Thermal inertia of heavyweight traditional buildings: Experimental measurements and simulated scenarios

Abstract This paper discusses the results of an experimental campaign aimed to describe the thermal performance of a traditional building located in Catania, Southern Italy. The building was built in the early 1900s with traditional techniques and local materials, namely basalt stones, and is currently used for residential purposes. The results of the experimental campaign are exploited to calibrate a model for the dynamic simulation of the building with DesignBuilder. The calibrated model is then used to simulate how the same building would behave with a modern envelope made of a double leaf of bricks; other simulations take into account possible retrofit solutions, such as the installation of an insulating material either on the inner or the outer side of the walls, as well as the role of nighttime natural ventilation

Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of a Nonlinear Vibrational Energy Harvester

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Maximal operators and Hilbert transforms along variable non-flat homogeneous curves

We prove that the maximal operator associated with variable homogeneous planar curves $(t, u t^{\alpha})_{t\in \mathbb{R}}$, $\alpha\not=1$ positive, is bounded on $L^p(\mathbb{R}^2)$ for each $p>1$, under the assumption that $u:\mathbb{R}^2 \to \mathbb{R}$ is a Lipschitz function. Furthermore, we prove that the Hilbert transform associated with $(t, ut^{\alpha})_{t\in \mathbb{R}}$, $\alpha\not=1$ positive, is bounded on $L^p(\mathbb{R}^2)$ for each $p>1$, under the assumption that $u:\mathbb{R}^2\to \mathbb{R}$ is a measurable function and is constant in the second variable. Our proofs rely on stationary phase methods, $TT^*$ arguments, local smoothing estimates and a pointwise estimate for taking averages along curves.Comment: 38 page

Genome-wide population structure, homozygosity, and heterozygosity patterns of Nero Siciliano pig in the framework of Italian and cosmopolitan breeds

Analysis of genomic data is becoming more and more common for the effective management of livestock breeding programmes, even in the case of local populations. In this work, the genome-wide data of Nero Siciliano pig breed were compared to that of wild boar, Italian local and cosmopolitan breeds to investigate its genetic structure, and runs of homozygosity (ROH) and heterozygosity patterns. The Nero Siciliano has been reported to have the highest rate of genetic diversity among the Italian breeds, and a genetic variability comparable to that of the cosmopolitan breeds. Analyses of genomic structure and relationships underlined its proximity to wild boar, and an internal substructure probably linked to different family lines. The breed showed a low value of inbreeding estimated from ROH, and the highest diversity index among the Italian breeds, even if lower than that of the cosmopolitans. Four ROH islands in three chromosomes (SSC8, SSC11, and SSC14) and one heterozygosity-rich region (SSC1) were identified in Nero Siciliano, highlighting genomic regions related to productive QTL. Across breeds, SSC8 and SSC14 were the chromosomes with most ROH islands, with Mora Romagnola and wild boar showing the highest level of autozygosity. Chromosomes SSC2, SSC6, SSC8 and SSC13 showed the majority of runs of heterozygosity regions, mainly found in the cosmopolitan pig breeds, which reported several genes associated with health-related QTL. The outlined results can help to better identify the genomic profile of this local breed in order to plan matings, maintain adequate internal diversity and exploit the production system

Installation of ECR2 at LNS and Preliminary tests

The source ECR2 has been built in 1998 by Pantechnik, according to the design suggested by LNS Ion Source Group. This design entails some improvements with respect to a standard CAPRICE-type source: a) the magnetic field (up to 1.6 T axial, 1.1 T radial) allows to operate the source at 14 GHz in High B mode and at 18 GHz; b) two frequency heating can be used; c) an aluminum made plasma chamber is used in place of the stainless steel one. The main features of ECR2 along with a review of the preliminary tests will be outlined. Typical currents for fully stripped nitrogen are about 25 emA; for the heaviest ions, 1 emA of Kr28+ and 10 emA of Ta27+ have been measured. The installation at LNS has been completed recently and the details will be given

genetic diversity and relationship among the three autochthonous sicilian donkey populations assessed by microsatellite markers

AbstractIn the developed countries donkey has lost its main function as draft animal because of the mechanization in agri-culture; as a consequence donkey population was greatly reduced. According to SAVE monitoring institute, three of the eight Italian endangered donkey breeds are native of Sicily (Ragusano, Pantesco, Grigio Siciliano). Urgent safeguard plans are required. The aim of this work is to investigate the distribution of genetic diversity and the relationships among the three Sicilian autochthonous donkey breeds using a set of microsatellite markers. A total of 116 blood samples (61 Ragusano, 39 Pantesco, 16 Grigio Siciliano) were collected in 9 herds all over Sicily. Representative samples of Ragusano and Grigio donkey populations consist of unrelated individuals, whereas the sample of Pantesco represents nearly the entire studbook-registered population managed by "Ispettorato Ripartimentale delle Foreste di Erice (TP)" in the "Azienda S. Matteo". Genomic DNA was amplified at 11 microsatellite..