Interlayer Shear Failure Evolution with Different Test Equipments

AbstractThis research analyses the relationship between several configurations, failure mechanisms and states of stress imposed by testing machines, comparing the results of two devices. It focalizes on the evolution of numerous tests, performed on identical specimens, and reports the correspondent response curves obtained with two devices suitably designed to cover two kind of devices used in recent years and modified to ensure the comparison between the outcomes.The observation of a regular trend in the results suggests a strict relationship between them and the specimens’ features and also warrants the statistic reliability of the testing machines

Spectroradiometric Laboratory Measures on Asphalt Concrete: Preliminary Results

AbstractThis paper presents the preliminary results of a project concerning the use of spectroradiometric measurements for the characterization of aggregates and asphalts mixtures commonly used for road paving.Radiometrical measurements, in the wavelength range between 350-2500nm, were performed on selected samples with different compositional characteristics; the relationships between spectral signatures and different bituminous mixtures samples were analyzed.The results suggest that spectroradiometrics analyses can be used to establish new efficient and fast road classification procedures to support activities of pavement management systems and interpretation of remote sensed images

Predicting Fishing Footprint of Trawlers From Environmental and Fleet Data: An Application of Artificial Neural Networks

The increasing use of tracking devices, such as the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and the Automatic Identification System (AIS), have allowed, in the last decade, detailed spatial and temporal analyses of fishing footprints and of their effects on environments and resources. Nevertheless, tracking devices usually allow monitoring of the largest length classes composing different fleets, whereas fishing vessels below a regulatory threshold (i.e., 15 m in length-over-all) are not mandatorily equipped with these tools. This issue is critical, since 36% of the vessels in the European Union (EU) fleets belong to these “hidden” length classes. In this study, a model [namely, a cascaded multilayer perceptron network (CMPN)] is devised to predict the annual fishing footprints of vessels without tracking devices. This model uses information about fleet structures, environmental characteristics, human activities, and fishing effort patterns of vessels equipped with tracking devices. Furthermore, the model is able to take into account the interactions between different components of the fleets (e.g., fleet segments), which are characterized by different operating ranges and compete for the same marine space. The model shows good predictive performance and allows the extension of spatial analyses of fishing footprints to the relevant, although still unexplored, fleet segments

Are public health professionals prepared for public health genomics? A cross-sectional survey in Italy

Background: Public health genomics is an emerging multidisciplinary approach, which aims to integrate genome-based knowledge in a responsible and effective way into public health. Despite several surveys performed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and professional behaviors of physicians towards predictive genetic testing, similar surveys have not been carried out for public health practitioners. This study is the first to assess knowledge, attitudes and training needs of public health professionals in the field of predictive genetic testing for chronic diseases. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used to carry out a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of Italian public health professionals. Results: A response rate of 67.4% (797 questionnaires) was achieved. Italian public health professionals have the necessary attitudinal background to contribute to the proper use of predictive genetic testing for chronic diseases, but they need additional training to increase their methodological knowledge. Knowledge significantly increases with exposure to predictive genetic testing during postgraduate training (odds ratio (OR) = 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-2.88), time dedicated to continuing medical education (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.14-2.04) and level of English language knowledge (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.07-1.72). Adequate knowledge is the strongest predictor of positive attitudes from a public health perspective (OR = 3.98, 95% CI = 2.44-6.50). Physicians show a lower level of knowledge and more public health attitudes than other public health professionals do. About 80% of public health professionals considered their knowledge inadequate and 86.0% believed that it should be improved through specific postgraduate training courses. Conclusions: Specific and targeted training initiatives are needed to develop a skilled public health workforce competent in identifying genomic technology that is ready for use in population health and in modeling public health genomic programs and primary care services that need to be developed, implemented and evaluated

