UAV photogrammetric survey and image-Based elaborations for an Industrial Plant.

The proposed application of the HBIM methodology for digitising a productive-industrial structure is based on the integration of data from different sources. An aerial photogrammetric survey (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - UAV) was considered the most appropriate technique for the case. Therefore, a Scan-to-BIM modelling was carried out, keeping in mind a subsequent texturisation of the smart objects employing the photogrammetric images obtained from the UAV survey. Currently, applying the BIM methodology to the built environment is still a challenge; indeed, three-dimensional modelling based on survey point clouds is not automatic. Any BIM software is designed for new constructions, whereas the existing Heritage is characterised by unique and distinctive shapes, where each element has a specific and variable inclination, shape and thickness; therefore, it is necessary to adapt the available tools. Creating intelligent parametric objects capable of representing the unique and singular shapes and geometries of historic architecture is a significant challenge of HBIM modelling. A workflow for the acquisition, processing and management of the survey data and the consequent modelling in a BIM environment of a disused industrial plant previously used as a tobacco factory was formalised. The aim was, therefore, to develop a model that is as close as possible to the real one and, at the same time, still keeps the informative aspects in order to promote the conservation and possible refurbishment of the cultural heritage through the use of photorealistic visualisation tools in real-time. The results confirm the proposed strategy hypotheses and seem to lead to promising future developments

A Conceptual Review on Using Consequential Life Cycle Assessment Methodology for the Energy Sector

Energy is engaged in the supply chain of many economic sectors; therefore, the environmental impacts of the energy sector are indirectly linked to those of other sectors. Consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) is an appropriate methodology to examine the direct and indirect environmental impacts of a product due to technological, economic or social changes. To date, different methodological approaches are proposed, combining economic and environmental models. This paper reviews the basic concept of CLCA and the coupling of economic and environmental models for performing CLCA in the energy sector during the period 2006\u20132020, with the aim to provide a description of the different tools, highlighting their strengths and limitations. From the review, it emerges that economic modelling tools are frequently used in combination with environmental data for CLCA in the energy sector, including equilibrium, input-output, and dynamic models. Out of these, the equilibrium model is the most widely used, showing some strengths in availability of data and energy system modelling tools. The input-output model allows for describing both direct and indirect effects due to changes in the energy sector, by using publicly available data. The dynamic model is less frequently applied due to its limitation in availability of data and modelling tools, but has recently attracted more attention due to the ability in modelling quantitative and qualitative indicators of sustainability

Life-Cycle Land-Use Requirement for PV in Vietnam

Over the last 15 years, photovoltaics (PV) in Vietnam has experienced development. The increased installed capacity of PV requires more land for installation sites as well as for manufacturing the plants’ component and waste treatment during the plants’ decommissioning. As a developing country, in which more than 80% of the population’s livelihood depends on agriculture, there are concerns about the competition of land for agriculture and solar development. This paper estimates the life-cycle land-use requirement for PV development in Vietnam, to provide the scientific-based evidence for policy makers on the quantity of land required, so that the land budget can be suitably allocated. The direct land-use requirement for PV ranges from 3.7 to 6.7 m2 MWh−1 year, and the total fenced area is 7.18 to 8.16 m2 MWh−1 year. Regarding the life-cycle land use, the land occupation is 241.85 m2a and land transformation is 16.17 m2 per MWh. Most of the required land area is for the installation of the PV infrastructure, while the indirect land use of the background process is inconsiderable

PRGdb 2.0 : towards a community-based database model for the analysis of R-genes in plants

The Plant Resistance Genes database (PRGdb; http://prgdb.org) is a comprehensive resource on resistance genes (R-genes), a major class of genes in plant genomes that convey disease resistance against pathogens. Initiated in 2009, the database has grown more than 6-fold to recently include annotation derived from recent plant genome sequencing projects. Release 2.0 currently hosts useful biological information on a set of 112 known and 104 310 putative R-genes present in 233 plant species and conferring resistance to 122 different pathogens. Moreover, the website has been completely redesigned with the implementation of Semantic MediaWiki technologies, which makes our repository freely accessed and easily edited by any scientists. To this purpose, we encourage plant biologist experts to join our annotation effort and share their knowledge on resistance-gene biology with the rest of the scientific community

