The Ehrlich-Aberth method for palindromic matrix polynomials represented in the Dickson basis

An algorithm based on the Ehrlich-Aberth root-finding method is presented for the computation of the eigenvalues of a T-palindromic matrix polynomial. A structured linearization of the polynomial represented in the Dickson basis is introduced in order to exploit the symmetry of the roots by halving the total number of the required approximations. The rank structure properties of the linearization allow the design of a fast and numerically robust implementation of the root-finding iteration. Numerical experiments that confirm the effectiveness and the robustness of the approach are provided.Comment: in press in Linear Algebra Appl. (2011

Performances and Durability of Asphalt Mixtures Made with Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement

According to most recent surveys, 265 mil tonnes of asphalt for road applications were produced in the European area in 2014. In the same year, the amount of available RAP was more than 50 mil tonnes. The use of RAP in new blended mixes reduces the need of neat bitumen, making RAP recycling economically attractive. In spite of its economic and environmental benefits, the use of RAP is often subjected to restrictive policies pursued by agencies due to uncertainty related to RAP mixes field performances. This thesis focuses on the effects of RAP on performances and durability of new asphalt mixes produced incorporating RAP with a standard hot-in-plant process. The influence of RAP being incorporated in new mixes was investigated through an extensive laboratory testing campaign on asphalt mixtures and on bitumen recovered from the same mixes. A specific typology of asphalt mixture has been produced with different RAP percentages of 10%, 20% and 30%. In the first phase of the research, asphalt materials have been characterized and compared in terms of resistance to fatigue, stiffness and volumetric properties. The second phase of the research aims to investigate the effects of RAP on asphalt binder as a composite blend of neat and RAP bitumen. Bituminous samples have been recovered from asphalt samples tested in phase 1 and then have been studied and compared with standard and dynamic laboratory tests. Findings show that HMA can be successfully produced incorporating up to 20% of RAP in the fresh mix. For these percentages of RAP being recycled, no negative effects on performances and durability of recycled mixtures have been noted. However, the final bitumen grade of the mix may be adjusted if more than 20% of RAP is added. Furthermore, practical implications regarding production methods and paving of RAP mixes are proposed

Investigation on performances of asphalt mixtures made with Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement: Effects of interaction between virgin and RAP bitumen

According to most recent surveys, the European area produced 265 mil tonnes of asphalt for road applications in 2014. In the same year, the amount of available RAP was more than 50 mil tonnes. The use of RAP in new blended mixes reduces the need of neat bitumen, making RAP recycling economically attractive. Despite the economic and environmental benefits, road authorities tend to limit the use of RAP in asphalt mixes due to uncertainty about field performances. The present study focuses on the interaction between neat and RAP bitumen in asphalt mixes made with different RAP content. The effects of RAP on physical and rheological properties of the final bituminous blend were investigated. This study is part of a wider research, where a specific type of asphalt mixture was produced with different RAP contents being 10%, 20% and 30% by mass of the mix. Bitumen was extracted and recovered from asphalt mixes, then it was subjected to the following laboratory tests: standard characterization, dynamic viscosity and rheological analysis with DSR. Findings showed that the effects of RAP bitumen on the final blend varied in proportion to RAP content. A threshold value of RAP content was found, below which bitumen was not subjected to significant changes in physical and rheological properties. Practical implications on production methods and paving of RAP mixes are also proposed. Keywords: Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP), Recycling, Bitumen blending, Bitumen rheolog

Uncertainty principle of genetic information in a living cell

BACKGROUND: Formal description of a cell's genetic information should provide the number of DNA molecules in that cell and their complete nucleotide sequences. We pose the formal problem: can the genome sequence forming the genotype of a given living cell be known with absolute certainty so that the cell's behaviour (phenotype) can be correlated to that genetic information? To answer this question, we propose a series of thought experiments. RESULTS: We show that the genome sequence of any actual living cell cannot physically be known with absolute certainty, independently of the method used. There is an associated uncertainty, in terms of base pairs, equal to or greater than μs (where μ is the mutation rate of the cell type and s is the cell's genome size). CONCLUSION: This finding establishes an "uncertainty principle" in genetics for the first time, and its analogy with the Heisenberg uncertainty principle in physics is discussed. The genetic information that makes living cells work is thus better represented by a probabilistic model rather than as a completely defined object

Production of He-4 and (4) in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S=2.76 TeV at the LHC

Results on the production of He-4 and (4) nuclei in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 2.76 TeV in the rapidity range vertical bar y vertical bar <1, using the ALICE detector, are presented in this paper. The rapidity densities corresponding to 0-10% central events are found to be dN/dy4(He) = (0.8 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.3 (syst)) x 10(-6) and dN/dy4 = (1.1 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.2 (syst)) x 10(-6), respectively. This is in agreement with the statistical thermal model expectation assuming the same chemical freeze-out temperature (T-chem = 156 MeV) as for light hadrons. The measured ratio of (4)/He-4 is 1.4 +/- 0.8 (stat) +/- 0.5 (syst). (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe