Timescale effect estimation in time-series studies of air pollution and health: A Singular Spectrum Analysis approach

A wealth of epidemiological data suggests an association between mortality/morbidity from pulmonary and cardiovascular adverse events and air pollution, but uncertainty remains as to the extent implied by those associations although the abundance of the data. In this paper we describe an SSA (Singular Spectrum Analysis) based approach in order to decompose the time-series of particulate matter concentration into a set of exposure variables, each one representing a different timescale. We implement our methodology to investigate both acute and long-term effects of $PM_{10}$ exposure on morbidity from respiratory causes within the urban area of Bari, Italy.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/07-EJS123 the Electronic Journal of Statistics (http://www.i-journals.org/ejs/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Experimental optimization of perforated structures in presence of ship-generated waves

Due to waves generated by ferries and motorboats in Venice's canals, the navigation of small vessels, such as typical gondolas, has recently become more and more difficult. With the goal of reducing ferry- and motorboat-generated waves, 2 types of perforated breakwaters have been considered. After a preliminary sizing by using a mathematical model, the structures have been tested with experiments on physical models. Transient wave trains, similar to the ship waves observed in Venetian canals, have been considered incident loads. A wavelet transform-based method has been used to evaluate breakwaters' reflection coefficients. This paper looks at presenting an optimization-design procedure for perforated breakwaters subject to ship-generated transient waves. Since the breakwaters are going to be in Venice, an area of great architectural and environmental interest, their visual impact was one of the most important issues in our analysis

Probing cosmological parameters with GRBs

In light of the recent finding of the narrow clustering of the geometrically-corrected gamma-ray energies emitted by Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs), we investigate the possibility to use these sources as standard candles to probe cosmological parameters such as the matter density Omega_m and the cosmological constant energy density Omega_Lambda. By simulating different samples of gamma-ray bursts, based on recent observational results, we find that Omega_m (with the prior Omega_m + Omega_Lambda = 1) can be determined with accuracy ~7% with data from 300 GRBs, provided a local calibration of the standard candles be achieved.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of the Conference "30 Years of GRB Discovery", Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, September 8-12, 200

3D numerical simulation of hydro-acoustic waves registered during the 2012 negros-cebu earthquake

The paper investigates on the hydro-acoustic waves propagation caused by the underwater earthquake, occurred on 6 February 2012, between the Negros and Cebu islands, in the Philippines. Hydro-acoustic waves are pressure waves that propagate at the sound celerity in water. These waves can be triggered by the sudden vertical sea-bed movement, due to underwater earthquakes. The results of three dimensional numerical simulations, which solve the wave equation in a weakly compressible sea water domain are presented. The hydro-acoustic signal is compared to an underwater acoustic signal recorded during the event by a scuba diver, who was about 12 km far from the earthquake epicenter

Alterations in the mitochondrial proteome of neuroblastoma cells 2 in response to complex 1 inhibition

Increasing evidence points to mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) associated with complex I dysfunction, but the exact pathways which lead to cell death have not been resolved. 2D-gel electrophoresis profiles of isolated mitochondria from neuroblastoma cells treated with subcytotoxic concentrations of l-methyl-4-phenyl-l,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), a well-characterized complex I inhibitor, were assessed to identify associated targets. Up to 27 differentially expressed proteins were observed, of which 16 were identified using peptide mass fingerprinting. Changes in protein levels were validated by immunoprobing ID blots, confirming increases in heat shock cognate 71 kDa (Hsc70), 60 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp60), fumarase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase 2, ATP synthase subunit d, and voltage-dependent anion-channel 1 (VDACl). Immunoprobing of 2D blots revealed isoform changes in Hsc70, Hsp60, and VDACl. Subcytoxic concentrations of MPTP modulated a host of mitochondrial proteins including chaperones, metabolic enzymes, oxidative phosphorylation-related proteins, an inner mitochondrial protein (mitofilin), and an outer mitochondrial membrane protein (VDACl). Early changes in chaperones suggest a regulated link between complex 1 inhibition and protein folding. VDACl, a multifunctional protein, may have a key role in signaling between mitochondria and the rest of the cell prior to cell death. Our work provides new important information of relevance to PD

Gamma-Ray Astronomy around 100 TeV with a large Muon Detector operated at Very High Altitude

Measurements at 100 TeV and above are an important goal for the next generation of high energy gamma-ray astronomy experiments to solve the still open problem of the origin of galactic cosmic rays. The most natural experimental solution to detect very low radiation fluxes is provided by the Extensive Air Shower (EAS) arrays. They benefit from a close to 90% duty cycle and a very large field of view (about 2 sr), but the sensitivity is limited by their angular resolution and their poor cosmic ray background discrimination. Above 10 TeV the standard technique for rejecting the hadronic background consists in looking for "muon-poor" showers. In this paper we discuss the capability of a large muon detector (A=2500 m2) operated with an EAS array at very high altitude (>4000 m a.s.l.) to detect gamma-ray fluxes around 100 TeV. Simulation-based estimates of energy ranges and sensitivities are presented.Comment: 4 pages, proceedings of the 30th ICRC, Merida, Mexico, 200

A critical examination of the use of drama with offenders in prison and on probation.

This thesis critically examines the potential benefit of using drama with offenders in prison and on probation. In recent years a range of interventions and alternatives to custody have been theoretically evaluated and discussed by various criminologists and sociologists. Despite an array of literature on these matters, the possibility of drama as an intervention has escaped the interest of researchers and publishing houses alike. This thesis aims to redress the balance in detailing the considerable amount of Drama Work being conducted in British prisons and probation centres, by companies and individual practitioners forming a chronology of such and critically examining the process and results. Through employing drama as a means of addressing offending behaviour, it is possible for Drama Work to play a part admittedly a small one, in combating recidivism. While proving such may be problematic this thesis sets out to test this theory drawing conclusions and making recommendations for the future of Drama Work in prison