The Cagliari Airport impact on Sardinia tourism: a Logit-based analysis

In the field of air transportation management, traditionally, airlines have been the main actors in the process for deciding which new flights open in a given airport, while airports acted only as the managers of the operations. The changes in the market due to the introduction of low cost companies, with consequent reduction of the airports' fares, as well as the increment of the density of regional airports in several European countries are modifying the mutual roles of airlines and airports. The final decision on new flight to be opened, in fact, is nowadays the result of a negotiation between airlines and airports. The airports must prove the sustainability on the new routes and forecast the economic impact on their catchment area. This paper contributes to advance the current state-of-the-art along two axes. From the pure transportation literature point of view, we introduce a Logit model able to predict the passengers flow in an airport when the management introduces a change in the flight schedule. The model is also able to predict the impact of this change on the airports in the surrounding areas. The second contribution is a case study on the tourist market of the Sardinia region, where we show how to use the results of the model to deduce the economic impact of the decisions of the management of the Cagliari airport on its catchment area in terms of tourists and economic growt

Experimental characterization of mortar by testing on small specimens

The experimental characterization of mortar mechanical properties in existing masonry constructions is considerably complex. Whereas bricks parameters can be assessed with a sufficient precision, the mortar properties are very difficult to obtain and the results are highly dispersed. For instance, the in-situ techniques based on the measurement of the amount of energy required to drill a small cavity provide very scattered values that should be handled cautiously. Also, the characterization of existing mortar joints by means of surface testing may be difficult, since the surface decay or even the presence of new restoration mortar may spoil the results. On the other hand, tests on small mortar cubes or double punch tests usually lead to inaccurate estimates of mechanical characteristics, since the confining effect exercised by bricks on the mortar layer is completely disregarded. Another difficulty is the extraction of undisturbed specimens from the joints of existing brickwork. Such problems can be overcome by laboratory destructive testing on small specimens including both bricks and mortar. This activity is suitable for existing historic buildings, since it does not inflict severe damage on the structural element. This work presents the results of a comprehensive experimental program on cores including a central mortar layer along a symmetry plane. Such specimens were easily extracted by different panels of an existing historical building using a common core drill. The cores were subjected to splitting test with a particular set-up, providing 30°, 45° or 60° inclinations of the mortar layer with respect to the loading plane. This test induces a mixed compression–shear stress state in the central mortar layer. The experimental results have been interpreted using different failure criteria in order to assess the mechanical properties of mortar.Postprint (published version

Targeting PKCθ promotes satellite cell self-renewal

Skeletal muscle regeneration following injury depends on the ability of satellite cells (SCs) to proliferate, self-renew, and eventually differentiate. The factors that regulate the process of self-renewal are poorly understood. In this study we examined the role of PKCθ in SC self-renewal and differentiation. We show that PKCθ is expressed in SCs, and its active form is localized to the chromosomes, centrosomes, and midbody during mitosis. Lack of PKCθ promotes SC symmetric self-renewal division by regulating Pard3 polarity protein localization, without affecting the overall proliferation rate. Genetic ablation of PKCθ or its pharmacological inhibition in vivo did not affect SC number in healthy muscle. By contrast, after induction of muscle injury, lack or inhibition of PKCθ resulted in a significant expansion of the quiescent SC pool. Finally, we show that lack of PKCθ does not alter the inflammatory milieu after acute injury in muscle, suggesting that the enhanced self-renewal ability of SCs in PKCθ-/- mice is not due to an alteration in the inflammatory milieu. Together, these results suggest that PKCθ plays an important role in SC self-renewal by stimulating their expansion through symmetric division, and it may represent a promising target to manipulate satellite cell self-renewal in pathological conditions