Spatial interactions in agent-based modeling

Agent Based Modeling (ABM) has become a widespread approach to model complex interactions. In this chapter after briefly summarizing some features of ABM the different approaches in modeling spatial interactions are discussed. It is stressed that agents can interact either indirectly through a shared environment and/or directly with each other. In such an approach, higher-order variables such as commodity prices, population dynamics or even institutions, are not exogenously specified but instead are seen as the results of interactions. It is highlighted in the chapter that the understanding of patterns emerging from such spatial interaction between agents is a key problem as much as their description through analytical or simulation means. The chapter reviews different approaches for modeling agents' behavior, taking into account either explicit spatial (lattice based) structures or networks. Some emphasis is placed on recent ABM as applied to the description of the dynamics of the geographical distribution of economic activities, - out of equilibrium. The Eurace@Unibi Model, an agent-based macroeconomic model with spatial structure, is used to illustrate the potential of such an approach for spatial policy analysis.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures, 105 references; a chapter prepared for the book "Complexity and Geographical Economics - Topics and Tools", P. Commendatore, S.S. Kayam and I. Kubin, Eds. (Springer, in press, 2014

Epigenomics and Transcriptomics in the Prediction and Diagnosis of Childhood Asthma: Are We There Yet?

Asthma is the most common non-communicable chronic disease of childhood. Despite its high prevalence, to date we lack methods that are both efficient and accurate in diagnosing asthma. Most traditional approaches have been based on garnering clinical evidence, such as risk factors and exposures. Given the high heritability of asthma, more recent approaches have looked at genetic polymorphisms as potential “risk factors.” However, genetic variants explain only a small proportion of asthma risk, and have been less than optimal at predicting risk for individual subjects. Epigenomic studies offer significant advantages over previous approaches. Epigenetic regulation is highly tissue-specific, and can induce both short- and long-term changes in gene expression. Such changes can start in utero, can vary throughout the life span, and in some instances can be passed on from one generation to another. Most importantly, the epigenome can be modified by environmental factors and exposures, and thus epigenetic and transcriptomic profiling may yield the most accurate risk estimates for a given patient by incorporating environmental (and treatment) effects throughout the lifespan. Here we will review the most recent advances in the use of epigenetic and transcriptomic analysis for the early diagnosis of asthma and atopy, as well as challenges and future directions in the field as it moves forward. We will particularly focus on DNA methylation, the most studied mechanism of epigenetic regulation

Detection and distribution of European stone fruit yellows (ESFY) in apricot cv. ‘Bergeron’ and epidemiological studies in the province of Trento (Italy)

The aim was to investigate the performance of ‘Bergeron’ on ‘Wavit’ in 4 experimental fields, in the province of Trento (Italy), where European stone fruit yellows (ESFY) caused by “Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum” has been constantly spreading since 2000.This included visual inspections for typical symptoms (early bud-break during dormancy and premature leaf-roll) and a highly sensitive Real time-PCR (Rt-PCR) assay. 25 % of the propagation material was checked with this method and found to be healthy, before planting in 2005.The epidemiology of the disease was also studied by focusing on: the presence of the vector Cacopsylla pruni (Scopoli) on conifers, the detection of “Ca. P. prunorum” in psyllid eggs and the transmission efficiency at different stages. This was done by exposing apricot trees in 2 locations, during 2 periods from January to July, to the overlapping presence in the orchards of the re-immigrants and the new generation of C. pruni. The results obtained demonstrated that ‘Bergeron’ seems to be highly susceptible to ESFY: typical bud-break was rarely observed, but up to 20-30% of the plants showed premature leaf-roll, fruit deformation and dieback. C. pruni was caught only once on Picea abies during winter; “Ca. P. prunorum” was found in 4 egg samples from 2 locations and the preliminary results on the exposed trees confirmed that the re-immigrants could be the most efficient vectors at least on apricot.Keywords: Prunus armeniaca, cultivar ‘Bergeron’, Real time-PCR, “Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum”,epidemiolog

The use of technological tools as communities of practice by teachers of a private education network

As escolas têm utilizado da internet em larga escala enquanto uma forma de propagar a comunicação entre os docentes e os responsáveis pelos educandos, especialmente de escolas particulares. Essa interatividade entre o docente da Educação Infantil com os responsáveis utilizando a rede social, em especial o aplicativo Whatsapp, pode ser otimizada pela Gestão do Conhecimento (GC). O objetivo deste estudo foi o de investigar se os docentes da Educação Infantil de uma rede de ensino privada utilizam as redes sociais enquanto recurso de comunicação entre docente e responsáveis, como uma proposta de Comunidade de Prática. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como aplicada, de cunho exploratório, com abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa. A pesquisa foi realizada numa rede de escolas particulares no Sul do Brasil, caracterizando como procedimento de estudo de caso, pois ocorreu a inserção do pesquisador para monitoramento em grupos de WhatsApp das escolas, bem como a aplicação de um questionário online. Os dados obtidos foram analisados por meio do IRAMUTEQ; e do sistema de análise estatística do Google Forms. Os resultados indicaram que os docentes interagem nas redes sociais, no contato com os responsáveis, com potencial relação como uma proposta de Comunidades de Prática no contexto educacional.Schools have been using the internet on a large scale as a means of spreading communication between teachers and learners, especially from private schools. This interactivity between the preschool teacher and those responsible for using the social network, especially the Whatsapp application, can be optimized by Knowledge Management (KM). The aim of this study was to investigate if the preschool teachers of a private education network use social networks as a communication resource between teacher and guardians, as a proposal of Community of Practice. The research is characterized as applied, exploratory, with a qualitative and quantitative approach. The research was carried out in a network of private schools in southern Brazil, characterizing as a case study procedure, as the researcher was inserted for monitoring in schools' WhatsApp groups, as well as the application of an online questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed through IRAMUTEQ; and the Google Forms statistical analysis system. The results indicated that teachers interact in social networks, in contact with those responsible, with potential relationship as a proposal of Communities of Practice in the educational context.Facultad de Informátic

