C. Arnone, C. Giaconia, C. Pace and M. Greco
A recent programme of technical collaboration between Alelco, DIE of Palermo and CRES of Monreale has led to the development and operative confirmation of a technique for…
Abstract
A recent programme of technical collaboration between Alelco, DIE of Palermo and CRES of Monreale has led to the development and operative confirmation of a technique for delineating conductive microgeometries on various types of substrates. This technique, using a flexible system of laser microlithography on planar (2‐D) or three‐dimensional (3‐D) surfaces, has led to the development of several types of thin film components for use at both low and high frequencies.
C.G. Giaconia, G. Grasso and C. Arnone
A quantitative investigation of a dipping technique for depositing a thin layer of resist on circularly symmetrical objects is presented. The results obtained are valuable for…
Abstract
A quantitative investigation of a dipping technique for depositing a thin layer of resist on circularly symmetrical objects is presented. The results obtained are valuable for preparing three‐dimensional (3‐D) surfaces suited for spatial microlithographic processes in the 1 to 10 µm linewidth range.
Giorgia Spigliantini, Valentina Fabi, Marcel Schweiker and Stefano Corgnati
Today, about 30 per cent of European existing buildings can be entitled as “historical buildings”. Nowadays, their energy retrofit is important to reach the ambitious European CO2…
Abstract
Purpose
Today, about 30 per cent of European existing buildings can be entitled as “historical buildings”. Nowadays, their energy retrofit is important to reach the ambitious European CO2 emissions’ reduction objectives. The purpose of this paper is to outline a methodology to investigate the potential energy savings and the enhancement of historical buildings’ liveability by acting only on their operation, so that the building fabric could be maintained as much as possible as the original evidence.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes the framework’s theoretical phases and their application in two real case studies. The methodology was conceived with a pre-test and post-test design approach.
Findings
The research demonstrated that the elaborated methodology is flexible and allows the adoption of different energy retrofit strategies for the different cases.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations arise out of the circumstance that the methodology is based on occupants and technicians willingness to engage in the strategies, so it is not possible to quantify its efficacy ex ante.
Practical implications
Practical implications can be found in the way of addressing energy retrofit strategies through a user-centric approach with minimum impact on the building itself.
Social implications
At the same time, the methodology has a strong social aspect with its potential to change people’s attitudes towards energy usage and behaviour.
Originality/value
This study not only represents the first attempt of applying a systematic energy retrofit strategy based on occupants and technicians behavioural change in historic buildings, but also is one of the first studies dedicated to occupants’ comfort and behaviour assessment in this context.
Details
Keywords
Noemi Manara, Lorenzo Rosset, Francesco Zambelli, Andrea Zanola and America Califano
In the field of heritage science, especially applied to buildings and artefacts made by organic hygroscopic materials, analyzing the microclimate has always been of extreme…
Abstract
Purpose
In the field of heritage science, especially applied to buildings and artefacts made by organic hygroscopic materials, analyzing the microclimate has always been of extreme importance. In particular, in many cases, the knowledge of the outdoor/indoor microclimate may support the decision process in conservation and preservation matters of historic buildings. This knowledge is often gained by implementing long and time-consuming monitoring campaigns that allow collecting atmospheric and climatic data.
Design/methodology/approach
Sometimes the collected time series may be corrupted, incomplete and/or subjected to the sensors' errors because of the remoteness of the historic building location, the natural aging of the sensor or the lack of a continuous check of the data downloading process. For this reason, in this work, an innovative approach about reconstructing the indoor microclimate into heritage buildings, just knowing the outdoor one, is proposed. This methodology is based on using machine learning tools known as variational auto encoders (VAEs), that are able to reconstruct time series and/or to fill data gaps.
Findings
The proposed approach is implemented using data collected in Ringebu Stave Church, a Norwegian medieval wooden heritage building. Reconstructing a realistic time series, for the vast majority of the year period, of the natural internal climate of the Church has been successfully implemented.
Originality/value
The novelty of this work is discussed in the framework of the existing literature. The work explores the potentials of machine learning tools compared to traditional ones, providing a method that is able to reliably fill missing data in time series.
Details
Keywords
Climate change significantly impacts global temperatures, posing challenges to various sectors, including aviation. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of climate…
Abstract
Purpose
Climate change significantly impacts global temperatures, posing challenges to various sectors, including aviation. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of climate change on aircraft engine performance during different flight phases (take-off and cruise) and the environmental consequences.
