Magnetically assisted impaction mixing of nanosize particles

Magnetically assisted impaction mixing (MAIM) is a novel dry mixing technique, which can be used to mix nanoparticles. Mixing of nanoparticles is usually conducted in solvent-based mixing techniques. The solvents used in these techniques are usually organic, which can be expensive and harmful to the environment. MAIM creates homogeneous nanoparticle mixtures while eliminating conditioning and drying steps associated with wet mixing techniques. To create the best mixing quality of nanoparticles, MAIM was optimized by studying the effects of magnet-to-sample ratio, time, magnet size, and constituents of the mixture. The results were then compared with other well-known mixing techniques. To characterize the nanoparticle mixtures on a micron scale, a field emission scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy were used at 5000 times magnification. The results obtained from images and compound percent point analysis shows that the new MAIM technique produces a mixture quality of nanoparticles similar to supercritical sonication mixing

Mixing of nanosize particles by magnetically assisted impaction techniques

Nanoparticles and nanocomposites offer unique properties that arise from their small size, large surface area, and the interactions of phases at their interfaces, and are attractive for their potential to improve performance of drugs, biomaterials, catalysts and other highvalue- added materials. However, a major problem in utilizing nanoparticles is that they often lose their high surface area due to grain growth. Creating nanostructured composites where two or more nanosized constituents are intimately mixed can prevent this loss in surface area, but in order to obtain homogeneous mixing, de-agglomeration of the individual nanoparticle constituents is necessary. Due to high surface area, nano-particles form very large, fractal agglomerates. The structure of these agglomerates can have a large agglomerate composed of subagglomerates (SA), which itself consists of primary agglomerates (PA), that contain chain or net like nano-particle structures; typically sub-micron size. Thus the final agglomerate has a hierarchical, fractal structure, and depending upon the forces applied, it could break down to a certain size scale. The agglomerates can be fairly porous and fragile or they could be quite dense, based on primary particle size and its surface energy. Thus depending upon the agglomerate strength at different length scales, one could achieve deagglomeration and subsequent mixing at varying length scale. A better understanding of this can have a major impact on the field of nano-structured materials; thus the long term objective of this project is to gain fundamental understanding of deagglomeration and mixing of nano-agglomerates. Dry mixing is in general not effective in achieving desired mixing at nanoscale, whereas wet mixing suffers from different disadvantages like nanomaterial of interest should be insoluble, has to wet the liquid, and involves additional steps of filtration and drying. This research examines the use of environmentally friendly a novel approach based on use of small magnetic particles as mixing media is introduced that achieves a high-degree of mixing at scales of about a micron. The method is tested for binary mixture of alumina/silica and silica/titania. Various parameters such as processing time, size of the magnets, and magnetic particle to powder mixed ratio are considered. Experiments are carried out in batch containers in liquid and dry mediums, as well as a fluidized bed set-up. Homogeneity of Mixing (HoM), defined as the compliment of the Intensity of Segregation, was evaluated at the micron scale through field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and the energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Secondary electron images, along with elemental mappings, were used to visualize the change in agglomerate sizes. Compositional percent data of each element were obtained through an EDS spatial distribution point analysis and used to obtain quantitative analysis on the homogeneity of the mixture. The effect of magnet impaction on mixing quality was examined on the HoM of binary mixtures. The research shows that HoM improved with magnetically assisted impaction mixing techniques indicating that the HoM depends on the product of processing time with the number of magnets. In a fluidized bed set-up, MAIM not only improved dispersion, but it was also found that the magnetic particles served to break down the larger agglomerates, to reduce the minimum fluidization velocity, to delay the onset of bubbling, and to convert the fluidization behavior of ABF powder to APF. Thus MAIM techniques may be used to achieve mixing of nanopowders at a desired HoM through adjusting the number of magnets and processing time; and its inherent advantages are its simplicity, an environmentally benign operation, and reduced cost as compared with wet mixing techniques

Mirada franca : La reinterpretación de una experiencia personal a través del lenguaje audiovisual

