Non linear response of planar asymmetric systems

The seismic behaviour of one-storey asymmetric structures has been studied since 1970s by a number of researches studies which identified the coupled nature of the translational-to-torsional response of those class of systems leading to severe displacement magnifications at the perimeter frames and therefore to significant increase of local peak seismic demand to the structural elements with respect to those of equivalent not-eccentric systems (Kan and Chopra 1987). These studies identified the fundamental parameters (such as the fundamental period TL normalized eccentricity e and the torsional-to-lateral frequency ratio Ωϑ) governing the torsional behavior of in-plan asymmetric structures and trends of behavior. It has been clearly recognized that asymmetric structures characterized by Ωϑ >1, referred to as torsionally-stiff systems, behave quite different form structures with Ωϑ <1, referred to as torsionally-flexible systems. Previous research works by some of the authors proposed a simple closed-form estimation of the maximum torsional response of one-storey elastic systems (Trombetti et al. 2005 and Palermo et al. 2010) leading to the so called “Alpha-method” for the evaluation of the displacement magnification factors at the corner sides. The present paper provides an upgrade of the “Alpha Method” removing the assumption of linear elastic response of the system. The main objective is to evaluate how the excursion of the structural elements in the inelastic field (due to the reaching of yield strength) affects the displacement demand of one-storey in-plan asymmetric structures. The system proposed by Chopra and Goel in 2007, which is claimed to be able to capture the main features of the non-linear response of in-plan asymmetric system, is used to perform a large parametric analysis varying all the fundamental parameters of the system, including the inelastic demand by varying the force reduction factor from 2 to 5. Magnification factors for different force reduction factor are proposed and comparisons with the results obtained from linear analysis are provided.

Development of a microgrid with renewable energy sources and electrochemical storage system integration

Beside the traditional paradigm of "centralized" power generation, a new concept of "distributed" generation is emerging, in which the same user becomes pro-sumer. During this transition, the Energy Storage Systems (ESS) can provide multiple services and features, which are necessary for a higher quality of the electrical system and for the optimization of non-programmable Renewable Energy Source (RES) power plants. A ESS prototype was designed, developed and integrated into a renewable energy production system in order to create a smart microgrid and consequently manage in an efficient and intelligent way the energy flow as a function of the power demand. The produced energy can be introduced into the grid, supplied to the load directly or stored in batteries. The microgrid is composed by a 7 kW wind turbine (WT) and a 17 kW photovoltaic (PV) plant are part of. The load is given by electrical utilities of a cheese factory. The ESS is composed by the following two subsystems, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and a Power Control System (PCS). With the aim of sizing the ESS, a Remote Grid Analyzer (RGA) was designed, realized and connected to the wind turbine, photovoltaic plant and the switchboard. Afterwards, different electrochemical storage technologies were studied, and taking into account the load requirements present in the cheese factory, the most suitable solution was identified in the high temperatures salt Na-NiCl2 battery technology. The data acquisition from all electrical utilities provided a detailed load analysis, indicating the optimal storage size equal to a 30 kW battery system. Moreover a container was designed and realized to locate the BESS and PCS, meeting all the requirements and safety conditions. Furthermore, a smart control system was implemented in order to handle the different applications of the ESS, such as peak shaving or load levelling.

