Pulpal neuropeptidergic fibers

A study was carried out on Met- and Leu-enkephalin, Gastrin / CCK-, SP-, CGRP-, NPY- immunoreactive fibers using paraffin sections of dental pulp taken from 8 apparently normal teeth (wisdom teeth or teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons).Within the limitations of the samples studied, dental pulp is characterized by the presence of sensory (Enkephalin-, Gastrin/CCK- immunoreactive) and pain fibers (SP-immunoreactive) and of fibers with a potent vasodilatory action (CGRP-immunoreactive) and by the absence of fibers with a vasoconstrictor action (NPY-immunoreactive).Notre étude a porté sur la mise en évidence sur des coupes après inclusion à la paraffine des fibres Met- et Leu-enképhaline, Gastrine / CCK-, SP-, CGRP- et NPY-immunoréactives, dans la pulpe de huit dents normales (dents de sagesse ou dents extraites pour des raisons orthodontiques).Dans la limite des échantillons utilisés, la pulpe dentaire est caractérisée par la présence de fibres sensitives (Enképhalin-, Gastrin/CCK-immunoréactives), des fibres de la douleur (SP-immunoréactives) et de fibre à action vasodilatatrice (CGRP-immunoréactives) et par l’absence de fibres à action vasoconstrictive (NPY-immunoréactives)

Recurrent deficit irrigation and fruit harvest affect tree water relations and fruitlet growth in ‘Valencia’ orange

Background. Partial rootzone drying is an irrigation strategy known for increasing water use efficiency without significantly affecting tree water status. ‘Valencia’ oranges have a very long development period and nearly mature fruit and new fruitlets may be present at the same time on the tree, competing for water and assimilates. Objectives. The present study investigates the effect of recurrent deficit irrigation and fruit harvest on tree water status and fruitlet growth of ‘Valencia’ orange. Methods. Forty-eight adult trees were exposed to three irrigation treatments for seven years (2007-2013): irrigation with 100% of ETc (CI), continuous deficit irrigation (DI, 50% of CI) and partial root-zone drying (PRD, 50% of CI on alternated sides of the root-zone). In spring 2014, stem water potential (Ψstem) and continuous measurements of sap flow and fruitlet growth were recorded before (May) and after (June) the harvest of mature fruit. Results. No differences in Ψstem were found among irrigation treatments, while Ψstem was lower in June than in May at midday. In both May and June, sap flow density (not sap flow per tree) was higher in DI than in CI and PRD trees suggesting more efficient water uptake/transport in the former. In May, DI and PRD fruit showed lower daily relative growth rate (RGR) than CI fruit due to a possible shortage of carbon and nutrients. After removing mature fruits, differences among irrigation treatments were canceled. Sap flow was directly related to fruit RGR at low sap flow rates, but inversely related to RGR at high sap flow rates. Conclusions. Our data show that the presence of maturing fruit does not impact the water status of ‘Valencia’ trees, while it may transiently limit fruitlet growth (by source limitation) in deficit irrigated trees

A simplified thermal analysis approach for power transistor rating in PWM-controlled DC/AC converters

A simplified dynamic thermal analysis approach is proposed for the estimation of the peak junction temperature in power IGBT transistors operating in pulse-width modulation (PWM) controlled DC/AC converters. This approach can be used for the rating of electron devices or heatsink systems in power circuit design, as it provides a direct analytical link, in terms of electrical and thermal device parameters and converter operating conditions between the case and the peak junction temperatures. In this way, by imposing a given upper limit on the junction temperature, indirect constraints on device size or load current or heatsink efficiency can easily be obtained. The approach is based on mild, pessimistic approximations on both the spectrum of dissipated power and on the dynamic thermal behavior of the device. The validity of such approximations has been verified by comparison with the results of accurate numerical simulations carried out by using measurement-based loss models. Possible ways of using this approach in a converter rating context are outlined in the paper, by considering different design scenario

