UAV Systems for Photogrammetric Data Acquisition of Archaeological Sites

The use of UAV systems for surveying archaeological sites is becoming progressively more common due to the considerable potential in terms of rapidity of survey, costs and accuracy. The paper presents the first results of the photogrammetric survey of the archaeological site of Himera in Sicily (Italy) using by UAV systems. A complete documentation of the site through the production of a DSM and an ortho image were carried out. The research further evaluated two different image processing workflows: a typical photogrammetric approach and a computer vision approach. An ortho image of the archaeological site with a very high resolution was obtained.Dept. of Civil, Environmental, Aerospace and Materials Engineering, University of Palermo, Italy. Consorzio Ticonzero, Palermo, Ital

Spatial Frequency Tuning of Body Inversion Effects

Body inversion effects (BIEs) reflect the deployment of the configural processing of body stimuli. BIE modulates the activity of body-selective areas within both the dorsal and the ventral streams, which are tuned to low (LSF) or high spatial frequencies (HSF), respectively. The specific contribution of different bands to the configural processing of bodies along gender and posture dimensions, however, is still unclear. Seventy-two participants performed a delayed matching-to-sample paradigm in which upright and inverted bodies, differing for gender or posture, could be presented in their original intact form or in the LSF- or HSF-filtered version. In the gender discrimination task, participants’ performance was enhanced by the presentation of HSF images. Conversely, for the posture discrimination task, a better performance was shown for either HSF or LSF images. Importantly, comparing the amount of BIE across spatial-frequency conditions, we found greater BIEs for HSF than LSF images in both tasks, indicating that configural body processing may be better supported by HSF information, which will bias processing in the ventral stream areas. Finally, the exploitation of HSF information for the configural processing of body postures was lower in individuals with higher autistic traits, likely reflecting a stronger reliance on the local processing of body-part details

Strong, Weak and Branching Bisimulation for Transition Systems and Markov Reward Chains: A Unifying Matrix Approach

We first study labeled transition systems with explicit successful termination. We establish the notions of strong, weak, and branching bisimulation in terms of boolean matrix theory, introducing thus a novel and powerful algebraic apparatus. Next we consider Markov reward chains which are standardly presented in real matrix theory. By interpreting the obtained matrix conditions for bisimulations in this setting, we automatically obtain the definitions of strong, weak, and branching bisimulation for Markov reward chains. The obtained strong and weak bisimulations are shown to coincide with some existing notions, while the obtained branching bisimulation is new, but its usefulness is questionable

Natural Sulfur-Containing Compounds: An Alternative Therapeutic Strategy against Liver Fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a pathophysiologic process involving the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins as collagen deposition. Advanced liver fibrosis can evolve in cirrhosis, portal hypertension and often requires liver transplantation. At the cellular level, hepatic fibrosis involves the activation of hepatic stellate cells and their transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts. Numerous pro-fibrogenic mediators including the transforming growth factor-β1, the platelet-derived growth factor, endothelin-1, toll-like receptor 4, and reactive oxygen species are key players in this process. Knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying hepatic fibrosis development need to be extended to find novel therapeutic strategies. Antifibrotic therapies aim to inhibit the accumulation of fibrogenic cells and/or prevent the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. Natural products from terrestrial and marine sources, including sulfur-containing compounds, exhibit promising activities for the treatment of fibrotic pathology. Although many therapeutic interventions are effective in experimental models of liver fibrosis, their efficacy and safety in humans are largely unknown. This review aims to provide a reference collection on experimentally tested natural anti-fibrotic compounds, with particular attention on sulfur-containing molecules. Their chemical structure, sources, mode of action, molecular targets, and pharmacological activity in the treatment of liver disease will be discussed

¿Puede plantearse seriamente un interrogante sobre el acto administrativo?