Lateral spreading and associated slope processes in fractured rock slabs

Landslides of the lateral spreading type, involving brittle geological units overlying ductile terrains, are a common occurrence in the sandstone and limestone plateaux of the northern Apennines of Italy. These instability phenomena can become particularly risky, when historical towns and cultural heritage sites built on the top of them are endangered. Neverthless, the mechanisms controlling the developing of related instabilities, i.e. toppling and rock falls, at the edges of rock plateaux are not fully understood yet. In addition, the groundwater flow path developing at the contact between the more permeable units, i.e. the jointed rock slab, and the relatively impermeable clay-rich units have not been already studied in details, even if they may play a role in this kind of instability processes, acting as eventual predisposing and/or triggering factors. Field survey, Terrestrial Laser Scanner and Close Range Photogrammetry techniques, laboratory tests on the involved materials, hydrogeological monitoring and modelling, displacements evaluation and stability analysis through continuum and discontinuum numerical codes have been performed on the San Leo case study, with the aim to bring further insights for the understanding and the assessment of the slope processes taking place in this geological context. The current research permitted to relate the aquifer behaviour of the rocky slab to slope instability processes. The aquifer hosted in the fractured slab leads to the development of perennial and ephemeral springs at the contact between the two units. The related piping erosion phenomena, together with slope processes in the clay-shales led to the progressive undermining of the slab. The cliff becomes progressively unstable due to undermining and undergoes large-scale landslides due to fall or topple.

Entwicklung und Charakterisierung eines Drop-on-Demand-Aerosolgenerators für die Probenzuführung kleinster Flüssigkeitsmengen in der analytischen Atomspektroskopie

Die pneumatische Zerstäubung ist die häufigste Methode der Probenzuführung von Flüssigkeiten in der Plasmaspektrometrie. Trotz der bekannten Limitierungen dieser Systeme, wie die hohen Probenverluste, finden diese Zerstäuber aufgrund ihrer guten Robustheit eine breite Anwendung. Die flussratenabhängige Aerosolcharakteristik und pumpenbasierte Signalschwankungen limitieren bisher Weiterentwicklungen. Diese Probleme werden umso gravierender, je weiter die notwendige Miniaturisierung dieser Systeme fortschreitet. Der neuartige Ansatz dieser Arbeit basiert auf dem Einsatz modifizierter Inkjet-Druckerpatronen für die Dosierung von pL-Tropfen. Ein selbst entwickelter Mikrokontroller ermöglicht den Betrieb von matrixkodierten Patronen des Typs HP45 mit vollem Zugriff auf alle essentiellen Betriebsparameter. Durch die neuartige Aerosoltransportkammer gelang die effiziente Kopplung des Tropfenerzeugungssystems an ein ICP-MS. Das so aufgebaute drop-on-demand-System (DOD) zeigt im Vergleich zu herkömmlichen und miniaturisierten Zerstäubern eine deutlich gesteigerte Empfindlichkeit (8 - 18x, elementabhängig) bei leicht erhöhtem, aber im Grunde vergleichbarem Signalrauschen. Darüber hinaus ist die Flexibilität durch die große Zahl an Freiheitsgraden des Systems überragend. So ist die Flussrate über einen großen Bereich variabel (5 nL - 12,5 µL min-1), ohne dabei die primäre Aerosolcharakteristik zu beeinflussen, welche vom Nutzer durch Wahl der elektrischen Parameter bestimmt wird. Das entwickelte Probenzuführungssystem ist verglichen mit dem pneumatischen Referenzsystem weniger anfällig gegenüber Matrixeffekten beim Einsatz von realen Proben mit hohen Anteilen gelöster Substanzen. So gelingt die richtige Quantifizierung von fünf Metallen im Spurenkonzentrationsbereich (Li, Sr, Mo, Sb und Cs) in nur 12 µL Urin-Referenzmaterial mittels externer Kalibrierung ohne Matrixanpassung. Wohingegen beim pneumatischen Referenzsystem die aufwändigere Standardadditionsmethode sowie über 250 µL Probenvolumen für eine akkurate Bestimmung der Analyten nötig sind. Darüber hinaus wird basierend auf der Dosierfrequenz eines dualen DOD-Systems eine neuartige Kalibrierstrategie vorgestellt. Bei diesem Ansatz werden nur eine Standard- und eine Blindlösung anstelle einer Reihe unterschiedlich konzentrierter Standards benötigt, um eine lineare Kalibrierfunktion zu erzeugen. Zusätzlich wurde mittels selbst entwickelter, zeitlich aufgelöster ICP-MS umfangreiche Rauschspektren aufgenommen. Aus diesen gelang die Ermittlung der Ursache des erhöhten Signalrauschens des DOD, welches maßgeblich durch das zeitlich nicht äquidistante Eintreffen der Tropfen am Detektor verursacht wird. Diese Messtechnik erlaubt auch die Detektion einzeln zugeführter Tropfen, wodurch ein Vergleich der Volumenverteilung der mittels ICP-MS detektierten, gegenüber den generierten und auf optischem Wege charakterisierten Tropfen möglich wurde. Dieses Werkzeug ist für diagnostische Untersuchungen äußerst hilfreich. So konnte aus diesen Studien neben der Aufklärung von Aerosoltransportprozessen die Transporteffizienz des DOD ermittelt werden, welche bis zu 94 Vol.-% beträgt.

