Backing tracks/play-along materials: origins of several currently popular platforms and strategies for their use.

The objective of this research is to discuss if the use of backing tracks/play-along materials can be an effective method for musical development. For this end, I interviewed six influential musicians who answered particular questions in order to have a better understanding about the real-world scenario of the use of backing track materials. Based on their answers, I found that the learning engagement and/or musical development happen when specific strategies while using such materials are made

Multi-objective design optimization of sandwich panel

In the scope of an R&D project a new floor system based on sandwich panel has been developed. The lightweight structural system shall be a competitive solution when compared to traditional rehabilitation technique of degraded timber floors in old buildings. The layout of the sandwich prototypes designed involved the use of steel face sheet and i) steel webs and polyurethane (PUR) foam core system, ii) glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) webs and PUR foam core system and iii) outer steel webs and balsa wood core. The design of the sandwich panels included an optimization procedure. A multi-objective genetic algorithm (GA) was developed for this purpose as it is a search method well suited for the solution of optimization problems. The multi-objective GA aims at the minimization of the three objective functions, i.e. cost, mass and environmental footprint of the sandwich panel. The definition of the main feature of the algorithm includes consideration about encoding procedure, fitness scaling, selection method and handling of constraints. The boundary conditions are imposed so that the retrieved solutions will represent a feasible solution to the problem. These boundary conditions are the analytical formulation of the serviceability, ultimate limit state and thermal transmittance verifications imposed by the building codes to sandwich panels. The present paper deals with the introduction of all the aspects of the optimization problems providing as an example the optimization of the panel with steel face sheets, webs and PUR foam.This work is part of the research project Lightslab - development of innovative slab solutions using sandwich panels (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-033865), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), through the "Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao" (POCI) and the Portuguese National Innovation Agency (ANI). The first and second authors acknowledge the grants DFA/BD/8319/2020 and SFRH/BSAB/150266/2019, respectively, provided by FCT, financed by European Social Fund and by national funds through the FCT/MCTES

Multi-objective optimization assisting design of sandwich panels

In the scope of a R&D project, the design of three new lightweight flooring panels with distinct characteristics was performed, namely: i) two steel face sheets, steel webs and polyurethane (PUR) foam as core system; ii) steel face sheets, glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) webs and PUR foam core system; iii) two steel face sheets and two steel outer webs enclosing a balsa wood core. The design of these panels included optimization procedures. The optimization method selected was a multi-objective optimization genetic algorithm (GA) which has proven to be well suited to solve this class of problems. The multi-objective function includes the minimization of the i) cost, ii) weight and iii) environmental impact. The objective functions are generally conflicting meaning that the minimization of one of the functions prevents the simultaneous minimization of the other ones. The definition of the multi-objective GA is presented and the implementation of its essential features, namely selection method, diversity maintenance and elitism is discussed. Boundary conditions are imposed so that the population will represent a feasible solution to the problem. These boundary conditions consist in the analytical formulation of serviceability, ultimate limit states and thermal transmittance verifications required by the building codes used in the design of the panels. The present paper deals with the introduction to all the aspects of the problem, then introduces, as example, the panel with two steel face sheets, steel webs and PUR foam as core system.ANI -Agência Nacional de Inovação (SFRH/ BSAB/150266/2019

A new lightweight floor system based on sandwich panel

A new lightweight floor system was developed to tackle the sustainability issue in the construction sector. The proposed flooring system is suited for rehabilitation of degraded timber floors in existing building. Despite the great potential that sandwich construction shows as load bearing elements their use has been hindered by the high initial cost. Three alternative architecture, all including steel face sheets, were envisaged, namely i) steel webs and polyurethane (PUR) foam core system, ii) glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) webs and PUR foam system and iii) outer steel webs and balsa wood core. The structural, thermal, acoustic and fire resistance requirements were identified in the Portuguese national codes. Particular attention is given to the description of the materials adopted for the different components with respect to the driving factors of the design of the panel, namely weight, cost, environmental impact, load bearing capacity, rigidity, thermal and acoustic properties and fire resistance. The preliminary design of the three sandwich panels is carried out considering the value of the actions established in the Eurocode standards. The final layout and cost estimate are the results of a parametric study aimed at retrieving the lightest and most economical solutions.This work is part of the research project Lightslab - development of innovative slab solutions using sandwich panels (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-033865), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), through the "Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao" (POCI) and the Portuguese National Innovation Agency (ANI). The first and second authors acknowledge the grants DFA/BD/8319/2020 and SFRH/BSAB/150266/2019, respectively, provided by FCT, financed by European Social Fund and by national funds through the FCT/MCTES

