They Survived the Conversion from 35mm to Digital, so Now What? The Future of America’s Small-Town Art House Theaters

This paper explores the vital role art house movie theaters play in their communities, particularly in bringing film culture to small towns. I argue that art house theaters have a symbiotic relationship with their communities (particularly small towns) in which the art houses play a vital role in bringing culture to their downtown communities, and these communities are ardent supporters of art house theaters, helping them convert from 35mm to digital and continue to thrive. I explore two art house movie theaters in great detail as case studies, the County theater in Doylestown, PA and Gettysburg\u27s Majestic theater, to prove that art houses are staples of small towns and play a cultural role so vital that they have overcome major changes in technology and appear to have a bright future

On a generalization of the Dvoretzky-Wald-Wolfowitz theorem with an application to a robust optimization problem

A generalization of the Dvoretzky-Wald-Wolfowitz theorem to the case of conditional expectations is provided assuming that the $\sigma$-field on the state space has no conditional atoms.Comment: 10 page

UTILIZZO DEL DOSAGGIO SERICO DEL PROGESTERONE NELLA PRATICA CLINICA DEL CANE

Scopo della tesi: I veterinari che si occupano di riproduzione dei piccoli animali hanno bisogno di una efficiente quantificazione del progesterone (P4) sierico per identificare il momento giusto dell’accoppiamento o dell’inseminazione artificiale, per predire la data del parto, per programmare un cesareo (C-S) o per monitorare condizioni patologiche. Lo scopo della tesi è stato quello di descrivere e valutare l’utilizzo del dosaggio del P4 nella pratica clinica. Materiali e metodi: Lo studio è stato effettuato nell’arco di tre anni utilizzando diversi casi clinici pervenuti all’Ospedale Didattico Veterinario dell’Università di Pisa e all’Ambulatorio Veterinario Dott. Biondi. I casi sono stati così suddivisi: A. per monitorare il ciclo estrale, in associazione alla citologia vaginale; B. per monitorare la gravidanza; C. per predire la data del parto dal giorno dell’ovulazione (OV); D. per programmare un C-S; E. per gestire casi clinici. Per il dosaggio del P4 è stato utilizzato principalmente il metodo FEIA (AIA®-360, Tosoh Corp., Japan), oppure l’ELISA semi-quantitativo (Ovulation Test®) o la chemiluminescenza. Risultati: A. Nei 56 cicli estrali valutati abbiamo osservato in anestro (7 campioni) una concentrazione media di P4 pari a 0,38±0,14ng/ml (range 0,29-0,68), in proestro (14 campioni) 1,03±0,67ng/ml (range 0,31-2,56) ed in estro (72 campioni) 6,8±7,49 ng/ml (range 0,37-32,2). In diestro sono stati valutati 2 soli campioni: 6,7 e >44 ng/ml. B. 8 casi clinici: 1 controllo a metà gestazione (per infertilità precedente), 1 nell’ultimo terzo (per lattazione precoce e mastite); 5 controlli a termine, per stimare la data del parto o per C-S; 1 gravidanza patologica (terminata con l’aborto). C. La durata della gravidanza, dal giorno stimato dell’OV, è stata di 62,9±1,8gg (range 60-67gg). In 13/22 (59,1%) la durata della gravidanza è stata di 63±1gg, in 19/22 (86,30%) è stata di 63±2gg e in 21/22 casi è stata di 63±3gg (95.5%). In due la gestazione è stata di 60gg (8 e 9 cuccioli) e in uno di 67gg (4 cuccioli). D. 5 casi di dosaggio di P4 a termine gestazione: 0.82, 2.22 ng/ml (FEIA), tra <1 e 1-2,5 ng/ml (Ovulation-Test®), 1-2,5 ng/ml (Ovulation-Test®) il giorno stesso del C-S; 3,67 ng/ml, il giorno prima del C-S. In tutti i cesarei abbiamo ottenuto il 100% di sopravvivenza dei cuccioli, che erano in numero di 5, 5, 3, 8 e 1. E. Casi clinici: Anestro primario; Estro persistente; Gravidanza/piometra; Piometra; Infertilità; Endometrite. Conclusioni: A. Abbiamo ottenuto una buona concordanza fra citologia vaginale e dosaggio di P4 nel periodo dell’anestro e del proestro, mentre c’è stata una maggiore variabilità nel valutare l’estro (range 0,37-32,2). Questo perché citologia vaginale è talvolta ambigua, e in alcuni casi un proestro è stato considerato come un estro. B. Il dosaggio del P4 in gravidanza è risultato utile per gestire i casi clinici e per indicare il termine della gestazione. C. L’accuratezza nella predizione della data del parto da quella stimata dell’OV con il metodo FEIA è comparabile a quanto osservato precedentemente in letteratura. D. I risultati per C-S programmato, sebbene scarsi, sono comparabili con quelli riportati in letteratura. E. Il dosaggio del P4 è risultato essere importante per la diagnosi, la prognosi e la terapia, nei diversi casi clinici analizzati. Abstract Keywords: Dog, Progesterone, estrous cycle, pregnancy, parturition. Aim of