L'isolamento acustico di facciate, partizioni e solai: un caso di studio a Borgo Montone, provincia di Ravenna.

La presente tesi si occuperà di studiare l'efficienza delle partizioni orizzontali e verticali di un edificio facente parte di un complesso situato a Borgo Montone, in provincia di Ravenna, costruito dalla ditta Acmar, sotto il piano acustico: saranno cercate le conferme dei dati teorici degli elementi costruttivi in un riscontro con i dati acustici studiati nuovamente attraverso le formule. Saranno tenuti in particolare considerazione l'isolamento acustico di facciata, l'isolamento acustico tra partizioni interne ed, infine, la prestazione acustica dei solai.

A finite-volume shallow layer method for the MHD instabilities in an aluminium production cell

An electrolytic cell for Aluminium production contains molten metal and molten electrolyte, which are subject to high dc-currents and magnetic fields. Lorentz forces arising from the cross product of current and magnetic field may amplify natural gravity waves at the interface between the two fluids, leading to short circuits in extreme cases. The external magnetic field and current distribution in the production cell is computed through a detailed finite element analysis at Torino Polytechnic. The results are then used to compute the magnetohydrodynamic and thermal effects in the aluminium/electrolyte bath. Each cell has lateral dimensions of 6m x 2m, whilst the bath depth is only 30cm. the electrically resistive electrolyte path, which is critical in the operation of the cell, has layer depth of only a few centimetres below each carbon anode. Because the shallow dimensions of the liquid layer a finite-volume shallow-layer technique has been used at Greenwich to compute the resulting flow-field and interface perturbations. The information obtained from this method, i.e. depth averaged velocities and aluminium/electrolyte interface position is then embedded in the three-dimensional finite volume code PHYSICA and will be used to compute the heat transfer and phase change in the cell.

Does the nasogastric tube has a role in elective colo-rectal surgery?

Introduction. Routine use of nasogastric tubes (NGT) after abdominal operations is intended to hasten the return of bowel function, diminish the risk of anastomotic leakage and prevent pulmonary complications. The aim of our study was to prospectively assess the tolerability and the safety of the non use of NGT after elective colorectal open operations. Patients and methods. Between March 2009 and December 2010, 110 consecutive patients underwent colo-rectal elective open surgery for neoplasm without nasogastric decompression. We analyzed the incidence of nausea and vomiting, the pulmonary complications, the return of bowel function the deep wound breakdown (fascial dehiscence) and the anastomotic leakage. Results. Only 15 patients (13,6%) reported nausea without vomiting immediately after surgery and 9 cases of vomiting were observed (8%), requiring the insertion of the NGT (nasogastric tube) in 5 (4,5%). A total of 105 patients (96,3%) were NGT free. No deep wound dehiscence was observed and only one real pneumonia occurred. Anastomotic dehiscence occured in 4 patients (3,6%) and a second surgical procedure was needed in three cases. The return of bowel function, except in the last four patients, occurred in 3,8 days average (range 2-7 days). Conclusion. We confirm the uselessness of the NGT in the framework of fast track program adopted in elective open colo-rectal surgery.

Nuevos catalizadores para la metátesis de olefinas en medio acuoso

La presente invención se relaciona con nuevos complejos de rutenio de fórmula general I, así como con su procedimiento de obtención, su aplicación como catalizadores en la metátesis de olefinas y con composiciones catalíticas que los contienen.