El convencimiento en el ámbito de la doctrina ius administrativa, acerca de la existencia de una voluntad creadora en un marco de atribuciones propias, conduce a rechazar cualquier planteo para una interrogación sobre el acto administrativo. El análisis del sistema institucional argentino permite advertir que la administración pública no tiene un ámbito de atribuciones propias, sino que su función se agota con la adecuada gestión del derecho (normas internacionales, Constitución Nacional y Constituciones locales, leyes del Congreso o de las Legislaturas), lo que implica superar definitivamente que exista la posibilidad de un juicio de mérito, oportunidad o conveniencia para concretar la efectiva vigencia del derecho. Nuestra postura, siguiendo a Fiorini, es que no existe en la actividad administrativa una categoría especial de voluntad creadora y que toda la actividad administrativa, integralmente, es productora de efectos jurídicos que se manifiestan institucionalmente en virtud del derecho que se gestiona.The belief in the field of administrative ius doctrine about the existence of a creative will in a framework of own attributions, leads to reject any interrogating about the administrative act. The analysis of the Argentine institutional system can reveal that the Public Administration hasn’t a field of proper attributions but its function become exhausted with the appropriate management of Law (international norms, National Constitution and Local Constitutions, laws of Congress or of Legislatures) which imply to overcome definitely that exist the possibility of a judgment of merit, opportunity or convenience to realize the effective validity of Law. Our position, following Fiorini, is that a creative will doesn’t exist into the administrative activity as a special category and that all the administrative activity fully, produces legal effects which manifest institutionally under the Law that is managed.Publicado en la sección Derecho AdministrativoInstituto de Cultura Jurídic

Reflections on administrative procedure::In front of the crisis of the authoritarian system

Objetivo: Mostrar la necesidad de revisar el instituto del procedimiento administrativo, reconociendo su calidad de garantía del obrar jurídico de la administración pública, pero superando el alcance tradicional que lo define solo en relación a la emanación final de un acto administrativo de autoridad. Metodología: Partiendo del reconocimiento de la presencia de un nuevo proceso social que se elabora desde otras disciplinas (filosofía, sociología), sustitutivo de la modernidad en cuyo seno se gestó el Estado-Nación que brindó marco al surgimiento del derecho administrativo autoritario, estudiamos la posibilidad de conformar un nuevo derecho administrativo que no ponga el acento en el poder centralizado sino en la presencia de una sociedad que se auto instituya y defina como inmanente a ella el contenido del interés público que resulta de su realidad cotidiana. El método consiste especialmente, en el análisis de todas las propuestas emergentes de normas supranacionales y nacionales recientes vinculadas a ese nuevo proceso social que prioriza la inserción pública en la gestión administrativa, y se expresa en términos de participación, información, transparencia, control social, control de resultados. Conclusiones: Del análisis antes dicho resulta ineludible el desplazamiento de la idea del acto administrativo de autoridad tal y como ha llegado hasta nuestros días luego de dos siglos de vigencia constante, en cuanto manifestación de voluntad de un poder recoleto para decidir por la sociedad y en beneficio de ella. Por consecuencia, deberán integrarse las regulaciones procedimentales vigentes superando la presencia de un procedimiento único previsto hasta ahora como derivación del principio liberal del debido proceso, para dar paso a otros procedimientos que constituyan verdaderos mecanismos institucionales para canalizar la expresión de una sociedad activa.Objective: Show the need to revise the Institute of the administrative procedure, recognizing its guarantee of quality on the legal act into public administration, but going beyond the traditional scope that defines it only in relation to the final emanation of an administrative act of authority. Methodology: Departing from the recognition of the presence of a new social process elaborated from other disciplines (philosophy, sociology), we study the possibility of creating a new administrative law which aims in the public interest of the society based on its everyday reality. The method focuses in the analysis of all the emerging proposals of recent national and supranational rules associated with this new social process that prioritizes the public inclusion in administrative management, and is expressed in terms of participation, information, transparency, social control, control of results. Conclusion: It’s inevitable the displacement of the idea of the administrative act of authority such as it has come down to our days during two centuries, as manifestation of will of a secluded power to decide by society and on benefit of it. Consequently, the procedural regulations in force must be integrated surpassing the presence of a single procedure provided so far as a derivation of the liberal principle of due process, to make way for other procedures which constitute real institutional mechanisms to canalize the expression of an active society.Publicado en la sección Derecho AdministrativoFacultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociale

