Costruzione e ricostruzione dell’Accademia di Villa Adriana: dall’analisi del monumento alla restituzione. Problemi e soluzioni nell’uso della tecnologia digitale

The aim of this paper is to illustrate a study addressing the comprehension and architectural reconstruction of part of Hadrian’s Villa, the so called Accademia. The reconstruction of the monument has a double purpose: the understanding of the buildings and the creation of a virtual musealization. Archaeological data combined with digital reconstructions are aimed at making areas that are not accessible to visitors visible to users. In recent times, several reconstruction projects have been undertaken, producing relevant visual impacts. However, a careful study of the archaeological evidence often failed to support the reconstruction process. During the research project, a detailed survey of the archaeological evidence was conducted, using photogrammetry, photo scanning, and laser scanning techniques. The study produced important information accounting for both the building site and the construction choices made during the erection of the monument. The analysis generated new elements that allowed us to propose some new hypotheses regarding the identification and restitution of volumes, as well as the interpretation of some topographical, architectural and possibly ideological features. For this reason, the paper does not simply enquire into the reconstruction of an ancient building, but into the process of methodological experimentation required to understand, store, process and make data accessible, within the particular context of the Accademia. The methodological experimentation, based on a correct balance between new technologies and traditional research methods, helped us understand the monument, providing content to a reconstruction that otherwise would have been empty

A simplified pneumatic model for air brake of passenger trains

Braking system performance is relevant for both railway safety and network optimization. Most trains employ air brake systems; air brake systems of freight trains mostly cannot achieve a synchronous application of brake forces, which is usually customary for passenger trains. The paper generalizes a previous air brake pneumatic model to passenger trains and describes the needed modifications. Among them, the way the pressure reduces in the brake pipe is generalized. Moreover, this paper reports an analytical bi-dimensional function for calculating the nozzle diameter equivalent to the electro-pneumatic (EP) or the electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake valve as a function of the wagon length and the time to vent the brake pipe locally. The numerical results of the new model are compared against several experimental tests of high-speed passenger trains of Trenitalia, namely ETR500 and ETR1000. The model is suitable to be integrated into the UIC software TrainDy, aiming to extend its computational field to passenger trains and to simulate the safety of trains during a recovery

Microencapsulación de compuestos de actividad biologica

La microencapsulación de compuestos de actividad biológica (ADN, fármacos, proteínas, probióticos, enzimas, etc.), desde el punto de vista tecnológico podría definirse como el proceso de recubrimiento de dichos compuestos, bajo la forma de moléculas, partículas sólidas o glóbulos líquidos, con materiales de distinta naturaleza, para dar lugar a partículas de tamaño micrométrico. Uno de los polímeros naturales más utilizados para la producción de microesferas es el quitosano. Diversos métodos han sido propuestos para la producción de microcápsulas divididos en tres grupos: procesos físicos, procesos químicos y procesos físico-químicos. En el presente trabajo se ensayaron distintas metodologías para la producción de microesferas y micropartículas de quitosano. Según la metodología empleada se obtuvieron distintos tipos de esferas en lo que respecta a tamaño y densidad. Las micropartículas obtenidas se evaluaron mediante microscopía óptica, electrónica de barrido, así como se realizó la evaluación de su estabilidad y liberación del agente encapsulado

Subtipos do antígeno Austrália (HBsAg) em doentes de hanseníase de São Paulo, Brasil

One hundred and thirty five sera from patients with leprosy were tested for the ad and ay subtypes of HBsAg. Only three (2,2%) had HBsAg and all were ad positive.Foram examinados 135 soros de pacientes com hanseníase para identificação dos subtipos ad e ay de HB sAg, tendo-se encontrado somente 3 casos positivos para o antígeno Austrália, todos eles do subtipo ad (2,2%)

Detection of Eight Cannabinoids and One Tracer in Wastewater and River Water by SPE-UPLC–ESI-MS/MS

The consumption of illicit drugs represents a global social and economic problem. Using suitable analytical methods, monitoring, and detection of different illegal drugs residues and their metabolites in wastewater samples can help combat this problem. Our article defines a method to develop, validate, and practically applicate a rapid and robust analytical process for the evaluation of six naturally occurring cannabinoids (CBG, CBD, CBDV, CBN, THC, THCV), two cannabinoids in acidic form (CBDA, THCA-A), and the major cannabis-related human metabolite (THC-COOH). After SPE offline enrichment, we used a UPLC–ESI-MS/MS system, which permitted the determination of several by-products. Studied matrices were samples of different origins: (i) effluent water from a wastewater treatment plant in the Porto urban area; (ii) environmental water from Febros River, the last left-bank tributary of the Douro River. The multi-residue approach was substantiated and successfully employed to analyze the water samples collected in the above locations. The rapid and precise quantification of nine different cannabinoids in different water samples occurred within nine minutes at the ng L−1 level. The appearance of dozens of ng L−1 of some cannabis secondary metabolites, such as CBD, CBDA, CBN, THCA-A, indicates this plant species’ widespread usage among the general population in the considered area

