Search results for "11"

X-ray tomographic method for measuring three-dimensional deformation and water content distribution in swelling clays

2015

A non-invasive method for simultaneous measurement of the 3D displacement field and the water content distribution of a wetted solid material is developed. The method is based on comparison of X-ray tomographic images of a material sample in the reference state and in the wetted and deformed state. The deformation and water content analyses were successfully compared with numerical results for a cylindrical rubber test sample under axial compression, and with gravimetric results from axially wetted and sliced cylindrical bentonite samples, respectively. The methods were applied in a 4D study (three spatial dimensions and time) of wetting and deformation of purified swelling bentonite doped …

Rivelazione e Caratterizzazione di Consorzi Microbici in Reperti Lignei Sommersi

2009

In questa lavoro sono state affrontate le problematiche relative alla valutazione dello stato di conservazione del legno archeologico sommerso (waterlogged wood) in relazione ai fattori che ne inducono il degrado. L’attenzione è stata rivolta ai processi di biodeterioramento, indotti dall’attività di alcuni microrganismi che utilizzano le componenti principali del legno, la cui identificazione è stata eseguita ricorrendo a tecniche sia colturali sia molecolari. In particolare, le tecniche molecolari che si sono rivelate di immediata applicazione per lo studio e la caratterizzazione dei microrganismi che colonizzano i beni di interesse storico artistico e i manufatti d’interesse archeologico…

Una más de la familia. Au pairs atrapadas entre el capital humano y la economía moral

2018

In contemporary societies we are witnessing an expansion of the messages of human capital. These messages have as their central dimension idea of the self-entrepreneur, which implies a deepening in the logic of activation, while blurring the wage relations. In this scenario, young people with university degrees are becoming a favourite target in the offensive of human capital. The penetration of these human capital messages can be seen in the discourses of young university students who have been forced to leave the country during the crisis. In the present text we approach the discourses of young women who came out as au pairs. The characteristics of this figure place it in a space halfway …

Effect of Boron Doping on the Wear Behavior of the Growth and Nucleation Surfaces of Micro- and Nanocrystalline Diamond Films

2016

B-doped diamond has become the ultimate material for applications in the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which require both highly wear resistant and electrically conductive diamond films and microstructures. Despite the extensive research of the tribological properties of undoped diamond, to date there is very limited knowledge of the wear properties of highly B-doped diamond. Therefore, in this work a comprehensive investigation of the wear behavior of highly B-doped diamond is presented. Reciprocating sliding tests are performed on micro- and nanocrystalline diamond (MCD, NCD) films with varying B-doping levels and thicknesses. We demonstrate a linear dependency of the we…

Free school fruit: can an extra piece of fruit every school day contribute to the prevention of future weight gain? A cluster randomized trial

2014

Background: Several school fruit programs are initiated with the aim to improve diet and thereby contribute to reduce the prevalence of overweight. To date, no published studies have demonstrated that school fruit schemes do prevent overweight.Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess if increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, due to free school fruit, have an impact on future weight status.Design: An intervention study including 10- to 12-year-old children from nine schools in two Norwegian counties (Hedmark and Telemark) participating in the Norwegian School Fruit Program for free during the school year 2001/2002 and children from 29 control schools. Follow-up studies …

Inspiratory Muscle Strength and Cardiorespiratory Fitness Association With Health-Related Quality of Life in Healthy Older Adults

2021

The main purpose of this study was to explore similarities and differences in the association between two capabilities affecting the cardiorespiratory system (overall and multifactorial cardiorespiratory fitness and inspiratory muscle strength) and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), in a group of active healthy seniors. Sixty-five individuals (age, 73.01 ± 5.27 years; 53 women) who participated regularly in a multicomponent training program completed the EuroQol 5D-5L questionnaire, the 6-min walking test (6MWT), and the maximum inspiratory pressure test (MIP). Non-parametric correlations (Spearman's rho) were conducted to analyze the association between HRQoL indices (EQindex and …

Predominance of Type 1 Innate Lymphoid Cells in the Rectal Mucosa of Patients With Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity: Reversal After a Wheat-Free Diet.

2016

OBJECTIVES: Non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) is defined as a reaction to ingested wheat after exclusion of celiac disease and wheat allergy. As its pathogenesis is incompletely understood, we evaluated the inflammatory response in the rectal mucosa of patients with well-defined NCWS. METHODS: The prospective study included 22 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like clinical presentation, diagnosed with NCWS by double-blind placebo-controlled challenge. Eight IBS patients not improving on wheat-free diet were used as controls. Two weeks after oral challenge was performed with 80 grams of wheat daily, cells were isolated from rectal biopsies and thoroughly characterized by fluore…

Habitat area and local habitat conditions outweigh fragmentation effects on insect communities in vineyards

2022

Fragmentation of habitat, for example by intensive agricultural practices, can be detrimental to local biodiversity. However, it often remains unclear whether such biodiversity declines are caused by loss of habitat area or increased fragmentation, and how habitat quality factors into it. In our study system, vegetated vineyards are typically small, and isolated from one another, potentially limiting the distribution and dispersal of organisms. In a full-factorial experiment of a priori selected vegetated vineyard patches of differing size and fragmentation, we aimed to disentangle the effects of habitat area (area of vegetated vineyards), habitat fragmentation (number of vegetated vineyard…

Novel techniques for wind speed spatial estimation

2007

Estimation of wind velocity over a complex terrain using the Generalized Mapping Regressor

2010

Abstract Wind energy evaluation is an important goal in the conversion of energy systems to more environmentally friendly solutions. In this paper, we present a novel approach to wind speed spatial estimation on the isle of Sicily (Italy): an incremental self-organizing neural network (Generalized Mapping Regressor – GMR) is coupled with exploratory data analysis techniques in order to obtain a map of the spatial distribution of the average wind speed over the entire region. First, the topographic surface of the island was modelled using two different neural techniques and by exploiting the information extracted from a digital elevation model of the region. Then, GMR was used for automatic …