Surgical strategy for the treatment of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma: our experience

Background. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare disease which accounts for approximately 5-9% of all thyroid cancers and originates from the calcitonin-secerning parafollicular C cells. MTC can be divided into two subgroups: sporadic (75%) or inherited (25%). The majority of patients with invasive MTC have metastasis to regional lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis, as evidenced by the frequent finding of persistently elevated calcitonin levels after thyroidectomy and the high rates of recurrence in the cervical lymph nodes reported in retrospective studies. Objectives. The purpose of the study is to review our single institution's experience with MTC since 1998 and to evaluate surgical strategy, patterns of lymph node metastases and calcitonin response to compartment-oriented lymphadenectomy in patients with primary or recurrent sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma. Methods. A retrospective review of 26 patients treated for MTC at the “Antonio Cardarelli” Hospital referral center, in Naples, between 1998 and 2012. There were 18 female and 8 male patients, median age at presentation was 55 years, and median follow-up for survivors was 5 years. Total thyroidectomy was performed in all 26 patients; central compartment (CC) node dissection (level VI) in 12 (46%) patients; central plus lateral compartment (LC) node dissection (levels II, III, and IV) in 7 (27%) patients. 4 patients (15%) underwent reoperation for loco-regional recurrent/persistent MTC. Results. After a median post-surgical follow-up of 5 years (range 1-10 years), 63 % of patients were living disease-free, 15% were living with disease and/or persistently elevated calcitonin levels after surgery, 11% were deceased due to MTC and 11 % were lost to follow-up. Conclusions. We agree with most authors advocating for a total thyroidectomy and prophylactic central neck dissection in the setting of clinically detected MTC. Lateral neck dissection may be best reserved for patients with positive preoperative imaging. Nevertheless MTC has a high rate of lymph node metastases that are sub optimally detected preoperatively in the central compartment by neck ultrasound or intra-operatively by the surgeon, and reoperation is associated with a higher rate of surgical complications. In our limited experience, patients with thyroid confined nodular pathology, without nodal disease and unknown preoperative diagnosis of MTC, underwent only total thyroidectomy with a good prognosis.

Proposta per un maglev urbano. Lineamenti di un progetto di ricerca industriale per lo sviluppo di un sistema di trasporto innovativo

L'oggetto della proposta è un sistema di trasporto guidato di media potenzialità destinato alle aree metropolitane, basato sulla tecnologia della levitazione magnetica. Utilizza magneti permanenti ad alta energia per la sostentazione; un motore lineare sincrono per la propulsione; un dispositivo meccanico, o elettromagnetico, per stabilizzare la guida assicurata dagli stessi magneti della sostentazione. Il contenuto innovativo dell'oggetto non si limita alla parte non convenzionale (levitazione), ma investe tutto il sistema, poiché l'offerta industriale di un sistema destinato alle aree metropolitane è vincente solo se riferita ad un sistema completo (infrastruttura, veicoli, alimentazione, sistema di sicurezza, modello di esercizio, gestione, manutenzione, …). Si descrive inoltre la particolare soluzione inedita con abitacolo sospeso al di sotto dell'involucro tecnologico (comprendente magneti di sostentamento, motore lineare, sistema di guida, sospensione secondaria).

An Unusual Complication of Transthoracic Lung Biopsy

Objectives: We report a case of a frail older adult affected by Chilaiditi syndrome complicating transthoracic lung biopsy, which has never been presented before in the literature. Materials and methods: After illustration of our case, we review the available literature about Chilaiditi syndrome. Results: Chilaiditi syndrome is a rare disease characterised by the interposition of colonic segments between the liver and diaphragm associated with mild to severe clinical symptoms. Conclusion: Although it is uncommon, Chilaiditi syndrome is a clinical condition that should be recognized early and differentiated from other diseases since it may significantly impair a patient’s prognosis.

Fast-Track Authority and International Trade Negotiations

Fast Track Authority (FTA) is the institutional procedure in the Unites States whereby Congress grants to the President the power to negotiate international trade agreements. Under FTA, Congress can only approve or reject negotiated trade deals, with no possibility of amending them. In this paper, we examine the determinants of FTA voting decisions and the implications of this institutional procedure for trade negotiations. We describe a simple two-country trade model, in which industries are unevenly distributed across con- stituencies. In the foreign country, trade negotiating authority is delegated to the executive, while in the home country Congress can retain the power to amend trade agreements. We show that legislators’ FTA voting behavior depends on the trade policy interests of their own constituencies as well as those of the majority of Congress. Empirical analysis of the determinants of all FTA votes between 1974 (when fast track was first introduced) and 2002 (when it was last granted) provides strong support for the predictions of our model.

