SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHIC CONTROLS ON RESERVOIR-SCALE MECHANICAL STRATIGRAPHY OF SHALLOW-WATER CARBONATES

Studies on mechanical stratigraphy of shallow-water carbonates have shown that the distribution of fractures can be controlled by depositional facies, sedimentary cycles/sequences, and diagenesis. Understanding the role of these sedimentary controls is therefore crucial in the characterization of matrix-tight reservoirs, where fractures may represent the main conduits for fluid flow. Nonetheless, the relation between fracture distribution and sedimentary controls is not always investigated at scales that are relevant to reservoir and fluid-flow characterization. In this dissertation, is provided a solution to this problem by integrating sequence stratigraphic analysis with the multi-scale fracture characterization of two carbonate platform exposures outcropping in the Sorrento Peninsula (southern Italy). These outcrops represent the surface analogue of subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs of the Basilicata region (southern Italy), and consist of nearly vertical cliffs (hundreds of meters wide and high) exposing shallow-water limestones and dolostones, crossed by several sub-vertical fractures ranging in height from few centimetres up to few tens of metres. Due to the partial inaccessibility of this cliff, field measures have been combined with remote sensing on virtual outcrop models. The study allowed to identify the key control exerted by sedimentary sequences on the thickness of mechanical units and the position of their boundaries, which implies that sequence stratigraphy can be used to predict the distribution of large-scale fractures. The applicability of this concept has been tested on a subsurface dataset from the Basilicata region. Performing a sequence stratigraphic analysis on image logs calibrated with core data, the main mechanical boundaries were predicted in a portion of fractured stratigraphic units. The thickness of predicted mechanical units showed a clear relation to the distribution of fractures. Indeed, in the investigated stratigraphic interval, an increase in the mean thickness of mechanical units corresponds to an increase in the mean spacing of fractures, of a comparable order of a magnitude. The main outcome of this study is the proposal of a new approach to estimate large-scale fracture intensity in carbonate reservoirs, based on the evaluation of the thickness of mechanical units through sequence stratigraphy

Progetto, realizzazione e collaudo di un dispositivo di interfaccia per disabili motori per il controllo via USB di un terminale utente

L’oggetto di questo elaborato è la realizzazione di un dispositivo hardware di interfaccia per disabili motori. Nella prima parte del lavoro viene introdotto il tema della disabilità e vengono passate in rassegna le varie tipologie di sistemi di ausilio, per disabili motori, finalizzati al controllo di un terminale informatico. Nella seconda parte vengono illustrati i bisogni dell’utenza e individuate le specifiche funzionali e tecniche del sistema che è stato realizzato. Nella terza parte viene analizzato nel dettaglio il progetto dell’hardware, con riferimento alle scelte della componentistica e dei circuiti che compongono il sistema. Nella quarta parte viene illustrato il funzionamento del firmware applicativo in esecuzione sul blocco di controllo del sistema. Nell’ultima sezione viene affrontato il problema del collaudo successivo alla realizzazione. Il dispositivo di interfaccia agisce da intermediario nel controllo del terminale presentando al terminale una interfaccia di controllo standard (USB) e permettendo all’utente di utilizzare vari tipi di sensoristica, specifica per le esigenze di quest’ultimo. Il dispositivo utilizza segnalazioni di output per l’utente sia acustiche che visive. Il dispositivo hardware implementato si interpone fra l’utente disabile motorio ed un terminale informatico utile alla navigazione satellitare. Non sono però da escludere eventuali sviluppi nell’utilizzo del dispositivo come interfaccia standard di comando di un terminale informatico generico

INVESTIGATION OF THE UNDERGROUND BUILDING HERITAGE AND THE MECHANISM OF WATER FLOWING IN QANĀTS IN PALERMO THROUGH INNOVATIVE SURVEYING TECHNIQUES

The valorisation, protection and preservation policies for the underground building heritage are often difficult to implement due to an inadequate knowledge of hypogeal constructions. The complex and widespread underground structures of the vast “Cavo” Heritage (“horizontal wells”, “shelf wells” or “well tunnels”), so called qanāts, hidden underground and built over the centuries in Palermo, representing an evocative testimony to the history of water culture in the ancient city. Through the historical and constructive analyses and the implementation and development of measurement and 3D representation and visualization, first actions have been carried out. The paper will present the first results of the restoration project and the path of re-introduction in the fruition network of the qanāt “Gesuitico alto”, developed also in the field of “iHeritage. Mediterranean Platform for UNESCO Cultural Heritage” project, financed by ENI CBC MED Programme 2014-2020. The paper presents an experimentation of a procedural workflow of data acquisition, analysis and subsequent 3D virtual navigation of hypogeal environments. The methodology used is the SLAM with a last generation WMLS. The platform of virtual reality visualization, within UnReal Engine, allows the user to immerse and navigate in the anthropic environment by engaging it with a set of infographics that highlight the virtual visit

Influence of different drying parameters on the composition of volatile compounds of thyme and rosemary cultivated in Sardinia

