare fallowemaize cycle under urea fertilization (130 kg N ha1 y1) (CONV) with: (i) bare fallow-maize cycles under two doses of compost (COM1 and COM2, 130 and 260 kg N ha1 y1, respectively) and (ii) a vetch-maize cycle, with vetch incorporation as green manure (130 kg N ha1 y1) (GMAN). Along the maize period (MP), reduced daily N2O emissions were detected in organic treated soils compared to CONV, mainly in the first stages of the cultivation, thanks to the slow release of available nitrogen from the organic substrates. Cumulative N2O fluxes (kg N2O-N ha1) in MP scored to 0.24, 0.14, 0.12 and 0.085 for CONV, COM1, COM2 and GMAN, respectively, with significantly lower emissions in GMAN respect to CONV. CO2 fluxes partially reflected the ranking observed for maize yields, with cumulated values (Mg CO2-C ha1) of 2.2, 1.5, 2.1, 2.1 for CONV, COM1, COM2 and GMAN, respectively, and significantly lower in COM1 respect to the other treatments. During the fallow period (FP), compared to CONV (0.77 Mg CO2-C ha1 and 0.25 kg N2O-N ha1), enhanced GHG fluxes were detected in COM treatments (about 0.90 Mg CO2-C ha1 and 0.37 kg N2O-N ha1, as averaged values from COM1 and COM2), likely driven by the slow prolonged mineralization of the added organic matter. GMAN showed comparable CO2 (0.82 Mg CO2-C ha1) and N2O emissions (0.30 kg N2O-N ha1), in consequence of restrained post-harvest residual N coupled with the counteracting effect of vetch uptake. Respect to the total yearly GHG emissions in CONV (about 194 kg CO2 eq ha1 y1), the overall results showed commensurate slightly higher GWP in COM treatments (þ11% as averaged value from COM1 and COM2). The yield-scaled global warming potential (GWP) resulted 60% higher and nearly doubled for COM2 and COM1 respectively, according to the lower COM yields, markedly dampening at halved compost dose. GMAN appeared the best performing organic treatment, with lower GWP (27%) and competitive yields respect to CONV. All treatments showed N2O emission factors consistently lower compared with the default IPCC 1% value

Food and Wine Tourism in Basilicata

AbstractThe study attempted to investigate the potential role of labelled food and wine products on the development process of an essentially rural region such as Basilicata. The main objective that raises the research is a mapping of the territories affected by the phenomenon of food and wine tourism in order to define a positioning map built on the comparison of two variables: the food and wine product dimension and the supply of local tourist services dimension, in order to determine districts and related products more suited to express a food and wine tourism product.It contains important policy guidance for those involved in the agriculture supply chain and tourism in Basilicata

Teacher education adrift: the preparation for higher education in law graduate programs in Brazil

