A Finite Element Method Model for Large Strains Analysis of Timber

In this report a Finite Element Method (FEM) model, within the continuum mechanics of solids, for mechanical long term response of timber structures is presented. The proposed model can analyze three-dimensional solids, within the theory for non-linear material orthotropic elastic-viscous-plastic. It can account ductile behaviour in compression and brittle behaviour in tension, under the kinematics hypothesis of large displacements and large strains. The work has been carried out with a general purpose FEM software code in which a specific stress-strain law for wood, by a proper subroutine, has been built in. The constitutive equations have been formulated by a multi-surface yield approach of viscoplasticity, each yield surface acts separately each other. This approach is specifically almost necessary for some problems, such as glued composite parts or steel bolt connections. Specialized solution algorithms, which adopt time-stepping and automating relaxation techniques, have been used to handle the behaviour of the loading path response for elastic-viscous-plastic or elastic-brittle behaviours. The model has been applied to examples to test the effectiveness of the suggested approach. The results obtained have shown the potentiality of the proposed model to effectively simulate the overall mechanical behaviour of timber

Solution of the multi-step assembly of catharanthus roseus anticancer alkaloids

Catharanthus roseus, also known as the Madagascar periwinkle, produces low levels of unique dimeric monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) that are harvested and used as anticancer drugs to treat Hodgkin’s disease and other cancers. The trace levels of dimers occurring in C. roseus have made them very expensive to isolate. It is well known that C. roseus leaves are the main sites of biosynthesis of the precursors, catharanthine and vindoline, and that each MIA is localized in different leaf cell types, making it difficult to understand how dimer formation takes place. Research efforts in the past 6 years on the assembly of these monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) in C. roseus has led to the molecular and biochemical characterization of the remaining genes involved in the 29-step pathway required for their biosynthesis from geraniol diphosphate. The formation of strictosidine from geraniol and tryptophan involves 9-steps, most of which have recently been solved and have led to prototype strictosidine expressing pathways in yeast. Enzyme-mediated hydrolysis of strictosidine leads to formation of precursors used in the biosynthesis of several thousand MIAs, including these well-known anticancer drugs. We recently reported the discovery and functional characterization of 10 remaining genes to complete the description of enzymes for tabersonine and catharanthine assembly [PNAS (2018) 115: 3180- 3185; Planta (2018) 247:625-634; Plant J., (2108) 97: 257-266]. These discoveries with our recent successful assembly of vindoline from tabersonine [PNAS (2015) 112: 6224-6229) completed the description of the vindoline and catharanthine pathways from geraniol and tryptophan and has set the stage for developing biological systems for synthesis of many different biologically active MIAs. The basic tools and developments leading to these discoveries will be discussed and analyzed. The impacts of elucidation of the vinblastine/vincristine pathways will also be discussed in relation to future discoveries of MIA pathways of biological and biomedical importance. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Adjuvant radiation therapy in stage I seminoma: 20 years of oncologic results

Aim: To report long term oncologic outcomes after adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for stage I seminoma. Method: We reviewed the complete data set for all patients treated at our institute between 1988 and 2005 for stage I seminoma with adjuvant RT after radical orchiectomy. Results: A total of 85 patients were included. The median follow-3up was 15 years. The 20-3year overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS) were 92% and 96.3%, respectively. No severe acute and late complications were recorded. Overall 5.9% of patients had a second unrelated malignancy. Conclusion: Adjuvant RT is an efficacious and safe treatment in stage I seminom

Community core detection in transportation networks

This work analyses methods for the identification and the stability under perturbation of a territorial community structure with specific reference to transportation networks. We considered networks of commuters for a city and an insular region. In both cases, we have studied the distribution of commuters' trips (i.e., home-to-work trips and viceversa). The identification and stability of the communities' cores are linked to the land-use distribution within the zone system, and therefore their proper definition may be useful to transport planners.Comment: 8 pages, 13 figure

Applicativo web per audioguide - HooRMI Author

HooRMI Author è la parte da content creator del progetto HooRMI. La dissertazione si concentra sul funzionamento HooRMI Author, ovvero di come viene permesso all'utente di produrre contenuti video basati sulla propria posizione acquisita tramite tecnologia Plus code e caricarli sul proprio canale Youtube. I contenuti risulteranno pronti per essere selezionati e fruiti dai turisti, grazie alla profonda personalizzazione dei metadati associati ad ogni clip