Modeling and control strategies for a variable reluctance direct-drive motor

A high-performance ripple-free dynamic torque controller for a variable-reluctance (VR) motor intended for trajectory tracking in robotic applications is designed. A modeling approach that simplifies the design of the controller is investigated. Model structure and parameter estimation techniques are presented. Different approaches to the overall torque controller design problem are discussed, and the solution adopted is illustrated. A cascade controller structure consisting of a feedforward nonlinear torque compensator, cascaded to a nonlinear flux or current closed-loop controller is considered, and optimization techniques are used for its design. Although developed for a specific commercial motor, the proposed modeling and optimization strategies can be used for other VR motors with magnetically decoupled phases, both rotating and linear. Laboratory experiments for model validation and preliminary simulation results of the overall torque control system are presente

A prototype controller for variable reluctance motors

A three-level cascade structure is proposed for the control of a variable reluctance (VR) motor. In order to deal with the highly nonlinear behavior of VR motors, the controlling system includes two variable-structure controllers for current and velocity loops as well as an intermediate torque-sharing compensator. The intermediate compensator has been designed by means of nonlinear optimization techniques in order to reduce the torque ripple and to get the maximum motor velocity. The proposed controller has been validated through extensive simulation experiments. The architecture of a prototype controller is presented and the actual performance measured on a VR motor is discussed in comparison with simulations. The results show practical feasibility and good performance of the proposed controller, which is also suitable for a very simple and quite inexpensive fully hardware implementatio

Evaluation of Small Vase and Y-trellis Orchard Systems for Peach and Nectarine Production in Mediterranean Regions

Two peach planting systems, Small Vase (SV) and Y-trellis (Y), were evaluated and compared in the Mediterranean settings of Southern Italy. The two orchards were located next to each other on relatively uniform soil and terrain, and the observations included two peach (Rich May and Summer Rich) and two nectarine (Big Bang and Nectaross) cultivars. In the SV system, trees were spaced at 4.5 x 2.5 m (888 trees/ha), whereas in the Y system, trees were spaced at 5.5 x 2 m (909 trees/ha) and no roof gap was left between rows. Yield per tree, fruit size grade, unit price of sold peaches for each size grade, materials and labor for cultural management and associated costs, fixed costs at planting, and grower's profit were quantified during the first six years from planting. Fixed costs at planting were twice as much in the Y system, and no significant yield was recorded in the first two years in any of the two systems. Regardless of cultivar, the Y system reported 20% higher yields, 31% greater amount of management labor, and 10% lower labor efficiency (kg fruits/hr) than the SV system. Fruit unit value (euro/kg) was similar in the two systems. Profit varied greatly depending on the cultivar, and only 'Nectaross' generated a greater profit in the Y than the SV system. For this cultivar, the pay-back period (years needed to pay off the additional investment of establishing a Y trellis by its additional profit) was 2.5 years, indicating an advantage of the Y system over the SV by the 4th year. The yield gap between the two systems tended to decrease after the 5th year. The latter trend, along with the high initial investment and management costs in the Y system, suggests better performance and more sustainable productions in the SV than in the Y system

Stabilization of a p-u sensor mounted on a vehicle for measuring the acoustic impedance of road surfaces

The knowledge of the acoustic impedance of a material allows for the calculation of its acoustic absorption. Impedance can also be linked to structural and physical proprieties of materials. However, while the impedance of pavement samples in laboratory conditions can usually be measured with high accuracy using devices such as the impedance tube, complete in-situ evaluation results are less accurate than the laboratory results and is so time consuming that a full scale implementation of in-situ evaluations is practically impossible. Such a system could provide information on the homogeneity and the correct laying of an installation, which is proven to be directly linked to its acoustic emission properties. The present work studies the development of a measurement instrument which can be fastened through holding elements to a moving laboratory (i.e., a vehicle). This device overcomes the issues that afflict traditional in-situ measurements, such as the impossibility to perform a continuous spatial characterization of a given pavement in order to yield a direct evaluation of the surface’s quality. The instrumentation has been uncoupled from the vehicle’s frame with a system including a Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller, studied to maintain the system at a fixed distance from the ground and to reduce damping. The stabilization of this device and the measurement system itself are evaluated and compared to the traditional one