Mirada Franca es un cortometraje documental enmarcado en la tesis de grado de Giuliana Scicolone (Licenciatura en Artes Audiovisuales) y Matías Barry (Licenciatura en Música con orientación guitarra). El nombre de la obra surgió durante el proceso de producción y hace alusión a la representación del punto de vista de la directora sobre la experiencia del encuentro con la ballena franca austral. Desde la disciplina de las artes audiovisuales se trabajó en la reinterpretación de la experiencia a través de los recursos propios del lenguaje audiovisual, teniendo siempre presente que el punto de vista representado debía ser el de Giuliana. Desde el punto de vista de la música, se exploró la noción de banda sonora. Matías trabajó la composición musical del audiovisual una vez resuelta la edición de este, es por ello que cada elemento de la composición debía sincronizar perfectamente con los cortes de montaje.Tesis colectiva interdisciplinaria, realizada junto a Matías Barry. El video que acompaña a esta tesis puede verse en este enlace.Facultad de Bellas Arte

"Carosello" in aula. Storia e cultura italiana in una lezione di lingua

Il presente lavoro di riflessione teorica nasce dall’esperienza pratica vissuta nella Escuela Oficial de Idiomas di Madrid-Valdezarza nel periodo compreso tra febbraio e maggio del 2013. La mia formazione anteriore, di storica e, nello specifico, incentrata nella relazione tra la Storia e la sua rappresentazione audiovisiva ha certamente influito nella scelta del tema da proporre in classe agli apprendenti di italiano LS. Non solo grammatica e sintassi, ma anche storia e cultura italiana: questo è stato l’obiettivo che fin dall’inizio mi sono proposta di portare avanti e che è stato pienamente sostenuto dalla mia tutor del centro. Il tutto supportato da un articolato ragionamento sul contesto, difficile e delicato, dell’Italia del secondo dopoguerra. La mia scelta è ricaduta su Carosello, parola per molti sconosciuta e priva di significato ma parte dell’immaginario collettivo di quegli italiani che hanno vissuto, sono cresciuti, si sono formati e hanno appreso nel periodo compreso tra il 1957 e il 1977.</p

Mirada franca : La reinterpretación de una experiencia personal a través del lenguaje audiovisual

Mirada Franca es un cortometraje documental enmarcado en la tesis de grado de Giuliana Scicolone (Licenciatura en Artes Audiovisuales) y Matías Barry (Licenciatura en Música con orientación guitarra). El nombre de la obra surgió durante el proceso de producción y hace alusión a la representación del punto de vista de la directora sobre la experiencia del encuentro con la ballena franca austral. Desde la disciplina de las artes audiovisuales se trabajó en la reinterpretación de la experiencia a través de los recursos propios del lenguaje audiovisual, teniendo siempre presente que el punto de vista representado debía ser el de Giuliana. Desde el punto de vista de la música, se exploró la noción de banda sonora. Matías trabajó la composición musical del audiovisual una vez resuelta la edición de este, es por ello que cada elemento de la composición debía sincronizar perfectamente con los cortes de montaje.Tesis colectiva interdisciplinaria, realizada junto a Matías Barry. El video que acompaña a esta tesis puede verse en este enlace.Facultad de Bellas Arte

La rappresentazione della guerra civile spagnola nei notiziari cinematografici. Studio comparato delle strategie di comunicazione e propaganda sul caso spagnolo e francese

