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SEISMIC RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR YIELDING BASE-ISOLATED STRUCTURES
No full textThe aim of this work is to evaluate the seismic reliability of base-isolated systems with friction pendulum system (FPS) devices considering both isolation devices and superstructures with a nonlinear behavior. These systems are modelled by means of 2dof nonlinear models considering both a hardening and softening behavior for the superstructure and a velocity-dependent rule for the FPS. The systems are designed according to NTC08 considering a wide range of structural parameters and a set of natural seismic records scaled to the seismic intensity corresponding to life safety limit state for L'Aquila site (Italy). The yielding proprieties of the systems are valuated considering different values of the strength reduction factor and of the post-yielding slope. Then, incremental dynamic analyses are performed in order to evaluate the seismic fragility of both iso-lation level and inelastic superstructures assuming various limit states. Considering the seismic hazard curve relative to L'Aquila site and using the convolution integral, the reliability curves of the inelastic base-isolated systems, with a design life of 50 years, are derived
Physicochemical properties of keratin extracted from wool by various methods
No full textKeratin from wool fibers was extracted with different extraction methods, for example oxidation, reduction, sulfitolysis, and superheated water hydrolysis. Different samples of extracted keratin were characterized by molecular weight determination, FT-IR and NIR spectroscopy, amino acid analysis, and thermal behavior. While using oxidation, reduction, and sulfitolysis, only the cleavage of disulfide bonds takes place; keratin hydrolysis leads to the breaking of peptide bonds with the formation of low molecular weight proteins and peptides. In the FT-IR spectra of keratoses, the formation of cysteic acid appears, as well as the formation of Bunte salts (-S-SO3-) after the cleavage of disulfide bonds by sulfitolysis. The amino acid composition confirms the transformation of amino acid cystine, which is totally converted into cysteic acid following oxidative extraction and almost completely destroyed during superheated water hydrolysis. Thermal behavior shows that keratoses, which are characterized by stronger ionic interaction and higher molecular weight, are the most temperature stable keratin, while hydrolyzed wool shows a poor thermal stability
Comparative evaluation of surgeon visual work load of 3d vs 2d colorectal resections
No full textOBIETTIVI Molti studi hanno evidenziato il beneficio della chirurgia laparoscopica 3D di ultima generazione rispetto ai sistemi ottici 2D. I reali effetti sul nostro sistema visivo nell'utilizzo di occhiali 3D non sono ancora stati valutati. Lo scopo principale di questo studio è stato quello di valutato lo stress visivo a cui il chirurgo viene sottoposto durante le procedure laparoscopiche in 3D. Obiettivo secondario è stato quello di valutare i risultati nell'impiego della tecnologia 3D HD comparando i risultati chirurgici del 2D vs il 3D nelle resezioni laparoscopiche colo-rettali per tumori del crosso intestino. MATERIALI E METODI Da Gennaio 2016 a Marzo 2017, 137 pazienti sono stati sottoposti a resezione colo-rettali per patologia neoplastica, di cui 64 mediante l' impiego di tecnologia 3d (gruppo 3d) e 71 mediante tecnologia 2d (gruppo 2d). Tra questi due gruppi sono stati confrontati dati intra-operatori e dati post-operatori. Al termine di ogni procedura chirurgica il primo operatore è stato invitato a rispondere a due questionari soggettivi per valutare il carico di lavoro visivo: il NASA task load questionnaire e il Simulator Sickness questionnaire (SSI). RISULATATI Tutte gli interventi sono stati completati mediante tecnica laparoscopica senza richiedere conversione in laparotomia. L'incidenza di procedure chirurgiche più complesse come resezioni sec. Miles, colectomie totale e resezioni anteriore di retto è stata maggiore nel gruppo 3D. La durata dell'intervento è stata significativamente più lunga nel gruppo 3D ( 177 ± 7 3D vs 157± 6 2D, P=0.03) mentre l' incidenza di complicanze post-operatorie è stata significativamente superiore nel gruppo 2D (26% 3D vs 9% 3D, P<0.01). Non sono emerse differenze significative tra i due gruppi per quanto riguarda il questionario SSI (vertigini, lacrimazione, nausea), mentre dal questionario NASA, lo sforzo mentale, fisico e visivo percepito dal chirurgo con la tecnologia 3D è superiore rispetto al 2D (p<0,001). CONCLUSIONI La laparoscopia associata alla tecnologia 3D risulta avere un'incidenza di complicanze postoperatorie inferiori rispetto ai vecchi sistemi 2D nell'eseguire interventi chirurgici complessi. Nonostante i disturbi determinati dalla visione 3D quali nausea lacrimazione e mal di testa risultino sovrapponibili alla laparoscopia 2d, lo sforzo visivo, mentale e fisico percepito dal chirurgo risulta superiore durante procedure 3D rispetto alla 2D
Graphene-metal nanostructures as surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates for biosensing
No full textMultilayered structures composed by Single Layer Graphene (SLG), silver nanoparticles and polydimethylsiloxane membranes were used as SERS substrates for the analysis of porphyrins and hemoproteins (e.g. Myoglobin). The transfer process of SLG from its Cu growth substrate to the Ag-decorated polydimethylsiloxane membrane was optimized. A Limit of Detection (LOD) of 10^-8 M was found for ethanolic solutions of Rhodamine 6G and the efficient detection of porphyrins and Myoglobin, adsorbed on SLG surface, was achieved. This study evidenced the potentialities of plasmonic graphene-based chips for biosensing
SERS-active metal-dielectric nanostructures integrated in microfluidic devices for ultra-sensitive label-free miRNA detection
