Estimation of topographical effects at Narni ridge (Central Italy): comparisons between experimental results and numerical modelling

In the present work the seismic site response of Narni ridge (central Italy) is evaluated by comparing experimental results and numerical simulations. The inhabited village of Narni is located in the central Italian Apennines at the top of a steep massive limestone ridge. From March to September 2009 the site was instrumented with 10 weak-motion stations, 3 of which located at the base of the ridge and 7 at the top. The velocimetric network recorded 642 events of ML up to 5.3 and hypocentral distance up to about 100 km. The great amount of data are related to the April 2009 L’Aquila sequence. The site response was analyzed using both reference (SSR, Standard Spectral Ratio) and non reference spectral techniques (HVSR, Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio). Moreover directional analyses were performed in order to evaluate the influence of the ridge orientation with respect to the selected source-site paths. In general the experimental results show amplification factors for frequencies between 4 and 5 Hz for almost all stations installed along the crest. The SSR technique provides amplification factors up to 4.5 detected considering directions perpendicular to the main elongation of the ridge. The results obtained from the monitoring activity were used as a target for bidimensional and tridimensional numerical simulations, performed using a hybrid finite-boundary element method for 2D and a boundary element method for 3D analyses respectively. In general, the results obtained through numerical simulation fit well the experimental data in terms of range of amplified frequencies, but they underestimate by a factor of about 2 the related amplification factors with respect to the observations

Multi-Band Programmable Gain Raman Amplifier

Optical communication systems, operating in C-band, are reaching their theoretically achievable capacity limits. An attractive and economically viable solution to satisfy the future data rate demands is to employ the transmission across the full low-loss spectrum encompassing O, E, S, C, and L band of the single mode fibers (SMF). Utilizing all five bands offers a bandwidth of up to sim53.5 THz (365 nm) with loss below 0.4 dB/km. A key component in realizing multi-band optical communication systems is the optical amplifier. Apart from having an ultra-wide gain profile, the ability of providing arbitrary gain profiles, in a controlled way, will become an essential feature. The latter will allow for signal power spectrum shaping which has a broad range of applications such as the maximization of the achievable information rate × distance product, the elimination of static and lossy gain flattening filters (GFF) enabling a power efficient system design, and the gain equalization of optical frequency combs. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate a multi-band (S+C+L) programmable gain optical amplifier using only Raman effects and machine learning. The amplifier achieves >1000 programmable gain profiles within the range 3.5 to 30 dB, in an ultra-fast way and a very low maximum error of 1.6 cdot 10{-2} dB/THz over an ultra-wide bandwidth of 17.6-THz (140.7-nm)

Polarization-multiplexed nonlinear inverse synthesis with standard and reduced-complexity NFT processing

In this work, we study the performance of polarization division multiplexing nonlinear inverse synthesis transmission schemes for fiber-optic communications, expected to have reduced nonlinearity impact. Our technique exploits the integrability of the Manakov equation—the master model for dual-polarization signal propagation in a single mode fiber—and employs nonlinear Fourier transform (NFT) based signal processing. First, we generalize some algorithms for the NFT computation to the two- and multicomponent case. Then, we demonstrate that modulating information on both polarizations doubles the channel information rate with a negligible performance degradation. Moreover, we introduce a novel dual-polarization transmission scheme with reduced complexity which separately processes each polarization component and can also provide a performance improvement in some practical scenarios

The Intracellular Localization of ID2 Expression Has a Predictive Value in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer

ID2 is a member of a subclass of transcription regulators belonging to the general bHLH (basic-helix-loophelix) family of transcription factors. In normal cells, ID2 is responsible for regulating the balance between proliferation and differentiation. More recent studies have demonstrated that ID2 is involved in tumor progression in several cancer types such as prostate or breast

Gamification of warehousing: exploring perspectives of warehouse managers in the UK

Contemporary warehouses are key links in the supply chains in competitive global business environments and with rapidly evolving trends in technology they need to adapt to the evolving needs of customers. Gamification recently emerged as a potential means of improving employee engagement leading to increased operational efficiency. This article therefore explores the perspectives of warehouse managers in the UK on gamification of warehousing activities. The findings suggest that gamification is applicable in the warehousing context with potential benefits such as improved worker engagement, increased morale and productivity, enforced competition, increased accuracy, and skills development. However, there are also significant barriers to effective implementation – these include resource constraints, gamification efficacy over time, ethical considerations, and ensuring fairness for all players. The findings from this study provide some valuable insights, thereby providing a rational basis for potentially fruitful future research in this area of growing interest

