Olami-Feder-Christensen Model on different Networks

We investigate numerically the Self Organized Criticality (SOC) properties of the dissipative Olami-Feder-Christensen model on small-world and scale-free networks. We find that the small-world OFC model exhibits self-organized criticality. Indeed, in this case we observe power law behavior of earthquakes size distribution with finite size scaling for the cut-off region. In the scale-free OFC model, instead, the strength of disorder hinders synchronization and does not allow to reach a critical state.Comment: To appear in the Proceedings of 3rd NEXT International Conference "News Expectations and Trends in Statistical Physics" (13-18 August 2005, Kolimbari - Crete, Greece), as a special issue of the European Journal of Physics B and of the Physica A, by G. Kaniadakis, A. Carbone, M. Lissi

Self-Organized Criticality and earthquakes

We discuss recent results on a new analysis regarding models showing Self-Organized Criticality (SOC), and in particular on the OFC one. We show that Probability Density Functions (PDFs) for the avalanche size differences at different times have fat tails with a q-Gaussian shape. This behavior does not depend on the time interval adopted and it is also found when considering energy differences between real earthquakes.Comment: 4 pages, Paper presented at the international conference CTNEXT07, satellite of STATPHYS23, 1-5 july 2007, Catania, Italy http://www.ct.infn.it/ctnext07

Extensive nonadditive entropy in quantum spin chains

We present details on a physical realization, in a many-body Hamiltonian system, of the abstract probabilistic structure recently exhibited by Gell-Mann, Sato and one of us (C.T.), that the nonadditive entropy $S_q=k [1- Tr \hat{\rho}^q]/[q-1]$ ($\hat{\rho}\equiv$ density matrix; $S_1=-k Tr \hat{\rho} \ln \hat{\rho}$) can conform, for an anomalous value of q (i.e., q not equal to 1), to the classical thermodynamical requirement for the entropy to be extensive. Moreover, we find that the entropic index q provides a tool to characterize both universal and nonuniversal aspects in quantum phase transitions (e.g., for a L-sized block of the Ising ferromagnetic chain at its T=0 critical transverse field, we obtain $\lim_{L\to\infty}S_{\sqrt{37}-6}(L)/L=3.56 \pm 0.03$). The present results suggest a new and powerful approach to measure entanglement in quantum many-body systems. At the light of these results, and similar ones for a d=2 Bosonic system discussed by us elsewhere, we conjecture that, for blocks of linear size L of a large class of Fermionic and Bosonic d-dimensional many-body Hamiltonians with short-range interaction at T=0, we have that the additive entropy $S_1(L) \propto [L^{d-1}-1]/(d-1)$ (i.e., $\ln L$ for $d=1$, and $L^{d-1}$ for d>1), hence it is not extensive, whereas, for anomalous values of the index q, we have that the nonadditive entropy $S_q(L)\propto L^d$ ($\forall d$), i.e., it is extensive. The present discussion neatly illustrates that entropic additivity and entropic extensivity are quite different properties, even if they essentially coincide in the presence of short-range correlations.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, Invited Paper presented at the international conference CTNEXT07, satellite of STATPHYS23, 1-5 July 2007, Catania, Ital

Evidence for a long duration component in the prompt emission of short Gamma-Ray Bursts detected with BeppoSAX

A statistical study on the light curves of all the short Gamma-Ray Bursts detected with the Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GRBM) aboard BeppoSAX is reported. Evidence for a very weak and long duration component associated with these events in the two 1 s counters of the GRBM (40-700 keV and >100 keV) is found. It starts a few tens of seconds before the burst and continues for about 30 s after the burst. The overall hardness of this component is comparable with that of the event itself. The detection of a signal before the onset time and the similar hardness are consistent with an interpretation of the long duration component in terms of prompt emission associated with short GRBs.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Closed Cycle Drying Process to Retrain Industrial Sludge into Construction Products

The article describes a new bio-inspired method for the Advanced Treatment of Industrial Sludge with a Closed Cycle Drying Process. This process represents an innovative way of treating sludge and other shovelable residues deriving from sludge treatment with centrifuges and other industrial processes taking place in large installations, such as refineries, steel mills, chemical plants, glass processing installations, cosmetics manufacturing facilities, pharmaceutical plants. The process is under development within the research project TAFIPACC funded by Horizon 2020. In particular, the process allows retraining Industrial Sludge into construction materials using the new Closed Cycle Drying Process. The study deals with sludge produced by an industrial treatment plant/industrial discharges and civil waste water in the industrial area of Priolo Gargallo (SR) Esso-Erg-Enichem petrochemical plants and by the municipalities of Priolo Gargallo, and Melilli. The plants produce about 30 cubic meters of sludge per day, disposed of 50% in underground dumps and for the other 50% in hazardous and non hazardous waste recovery plants. The difficulty in the treatment is mainly due to the nature of these muds, as pasty and difficult to mix with additives (cement, limestone, H2O, granulometric mix). The presence of bad odours derives from light and heavy hydrocarbons, aromatics, and organic solvents (benzene, toluene, styrene, xylene, etc), causing some problems to operators and inhabitants living in the areas surrounding the plants

