Ship-Induced Depression Wakes and Shoreline Erosion

Shoreline retreat as an effect of ship wakes was studied in a navigation channel of the industrial port of Venice, Italy: the Malamocco -Marghera Channel. The investigation revealed unprecedented erosion rates, up to 4 m y , that determined a total loss of about 1.2 million of m of soil in the period 1970 -2015. This interaction between navigation and the channel margins must be considered in order to understand the past evolution of the central Venice Lagoon and for a sustainable management of the port traffic in the future sea -level rise scenario

The Effects of Ship Wakes in the Venice Lagoon and Implications for the Sustainability of Shipping in Coastal Waters

We analyse the impact of ship traffic in the vicinity of navigation channels in a wide shallow waterbody. The crucial hydrodynamic driver in this situation is the depression (Bernoulli) wake that may be transferred into a long-living solitary wave of depression over the shoals. The analysis considers navigation channels in the Venice Lagoon using a new large dataset of approximately 600 measured wake events associated to specific ships whose data are provided by the AIS system. Since the development of the modern industrial port and the opening of the Malamocco–Marghera channel in the late 1960s, growing pressure on the lagoon caused by ship traffic has raised concerns about its physical integrity and habitat survival. The transit of large vessels has been shown to have serious impacts on the shallow water areas adjacent to waterways. Depression wakes created by such vessels can reach significant dimensions (water level dropdown of up to 2.45 m at the channel margin), causing unusually large retreat rates of several sections of the shoreline and which may adversely affect the lagoon morphology. The wakes are analysed in relation to ship and morphological parameters. A formulation is proposed to predict wake amplitude on the basis of ship characteristics and motion

Fast Shoreline Erosion Induced by Ship Wakes in a Coastal Lagoon: Field Evidence and Remote Sensing Analysis

An investigation based on in-situ surveys combined with remote sensing and GIS analysis revealed fast shoreline retreat on the side of a major waterway, the Malamocco Marghera Channel, in the Lagoon of Venice, Italy. Monthly and long-term regression rates caused by ship wakes in a reclaimed industrial area were considered. The short-term analysis, based on field surveys carried out between April 2014 and January 2015, revealed that the speed of shoreline regression was insignificantly dependent on the distance from the navigation channel, but was not constant through time. Periods of high water levels due to tidal forcing or storm surges, more common in the winter season, are characterized by faster regression rates. The retreat is a discontinuous process in time and space depending on the morpho-stratigraphy and the vegetation cover of the artificial deposits. A GIS analysis performed with the available imagery shows an average retreat of 3˗4 m/yr in the period between 1974 and 2015. Digitization of historical maps and bathymetric surveys made in April 2015 enabled the construction of two digital terrain models for both past and present situations. The two models have been used to calculate the total volume of sediment lost during the period 1968˗2015 (1.19×106 m3). The results show that in the presence of heavy ship traffic, ship-channel interactions can dominate the morphodynamics of a waterway and its margins. The analysis enables a better understanding of how shallow-water systems react to the human activities in the post-industrial period. An adequate evaluation of the temporal and spatial variation of shoreline position is also crucial for the development of future scenarios and for the sustainable management port traffic worldwide

Observational Evidence of the Basin-Wide Gyre Reversal in the Gulf of Taranto

The paper shows for the first time the observational evidence of basin-wide gyre reversal in the Gulf of Taranto (north-western Ionian Sea in the eastern Mediterranean Sea) by means of two specifically designed in situ oceanographic campaigns (based on CTD and ADCP measurements). The analysis of the in situ data shows a change in circulation from anticyclonic in October 2014 to cyclonic in June\u2013July 2016. Furthermore, long-term (1993\u20132018) analysis using gridded satellite altimetry data in the Gulf of Taranto shows that the cyclonic gyres are more frequent than anticyclonic gyres. The latter occur only for 2 to 3 years at a time in some decades

Neuritogenic and Neuroprotective Properties of Peptide Agonists of the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) interact with their cognate ligands, FGFs, and with a number of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), such as the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), mediating a wide range of events during the development and maintenance of the nervous system. Determination of protein structure, in silico modeling and biological studies have recently resulted in the identification of FGFR binding peptides derived from various FGFs and NCAM mimicking the effects of these molecules with regard to their neuritogenic and neuroprotective properties. This review focuses on recently developed functional peptide agonists of FGFR with possible therapeutic potential

HYBRIST Mobility Model- A Novel Hybrid Mobility Model for VANET Simulations

Simulations play a vital role in implementing, testing and validating proposed algorithms and protocols in VANET. Mobility model, defined as the movement pattern of vehicles, is one of the main factors that contribute towards the efficient implementation of VANET algorithms and protocols. Using near reality mobility models ensure that accurate results are obtained from simulations. Mobility models that have been proposed and used to implement and test VANET protocols and algorithms are either the urban mobility model or highway mobility model. Algorithms and protocols implemented using urban or highway mobility models may not produce accurate results in hybrid mobility models without enhancement due to the vast differences in mobility patterns. It is on this score the Hybrist, a novel hybrid mobility model is proposed. The realistic mobility pattern trace file of the proposed Hybrist hybrid mobility model can be imported to VANET simulators such as Veins and network simulators such as ns2 and Qualnet to simulate VANET algorithms and protocols

Heath Mathematics connections

xiii, 501 p. : il.; 27 c

Lean product development in a cross-national setting (Analisi delle iniziative di Lean Sviluppo Prodotto in un contesto internazionale)

