The Macroscopic Approach to Extended Thermodynamics with 14 Moments, Up to Whatever Order

Extended Thermodynamics is the natural framework in which to study the physics of fluids, because it leads to symmetric hyperbolic systems of field laws, thus assuming important properties such as finite propagation speeds of shock waves and well posedness of the Cauchy problem. The closure of the system of balance equations is obtained by imposing the entropy principle and that of galilean relativity. If we take the components of the mean field as independent variables, these two principles are equivalent to some conditions on the entropy density and its flux. The method until now used to exploit these conditions, with the macroscopic approach, has not been used up to whatever order with respect to thermodynamical equilibrium. This is because it leads to several difficulties in calculations. Now these can be overcome by using a new method proposed recently by Pennisi and Ruggeri. Here we apply it to the 14 moments model. We will also show that the 13 moments case can be obtained from the present one by using the method of subsystems

An exact macroscopic extended model with many moments

Extended Thermodynamics is a very important theory: for example, it predicts hyperbolicity, finite speeds of propagation waves as well as continuous dependence on initial data. Therefore, it constitutes a significative improvement of ordinary thermodynamics. Here its methods are applied to the case of an arbitrary, but fixed, number of moments. The kinetic approach has already been developed in literature; then, the macroscopic approach is here considered and the constitutive functions appearing in the balance equations are determined up to whatever order with respect to thermodynamical equilibrium. The results of the kinetic approach are a particular case of the present ones

A class practice to improve student’s attitude towards mathematics

For many students, mathematics, traditionally thought to be difficult and dull, is often considered inaccessible, generating a negative attitude towards it. In order to encourage a positive attitude towards mathematics, we propose class practices that, through research activities, will lead the students to experiment a similar path to the one that has given, as a final product, a structured theory, so as to enhance their self-efficacy, give a correct vision of the discipline and stimulate positive emotions. This can be realized, for example, as a “laboratory activity” in which the students compare ideas, intuitions, arguments, and work together to obtain results, using their critical capabilities in a collaborative learning activity. A team of university professors and high school teachers has developed a laboratory activity that focuses on some properties of quadrilaterals. The activity has at any rate been experimented in different first biennium classes of some high schools and has obtained very good results

An Exact Solution for the Macroscopic Approach to Extended Thermodynamics of Dense Gases with Many Moments

Extended Thermodynamics of Dense Gases with an arbitrary but fixed number of moments has been recently studied in literature; the arbitrariness of the number of moments is linked to a number N and the resulting model is called an (N)−Model. As usual in Extended Thermodynamics, in the field equations some unknown functions appear; restriction on their generalities are obtained by imposing the entropy principle, the Galilean relativity principle and some symmetry conditions. The solution of these conditions is called the ”closure problem” and it has not been written explicitly because an hard notation is necessary, but it has been shown how the theory is selfgenerating in the sense that, if we know the closure of the (N) −Model, than we will be able to find that of the (N + 1) − Model. Instead of this, we find here an exact solution which holds for every number N

Update on intensive motor training in spinocerebellar ataxia: time to move a step forward?:

Some evidence suggests that high-intensity motor training slows down the severity of spinocerebellar ataxia. However, whether all patients might benefit from these activities, and by which activity, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We provide an update on the effect and limitations of different training programmes in patients with spinocerebellar ataxias. Overall, data converge of the finding that intensive training is still based either on conventional rehabilitation protocols or whole-body controlled videogames ("exergames"). Notwithstanding the limitations, short-term improvement is observed, which tends to be lost once the training is stopped. Exergames and virtual reality can ameliorate balance, coordination, and walking abilities, whereas the efficacy of adapted physical activity, gym, and postural exercises depends on the disease duration and severity. In conclusion, although a disease-modifying effect has not been demonstrated, constant, individually tailored, high-intensity motor training might be effective in patients with degenerative ataxia, even in those with severe disease. These approaches may enhance the remaining cerebellar circuitries or plastically induce compensatory networks. Further research is required to identify predictors of training success, such as the type and severity of ataxia and the level of residual functioning

Papular dermatitis due to Leishmania infantum infection in seventeen dogs: diagnostic features, extent of the infection and treatment outcome

