Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca- Università del Salento
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Valorization of paraffin wax waste in cement mortars: physical and mechanical behavior
No full textThe foundry industry is an essential part of the modern economy, manufacturing vast quantities of castings
annually. However, this extensive production generates significant amounts of wastes, with the majority ending
up in landfills. Efforts to repurpose these wastes are necessary not only to reduce landfill accumulation but also
to preserve natural resources. One of the primary residues generated by foundries is paraffin wax waste, a
byproduct of the investment casting industry. This technique, which has ancient origins, allows the creation of
precise castings with important applications in the automotive, aircraft, and aerospace industries. Unlike waste
foundry sand, which has been widely studied for reuse, the potential applications of paraffin wax waste remain
unexplored. The paraffin wax waste functions as an organic phase change material (PCM). When incorporated
into construction elements, PCMs help regulate the temperature in buildings due to their capacity of store and
release thermal energy in response to environmental temperature fluctuations. These properties offer social,
environmental, and economic advantages, such as enhanced thermal comfort, lower reliance on nonrenewable
energy sources, and reduced air conditioning usage and costs. This characteristic make PCM valuable for
enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability in the construction sector. Additionally, the construction sector
significantly contributes to raw material consumption. Providing solutions to repurpose industrial wastes, such
as paraffin wax, can improve resource efficiency and support the principles of a circular economy. The main
objective of this study was to evaluate the physical and mechanical behavior of cement mortars with
incorporation of paraffin wax wastes as a replacement for natural aggregates. The replacement content used
were 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%. The results indicated that the modified mortars exhibited satisfactory
physical and mechanical performance, indicating possible future construction applications for this innovative
material. By utilizing paraffin wax waste in cement mortars, this study presents a sustainable alternative for
waste management in the foundry industry while contributing to the development of energy-efficient building
materials
Spazi del diritto. Città, nazione e ordine giuridico dall’Ottocento a oggi
Get PDFIn che modo il diritto contribuisce a modellare lo spazio urbano? E come lo spazio, a sua volta, condiziona la trasformazione delle categorie giuridiche, politiche e istituzionali? Spazi del diritto offre una risposta ambiziosa e interdisciplinare a queste domande, intrecciando storia del diritto, diritto pubblico comparato e amministrativo, storia delle istituzioni e urbanistica. Nato all’interno del progetto PRIN PNRR 2022 HiLArI – Histories, Laws & Architectures for Inclusion, il volume esplora le tensioni che, dalla modernità a oggi, attraversano il rapporto tra città, nazione e diritto. Ne emerge una ‘cartografia critica’ che va dall’espulsione giuridica delle città nello ius publicum europaeum alle esperienze post-coloniali e alle sfide contemporanee della marginalità urbana, fino ai nodi attuali della rigenerazione e del diritto all’abitare. I saggi spaziano dalla Los Angeles di Biddy Mason alla Asmara coloniale, dal Brasile schiavista alla Parigi multiculturale, ricostruendo come i dispositivi giuridici abbiano plasmato – e ancora plasmino – territori, identità e poteri. Lo spazio urbano si rivela così non come un fondale neutro, ma come un campo di battaglia dove i diritti si affermano, si negano, si reinventano. Spazi del diritto è una lettura essenziale per chi voglia comprendere come il diritto agisca nello spazio, tra storia e contemporaneità, memoria e progettualità
Constant Angle Surfaces in M12(κ)×R
No full textIn this paper we investigate constant angle surfaces in the Lorentzian product space M-1(2)(kappa)xR obtained by the product of a constant sectional curvature Lorentzian surface M-1(2)(kappa) and a Riemannian real line. We provide a complete classification of such surfaces and we also explore geometric properties such as minimality and constancy of the mean curvature
Recensione: Rationes decimarum Italiae nei secoli XIII e XIV. Marsica, a cura di Laura Saladino – Gianni Venditti, Città del Vaticano, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 2024 (Studi e testi, 563)
No full textDiagnostic Accuracy of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Compared with Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography in the Follow-Up of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Radiofrequency Ablation