the thesis: Veterinarians working in the field of small animals reproduction need reliable quantifications of serum progesterone (P4), in order to identify the best time for mating or artificial insemination, to predict the day when parturition will occur, to decide when a cesarean section (C-S) should be performed, or to evaluate pathological conditions. The aim of the thesis was to describe and evaluate the use of serum P4 quantification in clinical practice. Materials and Methods: the study includes the clinical cases received at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Pisa University and at Ambulatorio Veterinario Dott. Biondi in the last 3 years. Clinical cases were divided and evaluated as follow: A. evaluation of estrous cycle, in association to vaginal cytology; B. evaluation of pregnancy; C. prediction of the day of parturition from the estimated day of ovulation (OV); D. elective C-S; E. clinical cases. To evaluate P4 concentration, in most cases a FEIA method (AIA®-360, Tosoh Corp., Japan) was employed, otherwise a semi-quantitative ELISA (Ovulation Test®) or a chemiluminescence assay were used. Results: A. In the 56 evaluated estrous cycles we have observed in anestrus (7 samples) a mean P4 concentration of 0.38±0.14ng/ml (range 0.29-0.68), in proestrus (14 samples) 1.03±0.67ng/ml (range 0.31-2.56) and in estrus (72 samples) 6.8±7.49 ng/ml (range 0.37-32.2). In diestrus only two samples were evaluated: 6.7 and >44 ng/ml. B. clinical cases were 8: 1 evaluation at mid-gestation (previous infertility), 1 in the last third (for precocious lactation and mastitis); 5 evaluations at term, to estimate the day of parturition of C-S; 1 pathologic pregnancy (ended with abortion). C. pregnancy length, from the estimated day of OV, was 62.9±1.8 days (range 60-67 days). In 13/22 bitches (59.1%) pregnancy length was 63±1 days, in 19/22 (86,30%) was 63±2 days and in 21/22 cases was 63±3 days (95.5%). In two bitches gestation lasted 60 days (8 e 9 puppies) and in one 67 days (4 puppies). D. In 5 bitches at term gestation P4 was 0.82, 2.22 ng/ml (FEIA), between <1 and 1-2,5 ng/ml (Ovulation-Test®) and 1-2,5 ng/ml (Ovulation-Test®) on the day of C-S, or 3.67 ng/ml on the day before C-S. In all C-S a 100% survival of the puppies (5, 5, 3, 8 and 1) was obtained. E. Clinical cases: primary anestrus; prolonged estrus; pregnancy/pyometra; pyometra; infertility; endometritis. Conclusions: A. we have obtained a good correspondence between vaginal cytology and P4 evaluation during anestrus and proestrus, while a higher variability was seen during estrus (range 0.37-32.2). This because vaginal cytology is sometimes ambiguous, and thus in some cases a proestrus was considered an estrus. B. P4 evaluation during pregnancy resulted to be useful to manage clinical cases and to indicate pregnancies at term. C. The accuracy in the prediction of parturition date prom the day of OV estimated by the FEIA method is comparable to what previously reported in literature. D. The results for elective C-S, although scarce, appear comparable to what previously reported in literature. E. Serum P4 evaluation was important in the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy, in the evaluated clinical cases

Valutazione ecografica dell'involuzione uterina e fertilita nel post-partum in asine amiatine

Lo scopo della tesi è stato quello di studiare le caratteristiche del primo estro, l’involuzione uterina e la fertilità nel post-partum dell’Asina dell’Amiata. Sono state monitorate 9 asine (PP) nel primo ciclo post-partum, sottoponendole ad ecografia transrettale quotidiana, a partire dall’8° giorno post-partum fino all’ovulazione, valutando il diametro follicolare e le dimensioni del corpo e delle corna uterine. A partire dal rilievo di un follicolo preovulatorio di 30 mm, le asine sono state inseminate artificialmente con seme fresco diluito (IAF), ogni 48 ore fino all’ovulazione. I risultati relativi al follicolo preovulatorio e alla fertilità sono stati paragonati con quelli ottenuti da un gruppo di asine di controllo (NPP, n=12), nel quale è stata effettuata l’IAF o la monta naturale (MN), al di fuori del calore da parto, per un totale di 92 cicli. La diagnosi di gravidanza è stata effettuata, per entrambi i gruppi, mediante ecografia trans-rettale al 14° giorno o con flushing uterino all’8° giorno dopo l’ovulazione. L’intervallo dal parto alla prima ovulazione per il gruppo PP è stato di 12,22±1,56 gg ed il diametro del follicolo preovulatorio è stato di 38,11±3,41 mm e di 37,68±4,97 mm rispettivamente per il gruppo PP e il gruppo NPP (P>0,1). Le percentuali di gravidanza sono state del 44,44% (4/9) nel gruppo PP e del 51,09% (47/92) nel gruppo di controllo (P>0,1)

