Normalization of bundle holomorphic contractions and applications to dynamics

We establish a Poincar\'e-Dulac theorem for sequences (G_n)_n of holomorphic contractions whose differentials d_0 G_n split regularly. The resonant relations determining the normal forms hold on the moduli of the exponential rates of contraction. Our results are actually stated in the framework of bundle maps. Such sequences of holomorphic contractions appear naturally as iterated inverse branches of endomorphisms of CP(k). In this context, our normalization result allows to precisely estimate the distortions of ellipsoids along typical orbits. As an application, we show how the Lyapunov exponents of the equilibrium measure are approximated in terms of the multipliers of the repulsive cycles.Comment: 29 pages, references added, to appear in Ann. Inst. Fourie

Technology acceptance and leadership 4.0: A quali-quantitative study

With the rapid advancement of Industry 4.0, new technologies are changing the nature of work and organizations. Nevertheless, technology acceptance is still an open issue and research, and practice interventions should investigate its antecedents and implement actions in order to reduce the risks of resistance and foster acceptance and effective usage of the new tools and systems. This quali-quantitative study was aimed at exploring perceptions about Industry 4.0 and its transformations and investigating job antecedents of technology acceptance. Whilst not many studies in the literature on technology acceptance have considered workers’ well-being, in this study, its association with work engagement has also been examined. The qualitative study used focus groups to collect perceptions of 14 key roles in a company that was implementing Industry 4.0. In the same company, the quantitative study involved 263 employees who filled in a questionnaire. The results confirmed that both job resources, namely supervisor support and role clarity, were antecedents of technology acceptance, which, in turn, was associated with work engagement. This study provides useful suggestions for interventions aimed at foster technology acceptance and workers’ well-being in companies that are facing Industry 4.0 transformations. Particularly, investments in both leadership 4.0 development and communication programs are essential

The reuse of sediments dredged from artificial reservoirs for beach nourishment: Technical and economic feasibility

Sedimentation has significant impacts on the useful capacity of an artificial reservoir, a resource to preserve. Interventions of dredging are therefore often unavoidable, even because decommissioning of dams is often impossible in many contexts and entails high costs. Dredging generates an undesired accumulation of materials that represent an environmental cost, but that could be used as intermediate products in other processes, such as beach nourishment. The study develops a method for the evaluation of the feasibility of an investment aimed at coastal nourishment with sediments dredged from artificial reservoirs. The method considers the set of technical conditions that make such use possible. The presence of economies of scope, with environmental diseconomies utilized as joint product, modifies the evaluation approach. The results of the approach show a possible environmental and economic sustainability of the proposed investment even in the presence of highly unfavorable scenarios. The study applies the feasibility appraisal to the case of the Guardialfiera reservoir in Molise, Italy

Early identification of hearing loss due to otitis media: The utility of quality of life questions, patient history, and caregiver demographics in the assessment of hearing status

Objective: To identify questions that may be asked of caregivers to assess the likelihood of hearing loss in a child with a history of otitis media. Methods: This study utilized data collected from caregivers of children presenting to pediatric or otolaryngology practices. Primary analysis involved statistical comparison of selected characteristics based on history of otitis media and quality of life measures for children who were found to have hearing loss (pure-tone average (PTA) > 20dB HL of better hearing ear or soundfield) and children with normal hearing. Results: Children whose caregivers reported a moderate to severe problem with physical suffering due to ear infections were more likely to have hearing loss than children whose caregivers reported less of a problem (p<0.05). A similar trend was found for caregivers who felt their children had a moderate to severe problem with hearing loss (p<0.05). Children felt to have spent more than 50 percent of the previous three months with ear infections or fluid were more likely to have hearing loss (p<0.05). Daycare attendance and age at first ear infection were not significantly associated with hearing status. Non-smoking caregivers were more likely to have children with hearing loss. This result was not significant in bivariate analyses, and was only significant during logistic regression modeling. Conclusions: Caregiver assessment of physical suffering, hearing loss, and time spent with ear infections in the previous three months may be useful for early diagnosis of hearing loss and provision of appropriate care in children with otitis media.Master of Public Healt

