Sviluppo delle applicazioni degli Open Data: vantaggi e svantaggi per le aziende

Il seguente lavoro analizza lo stato dello sviluppo e dell'utilizzo degli Open Data su vari livelli e l'impatto che gli stessi possono avere in alcuni settori dell'economia, del sociale e della politica. L'analisi parte da come questi sono nati e dallo sviluppo che hanno avuto, soprattutto negli ultimi decenni; tratta in seguito la definizione di Open Data e ne analizza le varie caratteristiche, i vantaggi e gli svantaggi che questi possono presentare a livello economico; si analizzano anche i vari stadi di sviluppo in cui si trovano i vari paesi mondiali in questo ambito; fornisce un'analisi dei profili giuridici correlati a livello globali, comunitario e nazionale; studia le prospettive e i progetti di crescita in atto nel settore, le raccomandazioni per proseguire con il processo di sviluppo del settore ma anche le eventuali barriere che si possono opporre allo stesso. Analizza infine come questo tipo di dati possa essere applicato con successo a delle attività economiche, tramite lo studio di alcuni casi aziendali. Il lavoro conclude con le valutazioni personali dell'autore

The issue of contamination by synthetic resins in radiocarbon dating: the case of a painting by Ambrogio Lorenzetti

Abstract Nowadays, the most common products used in restoration are of synthetic origin. Being these resins obtained from fossil oil, they are devoid of 14C. Therefore, a not complete removal from the sample to be dated can be the cause of a consistent apparent ageing of the dated artworks. A chemical pre-treatment is required in order to clean the samples before the measurements. At INFN-LABEC laboratory in Florence, a new procedure based on the use of an extraction with chloroform as solvent was tested. In this paper, the radiocarbon measurements made on a restored polyptyc by Ambrogio Lorenzetti are presented

Beached swords from Marano Lagoon (northern Adriatic) reveal ancient land-sea connections and recent coastal evolution

Depositional and erosional processes, subsidence and sea-level changes have strongly modified the coastal landscape of northern Adriatic lagoons. Such rapid transformations have induced significant consequences on human settlements and, thus, on the archaeological visibility of the area, still largely unexplored. We present here six metal swords fortuitously retrieved by fishermen over the last decades in front of the barrier islands of Marano Lagoon (north-eastern Italy). Multi-analytical analyses carried out on the artefacts (X-ray radiography and computed micro-tomography, radiocarbon dating and typo-chronology) combined with the study of the coastal paleo-environment (mainly based on historical cartography and remote sensing) allowed the items' main features to be defined, and highlighted both the historical importance of the area and the significant morphological changes that have occurred there over the last millennium. Data presented indicate that Marano Lagoon was a major hub in the northern Adriatic in the Late Middle Ages, during the crucial period of the Crusades, and in Early Modern times, connecting inland Europe with the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, the research highlights the onset of coastal erosion that occurred in the last century after a phase of relatively geomorphic stability, possibly deriving from the intensification of human impact and climate change

Fecal contamination of urban parks by domestic dogs and tragedy of the commons

Contamination of public parks by dogs is a potential source of conflict among park users, causing “tragedy of the commons” problems. Besides the social conflict, feces can pose serious health risks to both dogs and humans. In this study we analyzed the extent and patterns of the distribution of dog feces in the urban parks of the City of Calgary. We collected dog feces from randomly selected locations in the urban parks. The average density of dog feces by the different dog leash policies of the parks and the distribution pattern of the fecal density within the parks were assessed, and the total contamination of the public parks for the entire city was estimated. We found off-leash parks to be significantly more contaminated than other types of parks. We estimated 127.23 g/ha of dog feces are left unpicked in city parks in total every week. Dog feces were found more often and in greater amount in off-leash parks, and near park entrances and parking lots, than in on-leash parks and away from the park entrances. These results suggest that public park visitors, especially those visiting off-leash parks, are likely to be exposed to large amounts of dog feces. Designation of parks as on-leash and educating dog-owners may be an effective approach for reducing the fecal contamination