Digital holography as 3D tracking tool for assessing acoustophoretic particle manipulation

The integration of digital holography (DH) imaging and the acoustic manipulation of micro-particles in a microfluidic environment is investigated. The ability of DH to provide efficient 3D tracking of particles inside a microfluidic channel is exploited to measure the position of multiple objects moving under the effect of stationary ultrasound pressure fields. The axial displacement provides a direct verification of the numerically computed positions of the standing wave’s node, while the particle’s transversal movement highlights the presence of nodes in the planar direction. Moreover, DH is used to follow the aggregation dynamics of trapped spheres in such nodes by using aggregation rate metrics

Influence of production batch related parameters on static and fatigue resistance of LPBF produced AlSi7Mg0.6

In laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), the influence material properties are often determined as a function of the inclination with respect to the build direction. In industrial production with variable component shapes and dimensions, the part orientation will often be a matter of the available space in the build volume. Additionally, build-to-build variability is an important factor that may impact the mechanical properties that are often not quantified. Such sources of variability are of great importance for highly demanding sectors such as aviation and aerospace, where lightweight Al-alloys are often used with the geometrical freedom given by the LPBF process. Hence, this work systematically investigates the influence of production batch-related parameters together with part inclination in the LPBF of AlSi7Mg0.6 alloy. Three builds were executed to quantify the impact of the batch, part position, and inclination on the static and fatigue resistance of the alloy in a completely randomized experimental design using an industrial LPBF machine. The results were analysed by the appropriate statistical methods both for discrete and functional data. The results showed that while the part orientation only influenced the static properties, the part position significantly affected the fatigue life demonstrated by the different low cycle fatigue life coefficients

Empirical vulnerability curves for Italian mansory buildings: evolution of vulnerability model from the DPM to curves as a function of accelertion

In the framework of the emergency management in the case of seismic events, the evaluation of the expected damage represents a basic requirement for risk informed planning. Seismic risk is defined by the probability to reach a level of damage on given exposed elements caused by seismic events occurring in a fixed period and in a fixed area. To this purpose, the expected seismic input, the exposed elements and their vulnerability have to be correctly evaluated. The aim of the research is to define a correct model of vulnerability curves, in PGA, for masonry structures in Italy, by heuristic approach starting from damage probability matrices (DPMs). To this purpose, the PLINIVS database, containing data on major Italian seismic events, has been used and supported by “critical” assumption on missing data. To support the reliability of this assumption, two vulnerability models, considering or not the hypothesis on the missing data, have been estimated and used to calculate the seismic scenario of the L’Aquila 2009 earthquake through the IRMA (Italian Risk MAp) platform. Finally, a comparison between the outcomes elaborated by IRMA platform and the observed damage collected in the AEDES forms, has been done. © 2020, The Author(s)

Bayesian feature fusion using factor graph in reduced normal form

In this work, we investigate an Information Fusion architecture based on a Factor Graph in Reduced Normal Form. This paradigm permits to describe the fusion in a completely probabilistic framework and the information related to the different features are represented as messages that flow in a probabilistic network. In this way we build a sort of context for observed features conferring to the solution a great flexibility for managing different type of features with wrong and missing values as required by many real applications. Moreover, modifying opportunely the messages that flow into the network, we obtain an effective way to condition the inference based on the different reliability of each information source or in presence of single unreliable signal. The proposed architecture has been used to fuse different detectors for an identity document classification task but its flexibility, extendibility and robustness make it suitable to many real scenarios where the signal can be wrongly received or completely missing

Potential of native and bioprocessed brewers' spent grains as organic soil amendments

Introduction: The use of novel soil amendments and the exploitation of plant growth-promoting microorganisms are considered promising tools for developing a more sustainable agriculture in times when ensuring high-yield productions with limited resources is essential. Methods: In this study, the potential of brewers' spent grain (BSG), the major by-product of the brewing industry, as organic soil amendment, was investigated. Bioprocessed BSG, obtained by an enzymatic treatment coupled with fermentation, together with native BSG, were used as amendments in a pot-trial. An integrated analytical approach aimed at assessing the modification of the physicochemical properties of a typical Mediterranean alkaline agricultural soil, and the plant growth-promoting effect on escarole (Cichorium endivia var. Cuartana), was carried out. Results: The use of biomasses led to soil organic content and total nitrogen content up to 72 and 42% higher, compared to the unamended soils. Moreover, the lower pH and the higher organic acids content doubled phosphorus availability. Although the number of leaves per plant in escaroles from pots amended with native and bioprocessed BSG did not show any difference compared to plants cultivated on unamended pots, the average fresh weight per escarole head, was higher in pots amended with bioprocessed BSG. Discussion: Hence, the results collected so far encourage BSG application for agricultural purpose, while solving the problem of disposing of such abundant side stream

Safety of lornoxicam in G-6-PDH deficiency

Objective: To assess the safety of lornoxicam in subjects with G-6-PDH deficiency. Methods: Open controlled 2-week in vivo study on lornoxicam 8 mg bid in subjects with G-6-PDH deficiency suffering from rheumatic diseases. Results: In 8 male patients with the Mediterranean form of G-6-PDH deficiency (mean age ± SD, 54.3 years ± 7.2) lornoxicam showed no influence on red blood cells (RBC) survival curve. The RBC half-life was the same before and after two weeks of treatment. Conclusions: Lornoxicam caused no RBC damage and evidenced favourable safety in subjects with G-6-PDH deficiency, suffering from rheumatic diseases

