Fatigue Characterization Of A High-Performance Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (HPFRC) By Means Of Compressive, Flexural, And Z-Type Shear Tests

The use of fiber-reinforced concretes (FRC) for infrastructures subject to fatigue loading can result into an extension of their service life by providing enhanced ductility and toughness. The cyclic actions might affect the fiber-matrix interface and it is necessary to assess to what extent the degradation hinders the mechanical properties of these materials. Currently, the only predictive models for fatigue life and performance reduction are empirical. Therefore, a mechanical characterization is required for any mix whose composition and performance might differ from the one pertinent to the database the models are based on. This work presents the effect of high-cycle fatigue on a high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (HPFRC) with hybrid fiber reinforcement. The material was characterized under compressive, flexural, and shear loads at various stress ranges. The Palmgren-Miner rule was applied to predict the fatigue life of the material. The results showed the effects of fatigue loading on the strength of the material. The compressive strength remained constant in most cases, while the flexural and the shear performances were slightly reduced by the cycling process. The predictive capacity of the P-M model proved to be reliable only in limited scenarios

Effects of Fusion between Tactile and Proprioceptive Inputs on Tactile Perception

Tactile perception is typically considered the result of cortical interpretation of afferent signals from a network of mechanical sensors underneath the skin. Yet, tactile illusion studies suggest that tactile perception can be elicited without afferent signals from mechanoceptors. Therefore, the extent that tactile perception arises from isomorphic mapping of tactile afferents onto the somatosensory cortex remains controversial. We tested whether isomorphic mapping of tactile afferent fibers onto the cortex leads directly to tactile perception by examining whether it is independent from proprioceptive input by evaluating the impact of different hand postures on the perception of a tactile illusion across fingertips. Using the Cutaneous Rabbit Effect, a well studied illusion evoking the perception that a stimulus occurs at a location where none has been delivered, we found that hand posture has a significant effect on the perception of the illusion across the fingertips. This finding emphasizes that tactile perception arises from integration of perceived mechanical and proprioceptive input and not purely from tactile interaction with the external environment

The rapid spread of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant in Italy reflected early through wastewater surveillance

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and has later been identified worldwide, raising serious concerns. A real-time RT-PCR assay was designed for the rapid screening of the Omicron variant, targeting characteristic mutations of the spike gene. The assay was used to test 737 sewage samples collected throughout Italy (19/21 Regions) between 11 November and 25 December 2021, with the aim of assessing the spread of the Omicron variant in the country. Positive samples were also tested with a real-time RT-PCR developed by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), and through nested RT-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Overall, 115 samples tested positive for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. The first occurrence was detected on 7 December, in Veneto, North Italy. Later on, the variant spread extremely fast in three weeks, with prevalence of positive wastewater samples rising from 1.0% (1/104 samples) in the week 5-11 December, to 17.5% (25/143 samples) in the week 12-18, to 65.9% (89/135 samples) in the week 19-25, in line with the increase in cases of infection with the Omicron variant observed during December in Italy. Similarly, the number of Regions/Autonomous Provinces in which the variant was detected increased from one in the first week, to 11 in the second, and to 17 in the last one. The presence of the Omicron variant was confirmed by the JRC real-time RT-PCR in 79.1% (91/115) of the positive samples, and by Sanger sequencing in 66% (64/97) of PCR amplicons. In conclusion, we designed an RT-qPCR assay capable to detect the Omicron variant, which can be successfully used for the purpose of wastewater-based epidemiology. We also described the history of the introduction and diffusion of the Omicron variant in the Italian population and territory, confirming the effectiveness of sewage monitoring as a powerful surveillance tool

The rapid spread of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant in Italy reflected early through wastewater surveillance

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and has later been identified worldwide, raising serious concerns. A real-time RT-PCR assay was designed for the rapid screening of the Omicron variant, targeting characteristic mutations of the spike gene. The assay was used to test 737 sewage samples collected throughout Italy (19/21 Regions) between 11 November and 25 December 2021, with the aim of assessing the spread of the Omicron variant in the country. Positive samples were also tested with a real-time RT-PCR developed by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), and through nested RT-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Overall, 115 samples tested positive for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. The first occurrence was detected on 7 December, in Veneto, North Italy. Later on, the variant spread extremely fast in three weeks, with prevalence of positive wastewater samples rising from 1.0% (1/104 samples) in the week 5–11 December, to 17.5% (25/143 samples) in the week 12–18, to 65.9% (89/135 samples) in the week 19–25, in line with the increase in cases of infection with the Omicron variant observed during December in Italy. Similarly, the number of Regions/Autonomous Provinces in which the variant was detected increased fromone in the first week, to 11 in the second, and to 17 in the last one. The presence of the Omicron variant was confirmed by the JRC real-time RT-PCR in 79.1% (91/115) of the positive samples, and by Sanger sequencing in 66% (64/97) of PCR amplicons