A Robotized Raspberry-Based System for Pothole 3D Reconstruction and Mapping

Repairing potholes is a task for municipalities to prevent serious road user injuries and vehicle damage. This study presents a low-cost, high-performance pothole monitoring system to maintain urban roads. The authors developed a methodology based on photogrammetry techniques to predict the pothole's shape and volume. A collection of overlapping 2D images shot by a Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 connected to a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B has been used to create a pothole 3D model. The Raspberry-based configuration has been mounted on an autonomous and remote-controlled robot (developed in the InfraROB European project) to reduce workers' exposure to live traffic in survey activities and automate the process. The outputs of photogrammetry processing software have been validated through laboratory tests set as ground truth; the trial has been conducted on a tile made of asphalt mixture, reproducing a real pothole. Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) technologies allowed visualising potholes on a map with information about their centre, volume, backfill material, and an associated image. Ten on-site tests validated that the system works in an uncontrolled environment and not only in the laboratory. The results showed that the system is a valuable tool for monitoring road potholes taking into account construction workers' and road users' health and safety

The multi-stakeholder dialogue linked to the implementation of Professionalization Practices in the IT sector of higher technical institutes (Corrientes, Argentina)

El artículo se orienta a analizar las tensiones y posibles articulaciones que se generan a partir dela implementación de las Prácticas Profesionalizantes (PP) en el sector informática de institutos superiores técnicos de Corrientes (Argentina). A partir de la Ley de Educación Técnico Profesional del país, las PP constituyen un espacio formativo innovador dentro del sistema; al mismo tiempo, emergen como un ámbito para el desarrollo de las alianzas y vinculaciones basadas en el diálogo y concertación entre actores educativos y los del ámbito productivo. En el marco de una mesa de trabajo de la que participaron funcionarios y técnicos del Ministerio de Educación, directivos y profesores de institutos técnicos del sector y el representante de la cámara empresarial Polo IT, identificamos tensiones entre los discursos de los actores del sistema educativo y los del productivo. Las tensiones dan cuenta de modos diferentes de concebir y pensar cuestiones vinculadas a las PP, su régimen y posibilidades de implementación, los perfiles y saberes para la actividad profesional.The article is oriented to analyze the tensions and possible articulations that are generated from the implementation of the Professionalizing Practices (PP) in the informatics sector of higher technical institutes of Corrientes (Argentina). Based on the country’s Professional Technical Education Law, the PP constitute an innovative training space within the system, at the same time emerging as an area for the development of alliances and linkages based on dialogue and agreement between educational actors and of the productive environment. Within the framework of a working table in which officials and technicians from the Ministry of Education, managers and professors from technical institutes in the sector and the representative of the Polo IT business chamber participated, we identified tensions between the speeches of the actors in the educational system and those of the productive system. The tensions account for different ways of conceiving and thinking about issues related to PP, their regime and possibilities of implementation, the profiles and knowledge for the professional activity.Fil: D’Andrea, Ana Maria. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Humanidades; ArgentinaFil: Bountempo, María Paula. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Humanidades; ArgentinaFil: Pozzer Pianalto, José Antonio. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentin

Time- and frequency-resolved fluorescence with a single TCSPC detector via a Fourier-transform approach

We introduce a broadband single-pixel spectro-temporal fluorescence detector, combining time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) with Fourier transform (FT) spectroscopy. A birefringent common-path interferometer (CPI) generates two time-delayed replicas of the sample’s fluorescence. Via FT of their interference signal at the detector, we obtain a two-dimensional map of the fluorescence as a function of detection wavelength and emission time, with high temporal and spectral resolution. Our instrument is remarkably simple, as it only requires the addition of a CPI to a standard single-pixel TCSPC system, and it shows a readily adjustable spectral resolution with inherently broad bandwidth coverag

ECLAC: Brazil, Argentina and the Problems and Mistakes in the Latin American Structuralist Economic Theory

To a large part, Latin American economic thought is rooted in the view that the State should be the engine of economic development. The theory developed by the Latin American Structuralist School supports this view. ECLAC, a United Na-tions development commission, is the bastion of the policy agenda branch of structuralism. Despite their central role in Latin American economic policies, structuralist ideas have hardly been discussed. We trace the historical origins of this school and use the theoretical standpoint of the Austrian School of Eco-nomics to talk about its views and mistakes