Mikrobielle Prozesskontrolle in Biogasanlagen durch Monitoring der Kohlenstoff-Isotopenverhältnisse im Gasbereich

Der zunehmende Anteil von Strom aus erneuerbaren Energiequellen erfordert ein dynamisches Konzept, um Spitzenlastzeiten und Versorgungslücken aus der Wind- und Solarenergie ausgleichen zu können. Biogasanlagen können aufgrund ihrer hohen energetischen Verfügbarkeit und der Speicherbarkeit von Biogas eine flexible Energiebereitstellung ermöglichen und darüber hinaus über ein „Power-to-Gas“-Verfahren bei einem kurzzeitigen Überschuss von Strom eine Überlastung des Stromnetzes verhindern. Ein nachfrageorientierter Betrieb von Biogasanlagen stellt jedoch hohe Anforderungen an die Mikrobiologie im Reaktor, die sich an die häufig wechselnden Prozessbedingungen wie der Raumbelastung im Reaktor anpassen muss. Eine Überwachung des Fermentationsprozesses in Echtzeit ist daher unabdingbar, um Störungen in den mikrobiellen Gärungswegen frühzeitig erkennen und adäquat entgegenwirken zu können. rnBisherige mikrobielle Populationsanalysen beschränken sich auf aufwendige, molekularbiologische Untersuchungen des Gärsubstrates, deren Ergebnisse dem Betreiber daher nur zeitversetzt zur Verfügung stehen. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde erstmalig ein Laser-Absorptionsspektrometer zur kontinuierlichen Messung der Kohlenstoff-Isotopenverhältnisse des Methans an einer Forschungsbiogasanlage erprobt. Dabei konnten, in Abhängigkeit der Raumbelastung und Prozessbedingungen variierende Isotopenverhältnisse gemessen werden. Anhand von Isolaten aus dem untersuchten Reaktor konnte zunächst gezeigt werden, dass für jeden Methanogenesepfad (hydrogeno-troph, aceto¬klastisch sowie methylotroph) eine charakteristische, natürliche Isotopensignatur im Biogas nachgewiesen werden kann, sodass eine Identifizierung der aktuell dominierenden methanogenen Reaktionen anhand der Isotopen-verhältnisse im Biogas möglich ist. rnDurch den Einsatz von 13C- und 2H-isotopen¬markierten Substraten in Rein- und Mischkulturen und Batchreaktoren, sowie HPLC- und GC-Unter¬suchungen der Stoffwechselprodukte konnten einige bislang unbekannte C-Flüsse in Bioreaktoren festgestellt werden, die sich wiederum auf die gemessenen Isotopenverhältnisse im Biogas auswirken können. So konnte die Entstehung von Methanol sowie dessen mikrobieller Abbauprodukte bis zur finalen CH4-Bildung anhand von fünf Isolaten erstmalig in einer landwirtschaftlichen Biogasanlage rekonstruiert und das Vorkommen methylotropher Methanogenesewege nachgewiesen werden. Mithilfe molekularbiologischer Methoden wurden darüber hinaus methanoxidierende Bakterien zahlreicher, unbekannter Arten im Reaktor detektiert, deren Vorkommen aufgrund des geringen O2-Gehaltes in Biogasanlagen bislang nicht erwartet wurde. rnDurch die Konstruktion eines synthetischen DNA-Stranges mit den Bindesequenzen für elf spezifische Primerpaare konnte eine neue Methode etabliert werden, anhand derer eine Vielzahl mikrobieller Zielorganismen durch die Verwendung eines einheitlichen Kopienstandards in einer real-time PCR quantifiziert werden können. Eine über 70 Tage durchgeführte, wöchentliche qPCR-Analyse von Fermenterproben zeigte, dass die Isotopenverhältnisse im Biogas signifikant von der Zusammensetzung der Reaktormikrobiota beeinflusst sind. Neben den aktuell dominierenden Methanogenesewegen war es auch möglich, einige bakterielle Reaktionen wie eine syntrophe Acetatoxidation, Acetogenese oder Sulfatreduktion anhand der δ13C (CH4)-Werte zu identifizieren, sodass das hohe Potential einer kontinuierlichen Isotopenmessung zur Prozessanalytik in Biogasanlagen aufgezeigt werden konnte.rn

