The energetic values of landscape components as a tool to describe the behavior of the brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) in relation to the ecological requirements

The aim of research was to study the brown bear presence in relation to the landscape pattern, expressed in terms of energy flows, through the quantification of the energetic values and meaning of the natural (biotic and a biotic) and human-related (road networks, settlements, etc.) landscape components. These values were correlated to the estimation of the energy requirements of the bears monitored with GPS techniques (n=4, males) and to the their presence and behavior. The spatial model of energetic values for landscape components have been developed by GIS technology and in the respect to the ecological requirements of brown bear in the central and north east alps (North of Italy, Slovenja and Austria). Data sources were public databases as Corine Land Cover project (UE), Carta della Natura Project (ISPRA) Digital Terrain Model. The spatial resolutions utilized was 1km2 and the UTM grid was used. For each quadrant was calculated: habitat cover, geomorphology, human presence, brightness (solar radiation corrected for the tree cover) feeding allowance (food allowance index, IDA), climate (Modis), and energy values expressed as estimation of the potential cost of locomotion, thermoregulation, feeding , resting (output) and as potential energy of food allowance (input). For each animals tracked by telemetry were estimated the energy requirements in relation to the cost of basal metabolism,. thermoregulation, locomotion, feeding for each utilized quadrants and compared to the utilized quadrants and in the respect to different level of utilization. The identification and development of landscape indexes, describing many environmental components with implications on animal energy requirements, has been coupled with a behavioral pattern analysis and the computation of animal energy outcomes and incomes. The obtained thematic maps showed the spatial distribution of these input and output: thought them it is possible make habitat characterizations showing potential satisfaction level in terms of ecological requirements for the Brown bear and obtain useful information for defining the habitat energetic suitability at the trans regional scale. This study has revealed several emergent diurnal-nocturnal and seasonal energetic patterns in the use of landscape resources, and has allowed the implementation of some spatially explicit models for the estimation of energy inputs and outputs; the cost of thermoregulation and locomotion (output) and the potential allowance of energy (input), seems to influence the use of landscape and bear behavior. The future development of this research through the use of other individual location datasets (also belonging to different geographical contexts) may allow to refine the approach and identify more precisely the key spatial variables to be measured in terms of energy, as well as to apply this approach to more sophisticated models like IBMs (Individual Based Models)

Transcriptional Regulation Is a Major Controller of Cell Cycle Transition Dynamics

DNA replication, mitosis and mitotic exit are critical transitions of the cell cycle which normally occur only once per cycle. A universal control mechanism was proposed for the regulation of mitotic entry in which Cdk helps its own activation through two positive feedback loops. Recent discoveries in various organisms showed the importance of positive feedbacks in other transitions as well. Here we investigate if a universal control system with transcriptional regulation(s) and post-translational positive feedback(s) can be proposed for the regulation of all cell cycle transitions. Through computational modeling, we analyze the transition dynamics in all possible combinations of transcriptional and post-translational regulations. We find that some combinations lead to ‘sloppy’ transitions, while others give very precise control. The periodic transcriptional regulation through the activator or the inhibitor leads to radically different dynamics. Experimental evidence shows that in cell cycle transitions of organisms investigated for cell cycle dependent periodic transcription, only the inhibitor OR the activator is under cyclic control and never both of them. Based on these observations, we propose two transcriptional control modes of cell cycle regulation that either STOP or let the cycle GO in case of a transcriptional failure. We discuss the biological relevance of such differences

Tecniche di analisi del significato energetico del territorio nello studio dell'ecologia di alcune specie animali

The identification and development of landscape indexes, describing many environmental components with implications on animal energy requirements, has been coupled with a behavioral pattern analysis (1 male lynx and 1 male bear) and the computation of animal energy outcomes and incomes. This study has revealed several significant energetic patterns in the use of landscape resources, and has allowed the implementation of some spatially explicit models for the estimation of energy inputs and output

Leveraging Social Networks for Mergers and Acquisitions Forecasting

Mergers and acquisitions are pivotal strategies employed by companies to maintain competitiveness, leading to enhanced production efficiency, scale, and market dominance. Due to their significant financial implications, predicting these operations has become a profitable area of study for both scholars and industry professionals. The accurate forecasting of mergers and acquisitions activities is a complex task, demanding advanced statistical tools and generating substantial returns for stakeholders and investors. Existing research in this field has proposed various methods encompassing econometric models, machine learning algorithms, and sentiment analysis. However, the effectiveness and accuracy of these approaches vary considerably, posing challenges for the development of robust and scalable models

HolA: Holistic and Autonomous Attestation for IoT Networks

Collective Remote Attestation (CRA) is a well-established approach where a single Verifier attests the integrity of multiple devices in a single execution of the challenge-response protocol. Current CRA solutions are well-suited for Internet of Things (IoT) networks, where the devices are distributed in a mesh topology and communicate only with their physical neighbours. Recent advancements on low-energy protocols, though, enabled the IoT devices to connected to the Internet, thus disrupting the concept of physical neighbour. In this paper, we propose HolA (Holistic and Autonomous Attestation), the first CRA scheme designed for Internet-like IoT networks. HolA provides defence against attacks targeting both the nodes and the network infrastructure. We deployed HolA on both a network of real devices (i.e., 5 Raspberry Pis) and a simulated environment (i.e., 1M devices in an Omnet++ network). Our results demonstrate that HolA can resist against a disruptive attacker that compromises up to half of the network devices and that tampers with network traffic. HolA can verify the integrity of 1M devices in around 12 s while the state-of-the-art requires 71 s. Finally, HolA requires 7 times less memory per device compared with the state-of-the-art.HEXHIV

The Relationships Among Workaholism, Proactivity, and Locomotion in a Work Setting

We evaluated the relationship between workaholism and 2 individual difference variables relevant to an organizational context, namely: proactive personality and locomotion orientation. Specifically, we examined working excessively (WE), working compulsively (WC), and perceived self-efficacy, proactivity, and locomotion in a sample of nurses working in an Italian public hospital. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Because WE and WC were not distinct factors, a unitary workaholism factor was used when applying regression analysis. As expected, workaholism was related negatively to proactivity, and positively to locomotion. In contrast, its relationship with self-efficacy was nonsignificant. The practical implications of our findings and future research directions are discussed

The relationships among workaholism, proactivity, and locomotion in a work setting

We evaluated the relationship between workaholism and 2 individual difference variables relevant to an organizational context, namely: proactive personality and locomotion orientation. Specifically, we examined working excessively (WE), working compulsively (WC), and perceived self-efficacy, proactivity, and locomotion in a sample of nurses working in an Italian public hospital. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Because WE and WC were not distinct factors, a unitary workaholism factor was used when applying regression analysis. As expected, workaholism was related negatively to proactivity, and positively to locomotion. In contrast, its relationship with self-efficacy was nonsignificant. The practical implications of our findings and future research directions are discussed. © Society for Personality Research