Asfalti tappabuche e Green Deal

This article presents the first results of a study conducted as part of the european research project InfraROB, whose aim is to increase the safety of workers and road users at road maintenance sites. In particular, as part of the project, a system for repairing small potholes by means of an autonomous device is currently being studied. A 3D printer will be installed on this device in order to extrude a mixture suitable for the pothole to be repaired, without the prior cleaning and compaction of the backfill. In particular, this article presents the laboratory and in situ study aimed at defining the optimal characteristics for the mixture to be used to power the 3D printer. Grain size, Marshall stability, void content, indirect tensile strength and material loss were studied in the laboratory using the Cantabro test. These characteristics were evaluated by varying the additive content in the range of 1.5-3.5 per cent and the water content in the range of 3.1-5%. The maximum aggregate size was limited to 8 mm, because the InfraROB project only deals with the repair of small potholes, with a maximum size of 5 cm depth and 20 cm diameter. From the point of view of sustainability, the technology involves the use of 100% rejuvenated RAP (Iterlene ACF 1000 HP Green) with blending at room temperature. A total of eight mixtures were tested. Laboratory tests gave very good results in terms of indirect tensile strength, Marshall stability and particle loss; the mixture proved to be very stable during in-situ tests. Other cold asphalt mixtures are still being studied within the InfraROB project, but at the moment, the mixture presented in this article seems to meet all the requirements of consistency, homogeneity, fluidity and internal structure necessary to be used with a 3D printer

Synthetic conversion of leaf chloroplasts into carotenoid-rich plastids reveals mechanistic basis of natural chromoplast development

[EN] Plastids, the defining organelles of plant cells, undergo physiological and morphological changes to fulfill distinct biological functions. In particular, the differentiation of chloroplasts into chromoplasts results in an enhanced storage capacity for carotenoids with industrial and nutritional value such as beta-carotene (provitamin A). Here, we show that synthetically inducing a burst in the production of phytoene, the first committed intermediate of the carotenoid pathway, elicits an artificial chloroplast-to-chromoplast differentiation in leaves. Phytoene overproduction initially interferes with photosynthesis, acting as a metabolic threshold switch mechanism that weakens chloroplast identity. In a second stage, phytoene conversion into downstream carotenoids is required for the differentiation of chromoplasts, a process that involves a concurrent reprogramming of nuclear gene expression and plastid morphology for improved carotenoid storage. We hence demonstrate that loss of photosynthetic competence and enhanced production of carotenoids are not just consequences but requirements for chloroplasts to differentiate into chromoplasts.We greatly thank Jaume F. Martinez-Garcia and Ralf Welsch for fruitful discussions on the manuscript; Ralf Welsch and Li Li for providing seeds of the Arabidopsis ccd1 ccd4 and ator atorl mutants, respectively; Juan Jose Lopez-Moya and Maria Luisa Domingo-Calap for the gift of the HcProWMV-pGWB702 vector; and M. Rosa Rodriguez-Goberna for excellent technical support. The help of Marti Bernardo, Fidel Lozano, Lidia Jimenez, and members of the CRAG core facilities is also appreciated. This work was funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigacion Grants BIO2017-84041-P, BIO2017-83184-R, BIO2017-90877-REDT, BES-2017-080652, and AGL2017-85563-C2-1-R; Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports Grants AP2012-3751 and FPU16/04054; and Generalitat de Catalunya Grant 2017SGR-710. We also thank the financial support of the European Union's Horizon 2020 (EU-H2020) COST Action CA15136 (EuroCaroten) and Marie S. Curie Action (MSCA) 753301 (Arcatom), the Severo Ochoa Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D 2016-2019 Grant SEV-2015-0533 and the Generalitat de Catalunya CERCA Programme (to CRAG). B.L. is supported by grants from the CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform and Macquarie University. L.M. is supported by La Caixa Foundation PhD INPhINIT Fellowship LCF/BQ/IN18/11660004, which received funding from the EU-H2020 through MSCA Grant 713673. A.R.F. is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grant DFG TRR 175.Llorente, B.; Torres-Montilla, S.; Morelli, L.; Florez-Sarasa, I.; Matus, JT.; Ezquerro, M.; D'andrea, L.... (2020). Synthetic conversion of leaf chloroplasts into carotenoid-rich plastids reveals mechanistic basis of natural chromoplast development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Online). 117(35):21796-21803. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2004405117S21796218031173