Messa a punto di uno strumento di pianificazione e controllo operativo nella gestione di progetti IT in Projest Consulting

This thesis describes the outsourcing process carried out at a customer site and is aimed at improving the management of resources and workloads in some client’s IT areas. The order had two aims: from one side it ensures a match and a programmatic alignment between the phases of planning and accounting of resources, from the other side it restructures the reporting system to improve process performance analysis of production data. The first part of the dissertation focuses on the processes of resource planning and accounting, conducted through the implementation of one support software used for simulation, management and data mining production. In the second part of the essay are described the process steps and operations that define the new reporting system. The thesis concludes with two sections: the first one dedicated to the benefits obtained from ' outsourcing, which made management more effective, more efficient and operationally more powerful and the second one reserved for potential improvements

Role of Scaffold Protein Proline-, Glutamic Acid-, and Leucine-Rich Protein 1 (PELP1) in the Modulation of Adrenocortical Cancer Cell Growth

PELP1 acts as an estrogen receptor (ER) coactivator that exerts an essential role in the ER's functions. ER coregulators have a critical role in the progression and response to hormonal treatment of estrogen-dependent tumors. We previously demonstrated that, in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), ER\u3b1 is upregulated and that estradiol activates the IGF-II/IGF1R signaling pathways defining the role of this functional cross-talk in H295R ACC cell proliferation. The aim of this study was to determine if PELP1 is expressed in ACC and may play a role in promoting the interaction between ER\u3b1 and IGF1R allowing the activation of pathways important for ACC cell growth. The expression of PELP1 was detected by Western blot analysis in ACC tissues and in H295R cells. H295R cell proliferation decrease was assessed by A3-(4,5-Dimethylthiaoly)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and [3H] thymidine incorporation. PELP1 is expressed in ACC tissues and in H295R cells. Moreover, treatment of H295R with E2 or IGF-II induced a multiprotein complex formation consisting of PELP1, IGF1R, ER\u3b1, and Src that is involved in ERK1/2 rapid activation. PELP1/ER/IGF1R/c-Src complex identification as part of E2- and IGF-II-dependent signaling in ACC suggests PELP1 is a novel and more efficient potential target to reduce ACC growth

Renovation of a social house into a NZEB: Use of renewable energy sources and economic implications

The EU Member States are being involved to develop long-term strategies and to promote investments aimed at improving the energy efficiency of the building stock, at increasing the use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and at growing the number of Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEBs). The aim of this article is to investigate energy and economic implications related to the exploitation of RES in the transformation of an Italian social housing building-type into a NZEB. The research is based on a detailed energy audit procedure that includes cost-optimal assessment and compliance check with the legal requirements. A parametric analysis was performed to find out the technical building system configurations that verify the minimum share of RES established by the Italian regulations, and at the same time to assess global cost and payback period. The intersection between legal compliancy and costeffectiveness narrows the field of applicable RES technologies that are limited to electric heat pump for heating and cooling coupled with PV system, and low size solar collectors coupled with low temperature generator for domestic hot water. Improvements in the energy policy are necessary to guarantee the best trade-off between RES exploitation, energy efficiency and costs, as to preserve market equilibrium

Data Management Strategy for GNSS Services — The TRANSMIT Project Case

TRANSMIT project is a Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN), funded under the EU FP7 framework. The programme vision is to act as the enabler of the IPDM network which will deliver the state-of-the-art to protect the range of essential systems vulnerable to ionospheric threats. TRANSMIT’s primary mission is to provide Europe with the next generation of researchers, equipping them with skills, through a multi-disciplinary, inter-sectorial, comprehensive, coordinated, industry-led training programme. The training offered, should enable the new researchers to understand in depth, the threats that ionosphere poses on modern technological systems, and more importantly on GNSS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) value chain, and respond to the needs of various stakeholders for robust counter-measures to deal with these threats. The secondary mission of TRANSMIT project is to develop real-time integrated state-of-the-art tools to mitigate the ionospheric threats, and make these tool available and accessible to the various stakeholders, via the “TRANSMIT Prototype. In this chapter we concentrate on the definition of the “data management strategy” or in simpler terms a plan for data management. In theory, data management (hereinafter DM) is defined as a function that includes “the planning and execution of policies, practices and projects”, with aim of “acquiring, controlling, protecting, delivering and enhancing the value of data and information assets”