Democratic Peace and Electoral Accountability

One of the few stylized facts in international relations is that democracies, unlike autoc- racies, very rarely fight each other. We examine the sustainability of international peace between democracies and autocracies, where the crucial difference between these two po- litical regimes is whether or not policymakers are subject to periodic elections. We show that the fear of losing office can deter democratic leaders from engaging in military con- flicts. Crucially, this discipline effect can only be at work if incumbent leaders can be re-elected, implying that democracies in which the executives are subject to term limits should be more conflict prone. To assess the validity of our predictions, we construct a large dataset on countries with executive term limits. Our analysis of inter-state conflicts for the 1816-2001 period suggests that electoral incentives are indeed behind the democratic peace phenomenon: while democratic dyads are in general less likely to be involved in conflicts than any other dyads, this result does not hold for democracies in which the executive faces binding term limits; moreover, the dispute patterns of democracies with term limits depend on whether the executive is in the last or penultimate mandate.

Development of an organocatalytic method for the enantioselective synthesis of rivastigmine

The focus of this thesis was the study of a recently developed class of picolinamide cinchona alkaloid derivatives for the synthesis of Rivastigmine, a biologically active compound used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Six 9-picolinamide-cinchona alkaloid derivatives were successfully synthesized through simple and effective methods. These catalysts were then applied in the enantioselective reduction of O-protected ketimines (intermediates of Rivastigmine). The hydrosilylation of the N-phenyl ketimines afforded good results with excellent yields and high enantioselectivities, while much lower values, in terms of both enantioselectivity and yield, were obtained in the reduction of N-benzyl ketimines. Preliminary studies on the immobilization of these organocatalysts to different solid supports were conducted, with the purpose of applying them in continuous flow systems, which to date has never been reported; RESUMO: No âmbito deste trabalho, foi estudada a síntese de um composto biologicamente ativo usado para o tratamento da doença de Alzheimer, Rivastigmina, usando uma classe de picolinamidas derivadas de alcaloides de cinchona recentemente desenvolvida. Seis 9-picolinamida derivados de alcaloides de cinchona foram preparados com êxito através de metodologias simples e eficazes. Os organocatalisadores foram posteriormente aplicados na redução enantiosseletiva de cetiminas O-protegidas (intermediários de Rivastigmina). Foram obtidos bons resultados na hidrossililação de N-fenilo cetiminas, com rendimentos excelentes e elevadas enantiosseletividades, enquanto a redução de N-benzilo cetiminas proporcionou valores muito mais baixos, tanto em termos de rendimento como de enantiosseletividade. Com o objetivo de serem aplicados em sistemas de fluxo contínuo, realizaram-se estudos preliminares sobre a imobilização destes organocatalisadores em diferentes suportes sólidos, a qual, ate à data, ainda não foi descrita na literatura.

New insights on the development of fungal vaccines: from immunity to recent challenges

Fungal infections are emerging as a major problem in part due to high mortality associated with systemic infections, especially in the case of immunocompromised patients. With the development of new treatments for diseases such as cancer and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome pandemic, the number of immunosuppressed patients has increased and, as a consequence, also the number of invasive fungal infections has increased. Several studies have proposed new strategies for the development of effective fungal vaccines. In addition, better understanding of how the immune system works against fungal pathogens has improved the further development of these new vaccination strategies. As a result, some fungal vaccines have advanced through clinical trials. However, there are still many challenges that prevent the clinical development of fungal vaccines that can efficiently immunise subjects at risk of developing invasive fungal infections. In this review, we will discuss these new vaccination strategies and the challenges that they present. In the future with proper investments, fungal vaccines may soon become a reality.

Plasticity in leaf-level water relations of tropical rainforest trees in response to experimental drought.

