Risistemazione del tratto di strada compreso tra il Viale Puccini ed il casello "Lucca Ovest" dell'Autostrada A11-A12

La tesi affronta il tema della ristrutturazione viaria del Viale Einaudi, a Lucca, che sarebbe necessaria a seguito della realizzazione lungo tutto il lato ovest di un nuovo insediamento residenziale, commerciale, direzionale e di servizi. Per questo ultimo sono stimati i flussi di traffico generati dalle diverse attività previste dal Piano Attuativo. Viene comunque proposta una soluzione infrastrutturale integrata con le caratteristiche residenziali già presenti lungo la strada ed i relativi impianti sportivi, nonché una rivalutazione degli spazi a verde. La creazione di una strada di servizio parallela a lato del nuovo insediamento, la realizzazione di un sottopasso pedonale e ciclabile, la soluzione a rotatoria alle due estremità costituiscono il corpo fondamentale del lavoro di tesi

“Which way to turn?” : the destinations of the Spanish silver (1621-1650) : London, Lisbon, or Genoa?

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the public credit market of the Spanish Empire used the Genoese and Portuguese bankers’ to intermediate on their behalf. They leant money to the Spanish Crown (asientos) and offered many other financial services all around Europe. The asientos was a typical form of short term borrowing which paid high rates of interest reimbursed in silver (bullion and coins), which could be sold to many different private economic agents and public mints all over Europe. The objective of this article is to analyse, within the environment of the international silver market, the role played by some of the European mints who were directly interested in this type of financial intermediation. While the production levels of the mints in Genoa and London depended more on the financial market that of Lisbon was derived from a purely commercial market

Numerical Simulation of Fluidic Thrust-Vectoring

The paper focuses on a computational method for the investigation of Fluidic Thrust Vectoring (FTV). Thrust vectoring in symmetric nozzles is obtained by secondary flow injections that cause local flow separations, asymmetric pressure distributions and, therefore, the vectoring of the primary jet thrust. The methodology proposed here can be applied for studying numerically most of the strategies for fluidic thrust vectoring, as shock-vector control, sonic-plane skewing and the counterflow method. The computational technique is based on a well-assessed mathematical model. The flow governing equations are solved according to a finite volume discretization technique of the compressible RANS equations coupled with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. Second order accuracy in space and time is achieved using an Essentially Non Oscillatory scheme. For validation purposes, the proposed numerical tool is used for the simulation of thrust vectoring based on the dual-throat nozzle concept. Nozzle performances and thrust vector angles are computed for a wide range of nozzle pressure ratios and secondary flow injection rates. The numerical results obtained are compared with the experimental data available in the open literature

Color tuning of light-emitting-diodes by modulating the concentration of red-emitting silicon nanocrystal phosphors

Luminescent forms of nanostructured silicon have received significant attention in the context of quantum-confined light-emitting devices thanks to size-tunable emission wavelength and high-intensity photoluminescence, as well as natural abundance, low cost, and non-toxicity. Here, we show that red-emitting silicon nanocrystal (SiN) phosphors, obtained by electrochemical erosion of silicon, allow for effectively tuning the color of commercial light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) from blue to violet, magenta, and red, by coating the LED with polydimethylsiloxane encapsulating different SiN concentrations. High reliability of the tuning process, with respect to SiN fabrication and concentration, and excellent stability of the tuning color, with respect to LED bias current, is demonstrated through simultaneous electrical/optical characterization of SiN-modified commercial LEDs, thus envisaging exciting perspectives for silicon nanocrystals in the field of light-emitting applications

Thrust Vectoring of a Fixed Axisymmetric Supersonic Nozzle Using the Shock-Vector Control Method

The application of the Shock Vector Control (SVC) approach to an axysimmetric supersonic nozzle is studied numerically. SVC is a Fluidic Thrust Vectoring (FTV) strategy that is applied to fixed nozzles in order to realize jet-vectoring effects normally obtained by deflecting movable nozzles. In the SVC method, a secondary air flow injection close to the nozzle exit generates an asymmetry in the wall pressure distribution and side-loads on the nozzle, which are also lateral components of the thrust vector. SVC forcing of the axisymmetric nozzle generates fully three-dimensional flows with very complex structures that interact with the external flow. In the present work, the experimental data on a nozzle designed and tested for a supersonic cruise aircraft are used for validating the numerical tool at different flight Mach numbers and nozzle pressure ratios. Then, an optimal position for the slot is sought and the fully 3D flow at flight Mach number M∞=0.9 is investigated numerically for different values of the SVC forcing

ACTIVE FLOW CONTROL OF AN OVER-EXPANDED NOZZLE BY SHOCK VECTOR CONTROL

Thrust vectoring obtained by the nozzle flow manipulation technique known as Shock Vector Control (SVC) is investigated numerically. In the shock vector control method, a shock structure is generated in the main flow by using transversal continuous blowing. The pressure distribution on the nozzle walls becomes asymmetric, thus giving rise to a lateral force. The open-loop response of the nozzle and the thrust vectoring effectiveness/controllability are investigated by using a CFD tool based on the compressible URANS equations. Nozzle performances and thrust vector angles have been computed for different nozzle pressure ratios in the range of over-expanded conditions. The latter represent the worst case, where the shock structure generated by the control is amplified by the re-compression requirements imposed by the external ambient pressure

N-terminal and C-terminal domains of calmodulin mediate FADD and TRADD interaction

FADD (Fas–associated death domain) and TRADD (Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 1-associated death domain) proteins are important regulators of cell fate in mammalian cells. They are both involved in death receptors mediated signaling pathways and have been linked to the Toll-like receptor family and innate immunity. Here we identify and characterize by database search analysis, mutagenesis and calmodulin (CaM) pull-down assays a calcium-dependent CaM binding site in the α-helices 1–2 of TRADD death domain. We also show that oxidation of CaM methionines drastically reduces CaM affinity for FADD and TRADD suggesting that oxidation might regulate CaM-FADD and CaM-TRADD interactions. Finally, using Met-to-Leu CaM mutants and binding assays we show that both the N- and C-terminal domains of CaM are important for binding