Il presente lavoro intende indagare sulla rappresentazione della guerra civile spagnola (1936-1939) attraverso la produzione di notiziari cinematografici realizzati nel corso del triennio bellico dalla Francia, dalla Spagna e dall’Italia. Scopo della ricerca è quello di mettere in rilievo le funzioni della cinematografia di attualità in un contesto di guerra e di verificare la genesi e le modalità della rappresentazione di un determinato evento in paesi che, seppur vicini geograficamente, presentano un’informazione audiovisiva profondamente differenziata, di certo influenzata dalla guerra in corso. L’analisi, che si basa prima sulla ricognizione dei dati provenienti dallo studio della fonte filmica e poi sulla comparazione delle immagini di guerra, si struttura in quattro parti. Nella prima, viene preso in esame il caso della Francia: partendo dalle origini del cinema sia arriva a delineare la situazione vigente nell’industria del settore nel periodo del Fronte popolare e l’informazione presentata dai tre cinegiornali (Pathé- Journal, Gaumont-Actualités ed Éclair-Journal) allo scoppio del conflitto in Spagna. Nella seconda parte si analizza il cinema spagnolo di attualità; si prende in esame il caso della produzione anarchica, quella comunista e quella nazionalista. La terza parte prevede un confronto tra le immagini filmate dalla Spagna e dalla Francia con lo scopo di verificare l’esistenza – o meno – di influenze reciproche nelle modalità di trasmissione dell’informazione. L’ultima parte indaga sul NO-DO, il notiziario cinematografico spagnolo, lo strumento di informazione ed educazione del regime franchista. L’analisi delle immagini del NO-DO, preceduta da una ricostruzione del contesto storico, culturale e politico in cui il cinegiornale agisce, si limita a prendere in esame quei servizi in cui si racconta della guerra civile, al fine di mettere in luce i temi sui quali il Regime basava la propria propaganda.The present job intends to investigate on the representation of the Spanish civil war (1936 -1939) through the production of newsreel realized during the war triennio from France, from Spain and from Italy. Purpose of the search is that to put in relief the functions of the cinematography of actuality in a context of war and to verify the genesis and the formalities of the representation of a determined event in countries that, even though near geographically introduces a deeply diversified audiovisual information, of certain influenced by the war in progress. The analysis, that founds him on the recognition of the data coming from the study of the source filmica and then before on the comparison of the images of war, is structured in four parts. In the first one, it is taken in examination the case of France: departing from the origins of the cinema both it comes to delineate the in force situation in the industry of the sector in the period of the Popular Front and the information introduced by the three newsreels (Pathé-Journal, Gaumont-Actualités and Éclair-Journal) to the burst of the conflict in Spain. In the second part the Spanish cinema of actuality is analyzed; he takes in examination the case of the anarchic production, that communist and that nationalist. The third part foresees a comparison among the images filmed from Spain and from France with the purpose to verify the existence. or less. of mutual influences in the formalities of transmission of the information. The last part investigates on the NO-DO, the Spanish newsreel, the tool of information and education of the regime franchista. The analysis of the images of the NO-DO, preceded by a reconstruction of the historical, cultural and political context in which the newsreel acts, it limits him to take in examination that services in which it tells him some civil war, with the purpose to show the themes on which the Regime founded his propaganda.Dottorato di ricerca in Società, istituzioni e sistemi politici europei (XIX-XX secolo

Mirada franca : La reinterpretación de una experiencia personal a través del lenguaje audiovisual

Mirada Franca es un cortometraje documental enmarcado en la tesis de grado de Giuliana Scicolone (Licenciatura en Artes Audiovisuales) y Matías Barry (Licenciatura en Música con orientación guitarra). El nombre de la obra surgió durante el proceso de producción y hace alusión a la representación del punto de vista de la directora sobre la experiencia del encuentro con la ballena franca austral. Desde la disciplina de las artes audiovisuales se trabajó en la reinterpretación de la experiencia a través de los recursos propios del lenguaje audiovisual, teniendo siempre presente que el punto de vista representado debía ser el de Giuliana. Desde el punto de vista de la música, se exploró la noción de banda sonora. Matías trabajó la composición musical del audiovisual una vez resuelta la edición de este, es por ello que cada elemento de la composición debía sincronizar perfectamente con los cortes de montaje.Tesis colectiva interdisciplinaria, realizada junto a Matías Barry. El video que acompaña a esta tesis puede verse en este enlace.Facultad de Bellas Arte

La rappresentazione della guerra civile spagnola nei notiziari cinematografici. Studio comparato delle strategie di comunicazione e propaganda sul caso spagnolo e francese