BACKGROUND: This study describes immunological responses, diagnostic features, follow up and treatment outcomes from seventeen dogs with papular dermatitis due to Leishmania infection diagnosed by cytology or real time-PCR. METHODS: Specific Leishmania humoral and cellular immune responses were evaluated by means of an immunofluorescence antibody test in all cases and a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to leishmanin in eight cases. The extent of infection was studied in several tissues including blood, lymph node, conjunctival and oral swabs, by means of PCR, at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up. Culture was performed on nine dogs from cutaneous lesions and lymph node aspirates and molecular typing was carried out on isolates based on ITS-1, ITS-2 and Haspb gene sequencing analysis. RESULTS: Cytological and molecular results from fine needle aspirates of papules were diagnostic in 8 out of 13 (61.5%) cases and in 14 out of 15 dogs (93.3%), respectively. In all dogs, specific anti-Leishmania antibody levels were low or absent. Blood and lymph node PCRs and lymph node culture were negative in all dogs. Three out of the nine dogs (33%) were positive by culture from cutaneous lesions. The three isolates were identified as ITS type A, however, polymorphism was observed in the Haspb gene (PCR products of 626 bp, 962 bp and 371 bp). DTH response was positive in all tested dogs at the time of diagnosis. The majority of dogs were successfully treated with only N-methylglucamine antimoniate, after which cutaneous lesions disappeared or were reduced to depigmented, flattened scars. All dogs remained seronegative and the majority of dogs were negative by PCR in several tissues during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study points out that papular dermatitis due to L. infantum is probably an underestimated benign cutaneous problem, associated with a parasite specific cell mediated immunity and a poor humoral immune response. Papular dermatitis is seen in young dogs, and appears to be a mild disease with restricted parasite dissemination and a good prognosis. PCR can be used as a non-invasive method to routinely evaluate papules if Leishmania infection is suspected in cases in which parasites are not visualized by cytology.The authors thank Dr. Carmen Cañavate (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain) for kindly providing L. infantum promastigotes for leishmanin skin test; Laura Perillo for her collaboration in cytopathology; Antonino Lombardo (Studio Veterinario Lombardo, Mascalucia, CT, Italy) for his collaboration in collecting the clinical cases. The authors are grateful to Francesca Soutter (Royal Veterinary College) for the English revision of the manuscript. The authors are also grateful to technicians of the CreNaL laboratory, IZS, Sicily for their technical help. The authors also thank the reviewers for the constructive critical revision of the manuscript. Laia Solano-Gallego holds a Ramón y Cajal senior researcher contract awarded by the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and the European Social Fund. Publication of the CVBD9 thematic series has been sponsored by Bayer HealthCare - Animal Health division.S

Building the ASEAN Center for humanitarian assistance and emergency response : is ASEAN learning from the experience of the European civil protection mechanism?

Why, following the EU’s first attempts at advancing community cooperation in civil protection and the creation of the EU civil protection mechanism, has ASEAN undertaken new initiatives, such as the adoption of a legally binding accord, AADMER and a formal institution, the AHA Center, largely comparable to the institutional innovations endorsed by the EU, in the same issue area? Can these developments be interpreted simply as the result of independent decision-making by ASEAN or are they at least a partial outcome of a transfer process? The aim of this study is to contribute to the emerging debate on European influence in Southeast Asia, taking into account how processes of policy and institutional transfer may lead ASEAN’s region builders to learn from the EU’s experience. Specifically, by discussing the case of disaster management, which has remained largely unexplored by comparative IR literature, this study argues that independent problem solving does not offer an adequate explanation of ASEAN’s developments. Conversely, lesson drawing and emulation are suggested as the two most relevant underlying mechanisms which can explain the gradual and selective adoption of an EU-like model of disaster cooperation.peer-reviewe

Preliminary validation of an innovative stress sensor for the Structural Health Monitoring of masonry buildings

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of existing masonry constructions is a challenging topic widely studied by the scientific community. In this paper, the use of a low-cost Capacitive Stress Sensors (CSSs) is investigated as an effective tool for the detection of the compression state level in mortar joints of masonry structures. The study is conducted by means of Finite Element (FE) simulations aimed at reproducing the mechanical response of a prototype of innovative CSS, recently patented, subjected to compression forces typical of masonry buildings under serviceability conditions. The constitutive behaviour of the sensor is validated against the results of a pilot laboratory test on a mortar cylindrical specimen endowed with CSSs and LVDTs and then subjected to cyclic uniaxial compression. The FE model is built in order to simulate the capacitive sensor embedded within the mortar material; therefore, a correlation analysis is performed by comparing the numerical stress-strain output of the sensor and the experimental results. The validation procedure shows that the numerical results are in good agreement with the records obtained by the LVDTs. Moreover, the FE model is used for developing a parametric analysis aimed at highlighting the effects of mortar stiffness and strength on the efficacy of the SHM performed by the CSSs and the optimal serviceability configurations are accordingly identified

A brief introduction to the Italian Civil Protection System

This paper briefly presents the Italian Civil Protection system. It examines the main legislative acts and procedures, which over the last century have created the Italian organisation for Civil Protection and attributed roles and tasks to the main actors and operational bodies at the central and local level. The activities the Civil Protection Department (CPD) carries out at a European and international levels are also briefly presented.peer-reviewe