The tropics are predicted to become warmer and drier, and understanding the sensitivity of tree species to drought is important for characterizing the risk to forests of climate change. This study makes use of a long-term drought experiment in the Amazon rainforest to evaluate the role of leaf-level water relations, leaf anatomy and their plasticity in response to drought in six tree genera. The variables (osmotic potential at full turgor, turgor loss point, capacitance, elastic modulus, relative water content and saturated water content) were compared between seasons and between plots (control and through-fall exclusion) enabling a comparison between short- and long-term plasticity in traits. Leaf anatomical traits were correlated with water relation parameters to determine whether water relations differed among tissues. The key findings were: osmotic adjustment occurred in response to the long-term drought treatment; species resistant to drought stress showed less osmotic adjustment than drought-sensitive species; and water relation traits were correlated with tissue properties, especially the thickness of the abaxial epidermis and the spongy mesophyll. These findings demonstrate that cell-level water relation traits can acclimate to long-term water stress, and highlight the limitations of extrapolating the results of short-term studies to temporal scales associated with climate change.

Il sistema Trauma Tracker - individuazione e analisi di parametri vitali acquisiti da monitor multiparametrico.

Lo scopo della presente tesi è lo studio e la progettazione di un sistema Hands-Free applicato in ambito Healthcare, volto ad aiutare il personale sanitario nello svolgimento delle mansioni lavorative. Il progetto, denominato Trauma Tracker, ha avuto origine grazie alla collaborazione con medici ed infermieri dell'ospedale Maurizio Bufalini di Cesena. In particolare, il sistema in prodotto si prende carico della compilazione del report finale contenente tutte le operazioni svolte sui pazienti nell'ambito del Pronto Soccorso, riducendo così notevolmente le possibilità di errori dovuti a fattori umani. Durante le fasi di sviluppo e progettazione sono state aggiunte ulteriori funzionalità al sistema, fino a farlo diventare vero e proprio oggetto incantato, in grado di esibire proprietà finora inimmaginabili in questo campo di applicazione. Trauma Tracker, almeno in queste prime fasi, non si propone come uno strumento immediatamente utilizzabile sul campo e pronto ad affiancare i medici, poiché necessiterebbe subito di qualità come robustezza ed affidabilità a livelli estremamente elevati. Per questo motivo il progetto è stato trattato come un "Proof of Concept", ossia un prototipo che ha lo scopo di dimostrare la fattibilità di tale sistema nella realtà, e di verificarne l'utilità una volta applicato in uno scenario concreto. L'argomento trattato ha quindi una grande importanza, poiché getta le basi di una tecnologia che un giorno potrà aiutare medici ed infermieri a svolgere al meglio l'impegnativo compito di salvare vite. In questa tesi, è stato approfondito in particolare il sottosistema utilizzato per il riconoscimento dei parametri vitali dal monitor multi-parametrico posto nei diversi reparti ospedalieri. Esso ha richiesto lunghe fasi di implementazione e collaudo per ottenere dei risultati soddisfacenti, che alla fine sono stati raggiunti.

Survey of demographic and phenotypic data of local pig breeds of Treasure Project

Local genetic resources represent an important reservoir of biodiversity in the animal sector. Sustainable use of these resources can be an important source of income for farmers taking advantage of the peculiar characteristics of their products. The different European local pig breeds have a different level of knowledge of their characteristics both at demographic and phenotypic level. This information, however, is fundamental to the management of the breeds and represent one of the first steps in a project for the enhancement of production. This paper reports the results of a survey on the demographic and phenotypic characterization of the 20 European local pig breeds involved in the TREASURE* project. The first part of the survey shows, for all populations involved, the available demographic parameters, the structure of the breed (i.e. number of males, females and replacements), the main morphological features, the reproductive information as well as some additional information collected at herd-level (i.e. temperament, holding, mating practices). A second module reports the results related to the origins and development of the breeds, to market characteristics and the presence and distribution of niche products. The survey concludes with a module related to the specific characteristics of each breed and the management of the same in relation to food and the environment. The survey is the starting point of the genetic and productive characterization of the breeds involved that are future actions of the TREASURE project.