Bernardino Ramazzini, three hundred years after his death, Padua (Italy), October 18th, 2014

open2noThe year 2014 has marked the tercentenary from the death of Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714), universally credited as the founder of Occupational Health (5, 9, 10, 11). Indeed, the renowned physician died on November 5th 1714 in Padua, where he had been appointed as Professor of Practical Medicine at the local prestigious University from the year 1700. To commemorate this anniversary, the professors of Occupational Health of the University of Padua, the Italian Society of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene (Società Italiana di Medicina del Lavoro eIgiene Industriale, SIMLII), the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) and the University of Padua organized a conference in the wonderful location of Palazzo Bo (Main Hall) under the patronage of the Padua Municipality, the Workers' Compensation Authority (INAIL), the Venetian Region and the Societas Internationalis Historiae MedicinaopenRiva, Michele Augusto; Zampieri, FabioRiva, Michele Augusto; Zampieri, Fabi

Guidelines for reporting and analysing laboratory test results for biomass cooking stoves

One of the key challenges in the evaluation of Improved Cooking Stoves (ICSs) performance is the correct interpretation of test results. Indeed, a large amount of the reports or studies in the literature provide results that do not allow drawing any statistically significant conclusion, thus leading to possible misinterpretations. These Guidelines are conceived as a support to all the actors involved in sector of biomass stoves performance evaluation, from the technicians and researchers engaged in laboratory testing, to those who need to better understand and interpret test results in order to select a promising stove model for field trials. The concepts and the methodology here proposed draw upon the most recent studies in the scientific literature on this topi

Verification and validation procedures with applications to plasma-edge turbulence simulations

Understanding the plasma dynamics in tokamaks is of fundamental importance to reliably predict the performances of future fusion devices. Because of the complex phenomena at play, state-of-the-art simulation codes are needed to investigate the plasma dynamics. Consequently, errors affecting such numerical tools can have far reaching consequences. The present thesis focuses on developing and applying rigorous verification and validation (V&V) procedures to plasma turbulence simulations, ultimately improving our understanding of the plasma dynamics. First, a rigorous code verification methodology for grid-based simulation codes is presented and used to assess the correct implementation of a physical model in a plasma simulation code. It consists of using the method of manufactured solutions and executing an order-of-accuracy test, assessing the rate of convergence of the numerical solution to the manufactured one. The methodology is then generalized to particle-in-cell (PIC) codes, accounting for numerical schemes intrinsically affected by statistical noise and providing a suitable measure of the distance between continuous, analytical distribution functions, and finite samples of computational particles. The proposed procedure is successfully applied to verify GBS, a simulation code used to study plasma turbulence in the tokamak scrape-off layer (SOL), and to verify a one-dimensional PIC code. Even if the physical model is correctly implemented, simulations are always affected by numerical errors. A rigorous solution verification methodology for estimating the numerical statistical and discretization errors affecting plasma turbulence simulations is discussed in the present thesis. The estimate of the numerical statistical error, such as the one due to the finite number of particles used in PIC simulations, is based on repeating the simulation with different pseudorandom number generator seeds. For the discretization error, the Richardson extrapolation is used to provide an approximation of the exact solution. The solution verification methodology is then applied to quantify the numerical error affecting GBS and PIC simulation results. A further source of uncertainty affecting the results of plasma turbulence simulations is given by the use of input parameters that are not precisely known or accurately measured. A methodology based on a decomposition of the model equation solution in terms of Chebyshev polynomials along the input parameter, time, and spatial coordinates is proposed. This methodology is then successfully employed to investigate the influence of input parameter variations on the results of a two-dimensional drift-reduced Braginskii model. By carrying out a set of validation exercises, the final part of the present thesis is targeted to increase the reliability of our SOL modeling. First, seeded blob simulations carried out considering five different models are validated against measurements taken in the TORPEX basic plasma physics experiment. The comparison of simulations and experimental results sheds light on the dynamics of these structures that lead to large transport in the SOL. Furthermore, GBS simulations are validated against RFX-mod experimental measurements, providing interesting insights on the SOL plasma dynamics in this device. Finally, the impact of the shape of magnetic equilibrium on SOL turbulence is investigated through a rigorous validation of GBS simulations against TCV experimental measurements

