Stability and Control for Energy Production Parametric Dependence

The activities of plant cultivation in Italy are provided by prefabricated structures that are designed to avoid any preliminary study of optical and thermal exchanges between the external environment and the green house. Designers mainly focused on the heating and cooling system to obtain climate beneficial effects on plant growth. This system involves rather significant operating costs which have driven the interests of designers, builders, and farmers to pursue constructive solutions such as the optimization and control of energy flows in the system. In this paper we take into account a model of greenhouse for plant cultivation to be located in Central Italy. For the optimal design of a greenhouse, simulations of heat exchange and flow of energy have been made in order to maximise the cooling system consumption of energy

Electrocution and containment methods to reduce the activity of red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, Ol.)

Aim of study: To evaluate the susceptibility of the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus to electric discharges, to eventually use this application in synergy with other methods as part of an integrated control strategy.Area of study: Worldwide.Material and methods: Three different electric voltage intensities were applied to R. ferrugineus to investigate the insect’s susceptibility in both adult and larval stages. The transmission and diffusion of electricity within a portion of the palm tree was tested. In addition, the suitability of containment materials for handling and transportation of plant residues was tested.Main results: The results of adult test showed that the total number of eggs laid per mating couple and the number of larvae born were about 1.5 times higher in the control compared to the electrified samples. The duration of the electric discharge on larvae had a small impact on the mortality rate, while the electric voltage showed a strong impact on mortality (87% for 10 V and 99% for 15 V). The presence of a significant electric current was observed in a viable portion of stem (distance from the source of electricity 10 cm) providing a direct current with 250 V tension. Among the materials tested for the transportation of palm residues, the aluminium net sheet showed the best results in the containment of both larval and adult individuals.Research highlights: Electrocution has proven to be a system which can help in the control of red palm weevil reducing the use of synthetic chemicals

Infected pancreatic necrosis: outcomes and clinical predictors of mortality. A post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study

: The identification of high-risk patients in the early stages of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is critical, because it could help the clinicians to adopt more effective management strategies. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study to assess the association between clinical risk factors and mortality among adult patients with IPN. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors of mortality. We identified 247 consecutive patients with IPN hospitalised between January 2019 and December 2020. History of uncontrolled arterial hypertension (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.135-15.882; aOR 4.245), qSOFA (p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.359-5.879; aOR 2.828), renal failure (p = 0.022; 95% CI 1.138-5.442; aOR 2.489), and haemodynamic failure (p = 0.018; 95% CI 1.184-5.978; aOR 2.661), were identified as independent predictors of mortality in IPN patients. Cholangitis (p = 0.003; 95% CI 1.598-9.930; aOR 3.983), abdominal compartment syndrome (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.090-6.967; aOR 2.735), and gastrointestinal/intra-abdominal bleeding (p = 0.009; 95% CI 1.286-5.712; aOR 2.710) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. Upfront open surgical necrosectomy was strongly associated with the risk of mortality (p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.912-7.442; aOR 3.772), whereas endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.138-0.834; aOR 0.339) and enteral nutrition (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.143-0.716; aOR 0.320) were found as protective factors. Organ failure, acute cholangitis, and upfront open surgical necrosectomy were the most significant predictors of mortality. Our study confirmed that, even in a subgroup of particularly ill patients such as those with IPN, upfront open surgery should be avoided as much as possible. Study protocol registered in ClinicalTrials.Gov (I.D. Number NCT04747990)

Temperature conditioning in ornamental plant production with a prototype device: root zone cooling in protected environments

One of the greatest growing costs in greenhouse floriculture is for energy. To reduce energy costs for thermal conditioning was projected an innovative root zone cooling system characterized by two coaxial pipes with hydraulic countercurrent flows. This new system was compared with a traditional system with hydraulic flows cocurrent. The plants were equipped with coolers for obtaining flowering in the summer period by a culture of Alstroemeria spp and were measured energy consumption in each root zone cooling system. The tests also focused on a particular change, made during the tests of previous years, which allows the coaxial system in turning his operation from countercurrent flows to cocurrent flows. The results obtained show that the root zone coaxial cooling system allows to obtain, in comparison to the traditional type, a better temperature uniformity of the root zone ground, both when it is used with countercurrent flows both when it is used with cocurrent flow. The system also allows a slight overall reduction in energy consumption

Temperature conditioning in ornamental plant production with a prototype device: root zone cooling in protected environments

One of the greatest growing costs in greenhouse floriculture is for energy. To reduce energy costs for thermal conditioning was projected an innovative root zone cooling system characterized by two coaxial pipes with hydraulic countercurrent flows. This new system was compared with a traditional system with hydraulic flows cocurrent. The plants were equipped with coolers for obtaining flowering in the summer period by a culture of Alstroemeria spp and were measured energy consumption in each root zone cooling system. The tests also focused on a particular change, made during the tests of previous years, which allows the coaxial system in turning his operation from countercurrent flows to cocurrent flows. The results obtained show that the root zone coaxial cooling system allows to obtain, in comparison to the traditional type, a better temperature uniformity of the root zone ground, both when it is used with countercurrent flows both when it is used with cocurrent flow. The system also allows a slight overall reduction in energy consumption

An innovative multivariate tool for fuel consumption and costs estimation of agricultural operations

The estimation of operating costs of agricultural and forestry machineries is a key factor in both planning agricultural policies and farm management. Few works have tried to estimate operating costs and the produced models are normally based on deterministic approaches. Conversely, in the statistical model randomness is present and variable states are not described by unique values, but rather by probability distributions. In this study, for the first time, a multivariate statistical model based on Partial Least Squares (PLS) was adopted to predict the fuel consumption and costs of six agricultural operations such as: ploughing, harrowing, fertilization, sowing, weed control and shredding. The prediction was conducted on two steps: first of all few initial selected parameters (time per surface-area unit, maximum engine power, purchase price of the tractor and purchase price of the operating machinery) were used to estimate the fuel consumption; then the predicted fuel consumption together with the initial parameters were used to estimate the operational costs. Since the obtained models were based on an input dataset very heterogeneous, these resulted to be extremely efficient and so generalizable and robust. In details the results show prediction values in the test with r always ≥ 0.91. Thus, the approach may results extremely useful for both farmers (in terms of economic advantages) and at institutional level (representing an innovative and efficient tool for planning future Rural Development Programmes and the Common Agricultural Policy). In light of these advantages the proposed approach may as well be implemented on a web platform and made available to all the stakeholders