ARUd’A (Università “G. d’Annunzio CHIETI -PESCARA)
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Sources of errors and uncertainties in large-scale seismic vulnerability assessment methods
No full textAssessing the seismic vulnerability of urban areas is essential to prevent potential damage to the exposed assets and assist local administrations in the prioritization of cost-effective risk mitigation measures in order to enhance urban resilience against future earthquakes and reduce the number of casualties and economic losses. To this end, large-scale empirical methods offer great advantages, allowing to estimate the vulnerability level of extended areas without resorting to sophisticated analyses that are not feasible but at the building scale. However, these assessments are inherently subject to several sources of errors and uncertainties that can significantly influence their outcomes and must be controlled. By comparing two index-based seismic vulnerability assessment methods well known in the literature, this paper intends to dissect this aspect with particular reference to three parameters, i.e. seismic intensity, ductility factor and vulnerability factor. The implications associated with vulnerability models calibrated through data collected from different historic centres are also discussed. The urban area under investigation is the municipality of Campotosto in the province of L'Aquila (Abruzzo, Italy), a case study of great relevance given its proximity to the fault associated with the last seismic event that hit Central Italy in January 2017. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges involved in seismic vulnerability assessments, advocating for continuous refinement of methodologies to enhance the predictive capabilities of these critical assessments in the face of increasing seismic risk
Il femminicidio come espressione di una crisi sistemica che coinvolge cultura, istituzioni, relazioni sociali e rappresentazioni simboliche, recensione al libro di Alessandra Sannella, Strumenti Sociologici e Transdisciplinari per il contrasto del femminicidio
No full textOn the Quadratic Convergence of Newton's Method for Mean Field Games with Non-separable Hamiltonian
No full textWe analyze asymptotic convergence properties of Newton's method for a class of evolutive Mean Field Games systems with non-separable Hamiltonian arising in mean field type models with congestion. We prove the well posedness of the Mean Field Game system with non-separable Hamiltonian and of the linear system giving the Newton iterations. Then, by forward induction and assuming that the initial guess is sufficiently close to the solution of problem, we show a quadratic rate of convergence for the approximation of the Mean Field Game system by Newton's method. We also consider the case of a nonlocal coupling, but with separable Hamiltonian, and we show a similar rate of convergence
Selective activation of antioxidant resources and energy deficiency in Marinesco–Sjögren syndrome fibroblasts as an adaptive biological response to Sil1 loss
Get PDFMarinesco–Sjögren syndrome (MSS) is a neuromuscular disease which presents with ataxia, muscle weakness and cataracts. This syndrome is typically caused by mutations in SIL1 gene, an ER co-chaperone that disrupts protein folding. Although it is known that accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER profoundly affect reduction–oxidation (redox) homeostasis and energy production, the possible role of these processes in MSS was not investigated to date. In patient-derived fibroblasts, both maximal mitochondrial respiration and mitochondrial ATP production rates were diminished, while the glycolytic fraction remained unaffected. Catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were increased, while glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were decreased. Oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA was comparable or even lower to that observed in control cells. Similar alterations were observed in the muscle tissue of the woozy mouse model of MSS. In conclusion, we identified a mitochondrial energy deficit and an adaptive cellular mechanism that effectively manage oxidative stress in Sil1-deficient cells
Reassessment of the age of basement in the Vavilov Basin drilled at ODP Site 651 (Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean)
No full textWe carried out a biostratigraphic study based on calcareous nannofossils in sediments from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 651, drilled in the basalt-floored Vavilov sub-basin of the Tyrrhenian Sea (western Mediterranean) during Leg 107. The expedition achieved its primary objective to collect basement samples to date the ocean crust and obtain new data for reconstructing the geological evolution of the area. Studies on the ODP Site 651
succession determined the nature of the basement and provided time constraints for tectonic and magmatic processes in the basin, but contradictory lines of evidence emerged for the age of the basalts based on radiometric ages, paleomagnetic signature and planktonic foraminifera data. In an attempt to clarify the basement age, we performed
detailed sampling for calcareous nannofossil analysis to update the biostratigraphy and chronology of the sediments overlying the basement. We determined the sediment accumulation rate using reliable nannofossil biohorizons that have a robust chronology, which increases up-section from ~ 2 cm/kyr to 3.4 cm /kyr. The age of the basalt/sediment
contact was obtained through extrapolation of the sedimentation rate from the deepest datable portion of the sediments down to the top of basement. The inferred age for the top of the basalt is at least 4.1-4.2 Ma and differs from previous evaluations. This age for the basalt in the Vavilov Basin basement is consistent to a reversed interval C2Ar within the Gilbert magnetochron, supporting one of the chronologies previously proposed
Le cose che siamo. Design, arte e cultura materiale africana.
