A Framework to Develop Urban Aerial Networks by Using a Digital Twin Approach

The new concept of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and the emergent unmanned aerial vehicles are receiving more and more attention by several stakeholders for implementing new transport solutions. However, there are several issues to solve in order to implement successful UAM systems. Particularly, setting a suitable framework is central for including this new transportation system into the existing ones—both ground and aerial systems. Regulation and definition of aerial networks, but also the characterization of ground facilities (vertiports) to allow passengers and freight to access the services are among the most relevant issues to be discussed. To identify UAM transportation networks, suitably connected with ground transportation services, digital twin models could be adopted to support the modelling and simulation of existing—and expected—scenarios with constantly updated data for identifying solutions addressing the design and management of transport systems. In this perspective, a digital twin model applied to an existing urban context—the city of Bologna, in northern Italy—is presented in combination with a novel air transport network that includes the third dimension. The 3D Urban Air Network tries to satisfy the principle of linking origin/destination points by ensuring safe aerial paths and suitable aerial vehicle separations. It involves innovative dynamic links powered by a heuristic cost function. This work provides the initial framework to explore the integration of UAM services into realistic contexts, by avoiding the costs associated with flight simulations in reality. Moreover, it can be used for holistic analyses of UAM systems

Programación de rutas para patrullas con tiempos de servicios variables mediante una meta-heurística híbrida

El patrullaje de policías es una de las mejores prácticas preventivas para la seguridad pública contra los delitos urbanos. En este trabajo se aborda el problema de planificar rutas de patrullas para minimizar el riesgo criminal de una zona teniendo en cuenta tiempos mínimos de viaje.  El problema se plantea a través de un modelo de programación lineal entero-mixto, bajo limitaciones de tiempo, costo y recursos. La formulación es una modificación del VRPSTW(1) con la propuesta de la modelación del riesgo y tiempos de servicios variables.  Se propone un algoritmo meta-heurísticos híbrido que combina GA(2), ACO(3) y búsqueda exhaustiva para ofrecer soluciones efectivas al problema.  Se propone una metodología multicriterio para la definición de índices criminales que permiten marcar prioridades en la generación de rutas de patrullas. Para validar el desempeño del enfoque propuesto, se realiza un caso de aplicación en Barranquilla (Colombia).MaestríaMagister en Ingeniería Industria

Water extract of Cryphaea heteromalla (Hedw.) D. Mohr bryophyte as a natural powerful source of biologically active compounds

Bryophytes comprise of the mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Cryphaea heteromalla, (Hedw.) D. Mohr, is a non-vascular lower plant belonging to mosses group. To the date, the most chemically characterized species belong to the liverworts, while only 3.2% and 8.8% of the species belonging to the mosses and hornworts, respectively, have been investigated. In this work, we present Folin–Ciocalteu and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) data related to crude extracts of C. heteromalla obtained by three different extraction solvents: pure water (WT), methanol:water (80:20 v/v) (MET), and ethanol:water (80:20 v/v) (ETH). The water extract proved to be the best solvent showing the highest content of biophenols and the highest ORAC value. The C. heteromalla-WT extract was investigated by HPLC-TOF/MS (High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Time of Flight/Mass Spectrometry) allowing for the detection of 14 compounds, five of which were phenolic compounds, derivatives of benzoic, caffeic, and coumaric acids. Moreover, the C. heteromalla WT extract showed a protective effect against reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH) on the murine NIH-3T3 fibroblast cell line

Inferences on physico-chemical conditions and gas-water interaction by new quantitative approaches: The case of Panarea (Italy)

We have developed two new quantitative approaches to calculate temperatures in hydrothermal reservoirs by using the CO2-CH4-CO-H2 gaseous system and to model selective dissolution of CO2-H2S-N2-CH4-He-Ne mixtures in fresh and/or air saturated seawater. The anomalous outgassing starting November 2003 from the submarine exhalative system offshore Panarea island (Italy), was the occasion to apply such approaches to the extensive collection of volcanic gases. Gas geothermometry suggest the presence of a deep geothermal system at temperature up to 350°C and about 12 mol% CO2 in the vapor, which feeds the submarine emissions. Based on the fractional dissolution model, the rising geothermal vapor interacts with air-saturated seawater at low depths, dissolving 30-40% CO2 and even more H2S, modifying the pH of the aqueous solution and stripping the dissolved atmospheric volatiles (N2, Ne). Interaction of the liquid phase of the thermal fluids with country rocks, as well extensive mixing with seawater, have been also recognized and quantified. The measured output of hydrothermal fluids from Panarea exhalative field [1] accounts for the involvement of volatiles from an active degassing magma, nonetheless the climax of the investigated phenomenon is probably overcome and the system is new tending towards a steady-state. Our quantitative approaches allow us to monitor the geochemical indicators of the geothermal physico-chemical conditions and their potential evolution towards phreatic events or massive gas releases, which certainly are the main hazards to be expected in the area. The event at Panarea has in fact highlighted how hydrothermal systems can exhibit dramatic and sudden changes of their physico-chemical conditions and rate of fluid release, as a response to variable activity of feeding magmatic systems

