New Materials and Technologies for Durability and Conservation of Building Heritage

The increase in concrete structures’ durability is a milestone to improve the sustainability of buildings and infrastructures. In order to ensure a prolonged service life, it is necessary to detect the deterioration of materials by means of monitoring systems aimed at evaluating not only the penetration of aggressive substances into concrete but also the corrosion of carbon-steel reinforcement. Therefore, proper data collection makes it possible to plan suitable restoration works which can be carried out with traditional or innovative techniques and materials. This work focuses on building heritage and it highlights the most recent findings for the conservation and restoration of reinforced concrete structures and masonry buildings

The evolution of primate short-term memory

Short-term memory is implicated in a range of cognitive abilities and is critical for understanding primate cognitive evolution. To investigate the effects of phylogeny, ecology and sociality on short-term memory, we tested the largest and most diverse primate sample to date (421 non-human primates across 41 species) in an experimental delayed-response task. Our results confirm previous findings that longer delays decrease memory performance across species and taxa. Our analyses demonstrate a considerable contribution of phylogeny over ecological and social factors on the distribution of short-term memory performance in primates; closely related species had more similar short-term memory abilities. Overall, individuals in the branch of Hominoidea performed better compared to Cercopithecoidea, who in turn performed above Platyrrhini and Strepsirrhini. Interdependencies between phylogeny and socioecology of a given species presented an obstacle to disentangling the effects of each of these factors on the evolution of shortterm memory capacity. However, this study offers an important step forward in understanding the interspecies and individual variation in short-term memory ability by providing the first phylogenetic reconstruction of this trait’s evolutionary history. The dataset constitutes a unique resource for studying the evolution of primate cognition and the role of short-term memory in other cognitive abilities

Continuous monitoring of the health status of cement-based structures: electrical impedance measurements and remote monitoring solutions

The continuous monitoring of cement-based structures and infrastructures is fundamental to optimize their service life and reduce maintenance costs. In the framework of the EnDurCrete project (GA no. 760639), a remote monitoring system based on electrical impedance measurements was developed. Electrical impedance is measured according to the Wenner's method, using 4-electrode arrays embedded in concrete during casting, selecting alternating current as excitation, to avoid the polarization of both electrode/material interface and of material itself. With this measurement, it is possible to promptly identify events related to contaminants ingress or damages (e.g. cracks formation). Conductive additions are included in some elements to enhance signal-to-noise ratio, as well as the self-sensing properties of concrete. Specifically, a distributed sensor network was implemented, consisting of measurement nodes installed in the elements to be monitored, then connected to a central hub (RS-232 protocol). Nodes are realized with an embedded unit for electrical impedance measurements (EVAL-AD5940BIOZ board with AD5940 chip, by Analog Device) and a digital thermometer (DS18B20 by Maxim Integrated), enclosed in cabinets filled with an IP68 gel against moist-related problems. Data are available on a Cloud through Wi-Fi network or LTE modem, hence can be accessed remotely via a use-friendly multi-platform interface

Properties of multifunctional lightweight mortars containing zeolite and natural fibers

The article focuses on the development of innovative and multifunctional mortars with low environmental impact for indoor applications acting as passive systems to moderate extremes of humidity and to lower the concentration of pollutants. Mortars are manufactured by keeping constant the water/binder ratio, using sand as reference aggregate, and by replacing the total volume of sand with zeolite. In some mixes the aggregate, is also at 25vol% by wool natural fibers. Regardless lightness, zeolite thanks to its pozzolanic activity, helps to improve the compressive strength of mortars manufactured with wool fibers. In addition, the combination of zeolite and wool increases the hygro-thermal performance of mortars: water vapor resistance factor (22% lower than the reference), moisture buffering value (100% higher than the reference), and thermal conductivity (66% lower than the reference), respectively. Depolluting properties of zeolite-based mortars, in terms of adsorption capacity, are 65% lower than that of reference mortar

LHRH in treatment of chronic anovulation: effectiveness and limit.

To date pulsatile i.v. administration of LH-RH represents a new kind of ovulation induction with advantages in terms of costs, patient compliance and low risk of ovarian hyperstimulation. Many data show that this treatment is highly effective in the therapy of chronic anovulation due to hypothalamic failure but is scarcely effective in women with PCOD. 38 women with hypothalamic amenorrhoea, 13 women with chronic unexplained anovulation and 10 women with PCOD were treated by pulsatile i.v. administration of LH-RH, by means of infusion pump. The dose per pulse was chosen on the basis of the severity of the amenorrhoea and was either left unvaried or increased after 7-10 days of treatment as related to the ovarian response evaluated by estradiol levels and follicular diameters. The treatment was discontinued once ovulation was obtained and luteal function was supported by HCG. This personalized approach allowed us to contain the length of the follicular phase within physiological limits; a high ovulatory rate in the amenorrhoic women (92%) and in the women with unexplained anovulation (100%) was obtained, but very low in the PCOD group (10%). Immunoactive LH (RIA) and bioactive LH (RICT) plasma levels before treatment were evaluated. In comparison to eumenorrhoic women the bioactive-immunoactive ratios (B/I) were lower in the first and second group of patients, but higher in the third group. The B/I ratio, evaluated in 5 women with hypothalamic amenorrhea in the late follicular phase, during LH-RH treatment, increased to normal range. In women with a low B/I ratio before therapy a good ovulation rate was obtained by means of LH-RH treatment and our preliminary results suggest that the evaluation of bioactive LH before therapy could be a useful marker to predict the responsiveness of anovulatory women to LH-RH treatment

Sensing and liquid-liquid extraction of dicarboxylates using dicopper cryptates

We report the investigation of dicopper(II) bistren cryptate, containing naphthyl spacers between the tren subunits, as a receptor for polycarboxylates in neutral aqueous solution. An indicator displacement assay for dicarboxylates was also developed by mixing the azacryptate with the fluorescent indicator 5-carboxyfluorescein in a 50:1 molar ratio. Fluorimetric studies showed a significant restoration of fluorophore emission upon addition of fumarate anions followed by succinate and isophthalate. The introduction of hexyl chains on the naphthalene groups created a novel hydrophobic cage; the corresponding dicopper complex was investigated as an extractant for dicarboxylates from neutral water into dichloromethane. The liquid-liquid extraction of succinate- A s a model anion-was successfully achieved by exploiting the high affinity of this anionic guest for the azacryptate cavity. Extraction was monitored through the changes in the UV-visible spectrum of the dicopper complex in dichloromethane and by measuring the residual concentration of succinate in the aqueous phase by HPLC-UV. The successful extraction was also confirmed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Considering the relevance of polycarboxylates in biochemistry and in the environmental field, e.g., as waste products of industrial processes, our results open new perspectives for research in all contexts where recognition, sensing, or extraction of polycarboxylates is required