Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca- Università del Salento
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The impact of utility-scale RES power production on the Italian electricity prices
Get PDFThe rise of power production from non-programmable renewable power sources imply a reduction in power price and an increasing stress to the power system. In the paper the impact of new investments in variable renewable energy sources on the Italian electricity system is evaluated. In order to do so, demand and supply curves of the day-ahead market of some representative days and periods of the year are simulated taking into account the introduction of new solar and wind power plants in the offer curve, as well the zonal configuration of the Italian market and the transmission constraints. Results show that new renewable investments significantly affect electricity prices but only in the southernmost Italian zones. However, the North zone, which accounts for the majority of all Italian load, shows a comparatively lower benefit from the investments, particularly in those months and hours of the day in which there is a limited supply of wind power. Limited transmission capacity to transfer power from the south towards north of Italy worsen this. Conversely, the southernmost zones and islands benefit from photovoltaic and wind power investments, reducing prices. However, high production in these regions, coupled with transmission constraints, leads also to high curtailments when generation exceeds demand. Finally, the planned transmission capacity expansion is also considered. It is shown that it further reduces the prices in the northernmost zones, yet it is not enough to fully transfer the positive impact on prices in southernmost zones or to reduce the curtailments, which can be as high as 60% of the new capacity in some zones
Management of Postoperative Pancreatic Fluid Collection and Role of Endoscopy: A Case Series and Review of the Literature
No full text: Background: Postoperative fluid collections (POFCs) after abdominal surgeries, particularly pancreatic surgeries, are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates and were historically managed with surgical re-exploration and drainage. In particular, postoperative pancreatic fluid collections (PPFCs) are the most common complications after pancreatic surgery resulting from pancreatic leaks. They occur in up to 50% of cases, and approximately 10% of them need to be drained to avoid further sequelae. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided drainage of PPFCs represents the first-line treatment nowadays, but many aspects are still debated. Methods: We describe a retrospective case series of patients from multiple Italian centers who underwent EUS-guided drainage (EUS-D) of POFCs, aiming to provide data on the efficacy and safety of this procedure, supported by a review of the existing literature on this topic. The primary outcomes were technical and clinical success, and the secondary outcomes were the type and rate of adverse events (AEs) and the rate of recurrence. Results: A total of 47 patients were included. The procedure demonstrated a technical success rate of 98% (46/47) and a clinical success rate of 96% (45/47). The rate of AEs was 11% (5/47), represented by bleeding (3/5), stent occlusion (1/5), and buried syndrome (1/5). Conclusions: Management of POFCs has shifted over time towards an endoscopic approach with optimal efficacy and safety
LA PROMOZIONE DELLA PARITÀ DI GENERE NELLE RELAZIONI TRA L’UNIONE EUROPEA E I PARTNER MERIDIONALI
No full textEarthworms multi-biomarker approach for ecotoxicological assessment of soils irrigated with reused treated wastewater
No full textWater scarcity for crop production and the need to ensure environmental protection lead to the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation. However, the use of wastewater raises concerns about its quality and related toxicological and ecotoxicological risks. Ecotoxicity tests on soil organisms can offer an integrated assessment of the environmental adverse effects of bioavailable toxic substances in wastewater for irrigation. This work aims to investigate the assessment of ecotoxicity in agricultural soils irrigated with treated wastewater through a multi-biomarker approach in earthworms. In particular, molecular and cellular biomarkers (lysosomal membrane stability, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, GSH/GSSG, metallothionein, acethylcholinesterase) were measured, combined with acute and chronic toxicity tests on Eisenia fetida exposed to soil samples from agricultural fields irrigated with treated wastewater. Three experimental fields in Apulia, Italy, were irrigated with varying types of treated wastewater. Acute