Prokaryotic community structure in ultra-slow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge.

The Southwest Indian Ridge segment that extends between 10° and 16° E has the slowest spreading rate of any other oceanic ridge (about 8.4 mm/year). In 2013 during the expedition ANTXXIX/8 seismology, geology, microbiology, heat flow analyses were carried out. Here, no hydrothermal plumes or black smoker systems were found but the results of the survey allowed to identify areas with peculiar characteristics: Area 1 with higher heat flux bsf; Area 2 where in 2002 the presence of hydrothermal emissions was hypothesized (Bach et al., 2002); Area 3 with anomalies of methane, ammonium, sulphide and dissolved inorganic carbon in pore water sediment profiles, and recovery of fauna vents. All these aspects suggest the presence of a hydrothermal circulation. Using Illumina 16S gene tag, statistical tools and phylogenetic trees, I provided a biological proof of the presence of hydrothermal circulation in this ridge segment. At Area 3, alpha and beta diversity indexes showed similarities with those described for venting microbial communities and about 40-70% of the dominant microbial community was found phylogenetically related to clones isolated hydrothermal-driven environments. Although the majority of chemosynthetic environment related taxa were not classified like autotrophic prokaryotes, some of them are key taxa in support of the presence of hydrothermal circulation, since they are partners of consortia or mediate specific reaction typically described for hydrothermal and seep environments, or are specialized organisms in exploiting labile organic substrates. Concluding, these results are remarkable because support the importance of ultra slow spreading ridge systems in contributing to global geochemical cycles and larval dispersion of vent fauna.

Specific processing of tenascin-C by the metalloprotease meprinbeta neutralizes its inhibition of cell spreading

The metalloprotease meprin has been implicated in tissue remodelling due to its capability to degrade extracellular matrix components. Here, we investigated the susceptibility of tenascin-C to cleavage by meprinbeta and the functional properties of its proteolytic fragments. A set of monoclonal antibodies against chicken and human tenascin-C allowed the mapping of proteolytic fragments generated by meprinbeta. In chicken tenascin-C, meprinbeta processed all three major splicing variants by removal of 10kDa N-terminal and 38kDa C-terminal peptides, leaving a large central part of subunits intact. A similar cleavage pattern was found for large human tenascin-C variant where two N-terminal peptides (10 or 15kDa) and two C-terminal fragments (40 and 55kDa) were removed from the intact subunit. N-terminal sequencing revealed the exact amino acid positions of cleavage sites. In both chicken and human tenascin-C N-terminal cleavages occurred just before and/or after the heptad repeats involved in subunit oligomerization. In the human protein, an additional cleavage site was identified in the alternative fibronectin type III repeat D. Whereas all these sites are known to be attacked by several other proteases, a unique cleavage by meprinbeta was located to the 7th constant fibronectin type III repeat in both chicken and human tenascin-C, thereby removing the C-terminal domain involved in its anti-adhesive activity. In cell adhesion assays meprinbeta-digested human tenascin-C was not able to interfere with fibronectin-mediated cell spreading, confirming cleavage in the anti-adhesive domain. Whereas the expression of meprinbeta and tenascin-C does not overlap in normal colon tissue, inflamed lesions of the mucosa from patients with Crohn's disease exhibited many meprinbeta-positive leukocytes in regions where tenascin-C was strongly induced. Our data indicate that, at least under pathological conditions, meprinbeta might attack specific functional sites in tenascin-C that are important for its oligomerization and anti-adhesive activity.