No full textCi circondiamo di oggetti per noi stessi, per le nostre case, per gli
ambienti di lavoro. La necessità funzionale dell’oggetto è passata in
secondo piano, scegliamo cosa comprare per esprimere chi siamo.
La relazione tra possesso e identità è oggi più forte che mai, tanto da
definire non solo le società in cui viviamo, ma anche la nostra stessa
individualità.
L’evoluzione del mercato risente della frenesia produttiva contemporanea.
Per far fronte alla maturità di prodotti già diffusi in modo
capillare, vengono create nuove categorie merceologiche, che non
sempre nascono da un bisogno manifesto. Anzi, gli stessi bisogni e
desideri, ciclicamente, vengono immaginati, definiti, progettati, promossi
e venduti, mostrando il lato oscuro della produzione di massa,
oggi problematica per l’ambiente seppur specularmente cruciale per
l’economia. Tuttavia, un approccio personale al consumo rivela diversi
aspetti positivi, uno dei principali è che il consumatore moderno
è molto più consapevole e attento rispetto al passato: scegliere e
acquistare un oggetto è un atto che va oltre la semplice utilità, diventa
un modo per affermare l’identità del consumatore stesso e come
vuole essere percepito dal contesto sociale in cui vive. Questo approccio
apporta un impatto straordinario, tanto sociale quanto economico
perché genera nuove reti di relazioni, conoscenza e valori.
Si trattò di una vera e propria rivoluzione iniziata con il boom economico
del Secondo dopoguerra, e dove il design gioca un ruolo cruciale.
Senza entrare nel dettaglio delle molteplici definizioni del termine,
possiamo dire che il design è la disciplina che stabilisce le regole
per progettare oggetti d’uso quotidiano ma che al contempo ci aiutano
a definire la nostra complessa identità. Forme, colori, immagini,
materiali e sensazioni tattili contribuiscono a creare un immaginario
collettivo, il «linguaggio delle cose» di cui Deyan Sudjic parla nel
suo celebre saggio, riferendosi alla capacità che gli oggetti hanno
di affermare chi siamo e chi vogliamo essere, aiutandoci a capire il
mondo in cui viviamo
3D-printed device for improved membrane-based extraction procedure of xenobiotics in complex matrices
Get PDFTo minimize the environmental and human health impacts of chemical processes, there is growing interest in eco-friendly methods aligned with the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry (GAC). A successful chemical analysis typically involves sample preparation, sampling, separation and analysis, quantification, and data interpretation. Among these, sample preparation plays a crucial role in isolating and preconcentrating target analytes from complex matrices.
In 2014, fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) was introduced as a simplified and greener sample pretreatment method. Building on this advancement and a recent patent, the present study introduces an innovative 3D-printed device designed for use with a range of target analytes and complex sample matrices. Constructed from inert materials, the device features a rigid, modular structure with multiple windows that securely hold various membrane-based extraction materials. These include FPSE membranes, electrospun membranes, and materials derived from adsorbent systems recovered from production or usage waste, as well as permeable molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs).
The device offers several advantages, including enhanced enrichment factors, compatibility with diverse planar membrane types, and highly customizable selectivity based on membrane configuration and chemistry. Its design also incorporates a built-in slot for a magnetic stirrer, enabling precise control of rotation speed during extraction-even in field conditions using a portable, battery-powered stirrer.
Experimental results unequivocally demonstrate that the new device achieves superior enrichment factors compared to previously validated methods for the same analytes, confirming its effectiveness and potential for broader analytical applications
Riflessioni sull’“Europa dei diritti” a partire da una pronuncia in materia di mandato d’arresto europeo e incolumità della persona richiesta
No full textDue, ed entrambi connessi all’ideale di un’Europa garante dei diritti, sono gli spunti che emergono da una recente sentenza della Corte di cassazione. Da un lato, la questione dell’accesso al controllo di legittimità sui provvedimenti in tema di mandato d’arresto europeo, significativamente ridimensionato dalla novella del 2021; dall’altro, la possibilità di riconoscere l’esistenza di una clausola implicita di salvaguardia della persona, da assumere quale presupposto indefettibile di ogni forma di collaborazione all’interno dello spazio comune di giustizia. In ambo i casi, si tratta di snodi la cui corretta risoluzione risulta essenziale per assicurare una cooperazione penale rispettosa dei diritti e delle prerogative individuali