Low- and intermediate-beta, 352-MHz superconducting half-wave resonators for high power hadron acceleration

Two prototypes of superconducting, 352 MHz coaxial half-wave resonators with β=0.17 and β=0.31 have been designed, constructed, and tested at INFN-LNL, in the framework of the SPES and EURISOL DS projects. Main features of these double-wall, 2-gap structures are compactness, mechanical stability, and easy installation in different kinds of cryostats. Their acceleration capabilities are similar to the ones of Spoke resonators with similar β. These cavities are being developed for acceleration of high power hadron beams in the 5–100  MeV/u energy range

Data segmentation based on the local intrinsic dimension

One of the founding paradigms of machine learning is that a small number of variables is often sufficient to describe high-dimensional data. The minimum number of variables required is called the intrinsic dimension (ID) of the data. Contrary to common intuition, there are cases where the ID varies within the same data set. This fact has been highlighted in technical discussions, but seldom exploited to analyze large data sets and obtain insight into their structure. Here we develop a robust approach to discriminate regions with different local IDs and segment the points accordingly. Our approach is computationally efficient and can be proficiently used even on large data sets. We find that many real-world data sets contain regions with widely heterogeneous dimensions. These regions host points differing in core properties: folded versus unfolded configurations in a protein molecular dynamics trajectory, active versus non-active regions in brain imaging data, and firms with different financial risk in company balance sheets. A simple topological feature, the local ID, is thus sufficient to achieve an unsupervised segmentation of high-dimensional data, complementary to the one given by clustering algorithms

Hybrid modeling of a biorefinery separation process to monitor short-term and long-term membrane fouling

Membrane filtration is commonly used in biorefineries to separate cells from fermentation broths containing the desired products. However, membrane fouling can cause short-term process disruption and long-term membrane degradation. The evolution of membrane resistance over time can be monitored to track fouling, but this calls for adequate sensors in the plant. This requirement might not be fulfilled even in modern biorefineries, especially when multiple, tightly interconnected membrane modules are used. Therefore, characterization of fouling in industrial facilities remains a challenge. In this study, we propose a hybrid modeling strategy to characterize both reversible and irreversible fouling in multi-module biorefinery membrane separation systems. We couple a linear data-driven model, to provide high-frequency estimates of trans-membrane pressures from the available measurements, with a simple nonlinear knowledge-driven model, to compute the resistances of the individual membrane modules. We test the proposed strategy using real data from the world's first industrial biorefinery manufacturing 1,4-bio-butanediol via fermentation of renewable raw materials. We show how monitoring of individual resistances, even when done by simple visual inspection, offers valuable insight on the reversible and irreversible fouling state of the membranes. We also discuss the advantage of the proposed approach, over monitoring trans-membrane pressures and permeate fluxes, from the standpoints of data variability, effect of process changes, interaction between module in multi-module systems, and fouling dynamics

TL1A/DR3 axis involvement in the inflammatory cytokine network during pulmonary sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND: TNF-like ligand 1A (TL1A), a recently recognized member of the TNF superfamily, and its death domain receptor 3 (DR3), firstly identified for their relevant role in T lymphocyte homeostasis, are now well-known mediators of several immune-inflammatory diseases, ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to inflammatory bowel diseases to psoriasis, whereas no data are available on their involvement in sarcoidosis, a multisystemic granulomatous disease where a deregulated T helper (Th)1/Th17 response takes place. METHODS: In this study, by flow cytometry, real-time PCR, confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry analyses, TL1A and DR3 were investigated in the pulmonary cells and the peripheral blood of 43 patients affected by sarcoidosis in different phases of the disease (29 patients with active sarcoidosis, 14 with the inactive form) and in 8 control subjects. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated a significant higher expression, both at protein and mRNA levels, of TL1A and DR3 in pulmonary T cells and alveolar macrophages of patients with active sarcoidosis as compared to patients with the inactive form of the disease and to controls. In patients with sarcoidosis TL1A was strongly more expressed in the lung than the blood, i.e., at the site of the involved organ. Additionally, zymography assays showed that TL1A is able to increase the production of matrix metalloproteinase 9 by sarcoid alveolar macrophages characterized, in patients with the active form of the disease, by reduced mRNA levels of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that TL1A/DR3 interactions are part of the extended and complex immune-inflammatory network that characterizes sarcoidosis during its active phase and may contribute to the pathogenesis and to the progression of the disease

Análise da biomassa em pastagens com indicativos de degradação na bacia do Alto Tocantins.

Resumo: O presente estudo objetivou aplicar o Surface Algorithm For Retrieving Evapotranspiration (SAFER) e imagens MODIS, juntamente com medições de campo, para analisar a biomassa de acordo com classes indicativas de degradação das pastagens na Bacia Hidrográfica do Alto Tocantins. Para o ano de 2012 observou-se que as classes não degradado e baixa degradação tiveram valores de biomassa muito próximos, com média em torno de 1550 kg ha-1 mês-1. Para as classes de degradação moderada e forte a biomassa média foi de 1400 e 965 kg ha-1 mês-1, respectivamente. Estes resultados indicam perda significativa do potencial de produção das áreas de pastagens. Abstract: This study aimed to apply the Surface Algorithm For Retrieving Evapotranspiration (SAFER) and MODIS images together with field measurements in order to analyze the biomass in each class with indicatives of degradation of pastures in the Watershed Alto Tocantins. For the year 2012 it was observed that biomass in the low degradation class was very close to the values found for pasture areas of nondegraded class, with average value around 1,550 kg ha-1 month-1. For the classes of moderate and strong degradation the average biomass was 1,400 and 965 kg ha-1 month- 1, respectively. These results indicate significant loss of potential production of pasture areas

Histórico dos usos das águas subterrâneas nas Regiões Hidrográficas do Oeste Catarinense.

Este artigo trata dos usos das águas subterrâneas em todo percurso histórico da colonização do Oeste Catarinense, a partir de entrevistas com os proprietários das primeiras empresas perfuradoras de poços da região, o geólogo responsável e o operador de três sucessivos modelos de perfuratrizes. Objetiva, também, elucidar os motivos para que a demanda pelas águas subterrâneas ocorresse de maneira crescente durante o processo histórico até a atualidade, com a utilização das águas do Sistema Aquífero Serra Geral e, mais recentemente, também do Sistema Aquífero Guarani nas Regiões Hidrográficas do Oeste Catarinense. Os resultados mostram uma relação direta do crescimento do modelo econômico implantado no Oeste Catarinense, especialmente, a produção agropecuária e as agroindústrias de transformação de carne, com a carência, cada vez maior, de água de boa qualidade, acentuada por repetidas estiagens e pela falta de uma gestão integrada dos recursos hídricos. Percebe-se que os próprios órgãos responsáveis pela liberação e controle da perfuração de poços no Estado de Santa Catarina não possuem informações essenciais como a sua localização, a vazão e a qualidade dessas águas subterrâneas

Estimativa da evapotranspiração e da biomassa de pastagens utilizando o algoritmo SAFER e imagens MODIS.

este estudo objetivou aplicar o Simple Algorithm For Retrieving Evapotranspiration (SAFER) e imagens MODIS, juntamente com medições de campo, para estimar a ET e a Bio de pastagens em fazenda localizada na região do município de Aquidauana, MS