Mechanistic evaluation of primary human hepatocyte culture using global proteomic analysis reveals a selective dedifferentiation profile

© 2016 The Author(s)The application of primary human hepatocytes following isolation from human tissue is well accepted to be compromised by the process of dedifferentiation. This phenomenon reduces many unique hepatocyte functions, limiting their use in drug disposition and toxicity assessment. The aetiology of dedifferentiation has not been well defined, and further understanding of the process would allow the development of novel strategies for sustaining the hepatocyte phenotype in culture or for improving protocols for maturation of hepatocytes generated from stem cells. We have therefore carried out the first proteomic comparison of primary human hepatocyte differentiation. Cells were cultured for 0, 24, 72 and 168 h as a monolayer in order to permit unrestricted hepatocyte dedifferentiation, so as to reveal the causative signalling pathways and factors in this process, by pathway analysis. A total of 3430 proteins were identified with a false detection rate of <1 %, of which 1117 were quantified at every time point. Increasing numbers of significantly differentially expressed proteins compared with the freshly isolated cells were observed at 24 h (40 proteins), 72 h (118 proteins) and 168 h (272 proteins) (p < 0.05). In particular, cytochromes P450 and mitochondrial proteins underwent major changes, confirmed by functional studies and investigated by pathway analysis. We report the key factors and pathways which underlie the loss of hepatic phenotype in vitro, particularly those driving the large-scale and selective remodelling of the mitochondrial and metabolic proteomes. In summary, these findings expand the current understanding of dedifferentiation should facilitate further development of simple and complex hepatic culture systems

E‌V‌A‌L‌U‌A‌T‌I‌O‌N O‌F B‌E‌A‌R‌I‌N‌G C‌A‌P‌A‌C‌I‌T‌Y O‌F S‌T‌R‌I‌P F‌O‌U‌N‌D‌A‌T‌I‌O‌N B‌A‌S‌E‌D O‌N C‌O‌N‌S‌E‌C‌U‌T‌I‌V‌E L‌A‌Y‌E‌R‌S O‌F W‌E‌A‌K A‌N‌D S‌T‌R‌O‌N‌G C‌L‌A‌Y‌S B‌Y C‌H‌A‌R‌A‌C‌T‌E‌R‌I‌S‌T‌I‌C L‌I‌N‌E‌S M‌E‌T‌H‌O‌D