No full textBackground: Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) is considered the gold standard for assessing therapeutic response in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following locoregional treatments. More recently, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has emerged as a promising, cost-effective alternative, although evidence supporting its use in this context remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CEUS compared to CECT in assessing local response of HCC nodules treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a consecutively enrolled cohort of patients undergoing RFA for HCC at IRCCS San Matteo Hospital, Pavia, between January 2017 and January 2022. Follow-up imaging included both CEUS and CECT at predefined time points. Imaging follow-up, MRI, and/or histological results were used as the reference standard to compare CEUS and CECT. Results: A total of 55 patients (mean age 74 years, 64% male) with 79 HCC nodules were included. Complete response was observed in 57 nodules (72%), all correctly identified by CEUS, whereas 4 cases were misclassified by CECT. Among the 22 nodules (28%) with residual disease, CEUS correctly identified 15 cases, while 17 were detected by CECT; notably, CEUS identified 4 lesions missed by CECT, which identified 6 missed at CEUS. Combined, the two modalities detected 21 (96%) out of 22 residual tumors. CEUS showed a sensitivity of 68.1%, specificity of 100%, and diagnostic accuracy of 91.1%, compared to 68.0%, 98.1%, and 88.6%, respectively, for CECT, with no significant differences. Conclusions: CEUS is a reliable, non-inferior, and complementary modality to CECT for evaluating treatment response of HCC following RFA. Larger prospective studies are warranted to further define its role in clinical practice
Resource use efficiency and environmental sustainability in greenhouse agriculture through IoT-based irrigation and fertilization management
No full textConventional agricultural practices have often shown to lead to significant environmental degradation, including water depletion and greenhouse gas emissions. This is particularly evident in greenhouse farming, where traditional practices usually lack the precision and adaptability needed to effectively address environmental challenges and resource constraints. The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies into greenhouse agriculture offers a significant opportunity to enhance sustainability and optimize resource efficiency. This study evaluates the environmental and agronomic impacts of a sensor-based IoT system designed for the dynamic management of irrigation and fertilization. A comparative analysis was conducted between a conventionally managed greenhouse and an experimental greenhouse equipped with the IoT system, both growing zucchini, eggplant, melon, and strawberry.
Results demonstrate that the IoT-equipped greenhouse achieved a notable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (up to −38%) and water use (−41%), alongside an increase in crop yields (average +89%). These outcomes were obtained with considerably lower fertilizer inputs (average −91%), indicating improved nutrient use efficiency and a reduced environmental burden.
These findings suggest possible pathways for enhancing both sustainability and efficiency of vegetable production in greenhouse agriculture. In particular, the study highlights the relevance of IoT systems in promoting efficient resource use while mitigating environmental impacts, thereby supporting the transition toward more sustainable agricultural systems. Furthermore, these results underscore the potential of IoT technologies to support data-driven decision-making in greenhouse agriculture, aligning closely with the European Union’s policy targets which emphasizes the need to reduce dependency on inputs, improve resource use efficiency, and promote environmentally responsible food systems
Intracellular Dual Behavior of Trolox in HeLa Cells and 3T3 Fibroblasts Under Basal and H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress Conditions
No full textTrolox, a water-soluble analog of vitamin E, is widely used as a reference antioxidant in
in vitro biochemical assays. However, its intracellular redox behavior is known to vary
depending on both concentration and oxidative context. In this study, we investigated the
dose-dependent antioxidant and prooxidant effects of Trolox in two cellular models, HeLa
cells and 3T3 cells exposed for 1 h to increasing concentrations (2–160 μM), under both basal
conditions and oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide. Intracellular oxidative changes
were assessed using the oxidative stress-sensitive fluorescent probe CM-H2DCFDA. Under
basal conditions, Trolox exerted slight dose-dependent antioxidant behavior in 3T3 cells on the
basal production of ROS in concentrations ranging from 2 μMto 160 μM. In contrast, in HeLa
cells Trolox displayed a biphasic activity: antioxidant at low doses (≤10 μM) and a switch
to prooxidant behavior at higher concentrations. Under H2O2-induced stress, in HeLa cells
Trolox retained antioxidant activity at low concentrations (≤10 μM), but this effect gradually
declined at higher doses, disappearing around 80 μMand shifting to a slight prooxidant effect
at 160 μM. Confocal microscopy confirmed the spectrofluorimetric results. Conversely, 3T3
cells exhibited an early shift toward prooxidant activity already at 10 μM. These findings
highlight that the Trolox redox activity is determined not only by concentration but also by
cell-specific intracellular environment and redox state. The study suggests caution against
generalized antioxidant use of Trolox and highlights the need for specific dose–response
evaluations in specific cell types and biological settings
Effect of Surrounding Detritus on Phragmites australis Litter Decomposition: Evidence from Laboratory Aquatic Microcosms
No full textIL POSSIBILE CONTRO IL NECESSARIO. Poesia e dialettica nel Novecento (e oltre)
No full text“In una dialettica aperta tra tempi ‘altri’ – tra la tradizione, il valore arcaico e rituale delle opere in versi e la ricerca intorno a una lingua adoperata come strumento di resistenza o protesta contro un presente inospitale – si muovono alcune esperienze poetiche che attraversano il campo letterario contemporaneo: e ridisegnano, ampliandoli, i confini di visibilità di soggetti, voci, oggetti e questioni che vengono ridotte ai margini o al silenzio dalle politiche (dalle estetiche) dell’iper-moderno.