Innovar en la visualización técnica y gráfica de arquitecturas históricas

Durante los últimos años, en nuestro contexto cultural ha habido un incremento en la importancia de la puesta en valor del patrimonio, aspecto que implica una acción fundamental en la protección de su identidad. En este sentido, el registro de los bienes patrimoniales resulta esencial para la conservación y el reconocimiento de los mismos, existiendo una amplia variedad de metodologías para el relevamiento. Las técnicas de registro 3D brindan un gran aporte en este campo, y si bien se encuentran ampliamente difundidas a nivel mundial, poseen todavía pocos antecedentes de aplicación en la Argentina. El trabajo se desarrolla en el marco del Convenio de Cooperación Cultural, Educacional y Científica impulsado por el Laboratorio Modelli del Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile de la Università degli Studi di Salerno y el Laboratorio de Experimentación Gráfica Proyectual del Habitar – L’egraph – de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata. El relevamiento y el posterior procesamiento, permitirán producir información integral de un sitio histórico obteniendo modelos 3D interactivos. Particularmente, se tiene como objeto de estudio al complejo arqueológico “Casino Macrì” en la ciudad de Locri, Región de Calabria, Italia. Es un sitio de gran valor patrimonial: conserva una masseria del siglo XIX que incorpora en sus fundaciones la estructura muraria de un edificio romano del siglo II d.C., posiblemente unas termas. En el proceso de desarrollo, se llevó a cabo un relevamiento del sector con el uso de los escáneres láser Faro Focus3D X130 HDR y X330 para luego procesar los datos en el software SCENE. Se realizó así una reconstrucción hipotética de las termas romanas incorporando el uso de software de modelado y BIM, como SketchUp y Revit. De esta manera, se utilizaron las nuevas tecnologías de registro y producción 3D, contribuyendo al entendimiento del mismo al momento de su difusión.The new three-dimensional surveying techniques provide an important contribution to conservation and recognition to architectural heritage. The objective of this research is carried out to explore the possibilities offered by the new 3D recording technologies in architecture, such as Laser Scanning. This study focuses particularly on the archaeological complex of Casino Macrì in the city of Locri, Calabria Region, Italy. Additionally, this technology could be useful to create an advanced hypothetical 3D digital model that reconstructs the complete Roman building, using the new 3D technologies, so as to contribute to a cultural and educational diffusion.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

State of the art on the contribution of water to antimicrobial resistance

The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is defined as the ability of microorganisms to withstand the effects of antibiotics and is considered a universal threat to humans, animals and the environment. The resistance mechanisms developed by bacteria originate from either the overuse of antibiotics in medical care and animal farming or from the spread of resistant genes among microorganisms. Worldwide, 700.000 people die annually from resistant infections and this means that if no action is taken, the estimated annual deaths attributable to AMR will be 10 million by 2050. The aim of this report is to discuss the mechanisms of antibiotic action and antibiotic resistance focusing on potential effects in water. Waterbodies have been indeed recognised as a significant reservoir of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARG). They contribute to the interchange of resistance genes between pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and they may favour the maintenance of the resistance in the environment. In this report, a review of the global scientific literature was conducted to show the levels of antibiotics in waste water treatment plants (WWTP), surface waters, agricultural runoff and drinking waters The most frequently monitored antibiotics in WWTP were sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim, while the most important substances in surface waters were erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and sulfamethazine.In parallel, a European database has been consulted to identify the antibiotics monitored in inland surface waters and the co-occurrence of heavy metals and antibiotic resistance in bacteria is discussed. It is indeed known that the chemical environmental pollution caused by heavy metals like silver (Ag), copper (Cu) or zinc (Zn) can co-select for antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics have been frequently detected in different aquatic environments within urban water cycles (waste, surface and drinking water) and, even if the levels are low (in the range of ng/L to µg/L), they could promote the acquisition of resistance by gene transfer between bacteria. The spread of AMR may be however constrained if general safety measures are taken to improve the effectiveness of wastewater treatment processes and to control the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry and in human medical practices. Additionally, new research must be conducted to understand the relationship between antibiotics’ concentration and the selection of resistance determinants in order to experimentally define the minimal concentration of antibiotics (as single and mixture) that induces resistance in bacteria. This factor should be then also considered in the evaluation of the risk assessment of antibiotics in water in order to define their environmental impactJRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

Epidemiological profile of 39 cases of microcephaly caused by congenital infections diagnosed in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2015-2017

Introduction: Microcephaly is a clinical finding that can arise from congenital anomalies or emerge after childbirth. Maternal infections acquired during pregnancy can result in characteristic brain damage in the newborn (NB), which may be visible even in the fetal stage.Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile of newborns with reported microcephaly and diagnosed with congenital infections in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2015 and 2017.Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out on data collected from the Public Health Event Registry as well as from medical records. The investigation included serologies for toxoplasmosis and rubella; polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Zika virus (ZIKV) in the blood and cytomegalovirus in the urine; non-treponemal tests for syphilis; and brain imaging tests.Results: Of the 257 reported cases of microcephaly, 39 were diagnosed with congenital infections. Severe microcephaly was identified in 13 patients (33.3%) and 51.3% of the cases showed alterations in brain imaging tests. In relation to the diagnosis of congenital infections, three patients (7.7%) were diagnosed with ZIKV, nine (23.1%) with cytomegalovirus, nine (23.1%) with toxoplasmosis, and 18 (46.1%) with congenital syphilis. The three cases of ZIKV showed calcification in brain imaging tests, signs of arthrogryposis, excess occipital skin and irritability, characterizing the typical phenotype of ZIKV infection.Conclusion: Most cases of congenital infection had severe neurological lesions, particularly the cases of ZIKV, which can cause neurodevelopmental delays and sequelae in these infants throughout early childhood.Keywords: Microcephaly; Congenital Infection; Zika Viru

