Analisi del fine vita degli pneumatici attraverso una metodologia Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

This study aims to show the scope of environment impact due to tyre treatments. The study scrutinises a firm’s case, Marangoni S.p.A, which is one of the first pneumatics treatments firm with emphasis on disposed and recostructed exhausted pneumatics. In particular those pneumatic’s treatments are two: reconstruction (30% of the whole amount of the pneumatics given) and incineration (70% of the whole amount of the pneumatics given). With LCA methods (EcoIndicator 99, EPS 2000, EDIP 97, IMPACT 2002) it has been possible to value the impact on the environments in terms of human health, ecosystem quality and resources. In addition, comparison with the principal process and subsidiary processes within the main one has brought to highlight how some results could be understood in different way. This interpretation should bring politics and socials network to take decision in order to save our planet.

Analisi del comportamento a caldo dell'acciaio AISI - H11 per la stima della vita utile di matrici per estrusione

The effect of process parameters on the creep-fatigue behavior of a hot-work tool steel for aluminum extrusion die was investigated through a technological test in which the specimen geometry resembled the mandrel of a hollow extrusion die. Tests were performed on a Gleeble thermomechanical simulator by heating the specimen using joule’s effect and by applying cyclic loading up to 6.30 h or till specimen failure. Displacements during the tests at 380, 490, 540 and 580°C and under the average stresses of 400, 600 and 800 MPa were determined. In the first set of test a dwell time of 3 min was introduced during each of the tests to understand the creep behavior. The results showed that the test could indeed physically simulate the cyclic loading on the hollow die during extrusion and reveal all the mechanisms of creep-fatigue interaction. In the second set a pure fatigue laod were induced and in the third set a static creep load were induced in the specimens. Furher type of tests, finite element and microstructural analysis were presented.

Le cardiomiopatie nell'infanzia: quadri eziologici ed evolutivi nei primi anni di vita

Premessa: nell’aprile 2006, l’American Heart Association ha approvato la nuova definizione e classificazione delle cardiomiopatie (B. J. Maron e coll. 2006), riconoscendole come un eterogeneo gruppo di malattie associate a disfunzione meccanica e/o elettrica riconducibili ad un ampia variabilità di cause. La distinzione tra le varie forme si basa non più sui processi etiopatogenetici che ne sono alla base, ma sulla modalità di presentazione clinica della malattia. Si distinguono così le forme primarie, a prevalente od esclusivo interessamento cardiaco, dalle forme secondarie in cui la cardiomiopatia rientra nell’ambito di un disordine sistemico dove sono evidenziabili anche disturbi extracardiaci. La nostra attenzione è, nel presente studio, focalizzata sull’analisi delle cardiomiopatie diagnosticate nei primi anni di vita in cui si registra una più alta incidenza di forme secondarie rispetto all’adulto, riservando un particolare riguardo verso quelle forme associate a disordini metabolici. Nello specifico, il nostro obiettivo è quello di sottolineare l’influenza di una diagnosi precoce sull’evoluzione della malattia. Materiali e metodi: abbiamo eseguito uno studio descrittivo in base ad un’analisi retrospettiva di tutti i pazienti giunti all’osservazione del Centro di Cardiologia e Cardiochirurgia Pediatrica e dell’ Età Evolutiva del Policlinico S. Orsola- Malpighi di Bologna, dal 1990 al 2006, con diagnosi di cardiomiopatia riscontrata nei primi due anni di vita. Complessivamente sono stati studiati 40 pazienti di cui 20 con cardiomiopatia ipertrofica, 18 con cardiomiopatia dilatativa e 2 con cardiomiopatia restrittiva con un’età media alla diagnosi di 4,5 mesi (range:0-24 mesi). Per i pazienti descritti a partire dal 2002, 23 in totale, sono state eseguite le seguenti indagini metaboliche: emogasanalisi, dosaggio della carnitina, metabolismo degli acidi grassi liberi (pre e post pasto), aminoacidemia quantitativa (pre e post pasto), acidi organici, mucopolisaccaridi ed oligosaccaridi urinari, acilcarnitine. Gli stessi pazienti sono stati inoltre sottoposti a prelievo bioptico di muscolo scheletrico per l’analisi ultrastrutturale, e per l’analisi dell’attività enzimatica della catena respiratoria mitocondriale. Nella stessa seduta veniva effettuata la biopsia cutanea per l’eventuale valutazione di deficit enzimatici nei fibroblasti. Risultati: l’età media alla diagnosi era di 132 giorni (range: 0-540 giorni) per le cardiomiopatie ipertrofiche, 90 giorni per le dilatative (range: 0-210 giorni) mentre le 2 bambine con cardiomiopatia restrittiva avevano 18 e 24 mesi al momento della diagnosi. Le indagini metaboliche eseguite sui 23 pazienti ci hanno permesso di individuare 5 bambini con malattia metabolica (di cui 2 deficit severi della catena respiratoria mitocondriale, 1 con insufficienza della β- ossidazione per alterazione delle acilcarnitine , 1 con sindrome di Barth e 1 con malattia di Pompe) e un caso di cardiomiopatia dilatativa associata a rachitismo carenziale. Di questi, 4 sono deceduti e uno è stato perduto al follow-up mentre la forma associata a rachitismo ha mostrato un netto miglioramento della funzionalità cardiaca dopo appropriata terapia con vitamina D e calcio. In tutti la malattia era stata diagnosticata entro l’anno di vita. Ciò concorda con gli studi documentati in letteratura che associano le malattie metaboliche ad un esordio precoce e ad una prognosi infausta. Da un punto di vista morfologico, un’evoluzione severa si associava alla forma dilatativa, ed in particolare a quella con aspetto non compaction del ventricolo sinistro, rispetto alla ipertrofica e, tra le ipertrofiche, alle forme con ostruzione all’efflusso ventricolare. Conclusioni: in accordo con quanto riscontrato in letteratura, abbiamo visto come le cardiomiopatie associate a forme secondarie, ed in particolare a disordini metabolici, sono di più frequente riscontro nella prima infanzia rispetto alle età successive e, per questo, l’esordio molto precoce di una cardiomiopatia deve essere sempre sospettata come l’espressione di una malattia sistemica. Abbiamo osservato, inoltre, una stretta correlazione tra l’età del bambino alla diagnosi e l’evoluzione della cardiomiopatia, registrando un peggioramento della prognosi in funzione della precocità della manifestazione clinica. In particolare la diagnosi eseguita in epoca prenatale si associava, nella maggior parte dei casi, ad un’evoluzione severa, comportandosi come una variabile indipendente da altri fattori prognostici. Riteniamo, quindi, opportuno sottoporre tutti i bambini con diagnosi di cardiomiopatia effettuata nei primi anni di vita ad uno screening metabolico completo volto ad individuare quelle forme per le quali sia possibile intraprendere una terapia specifica o, al contrario, escludere disordini che possano controindicare, o meno, l’esecuzione di un trapianto cardiaco qualora se ne presenti la necessità clinica.