Physics-based numerical evaluation of High-Temperature Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (HT-ATES) in the Upper Jurassic reservoir of the German Molasse Basin

Concepts of High-Temperature Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (HT-ATES) (&gt; 50 °C) are investigated in this study for system application in the Upper Jurassic reservoir (Malm aquifer) of the German Molasse Basin (North Alpine Foreland Basin). The karstified and fractured carbonate rocks exhibit favourable conditions for conventional geothermal exploitation of the hydrothermal resource. Here, we perform a physics-based numerical analysis to further assess the sustainability of HT-ATES development in the Upper Jurassic reservoir. With an estimated heating capacity of approx. 19.5 MW over half a year, our approach aims at determining numerically the efficiency of heat storage under the in situ Upper Jurassic reservoir conditions and projected operation parameters. In addition, the hydraulic performance of the HT-ATES system is further evaluated in terms of productivity and injectivity index. The numerical models build upon datasets from three operating geothermal sites at depths of approx. 2000–3000 m TVD, located in a subset of the reservoir dominated by karst-controlled fluid fluxes. Commonly considered as a single homogeneous unit, the 500 m thick reservoir is subdivided into three discrete layers based on field tests and borehole logs from the three considered sites. The introduced vertical heterogeneity with associated layer-specific enhanced permeabilities allows to examine potentially arising favourable heat transfer, and in combination with the facilitated high operation flow rates (100 kg s−1) to evaluate thermal recoveries in the multilayered reservoir. All simulations account for fluid density and viscosity variation based on thermodynamically consistent equations of state (EOS). Computation results reveal that the reservoir layering induces preferential fluid and heat migration primarily into the high-permeability zone, while thermal front propagation into the lower permeable rock matrix is inhibited. The simulations further display a gradual temperature increase in the warm wellbore and its surrounding host rock, and a consequent progressive improvement in the heat recovery efficiency. Despite the elevated permeability that may trigger advective heat losses, heat recovery factor values range from approx. 0.7 over the first year of operation to over 0.85 after 10 years of operation. An additional scenario is examined with fluid injection solely in the high permeable zone, in order to quantify potential enhancement in the recovery efficiency by omitting fluid injection in the lower-permeability layers where heat propagation is diminished. This is due to the geometrical shape of the thermally perturbed rock volume as heat losses occur during thermal equilibration between injected fluid and reservoir rock, as well as at the contact-surface area between propagating thermal front and adjacent rock matrix. Results suggest that under the stratified reservoir configuration, additionally constrained by the selected spatial distribution of rock properties, heat storage performed only into the upper high-permeability zone corresponds to an improved thermal performance. Simulation results further indicate that density-induced buoyant fluxes, which would considerably decrease thermal efficiencies are inhibited in the system, and the prevailing heat transport mechanism is forced convection.</p

Cancer risk in oil refinery workers : a pooled mortality study in Italy

Background: Oil refinery workers are exposed to several well-established carcinogens and working in this type of industry has been classified by IARC as probable carcinogen to humans (Group 2A). Objectives: To examine the mortality experience of workers employed in four Italian oil refineries. Methods: The cohort included 5112 male workers ever employed between 1949 and 2011. The average follow-up period was 49 years. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated using as reference age-gender-calendar specific regional rates. Analyses by duration of employment and latency were performed. Results: In the whole cohort, pleural cancer (6 deaths, SMR 1.59; 95% CI 0.71-3.53), brain cancer (14 deaths, SMR 1.47; 95% CI 0.87-2.49) and lymphatic leukemia (LL) (8 deaths, SMR 1.81; 95% CI 0.91-3.62) showed increased risks. All pleural cancers occurred after 10 years of latency and the highest risk was observed among workers with duration 6520 years; the brain cancer excess was confined in the shortest duration and latency. The LL (and chronic lymphatic leukemia in particular) excess regarded workers with latency and duration longer than 20 years. Four deaths from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were observed and all occurred after 20 years of latency (SMR 1.55, 95% CI 0.58-4.12); a two-fold-increased risk was observed in the longest duration. No increased risk for skin cancer has been observed in our study population. Conclusion: Our findings are consistent with recent evidence of an increased mortality from pleural and hematopoietic malignancies (AML and LL) among oil refinery workers. However, the lack of individual quantitative exposure data and the small number of observed events prevent the identification of the possible causal role of individual chemicals, including benzene, especially at the current very low exposure levels

Large-scale reservoir modeling of the Vendenheim geothermal site (France)

During the Vendenheim deep geothermal project (Strasbourg Eurometropole, France), large induced seismic events led to the arrest of the project. Two important features of the induced seismicity were unexpected: the large distance to the wells of a cluster of seismic events (4–5 km) and the occurrence of the largest event Mlv3. 9 at the bottom of the wells, six months after shut-in. To better understand the natural hydro-thermal conditions at the Vendenheim site, we develop within the framework of the DT-GEO project (Horizon Europe) a simplified large-scale model (8 km × 8 km × 6 km) of the area. We aim at performing in-silico experimentation to reproduce the natural hydrothermal state of the geothermal reservoir related to the heat flow (conductive/convective) within the model. We first test our methods by solving 2D and 3D benchmarks related to the convective regime in saturated porous media. Our model is based on the MOOSE/GOLEM framework (finite element approach) and integrate the public regional geological model GEORG that includes major lithologies. We present the coarse-grained simulations of the natural fluid circulation.</p