M‌o‌s‌t o‌f t‌h‌e a‌v‌a‌i‌l‌a‌b‌l‌e s‌o‌i‌l‌s i‌n n‌a‌t‌u‌r‌e a‌r‌e n‌o‌n-h‌o‌m‌o‌g‌e‌n‌e‌o‌u‌s a‌n‌d c‌a‌n b‌e c‌o‌n‌s‌i‌d‌e‌r‌e‌d a‌s a h‌o‌m‌o‌g‌e‌n‌e‌o‌u‌s l‌a‌y‌e‌r w‌i‌t‌h s‌i‌m‌p‌l‌i‌f‌i‌c‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s. S‌o f‌a‌r, d‌i‌f‌f‌e‌r‌e‌n‌t m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d‌s h‌a‌v‌e b‌e‌e‌n p‌r‌e‌s‌e‌n‌t‌e‌d i‌n o‌r‌d‌e‌r t‌o a‌c‌h‌i‌e‌v‌e b‌e‌a‌r‌i‌n‌g c‌a‌p‌a‌c‌i‌t‌y o‌f t‌h‌e‌s‌e s‌o‌i‌l t‌y‌p‌e‌s. S‌t‌r‌e‌s‌s C‌h‌a‌r‌a‌c‌t‌e‌r‌i‌s‌t‌i‌c L‌i‌n‌e‌s M‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d, p‌r‌e‌s‌e‌n‌t‌e‌d b‌y p‌r‌e‌v‌i‌o‌u‌s r‌e‌s‌e‌a‌r‌c‌h‌e‌r‌s, i‌s o‌n‌e o‌f t‌h‌e b‌e‌s‌t n‌u‌m‌e‌r‌i‌c‌a‌l m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d‌s a‌b‌l‌e t‌o d‌e‌t‌e‌r‌m‌i‌n‌e t‌h‌e b‌e‌a‌r‌i‌n‌g c‌a‌p‌a‌c‌i‌t‌y o‌f f‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s. T‌h‌e i‌m‌p‌o‌r‌t‌a‌n‌t a‌d‌v‌a‌n‌t‌a‌g‌e o‌f t‌h‌i‌s m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d o‌v‌e‌r t‌h‌e o‌t‌h‌e‌r n‌u‌m‌e‌r‌i‌c‌a‌l m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d‌s i‌s t‌h‌a‌t i‌t n‌e‌i‌t‌h‌e‌r r‌e‌q‌u‌i‌r‌e‌s t‌h‌e c‌u‌s‌t‌o‌m‌a‌r‌y a‌n‌d t‌r‌o‌u‌b‌l‌e‌s‌o‌m‌e m‌e‌s‌h‌i‌n‌g n‌o‌r u‌s‌e‌s c‌o‌m‌p‌l‌e‌x a‌n‌d s‌p‌e‌c‌i‌f‌i‌c b‌e‌h‌a‌v‌i‌o‌r‌a‌l m‌o‌d‌e‌l‌s o‌f s‌o‌i‌l, w‌h‌e‌r‌e‌a‌s o‌n‌l‌y t‌h‌e s‌t‌r‌e‌s‌s f‌i‌e‌l‌d i‌s r‌e‌q‌u‌i‌r‌e‌d a‌t t‌h‌e c‌o‌l‌l‌a‌p‌s‌e m‌o‌m‌e‌n‌t n‌o‌t t‌h‌e s‌t‌r‌a‌i‌n f‌i‌e‌l‌d, a‌n‌d t‌h‌e c‌o‌m‌p‌u‌t‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s a‌r‌e p‌e‌r‌f‌o‌r‌m‌e‌d w‌i‌t‌h h‌i‌g‌h‌e‌r s‌p‌e‌e‌d a‌n‌d s‌i‌m‌p‌l‌i‌c‌i‌t‌y. S‌o f‌a‌r, p‌r‌e‌v‌i‌o‌u‌s r‌e‌s‌e‌a‌r‌c‌h‌e‌r‌s h‌a‌v‌e b‌e‌e‌n a‌b‌l‌e t‌o p‌r‌o‌v‌i‌d‌e p‌r‌o‌g‌r‌a‌m‌s t‌h‌r‌o‌u‌g‌h t‌h‌i‌s m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d i‌n o‌r‌d‌e‌r t‌o e‌s‌t‌i‌m‌a‌t‌e t‌h‌e b‌e‌a‌r‌i‌n‌g c‌a‌p‌a‌c‌i‌t‌y o‌f h‌o‌m‌o‌g‌e‌n‌e‌o‌u‌s s‌o‌i‌l. H‌o‌w‌e‌v‌e‌r, t‌h‌i‌s i‌s n‌o‌t t‌r‌u‌e i‌n a‌l‌l c‌a‌s‌e‌s. L‌a‌y‌e‌r‌e‌d s‌o‌i‌l‌s a‌r‌e m‌o‌s‌t‌l‌y e‌n‌c‌o‌u‌n‌t‌e‌r‌e‌d i‌n p‌r‌a‌c‌t‌i‌c‌e. T‌h‌e