Formazione, apprendimento e nuove prospettive e-learning. Lo sviluppo delle nuove tecnologie didattiche e la creazione di sistemi di apprendimento lungo l’intero arco della vita

The thesis of this paper is based on the assumption that the socio-economic system in which we are living is characterised by three great trends: growing attention to the promotion of human capital; extremely rapid technological progress, based above all on the information and communication technologies (ICT); the establishment of new production and organizational set-ups. These transformation processes pose a concrete challenge to the training sector, which is called to satisfy the demand for new skills that need to be developed and disseminated. Hence the growing interest that the various training sub-systems devote to the issues of lifelong learning and distance learning. In such a context, the so-called e-learning acquires a central role. The first chapter proposes a reference theoretical framework for the transformations that are shaping post-industrial society. It analyzes some key issues such as: how work is changing, the evolution of organizational set-ups and the introduction of learning organization, the advent of the knowledge society and of knowledge companies, the innovation of training processes, and the key role of ICT in the new training and learning systems. The second chapter focuses on the topic of e-learning as an effective training model in response to the need for constant learning that is emerging in the knowledge society. This chapter starts with a reflection on the importance of lifelong learning and introduces the key arguments of this thesis, i.e. distance learning (DL) and the didactic methodology called e-learning. It goes on with an analysis of the various theoretic and technical aspects of e-learning. In particular, it delves into the theme of e-learning as an integrated and constant training environment, characterized by customized programmes and collaborative learning, didactic assistance and constant monitoring of the results. Thus, all the aspects of e-learning are taken into exam: the actors and the new professionals, the virtual communities as learning subjects, the organization of contents in learning objects, the conformity to international standards, the integrated platforms and so on. The third chapter, which concludes the theoretic-interpretative part, starts with a short presentation of the state-of-the-art e-learning international market that aims to understand its peculiarities and its current trends. Finally, we focus on some important regulation aspects related to the strong impulse given by the European Commission first, and by the Italian governments secondly, to the development and diffusion of e-learning. The second part of the thesis (chapters 4, 5 and 6) focus on field research, which aims to define the Italian scenario for e-learning. In particular, we have examined some key topics such as: the challenges of training and the instruments to face such challenges; the new didactic methods and technologies for lifelong learning; the level of diffusion of e-learning in Italy; the relation between classroom training and online training; the main factors of success as well as the most critical aspects of the introduction of e-learning in the various learning environments. As far as the methodological aspects are concerned, we have favoured a qualitative and quantitative analysis. A background analysis has been done to collect the statistical data available on this topic, as well as the research previously carried out in this area. The main source of data is constituted by the results of the Observatory on e-learning of Aitech-Assinform, which covers the 2000s and four areas of implementation (firms, public administration, universities, school): the thesis has reviewed the results of the last three available surveys, offering a comparative interpretation of them. We have then carried out an in-depth empirical examination of two case studies, which have been selected by virtue of the excellence they have achieved and can therefore be considered advanced and emblematic experiences (a large firm and a Graduate School).

Aspetti di vita quotidiana, religiosa, militare e civile in Britannia e lungo il Vallo di Adriano

The dissertation aims to provide an overview of some aspects of everyday life in Roman Britain in general and in the area of Hadrian’s Wall in particular. In a preliminary description, the writer addresses the complex topic related to the genesis of borders as the fulfillment of the expansionist parable of Rome, and as the space manifestation of the sunset of the idea of an imperium sine fine. Then the thesis passes to examine, in subsequent chapters, first the religious theme in its peculiar indigenous component and in the cultural practices triggered by the process of Romanization, secondly the question whether is possible to study everyday life in the northernmost province of the Empire through a discussion of the civilian settlements in proximity to military sites. This issue is drawn especially thanks to the analysis of the so-called Vindolanda tablets, which constitute a valuable evidence of a lively environment both under human and social respect. Before giving an indication of the specific bibliography, the work offers a number of appendices which elaborate part of the information which has been supplied in the previous sections. Mention of the epigraphic repertoires and literary and antiquarian sources is finally made.