Local pain and spreading hyperalgesia induced by intramuscular injection of nerve growth factor are not reduced by local anesthesia of the muscle

Injections with local anesthesia for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes are common clinical practice. This double-blind placebo controlled study explores the rational of local anesthetic blocks for the detection of muscle pain as the primary generator in spreading hyperalgesic conditions.

Increasing Utilization of US Electric Grids via Smart Technologies: Integration of Load Management, Real Time Pricing, Renewables, EVs and Smart Grid Sensors

Electric power grids throughout the world suffer from serious inefficiencies associated with under-utilization due to demand patterns, engineering design and load following approaches in use today. These grids consume much of the world’s energy and represent a large carbon footprint. From material utilization perspectives significant hardware is manufactured and installed for this infrastructure often to be used at less than 20-40% of its operational capacity for most of its lifetime. These inefficiencies lead engineers to require additional grid support and conventional generation capacity additions when renewable technologies (such as solar and wind) and electric vehicles are to be added to the utility demand/supply mix. Using actual data from the PJM [PJM 2009] the work shows that consumer load management, real time price signals, sensors and intelligent demand/supply control offer a compelling path forward to increase the efficient utilization and carbon footprint reduction of the world’s grids. Underutilization factors from many distribution companies indicate that distribution feeders are often operated at only 70-80% of their peak capacity for a few hours per year, and on average are loaded to less than 30-40% of their capability. By creating strong societal connections between consumers and energy providers technology can radically change this situation. Intelligent deployment of smart sensors, smart electric vehicles, consumer-based load management technology very high saturations of intermittent renewable energy supplies can be effectively controlled and dispatched to increase the levels of utilization of existing utility distribution, substation, transmission, and generation equipment. The strengthening of these technology, society and consumer relationships requires rapid dissemination of knowledge (real time prices, costs & benefit sharing, demand response requirements) in order to incentivize behaviors that can increase the effective use of technological equipment that represents one of the largest capital assets modern society has created.

Demonstration of epitope-spreading phenomena in bullous pemphigoid: results of a prospective multicenter study

Bullous pemphigoid (BP), the most common autoimmune subepidermal bullous disease, is associated with an autoantibody response to BP180 and BP230, two components of junctional adhesion complexes in human skin promoting dermo-epidermal cohesion. Retrospective analyses demonstrated that these autoantigens harbor several epitopes targeted by autoaggressive B and T cells. The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to assess the evolution of IgG autoantibodies in 35 BP patients over a 12-month observation period. Epitope-spreading (ES) events were detected in 17 of 35 BP patients (49%). They preferentially occurred in an early stage of the disease and were significantly related to disease severity at diagnosis. Moreover, in three patients, spreading of IgG reactivity to intracellular epitopes of BP180 and BP230 was preceded by recognition of the BP180 ectodomain. Finally, IgG reactivity with extracellular epitopes of BP180 and intracellular epitopes of BP230 correlated with the severity of BP in disease course. These findings support the idea that IgG recognition of the BP180 ectodomain is an early and crucial event in BP disease, followed by variable intra- and intermolecular ES events, which likely shape the individual course of BP.

