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Multi-expert Failure Modes Prioritizing: A Case Study on Naval Unit
No full textFailure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) is a systematic and structured methodology used to identify, assess, and prioritize potential failure modes within a system, analyzing their effects and levels of criticality. Integrating a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approach into this process is essential for optimizing risk management and prioritization, as it enables the consideration of various criteria with differentiated weights. This approach provides a holistic view of the criticality of failure modes, making it easier for teams to make informed and targeted decisions to mitigate risks with greater precision and consistency. This study proposes the prioritization of failure modes by considering not only the traditional severity, detectability and occurrence factors, but also the economic aspect, using the MABAC method. The criteria are weighted through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). A panel of experts provides the evaluations of failure modes based on the selected criteria as well as the judgments required to determine criteria weights, which are then synthesized to achieve a group consensus, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the results. The proposed approach is ultimately applied to a case study involving a naval unit operated by an Italy-based shipping company, demonstrating its practical effectiveness and applicability in real-world scenarios
Egadi e Pelagie: due microsistemi toponimici di tradizione orale, tra mare e terra
No full textIl lavoro affronta lo studio della toponimia di tradizione orale e popolare degli arcipelaghi delle Egadi e Pelagie
Robust control of interleaved boost converter with active disturbance compensation
No full textNowadays, extensive research is conducted on interleaved DC-DC boost converters due to their ability to minimize current ripple and enhance fault tolerance. In this article, we present a control methodology that achieves effective output voltage regulation while demonstrating robustness against uncertainties in parameters, variations in the source supply voltage, and deviations in load. These objectives are achieved by developing an equivalent circuit model for the interleaved boost converter and formulating a linear representation using the exact linearization technique. Subsequently, trajectory tracking control strategies are employed, incorporating a sliding mode element to manage parameter uncertainties and compensate for disturbance errors. The controller, applied to the equivalent boost converter model, adjusts the duty cycle of each individual MOSFET command signal. This control mechanism utilizes the output voltage and the sum of the currents within the converter's branches as feedback variables. Experimental results illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the presented methodology
Notes on Avicenna’s Mūsīqī-yi Ḥikmat-i ʿAlāʾ ī and its manuscript tradition
No full textThis paper partially outlines the manuscript tradition that preserves the Music section of the only Peripatetic summa written by Avicenna in Persian (Pārsī-darī) , known as Dāniš-nāma-yi ʿAlāʾī (Dāneš-nāme-ye ʿAlāʾī, henceforth DN)
Positive impact of indicaxanthin from Opuntia ficusindica fruit on high-fat diet–induced neuronal damage and gut microbiota dysbiosis
Get PDFIndicaxanthin is a betalain that is abundant in Opuntia ficus-indica orange fruit and has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.
Nevertheless, very little is known about the neuroprotective potential of indicaxanthin. This study investigated the impact of indicaxanthin on neuronal damage and gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by a high-fat diet in mice. The mice were divided into three groups according to different diets: the negative control group was fed a standard diet; the high-fat diet group was fed a high-fat diet; and the high-fat diet + indicaxanthin group was fed a high-fat diet and received indicaxanthin orally (0.86 mg/kg per day) for 4 weeks. Brain apoptosis, redox status, inflammation, and the gut microbiota composition were compared among the different animal groups. The results demonstrated that indicaxanthin treatment reduced neuronal apoptosis by downregulating the expression of proapoptotic genes and increasing the expression
of antiapoptotic genes. Indicaxanthin also markedly decreased the expression of neuroinflammatory proteins and genes and inhibited high-fat diet–induced neuronal oxidative stress by reducing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide levels. In addition, indicaxanthin treatment improved the microflora composition by increasing the abundance of healthy bacterial genera, known as producers of short-chain fatty acids (Lachnospiraceae, Alloprovetella, and Lactobacillus), and by reducing bacteria related to unhealthy profiles (Blautia, Faecalibaculum, Romboutsia and Bilophila). In conclusion, indicaxanthin has a positive effect on high-fat diet–induced neuronal damage and on the gut microbiota composition in obese mice
Precipitation extremes projected to increase and to occur in different times of the year
Get PDFThere is high confidence that precipitation extremes are projected to become more frequent and severe and, to a lesser extent, that their seasonality may change. However, these precipitation characteristics are dealt with separately, without examining whether magnitude and seasonality are jointly projected to change. Here we assess how the seasonality and magnitude of precipitation extremes are jointly projected to change for different climate scenarios. We perform analyses at the global scale using nine global climate models and four different emission scenarios. We identify large areas of the globe where the magnitude of the extremes is expected to increase as the emissions increase; at the same time, large changes in the seasonality of these extremes are projected to impact regions mainly located in the tropical and sub-tropical areas. These changes could impact our response and mitigation efforts and our resilience against such phenomena in response to climate change
Marble Waste Sustainable Re-Use: Future Prospect for Custonaci Marble Basin in Sicily
No full textIn Italy, the marble industry is one of the most productive sectors in
terms of quality and quantity of material exported. However, after the economic
crisis of 2008 and the COVID19 pandemic, production and export numbers have
experienced a significant reduction. This is particularly true for Sicily and the area
of Custonaci (Trapani, TP). In this area numerous quarries had to temporarily halt
mining operations due to the lack of demand from the market and the reluctance
of most entrepreneurs to modify and improve their production lines. Nevertheless,
the sector’s most pressing issue is the massive quantity of waste generated during
cutting and processing. These wastes are left to pile up in the land next to the
sawmills, even if, according to the current Italian legislation, they should bemoved
to dedicated landfills. Unfortunately, this operation rarely happens as its cost is
prohibitively high. Moreover, the intensive extraction activity has a massive impact
on the landscape. As a result, in the past few years, researchers have started to find
alternative use to this by-product in a variety of industries including construction,
fashion and agriculture.Marble quarrywaste is already widely used in construction
to manufacture aggregate for cementitious matrixes as well as artificial stone,
where marble waste is used as mineral filler within a polymeric matrix. The new
challenge is to combine marble waste with either a bio-based or a recyclable
material, in order to reduce the use of virgin materials and to ensure a further
reuse. This works proposes an overview of the state of the art in terms of current
legislation, patents and products with marble waste and it paves the way to an
experimentation with marble waste from Custonaci marble basin (namely Perlato
and Perlatino di Sicilia) by mixing it with either a biodegradable polymer (PLA
or PVA) or a recyclable polymer such as nylon, coming from dismissed fishing
nets
Wood Industry Wastes Valorisation and Reuse for a Greener Architecture
No full textThis study is part of a PhD research supported by PNRR aimed to
provide concrete actions to implement greener constructive practices in response
to the EU Green Deal and the demand of sustainability in construction. In particular,
this paper analyses how wastes from the wood industry can be reused
for applications in construction, in light of the circular economy (CE) and the
industrial symbiosis. The analysed wastes derive from various processes and their
heterogeneous nature often makes their incorporation into novel products complex.
