191 research outputs found
Pronoun morphology, modality and semantics of political communication in presidential debate of two Italian political leaders
The present article wants to be an example of how spin can be profitably analysed not just as far as the content of the utterances is concerned but through their linguistic form as well, and of how mystification can be made transparent through the analysis of the language use of political texts at all levels, including morphology, grammar and syntax. The alleged ‘end of ideologies’ has brought about new forms of spin based on subtle ideological mystification that can be analysed through forms of language. One such example is the use of figures and expressions borrowed from the language of economics and business, considered the realms of ‘objectivity’
O jornalismo comunitário, a democracia e as identidades individuais e coletivas
This present paper highlights the right to information and freedom of expression as fundamental to the effective fulfillment of ideals intrinsic to democracy. The traditional media, as currently configured, are not capable to represent a part of the population, which does not fit into what the vehicles themselves and their advertisers establish as a profile of the target audience and potential consumer. As a result, citizens end up being solemnly obliterated from various communication practices, especially journalistic ones. In order to portray the events related to a certain region, this article emphasizes community journalism as a powerful instrument of social representation, expression and discussion of the values ​​of a group, occupying an empty space left by the traditional press.Este artigo destaca o direito à informação e a liberdade de expressão como fundamentais para o cumprimento efetivo de ideais intrÃnsecos à democracia. Os meios de comunicação tradicionais, na forma como se configuram, não são capazes de representar uma parte da população, que não se encaixa naquilo que os próprios veÃculos e seus anunciantes estabelecem como perfil de público-alvo e de consumidor em potencial. Com isso, cidadãos acabam sendo solenemente obliterados de várias práticas comunicacionais, em especial jornalÃsticas. No sentido de retratar os acontecimentos relativos a uma determinada região, este artigo ressalta o jornalismo comunitário como um poderoso instrumento de representação social, de expressão e de discussão de valores de um grupo, ocupando uma lacuna deixada pela imprensa de grande porte
A Matheuristic for Integrated Timetabling and Vehicle Scheduling
Planning a public transportation system is a complex process, which is usually broken down in several phases, performed in sequence. Most often, the trips required to cover a service with the desired frequency (headway) are decided early on, while the vehicles needed to cover these trips are determined at a later stage. This potentially leads to requiring a larger number of vehicles (and, therefore, drivers) that would be possible if the two decisions were performed simultaneously. We propose a multicommodity-flow type model for integrated timetabling and vehicle scheduling. Since the model is large-scale and cannot be solved by off-the-shelf tools with the efficiency required by planners, we propose a diving-type matheuristic approach for the problem. We report on the efficiency and effectiveness of two variants of the proposed approach, differing on how the continuous relaxation of the problem is solved, to tackle real-world instances of bus transport planning problem originating from customers of M.A.I.O.R., a leading company providing services and advanced decision-support systems to public transport authorities and operators. The results show that the approach can be used to aid even experienced planners in either obtaining better solutions, or obtaining them faster and with less effort, or both
High performance liquid chromatography preparation of the molecular species of GM1 and GD1a gangliosides with homogeneous long chain base composition.
A semi-preparative, analytical high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure is described for the isolation of molecular species of GM1 and GD1a gangliosides containing a single long chain base, C18 or C20 sphingosine, C18 or C20 sphinganine, each in its natural erythro or unnatural threo form. The threo forms were obtained from 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone/NaBH4 -treated gangliosides. The ganglioside molecular species separated by HPLC were analyzed for carbohydrate, fatty acid, and long chain base composition. In particular, long chain bases were submitted to gas-liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses as their trimethylsilyl (TMS) or N-acetyl-TMS derivatives, and chain length, presence or absence of C4-C5 double bond, and C-3 steric configuration were ascertained. The final preparations of individual molecular species of GM1 and GD1a gangliosides were more than 99% homogeneous in their saccharide moiety, contained a single long chain base (homogeneity higher than 99%), and had a fatty acid composition primarily of stearic acid (92 to 97%). All the individual molecular species of GM1 and GD1a gangliosides were also prepared in radioactive form by selective tritiation at C-3 of the long chain base. Their specific radioactivity ranged from 1.3 to 1.45 Ci/mmol. The availability of these molecular species of gangliosides is expected to facilitate studies aimed at ascertaining the role played by the hydrophobic portion in the functional behavior of gangliosides
Geochemistry of hydrothermal fluids from the eastern sector of the Sabatini Volcanic District (central Italy).
