La Fisica nel parco giochi fa bene anche al curriculum

Viene descritto un percorso didattico di fisica attraverso le attrazioni del parco di divertimenti di Mirabilandia (Ravenna). Viene in particolare illustrata un’esperienza di integrazione del percorso nel curriculum scolastico di fisica, condotta in una classe III di liceo scientifico, che ha avuto risultati positivi sull’apprendimento

Effect of dietary supplementation with malt extracts on milk production

The transition period of a cow is characterized by marked changes in metabolism as the cow prepares for parturition and lactogenesis. Aim of the present study was the evaluation of the effect of feeding dairy cows with malt extracts on milk production. Ten days before calving, 22 multiparous Holstein dairy cows were divided in two groups and received for four months the same base diet added with an experimental concentrate (1.5 kg/cow/day) containing either corn starch and malt extracts (ME) or only corn starch (CS) as the main energy source. Dry matter intake was not influenced by treatment and averaged 21.7 kg of DM/cow/day. The use of malt extracts determined a numerical increase of milk yield (+0.7 kg/cow/day, i.e. +2.5%) but this difference did not reach the significance level. Milk quality parameters were not influenced by treatment. Further studies will be needed to assess if feeding diets rich in very high fermentable carbohydrates to transition dairy cows can be a valuable strateg

Denoising Diffusion Models on Model-Based Latent Space

With the recent advancements in the field of diffusion generative models, it has been shown that defining the generative process in the latent space of a powerful pretrained autoencoder can offer substantial advantages. This approach, by abstracting away imperceptible image details and introducing substantial spatial compression, renders the learning of the generative process more manageable while significantly reducing computational and memory demands. In this work, we propose to replace autoencoder coding with a model-based coding scheme based on traditional lossy image compression techniques; this choice not only further diminishes computational expenses but also allows us to probe the boundaries of latent-space image generation. Our objectives culminate in the proposal of a valuable approximation for training continuous diffusion models within a discrete space, accompanied by enhancements to the generative model for categorical values. Beyond the good results obtained for the problem at hand, we believe that the proposed work holds promise for enhancing the adaptability of generative diffusion models across diverse data types beyond the realm of imagery

Effects of extruded linseed dietary supplementation on milk yield, milk quality and lipid metabolism of dairy cows

Twenty Italian Friesian dairy cows were used in an experimental trial to study the effects of extruded linseed dietary supplementation on milk production, milk quality and fatty acid (FA) percentages of milk fat and total plasma lipids and plasma phospholipids. Control cows were fed a corn silage based total mixed ration (TMR) while treated animals also received 700g/head/d of extruded linseed supplementation. Feed intake was similar between groups. Milk yields was tendentially greater for cows fed extruded linseed. Milk urea content (P<0.05) were reduced by treatment. Results showed a significant increase n-3 FA concentration (particularly alpha linolenic acid) and a significant reduction of n-6/n-3 FA ratio in milk fat, total plasma lipids and plasma phospholipids (P<0.001); moreover a reduction trend (P<0.1) of arachidonic acid concentrations was observed in milk fat, total plasma lipids and plasma phospholipids. At last, treatment enhanced milk fat conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) percentage (P<0.05)

An analytical energy loss line shape for high depth resolution in ion beam analysis

The knowledge of the energy loss distribution in a single ion atom collision is a prerequisite for subnanometric resolution in depthprofiling techniques such as nuclear reaction profiling NRP and medium energy ion scattering MEIS . The usual Gaussian approximation specified by the stopping power and energy straggling is not valid for near surface regions of solids, where subnanometric or monolayer resolution can be achieved. In this work we propose an analytical formula for the line shape to replace the usual Gaussian distribution widely used in low resolution ion beam analysis. Furthermore, we provide a simple physical method to derive the corresponding shape parameters. We also present a comparison with full coupled channel calculations as well as with experimental data at nearly single collision condition

Effects of Mechanical Winter Pruning on Vine Performances and Management Costs in a Trebbiano Romagnolo Vineyard: A Five-Year Study

Vineyard mechanical winter pruning has been spreading worldwide, and the physiological basis ascribable to it has been consolidated throughout the years. Despite labor savings and reduction of costs having been proven, the demonstration of its economic viability might be challenging. In this context, this work aims to evaluate the vine performances and the costs of different degrees of the mechanization of winter pruning over a five-year trial (2011-2015). In a vineyard of cv. Trebbiano Romagnolo (Vitis vinifera L.) located in northern Italy, three pruning treatments were laid out as follows: (a) manual pruning (MAN); (b) mechanical pre-pruning and simultaneous manual follow-up (MP + F); (c) mechanical pruning without a manual follow-up (MP). The results showed a strong increase in the node number of MP. Nevertheless, the yield compensation factors (i.e., the shoot fruitfulness and cluster weight) limited the increase in productivity. Soluble solids did not differ between the pruning treatments, while titratable acidity resulted slightly higher only on the MP berries. The MP treatment was the most economically convenient, with a vineyard surface of 1.5 hectares, while mechanical pruning with manual finishing resulted more advantageous, compared to manual pruning when the vineyard surface was greater than 2.9 hectares. The agronomic and economic results obtained in this five-year trial suggest that mechanical pruning may be profitably applied also on grapevine varieties characterized by low basal bud fruitfulness, such as Trebbiano Romagnolo

Genome Editing and Inherited Cardiac Arrhythmias.

Inherited arrhythmic disorders are a group of heterogeneous diseases predisposing to life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Their diagnosis is not always simple due to incomplete penetrance and genetic heterogeneity. Furthermore, the available treatments are usually invasive and merely preventive. Genome editing and especially CRISPR/Cas9 technologies have the potential to correct the genetic arrhythmogenic substrate, thereby offering a cure for these fatal diseases. To date, genome editing has allowed reproducing cardiac arrhythmias in vitro, providing a robust platform for variant pathogenicity, mechanistic, and drug-testing studies. However, in vivo approaches still need profound research regarding safety, specificity, and efficiency of the methods.S

Feeding dehydrated alfalfa increases polyunsaturated fatty acids concentration in Marchigiana beef muscle

Beef meat is a low fat food (<5% fat). However, the fatty acid composition of beef is relatively saturated (approximately 45-50%). The polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids (P/S) ratio in beef is approximately 0.1, the ideal being about 0.4 (Department of Health, 1994). This can cause critical comments to beef meat related to human health

Investigations on Arthropods Associated with Decay Stages of Buried Animals in Italy

Burial could be used by criminals to conceal the bodies of victims, interfering with the succession of sarcosaprophagous fauna and with the evaluation of post-mortem interval. In Italy, no experimental investigation on arthropods associated with buried remains has been conducted to date. A first experimental study on arthropods associated with buried carcasses was carried out in a rural area of Arcavacata di Rende (Cosenza), Southern Italy, from November 2017 to May 2018. Six pig carcasses (Sus scrofa Linnaeus) were used, five of which were buried in 60-cm deep pits, leaving about 25-cm of soil above each carcass, and one was left above ground. One of the buried carcasses was periodically exhumed to evaluate the effects of disturbance on decay processes and on arthropod fauna. The other four carcasses were exhumed only once, respectively after 43, 82, 133, and 171 days. As expected, the decay rate was different among carcasses. Differences in taxa and colonization of arthropod fauna were also detected in the above ground and periodically exhumed carcasses. In carcasses exhumed only once, no arthropod colonization was detected. The results showed that a burial at about 25 cm depth could be sufficient to prevent colonization by sarcosaprophagous taxa and these data could be relevant in forensic cases involving buried corpses