Energy Technologies for Food Utilization for Displaced People: from identification to evaluation

By end-2014, the number of forcibly displaced people in the World was 59.5 million, the highest after the II World War. UNHCR (2015) reports that they are 19.5 million refugees, 38.2 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 1.8 asylum-seekers, and they have been progressively increased in number for the last 4 years, with an estimation of 13.9 newly displaced in 2014. Such people have several needs, especially in terms of food security. Humanitarian actors usually try to address them focusing on food availability and access, while food utilization is often neglected (Haver K., Harmer A., Taylor G., 2013). The utilization of food, including the access to drinking water, is one of the four pillars of food security, and affects food properties in terms of nutritional intake, especially micronutrients, and healthiness (European Commission, 2009). Appropriate technologies for cooking, food preservation, and water purification are required, but all of them entail the access to fuel or other energy sources. Indeed, access to energy for displaced people is very important from different perspectives, but it is often problematic, and entails five key challenges: “protection, relations between hosts and displaced people, environmental problems, household energy-related natural resource restrictions and livelihood-related challenges” (Lyytinen 2009, pag. 1). The importance of energy for development was pointed out by the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Initiative, while Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE) focused the attention on crisis-affected populations, in particular refugees and IDPs (SAFE, 2015). Indeed, if people living in camps, and similarly in informal settlements, are provided with energy services, they may access to a wide range of opportunities to change their condition, and conduct a more productive and active life (Bellanca, 2014). Unfortunately, several gaps are still present in humanitarian response for providing displaced people with an adequate access to energy, and studies are few, mainly related to stoves and generally without an independent impact assessment (Gunning, 2014). Very few displaced people have access to modern forms of energy: generally their practices are unsustainable, with average household costs of at least 200 USD per year (family of five) and disproportionate CO2 emission compared to quantity and quality of energy finally utilized (Lahn & Grafham, 2015). Therefore, the gap in giving the right importance to energy access – in particular in linking relief, rehabilitation and development – is clear

Quantification of uncertainty related to methane production associated with geogenic hydrogen and carbon dioxide

We provide a numerical analysis aimed at quantifying uncertainty associated with methane (CH4) production following geogenic hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) generation. Our study stems from the observation that naturally generated H2 can potentially be (i) reduced through, e.g., mineral-based (abiotic) geochemical processes and/or (ii) consumed through (biotic) methanogens. Both scenarios yield methane (CH4) as a product. Some studies suggest relying on the H2/CH4 ratio as a straightforward indicator to assess the origin of methane in the subsurface. For example, Oze et al. (2012) rely on laboratory experiments of serpentinization associated with a given temperature/pressure condition and rock/fluid compositions and suggest that values of H2/CH4 larger than 40 are likely to indicate abiotic origin of CH4. Otherwise, values H2/CH4 less than 40 suggest contribution of biotic activity to methane generation. Here, we consider the same types of (abiotic) geochemical reactions analyzed by Oze et al. (2012) and conceptualize the subsurface system as a natural chemical reactor within which a mixture of H2 (generated from serpentinization) and CO2 (generated from carbon-clay-reactions) yields a mixture of H2, CO2, and CH4. Our analysis considers that complete mixing of the various chemical species is attained and that geochemical reactions can be evaluated under thermodynamic equilibrium conditions. We then perform a modeling study framed in a stochastic context and relying on a numerical Monte Carlo framework. We aim at quantifying the way uncertainties associated with hydrogen loss (as reflected through the H2/CH4 ratio) due to geochemical reactions at reservoir equilibrium condition can depend on corresponding uncertainties related to (i) composition of the fluids residing in the system, (ii) depth of a reservoir (i.e., as reflected through temperature/pressure conditions), and (iii) characterization of the thermodynamic equilibrium model. With reference to the latter point, uncertainties in terms of values of reaction equilibrium constants stem from the observation that temperature and pressure values associated with significant burial depths may fall outside ranges of validity of commonly employed thermodynamic databases and typically used geochemical software. Our stochastic simulation results suggest that (on average) almost 43% of native H2 is consumed due to the geochemical reactions analyzed. This would correspond to an average value of H2/CH4 of about 13 (with first and third quantiles corresponding to 7 and 20, respectively). The ensuing sample probability density function of the H2/CH4 ratio displays a clear positive skewness. Our results may practically be used as a simple criterion to identify the probability associated with CH4 production from geochemical processes involving natural H2 under reservoir thermodynamic equilibrium conditions

