Design and realization of a multisamples rotating high cycle fatigue machine

In this work the design and the technical characteristic of a Moore rotating bending machine are presented. The machine has been realized at the University of Cassino in order to run tests on multiple specimens at different temperature. The user can choose independently the load and the temperature for each specimen. The machine has been designed to produce in short time a several numbers of data of materials fatigue strength at low costs. The machine is in assembling step at the Laboratory of Industrial Design of the University of Cassino

Design and realization of a multisamples rotating high cycle fatigue machine

In this work the design and the technical characteristic of a Moore rotating bending machine are presented. The machine has been realized at the University of Cassino in order to run tests on multiple specimens at different temperature. The user can choose independently the load and the temperature for each specimen. The machine has been designed to produce in short time a several numbers of data of materials fatigue strength at low costs. The machine is in assembling step at the Laboratory of Industrial Design of the University of Cassino

Fixed-point MAP decoding of channel codes

This paper describes the fixed-point model of the maximum a posteriori (MAP) decoding algorithm of turbo and low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, the most advanced channel codes adopted by modern communication systems for forward error correction (FEC). Fixed-point models of the decoding algorithms are developed in a unified framework based on the use of the Bahl-Cocke-Jelinek-Raviv (BCJR) algorithm. This approach aims at bridging the gap toward the design of a universal, multistandard decoder of channel codes, capable of supporting the two classes of codes and having reduced requirements in terms of silicon area and power consumption and so suitable to mobile applications. The developed models allow the identification of key parameters such as dynamic range and number of bits, whose impact on the error correction performance of the algorithm is of pivotal importance for the definition of the architectural tradeoffs between complexity and performance. This is done by taking the turbo and LDPC codes of two recent communication standards such asWiMAX and 3GPP-LTE as a reference benchmark for a mobile scenario and by analyzing their performance over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel for different values of the fixed-point parameters

Juridical Side of ALARP: The Monte Bianco Tunnel

When the ALARP “as low as reasonably practicable” principle is considered in judgments, this always comprehends a proportionate cost-risk analysis of protection measures: minimum risk has to mean level of safety maximization conditional to a given equitable profit, and maximum profit given a minimum sufficient level of safety. In London Court in 1949, Lord Asquith's definition of “reasonably practicable” in its judgment “Edwards v. National Coal Board”, as well as the whole judgment, became the legal basis of a requirement for risk assessments. Since then, ALARP has been officially endorsed and safety measures implemented in governments and enterprises in order to mitigate and manage risks. The study aims to analyse the failures in the Monte Bianco tunnel’s accident – which occurred on March 24, 1999 – from a logical perspective in order to develop a higher level of safety based on past experience and that played a central role in generating the current European Directive 2004/54/EC on minimum safety requirements for tunnels. This article reveals the consequences of ignoring the value of ALARP principle. Error analysis in Forensic Engineering are discussed and Gu@larp model contribution is considered

PtSi Clustering In Silicon Probed by Transport Spectroscopy

Metal silicides formed by means of thermal annealing processes are employed as contact materials in microelectronics. Control of the structure of silicide/silicon interfaces becomes a critical issue when the device characteristic size is reduced below a few tens of nanometers. Here we report on silicide clustering occurring within the channel of PtSi/Si/PtSi Schottky barrier transistors. This phenomenon is investigated through atomistic simulations and low-temperature resonant tunneling spectroscopy. Our results provide evidence for the segregation of a PtSi cluster with a diameter of a few nanometers from the silicide contact. The cluster acts as metallic quantum dot giving rise to distinct signatures of quantum transport through its discrete energy states

Design and realization of a multisamples rotating high cycle fatigue machine

In this work the design and the technical characteristic of a Moore rotating bending machine are presented. The machine has been realized at the University of Cassino in order to run tests on multiple specimens at different temperature. The user can choose independently the load and the temperature for each specimen. The machine has been designed to produce in short time a several numbers of data of materials fatigue strength at low costs. The machine is in assembling step at the Laboratory of Industrial Design of the University of Cassino

Frequent detection of high human papillomavirus DNA loads in oral potentially malignant disorders

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is estimated to be the cause of 40-80% of the squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx but only of a small fraction of the oral cavity cancers. The prevalence of oral HPV infection has significantly increased in the last decade, raising concerns about the HPV role in progression of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) toward squamous cell carcinomas. We sought to study HPV infection in patients with oral lesions, and in control individuals, using non-invasive and site-specific oral brushing and sensitive molecular methods. HPV DNA positivity and viral loads were evaluated in relation to patient data and clinical diagnosis. We enrolled 116 individuals attending Dental Clinics: 62 patients with benign oral lesions (e.g. fibromas, papillomatosis, ulcers) or OPMD (e.g. lichen, leukoplakia) and 54 controls. Oral cells were collected with Cytobrush and HPV-DNA detected with quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for the more common high-risk (HR) and low-risk (LR) genotypes. HPV detection rate, percentage of HR HPVs and HPV-DNA loads (namely HPV16 and in particular, HPV18) were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Lichen planus cases had the highest HPV positive rate (75.0%), hairy leukoplakia the lowest (33.3%). This study detected unexpectedly high rates of HPV infection in cells of the oral mucosa. The elevated HR HPV loads found in OPMD suggest the effectiveness of qPCR in testing oral lesions. Prospective studies are needed to establish whether elevated viral loads represent a clinically useful marker of the risk of malignant progression

Crosstalk between oral and general health status in e-smokers

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) simulates the act of tobacco smoking by vaporizing a mixture of propylene glycol, nicotine, and flavoring agents. e-cigarette has been proposed as a product able to aid to stop smoking. The aim of the study is to verify the clinical variations of periodontal health induced by e-cigarettes use and, moreover, to investigate about the awareness of the e-smokers about their health variations and about their hypothetical need to turn back to smoke combustible cigarettes.This clinical observational pilot study involved 110 out of 350 smokers, who switched to e-cigarette. Patients were subjected to oral examinations. A questionnaire to self-assess the variations of some parameters of general health, and to self-assess the need to smoke combustible cigarettes, was distributed to such subjects involved in the study.At the end of the study, we registered a progressive improvement in the periodontal indexes, as well as in the general health perception. Finally, many patients reported an interesting reduction in the need to smoke.In the light of this pilot study, the e-cigarette can be considered as a valuable alternative to tobacco cigarettes, but with a positive impact on periodontal and general health status

Multifaceted enrichment analysis of RNA-RNA crosstalk reveals cooperating micro-societies in human colorectal cancer

Alterations in the balance of mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles contribute to the onset and development of colorectal cancer. The regulatory functions of individual miRNA-gene pairs are widely acknowledged, but group effects are largely unexplored. We performed an integrative analysis of mRNA–miRNA and miRNA–miRNA interactions using high-throughput mRNA and miRNA expression profiles obtained from matched specimens of human colorectal cancer tissue and adjacent non- tumorous mucosa. This investigation resulted in a hypernetwork-based model, whose functional back- bone was fulfilled by tight micro-societies of miR- NAs. These proved to modulate several genes that are known to control a set of significantly enriched cancer-enhancer and cancer-protection biological processes, and that an array of upstream regulatory analyses demonstrated to be dependent on miR-145, a cell cycle and MAPK signalling cascade master regulator. In conclusion, we reveal miRNA-gene clusters and gene families with close functional relationships and highlight the role of miR-145 as potent upstream regulator of a complex RNA–RNA crosstalk, which mechanistically modulates several signalling path- ways and regulatory circuits that when deranged are relevant to the changes occurring in colorectal carcinogenesis