Search results for "QC"

New Polylactic Acid Composites Reinforced with Artichoke Fibers

2015

In this work, artichoke fibers were used for the first time to prepare poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based biocomposites. In particular, two PLA/artichoke composites with the same fiber loading (10% w/w) were prepared by the film-stacking method: the first one (UNID) reinforced with unidirectional long artichoke fibers, the second one (RANDOM) reinforced by randomly-oriented long artichoke fibers. Both composites were mechanically characterized in tensile mode by quasi-static and dynamic mechanical tests. The morphology of the fracture surfaces was analyzed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, a theoretical model, i.e., Hill's method, was used to fit the experimental Young's modu…

Hedysarum coronarium-Based Green Composites Prepared by Compression Molding and Fused Deposition Modeling

2022

In this work, an innovative green composite was produced by adding Hedysarum coronarium (HC) flour to a starch-based biodegradable polymer (Mater-Bi®, MB). The flour was obtained by grinding together stems, leaves and flowers and subsequently sieving it, selecting a fraction from 75 μm to 300 μm. Four formulations have been produced by compression molding (CM) and fused deposition modeling (FDM) by adding 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of HC to MB. The influence of filler content on the processability was tested, and rheological, morphological and mechanical properties of composites were also assessed. Through CM, it was possible to obtain easily homogeneous samples with all filler amounts.…

Creep Behavior of Poly(lactic acid) Based Biocomposites

2017

Polymer composites containing natural fibers are receiving growing attention as possible alternatives for composites containing synthetic fibers. The use of biodegradable matrices obtained from renewable sources in replacement for synthetic ones is also increasing. However, only limited information is available about the creep behavior of the obtained composites. In this work, the tensile creep behavior of PLA based composites, containing flax and jute twill weave woven fabrics, produced through compression molding, was investigated. Tensile creep tests were performed at different temperatures (i.e., 40 and 60 °C). The results showed that the creep behavior of the composites is strongly inf…

Regular Strength and Sprint Training Counteracts Bone Aging: a 10- year Follow-up in Male Masters Athletes

2021

According to cross-sectional and interventional studies, high-intensity strength and impact-type training provide a powerful osteogenic stimulus even in old age. Longitudinal evidence on the ability of high-intensity training to attenuate age-related bone deterioration is currently lacking, however. This follow-up study assessed the role of continued strength and sprint training on bone aging in 40- to 85-year-old male sprinters (n=69) with long-term training background. pQCT-derived bone structural, strength and densitometric parameters of the distal tibia (5% distal-proximal tibia length) and tibial midshaft (50% length) were assessed at baseline and after 10 years. The groups of well-tra…

B-meson hadroproduction in the SACOT-mT scheme

2023

We apply the SACOT-mT general-mass variable flavour number scheme (GM-VFNS) to the inclusive B-meson production in hadronic collisions at next-to-leading order in perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics. In the GM-VFNS approach one matches the fixed-order heavy-quark production cross sections, accurate at low transverse momentum (pT), with the zero-mass cross sections, accurate at high pT. The physics idea of the SACOT-mT scheme is to do this by accounting for the finite momentum transfer required to create a heavy quark-antiquark pair throughout the calculation. We compare our results with the latest LHC data from proton-proton and proton-lead collisions finding a very good agreement within th…

Searches for lepton number violating $K^+$ decays

2019

The NA62 experiment at CERN reports a search for the lepton number violating decays K+ -> pi(-)e(+)e(+) and K+ -> pi(-)mu(+)mu(+) using a data sample collected in 2017. No signals are observed, and upper limits on the branching fractions of these decays of 2.2 x 10(-10) and 4.2 x 10(-11) are obtained, respectively, at 90% confidence level. These upper limits improve on previously reported measurements by factors of 3 and 2, respectively.

Green Roofs as Effective Tools for Improving the Indoor Comfort Levels of Buildings—An Application to a Case Study in Sicily

2020

In the line of pursuing better energy efficiency in human activities that would result in a more sustainable utilization of resources, the building sector plays a relevant role, being responsible for almost 40% of both energy consumption and the release of pollutant substances in the atmosphere. For this purpose, techniques aimed at improving the energy performances of buildings&rsquo

Natural Radioactivity in Clay and Building Materials Used in Latvia

2015

Abstract This paper presents the results of natural radionuclide concentration and activity index study in materials used for construction in Latvia. Special attention is given to clay and clay ceramics. Concentrations of K-40 and Th- 232, U-238 radioactivity were determined using gamma-spectrometry method. In some building ware, maximal concentration of K-40 was 1440 Bq/kg, and of U-238 - 175 Bq/kg. In granite, the determined maximum concentration of Th-232 was 210 Bq/kg. It was found that radionuclide content in different period clay deposits can differ by more than two times, and up to five times in different clay ceramics. The results obtained are compared with analogous data from the o…

Ultrasound Velocity in Bone Under Disrupted Blood Supply

2011

The methodology for active testing of electronic devices under the radiations

2018

The methodology, developed for active testing of electronic devices under the radiations, is presented. The test set-up includes a gamma-ray facility, the hardware board/fixtures and the software tools purposely designed and realized. The methodology is so wide-ranging to allow us the verification of different classes of electronic devices, even if only application examples for static random access memory modules are reported.