Testing Taylor’s Law in Urban Population Dynamics Worldwide with Simultaneous Equation Models

Knowledge of long-term population trends is still incomplete at the global scale. In this perspective, human and animal ecology has intensively studied the relationship between the Mean (M) size and the Variance (V) of specific attributes of subpopulations within a given regional system. One of the best-known relationships between these two attributes suitable to describe long-term population trends is governed by Taylor’s law (TL). The present article contributes to the recent literature on population trends worldwide by testing the long-term relationship (1950–2015) between the overall variance and mean in the total population of 1857 metropolitan agglomerations in 155 countries classified into 9 world macro-regions. To estimate the unknown parameter(s) of the V–M relation we made use of a simultaneous equation system using both linear (classical TL) and quadratic specifications, with the aim of ascertaining a wide range of simplified (or more complex) association rules between the two dimensions of demographic change. The empirical results show that TL is verified in all nine cases, although a quadratic relationship provides slightly better results than the classical, linear relationship. More specifically, similar estimates for both linear and quadratic relationships were characteristic of ‘new’ demographic continents with more recent and intense urbanization processes (the Americas, and African and Asian countries). The predominance of quadratic relationships characterized regions with long-established urbanization processes, such as Europe, Russia, and, partly, China and the Middle East. The relevance of the TL for a refined understanding of urbanization mechanisms worldwide, and the importance of a quadratic term for distinguishing metropolitan systems that have experienced different development paths, were finally discussed

Pumice and lapillus scraps: New national environmental-friendly chance for the production of ceramic tiles

Italian pumice and volcanic lapillus scraps have been used in different percentages as alternative raw materials to foreign feldspars in porcelain stoneware mixtures. The aim of this work was to create naturally colored support to limit the use of artificial dyes while maintaining the technical properties of the reference product. For this purpose, the significant presence of chromophores (Fe and Ti in particular) in by-products from extraction of Italian volcanic pumice and lapillus was exploited. The work was carried out in collaboration with a company: the products were made on a laboratory scale and then they were glazed and fired within the industrial production cycle (48 min, 1210 ◦C). The resulting slip and the fired samples were characterized by measuring the efflux time, density, linear shrinkage, water absorption and tensile strength to evaluate the technological performance. In addition, thermogravimetric analysis (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and optical and mechanical dilatometry were performed to study the thermal behavior of the formulations. The obtained products could be classified as porcelain stoneware and belong to the BIa group (WA 0.5%, B. S.>35 MPa) in accordance with UNI EN 14411 ISO 13006

Long-term cognitive and behavioral therapies, combined with augmentative communication, are related to uncinate fasciculus integrity in autism

Recent evidence points to white-matter abnormalities as a key factor in autism physiopathology. Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging, we studied white-matter structural properties in a convenience sample of twenty-two subjects with low-functioning autism exposed to long-term augmentative and alternative communication, combined with sessions of cognitive and behavioral therapy. Uncinate fasciculus structural properties correlated significantly with therapy length and early onset, as well as to clinical outcome, independently from IQ, age or symptoms severity at therapy onset. Moreover, adherence to therapy was linked with better clinical outcome and uncinate fasciculus structural integrity. The results point to the capability of a long-term rehabilitation of subjects with low-functioning autism to produce white-matter structural modifications, which could thus play a role in the rehabilitative outcome

Validation of the italian version of the behavioral inhibition questionnaire (Biq) for preschool children

Behavioral Inhibition (BI) is a temperamental trait characterized by fear and wariness in reaction to new and unfamiliar stimuli, both social and non-social. BI has been recognized as possible forerunner of anxiety disorders, especially social anxiety and phobia; therefore, its assessment is clinically relevant. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Italian adaptation of the Behavioral Inhibition Questionnaire (BIQ), which measures BI in preschool children. The BIQ was completed by 417 Italian parents (230 mothers, 187 fathers) of 270 preschoolers aged 3–5. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good internal validity: the factorial structure was corresponding to the original six-factor version. Results showed excellent internal consistency, significant item-total correlations, good inter-rater reliability, convergent validity (by correlating the BIQ with the Italian Questionnaires of Temperament-QUIT, the Anxiety-Shy Conner’s Scale and the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery) and discriminant validity (i.e., no correlation with Conners’ ADHD scale). Significant correlations emerged between BI indexes and total BIQ scores of parents and maternal (but not paternal) versions of the questionnaire. Altogether, the results are promising and consistent with previous validation studies, suggesting the BIQ as a reliable and valid measure for evaluating parents’ perception of BI in Italian preschoolers