Presence and distribution of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Friuli Venezia Giulia, from 2004 to 2011, through the non-invasive genetic monitoring ad conservation implications

After having disappeared at the beginning of 1900, the brown bear has started in a late 1960s a slow process of recolonization of the north-eastern Alps, through an expansion of Dinaric population. At the end of the 1990s the University of Udine began the occasional monitoring of the species and from 2004 non-invasive genetic monitoring became systematic. In the last 8 years 217 hair traps have been activated in the region to monitore: Natisone Valleys, the Julian and Carnic Alps and Prealps. Twenty-six hair traps were monitored in all years, whereas 40 were observed only in 2004, 2007 and 2011. The 26 hair traps constantly monitored from 2004 to 2011 showed 17% of average success of hair’s collecting (brown bear samples collected/day control: BBSD). The 40 hair traps, monitored in the window period, showed 12% of BBSD. The BBSD value varied in relation to both season (highest in spring) and year, with a dramatic decline from 2008, and interaction between year and area. From 2004, 13 genotypes, through systematic hair traps monitoring, were identified, while only 2 genotypes were sampled opportunistically. It was observed a high turnover of the genotypes: only 7 genotypes were sampled for more than 2 years (47% of total), 4 genotypes (27% of the total) were sampled for 3 years or more. The annual attendance of bear have been constant from 2004 to 2007, with 5-6 genotypes present every year. In the period between 2008 and 2010 there was a drastic decrease in the successful collection at the hair traps, with and average of 1-2 animals genotyped per year. However, opportunistic samples have increased in the recent times, probably due to the arrivals of 3 genotypes from Trentino (KJ2G2 in 2009 and DG2 and MJ4 in 2011). The year 2011 showed a further increase in the presence of bears with 5 animals genotyped in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Three of these animals belonged to the Slovenian population, while the other 2 genotypes were from the Trentino population. The results seem to confirm the exchange of some individuals between the Dinaric and central alpine population. As an example, the dinaric bear M5 was genotyped in Friuli Venezia Giulia in 2008 and then sampled in 2009 and captured in 2010 in Trentino and finally slot in Slovenia in 2011. The distribution in the alpine and prealpine areas has changed year by year: from the 2004 to 2007 the Natisone Valley and the Julian prealpine areas along the border with Slovenia were the areas more used, whilst from 2009 there was an apparent higher presence of bears in the Carnian Prealps and Alps, and in the Julian Alps. This shift could be due to human disturbance (i.e hunting management), control of the species carried out in neighbouring Slovenia, with a decreasing of immigrant from dinaric populations, and new immigration of bears from the central Alps. The present work has highlighted the necessity for a trans-regional and cross-border management of the species, especially in consideration to the population control applied in Slovenia, which seem to limit the Dinaric population expansion in the Alps, and furthermore the philopatry behaviour of bear females, which implies the absence of females in Friuli Venezia Giulia and induces a movement bach to Slovenia (at least 3 bears genotyped in Italy were shot in Slovenia). All these elements seem to exert important limitations to the consolidation and stabilization of the population of brown bears in north-eastern Alps. From the methodological point of view the protocol of systematic non-invasive genetic monitoring, shared at the trans-regional and trans-boundary level, is fundamental to monitore the dynamics and distribution of bear; the protocol should follow a systematic experimental design and should be integrated with a efficient opportunistic data collection

Selfconsistent mean field calculations of the nuclear response using a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction with a density dependent corrective term

Tamm-Dancoff and random-phase approximations are formulated in the canonical Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov quasi-particle basis and adopted to compute the E1 response in Ca isotopes using an intrinsic Hamiltonian composed of a Vlowk potential, deduced from the CD-Bonn nucleon-nucleon interaction, corrected with phenomenological density dependent and spin-orbit terms. Attention is focused on the evolution of the dipole strength distribution, including the low-lying transitions associated to the pygmy resonance, in going from the N = Z 40Ca to Ca isotopes with neutron excess