Application of Non-Destructive Techniques. The Madonna Del Latte Case Study

In the frame of a research project involving a private collection of artworks a panel painting representing the Nursing Madonna (Madonna del latte) was studied by means of scientific examination.The Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry (DCCI) of the University of Genoa carried out non-invasive exams, combining imaging techniques with analytical analyses.Infrared reflectography (IRR), infrared false colour (IRFC), UV fluorescence (UVF), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and reflectance spectroscopy in the visible range (vis-RS) were used to analyse the painting palette thus obtaining more information on a possible creation date of the painting.Some of the most interesting results are the identification of a freehand underdrawing and the usage of lead white, cinnabar, Fe-based pigments for yellows and browns and Cu-based pigments for blue and green colours.The scientific results, as well as historical researches allow the hypothesis that the Madonna del latte was authored in the early 16th century by a Florentine artist, probably a scholar of Baccio della Porta

A Three-Step Neural Network Artificial Intelligence Modeling Approach for Time, Productivity and Costs Prediction: A Case Study in Italian Forestry

The improvement of harvesting methodologies plays an important role in the optimization of wood production in a context of sustainable forest management. Different harvesting methods can be applied according to forest site-specific condition and the appropriate mechanization level depends on a number of factors. Therefore, efficiency and functionality of wood harvesting operations depend on several factors. The aim of this study is to analyze how the different harvesting processes affect operational costs and labor productivity in typical small-scale Italian harvesting companies. A multiple linear regression model (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) have been carried out to predict gross time, productivity and costs estimation in a series of qualitative and quantitative variables. The results have created a correct statistical model able to accurately estimate the technical parameters (work time and productivity) and economic parameters (costs per unit of product and per hectare) useful to the forestry entrepreneur to predict the results of the work in advance, considering only the values detectable of some characteristic elements of the worksite

Should be a Third Dose of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19-Vaccine Administered in Patients with Myelofibrosis Under Ruxolitinib?

Patients with Myelobrosis (MF) are considered fragile and thus eligible in Italy for COVID-19 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination. According to the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS), patients with intermediate and high MF, may receive clinical benets from ruxolitinib, the rst approved JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor. Given the potent anti-in ammatory properties of ruxolitinib against immunocompetent cells, we previously reported a lower but non-statistically absolute IgG anti-Spike humoral response in vaccinated MF patients treated with ruxolitinib. In the present report we extended the cohort of MF patients

Renal function and physical fitness after 12-mo supervised training in kidney transplant recipients

To evaluate the effect of a 12-mo supervised aerobic and resistance training, on renal function and exercise capacity compared to usual care recommendations

. Ecological role and phylogenetic position of a new habitat-forming species (Canalipalpata, Sabellidae) from the Mediterranean mesophotic soft-bottoms

This study presents a description of Bispira riccardi sp. nov., a new habitat-forming sabellid polychaete from the mesophotic NW Mediterranean Sea. Individuals, up to 20 cm long, show a peculiar morphology of radioles, thoracic uncini, companion chaetae and ventral shield of the collar. The phylogenetic position of this new taxon in the genus Bispira has been validated using nuclear (18S rRNA) and mitochondrial (COI) markers. Aggregations of B. riccardi sp. nov. were found by ROV on horizontal muddy bottoms between 56 and 85 m, in areas subjected to high trophic inputs. Patches are fragmented and dense (up to 943 individuals m 2) probably accounting for various hectares. A 5-days continuous monitoring, carried out using an autonomous lander, revealed that the contraction of the branchial crown was positively affected by temperature and current, rapidly responding to meteorological events. The filtering activity and high density of these fields suggest a considerable impact on the pelagic-benthic coupling and the amount of organic matter in the sediments. Indeed, meiofaunal abundance and diversity within the aggregations resulted significantly higher than in outer stations. These findings highlight the undisclosed potential of the deep Mediterranean Sea for sabellid diversity and their importance as habitat-forming species on mesophotic soft bottoms