This doctoral thesis is based on a wide analysis of the recent “Lean Management” (LM) literature. Following a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), as suggested by Tranfield et al. (2003), 240 articles published from January 2003 to December 2015 in 25 academic high-quality journals have been identified, examined and classified. The aims of the SLR are: (1) to analyze the state-of-the-art regarding recent “lean” research according to several dimensions, for example: theoretical perspectives, Country of the research, sector of the research, content explored, etc. in order to identify the gaps; (2) to classify the lean articles in three groups (i.e., nascent, intermediate, mature) based on the research-life-cycle and the variables of the model proposed by Edomondson and McManus (2007) and (3) to provide specific suggestions for future research in this field. Among the gaps identified, this doctoral thesis focuses on two of them due to their relevance in the current economic context, i.e.: (1) the need to conduct research on LM applied to product development process (Lean Product Development, LPD) and (2) the need to conduct multi-Country studies. From these, two research questions are formulated: (RQ1) How can theoretical LPD principles and practices be applied in multinational companies? (RQ2) How (and why) can different types of LPD initiatives affect the interactions in the PD process between R&D (Research & Development) units located in different Countries? Two steps are performed in order to answer the first Research Question. First, a theoretical analysis regarding LPD literature has been performed, in order to understand and clarify the definition of this concept and its key elements. Second, a single in-depth case study is presented with the aim to provide a practical and new implementation and re-interpretation of the LPD constructs found in literature. The second Research Question is faced with a multiple-case studies methodology. Four case studies are explored. Each case study is composed by two R&D units: one located in Europe (Italy or Germany) and another one in China. The qualitative data collected are analyzed and operationalized in variables, such as: interaction between the R&D units in terms of type and nature of the object of interaction and the type of LPD initiatives - oriented to process, people or tools - according to the LPD framework proposed by Liker and Morgan (2006). After an analysis of each case (within-case analysis), the values assigned of the variables for each case are compared among them (cross-case analysis) in order to find interesting relationship. Following the theory-building purpose, the results are presented in the form of propositions and theoretical model and reveal that the LPD initiatives implemented in the R&D units located in different Countries are aligned with the management of the dyad and are consistent with the complexity of the products developed. Moreover, the two R&D units are more predisposed to interact in a specific way among three different types, called: methodological transfer, technical cooperation or conceptual collaboration.La presente Tesi di dottorato si sviluppa a partire da una estesa analisi della recente letteratura nell’area del “Lean Management” (LM). Seguendo la metodologia di “Systematic Literature Review” (Analisi della Letteratura Sistematica) - come proposta da Tranfield et al. (2003) - sono stati individuati, esaminati e classificati 240 articoli accademici pubblicati da Gennaio 2003 a Dicembre 2015 in 25 riviste di riconosciuto alto livello qualitativo. Tale analisi ha permesso di: (1) analizzare lo stato dell’arte della recente ricerca sul tema “lean” secondo diverse dimensioni, tra le quali: teorie utilizzate, Paese della ricerca, settore investigato, contenuti esplorati, etc. e individuare i “gap”; (2) classificare gli articoli “lean” analizzati in tre classi (maturi, intermedi e nascenti) secondo il ciclo di vita della ricerca (Edmondson e Mcmanus 2007) e infine (3) fornire specifiche direzioni di ricerca futura in tale area. Tra i numerosi “gap” riscontrati, la presente Tesi si focalizza su due di essi per la loro rilevanza nel contesto attuale, ossia: la necessità di condurre studi sul “lean” applicato al processo di sviluppo prodotto (“Lean Product Development”, LPD) e l’urgenza di eseguire ricerche “lean” coinvolgendo diversi Paesi. Da questi, è stato possibile formulare le due domande di ricerca conduttrici della presente Tesi: (1) Come possono essere implementati e ri-adattati nelle aziende multinazionali i principi e le pratiche del LPD presenti in letteratura? (2) Come (e perché) le iniziative di LPD si inseriscono in un processo di sviluppo prodotto in un contesto internazionale? Per rispondere alla prima domanda di ricerca si è innanzitutto svolto un approfondimento teorico sul concetto di LPD per comprendere e chiarire cosa si intende con tale termine, in cosa consiste e da quali elementi è costituito. Successivamente è stato presentato nel dettaglio un caso studio, al fine di esaminare una reale e originale applicazione e interpretazione degli elementi di LPD riscontrati nella letteratura di riferimento. La seconda domanda di ricerca è stata affrontata invece attraverso quattro casi studio, ciascuno costituito da due unità di Ricerca & Sviluppo (“Research & Development”, R&D) localizzate, rispettivamente, in Europa (Italia o Germania) e in Cina. Dall’analisi dei dati qualitativi raccolti, è stato possibile identificare e operazionalizzare diverse variabili (ad esempio: interazioni tra le unità R&D in termini di tipo e natura dell’oggetto dell’interazione, iniziative di LPD orientate al processo, alle persone e agli strumenti secondo il modello di Liker e Morgan (2006)). Dopo la presentazione di ciascun caso studio (“within-case analysis”), questi sono stati confrontati (“cross-case analysis”) al fine di trovare interessanti relazioni tra le i valori delle variabili identificate. I risultati, presentati in forma di proposizioni teoriche e di modello concettuale (in linea con l’obiettivo di costruire nuova teoria, “Theory Building”), evidenziano che le iniziative di LPD implementate in due unità R&D localizzate in differenti Paesi sono allineate con la gestione della diade (autonoma o integrata), sono coerenti con la complessità dei prodotti sviluppati e implicano le due realtà a interagire in uno specifico modo in termini di tipo e natura dell’oggetto dell’interazione (trasferimento metodologico, collaborazione tecnica o collaborazione concettuale)