Shear-melting of a hexagonal columnar crystal by proliferation of dislocations

A hexagonal columnar crystal undergoes a shear-melting transition above a critical shear rate or stress. We combine the analysis of the shear-thinning regime below the melting with that of synchrotron X-ray scattering data under shear and propose the melting to be due to a proliferation of dislocations, whose density is determined by both techniques to vary as a power law of the shear rate with a 2/3 exponent, as expected for a creep model of crystalline solids. Moreover, our data suggest the existence under shear of a line hexatic phase, between the columnar crystal and the liquid phase

Electrophoretic deposition of Sr-containing mesoporous bioactive glass particles produced by spray-drying

Introduction Mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs) are gaining increasing interest in the biomedical field thanks to their exceptional textural characteristics (high surface area, high pore volume and highly ordered mesoporosity). These properties lead to an improved apatite kinetics formation, which allow these glasses to be successfully applied in bone tissue regeneration [1]. In this work we adopted an aerosol-based spray drying process in order to have high control and reproducibility over the morphology of particles. In order to increase their regenerative potential, the particles have been doped with strontium, element known for its osteogenic and bone antiresorptive properties [2]. Later the particles have been deposed by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on glass-ceramic scaffolds fabricated by the polymer sponge replication method. EPD is a versatile technique which allows an easy control of the thickness of the deposited film through simple adjustment of the applied voltage and the deposition time. The scaffolds, based on a quaternary silicate glass (SCNA, SiO2–CaO–Na2O–Al2O3 oxide system), have good mechanical properties but low bioactivity [3]. Thanks to MBG particle deposition, they acquire a pronounced bioactive behaviour, thus becoming an excellent solution for bone tissue regeneration. Results and Discussion MBGs synthesized with the aerosol-based spray-drying process have a basic composition on the SiO2-CaO system and have been doped with the 1% molar of strontium (SD_Sr1). FESEM image of particles shows micro-sized spherical particles, with size mostly ranging between 500 nm and 5 µm. N2 adsorption analysis gives back a high specific surface area value, 160 m2/g, and a pore size distribution between 5 and 9 nm, which confirms the mesoporosity of the sample. Strontium incorporation inside the binary composition does not modify the bioactive behaviour of the glass: after 14 days in SBF nanoparticles are completely covered by a layer of hydroxyapatite.The EDS quantitative analysis shows that the amount of strontium effectively incorporated in the microparticles was 70% of the theoretical one, probably because of the high dimension of the ion which hinders its entrance into the glass network. Nevertheless, most of the Sr incorporated has been released after 14 days of immersion in SBF, as the coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) reveals. On the basis of literature data, the released concentrations are suitable for inducing osteogenesis [4]. EPD has been performed in ethanol, applying a voltage of 120 V for 5 minutes. The scaffolds, being not conductive, have been suspended between two stainless steel electrodes through a clamp. A dispersant (TEA, triethanolamine) has been used to keep the particles in suspension during the whole deposition time. The deposited layer was abundant but not uniform on the scaffold surface. After immersion for 7 days in SBF, hydroxyapatite formation has been observed on the surface of the microparticles deposited on the scaffold struts. This demonstrates that MBGs not only maintain their bioactivity after deposition but also transfer this property to scaffolds. Conclusions MBGs synthetized with aerosol-based spray-drying process and doped with strontium have excellent textural properties and a bioactive behaviour. After electrophoretic deposition, they maintain these properties and consequently they improve the bioactivity of SCNA scaffolds, which initially are almost biologically inert. In this way we demonstrate that it is possible to obtain a successful construct for bone tissue engineering with both excellent regenerative and mechanical properties