Il presente lavoro intende indagare sulla rappresentazione della guerra civile spagnola (1936-1939) attraverso la produzione di notiziari cinematografici realizzati nel corso del triennio bellico dalla Francia, dalla Spagna e dall’Italia. Scopo della ricerca è quello di mettere in rilievo le funzioni della cinematografia di attualità in un contesto di guerra e di verificare la genesi e le modalità della rappresentazione di un determinato evento in paesi che, seppur vicini geograficamente, presentano un’informazione audiovisiva profondamente differenziata, di certo influenzata dalla guerra in corso. L’analisi, che si basa prima sulla ricognizione dei dati provenienti dallo studio della fonte filmica e poi sulla comparazione delle immagini di guerra, si struttura in quattro parti. Nella prima, viene preso in esame il caso della Francia: partendo dalle origini del cinema sia arriva a delineare la situazione vigente nell’industria del settore nel periodo del Fronte popolare e l’informazione presentata dai tre cinegiornali (Pathé- Journal, Gaumont-Actualités ed Éclair-Journal) allo scoppio del conflitto in Spagna. Nella seconda parte si analizza il cinema spagnolo di attualità; si prende in esame il caso della produzione anarchica, quella comunista e quella nazionalista. La terza parte prevede un confronto tra le immagini filmate dalla Spagna e dalla Francia con lo scopo di verificare l’esistenza – o meno – di influenze reciproche nelle modalità di trasmissione dell’informazione. L’ultima parte indaga sul NO-DO, il notiziario cinematografico spagnolo, lo strumento di informazione ed educazione del regime franchista. L’analisi delle immagini del NO-DO, preceduta da una ricostruzione del contesto storico, culturale e politico in cui il cinegiornale agisce, si limita a prendere in esame quei servizi in cui si racconta della guerra civile, al fine di mettere in luce i temi sui quali il Regime basava la propria propaganda.The present job intends to investigate on the representation of the Spanish civil war (1936 -1939) through the production of newsreel realized during the war triennio from France, from Spain and from Italy. Purpose of the search is that to put in relief the functions of the cinematography of actuality in a context of war and to verify the genesis and the formalities of the representation of a determined event in countries that, even though near geographically introduces a deeply diversified audiovisual information, of certain influenced by the war in progress. The analysis, that founds him on the recognition of the data coming from the study of the source filmica and then before on the comparison of the images of war, is structured in four parts. In the first one, it is taken in examination the case of France: departing from the origins of the cinema both it comes to delineate the in force situation in the industry of the sector in the period of the Popular Front and the information introduced by the three newsreels (Pathé-Journal, Gaumont-Actualités and Éclair-Journal) to the burst of the conflict in Spain. In the second part the Spanish cinema of actuality is analyzed; he takes in examination the case of the anarchic production, that communist and that nationalist. The third part foresees a comparison among the images filmed from Spain and from France with the purpose to verify the existence. or less. of mutual influences in the formalities of transmission of the information. The last part investigates on the NO-DO, the Spanish newsreel, the tool of information and education of the regime franchista. The analysis of the images of the NO-DO, preceded by a reconstruction of the historical, cultural and political context in which the newsreel acts, it limits him to take in examination that services in which it tells him some civil war, with the purpose to show the themes on which the Regime founded his propaganda.Dottorato di ricerca in Società, istituzioni e sistemi politici europei (XIX-XX secolo

WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES UNDER DEFICIT IRRIGATION

Deficit irrigation (DI) is an optimization strategy whereby net returns are maximized by reducing the amount of irrigation water; crops are deliberated allowed to sustain some degree of water deficit and yield reduction. Although the DI strategy dates back to the 1970s, this technique is not usually adopted as a practical alternative to full irrigation by either academics or practitioners. Furthermore, there is a certain amount of confusion regarding its concept. In fact, a review of recent literature dealing with DI has shown that only a few papers use the concept of DI in its complete sense (e.g. both the agronomic and economic aspects). A number of papers only deal with the physiological and agronomical aspects of DI or concern techniques such as Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) and Partial Root Drying (PRD). The paper includes two main parts: i) a review of the principal water management strategies under deficit conditions (e.g. conventional DI, RDI and PRD); and ii) a description of a recent experimental research conducted by the authors in Sicily (Italy) that integrates agronomic, engineering and economic aspects of DI at farm level. Most of the literature reviewed here showed, in general, quite positive effects from DI application, mostly evidenced when the economics of DI is included in the research approach. With regard to the agronomic effects, total fresh mass and total production is generally reduced under DI, whereas the effects on dry matter and product quality are positive, mainly in crops for which excessive soil water availability can cause significant reductions in fruit size, colour or composition (grapes, tomatoes, mangos, etc.). The experimental trial on a lettuce crop in Sicily, during 2005 and 2006, shows that the highest mean marketable yield of lettuce (55.3 t ha-1 in 2005 and 51.9 t ha-1 in 2006) was recorded in plots which received 100% of ET0-PM (reference evapotranspiration by the Penman- Monteith method) applied water. In the land-limiting case, the estimated optimal economic levels were quite similar to the optimal agronomic levels. In the waterlimiting case DI ranges, at least as profitable as full irrigation, were of 17-49% ET0-PM and of 71-90% ET0-PM in 2005 and 2006 respectively

geneEx - A Novel Tool to Assess Differential Expression from Gene and Exon Sequencing Data

n/