The Central Scientific Unit VIII - ”Computing”

The optimization of the execution times of data analysis and theoretical simulation codes, combined with the ability to manage large amounts of data, and with the energy efficiency of all processes, are decisive ingredients for the success of large research projects in astrophysics. On the other hand, the new opportunities provided by computer science developments will also significantly change the "modus operandi" of many researchers. The creation of USC VIII, dedicated to high-performance computing and data archiving, therefore represents an invaluable opportunity to support INAF members and projects in the highly competitive current research landscape and in what will mature over the next decades. The presentation describes the context, the organizational methods, the short and medium term objectives, the available and planned resources of the newborn USC VIII, which also includes almost all the activities (for example cloud, networks, GARR, software licenses, and services research commons such as gitlab, etc.) previously conducted by the so-called INAF ICT. Emphasis is also given to collaborations with other organizations and above all with industries. The presentation also wants to represent an opportunity to stimulate dialogue and the sharing of experiences in the field of computing, archives, services and IT developments: an opportunity to receive suggestions from the community, to gather information about any problems in this sector which exist in any specific INAF headquarters, and to start the assembly of a list of the local expertise to be exploited in the creation of the INAF computing ecosystem

POLARIX: a pathfinder mission of X-ray polarimetry

Since the birth of X-ray astronomy, spectral, spatial and timing observation improved dramatically, procuring a wealth of information on the majority of the classes of the celestial sources. Polarimetry, instead, remained basically unprobed. X-ray polarimetry promises to provide additional information procuring two new observable quantities, the degree and the angle of polarization. POLARIX is a mission dedicated to X-ray polarimetry. It exploits the polarimetric response of a Gas Pixel Detector, combined with position sensitivity, that, at the focus of a telescope, results in a huge increase of sensitivity. Three Gas Pixel Detectors are coupled with three X-ray optics which are the heritage of JET-X mission. POLARIX will measure time resolved X-ray polarization with an angular resolution of about 20 arcsec in a field of view of 15 arcmin $\times$ 15 arcmin and with an energy resolution of 20 % at 6 keV. The Minimum Detectable Polarization is 12 % for a source having a flux of 1 mCrab and 10^5 s of observing time. The satellite will be placed in an equatorial orbit of 505 km of altitude by a Vega launcher.The telemetry down-link station will be Malindi. The pointing of POLARIX satellite will be gyroless and it will perform a double pointing during the earth occultation of one source, so maximizing the scientific return. POLARIX data are for 75 % open to the community while 25 % + SVP (Science Verification Phase, 1 month of operation) is dedicated to a core program activity open to the contribution of associated scientists. The planned duration of the mission is one year plus three months of commissioning and SVP, suitable to perform most of the basic science within the reach of this instrument.Comment: 42 pages, 28 figure

Marine phycotoxin levels in shellfish-14 years of data gathered along the Italian coast

Along the Italian coasts, toxins of algal origin in wild and cultivated shellfish have been reported since the 1970s. In this study, we used data gathered by the Veterinary Public Health Institutes (IZS) and the Italian Environmental Health Protection Agencies (ARPA) from 2006 to 2019 to investigate toxicity events along the Italian coasts and relate them to the distribution of potentially toxic species. Among the detected toxins (OA and analogs, YTXs, PTXs, STXs, DAs, AZAs), OA and YTX were those most frequently reported. Levels exceeding regulatory limits in the case of OA (≤2,448 μg equivalent kg-1) were associated with high abundances of Dinophysis spp., and in the case of YTXs (≤22 mg equivalent kg-1) with blooms of Gonyaulax spinifera, Lingulodinium polyedra, and Protoceratium reticulatum. Seasonal blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. occur all along the Italian coast, but DA has only occasionally been detected in shellfish at concentrations always below the regulatory limit (≤18 mg kg-1). Alexandrium spp. were recorded in several areas, although STXs (≤13,782 μg equivalent kg-1) rarely and only in few sites exceeded the regulatory limit in shellfish. Azadinium spp. have been sporadically recorded, and AZAs have been sometimes detected but always in low concentrations (≤7 μg equivalent kg-1). Among the emerging toxins, PLTX-like toxins (≤971 μg kg-1 OVTX-a) have often been detected mainly in wild mussels and sea urchins from rocky shores due to the presence of Ostreopsis cf. ovata. Overall, Italian coastal waters harbour a high number of potentially toxic species, with a few HAB hotspots mainly related to DSP toxins. Nevertheless, rare cases of intoxications have occurred so far, reflecting the whole Mediterranean Sea conditions