Reflections on administrative procedure::In front of the crisis of the authoritarian system

Objetivo: Mostrar la necesidad de revisar el instituto del procedimiento administrativo, reconociendo su calidad de garantía del obrar jurídico de la administración pública, pero superando el alcance tradicional que lo define solo en relación a la emanación final de un acto administrativo de autoridad. Metodología: Partiendo del reconocimiento de la presencia de un nuevo proceso social que se elabora desde otras disciplinas (filosofía, sociología), sustitutivo de la modernidad en cuyo seno se gestó el Estado-Nación que brindó marco al surgimiento del derecho administrativo autoritario, estudiamos la posibilidad de conformar un nuevo derecho administrativo que no ponga el acento en el poder centralizado sino en la presencia de una sociedad que se auto instituya y defina como inmanente a ella el contenido del interés público que resulta de su realidad cotidiana. El método consiste especialmente, en el análisis de todas las propuestas emergentes de normas supranacionales y nacionales recientes vinculadas a ese nuevo proceso social que prioriza la inserción pública en la gestión administrativa, y se expresa en términos de participación, información, transparencia, control social, control de resultados. Conclusiones: Del análisis antes dicho resulta ineludible el desplazamiento de la idea del acto administrativo de autoridad tal y como ha llegado hasta nuestros días luego de dos siglos de vigencia constante, en cuanto manifestación de voluntad de un poder recoleto para decidir por la sociedad y en beneficio de ella. Por consecuencia, deberán integrarse las regulaciones procedimentales vigentes superando la presencia de un procedimiento único previsto hasta ahora como derivación del principio liberal del debido proceso, para dar paso a otros procedimientos que constituyan verdaderos mecanismos institucionales para canalizar la expresión de una sociedad activa.Objective: Show the need to revise the Institute of the administrative procedure, recognizing its guarantee of quality on the legal act into public administration, but going beyond the traditional scope that defines it only in relation to the final emanation of an administrative act of authority. Methodology: Departing from the recognition of the presence of a new social process elaborated from other disciplines (philosophy, sociology), we study the possibility of creating a new administrative law which aims in the public interest of the society based on its everyday reality. The method focuses in the analysis of all the emerging proposals of recent national and supranational rules associated with this new social process that prioritizes the public inclusion in administrative management, and is expressed in terms of participation, information, transparency, social control, control of results. Conclusion: It’s inevitable the displacement of the idea of the administrative act of authority such as it has come down to our days during two centuries, as manifestation of will of a secluded power to decide by society and on benefit of it. Consequently, the procedural regulations in force must be integrated surpassing the presence of a single procedure provided so far as a derivation of the liberal principle of due process, to make way for other procedures which constitute real institutional mechanisms to canalize the expression of an active society.Publicado en la sección Derecho AdministrativoFacultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociale

Antifibrotic effect of marine ovothiol in an in vivo model of liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a complex process caused by chronic hepatic injury, which leads to an excessive increase in extracellular matrix protein accumulation and fibrogenesis. Several natural products, including sulfur-containing compounds, have been investigated for their antifibrotic effects; however, the molecular mechanisms underpinning their action are partially still obscure. In this study, we have investigated for the first time the effect of ovothiol A, π-methyl-5-thiohistidine, isolated from sea urchin eggs on an in vivo murine model of liver fibrosis. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) to induce liver fibrosis and treated with ovothiol A at the dose of 50 mg/kg 3 times a week for 2 months. Treatment with ovothiol A caused a significant reduction of collagen fibers as observed by histopathological changes and serum parameters compared to mice treated with control solution. This antifibrotic effect was associated to the decrease of fibrogenic markers involved in liver fibrosis progression, such as the transforming growth factor (TGF-β), the α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and the tissue metalloproteinases inhibitor (TIMP-1). Finally, we provided evidence that the attenuation of liver fibrosis by ovothiol A treatment can be regulated by the expression and activity of the membrane-bound γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT), which is a key player in maintaining intracellular redox homoeostasis. Overall, these findings indicate that ovothiol A has significant antifibrotic properties and can be considered as a new marine drug or dietary supplement in potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of liver fibrosis