54 research outputs found
Experimental and numerical assessment of Osterberg load tests on large board piles in sand
No full textUn approccio numerico semplificato per la stima dell’azione di sostegno di pali in pendii potenzialmente instabili
No full textAnalytical Solutions for Ultimate Stabilizing Action of Anchored Piles in Cohesive Soil Layers
No full textThe design of slope-stabilizing piles is still an open issue for civil engineers, owing to the high number of variables to be determined in the design process and to the complexity of soil-structure interaction problems. In this paper, in the simplified case of subhorizontal cohesive soil strata, analytical solutions are proposed for the maximum available stabilizing action for a pile, also considering the possible presence of an anchor at the pile's head, and thus extending some results already available in literature. Within the framework of an ultimate limit state approach, the influence of soil mechanical properties, of pile characteristics, and of the anchor strength are investigated, and some dimensionless abaci are analytically derived. The solutions demonstrate a marked coupling effect between tensile anchor strength and pile-bending resistance, and an explicit optimization strategy for a safe and effective dimensioning is provided. The results can be profitably employed in the most common limit equilibrium methods for slope stability analysis
Bioremediation of sediments contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: the technological innovation patented review
No full textSediment contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons represents a major environmental concern worldwide. The different remediation strategies proposed are mainly based on physico-chemical and biological approaches. Physico-chemical methods (also referred to as conventional methods), although more efficient in several cases, are considered as less sustainable as a result of their higher environmental and economic costs. Biotechnological methods on the other hand, which make use of microorganisms and/or their metabolic products, have received increased attention as a more environment friendly and less costly alternative, although usually more time consuming. The various biotechnological approaches developed and patented on bioremediation of sediments polluted with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are presented in this review, as well as some soil bioremediation methods considered applicable to sediments. Patents on sediment microbial fuel cells and other electrokinetic approaches are also included as considerable advances have been made in this field. Over 150 patents dating from 1995 to 2019 were collected from Espacenet platform, a worldwide patent database and considered in the present review. Overall, this review highlighting strengths and weaknesses of the various biotechnological approaches developed and patented, so far, can be useful to address further studies to improve bioremediation performance and can represent a benchmark of information for bioremediation companies to identify and explore the most promising field applicable approaches
Life Cycle Assessment of Biomethane vs. Fossil Methane Production and Supply
No full textConsidering the current geopolitical situation that has hindered the gas supply gas from Russia, Europe’s main supplier, it is necessary to find alternative routes to guarantee the Italian gas stocks in winter at a reasonable cost. Such energetic strategies should consider the environmental sustainability of the different available options, fitting the targets of the EU environmental policy. With the aim of supplying a quantitative tool to support the European green transition, this paper reports the entire life cycle assessment (LCA) of three different options for the production and supply of natural gas/methane in Italy: the production of biomethane from biogas (considering a real-scale plant in Italy), the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplied by Qatar by vessel, and the use of compressed gas delivered from Algeria via pipeline. The application of the LCA standardized method allowed for the quantification of the environmental benefit provided by the first option, against all the considered impact categories, thanks to a combination of several advantages: (a) its low-impact anaerobic production, (b) its exploitation of a waste product from the food/agriculture industries, and (c) its production of valuable by-products, which can be considered environmental credits. The results proved the possible environmental gain resulting from an integrated energy supply system that would be able to enhance the economic fabric of specific areas
Bioremediation of sediments contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: the technological innovation patented review
No full textSediment contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons represents a major environmental concern worldwide. The different remediation strategies proposed are mainly based on physico-chemical and biological approaches. Physico-chemical methods (also referred to as conventional methods), although more efficient in several cases, are considered as less sustainable as a result of their higher environmental and economic costs. Biotechnological methods on the other hand, which make use of microorganisms and/or their metabolic products, have received increased attention as a more environment friendly and less costly alternative, although usually more time consuming. The various biotechnological approaches developed and patented on bioremediation of sediments polluted with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are presented in this review, as well as some soil bioremediation methods considered applicable to sediments. Patents on sediment microbial fuel cells and other electrokinetic approaches are also included as considerable advances have been made in this field. Over 150 patents dating from 1995 to 2019 were collected from Espacenet platform, a worldwide patent database and considered in the present review. Overall, this review highlighting strengths and weaknesses of the various biotechnological approaches developed and patented, so far, can be useful to address further studies to improve bioremediation performance and can represent a benchmark of information for bioremediation companies to identify and explore the most promising field applicable approaches
Determinants of erectile dysfunction changes in HIV infected men: a prospective study.
No full textA high prevalence of erectile dysfunction /ED) has been reported in HIV-infected men. However factors associated with ED are poorly understood and the role of antiretroviral therapy, especially PIs, is unclear. The aims of this study were to evaluate prevalence of ED and identify factors associated with improvement in ED during a mean follow up of 1.5years among 67 HIV infected men
Institutional Resistance to Religious Diversity in Prisons: Comparative Reflections Based on Studies in Eastern Germany, Italy and Switzerland
No full textThis article explores the way in which prison institutions resist to religious diversity in three national contexts: Italy, Germany and Switzerland. The author observes a phenomenon which contributes to this resistance and that she calls ‘institutional neutralisation of Christianity'. Although they are secular state institutions, prisons' profound Christian heritage impacts at a variety of levels beyond their chaplaincies. With the help of Durkheim's and Foucault's contributions on punishment, the author identifies in the punishment-rehabilitation complex a mediator of this Christian heritage contributing to its institutional neutralisation. An illustration of these theoretical insights by empirical observation concludes the article
Measuring the quality of motivational interviewing in primary health care encounters: The development and validation of the motivational interviewing assessment scale (MIAS)
No full textBackground: Motivational interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, goal-oriented method to help patients change behaviour. Tools that are often used to measure MI are the motivational interviewing skills code' (MISC), the motivational interviewing treatment integrity' (MITI) and the behaviour change counselling index' (BECCI). The first two instruments have not been designed to be used in primary healthcare (PHC) settings. The BECCI actually is time-consuming. The motivational interviewing assessment scale (MIAS, 'EVEM' in Spanish) was developed to measure MI in PHC encounters as an alternative to the previous instruments.Objectives: To validate MIAS as an instrument to assess the quality of MI in PHC settings.Methods: (a) Development: Sixteen experts in MI participated in the design, face and consensus validity, using a Delphi-type methodology. (b) Validation: Setting: 27 PHC centres located in Spain. Subjects: four experts in MI tested its psychometric properties with 332 video recordings coming from the Dislip-EM study (consultations provided by 37 practitioners). Measurements: dimensionality, internal consistency, reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient-ICC), sensitivity to change and convergent validity with the BECCI scale.Results: A 14-item scale was obtained after the validation process. Factor analysis: two factors explained 76.6% of the total variance. Internal consistency, alpha=0.99. Reliability: intra-rater ICC=0.96; inter-rater ICC=0.97. Sensitivity to change: means before and after training were 23.63 versus 38.57 (P< 0.001). Spearman’s coefficient between the MIAS and the BECCI scale was0.98 (P < 0.001).Conclusion: The MIAS is a consistent and reliable instrument to assess the use of MI in PHC settings.S
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