Additionally, they may contain contaminants, such as glues or chemicals,
that may limit the reuse options or require special handling procedures. However,
by addressing these issues through appropriate manufacturing processes and sustainable
practices, wood waste reuse can offer significant environmental benefits,
such as reducing wastes quantity and saving natural resources, or technological
benefits by bringing innovation and sustainability to the sector. Once wood assortments’
manufacture was briefly outlined, the various types of waste resultant from
each processing phase are analysed to explore possible recycling opportunities and
identify challenges and prospects for more efficient, rational, and sustainable management.
The study proposed here, focuses on the analysis of materials, products
and systems that reusewastes from thewood industry and the possible applications
in construction. Among these, for example, thermoacoustic panels, polymer-based
biocomposites,wood-cement panels and blocks are discussed. Furthermore, attention
is given to microlaminated wood technology, currently considered a technological
implementation to traditional laminated wood. Finally, the crucial role of
wood waste recycling as a CE approach is underlined, emphasizing the fundamental
contribution to environmental sustainability, the mitigation of climate change,
and the creation of new markets and jobs in the construction context
BRCA functional domains associated with high risk of multiple primary tumors and domain-related sensitivity to olaparib: the Prometheus Study
Get PDFBackground: Germline pathogenic variants (gPVs) in the breast cancer susceptibility gene 1/2 (BRCA1/2) genes confer high-penetrance susceptibility to breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC). Although most female BRCA carriers develop only a single BRCA-associated tumor in their lifetime, a smaller subpopulation is diagnosed with multiple primary tumors (MPTs). The genetic factors influencing this risk remain unclear. Further, in patients with BRCA-mutated tumors, there appears to be a variability in the effectiveness of olaparib treatment. Patients and methods: This real-world, multicenter, observational study aimed to determine whether the location of BRCA gPVs within functional domains (FDs) is associated with the development of MPTs and the magnitude of olaparib benefit. The study population comprised consecutive patients with OC who underwent hereditary cancer genetic testing between May 2015 and March 2023. MPT history was assessed based on mutated genes (BRCA1 or BRCA2) and the location of the PVs within the FDs. Clinical outcomes of olaparib first-line maintenance therapy were evaluated according to BRCA1/2 FD location. Results: The frequency of MPT history in the overall population was 13.3% (118/882), and 20.4% in the BRCA-mutated subpopulation (68/333; P < 0.001). We observed a significant association between the DNA-binding domain (DBD) FD of BRCA2 and MPT. Specifically, 55.6% of BRCA2-mutated patients with PVs in the DBD had a history of BC as a second tumor. At a median follow-up of 48.5 months (95% confidence interval 10-70 months), the 48-month progression-free survival rates were 100.0% for patients with PVs in DBD, 91.7% for those with PVs in other FDs, and 36.4% for those with PVs in the RAD51-binding domain (RAD51-BD) of BRCA2 (P = 0.01). Results in the BRCA1 cohort were not statistically significant. Conclusions: The results suggest that the location of PVs within BRCA FDs may influence the onset of multiple tumors and the benefit of olaparib in patients with BRCA-mutated OC. These findings could be relevant for cancer prevention efforts, particularly given the increasing number of cancer survivors. However, further understanding is needed before these results can inform clinical decisions
Shaping the emission directivity of single quantum dots in dielectric nanodisks exploiting Mie resonances
No full textManipulating the optical landscape of single quantum dots (QDs) is essential to increase the emitted photon output, enhancing their performance as chemical sensors and single-photon sources. Micro-optical structures are typically used for this task, with the drawback of a large size compared to the embedded single emitters. Nanophotonic architectures hold the promise to modify dramatically the emission properties of QDs, boosting light−matter interactions at the nanoscale, in ultracompact devices. Here, we investigate the interplay between gallium arsenide (GaAs) single QDs and aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) nanostructures, capitalizing on the Kerker condition for precise control of the QD emission directivity. An extensive analysis of the photo- luminescence spectra of several QDs embedded in nanodisks revealed a pronounced directivity enhancement due to the Kerker effect, confirmed by theoretical simulations, resulting in a 14-fold increase of emitted intensity. Angle-resolved spectroscopy experiments also proved that the integration of GaAs QDs within nanostructures determines a precise angled emission, offering a distinctive avenue for manipulating the spatial characteristics of emitted light by exploiting Mie resonances. This work contributes to the optimization of QD integration in nanostructures and suggests potential improvements for applications in optical communications