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a regulação da formação de professores oferecida nos cursos de mestrado e de doutorado dos programas de pós-graduação em direito (PPGDs) da Universidade de Fortaleza (Unifor) e da Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). Empregando uma abordagem dialética, nossa investigação partiu da seguinte pergunta-síntese: como ocorre a regulação da formação de professores oferecida nos cursos de mestrado e de doutorado dos PPGDs da Unifor e da UFC? Como estratégia metodológica, realizamos uma análise documental, a partir da qual discutimos a Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional (LDB) nº 9.394/1996, os documentos de avaliação e regulação elaborados, de 2017 a 2019, pela Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes), os regimentos internos vigentes em 2020 e os programas das disciplinas ofertadas por ambos os PPGDs. Cada documento foi submetido a um exame em duas etapas: uma preliminar e outra, em conjunto com os demais. Na análise dos resultados, tomamos os documentos abordados como fontes e como dados das ações reguladoras expressas pelo Poder Legislativo Federal, pela Capes e pelos PPGDs. Na tensão entre teoria e pesquisa, percebemos que a LDB pouco regula a formação de professores na pós-graduação, o que, consequentemente, repercute na avaliação dos PPGDs realizada pela Capes, que privilegia a pesquisa, a despeito de sua qualidade substantiva, em detrimento da formação docente, dissociando ensino e pesquisa, levando os PPGDs a preterirem a formação de professores em favor dos cursos de direito no Brasil. A pesquisa revelou que, no que tange à avaliação da qualidade dos cursos feita pela Capes, a formação de pesquisadores ocupa lugar de destaque e de privilégio, enquanto a docência ocupa lugar desvalorizado, quase invisível. Dito isso, destaca-se, nos contextos analisados, a ausência de um preparo articulado entre teoria e prática do trabalho docente, fundamental ao exercício da profissão de professor, fato que compromete significativamente a profissionalização e a construção de identidades docentes, assim como a qualidade do ensino oferecido nos cursos de direito no Brasil.The aim of this article is to analyze the regulation of teacher education offered in master’s and doctoral courses in the graduate programs in Law (PPGDs) at University of Fortaleza (Unifor) and the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). Using a dialectical approach, our research started from the following synthesis question: how does the regulation of teacher education offered in the master’s and doctoral courses at Unifor and UFC law graduate programs (PPGDs) occur? As a methodological strategy, we carried out a documentary analysis, from which we discuss the Law of Guidelines and Bases for National Education (LDB) No. 9394/1996, the assessment and regulatory documents prepared, from 2017 to 2019, by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes), the internal regulations in force in 2020 and the syllabuses of the courses offered by both law graduate programs (PPGDs). Each document was submitted to an examination in two stages: one was a preliminary examination and the other, along with all other documents. In the analysis of the results, we considered the documents as sources and as data of the regulatory actions expressed by the Federal Legislative Power, Capes and PPGDs. Intertwining the tension between theory and research, we noticed that the LDB does not regulate the training of teachers in graduate courses, which, consequently, affects the assessment of PPGDs performed by Capes, which privileges research, despite its substantive quality, to the detriment of teacher education, dissociating teaching and research, leading PPGDs to deprecate teacher education in law courses in Brazil. The research revealed that, with regard to the assessment of the quality of courses made by Capes, the training of researchers holds a place of prominence and privilege, while teaching holds an unappreciated place, almost invisible. That said, in the contexts analyzed, it is emphasized that there is the absence of an articulated preparation between theory and the actual practice of teaching work, fundamental to the exercise of the teaching profession, a fact that significantly compromises the professionalization and construction of teaching identities, as well as the quality of teaching offered in Law courses in Brazil

Damage patterns in the town of Amatrice after August 24th 2016 Central Italy earthquakes

The impact of the two seismic events of August 24th 2016 on the municipality of Amatrice was highly destructive. There were 298 victims, 386 injured, about 5000 homeless, and the historical center of the town suffered a great number of partial and total collapses. The 260 strong motion records obtained for the first event were analyzed and plotted in a shakemap, comparing them with the macroseismic damage surveys made in 305 localities. On the basis of an inspection survey made in September 2016, a map of the damage patterns of the buildings in the historical center was elaborated according to the EMS 98 classification. The damage level resulted very high with more than 60% of the inspected buildings showing partial or total collapse. The elevated level of destruction was mainly caused by the high vulnerability of the masonry buildings, mostly due to specific vulnerability factors such as the poor quality of masonry, the lack of connections between walls and the poor connection between external walls and floors

Le lesioni polipoidi della colecisti: problemi diagnostici e terapeutici

Le lesioni polipoidi della colecisti costituiscono un’entità eterogenea di difficile definizione diagnostica preoperatoria. L’indicazione chirurgica è discutibile ma in alcuni casi obbligatoria . In questo studio abbiamo analizzato i dati clinici relativi a 25 pazienti sottoposti consecutivamente a colecistectomia laparoscopica per formazioni polipoidi. Ciò al fine di evidenziare la possibile correlazione fra aspetto ecografico e valutazione istopatologica e di definire l’indicazione terapeutica