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background: Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage 653 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage 653 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods: A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD) initiative constitutes the study population. Urinary albumin excretion (ACR) and estimated GFR (eGFR) were retrieved and analyzed. The incidence of stage 653 CKD (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or eGFR reduction > 30% from baseline was evaluated. Results: The mean estimated GFR was 98 \ub1 17 mL/min/1.73m2 and the proportion of patients with albuminuria was 15.3% (n = 654) at baseline. About 8% (n = 337) of patients developed one of the two renal endpoints during the 4-year follow-up period. Age, albuminuria (micro or macro) and baseline eGFR < 90 ml/min/m2 were independent risk factors for stage 653 CKD and renal function worsening. When compared to patients with eGFR > 90 ml/min/1.73m2 and normoalbuminuria, those with albuminuria at baseline had a 1.69 greater risk of reaching stage 3 CKD, while patients with mild eGFR reduction (i.e. eGFR between 90 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) show a 3.81 greater risk that rose to 8.24 for those patients with albuminuria and mild eGFR reduction at baseline. Conclusions: Albuminuria and eGFR reduction represent independent risk factors for incident stage 653 CKD in T1DM patients. The simultaneous occurrence of reduced eGFR and albuminuria have a synergistic effect on renal function worsening

0.5T Benchtop Magnet: Development of a MR Elastography Setup and Tissue Samples Characterization

Magnetic Resonance at low-intensity eld has been employed mainly for NMR spectroscopy even though low-intensity eld MRI scanners can be of small size and their use would allow lower artifacts impact, lower price and operational costs as well as lower SAR within very sensible samples. The present dissertation reports an analysis of both animal tissues samples and water-based solution carried out with a benchtop 0.5 T scanner. Relaxometry parameters were computed for liver and muscle samples and were found to be consistent with literature values and in agreement with an exponential model. Relaxation rates of liver (muscle) for T1 and T2 were 219+-3 ms (610+-8 ms) and 41+-1 ms (51+-1 ms), respectively. A custom-made di ffusion sequence was developed and measurements of ADC were carried out, and results suggest that a 20% gelatine could be useful as a liver and muscle phantom. Nevertheless, the sequence needs to be further improved in order to compensate for possible artifacts contributions. Muscle Mean Di ffusivity values along the three orthogonal directions respected the known anisotropic water motion behavior. Along with an MRI approach, a physical support for the piezoelectric actuator and an algorithm for the computation of the complex displacement maps from the MRE signal were created. The complex modulus for gelatine, liver and muscle samples was assessed: gelatine samples showed an increase of the average storage shear modulus with both frequency and also with higher concentration. Liver storage modulus ranged from 6.49+-1.53 to 19.67+-3.56 kPa in MEG frequency range between 500 and 2000 Hz, while muscle storage modulus was one order of magnitude higher with respect to both liver and gelatine samples

Pietre di Rimini. L’Influenza di John Ruskin sul pensiero di Augusto Campana e i riverberi nella ricostruzione postbellica del Tempio Malatestiano

While Rimini was bombed during the World War II, Augusto Campana decided to write a journal in order to track all the events and damages occurred to the stones composing the main monuments of the city. This gave him the idea for the title of his diary: Pietre di Rimini, an Italian translation of the Adrian Stokes\u2019 Stones of Rimini, in turn recalling the Ruskin\u2019s masterpiece The Stones of Venice. Thanks to the comparative reading of the journal and other works by Campana in relation to the English scholar\u2019s thought, the paper aims at comprehending the Ruskin\u2019s legacy in this specific context underlying contact points and divergences able to influence the aftermath restoration process with a double and contrasting vision

The Relationship between Narrative Skills and Executive Functions across Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Executive functions (EFs) and narrative competence (NC) are two important predictors of many outcomes in human development. To date, however, it is unclear whether these skills develop synergistically—supporting or opposing each other—or whether they are independent of each other. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to understand if these skills are related to over development and if the magnitude of their association changes over time; differs in typical and atypical development; and changes with EF (inhibition, working memory, flexibility, planning) and NC (oral, written; micro and macrostructural level). For this purpose, 30 studies containing 285 effect sizes were selected and combined. The results show that EFs and NC are weakly associated with each other (r = 0.236, p b(267) = −0.0144, p = 0.001). They are more associated in preschool and early elementary school grades, becoming more independent after seven years old. Between 3 and 7 years of age, the association seems stronger in atypically developing children and for macrostructural NC. Additionally, before 7 years old, the various EF domains seem to associate indistinctly with NC, and only later specific links between EFs and NC would be observed

Ricucire un frammento di città: idee e progetti per Porta Fiume e Ponte San Martino

L'iniziativa è frutto della proficua collaborazione nata tra il Dipartimento di Architettura dell'Università di Bologna e il Comune di Cesena. La mostra raccoglie gli esisti più stimolanti del lavoro svolto dagli studenti del Laboratorio di Restauro Architettonico dell'anno accademico 2014-15 e si articola in cinque temi che ripercorrono le fasi di sviluppo delle proposte di conservazione e valorizzazione: storia, tempo, materia, uso e progetto

Ex Asilo Santarelli: idee per un possibile restauro

L’idea della mostra nasce da una proficua collaborazione avviata tra Comune di Forlì e Dipartimento di Architettura dell’Università di Bologna: il progetto, oltre a dare la possibilità ai futuri architetti di confrontarsi con un tema oggettivo e tangibile, mira a sensibilizzare la città sul destino di uno dei più importanti edifici razionalisti di Forlì, l’ex Asilo Santarelli. La mostra raccoglie le migliori proposte elaborate dagli studenti del Laboratorio di Restauro Architettonico dell’anno accademico 2012-2013. A fronte di un’accurata indagine conoscitiva, i 9 progetti selezionati interpretano le vocazioni d’uso della fabbrica e definiscono possibili strategie di conservazione e valorizzazione