Design/methodology/approach
This study examines the effects of rising temperatures on aircraft engine performance using real-time data from a Boeing 787-8 equipped with GEnx-1B engines, which are collected via Flight Data Recorder of the engines and were analyzed for the take-off and cruise phases on the ground. Exhaust gas temperature (EGT), fuel flow and take-off weights were evaluated.
Findings
The analysis revealed a significant increase in EGT at the cruising altitude of 38,000 ft during the summer months compared to expected standard atmospheric values. This increase, averaging over 200 °C, is attributed to global warming. Such elevated temperatures are likely to accelerate the degradation of turbine components, resulting in increased fuel consumption: higher EGT signifies inefficient engine operation, resulting in more fuel burned per unit thrust; early engine aging: elevated temperatures accelerate wear and tear on turbine components, potentially reducing engine lifespan and increasing maintenance costs and enhanced atmospheric pollution: incomplete combustion at high EGTs generates additional emissions, contributing to local air quality concerns.
Practical implications
The research findings have practical implications for understanding the potential operational challenges and environmental impacts of climate change on aircraft engine performance. This lets us explore mitigation strategies and adapt operational procedures to ensure sustainable regional aviation practices.
Originality/value
This research enhances environmental consequences by assessing the impact of climate change on aircraft performance.
Details
Keywords
Jerel E. Slaughter and Edgar E. Kausel
In this chapter, we argue that despite the fact that empirical research on trait neuroticism has shown fairly weak relations between the broad neuroticism trait and overall job…
Abstract
In this chapter, we argue that despite the fact that empirical research on trait neuroticism has shown fairly weak relations between the broad neuroticism trait and overall job performance, organizational research can benefit by increased attention to the neuroticism construct. This is because the influence of neuroticism on work behavior can be best understood by separating the more general neuroticism domain into its lower level facets. We discuss various conceptualizations of neuroticism and then review existing research on the relation between the facets of neuroticism and job performance. Next, we turn our attention to a theoretical framework that suggests that the relations between neuroticism facets and job performance outcomes are explained by the social, cognitive, and behavioral effects of having varying levels of neuroticism-based traits. In so doing, we not only focus on mediated relationships between facets of neuroticism and job performance dimensions but also recognize some important moderators, as well as some expected direct relations between the facets and job performance. Finally, we discuss implications for further conceptual development, offer some suggestions for testing the propositions, and discuss potential practical implications of finding support for this model.
Dhanasekar R, Ganesh Kumar Srinivasan and Marco Rivera
The purpose of this study is to stabilize the rotating speed of the permanent magnet direct current (PMDC) motor driven by a DC-DC boost converter under mismatched disturbances…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to stabilize the rotating speed of the permanent magnet direct current (PMDC) motor driven by a DC-DC boost converter under mismatched disturbances (i.e.) under varying load circumstances like constant, frictional, fan type, propeller and undefined torques.
Design/methodology/approach
This manuscript proposes a higher order sliding mode control to elevate the dynamic behavior of the speed controller and the robustness of the PMDC motor. A second order classical sliding surface and proportional-integral-derivative sliding surface (PIDSS) are designed and compared.
Findings
For the boost converter with PMDC motor, both simulation and experimentation are exploited. The prototype is built for an 18 W PMDC motor with field programmable gate arrays. The suggested sliding mode with second order improves the robustness of the arrangement under disturbances with a wide range of control. Both the simulation and experimental setup shows satisfactory results.
Originality/value
According to software-generated mathematical design and experimental findings, PIDSS exhibits excellent performance with respect to settling speed, steady-state error and peak overshoot.
Details
Keywords
Igor Ucella Dantas de Medeiros, Jailane de Souza Aquino, Natália Sufiatti de Holanda Cavalcanti, Ana Regina Nascimento Campos, Angela Maria Tribuzy de Magalhães Cordeiro, Karla Suzanne Florentino da Silva Chaves Damasceno and Roberta Targino Hoskin
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the chemical and functional composition of acerola, guava and cashew freeze-dried pomaces.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the chemical and functional composition of acerola, guava and cashew freeze-dried pomaces.
Design/methodology/approach
Fruit pomaces were obtained from the pulp juice industrial sector and submitted to freeze-drying. Samples were analysed for composition (macronutrients, micronutrients, moisture and ash), technological attributes (morphological, hygroscopicity, retention of oil and water and solubility), bioactive compounds (total phenolics, flavonoids, proanthocyanins, anthocyanins, carotenoids and ascorbic acid), antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Total phenolics, brown pigments and antioxidant activity of thermally treated samples were evaluated. Results were presented as mean and standard deviation, and submitted to Shapiro–Wilk normality test, and ANOVA statistical significance follows by Tukey’s post hoc test (p<0.05). Also, Pearson correlation coefficients were used to test the relationship between selected parameters.
