Enabling planetary science across light-years. Ariel Definition Study Report

Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was adopted as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme to be launched in 2029. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System. The payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope (primary mirror 1100 mm x 730 mm ellipse) and two separate instruments (FGS and AIRS) covering simultaneously 0.5-7.8 micron spectral range. The satellite is best placed into an L2 orbit to maximise the thermal stability and the field of regard. The payload module is passively cooled via a series of V-Groove radiators; the detectors for the AIRS are the only items that require active cooling via an active Ne JT cooler. The Ariel payload is developed by a consortium of more than 50 institutes from 16 ESA countries, which include the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and a NASA contribution

OLIVE RESIDUES TO ENERGY CHAINS IN THE APULIA REGION PART I: BIOMASS POTENTIALS AND COSTS

The main objective of the proposed research is to estimate the energy potentials of the olive trees pruning residues and olive husk residues in the Apulia region (Southern Italy) and to compare the possible bioenergy conversion routes for heat and power generation. 46 006_Pantaleo(537)_37 27-07-2009 11:20 Pagina 46 The part I of the research proposes a preliminary review of the olive oil chain residues in the Apulia region and an assessment of technical potentials and biomass supply costs. The investigation is carried out through a review of existing literature, structured interviews with operators, elaboration of available statistical data, assessment of the typology and current use of the by-products, analysis of olive trees pruning techniques and olive milling processes. The results show a high potential of pruning residues (about 177 kt/year at 15% moisture content) and crude olive husk (about 915 kt/year at 50% average moisture content). The supply costs are, in most cases, compatible with the energy conversion routes, and in particular they result in the range of 45-55 €/t (35% moisture content) for rotobales and chips from PR

Assessing resilience of mountain communities Hit by the central Italy Earthquakes of 2016.

Community resilience is “the ability of a system to recover from the effect of a hazard, preserving its essential structures and functions”. Psychological aspects have a significant influence on the adaptive capacity of populations hit by natural disasters. Among such aspects, place attachment appears to play an important role. The well-being deriving from the identification with a place has been acknowledged in literature; the loss of one's own place has devastating effects on the emotional state of individuals. Studies about natural disasters have largely underlined how such events change the emotional bonds with the territory, but only recently place attachment has been explored as a crucial aspect for maintaining the communities’ resilience; most of the papers concerned climate change resilience, very few earthquake resilience. This chapter aims to contribute to the understanding of the influence of territorial bonds on the social resilience of communities hit by earthquakes. Data were collected through paper questionnaires, in three small mountain communities of central Italy, about one year after the earthquake of August 24th, 2016. Results show that place attachment was a central value for the three-quarters of the interviewees, despite the seismic hazard, in all three areas. Findings encourage further investigations in other areas with different territorial settings and urban size, for a better knowledge of the role of place attachment for earthquake resilience

Aleitamento materno: fatores de influência na sua decisão e duração

Os autores analisaram diferentes fatores que podem influenciar na decisão das mães de amamentar, na duração da amamentação e as principais razões do desmame. Foram selecionados artigos publicados entre 1990 e 2004 das bases de dados Lilacs, Medline, Scielo, Bireme, utilizando as palavras-chave: desmame e fatores de risco, bem como suas versões em inglês. Alguns fatores, como maternidade precoce, baixo nível educacional e socioeconômico maternos, paridade, atenção do profissional de saúde nas consultas de pré-natal, necessidade de trabalhar fora do lar, são freqüentemente considerados como determinantes do desmame precoce. Contudo, outros, como o apoio familiar, condições adequadas no local de trabalho e uma experiência prévia positiva, parecem ser parâmetros favoráveis à decisão materna pela amamentação. Apesar da relevância dos fatores mencionados acima, os aspectos culturais e a história de vida da mãe foram os mais importantes na decisão materna pelo aleitamento e pelo momento do desmame.The authors analyzed different factors than can influence the mother's decision to breastfeed, the duration of breastfeeding and the main weaning reasons. Articles published from 1990 to 2004 in the databases Lilacs, Medline, Scielo and Bireme were selected, using the key-words weaning and risk factors. Some factors, such as early maternity, low maternal education and socioeconomic class, parity, attention of health professionals in prenatal care and the need to work are frequently considered determinants of early weaning. However, other factors such as family support, favorable workplace conditions and a positive previous breastfeeding experience seem to favor the mother's decision to breastfeed. Despite the relevance of the factors mentioned above, cultural aspects and the mother's life history are the most important factors determining the decision to breastfeed and the time to wean