Experimental multiphase estimation on a chip

Multiparameter estimation is a general problem that aims at measuring unknown physical quantities, obtaining high precision in the process. In this context, the adoption of quantum resources promises a substantial boost in the achievable performances with respect to the classical case. However, several open problems remain to be addressed in the multiparameter scenario. A crucial requirement is the identification of suitable platforms to develop and experimentally test novel efficient methodologies that can be employed in this general framework. We report the experimental implementation of a reconfigurable integrated multimode interferometer designed for the simultaneous estimation of two optical phases. We verify the high-fidelity operation of the implemented device, and demonstrate quantum-enhanced performances in two-phase estimation with respect to the best classical case, post-selected to the number of detected coincidences. This device can be employed to test general adaptive multiphase protocols due to its high reconfigurability level, and represents a powerful platform to investigate the multiparameter estimation scenario.Comment: 10+7 pages, 7+4 figure

Efficient Localization and Tracking of Two Acoustic Sources using Particle Filters with Swarm Intelligence

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Poznan, Poland, 200

Laboratory testing of the innovative low-cost Mewar Angithi insert for improving energy efficiency of cooking tasks on three-stone fires in critical contexts

Currently, about 2.7 billion people across the world still lack access to clean cooking means. Humanitarian emergencies and post-emergencies are among the most critical situations: the utilization of traditional devices such as three-stone fires have a huge negative impact not only on food security but also on the socio-economic status of people, their health and the surrounding environment. Advanced Cooking Stoves may constitute better systems compared to actual ones, however, financial, logistic and time constraints have strongly limited the interventions in critical contexts until now. The innovative, low-cost Mewar Angithi insert for improving energy efficiency of three-stone fires may play a role in the transition to better cooking systems in such contexts. In this paper, we rely on the Water Boiling Test 4.2.3 to assess the performances of the Mewar Angithi insert respect to a traditional three-stone fire and we analyse the results through a robust statistical procedure. The potentiality and suitability of this novel solution is discussed for its use in critical contexts

Techno-Economic Analysis of Clean Hydrogen Production Plants in Sicily: Comparison of Distributed and Centralized Production

This paper presents an assessment of the levelized cost of clean hydrogen produced in Sicily, a region in Southern Italy particularly rich in renewable energy and where nearly 50% of Italy’s refineries are located, making a comparison between on-site production, that is, near the end users who will use the hydrogen, and centralized production, comparing the costs obtained by employing the two types of electrolyzers already commercially available. In the study for centralized production, the scale factor method was applied on the costs of electrolyzers, and the optimal transport modes were considered based on the distance and amount of hydrogen to be transported. The results obtained indicate higher prices for hydrogen produced locally (from about 7 €/kg to 10 €/kg) and lower prices (from 2.66 €/kg to 5.80 €/kg) for hydrogen produced in centralized plants due to economies of scale and higher conversion efficiencies. How-ever, meeting the demand for clean hydrogen at minimal cost requires hydrogen distribution pipelines to transport it from centralized production sites to users, which currently do not exist in Sicily, as well as a significant amount of renewable energy ranging from 1.4 to 1.7 TWh per year to cover only 16% of refineries’ hydrogen needs

Tracking Multiple Acoustic Sources using Particle Filtering

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Florence, Italy, 200