Findings
Guava pomace had the highest insoluble fibre (40.6 per cent), protein (13.8 per cent) and lipid (9.3 per cent) contents and acerola higher soluble fibre (14.2 per cent) and water and oil holding capacity (12 and 5.4 g/g, respectively). Cashew pomace had higher solubility (45.3 per cent) and hygroscopicity (11.2 per cent). Acerola pomace had the highest phenolic content (5,331.7 mg AGE/100 g), DPPH and oxygen radical absorbance capacity antioxidant activity (63.3 and 756.6 µmol TE/g). Despite of that none of extracts showed antibacterial activity. All pomaces presented good antioxidant activity retention after thermal treatments (> 70 per cent), which might be correlated to thermally induced brown pigments.
Originality/value
This investigation was motivated by the large amounts of pomaces produced by the fruit pulp and juice processing industries, which represents a waste of residual phytochemicals and cause potential environmental problems. Overall, it was demonstrated that freeze-dried acerola, guava and cashew pomaces are promising ingredients for multiple food applications.
Details
Keywords
Martijn J. A. Hogerbrugge and Aafke E. Komter
The extent to which current relationships with extended kin affect the likelihood that adult family members experience negative life events – such as serious psychological…
Abstract
Purpose
The extent to which current relationships with extended kin affect the likelihood that adult family members experience negative life events – such as serious psychological problems, financial difficulties, addictions, or criminal behavior – has received little attention in life course research, which typically focuses on the occurrence and timing of “normal” life events – that is, events occurring in almost every life course (e.g., marriage, parenthood, educational enrollment, employment).
Methodology
This study used prospective data from a nationally representative panel study on Dutch families. A series of clustered logistic regression models were estimated for the separate types of negative events, while a post-estimation command was used to compare and combine effects across models.
Findings
We show that the likelihood to experience negative life events is indeed affected by the relationships one currently has with extended kin. Moreover, by distinguishing different characteristics of family relationships in our analyses, we were able to unravel the mechanisms through which they exert an influence. Current family relationships provide feelings of integration, a sense of meaning, and act as a source of support that can be mobilized if needed.
Value
Given the impact negative life events have on individuals and families, as well as the costs they impose upon society, our results look promising for further advancing our understanding of the risks and the protective factors affecting the development of negative events in the lives of adults.
Details
Keywords
Henriikka Weir and Catherine Kaukinen
The present study uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Ad Health) to evaluate the effects of exposure to violent victimization in childhood on…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Ad Health) to evaluate the effects of exposure to violent victimization in childhood on adolescent delinquency and subsequent adult criminality.
Methodology/approach
Using Longitudinal Latent Class Analysis (LLCA), the present study investigates whether there are distinct and diverse longitudinal delinquency trajectories among those exposed to violence in childhood.
Findings
Findings from the current study indicate that there are three distinct trajectories of delinquency and offending from age 14 to 27 for both males and females exposed to violence in childhood. Further, it appears that violent victimization in childhood bridges the gender gap in delinquency between males and females. Thus, childhood violent victimization, and the fact that females are victimized by parents/caregivers and romantic partners at higher rates than males, might be partially responsible in explaining the narrowing of the gender gap between male and female offending in the recent decades. At the same time, childhood violent victimization also seems to impact males and females in somewhat different ways. Practically, all female victims stop offending by their late 20s, whereas a fairly large proportion of males exposed to violent victimization in childhood steadily continue offending.
Research limitations/implications
Although this study was able to identify the diverse impacts of violence exposure on engagement in subsequent delinquency, it did not examine the unique contributions of each type of violence on adolescent outcomes or the chronicity of exposure to each of these types of violent victimization. We were also not able to measure all types of violence experiences in childhood, such as exposure to parents’ or caregivers’ intimate partner violence.
Social implications
While early prevention would be the most desirable option for both genders for the most optimal outcome, the retrospective intervention and treatment programs should be gender-specific. For males, they should heavily focus on providing alternative ways to cope with anger, impulse control and frustration, as well as teach empathy, cognitive problem solving skills, verbal communication skills, and tangible life and job skills. For females, most successful intervention and treatment programs may focus on helping the girls through a transition from adolescence to adulthood while providing mental health, medical, and family support services.
Originality/value
The paper uses a unique methodological approach to identify distinct and diverse longitudinal delinquency trajectories. The findings demonstrate how more resilient individuals (in terms of externalizing behaviors) can bring down the mean scores of delinquency even though many other individuals can be severely affected by violence exposure in childhood.