Responsible aquaculture and trophic level implications to global fish supply

Hunger and malnutrition remain among the most devastating problems facing the world’s poor and needy, and continue to dominate the health and well-being of the world’s poorest nations. Moreover, there are growing doubts as to the long-term sustainability of many existing food production systems, including capture fisheries and aquaculture, to meet the future increasing global demands.Of the different agricultural food production systems, aquaculture (the farming of aquatic animals and plants) is widely viewed as an important weapon in the global fight against malnutrition and poverty, particularly within developing countries where over 93% of global production is currently produced, providing in most instances an affordable and a much needed source of high quality animal protein, lipids, and other essential nutrients. The current article compares for the first time the development and growth of the aquaculture sector and capture fisheries by analyzing production by mean trophic level. Whereas marine capture fisheries have been feeding the world on high trophic level carnivorous fish species since mankind has been fishing the oceans, aquaculture production within developing countries has focused, by and large, on the production of lower trophic level species. However, like capture fisheries, aquaculture focus within economically developed countries has been essentially on the culture of high value-, high trophic level-carnivorous species. The long term sustainability of these production systems is questionable unless the industry can reduce its dependence upon capture fisheries for sourcing raw materials for feed formulation and seed inputs. In line with above, the article calls for the urgent need for all countries to adopt and adhere to the principles and guidelines for responsible aquaculture of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries

Monitoraggio ambientale mediante l'impiego di suoli e di muschi per le discariche di Rio Riazzone, Rio Vigne e Poiatica di Reggio Emilia

The purposes of this environmental monitoring was to estimate the concentrations of the elements (Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Ti, V, Zn, Pt and Rh) during two years in 15 stations in three landfills located in the hills of Reggio Emilia and to value the flows of element depositions (gram element/hectare area/year). In addition the origin of the element depositions was identified, discriminating between anthropogenic origin and soil-substrate origins. For more complete information, soils and mosses were also collected to know the level of concentration in a wide are around the landfills. The results obtained for the elements investigated using mosses and superficial soils did not amphasise any specific anomalies.JRC.H.6-Spatial data infrastructure

Root electrotropism in Arabidopsis does not depend on auxin distribution but requires cytokinin biosynthesis

Efficient foraging by plant roots relies on the ability to sense multiple physical and chemical cues in soil and to reorient growth accordingly (tropism). Root tropisms range from sensing gravity (gravitropism), light (phototropism), water (hydrotropism), touch (thigmotropism), and more. Electrotropism, also known as galvanotropism, is the phenomenon of aligning growth with external electric fields and currents. Although root electrotropism has been observed in a few species since the end of the 19th century, its molecular and physical mechanisms remain elusive, limiting its comparison with the more well-defined sensing pathways in plants. Here, we provide a quantitative and molecular characterization of root electrotropism in the model system Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), showing that it does not depend on an asymmetric distribution of the plant hormone auxin, but instead requires the biosynthesis of a second hormone, cytokinin. We also show that the dose–response kinetics of the early steps of root electrotropism follows a power law analogous to the one observed in some physiological reactions in animals. Future studies involving more extensive molecular and quantitative characterization of root electrotropism would represent a step toward a better understanding of signal integration in plants and would also serve as an independent outgroup for comparative analysis of electroreception in animals and fungi

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss after Lapaoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Under General Anaesthesia: A Case Report

We discuss the presentation of a sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) occurred as a rare complication after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Etiology of this complication is not clear, it seems that diverse and complex pathogenetic mechanism are involved so the prevention and treatment seems to be difficult