Reflecting on English Lingua Franca today: Expanding scenarios and growing dilemmas. An overview with introductory notes

Introduction to the volume

Exploring ELT practices, teachers' professional profile and beliefs. Analysing data from the PRIN survey and envisaging pedagogical projections

This paper presents selected findings emerging from the survey related to the PRIN Prot. 2015REZ4EZ questionnaire, created and administered by the Unit 3 of the same PRIN project. This tool of investigation was specially devised in order to research and acquire the main values and beliefs ascribable to a volunteer group of teachers, operating in the Italian territory and catering for different levels of education in the national system. From the authentic data collected, it is possible to draw an overall profile of those professionals engaged in the diversified educational contexts above referred to. Even though still connected to and partially influenced by a SE and native-speaker’s model authority, there is evidence of the presence of an active ELF-aware perspective emerging from the respondents; the qualifying questions where this aspect specifically occurs are analyzed in details, particularly in relation to which sociolinguistic model of English are those teachers inspired by in their teaching. Furthermore, those values and beliefs, in connection to the pedagogical approach of choice, are interpreted from a prospective point of view, envisioning their potential developments in the future, also projecting them into the frame of reference provided by a social constructivist model as designed by Kurt Kohn in MY English (2018) and further developments (forthcoming 2020). The emancipation of the ELF users and their adaptive appropriation of the lingual capabilities inherent in the ELF-aware approach, together with the acknowledgement of the ELF-users’ expressive means affordable according to that perspective, are highilighted, also in terms of individual and collective creativity, from the side of both teachers and learners, in the variegated educational contexts

Comparison of symmetrical hemodialysis catheters using computational fluid dynamics

Purpose: Symmetric-tip dialysis catheters have become alternative devices because of low access recirculation and ease of tip positioning. Flow characteristics of three symmetric catheters were compared based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as they relate to catheter function. Materials And Methods: In Palindrome, GlidePath, and VectorFloW catheters, a computational fluid dynamics based approach was used to assess W regions of flow separation, which are prone to thrombus development; (ii) shear-induced platelet activation potency; (iii) recirculation; and (iv) venous outflow deflection. A steady-state, laminar flow model simulated: catheter tip position within the superior vena cava. Catheter performance was investigated at high hemodialysis flow rate (400 mL/min). Blood was assumed as a Newtonian fluid. Results: Wide regions of flow separation downstream of the Palindrome side slot and close to the distal tip were observed in forward and reversed line configurations. Geometric asymmetry of the distal guide wire aperture of the GlidePath catheter produced the highest levels of inverted velocity flow when run in reversed configuration. The lowest mean shear-induced platelet activation was exhibited by GlidePath and VectorFloW catheters; the Palindrome catheter exhibited 152% higher overall platelet activation potency. All catheters were associated with a recirculation close to zero; the helically contoured lumens of the VectorFlow catheter produced the greatest amount of deflection of venous flow away from the arterial lumen. Conclusions: The VectorFlow catheter produced less shear-induced platelet activation than the Palindrome catheter and less flow separation than the Palindrome and GlidePath catheters irrespective of line configuration These findings have,potential implications for differences in thrombogenic risk during clinical performance of these catheters

Applications of an Integrated Design Methodology for Regenerative Process of the Existing Buildings

The building sector has been identified as one of the key sectors to achieve the 20/20/20 targets of the EU. In particular, the existing buildings are considered as one of most potential sub-sectors to reach energy and raw materials savings. This research is integrated in this European context and the main goal is to look for solutions that can be fully integrated in the building system and that can optimize all the sustainable future aspects. A global approach is proposed to generate a comprehensive framework for the building renovation process. It's an "action guide" of the entire regenerative process already applied to different types of buildings. A summary of the results obtained in the buildings regeneration projects are presented

Mechanotransmission of haemodynamic forces by the endothelial glycocalyx in a full-scale arterial model

The glycocalyx has been identified as a key mechano-sensor of the shear forces exerted by streaming blood onto the vascular endothelial lining. Although the biochemical reaction to the blood flow has been extensively studied, the mechanism of transmission of the haemodynamic shear forces to the endothelial transmembrane anchoring structures and, consequently, to the subcellular elements in the cytoskeleton, is still not fully understood. Here we apply a multiscale approach to elucidate how haemodynamic shear forces are transmitted to the transmembrane anchors of endothelial cells. Wall shear stress time histories, as obtained from image-based computational haemodynamics models of a carotid bifurcation, are used as a load and a continuum model is applied to obtain the mechanical response of the glycocalyx all along the cardiac cycle. The main findings of this in silico study are that: (1) the forces transmitted to the transmembrane anchors are in the range of 1–10 pN, which is in the order of magnitude reported for the different conformational states of transmembrane mechanotranductors; (2) locally, the forces transmitted to the anchors of the glycocalyx structure can be markedly different from the near-wall haemodynamic shear forces both in amplitude and frequency content. The findings of this in silico approach warrant future studies focusing on the actual forces transmitted to the transmembrane mechanotransductors, which might outperform haemodynamic descriptors of disturbed shear as localizing factors of vascular disease.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

National and International Standardization (International Organization for Standardization and European Committee for Standardization) Relevant for Sustainability in Construction

Sustainability in construction has a short history in terms of principles, standardizations and applications. From the Brundtland Report "Our Common Future", a new vision of the resource deficits, climate impacts and the social responsibility gave growth to the idea of sustainability also in design and construction. Consequently, in around 2000, the international and national organizations for standardization started to develop standards for the application of sustainable principles. This paper gives an overview of existing and planned standards, and examples on how to use them as a framework for the development of methods and tools for assessment

Mechanotransmission of haemodynamic forces by the endothelial glycocalyx in a full-scale arterial model

The glycocalyx has been identified as a key mechano-sensor of the shear forces exerted by streaming blood onto the vascular endothelial lining. Although the biochemical reaction to the blood flow has been extensively studied, the mechanism of transmission of the haemodynamic shear forces to the endothelial transmembrane anchoring structures and, consequently, to the subcellular elements in the cytoskeleton, is still not fully understood. Here we apply a multiscale approach to elucidate how haemodynamic shear forces are transmitted to the transmembrane anchors of endothelial cells. Wall shear stress time histories, as obtained from image-based computational haemodynamics models of a carotid bifurcation, are used as a load and a continuum model is applied to obtain the mechanical response of the glycocalyx all along the cardiac cycle. The main findings of this in silico study are that: (1) the forces transmitted to the transmembrane anchors are in the range of 1–10 pN, which is in the order of magnitude reported for the different conformational states of transmembrane mechanotranductors; (2) locally, the forces transmitted to the anchors of the glycocalyx structure can be markedly different from the near-wall haemodynamic shear forces both in amplitude and frequency content. The findings of this in silico approach warrant future studies focusing on the actual forces transmitted to the transmembrane mechanotransductors, which might outperform haemodynamic descriptors of disturbed shear as localizing factors of vascular disease.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft