Evaluation of political control instruments for the Swiss alpine region

This paper analyses different direct payments system for the Swiss alpine region based on the multi-agent model SWISSland. Moreover, the future demand and management of the alpine pastures are simulated under different scenarios until 2020. In the model, agents are representing existing summer farms and are able to interact with each other. The results imply that the current direct payment system for the Swiss alpine region is effective and able to maintain a stable development until 2020. Since the land management in the alpine region is the activity that provides public goods, it would be reasonable to enforce payments that maximize the area of summered land. A change to contributions coupled to the surfaces could achieve the desired management of the alpine pastures meaning, at the same time, a need of proper monitoring systems.multi-agent models, policy analysis, simulation, alpine region, Agricultural and Food Policy, C16, Q18.,

Drug Delivery a livello sub-cellulare. Nuove strategie per la veicolazione organello-selettiva dei farmaci:sviluppo dei peptidi SS e MitoQ

la tesi è improntata sullo sviluppo delle nuove strategie organello- selettiva dei farmaci, sopratutto a livello mitocondriale.In particolare è stato affrontato lo sviluppo dei peptidi SS e MitoQ

Observations Outside the Light-Cone: Algorithms for Non-Equilibrium and Thermal States

We apply algorithms based on Lieb-Robinson bounds to simulate time-dependent and thermal quantities in quantum systems. For time-dependent systems, we modify a previous mapping to quantum circuits to significantly reduce the computer resources required. This modification is based on a principle of "observing" the system outside the light-cone. We apply this method to study spin relaxation in systems started out of equilibrium with initial conditions that give rise to very rapid entanglement growth. We also show that it is possible to approximate time evolution under a local Hamiltonian by a quantum circuit whose light-cone naturally matches the Lieb-Robinson velocity. Asymptotically, these modified methods allow a doubling of the system size that one can obtain compared to direct simulation. We then consider a different problem of thermal properties of disordered spin chains and use quantum belief propagation to average over different configurations. We test this algorithm on one dimensional systems with mixed ferromagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic bonds, where we can compare to quantum Monte Carlo, and then we apply it to the study of disordered, frustrated spin systems.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figure

Is efficiency of classical simulations of quantum dynamics related to integrability?

Efficiency of time-evolution of quantum observables, and thermal states of quenched hamiltonians, is studied using time-dependent density matrix renormalization group method in a family of generic quantum spin chains which undergo a transition from integrable to non-integrable - quantum chaotic case as control parameters are varied. Quantum states (observables) are represented in terms of matrix-product-operators with rank D_\epsilon(t), such that evolution of a long chain is accurate within fidelity error \epsilon up to time t. We find that rank generally increases exponentially, D_\epsilon(t) \propto \exp(const t), unless the system is integrable in which case we find polynomial increase.Comment: 4 pages; v2. added paragraph discussing pure state

Effects of ageing on mechanical durability of round clinched steel/aluminium joints

The clinching is one of the most common metal joining processes in the manufacturing of metal plate based products (similar or dissimilar, pre-coated or galvanized), especially when the assembly without adding major joining elements is required. When the clinched joints work in an aggressive environment, particular attention would be placed on the electrochemical stability and corrosion resistance of the metal constituents (Mizukoshi and Okada 1997). In joining design, an appropriate material selection reduces the electrochemical potential differences and prevents significant galvanic currents (Kruger and Mandel 2011; Calabrese et al. 2014). The durability of the metal joints could be heavily influenced in a corrosive environment, whereas the less noble material will tend to increase its corrosion rate; instead the more noble one will reduce its electrochemical dissolution (He et al. 2008; Bardal 2004). Accelerated ageing tests (i.e. salt fog test) were carried out to evaluate the durability of the joints in highly aggressive environments (Calabrese et al. 2013; LeBozec et al. 2012). Although the durability for a long time of the clinched joint in a corrosion environment is a known problem, few works focus the attention on the relationship between durability of joints and electrochemical behaviour of the metal constituents. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the durability at long ageing time in salt spray test (according to ASTM B117) of carbon steel/aluminium alloy joints, obtained by clinching. The investigation has been conducted on one total thickness (2.5 mm) of unsymmetrical joints (i.e. thickness sheets of 1.5 mm and 1 mm) to inquire about the effect of corrosion on the two different unsymmetrical configurations (St1.5/Al1 and St1/Al.5). The joint resistance has been determined, by means of shear tests of single-lap joints in according to ISO/CD 12996. The samples were exposed to critical environmental conditions following the ASTM B 117 standard. To inquire the damage evolution of the samples, 0, 1, 2,3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 weeks of ageing time have been chosen. Seven samples for each combination and for each ageing time were realized. A Design of Experiment has been performed, followed by the ANOVA of the results to analyse the influence of the two factors, thickness combinations and ageing time, on the mechanical properties of the joints. The two sets of joints show a different behaviour at increasing ageing time: the St1.5/Al1 batch shows a constant decay of the load values, instead the St1/Al1.5 set maintains acceptable values of resistance for several weeks of ageing, at tenth week the mechanical stability is strongly impaired. In the latter case the presence of the thin oxide layer at the overlapping interface, which behaves as an adhesive interlayer, and the larger thickness of the aluminium plate improve the resistance of the St1/Al1.5 joints. Statistical analysis confirms that the two thickness combinations and ageing time are the significant factors. At zero weeks, neglecting the effect of ageing, the maximum load values of all samples belong to the same population. This means that the resistance of the clinched joints is the same regardless the combination of thicknesses, but by considering both the ageing and thickness, the analysis of variance shows that both thickness and weeks are significant parameters distinguishing two different populations in the distribution of loads. The experimental results evidenced that the corrosion degradation phenomena influence significantly both the performance and the failure of the joints. This is also confirmed by statistical analysis according to which the two thickness combinations and ageing time are the significant factors

Quantum Many-Body Dynamics of Coupled Double-Well Superlattices

We propose a method for controllable generation of non-local entangled pairs using spinor atoms loaded in an optical superlattice. Our scheme iteratively increases the distance between entangled atoms by controlling the coupling between the double wells. When implemented in a finite linear chain of 2N atoms, it creates a triplet valence bond state with large persistency of entanglement (of the order of N). We also study the non-equilibrium dynamics of the one-dimensional ferromagnetic Heisenberg Hamiltonian and show that the time evolution of a state of decoupled triplets on each double well leads to the formation of a highly entangled state where short-distance antiferromagnetic correlations coexist with longer-distance ferromagnetic ones. We present methods for detection and characterization of the various dynamically generated states. These ideas are a step forward towards the use of atoms trapped by light as quantum information processors and quantum simulators.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, references adde

Quantum Quench from a Thermal Initial State

We consider a quantum quench in a system of free bosons, starting from a thermal initial state. As in the case where the system is initially in the ground state, any finite subsystem eventually reaches a stationary thermal state with a momentum-dependent effective temperature. We find that this can, in some cases, even be lower than the initial temperature. We also study lattice effects and discuss more general types of quenches.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures; short published version, added references, minor change

Evolution of entanglement entropy following a quantum quench: Analytic results for the XY chain in a transverse magnetic field

The non-equilibrium evolution of the block entanglement entropy is investigated in the XY chain in a transverse magnetic field after the Hamiltonian parameters are suddenly changed from and to arbitrary values. Using Toeplitz matrix representation and multidimensional phase methods, we provide analytic results for large blocks and for all times, showing explicitly the linear growth in time followed by saturation. The consequences of these analytic results are discussed and the effects of a finite block length is taken into account numerically.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Quality Characteristics and Radioactive Contamination of Wood Pellet Imported in Italy

The problem of Caesium-137 (137 Cs) contamination of the imported wood pellet used for burning has been reported in Italy since June 2009. Since then, sampling and analysis were performed at the crossing border points of the provinces of Trieste and Gorizia, on request of the Health and Customs Border Bureau. This paper presents the results of the analysis performed on 65 samples from August 2010 to March 2012, which covered a total of products over 1500 tons of various origins, imported from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Most of the samples showed very low 137 Cs activity concentrations; only a few hot spots showed 137 Cs activity concentrations higher than 100 Bq 19kg 121. The results of dose evaluations for wood pellet stoves users under the hypotheses assumed in this study were largely below the threshold of radiological relevance