Microencapsulación de compuestos de actividad biológica

La microencapsulación de compuestos de actividad biológica (ADN, fármacos, proteínas, probióticos, enzimas, etc.), desde el punto de vista tecnológico, podría definirse como el proceso de recubrimiento de dichos compuestos, bajo la forma de moléculas, partículas sólidas o glóbulos líquidos, con materiales de distinta naturaleza, para dar lugar a partículas de tamaño micrométrico. Uno de los polímeros naturales más utilizados para la producción de microesferas es el quitosano (?-1,4- glucosamina). Diversos métodos han sido propuestos para la producción de microcápsulas, divididos en tres grupos: procesos físicos, procesos químicos y procesos físico-químicos. En el presente trabajo se ensayaron distintas metodologías para la producción de microesferas y microcápsulas de quitosano. Según la metodología empleada se obtuvieron distintos tipos de esferas en lo que respecta a tamaño y densidad principalmente. Las micropartículas obtenidas se evaluaron mediante microscopía óptica, electrónica de barrido, así como se realizó la evaluación de su estabilidad y liberación del agente encapsulado. Abstract The microencapsulation process of agents with biological activity (such as DNA, pharmaceuticals, proteins, probiotics, enzymes, etc.), from the technological view, could be defined as the coating process of those agents, under a molecular form, solid particles, or liquid globules, with materials of different nature, that gives particles particles of micrometric size. One of the most used natural polymers for the production of microspheres is chitosan (?-1,4-glucosamine). Various methods have been proposed for the production of microcapsules, divided into three groups: physical processes, chemical processes, and physico-chemical processes. In this work, it were assayed different methodologies for the production of chitosan microspheres and microcapsules. Depending on the methodology used, were obtained differente types of spheres in reference to size and density. The microparticles produced were evaluated with optic microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, so as were evaluated its stability and liberation of the encapsulated agent

What makes SMEs more likely to collaborate? Analysing the role of regional policy

The last twenty years have witnessed the diffusion of regional innovation policies supporting networks of innovators. The underlying aim of these policies is to encourage firms, particularly SMEs, to undertake collaborations with organisations possessing complementary knowledge. Focusing on a set of SMEs that have participated, over time, in several innovation networks funded by the same regional government, the paper investigates how their relationships have evolved with respect to the following aspects: (i) reiteration of pre-existing relationships as opposed to experimentation of new relationships; (ii) collaboration with organisations possessing complementary rather than similar knowledge and competencies; (iii) creation of local relationships rather than experimentation of extra-local collaborations; (iv) reliance upon intermediaries to connect with other organisations. Our findings reveal that the involvement in these policy-supported networks changed the firms’ relational patterns, leading them to collaborate with a wider variety of agents than those with whom they were linked before the policies. Sectoral heterogeneity had a negative effect on the probability to collaborate, while co-localisation increased the likelihood to collaborate. Mutual involvement with intermediaries also had a positive effect. However, in the case of firm-to-university relationships only specialized intermediaries were likely to perform a positive role and, therefore, encourage networking

A functional-cognitive framework for attitude research

In attitude research, behaviours are often used as proxies for attitudes and attitudinal processes. This practice is problematic because it conflates the behaviours that need to be explained (explanandum) with the mental constructs that are used to explain these behaviours (explanans). In the current chapter we propose a meta-theoretical framework that resolves this problem by distinguishing between two levels of analysis. According to the proposed framework, attitude research can be conceptualised as the scientific study of evaluation. Evaluation is defined not in terms of mental constructs but in terms of elements in the environment, more specifically, as the effect of stimuli on evaluative responses. From this perspective, attitude research provides answers to two questions: (1) Which elements in the environment moderate evaluation? (2) What mental processes and representations mediate evaluation? Research on the first question provides explanations of evaluative responses in terms of elements in the environment (functional level of analysis); research on the second question offers explanations of evaluation in terms of mental processes and representations (cognitive level of analysis). These two levels of analysis are mutually supportive, in that better explanations at one level lead to better explanations at the other level. However, their mutually supportive relation requires a clear distinction between the concepts of their explanans and explanandum, which are conflated if behaviours are treated as proxies for mental constructs. The value of this functional-cognitive framework is illustrated by applying it to four central questions of attitude research

Prato: The Social Construction of an Industrial City Facing Processes of Cultural Hybridization

This chapter deals with a widely studied case, that is, Prato, a middle-sized city with rooted industrial traditions, in the Centre of Italy. Prato is a textile industrial district embedded in the so-called Third Italy—an area characterized by the presence of small firms spread throughout the territory, linked together in supply and subcontracting relationships—which, in the last twenty years, has undergone a profound transformation as a consequence of the crisis of textile and immigration, leading to the formation of a large Chinese community. The related changes brought with them problems of social cohesion and sustainable development. The authors address these issues by analyzing both academic and public discourses on Prato. Their basic idea is that common stereotypes act as drivers of a public discourse that prevents the city to re-negotiate its identity. The analysis concludes that different forms of hybridization—particularly cultural hybridization—are occurring, which would need further investigations