This study reports a complete geochemical dataset of 215 water and 9 gas samples collected in 2015 from
thermal and cold discharges located in the eastern sector of the Sabatini Volcanic District (SVD), Italy.
Based on these data, two main aquifers were recognized, as follows: 1) a cold Ca-HCO3 to Ca(Na)-HCO3
aquifer related to a shallow circuit within Pliocene-Pleistocene volcanic and sedimentary formations and
2) a deep CO2-pressurized aquifer hosted in Mesozoic carbonate-evaporitic rocks characterized by a Ca-
HCO3(SO4) to Na(Ca)-HCO3(Cl) composition. A thick sequence of low-permeability formations represents
a physical barrier between the two reservoirs. Interaction of the CO2-rich gas phase with the shallow
aquifer, locally producing high-TDS and low-pH cold waters, is controlled by fractures and faults related
to buried horst-graben structures. The d18O-H2O and dD-H2O values indicate meteoric water as the main
source for both the shallow and deep reservoirs. Carbon dioxide, which is characterized by d13C-CO2
values ranging from 4.7 to þ1.0‰ V-PDB, is mostly produced by thermo-metamorphic decarbonation
involving Mesozoic rock formations, masking possible CO2 contribution from mantle degassing. The
relatively low R/Ra values (0.07e1.04) indicate dominant crustal He, with a minor mantle He contribution.
The CO2/3He ratios, up to 6 1012, support a dominant crustal source for these two gases. The d34SH2S
values (from þ9.3 to þ11.3‰ V-CDT) suggests that H2S is mainly related to thermogenic reduction of
Triassic anhydrites. The d13C-CH4 and dD-CH4 values (from 33.4 to 24.9‰ V-PDB and from 168
to 140‰ V-SMOW, respectively) and the relatively low C1/C2þ ratios (<100) are indicative of a prevailing
CH4 production through thermogenic degradation of organic matter. The low N2/Ar and high N2/
He ratios, as well as the 40Ar/36Ar ratios (<305) close to atmospheric ratio, suggest that both N2 and Ar
mostly derive from air. Notwithstanding, the positive d15N-N2 values (from þ0.91 to þ3.7‰ NBS air)
point to a significant extra-atmospheric N2 contribution. Gas geothermometry in the CH4-CO2-H2 and
H2S-CO2-H2 systems indicate equilibrium temperatures <200 C, i.e. lower than those measured in deep
geothermal wells (~300 C), due to either an incomplete attainment of the chemical equilibria or secondary
processes (dilution and/or scrubbing) affecting the chemistry of the uprising fluids. Although the
highly saline Na-Cl fluids discharged from the explorative geothermal wells in the study area support the
occurrence of a well-developed hydrothermal reservoir suitable for direct exploitation, the chemistry of
the fluid discharges highlights that the uprising hydrothermal fluids are efficiently cooled and diluted by
the meteoric water recharge from the nearby Apennine sedimentary belt. This explains the different
chemical and isotopic features shown by the fluids from the eastern and western sectors of SVD,
respectively, the latter being influenced by this process at a lesser extent. Direct uses may be considered a
valid alternative for the exploitation of this resource.Published187-2016A. Geochimica per l'ambiente2IT. Laboratori sperimentali e analitici1VV. AltroJCR Journa
Potent neutralization by monoclonal human IgM against SARS-CoV-2 is impaired by class switch.
To investigate the class-dependent properties of anti-viral IgM antibodies, we use membrane antigen capture activated cell sorting to isolate spike-protein-specific B cells from donors recently infected with SARS-CoV-2, allowing production of recombinant antibodies. We isolate 20, spike-protein-specific antibodies of classes IgM, IgG, and IgA, none of which shows any antigen-independent binding to human cells. Two antibodies of class IgM mediate virus neutralization at picomolar concentrations, but this potency is lost following artificial switch to IgG. Although, as expected, the IgG versions of the antibodies appear to have lower avidity than their IgM parents, this is not sufficient to explain the loss of potency
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