The shelf life of spices is traditionally extended by drying. Fresh herbs, due to their high water content, undergo microorganism growth and adverse biochemical reactions. On the other hand drying may result in a lot of physical and chemical alterations. Air and oven-dehydration are the main methods used to stabilize spices. During oven drying, in general, losses of volatile compounds are directly dependent on the temperature and time used. This paper deals with the effect of different drying temperatures and air fluxes on the volatiles in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and thyme (Thymus officinalis L.) cultivated in Sardinia. Fresh leaves were collected and soon divided in two batches, which were subjected to hydro distillation and GC-MS analysis, the first batch as fresh, the second one after drying in a laboratory pilot dryer. Three drying temperatures were used, 30, 38 and 45°C, and for each one two airflow rates were set. The fresh and dried plant material were hydro distilled for 4 hours using a Clevenger-type apparatus (Italian Official Pharmacopeias X). The oils (liquid and light yellow) were recovered directly from above the distillate without adding any solvent and stored at –20°C before analyses, which were carried out on two replicates of each sample by gas chromatography, using a flame ionization detector. The diluted samples were injected using a split/splitless automatic injector (using 2,6-dimethylphenol as internal standard). Qualitative analysis was done by GC/Mass and mass units were monitored from 10 to 450 at 70 eV. Results of the influence of the different drying conditions on volatile compounds of the two herbs will be reported

Original "double-step" technique for large superior sulcus tumors invading the anterior chest wall without subclavian vessels involvement

Background: In some patients with complex Superior Sulcus tumors, a combination of surgical accesses may be required. For patients with very large tumors which invade the first ribs anteriorly and without subclavian vessels involvement, we developed a "double-step" technique to facilitate resection and reduce surgical trauma. Methods: The technique was performed on five patients with a bulky non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), four of whom had a Superior Sulcus tumor. All patients received a radical wide thoracectomy en-bloc with an upper lobectomy. Neither significant flail chest nor postoperative respiratory complications were observed. The method is based on the possibility of interrupting the medial extremity of the first rib beneath the clavicle through a limited, preliminary parasternal incision. The remaining ribs involved in the resection are also interrupted at the costo-chondral junction, leaving the sternum and clavicle intact. Once the medial limit of the involved ribs has been sectioned, multiple stitches are placed through the peristernal tissues and temporarily left inside the chest. Through a second posterior incision, the en-bloc chest wall and lung resection is easily completed. The previously placed peristernal stitches are collected and used for the medial fixation of the prosthesis. Results: Using this technique the resection was radical in all cases. No major postoperative complications were registered. Conclusions: The technique has several advantages: trauma related to double access is negligible, radical resection is facilitated, anterior chest wall resection is accomplished without sternal or clavicular injury, enbloc chest wall and lung resection is made straightforward despite the extended area of resected ribs attached to the tumor, released within the chest cavity; chest wall stabilization is simple and reliable. The only disadvantage is that the patient's surgical position needs to be changed

Assessing Quantum Computing Performance for Energy Optimization in a Prosumer Community

The efficient management of energy communities relies on the solution of the "prosumer problem", i.e., the problem of scheduling the household loads on the basis of the user needs, the electricity prices, and the availability of local renewable energy, with the aim of reducing costs and energy waste. Quantum computers can offer a significant breakthrough in treating this problem thanks to the intrinsic parallel nature of quantum operations. The most promising approach is to devise variational hybrid algorithms, in which quantum computation is driven by parameters that are optimized classically, in a cycle that aims at finding the best solution with a significant speed-up with respect to classical approaches. This paper provides a reformulation of the prosumer problem, allowing to address it with a hybrid quantum algorithm, namely, Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA), and with a recent variant, the Recursive QAOA. We report on an extensive set of experiments, on simulators and real quantum hardware, for different problem sizes. Results are encouraging in that Recursive QAOA is able, for problems involving up to 10 qubits, to provide optimal and admissible solutions with good probabilities, while the computation time is nearly independent of the system sizeComment: 14 pages, 13 figures. IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid (2023

Monitoring Appropriate Monoclonal Antibodies Prescribing via Administrative Data: An Application to Psoriasis

: The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) and the Italian Regional Health Systems have implemented measures together with data collection and analysis to improve medicines' appropriate prescription. Administrative databases represent rich Real-World Evidence (RWE) sources that may be leveraged for research purposes. Thus, such heritage may allow for appropriate prescription studies to be carried out on complex pharmaceutical molecules, as the appropriateness of prescriptions is essential both for patients' treatment and to ensure healthcare systems' sustainability. This study analyzed the appropriate monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) prescribed in psoriasis treatment across Tuscany, Italy. Data were extracted from several large administrative databases collected by the Tuscan Regional Healthcare System through record linkages. The analysis showed that over 30% of the 2020 cohort of psoriatic patients could be regarded as potentially inappropriate treated, signaling that mAbs are often prescribed as first-line treatment contrary to guidelines. Variation was observed in the appropriate prescription of mAbs, across different types of mAbs and areas. The study revealed potential inappropriate prescription, and its geographic variation should raise awareness among managers about the appropriate use of resources. Despite limitations, this could represent a pilot for future studies to evaluate the appropriate prescription of mAbs in other clinic conditions and across time

Breast Fistula Repair after Autologous Fat Graft: A Case Report

We report the case of a 55-year-old female patient who attended our clinic for the presence of a scar retraction in the upper pole of the left breast as a complication of breast augmentation. In the scar area, we observed an orifice that probing revealed to be a fistula. The patient was referred to surgical intervention under general anesthesia to obtain scar contracture release using autologous fat graft; one month after autologous fat injection, following healing of the fistula, the patient underwent a second surgical procedure to replace the left breast implant. Unexpectedly, two weeks after the surgical procedure, complete healing of the breast fistula within the scar area was observed; this observation was confirmed during the second surgical step for left breast implant repositioning, when we observed the absence of the fistula orifice in the breast implant cavity. Upon clinical examination at 1-year followup, tissue integrity was preserved. The patient's satisfaction was excellent. We have observed a possible additional effect of fat graft