Algorithms For Phylogeny Reconstruction In a New Mathematical Model

The evolutionary history of a set of species is represented by a tree called phylogenetic tree or phylogeny. Its structure depends on precise biological assumptions about the evolution of species. Problems related to phylogeny reconstruction (i.e., finding a tree representation of information regarding a set of items) are widely studied in computer science. Most of these problems have found to be NP-hard. Sometimes they can solved polynomially if appropriate restrictions on the structure of the tree are fixed. This paper summarizes the most recent problems and results in phylogeny reconstruction, and introduces an innovative tree model, called Phylogenetic Parsimonious Tree, which is justified by significant biological hypothesis. Using PPT two problems are studied: the existence and the reconstruction of a tree both when sequences of characters and partial order on interspecies distances are given. We rove complexity results that confirm the hardness of this class of problems

Surface and subsurface drainage evolution of the Corfino and Soraggio karst areas (Tuscany, Italy)

The Pania di Corfino and Ripa di Soraggio are two minor karst areas in Tuscany, having a surface of only 11 km2, but contain more than 100 known caves. Some caves are old epi-phreatic passages testifying to a discontinuous lowering of base level in the two major valleys that cross the carbonate outcrops: the Serchio di Soraggio and the Fiume rivers, respectively located along the NWand SE borders of the massif. The spatial-altimetric distribution of major caves, whichare found on a vertical range of a few hundreds of meters, and their relationships withthe position of surface alluvial deposits have allowed to infer a first evolutionary framework of karst during the late Quaternary. If we refer to a simple model, where fluvial deposition occurs mainly during cold stages and incision during warm stages, the discrete distribution of cave passages suggests that the different epi-phreatic phases are the responses to the alternation of cold and warm periods. In any case, the re-organization of the river network induced by the tectonic uplift had a relevant effect on cave systems. First, the underground diversion of surface drainage enhanced the downcutting of NWand SE peripheral streams, whichreceived a larger quantity of water throughkarst springs due to the favored morpho-structural setting. Successively, the backward piracy of the allogenic catchments of the karst systems by surface tributaries led to the dewatering of caves and to the present situation

A CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF A PISA ALLUVIAL PLAIN SECTOR FOR LOW TEMPERATURE GEOTHERMAL ASSESSMENT

The target of this work is to evaluate the possible feeding of the east sector of the Pisa plain hydrogeological system by the Monte Pisano meteoric waters, using a geochemical and geological approach. The study was made considering the Calci basin and the area of the sedimentary plain adjacent at the Calci fan, where spring and well waters have been sampled and analyzed. The analyses of the major and minor elements of the well waters have confirmed a common origin with the springs above the Calci major alluvial fan, showing the same geochemical fingerprint. The isotopic analyses (δD-δ18O) allowed to compute the average altitude of infiltration of the waters. The altitudes obtained for the groundwaters sampled close to the alluvial fan are comparable with the average altitude of the Monte Pisano, confirming the hypothesis of the feeding of this aquifer sector by the Calci alluvial fan. The meteoric waters infiltrate through the debris-alluvial bodies that cover the south-western side of the Monte Pisano slopes reaching the aquifers at the foot of the hills. A possible water contribution to the feeding of about 5*106 m3/yr has been estimated from the hydrologic budget of the drainage basin above the Calci alluvial fan

3D geothermal modelling of the Mount Amiata hydrothermal system in Italy

In this paper we build a subsurface model that helps in visualizing and understanding the structural framework, geology and their interactions with the Mt. Amiata geothermal system. Modelling in 3D provides the possibility to interpolate the geometry of structures and is an effective way of understanding geological features. The 3D modelling approach appears to be crucial for further progress in the reconstruction of the assessment of the geothermal model of Mt. Amiata. Furthermore, this model is used as the basis of a 3D numerical thermo-fluid-dynamic model of the existing reservoir(s). The integration between borehole data and numerical modelling results allows reconstructing the temperature distribution in the subsoil of the Mt. Amiata area. Keywords