ESA Voyage 2050 white paper:A Polarized View of the Hot and Violent Universe

Since the birth of X-ray Astronomy, spectacular advances have been seen in the imaging, spectroscopic and timing studies of the hot and violent X-ray Universe, and further leaps forward are expected in the future. On the other hand, polarimetry is very much lagging behind: after the measurements of the Crab Nebula and Scorpius X-1, obtained by OSO-8 in the 70s, no more observations have been performed in the classical X-ray band, even if some interesting results have been obtained in hard X-rays and in soft gamma-rays. The NASA/ASI mission IXPE, scheduled for the launch in 2021, is going to provide for the first time imaging X-ray polarimetry in the 2-8 keV band thanks to its photoelectric polarimeter, coupled with ~25'' angular resolution X-ray mirrors. Its orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity with respect to the OSO-8 Bragg polarimeter implies scientifically meaningful polarimetric measurements for at least the brightest specimens of most classes of X-ray sources. In 2027, the Chinese-led mission eXTP should also be launched. In addition to timing and spectroscopic instruments, eXTP will have on board photoelectric polarimeters very similar to those of IXPE, but with a total effective area 2-3 times larger. Building on IXPE results, eXTP will increase the number of sources for which significant polarimetric measurements could be obtained. However, further progresses, such as exploring a broader energy range, considering a larger effective area, improving the angular resolution, and performing wide-field polarization measurements, are needed to reach a mature phase for X-ray polarimetry. In the first part of this White Paper we will discuss a few scientific cases in which a next generation X-ray Polarimetry mission can provide significant advances. In the second part, a possible concept for a medium-class Next Generation X-ray Polarimetry (NGXP) mission will be sketched

ESA Voyage 2050 white paper:A Polarized View of the Hot and Violent Universe

Since the birth of X-ray Astronomy, spectacular advances have been seen in the imaging, spectroscopic and timing studies of the hot and violent X-ray Universe, and further leaps forward are expected in the future. On the other hand, polarimetry is very much lagging behind: after the measurements of the Crab Nebula and Scorpius X-1, obtained by OSO-8 in the 70s, no more observations have been performed in the classical X-ray band, even if some interesting results have been obtained in hard X-rays and in soft gamma-rays. The NASA/ASI mission IXPE, scheduled for the launch in 2021, is going to provide for the first time imaging X-ray polarimetry in the 2-8 keV band thanks to its photoelectric polarimeter, coupled with ~25'' angular resolution X-ray mirrors. Its orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity with respect to the OSO-8 Bragg polarimeter implies scientifically meaningful polarimetric measurements for at least the brightest specimens of most classes of X-ray sources. In 2027, the Chinese-led mission eXTP should also be launched. In addition to timing and spectroscopic instruments, eXTP will have on board photoelectric polarimeters very similar to those of IXPE, but with a total effective area 2-3 times larger. Building on IXPE results, eXTP will increase the number of sources for which significant polarimetric measurements could be obtained. However, further progresses, such as exploring a broader energy range, considering a larger effective area, improving the angular resolution, and performing wide-field polarization measurements, are needed to reach a mature phase for X-ray polarimetry. In the first part of this White Paper we will discuss a few scientific cases in which a next generation X-ray Polarimetry mission can provide significant advances. In the second part, a possible concept for a medium-class Next Generation X-ray Polarimetry (NGXP) mission will be sketched