68 research outputs found

    AHBIM per l'analisi stratigrafica dell'architettura storica.

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    According to potentialities given by BIM (Building Information Modeling) procedures, in the last 10 years many experimentations have been conducted on BIM application to Architectural Heritage (AHBIM). BIM software are tools for information computing and management of buildings in the three-dimensional space. Aim of the paper is to study how BIM models can favor architectural stratigraphic analysis. A workflow for 3D modeling of Stratigraphic Units of the Masonry is proposed; this three-dimensional representation can aid the documentation and the analysis of the construction phases. The case study is the church of St. Vittorino near L’Aquila (4th-12th-18th centuries), characterized by important modification and stratification processes. The church has been surveyed by laser-scanning and digital photogrammetry, consequently a dedicated BIM model has been realized for Stratigraphic Units study

    Argument mining as rapid screening tool of COVID-19 literature quality: Preliminary evidence

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    BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic prompted the scientific community to share timely evidence, also in the form of pre-printed papers, not peer reviewed yet.PurposeTo develop an artificial intelligence system for the analysis of the scientific literature by leveraging on recent developments in the field of Argument Mining.MethodologyScientific quality criteria were borrowed from two selected Cochrane systematic reviews. Four independent reviewers gave a blind evaluation on a 1–5 scale to 40 papers for each review. These scores were matched with the automatic analysis performed by an AM system named MARGOT, which detected claims and supporting evidence for the cited papers. Outcomes were evaluated with inter-rater indices (Cohen's Kappa, Krippendorff's Alpha, s* statistics).ResultsMARGOT performs differently on the two selected Cochrane reviews: the inter-rater indices show a fair-to-moderate agreement of the most relevant MARGOT metrics both with Cochrane and the skilled interval scores, with larger values for one of the two reviews.Discussion and conclusionsThe noted discrepancy could rely on a limitation of the MARGOT system that can be improved; yet, the level of agreement between human reviewers also suggests a different complexity between the two reviews in debating controversial arguments. These preliminary results encourage to expand and deepen the investigation to other topics and a larger number of highly specialized reviewers, to reduce uncertainty in the evaluation process, thus supporting the retraining of AM systems

    Sustainability Assessment of Different Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extraction Methods through a Life Cycle Thinking Approach: Challenges and Opportunities in the Elaio-Technical Sector

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    Owing to its important nutritional features, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is one of the world’s highest-value products, mostly manufactured in Mediterranean countries. However, its production exerts several negative environmental effects, mainly related to the agricultural phase (and the use of fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and waste management. Olive oil can be extracted from the olive paste using different extraction systems, including pressure, centrifugation, and percolation. In particular, EVOO by-product composition strictly depends on the extraction technologies, and two- or three-phase centrifugal extraction methods are usually employed. Therefore, due to olive oil’s economic value, it might be useful to investigate its environmental impacts, to advise sustainable supply chain models. In this context, a valuable tool for assessing the product’s environmental compatibility is the Life Cycle Assessment, which is part of a broader Life Cycle Thinking philosophy. This research focused on evaluating the EVOO environmental impact by comparing two- and three-phases extraction processes. Additionally, two scenarios, (i.e., composting and bio-gasification), were proposed to assess the best valorisation strategy for the produced pomace. The results showed that the two-step extraction process was more sustainable than the three-step one in nine out of nine considered impact categories. By milling 1000 kg of olives, the first technology approximately produces 212 kg CO2 eq, the latter 396 kg CO2 eq. Finally, pomace valorisation by bio-gasification was found as the best recovery process, able to confer greater environmental benefit than composting

    Valutazione della cortisolemia in cani ospitati in canile sanitario

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    RIASSUNTO La valutazione del benessere dei cani ospitati in canile è un argomento di estrema attualità e di difficile soluzione. Tra gli approcci tentati, quello fisiologico (comprendente la valutazione del comportamento e la determinazione della cortisolemia), risulta essere uno dei più attendibili. Scopo della presente ricerca è stato quello di valutare l’effetto sul cane della permanenza in canile, determinando i livelli ematici di cortisolo dal momento dell’arrivo nella struttura fino al termine del soggiorno (2 mesi), eseguendo prelievi ematici con cadenza settimanale. Per la sperimentazione sono stati utilizzati 15 cani meticci di entrambi i sessi, ospitati presso il canile sanitario dell’ASL 2 di Lucca. L’analisi statistica dei dati ha dimostrato una significativa (p<0,05) riduzione dei livelli di cortisolo plasmatico che, dai valori iniziali di 191,75±151,38 ng/ml, sono scesi a 118,41±25,79 ng/ml, pur rimanendo al di sopra del range considerato fisiologico per il cane (10-40 ng/ml). Nessuna variazione statisticamente significativa è stata riscontrata per quanto riguarda la concentrazione dei globuli rossi, dei globuli bianchi, delle piastrine, dell’emoglobina e l’ematocrito. Questi primi risultati permettono di sottolineare l’importanza del dosaggio del cortisolo plasmatico per monitorare lo stato di benessere del cane ospitato in canile che può risultare compromesso dalla permanenza in un ambiente particolarmente povero di stimoli sociali. SUMMARY Animal shelters are situations where living conditions may be austere and stressful for dog. The assessment of welfare problems in dogs requires a tool that measures poor welfare in this species.The aim of this study has been to evaluate (weekly for 5 weeks) cortisol levels in blood of dogs housed in a public shelter, since the day of arrival. Statistical analysis has shown a significant (p<0.05) reduction of cortisol levels from initial values (191.75±151.38 ng/ml) until 118.41±25.79 ng/ml. Nevertheless both values were higher than physiological parameters (10-40 ng/ml). Our results seem to indicate that cortisol determination in blood could be an useful instrument to monitor chronic stress in dog during its stay in a shelter

    Sensory Evaluation and Consumers’ Acceptance of a Low Glycemic and Gluten-Free Carob-Based Bakery Product

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    Carob pulp flour has antidiabetic and antioxidant activities, is naturally sweet, and is rich in fibers. It is obtained from carob pod pulp from the evergreen tree Ceratonia siliqua L., which is grown in Mediterranean areas and is known for locust bean gum production. Despite its valuable effects on health, such as the modulation of the glycemic index, this ingredient has a tremendous impact on technological and hedonic features, mainly on color, flavor, and texture. In this paper, the qualitative features and consumers’ acceptance of a carob-based gluten-free bakery product where rice flour was substituted at 40% with carob pulp flour were studied. A panel group of experts described the bread as dark, quite dense, sweet, aromatic, and with a limited bubble dispersion. On the other hand, the sensory assessment and the willingness to pay of consumers were assessed in two groups (a fully informed one about heathy attributes of the food and a blind one). The results indicated a moderate appreciation of the overall quality of the product (average score between 4 and 5 points on a 9-point Likert scale). The information about the food’s healthy properties and the ability to maintain a low glycemic index did not enhance the consumers’ perception of the product, while previous knowledge and involvement in the product consumption were perceived to have primary importance regarding the final consumers’ choice. Finally, an accelerated shelf-life test was run on the packaged snack to evaluate the general quality and stability. The protective packaging helped in limiting bread decay and maintaining the textural characteristics
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