No full textIn this work, silver decorated porous silicon membranes integrated in a polydimethylsiloxane multi-chamber microfluidic chip were functionalized with DNA-probes and used for the detection of miRNA by Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering analysis. An innovative biological protocol has been designed: the probe was divided in two short pieces that interact before and after the miRNA incubation. The optofluidic biosensor was applied for the label-free detection of miRNA sequences at in vivo concentrations
Present and future solutions of waste management in a candied fruit e jam factory: Optimized anaerobic digestion for on site energy production
No full textThis paper presents a cost-benefit analysis of a new solution for the management of waste and wastewater in a candied fruit e jam factory. The solid waste products are presently treated via composting, while wastewaters are sent to a conventional biological treatment, after a chemical pre-treatment. This management modality involves an economic cost of 15 kV/y and a direct emission of 435 t CO2/y. Due to the high potential of this kind of waste products to generate methane under anaerobic conditions, a Waste-to-Energy solution that considers an optimized anaerobic digestion (AD) process was investigated. Digestibility tests carried out at a lab-scale demonstrated that the solid waste had an average methane specific yield of 0.276 Nm3/kgVSadded and the liquid waste, that make up the wastewater, had methane specific yields ranging from 0.250 to 0.330 Nm3/kgVSadded. Moreover, tests demonstrated that an accurate regulation of the food vs. microorganism ratio (F/M), and the addition of nitrogen and buffering resources, were compulsory for a steady development of the AD process. The whole amount of waste generated in the factory can be digested in a 320 m3 reactor coupled with a 40 kW combined heat and power unit. The AD process can produce approximately 30% of the electrical needs of the plant and supply one part of the heat necessary for the industrial processes, thus saving fossil fuels. Net CO2 emissions could decrease by approximately a half compared with the present solution
Memristor and Translation Control in Cancer Immunology
No full textThe progression of technology in the field of cancer biology is allowing us to discover and understand novel unexplored molecular mechanism governing cancer initiation, progression and metastasis. Yet, a lot still needs to be done in order to achieve better a stable therapy for patients, including a precise personalized medicine that take into account specific genetic alterations. With this work I am providing a detailed contribution in the field of memristor, future fundamental player for the clinical diffusion of the sequencing technique, to conclude in a series of discoveries in the field of cancer immunology all based on the ribosome profiling sequencing approach. More in detail this work could be divided into three main parts: Memristor, Memristive application to RNA/DNA sequencing and cancer immunology. The first section it is focused on new advances in the field of Memristor. In particular, I present the GBCM model, the SBPI algorithm and the circuitry designed in order to implement the two features. Moreover, is presented a series of essays made to prove the efficiency of the dynamics of the perceptron. Such essays evaluate the characterization of the different impulses to the system, the learning dynamics — finding the most efficient learning strategies — and the robustness of the circuitry to various kinds of noises. The next part of this elaborate will focus on "memristive" application. In particular, I approached the study of nanopores as a novel physics system that can be effectively modelled by the usage of a series of memristive elements. Nanopores are widely used in the DNA/RNA sequencing even thought they require more implementing before become an impactful marketable device committed to low cost sequencing as shown in the "nanopore" section. During this section the memristive contribution and applications will be presented. In particular, in the last few years unbios DNA/RNA sequencing techniques have become fundamental to understand new molecular mechanism in biology. In cancer, DNA sequencing allowed scientists to discover a large number of genomic mutations promoting cellular transformation and cancer progression. Chronologically later, RNA sequencing disclose a specific and carefully controlled program in the chromatin undergoing the regulation of the transcription of specific mRNAs piloting oncologic phenotypes. In the last part of this section I will present a relatively novel sequencing technique (called ribosome profiling), and its implication in cancer immunology. This approach, by modifying the canonical RNA sequencing protocol allows to the detect the amount of ribosomes per transcripts potentially actively translating the the transcripts into proteins. In conclusion it is presented the sticking finding employing Ribosome Profiling, discovering how C-MYC contributes to the regulation of the innate immune response to protect the tumor niche from the cytotoxic activity of the CD3+ CD8+ lymphocytes
DISPOSITIVO DI TERMALIZZAZIONE
No full textÈ descritto un dispositivo di termalizzazione atto al raffreddamento uniforme di almeno un campione dotato di una struttura a strati, tale struttura a strati è composta da almeno una lamina termoconduttiva elettroisolante, almeno una struttura elastica termoconduttiva, almeno un substrato su cui è depositato il campione e almeno un mezzo di supporto
Dielectric cloaks as analytical or numerical solutions of inverse scattering problems
No full textIn this paper, the synthesis of dielectric cloaks is solved in terms of an inverse scattering problem (ISP), where the overall solution is partially known (the object or collection of scatterers to be hidden) and partially unknown (the coating or cloak). In a 2D domain and for TMz incident polarization, the cloaking effect is first analytically demonstrated in quasi-static regime, confirming the plasmonic cloaking approach. The main novelty is numerically exploring, beyond the subwavelength limit, novel layouts of cloaks without any negative or near-zero dielectric value on the inside