Epidemiological profile of 39 cases of microcephaly caused by congenital infections diagnosed in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2015-2017

Introduction: Microcephaly is a clinical finding that can arise from congenital anomalies or emerge after childbirth. Maternal infections acquired during pregnancy can result in characteristic brain damage in the newborn (NB), which may be visible even in the fetal stage. To describe the epidemiological profile of newborns with reported microcephaly and diagnosed with congenital infections in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2015 and 2017. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on data collected from the Public Health Event Registry as well as from medical records. The investigation included serologies for toxoplasmosis and rubella; polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Zika virus (ZIKV) in the blood and cytomegalovirus in the urine; non-treponemal tests for syphilis; and brain imaging tests. Results: Of the 257 reported cases of microcephaly, 39 were diagnosed with congenital infections. Severe microcephaly was identified in 13 patients (33.3%) and 51.3% of the cases showed alterations in brain imaging tests. In relation to the diagnosis of congenital infections, three patients (7.7%) were diagnosed with ZIKV, nine (23.1%) with cytomegalovirus, nine (23.1%) with toxoplasmosis, and 18 (46.1%) with congenital syphilis. The three cases of ZIKV showed calcification in brain imaging tests, signs of arthrogryposis, excess occipital skin and irritability, characterizing the typical phenotype of ZIKV infection. Conclusions: Most cases of congenital infection had severe neurological lesions, particularly the cases of ZIKV, which can cause neurodevelopmental delays and sequelae in these infants throughout early childhood

Selection of substances for the 3rd Watch List under the Water Framework Directive

The 1st Watch List (WL) was established by the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/4951 in March 2015. The list was updated in June 2018 by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/840. During that update, the insecticide metaflumizone and the antibiotics amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin were added to the list. The purpose of this report is to propose candidate substances for the 3rd WL. Three pillars of information were used to select the candidate substances. The first pillar is the outcome of the last prioritisation exercise, the second includes the outcome of the review of the 1st WL and recommendations for the 3rd WL, and the third is based on a literature search and/or other sources (for instance information from Member States). The selection of candidate substances took into consideration their hazard properties as well as the availability of reliable safety thresholds (including the contribution to antimicrobial resistance for antibiotics) and the availability of relevant analytical methods for monitoring in the appropriate environmental matrix. The proposed substances take into account comments and information received from Member-State and stakeholder-group experts. The candidate substances, fulfilling the selection criteria and identified by the JRC as most suitable for inclusion in the next WL, include two antibiotics, which are often prescribed together to overcome antimicrobial resistance; ten azole substances, used as either pharmaceuticals or pesticides; an anti-depressant pharmaceutical and its metabolite; and two additional pesticides used as fungicides.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

Spermatozoa from infertile patients exhibit differences of DNA methylation associated with spermatogenesis-related processes: an array-based analysis

The influence of aberrant sperm DNA methylation on the reproductive capacity of couples has been postulated as a cause of infertility. This study compared the DNA methylation of spermatozoa of 19 fertile donors and 42 infertile patients using the Illumina 450K array. Clustering analysis of methylation data arranged fertile and infertile patients into two groups. Bivariate clustering analysis identified a differential distribution of samples according to the characteristics of seminogram and age, suggesting a possible link between these parameters and specific methylation profiles. The study identified 696 differentially methylated cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpG) associated with 501 genes between fertile donors and infertile patients. Ontological enrichment analysis revealed 13 processes related to spermatogenesis. Data filtering identified a set of 17 differentially methylated genes, some of which had functions relating to spermatogenesis. A significant association was identified between RPS6KA2 hypermethylation and advanced age (P = 0.016); APCS hypermethylation and oligozoospermia (P = 0.041); JAM3/NCAPD3 hypermethylation and numerical chromosome sperm anomalies (P = 0.048); and ANK2 hypermethylation and lower pregnancy rate (P = 0.040). This description of a set of differentially methylated genes provides a framework for further investigation into the influence of such variation in male fertility in larger patient cohorts.This work was supported by Projects PS09/00330 (Gobierno de España, Spain) and SGR2014-524 2 (Generalitat de Catalunya).Peer reviewe