Fostering Geoethics in Flood Risk Reduction: Lessons Learned from the EU Project LIFE PRIMES

Despite the concrete evidence of human responsibilities with the ongoing environmental crisis, tangible changes toward low disaster-risk development models are slow in coming and delayed in implementation. This paper discusses the principles of geoethics underpinning flood risk reduction by analyzing the results of the EU project LIFE PRIMES (Preventing flooding RIsks by Making resilient communitiES). Through the administration of a questionnaire, issues of flood literacy, effective communication and individual responsibility concerning flood hazard and exposure were investigated. Directly engaging local communities, the LIFE PRIMES project appears to have increased citizens attention toward environmental ethics, thus providing an encouraging perspective for appropriate human–environment interaction

In vitro interactions between anidulafungin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on biofilms of Candida spp

Candida spp. are responsible for many biomaterial-related infections; they give rise to infective pathologies typically associated with biofilm formation. We recently reported that the echinocandin anidulafungin (ANF) showed a strong in vitro activity against both planktonic and biofilms cells. Herein, we report the antifungal activities of ANF alone and in association with some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) against nine Candida strain biofilms: four Candida albicans, two Candida glabrata and three Candida guilliermondii. The activity of ANF was assessed using an in vitro microbiological model relevant for clinical practice. ANF proved oneself to be active against biofilms cells, and a clear-cut synergism was found against Candida species biofilms when ANF was used in combination with three NSAIDs: aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen. The positive synergism against Candida spp. of ANF in association with aspirin or the other NSAIDs proved to be a very effective antifungal treatment (FICI <0.5). These results may provide the starting point for new combination therapies of ANF with NSAIDs against Candida biofilm pathologies

In vitro synergy testing of anidulafungin with fluconazole, tioconazole, 5-flucytosine and amphotericin B against some Candida spp

In this paper the authors investigated a synergistic antimycotic effect between four antifungal drugs Ampho- tericin B, Fluconazole, Tioconazole, and Flucytosine individually combined with Anidulafungin compound. This latter is considered a drug of choice in the treatment of fungal infections; it has good activity both in vitro and in vivo against yeasts and moulds, as Candida and Aspergillus. The goal of this study was to evaluate the in vitro interaction of Anidula- fungin in the synergic combinations with previous reported drugs against 12 Candida strains according to CLSI M27-A3 protocol. A synergistic interaction was observed against the most antifungal strains; in particular an increasing of the an- timycotic efficacy was obtained from the association between Anidulafungin and Amphotericin B or Fluconazole (Mix- ture 4:6). In contrast the association Tioconazole/Anidulafungin was less effective on fungal species growth. The antimy- cotics MIC reduction values were more evident against some strains as C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. tropicalis and C. parap- silosis

A cidadania sob o signo do desvio: Para uma crítica da "tese de excepcionalidade brasileira"

O propósito central do artigo consiste em realizar uma consideração crítica do que denominamos de "tese da excepcionalidade normativa brasileira". As duas principais questões orientadoras são: em primeiro lugar, haveria alguma desvantagem, do ponto de vista analítico, em manter-se orientado pela noção conforme a qual a experiência da cidadania no Brasil é algo particular em relação ao "centro da modernidade"? Em segundo lugar, é possível vislumbrar outra maneira profícua de refletir a respeito da experiência da cidadania no Brasil para além da "tese da excepcionalidade normativa"?<br>This article aims at carrying out a critique of the so-called "thesis of the Brazilian normative exceptionality". The two driving questions are: first and foremost, is there any disadvantage, from an analytical point of view, in remaining oriented by the notion according to which the experience of citizenship in Brazil is something peculiar as compared to the "nucleus of modernity"? Secondly, is it possible to envisage another fruitful way of framing such an experience which goes beyond the "exceptionality thesis"