Facteurs déterminants de l’attitude des professionnels en santé mentale envers le rétablissement - une revue de littérature

Objective: The attitudes of mental health professionals towards consumers’ recovery are far more pessimistic than what is needed for the recovery-orientation to truly permeate systems of care. It has become pressing to depict determinants for these attitudes and how they evolve during professionalization. This, in the hopes to adjust not only medical education, but also ongoing training of professionals. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and PsycINFO databases was conducted, yielding a net 15 303 records. Twenty-two publications from specific educational journals and reference lists were added. Finally, thirty-four full texts were read, from which twenty-two articles were included. Results: From the reviewed studies emerged five main determinants: profession, education, age, clinical experience, and nature of the contact with consumers. Traditional clinical placements during residency, negative experiences with acute patients, younger age and the professional attitudes of psychiatrists seem to all be determining factors for professionals’ pessimistic attitudes towards recovery. Conclusions: This review found specific determinants for attitudes in recovery and four out of five can be acted upon. For a recovery-orientation to be implemented across our mental health system, we formulate recommendations within the Canadian context for revision of curriculum, recovery-specific training, and operationalisation through state/provincial technical assistance centers

closed cycle drying process to retrain industrial sludge into construction products

The article describes a new bio-inspired method for the Advanced Treatment of Industrial Sludge with a Closed Cycle Drying Process. This process represents an innovative way of treating sludge and other shovelable residues deriving from sludge treatment with centrifuges and other industrial processes taking place in large installations, such as refineries, steel mills, chemical plants, glass processing installations, cosmetics manufacturing facilities, pharmaceutical plants. The process is under development within the research project TAFIPACC funded by Horizon 2020. In particular, the process allows retraining Industrial Sludge into construction materials using the new Closed Cycle Drying Process. The study deals with sludge produced by an industrial treatment plant/industrial discharges and civil waste water in the industrial area of Priolo Gargallo (SR) Esso-Erg-Enichem petrochemical plants and by the municipalities of Priolo Gargallo, and Melilli. The plants produce about 30 cubic meters of sludge per day, disposed of 50% in underground dumps and for the other 50% in hazardous and non hazardous waste recovery plants. The difficulty in the treatment is mainly due to the nature of these muds, as pasty and difficult to mix with additives (cement, limestone, H2O, granulometric mix). The presence of bad odours derives from light and heavy hydrocarbons, aromatics, and organic solvents (benzene, toluene, styrene, xylene, etc), causing some problems to operators and inhabitants living in the areas surrounding the plants

Job performance in chronic hepatitis C virus patients treated with pegylated interferon-α2b plus ribavirin: an observational study

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The EARTHCRUISERS project (EARTH CRUst Imagery for investigating SEismicity, volcanism and marine natural Resources in the Sicilian offshore)

The EARTHCRUISERS project was developed for the MIUR’s call “Progetti Premiali 2015” by the “Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale” (Trieste, Italy) in collaboration with the “Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio Etneo” (Catania, Italy) and “Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn” (Naples, Italy). The main goals of the project are: (i) to identify and characterize the main crustal tectonic structures offshore Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, (ii) to better understand the geodynamic processes controlling seismicity and volcanism affecting this region, and (iii) to furnish a useful tool to estimate seismic, tsunamigenic and volcanic hazard in the highly populated coastal sectors. Furthermore, in order to contribute at the Blue Growth objectives, the project aims to analyze some relevant issues related to mineral prospecting offshore, such as the characterization of the hydrothermal systems in the Tyrrhenian Sea and the impact of the exploitation of oil and gas fields on the marine environment in the Sicily Channel. To achieve these objectives the acquisition of multibeam and sidescan sonar, multichannel seismic reflection, magnetic and gravimetric data is planned. Nearly 2500 km of multichannel seismic reflection lines will be acquired during the project in the Marsili Basin (Tyrrhenian Sea) and Mt. Etna offshore. This large amount of data will allow to: better understand the relationship between tectonics and evolution of volcanism; identify active faults and volcanic bodies; better constrain the seismostratigraphic and structural setting of the study areas, and investigate the eventual occurrence of unstable volcanic slopes which could lead to landslide and tsunami. Finally, the deployment offshore southeastern Sicily of a temporary Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) network will carry out for monitoring the natural seismicity in the area of VEGA platform, the largest oil extraction site in Italian seas. Data collected will be used to study the eventual correlation between local seismicity and oil extractive activities.PublishedRome2T. Deformazione crostale attiv