Probabilistic Calibration and Experimental Validation of the Seismic Design Criteria for One-Story Concrete Frames

This article investigates the seismic performance of one-story reinforced concrete structures for industrial buildings. To this aim, the seismic response of two structural prototypes, a cast-in-situ monolithic frame and a precast hinged frame, is compared for four different levels of translatory stiffness and seismic capacity. For these structures an incremental nonlinear dynamic analysis is performed within a Monte Carlo probabilistic simulation. The results obtained from the probabilistic analysis prove that precast structures have the same seismic capacity of the corresponding cast-in-situ structures and confirm the overall goodness of the design criteria proposed by Eurocode 8, even if a noteworthy dependency of the actual structural behavior from the prescribed response spectrum is pointed out.

The experimental verification of these theoretical results is searched for by means of pseudodynamic tests on full-scale structures. The results of these tests confirm the overall equivalence of the seismic behavior of precast and cast-in-situ structures. Moreover, two additional prototypes have been designed to investigate the seismic behavior of precast structures with roof elements placed side by side. The results of these further tests show that an effective horizontal diaphragm action can be activated even if the roof elements are not connected among them, and confirm the expected good seismic performance of these precast systems. Finally, the results of the experimental tests are compared with those obtained from nonlinear structural analyses. The good agreement between numerical and experimental results confirms the accuracy of the theoretical model and, with it, the results of the probabilistic investigation.     

Premature exit from and delayed entrance into the less developed status: An empirical appraisal of the structural funds allocation criterion

This paper investigates the impact of the main criterion employed by the European Commission for the allocation of the largest portion of Structural Funds, based on the threshold of the 75% of European Union (EU) average gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. We focus on the 2014–2020 programming period and on EU-15 regions to analyze if this criterion has penalized some of them, as a consequence of the 2004 EU enlargement, which has represented an exogenous shock in the allocation process, due to the economic backwardness of new member states. Through the application of Synthetic Control Methods and Difference-in-Differences estimators at different geographical scales, we show that regions that did not obtain the less developed status in both the programming period 2007–2013 and 2014–2020, but that would have obtained it in the period 2014–2020 without the 2004 EU enlargement, experienced a significantly lower GDP per capita growth between −10.5% and −5.7%. Conversely, territories that in the period 2014–2020 lost the less developed status, previously obtained in the time frame 2007–2013, were not characterized by a significantly lower economic growth, providing some evidence of the effectiveness of the safety net.     

Nobel laureates at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn: phenomenology and paths to discovery in neuroscience

The practice of science usually involves more than a solitary genius in a solitary room, coping with the problem of her/his life. From the second half of the 19th century onwards, scientific research, especially in the field of the Natural Sciences, has grown into a more and more complex practice, which often entangles very special needs, in terms of research objects, techniques, sources, and perspectives. A few special places, such as the Stazione Zoologica di Napoli, have represented in this period the focal points of an ever growing international scientific network, promoting independent research, exchange and diffusion of novel practices and techniques and unrestricted confrontation. The so-called "Naples experience" has been cited by a large number of renowned scientists of the last two centuries as a key moment in their scientific life. Here we have tried to test it against the experience of three great scientists par excellence, i.e. three Nobel laureates (T. H. Morgan, Otto Warburg, J. D. Watson). The different experiences they have had at Naples represent, in our view, three different moments of the professional life of almost every scientist. Therefore, we have chosen to present them as a phenomenology. The final section is dedicated to a survey of the Zoological Station's contribution to neurosciences, especially to the Naples experience of the Nobel Prize winner Sir Bernard Katz and his assistant Ricardo Miledi, between 1965 and 1970. Their work on the squid at Naples allowed probing and quantitative refinement of results already obtained on different animals and contributed to reinforce the long lasting neurophysiological tradition of the institute.     

Combining an archaeomagnetic and radiocarbon study: dating of medieval fireplaces at the Mühlegasse,Zürich

During the restoration of the Radium cinema located in the old Town of Zürich, a stratigraphic sequence of medieval fireplaces came to light. Based on ceramic finds, a preliminary age of about 1000 AD was assigned. In this paper we show the results from archaeomagnetic and radiocarbon dating, which combined with the stratigraphic information yield a better constrain of the period of use of these fireplaces. Whilst the radiocarbon technique continues to be the most widespread methodology for dating young archeological artifacts, archaeomagnetic dating is becoming increasingly more established in Europe thanks to the increased number of available measurements. A Bayesian model on the period of use of these fireplaces was produced with OxCal, by a combination of magnetic and radiocarbon ages, together with the stratigraphic information. The results show that the fireplaces were probably used during 1 to 2 generations (e.g. 20–40 years each), and are in good agreement with the archaeological context of this site. To make use of the magnetic measurements for future reconstructions of the field, we carried out an additional age model using only the radiocarbon and the stratigraphic information. Although some of the structures show large directional scatter due to poor baking in antiquity, the results confirm the trend of the geomagnetic field around 1000 AD.     

The Five-Star Movement: a hybrid actor in the net of state institutions

The MoVimento 5 Stelle (M5S, Five-Star Movement), led by the former comedian Beppe Grillo, is one of the political novelties of major interest in the Italian political scene, and also on an international scale. This article examines the Movement's evolution following its extraordinary success at the 2013 Italian general election. Four peculiar features of the M5S's experience are analyzed here: the Movement's anti-system stance; its specific conception of democracy; its post-ideological profile; and the innovative elements in its party organization. The overall picture suggests a mixture of resistance and adjustment to the system. Consequently, the process of gradual normalization and institutionalization of Grillo's party is becoming increasingly evident, while inherent contradictions and internal problems remain.     

On the Earthquake-Source Numerical Implementation in the Seismic Wave Equation

We present a detailed approach to implement a moment-tensor point source to compute displacements, particle velocities and accelerations using direct grid methods. Here, the wave modeling algorithm is based on pseudospectral methods to compute the partial derivatives. A comparison to the analytical solution in the 3D acoustic case verifies the discrete implementation of the source in the mesh. Then, the more general 3D elastic case is illustrated and simulations, with and without free surface, are performed that can be used as a reference solution for other grid methods.     

Spatial Effects of Labour Policies Promoted in Italy from 1996 to 2006: An Analysis in the EU Context

One of the most important economic and social facts concerning the European Union consists in the mismatch among its regions in terms of unemployment rates. The paper aims at examining and measuring the efficiency of Italian policies for labour market carried out in the last 10 years, in terms of reduction in the regional disparities in comparison with the whole European distribution of unemployment. We question whether these policies have been successful or the territorial dimension has still a relevant role on the unemployment in Italy. We try to answer to this question by calculating the Theil Index using data from 1996 to 2006 on unemployment and participation from Eurostat at NUTS 2 level, comparing Italian data with those of other EU countries. Our results show that Italy has still a prominent role in the geographical disparities among regions and that its contribution to the geographical concentration of unemployment is still high (especially if we consider female and youth unemployment).     

Ludovico Geymonat le Problème de L’épistémologie Historique

The study of the various inspirations of Ludovico Geymonat's epistemology (positivism and neopositivism, neorationalism, historicism and dialectical materialism) illustrates the way in which for the Italian philosopher the problem of objectivity of knowledge remains inseparable from the historicity of the sciences. Geymonat's epistemological approach associates scientific progress to its objectivity.