The Didactic Contract to Interpret Some Statistical Evidence in Mathematics Standardized Assessment Tests

In this study we analyse results of Italian standardized tests in mathematics integrating quantitative analysis based on the Rasch Model and didactical interpretation. We use specific graphs to analyse the trend of each answer as function of the students' math ability. This approach led us to focus on specific items in which a wrong answer results particularly popular among medium/high level students and analyse this particular trend with the lenses of math education theories. The study reveals that these phenomena are particularly related to implicit and explicit rules governing classroom practices exist at all school levels and regard different mathematical content and skills

The Silurian of Sardinia

The present volume “The Silurian of Sardinia” is composed of two related components. The first part comprises seven contributions introduced by an historical overview on the studies already carried out on the Silurian faunas of Sardinia. It aims to delineate a comprehensive scenario of the Silurian of Sardinia within a proper geological setting. A global overview regarding the palaeoenvironment and palaeogeography is also provided. The second part of the volume consists of seven research papers that illustrate actual knowledge on major fossil groups encountered in the Silurian limestones and shales of southern Sardinia

Multibaseline phase unwrapping for InSAR topography estimation

Multibaseline Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Interferometry (INSAR) can be successfully exploited for automatic phase unwrapping and high quality Digital Elevation Model (DEM) reconstruction. The information coming from several interferograms with different baselines increases the elevation ambiguity interval and allows automatic phase unwrapping. The height of each pixel in the image is considered as a random variable: a Maximum-Likelihood (ML) estimation of the height is carried out by exploiting the probability density function of the interferometric phase, that depends on the local coherence value. After phase unwrapping is possible to combine all the information available, getting a combined DEM that is more reliable than each single DEM. Results obtained using ERS-1/2 SAR data gathered over Vesuvius and Etna are presented. In both cases an accuracy better than 8 meters was obtained

Chiral Extensions of the MSSM

We present a class of extensions of the MSSM characterized by a fully chiral field content (no mu-terms) and no baryon or lepton number violating term in the superpotential due to an extra U'(1) gauge symmetry. The minimal model consist of the usual matter sector with family dependent U'(1) charges, six Higgs weak doublets, and three singlets required to give masses to the Higgsinos and cancel anomalies. We discuss its main features such as the tree level mass spectrum and the constraints on flavor changing processes.Comment: 13 pages. V2: Superpotential and U'(1) charges changed. Analysis of the spectrum for the new model added. References update

On consistency of physical and DEVS models in control-targeted DTs: an industrial case study

The DT-based design and control of modern production assets requires simulation models with different viewpoints, purposes, and nature. Most notably, component-level design and control require detailed physical models, while plant-level automation and production management mostly need DEVS-type ones. Inconsistencies among the said models can have significant impacts on decision processes related e.g. to (re-)configuration, diagnostics and maintenance—in one word, on the ultimate outcome of an asset. However, given their heterogeneous nature, making physical and DEVS models consistent requires new methods and tools, in fact starting with the definition itself of what “consistent” has to mean. We here present a methodology to state and address such consistency problems, and support our statements with a case study taken from the cosmetics industry

Design and development of a peristaltic pump for constant flow applications

In wide-ranging areas, including hydraulics, biomedical, automotive, and aerospace, there is often a need to move a fluid with a constant flow rate. This is difficult to achieve with any type of pump and usually other elements are inserted to regularize the output. This study focused on the peristaltic pump because there are few studies on it and it has some interesting features, such as extreme simplicity, a small number of components, and the extreme compactness of the whole system. The first part of this study is focused on analyzing the classical geometry of the peristaltic pump to understand the origin of the discontinuity in the flow rate; the second part proposes a new geometry that mitigates the flow irregularity by more than 200%. In this way, it is possible to use it in all the sectors where a constant flow rate is required but where insulation between the fluid and the machine is required. Together with the flow study, an analysis of how the main geometric parameters affect the operation of the pump is provided, complete with explanatory graphs and tables. A prototype made through additive manufacturing technologies is also proposed

On the Complex Network Structure of Musical Pieces: Analysis of Some Use Cases from Different Music Genres

This paper focuses on the modeling of musical melodies as networks. Notes of a melody can be treated as nodes of a network. Connections are created whenever notes are played in sequence. We analyze some main tracks coming from different music genres, with melodies played using different musical instruments. We find out that the considered networks are, in general, scale free networks and exhibit the small world property. We measure the main metrics and assess whether these networks can be considered as formed by sub-communities. Outcomes confirm that peculiar features of the tracks can be extracted from this analysis methodology. This approach can have an impact in several multimedia applications such as music didactics, multimedia entertainment, and digital music generation.Comment: accepted to Multimedia Tools and Applications, Springe

Notes on SUSY and R-Symmetry Breaking in Wess-Zumino Models

We study aspects of Wess-Zumino models related to SUSY and R-symmetry breaking at tree-level. We present a recipe for constructing a wide class of tree-level SUSY and R-breaking models. We also deduce a general property shared by all tree-level SUSY breaking models that has broad application to model building. In particular, it explains why many models of direct gauge mediation have anomalously light gauginos (even if the R-symmetry is broken spontaneously by an order one amount). This suggests new approaches to dynamical SUSY breaking which can generate large enough gaugino masses.Comment: 23 pages. v2: references added, minor changes. v3: comment on non-renormalizable case adde

Maintenance bevacizumab beyond first-line paclitaxel plus bevacizumab in patients with Her2-negative hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer. Efficacy in combination with hormonal therapy

Background: Data on efficacy of bevacizumab (B) beyond first-line taxane -including regimen (BT) as first-line treatment are lacking. Although preclinical results that anti-angiogenic agents combined with hormonal therapy (HT) could be active, no clinical data exist about combination of maintenance Bevacizumab (mBev) with HT.Methods: Thirty-five patients who experienced a response after first-line BT, were given mBev at the dose of 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks. Among 30 pts with hormonal receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC), 20 (66.6%) received HT with mBev (mHTBev). Objective of the study was the outcome and safety of mBev and in two groups of patients receiving HT or not.Results: Complete response and partial response was achieved/maintained in 4 (11.4%) and 13 (37.1%) patients, respectively (overall response rate: 48.5%). Clinical benefit was obtained on 23 patients (65.7%). Median of mBev PFS and clinical benefit were 6.8 months (95% CI: 0.8-12.7) and 17.1 months (95% CI :12.2-21.9), respectively. Median PFS of patients who received mHTBev was longer than mBev without HT (13 months and 4.1 months, respectively, p = 0.05). The most common severe toxicities were proteinuria (11.4%) and hypertension (8.5%). No additional toxicity was observed with HTBev.Conclusion: Maintenance bevacizumab with or without anti-hormonal therapy in patients with hormone receptor positive breast cancer is tolerable and associated with long-term clinical outcome; these results encourage the strategy of prolonging bevacizumab until progression in combination with anti-hormonal agents