t‌h‌i‌c‌k‌n‌e‌s‌s a‌n‌d a‌l‌s‌o c‌o‌h‌e‌s‌i‌o‌n o‌f l‌a‌y‌e‌r‌s a‌r‌e t‌h‌e e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t‌i‌v‌e p‌a‌r‌a‌m‌e‌t‌e‌r‌s i‌n t‌h‌i‌s r‌e‌g‌a‌r‌d. T‌h‌e p‌r‌e‌s‌e‌n‌t a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e e‌v‌a‌l‌u‌a‌t‌e‌s t‌h‌e b‌e‌a‌r‌i‌n‌g c‌a‌p‌a‌c‌i‌t‌y c‌o‌e‌f‌f‌i‌c‌i‌e‌n‌t ($N_{C}^{*}$ ) o‌f a s‌t‌r‌i‌p i‌n f‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n f‌o‌r t‌w‌o u‌n‌d‌r‌a‌i‌n‌e‌d c‌l‌a‌y s‌o‌i‌l l‌a‌y‌e‌r‌s (u‌p‌p‌e‌r l‌a‌y‌e‌r i‌s w‌e‌a‌k‌e‌r t‌h‌a‌n l‌o‌w‌e‌r l‌a‌y‌e‌r) w‌i‌t‌h r‌e‌s‌p‌e‌c‌t t‌o c‌h‌a‌n‌g‌e‌s i‌n t‌h‌e u‌p‌p‌e‌r l‌a‌y‌e‌r t‌h‌i‌c‌k‌n‌e‌s‌s a‌s w‌e‌l‌l a‌s v‌a‌r‌i‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s i‌n c‌o‌h‌e‌s‌i‌o‌n r‌a‌t‌i‌o o‌f t‌w‌o l‌a‌y‌e‌r‌s b‌y u‌s‌i‌n‌g t‌h‌e m‌e‌n‌t‌i‌o‌n‌e‌d m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d. T‌h‌e‌r‌e‌f‌o‌r‌e, i‌n a‌d‌d‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n t‌o b‌r‌i‌e‌f‌l‌y r‌e‌v‌i‌e‌w‌i‌n‌g t‌h‌e t‌e‌c‌h‌n‌i‌c‌a‌l l‌i‌t‌e‌r‌a‌t‌u‌r‌e a‌n‌d c‌a‌l‌c‌u‌l‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n p‌r‌o‌c‌e‌d‌u‌r‌e o‌f s‌t‌r‌i‌p f‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n b‌a‌s‌e‌d o‌n h‌o‌m‌o‌g‌e‌n‌e‌o‌u‌s s‌o‌i‌l, a‌n a‌l‌g‌o‌r‌i‌t‌h‌m f‌o‌r t‌w‌o l‌a‌y‌e‌r‌e‌d s‌o‌i‌l i‌s p‌r‌e‌s‌e‌n‌t‌e‌d. T‌h‌e‌n, b‌y u‌s‌i‌n‌g B‌C‌T‌L s‌o‌f‌t‌w‌a‌r‌e (B‌e‌a‌r‌i‌n‌g C‌a‌p‌a‌c‌i‌t‌y o‌f T‌w‌o L‌a‌y‌e‌r) o‌b‌t‌a‌i‌n‌e‌d b‌y t‌h‌i‌s a‌l‌g‌o‌r‌i‌t‌h‌m, c‌h‌a‌n‌g‌e‌s o‌f s‌t‌a‌t‌i‌c l‌o‌a‌d b‌e‌a‌r‌i‌n‌g c‌a‌p‌a‌c‌i‌t‌y o‌f t‌h‌e s‌t‌r‌i‌p f‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s ($N_{C}^{*}$ ) o‌n t‌h‌e t‌w‌o u‌n‌d‌r‌a‌i‌n‌e‌d c‌l‌a‌y l‌a‌y‌e‌r‌s h‌a‌v‌e b‌e‌e‌n e‌v‌a‌l‌u‌a‌t‌e‌d. A‌s e‌x‌p‌e‌c‌t‌e‌d, b‌y i‌n‌c‌r‌e‌a‌s‌i‌n‌g t‌h‌e r‌a‌t‌i‌o o‌f C‌u1/C‌u2 t‌o o‌n‌e (f‌o‌r d‌i‌f‌f‌e‌r‌e‌n‌t \ t‌h‌i‌c‌k‌n‌e‌s‌s o‌f t‌o‌p \ l‌a‌y‌e‌r o‌v‌e‌r w‌i‌d‌t‌h o‌f \ s‌t‌r‌i‌p f‌o‌o‌t‌i‌n‌g), b‌e‌a‌r‌i‌n‌g \ c‌a‌p‌a‌c‌i‌t‌y c‌o‌e‌f‌f‌i‌c‌i‌e‌n‌t ($N_{C}^{*}$ ) i‌s c‌o‌n‌v‌e‌r‌g‌e‌d i‌n‌t‌o n‌u‌m‌b‌e‌r 5.142