Menjadi Orang Tua Hebat di Era Digital 4.0 : Memberi Penyuluhan Kepada Ibu-ibu di Ruang Publik Terpadu Ramah Anak

Parents have the biggest role in recognizing and knowing the children's growth and development. The relationship that exists between parents and children is determined by how parents taking care of their children. Parenting is a way for parents to raise children by fulfilling the needs of children, give protection, educate their children, and also influence children's behavior in daily life. The role of parents determines children’s behavior, especially in nurturing and educating children in this digital era which requires an extra effort compared to decades ago. The digital era is certainly closely related to the internet and smartphones. Parents act as determinants of children's behavior through appropriate parenting patterns and by making changes in children's behavior to more positive. One of the things that can be done by modifying the behavior. Behavior modification is an attempt to apply the principles of the learning process as well as the psychological principles of the results of other experiments on human behavior. In this community service activity, the method used was not only by providing counseling and discussion material but also by giving a pre-test and post-test. The pre-test results show that 75% of participants do not know the types of parenting and do not know the types of parenting that have been applied or would be applied to their children. Regarding the internet, the results of the post-test show that all participants know the types of parenting that existed based on the exposure given. In addition, 80% of participants have also been able to determine what types of parenting would be applied, most of them determine authoritative parenting. While 20% of participants are still limited to knowing the type of parenting and have not been able to determine the type of parenting that would be applied to children. Keywords: parenting, behavior modification, good internet   Abstrak Orang tua memiliki peran terbesar dalam mengenali dan mengetahui tumbuh kembang anak. Hubungan yang terjalin antara orang tua dan anak ditentukan oleh bagaimana cara orang tua mengasuh anak mereka. Pola asuh adalah cara orang tua membesarkan anak dengan memenuhi kebutuhan anak, memberi perlindungan, mendidik anak, serta mempengaruhi tingkah laku anak dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Peranan orang tua menentukan perilaku anak, terlebih mengasuh dan mendidik anak di era digital ini butuh usaha ekstra dibanding puluhan tahun yang lalu. Era digital ini tentunya berkaitan erat dengan internet dan Smartphone. Orang tua berperan sebagai agen penentu perilaku anak melalui pola pengasuhan yang tepat dan dengan melakukan perubahan perilaku anak agar lebih positif. Salah satu hal yang dapat dilakukan dengan memodifikasi perilaku. Modifikasi perilaku adalah usaha untuk menerapkan prinsip-prinsip proses belajar maupun prinsip-prinsip psikologis hasil eksperimen lain pada perilaku manusia. Pada kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini metode yang digunakan selain dengan memberikan materi penyuluhan dan diskusi, juga dengan memberikan tes awal (pretest) dan tes akhir (posttest). Hasil pre-test menunjukkan sebanyak 75% peserta belum mengetahui jenis-jenis pola asuh dan belum mengetahui jenis pola asuh yang selama ini sudah diterapkan maupun yang akan diterapkan kepada anak mereka. Berkaitan dengan internet, dari hasil post-test menunjukkan bahwa seluruh peserta mengetahui jenis-jenis pola asuh yang ada berdasarkan paparan yang diberikan. Selain itu, 80% peserta juga sudah dapat menentukan pola asuh apa yang akan di terapkan, kebanyakan mereka menentukan pola asuh otoritatif. Sedangkan 20% peserta masih sebatas mengetahui jenis pola asuh dan belum dapat menentukan jenis pola asuh yang akan diterapkan untuk anak-anak. Kata kunci: pola asuh, modifikasi perilaku, internet seha

Randomized placebo-controlled trial comparing desloratadine and montelukast in monotherapy and desloratadine plus montelukast in combined therapy for chronic idiopathic urticaria