One-Step Laparoscopic Management of a Female Adnexal Tumor of Wolffian Origin

We report a case of female adnexal tumor of Wolffian origin (FATWO), a rare neoplasm arising from the mesonephric ducts. A 48-year-old woman came first to our center for a recent discovery of a pelvic mass. Transvaginal ultrasonographic findings suggested a solid right para-ovarian mass suspected to be malignant. After thorough counseling, the patient underwent operative laparoscopy for excision of the para-ovarian mass with frozen section (FS) examination resulting in the diagnosis of a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. In this case, FS results allowed performing a comprehensive oncological staging, through a totally laparoscopic extrafascial hysterectomy, bilateral adnexectomy, total omentectomy, pelvic wall peritonectomy, and pelvic, parasacral and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Final pathological and immunohistochemical results confirmed the diagnosis of FATWO. To our knowledge, this is the first case of FATWO managed entirely by a minimally invasive laparoscopic approach in a single surgical session

Nuevos contenidos para la formación de ingenieros: Las tecnologías para el desarrollo inclusivo sustentable

En las últimas dos décadas han sido incorporadas a las carreras de ingeniería asignaturas como Ingeniería y Sociedad o Introducción a la Ingeniería con la finalidad de ofrecer una enseñanza de la profesión más contextualizada, que permita a los futuros egresados la comprensión de sus vinculaciones sociales, culturales, económicas y ambientales.   En este trabajo presentamos una mirada preliminar acerca de incorporación del enfoque de Tecnologías para el Desarrollo Inclusivo Sustentable (TDIS) como parte de los contenidos a trabajar en la asignatura Ingeniería y Sociedad.  Indagamos si es posible definir nuevos roles para los ingenieros como actores clave en la toma de decisiones a partir del avance que ha tenido el último tiempo el enfoque TDIS  y su relación con la visión que se tiene de la ingeniería desde cuerpos colegiados, la propia Universidad Tecnológica Nacional y estándares del Ministerio de Educación en Argentina.  Destacamos el crecimiento que ha tenido dentro del campo de los estudios CTS (Ciencia, Tecnología y Sociedad) el surgimiento de una sub especialización en TDIS, con la aparición de grupos de investigación en Argentina y Brasil que proporcionan un marco teórico metodológico específico para su abordaje.  En este sentido, encontramos propicio comenzar a incorporarlo en la formación de ingenieros

Comparison of perioperative outcomes between standard laparoscopic and robot-assisted approach in patients with rectosigmoid endometriosis

Introduction: Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) has gained widespread application in several surgical specialties. Previous studies on the feasibility and safety of RALS vs standard laparoscopy (S-LPS) for rectosigmoid endometriosis are limited and reported conflicting data. This study aims to compare S-LPS and RALS in patients with rectosigmoid endometriosis in terms of perioperative surgical and clinical data. Material and methods: This is a multicentric, observational, prospective cohort study including 44 patients affected by rectosigmoid endometriosis referred to two tertiary referral centers for endometriosis from September 2018 to September 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: 22 patients underwent S-LPS, and 22 underwent RALS. Our primary outcome was to compare operative time (from skin incision to suture) between the two groups. Secondary outcomes included: operative room time (patient entry into operative room and patient out), estimated blood loss, laparotomic conversion rate, length of hospital stay, perioperative complications, and evaluation of endometriosis-related symptoms at 12-month follow up. Results: The two groups were comparable regarding preoperative and surgical data, except for higher rates of hysterectomies and bilateral uterosacral ligament removal procedures in the RALS group. Also after adjusting for these discrepancies, operative time was similar between S-LPS and RALS. Operative room time was statistically longer in the RALS group compared with that of S-LPS. No statistically significant difference was found concerning other study outcomes. Pain and bowel symptoms improved in both groups at 12-month follow up. Conclusions: If performed by expert teams, RALS provides similar perioperative outcomes compared with S-LPS in rectosigmoid endometriosis surgical treatment, except for longer operative room time

Geological and Hydrogeological Characterization of Springs in a DSGSD Context (Rodoretto Valley – NW Italian Alps)

As continuous groundwater monitoring in the upper sector of Rodoretto Valley (Germanasca Valley, Italian Western Alps) is hampered by logistical problem of data collection during winter and spring months, the only tools currently available to derive hydrogeological information are non-continuous and non-long-term dataset of spring discharge (Q), temperature (T) and electrical conductivity (EC). In order to quantity aquifer groundwater reserve, available Q dataset of a small mountain spring (Spring 1 CB) was investigated by applying the analytical solutions developed by Boussinesq (J Math Pure Appl 10:5–78, 1904) and Maillet (Essais dı’hydraulique souterraine et fluviale, vol 1. Herman et Cie, Paris, 1905); T and EC datasets were also used to provide qualitative information about the nature of the aquifer that supplies the spring. The outcomes of the elaborations highlighted the limits of applicability of these methods in the presence of a non-continuous Q dataset: both Boussinesq (J Math Pure Appl 10:5–78, 1904) and Maillet (Essais dı’hydraulique souterraine et fluviale, vol 1. Herman et Cie, Paris, 1905) estimated that discharge values as a function of recession time were found to be consistently lower than the available discharge ones and the estimated groundwater volumes stored over time above the spring level turned out to be underestimated. Continuous (hourly value) and long-term Q, EC and T values are, therefore, needful to correctly quantify and to make a proper management of groundwater resources in mountain areas