toxicity tests on Eisenia fetida exposed to the irrigated soils showed no significant mortality in any soils, while chronic toxicity was observed in fields irrigated with secondary-treated wastewater, but not in fields irrigated with tertiary-treated wastewater. Biomarkers indicated reduced lysosomal membrane stability, increased oxidative stress, and reduced acetylcholinesterase activity in worms exposed to secondary-treated wastewater. The results showed how the combined use of toxicity assays and biomarker analyses in soil bioindicator organisms allows the toxicity of soils irrigated with treated wastewater to be assessed, in order to provide an integrated measure of chemical pollutants bioavailable and their biological effects
Assessment of ground dune sand (GDS) in the production of air lime mortars for historic buildings restoration
No full textTraditional historic buildings are primarily constructed with lime mortar. Due to climate-induced wear, these materials, used for joints and coating, require repair with compatible mortar, preferably formulated with locally sourced, low-carbon resources. Given that 75 % of Algeria's territory consists of desert areas abundant in dune sand, this resource presents a widely available alternative for restoration work. This paper explores the design of a new restoration mortar formulation based on air lime, dune sand and ground dune sand (GDS). A grinding process was employed enhance the reactivity of dune sand, aiming to evaluate its potential as pozzolanic material, with the ball-to-sand masse ratio (b/s) varying from 7 till 14. Thirteen blends were prepared, incorporating GDS as a partial lime replacement at rates of 20 %, 40 % and 60 % alongside four different b/s ratios. Both micro-and macro-level analysis were conducted on these blends, including characterization of the GDS and the mortars. The results in the fresh state show that GDS acts as a plasticizer in air lime mortars due to the fine particle effect, which enhances workability and reduces internal friction, leading to better compaction. FTIR, XRD and TGA analyses did not conclusively demonstrate a pozzolanic reaction between GDS and air lime. This may be attributed to the presence of limestone aggregates, carbonation, and the partial activation of GDS, which could have masked the reaction. However, when 60 % of the lime is replaced by GDS, a reduction in carbonation was observed, making the pozzolanic reaction and C-S-H formation more apparent. Still, the structure of C-S-H formed in this case is less organized than typically seen with other active pozzolanic materials. This structural alteration accounts for the reduced mechanical strength of the mortar at this substitution rate. Nevertheless, the overall filling effect of fine GDS particles, combined with carbonation, improves the mechanical properties and durability of lime mortars by reducing porosity and increasing density. This effect is particularly pronounced with a b/s ratio of 10 and a GDS content between 20 % and 40 %. These results confirm the role of GDS as both a filler and as a partially reactive material, ensuring mortar compatibility with heritage restoration requirements
Universal design for learning in higher education: a study on the identification of non-traditional students and the perception of UDL-based teaching. The DANTE-U project
No full textCharacterization of clay composition and organic content of “Gnathia ware” from Oria (BR) through XRF and GC-MS analyses
No full textIn this paper we present the preliminary results of an interdisciplinary investigation aimed at defining the composition of the clays of a group of over-painted polychrome vessels found in the messapian necropolis of Oria (Br) through XRF (X-ray fluorescence). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
(GC-MS) was also applied on a group of samples to characterise the organic content of the vessels and to understand the function of these objects in funerary rituals
Normativa, controllo e protezione dei mercanti forestieri in Puglia (secoli XIV-XV)
No full textIl saggio restituisce i termini del rapporto tra i mercanti forestieri/stranieri operanti in Puglia e le istituzioni pubbliche del Regno di Napoli nel periodo compreso tra la tarda età angioina e quella aragonese di Alfonso V e del figlio Ferrante. La normativa, il controllo e la protezione delle nationes forestiere (prima tra tutte quella veneziana) sono tematiche indagate alla luce di una dialettica politico-istituzionale complessa, che vedeva la partecipazione di soggetti molteplici: la Corona, gli uffici centrali e periferici dello stato e le
comunità locali, interessate, queste ultime, ora a tutelare la presenza dei forestieri, ora a limitarne i privilegi grazie al ricorso all'autorità sovrana