Microwave Devices for Wearable Sensors and IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm is currently highly demanded in multiple scenarios and in particular plays an important role in solving medical-related challenges. RF and microwave technologies, coupled with wireless energy transfer, are interesting candidates because of their inherent contactless spectrometric capabilities and for the wireless transmission of sensing data. This article reviews some recent achievements in the field of wearable sensors, highlighting the benefits that these solutions introduce in operative contexts, such as indoor localization and microwave sensing. Wireless power transfer is an essential requirement to be fulfilled to allow these sensors to be not only wearable but also compact and lightweight while avoiding bulky batteries. Flexible materials and 3D printing polymers, as well as daily garments, are widely exploited within the presented solutions, allowing comfort and wearability without renouncing the robustness and reliability of the built-in wearable sensor

Acoustic Nature of the Boson Peak in Vitreous Silica

New temperature dependent inelastic x-ray (IXS) and Raman (RS) scattering data are compared to each other and with existing inelastic neutron scattering data in vitreous silica (v-SiO_2), in the 300 - 1775 K region. The IXS data show collective propagating excitations up to Q=3.5 nm^-1. The temperature behaviour of the excitations at Q=1.6 nm^-1 matches that of the boson peak found in INS and RS. This supports the acoustic origin of the excess of vibrational states giving rise to the boson peak in this glass.Comment: 10 pages and 4 figure

Modificações ambientais causadas pela implantação de Sistemas Agroflorestais em Áreas de Preservação Permanente: marco zero.

Sistemas agroflorestais (SAF) são alternativa para recuperação de Áreas de Preservação Permanente, mantendo-se a área produtiva do ponto de vista ecológico e agrícola. Está sendo feito um estudo, sob princípios da pesquisa-ação participativa, para acompanhamento e avaliação da evolução de SAF sucessionais na APA da Serra da Esperança e caracterização do efeito dos mesmos sobre o ecossistema, bem como sua inserção nos sistemas de produção locais. O objetivo deste trabalho é caracterizar as parcelas anteriormente à implantação dos SAF. Em cada parcela de estudo, em três propriedades de agricultores familiares de Inácio Martins/PR, Brasil, fez-se análises química e física do solo e levantamento florístico. Os solos apresentam baixa fertilidade natural e elevada acidez. O conteúdo de matéria orgânica é elevado e a estrutura apresenta excelentes condições. As parcelas experimentais tem semelhanças quanto à vegetação, entretanto há diferenças em função das práticas agrícolas associadas.Edição dos resumos do 7º Congresso Brasileiro de Agroecologia, 2013, Porto Alegre

Influência da temperatura de armazenamento na qualidade sensorial do pinhão.

Resumo

On the asymmetric zero-range in the rarefaction fan

We consider the one-dimensional asymmetric zero-range process starting from a step decreasing profile. In the hydrodynamic limit this initial condition leads to the rarefaction fan of the associated hydrodynamic equation. Under this initial condition and for totally asymmetric jumps, we show that the weighted sum of joint probabilities for second class particles sharing the same site is convergent and we compute its limit. For partially asymmetric jumps we derive the Law of Large Numbers for the position of a second class particle under the initial configuration in which all the positive sites are empty, all the negative sites are occupied with infinitely many first class particles and with a single second class particle at the origin. Moreover, we prove that among the infinite characteristics emanating from the position of the second class particle, this particle chooses randomly one of them. The randomness is given in terms of the weak solution of the hydrodynamic equation through some sort of renormalization function. By coupling the zero-range with the exclusion process we derive some limiting laws for more general initial conditions.Comment: 22 pages, to appear in Journal of Statistical Physic