BACKGROUND: H 1 -receptor antagonists are considered to be particularly effective in reducing pruritus, and they are therefore recommended as first-line treatment in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Recently, antileukotriene receptors have been used in patients with CIU, either administered as monotherapy or combined with H 1 -receptor antagonists. OBJECTIVE: We compared the clinical efficacy of 5 mg of desloratadine administered once daily either as monotherapy or combined with a leukotriene antagonist, 10 mg of montelukast daily, and 10 mg of montelukast administered daily as monotherapy for the treatment of patients affected by CIU with placebo. METHODS: One hundred sixty patients aged 18 to 69 years (mean +/- SD, 43.9 +/- 13.4 years) with a history of moderate CIU were selected. A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study design was used. Patients were treated with 5 mg of desloratadine once daily (n = 40), 10 mg of montelukast once daily (n = 40), 5 mg of desloratadine (n = 40) in the morning plus montelukast in the evening, or matched placebo (n = 40). Assessment of treatment efficacy was based on scores of daily cutaneous symptoms evaluated reflectively and instantaneously. RESULTS: Only the group treated with desloratadine as monotherapy or as combined therapy concluded the whole study. Twenty-seven of the 40 patients in the montelukast group and 35 of the 40 patients in the placebo group discontinued the treatment. As reflective evaluation, all groups showed significant differences compared with the placebo group in terms of total symptom score, number of hives, and size of largest hive. In addition to the pruritus, only the groups treated with desloratadine as monotherapy or combined therapy showed significant differences compared with those receiving placebo, whereas there were no differences between the montelukast and placebo groups. Finally, no differences were found between the desloratadine group and the desloratadine plus montelukast group. The instantaneous evaluation demonstrated similar results regarding the desloratadine group and the desloratadine plus montelukast group versus the placebo group, whereas there were no significant differences between the group treated with montelukast alone and the placebo group for pruritus and size of largest hive. No differences were found between the group treated with desloratadine alone and the desloratadine plus montelukast group. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this comparative study demonstrate that desloratadine is highly effective for the treatment of patients affected by CIU. In addition, the regular combined therapy of desloratadine plus montelukast does not seem to offer a substantial advantage with respect to desloratadine as monotherapy in patients affected by moderate CIU

The Porretta thermal springs (Northern Apennines): seismogenic structures and long-term geochemical monitoring

The thermal springs of Porretta are located on a seismically active area of the Northern Apennines. In 19th Century a chemist identified anomalous behaviour of the thermal waters in concomitance with local seismic events. Recent studies assessed the geochemical features of the circulating fluids (e.g., waters carry a dissolved CH4-dominated gas phase with a radiogenic signature of the helium isotopic ratio) and observed anomalous hydrologic and geochemi- cal signals possibly related to crustal strain phenomena due to local seismic events. Long-term geochemical moni- toring was carried out from 2001 to 2006 with the aim of detecting the behaviour of the circulating fluids possibly coinciding with seismic activity. The collected data reveal a sensitivity of the thermal waters to the activity of the main fault crossing the village of Porretta and identify a «seismogenic» structure crossing the village

Hydrogel scaffolds based on k-Carrageenan/xyloglucan blends to host spheroids from human adipose stem cells

Hydrogels are water-swollen networks of hydrophilic polymer. They can be fabricated in various shapes and swell in water or aqueous solutions maintaining their original shape or undergo progressive erosion; can exibit large volume phase transitions with the change of one environmental parameter (stimuli-responsivness), shock absorption and low sliding friction properties (1). The morphology and mechanical properties of hydrogels are strongly affected by the network composition, the nature and degree of crosslinking and the degree of swelling. Indeed, when hydrogels are designed as scaffolds for human tissues remodeling, they must have sufficient mechanical integrity to provide support to the cells from the time of implantation to the completion of the process. The large amount of water present in the hydrogels and its microscopic pores interconnectivity allows transportation of nutrients, oxygen and metabolites, that ensures cells viability, and permits cells migration and scaffold colonization. The polymeric network can immobilize biomolecules that may affect cells growth or differentiation, control drug release profiles and enzymatic degradation (2,3). The combination of two hydrogelforming polymers with different chemistries and crosslinking densities can be used to tailor the morphology, mechanical strength and toughness of the scaffold to meet specific requirements (1). This work investigates the physico-chemical, morphological and mechanical properties of hydrogels formed by the blend of two polysaccharides, k-Carrageenan (k-C) and Degalactosylated Xyloglucan (Deg-XG) undergoing salt-induced and temperature-induced solgel transition, respectively. It also studies the compatibility of the two biopolymers with spheroids from adipose-derived stem cells (S-ASCs) in the prospect of developing instructive scaffolds for use in regenerative medicine