E-Mobility: dynamic mono-phase loads control during charging session of electric vehicles

This paper presents the primary objective of a research project which aims at enhancing the world of e-mobility by highlighting the continuous evolution and demand of the Electric Vehicle (EV) in modern cities and the consequent need for more and more innovative charging systems. Here we focused on a current and incoming EV drawback, namely the variety of EV charging methods which are currently available in the market. An adaptive solution, which is suitable for both domestic and working environments, is presented, where single-phase recharging points are applied with non-high power. The task is to provide a user-friendly support for any end-user who wants to acquaintance with the EV world. Three stages are characterizing this approach: (1) the search for new solutions for the charging of electric vehicles, (2) the finalization and achievement of the proof of concept and product, (3) a set of functional tests (i.e. the validation). The proposed product is preserved from electric blackout during the EV recharging phase within a typical daily life domestic activity: this result is achieved through a combination of smart devices, an intelligent framework and the charging point. An optimized calculation program supervises this architecture and it allows the real-time interaction and communication between all the components by carrying out a dynamic control of the loads

Geophysical constraint on a relic background of the dilatons

According to a scenario in string cosmology, a relic background of light dilatons can be a significant component of the dark matter in the Universe. A new approach of searching for such a dilatonic background by observing Earth's surface gravity was proposed in my previous work. In this paper, the concept of the geophysical search is briefly reviewed, and the geophysical constraint on the dilaton background is presented as a function of the strength of the dilaton coupling, $q_b^2$. For simplicity, I focus on massless dilatons and assume a simple Earth model. With the current upper limit on $q_b^2$, we obtain the upper limit on the dimensionless energy density of the massless background, $\Omega_{DW}h^2_{100} \leq 6 \times 10^{-7}$, which is about one-order of magnitude more stringent than the one from astrophysical observations, at the frequency of $\sim$ 7 $\times$ 10$^{-5}$ Hz. If the magnitude of $q_b^2$ is experimentally found to be smaller than the current upper limit by one order of magnitude, the geophysical upper limit on $\Omega_{DW}h^2_{100}$ becomes less stringent and comparable to the one obtained from the astrophysical observations.Comment: 6 pages, Proceedings for the 8th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, 21-26 June, 2009, Columbia University, New York, US

Orchestrating Forest Policy in Italy: Mission Impossible?

In the Italian political and economic agenda the forest sector occupies a marginal role. The forest sector in Italy is characterized by a high institutional fragmentation and centralized decision-making processes dominated by Public Forest Administrations. Public participation in forest policy processes has been implemented since the 1990s at national, regional and local levels in several cases. However, today no significant changes have been observed in the overall governance of the forest sector and stakeholders' involvement in Italian forest policy decision-making is still rather limited. The aims of this paper are to describe the state of forest-related participatory processes in Italy at various levels (national, regional and local) and identify which factors and actors hinder or support the establishment and implementation of participatory forest-related processes in the country. The forest-related participatory processes are analyzed adopting a qualitative-based approach and interpreting interactive, complex and non-linear participatory processes through the lens of panarchy theory

Geometria espacial métrica. Poliedros : prismas retos e pirâmides regulares

Orientadora : Ana Maria Petraits LiblikMonografia (especialização) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Educação, Curso de Especializaçao em Educação de Jovens e Adulto

Amplification of Adipogenic Commitment by VSTM2A

Despite progress in our comprehension of the mechanisms regulating adipose tissue development, the nature of the factors that functionally characterize adipose precursors is still elusive. Defining the early steps regulating adipocyte development is needed for the generation of tools to control adipose tissue size and function. Here, we report the discovery of V-set and transmembrane domain containing 2A (VSTM2A) as a protein expressed and secreted by committed preadipocytes. VSTM2A expression is elevated in the early phases of adipogenesis in vitro and adipose tissue development in vivo. We show that VSTM2A-producing cells associate with the vasculature and express the common surface markers of adipocyte progenitors. Overexpression of VSTM2A induces adipogenesis, whereas its depletion impairs this process. VSTM2A controls preadipocyte determination at least in part by modulating BMP signaling and PPARgamma2 activation. We propose a model in which VSTM2A is produced to preserve and amplify the adipogenic capability of adipose precursors