Provenance signature of a forearc basin modified by spreading ridge subduction: Detrital zircon geochronology and detrital modes from the Paleogene Arkose Ridge Formation, southern Alaska

Upper Paleocene–Eocene boulder conglomerate, cross-stratified sandstone, and laminated carbonaceous mudstone of the Arkose Ridge Formation exposed in the southern Talkeetna Mountains record fluvial-lacustrine deposition proximal to the volcanic arc in a forearc basin modified by Paleogene spreading ridge subduction beneath southern Alaska. U-Pb ages of detrital zircon grains and modal analyses were obtained from stratigraphic sections spanning the 2,000 m thick Arkose Ridge Formation in order to constrain the lithology, age, and location of sediment sources that provided detritus. Detrital modes from 24 conglomerate beds and 54 sandstone thin sections aredominated by plutonic and volcanic clasts and plagioclase feldspar with minor quartz, schist, hornblende, argillite, and metabasalt. Westernmost sandstone and conglomerate strata contain <5% volcanic clasts whereas easternmost sandstone and conglomerate strata contain 40 to >80% volcanic clasts. Temporally, eastern sandstones andconglomerates exhibit an upsection increase in volcanic detritus from <40 to >80% volcanic clasts. U-Pb ages from >1400 detrital zircons in 15 sandstone samples reveal three main populations: late Paleocene–Eocene (60-48 Ma; 16% of all grains), Late Cretaceous–early Paleocene (85–60 Ma; 62%) and Jurassic–Early Cretaceous (200–100 Ma; 12%). A plot of U/Th vs U-Pb ages shows that >97% of zircons are <200 Ma and>99% of zircons have <10 U/Th ratios, consistent with mainly igneous source terranes. Strata show increased enrichment in late Paleocene–Eocene detrital zircons from <2% in the west to >25% in the east. In eastern sections, this younger age population increases temporally from 0% in the lower 50 m of the section to >40% in samples collected >740 m above the base. Integration of the compositional and detrital geochronologic data suggests: (1) Detritus was eroded mainly from igneous sources exposed directly north of the Arkose Ridge Formation strata, mainly Jurassic–Paleocene plutons and Paleocene–Eocenevolcanic centers. Subordinate metamorphic detritus was eroded from western Mesozoic low-grade metamorphic sources. Subordinate sedimentary detritus was eroded from eastern Mesozoic sedimentary sources. (2) Eastern deposystems received higher proportions of juvenile volcanic detritus through time, consistent with construction of adjacent slab-window volcanic centers during Arkose Ridge Formation deposition. (3)Western deposystems transported detritus from Jurassic–Paleocene arc plutons that flank the northwestern basin margin. (4) Metasedimentary strata of the Chugach accretionaryprism, exposed 20-50 km south of the Arkose Ridge Formation, did not contribute abundant detritus. Conventional provenance models predict reduced input of volcanic detritus to forearc basins during exhumation of the volcanic edifice and increasing exposure ofsubvolcanic plutons (Dickinson, 1995; Ingersoll and Eastmond, 2007). In the forearc strata of these conventional models, sandstone modal analyses record progressive increases upsection in quartz and feldspar concomitant with decreases in lithic grains, mainly volcanic lithics. Additionally, as the arc massif denudes through time, theyoungest detrital U-Pb zircon age populations become significantly older than the age of forearc deposition as the arc migrates inboard or ceases magmatism. Westernmost strata of the Arkose Ridge Formation are consistent with this conventional model. However, easternmost strata of the Arkose Ridge Formation contain sandstone modes that record an upsection increase in lithic grains accompanied by a decrease in quartz and feldspar, and detrital zircon age populations that closely match the age of deposition. This deviation from the conventional model is due to the proximity of the easternmost strata to adjacent juvenile volcanic rocks emplaced by slab-window volcanic processes. Provenance data from the Arkose Ridge Formation show that forearc basins modified by spreading ridge subduction may record upsection increases in non-arc, syndepositional volcanic detritusdue to contemporaneous accumulation of thick volcanic sequences at slab-window volcanic centers. This change may occur locally at the same time that other regions of the forearc continue to receive increasing amounts of plutonic detritus as the remnant arc denudes, resulting in complex lateral variations in forearc basin petrofacies and chronofacies.