Shift Aggregate Extract Networks

We introduce an architecture based on deep hierarchical decompositions to learn effective representations of large graphs. Our framework extends classic R-decompositions used in kernel methods, enabling nested "part-of-part" relations. Unlike recursive neural networks, which unroll a template on input graphs directly, we unroll a neural network template over the decomposition hierarchy, allowing us to deal with the high degree variability that typically characterize social network graphs. Deep hierarchical decompositions are also amenable to domain compression, a technique that reduces both space and time complexity by exploiting symmetries. We show empirically that our approach is competitive with current state-of-the-art graph classification methods, particularly when dealing with social network datasets

Unravelling salt stress tolerance: physiological, morphological and genetic components in crop species and model plants

This PhD Thesis address fundamental mechanisms of salt stress response in plants from an agronomic, physiological, morphological and genetic point of view. Specifically we considered salt stress tolerance performances of eleven wild species of Cruciferae, closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana (Chapter 1). In the second chapter, salt tolerance has been related to main morphological and physiological traits of two cultivars of sweet basil (Genovese and Napoletano). Finally (Chapter 3) we considered how salinity stress tolerance of tomato may be affected by a constitutive over-expression of genes involved in wounding responses. Part of this research has been conducted at Purdue University (Indiana - USA) and at the experimental station of the University of Bologna, located in Teresina (PI – Brazil)

The State of Organic Seed in Europe

This booklet will present the information collected through research of the LIVESEED project in order to shed light on the actual situation of organic seed use in Europe. In particular, it will focus on the following questions: 1. How does the farmer know what varieties are available as organic seed? How do organic seed databases work in different EU countries and how could they be improved? 2. How much non-organic seed or planting material is used in EU organic farming? How many derogations are granted in different EU Member States and Switzerland? 3. Which are the factors encouraging or discouraging farmers to use organic seed? Which farm and farmer characteristics influence adoption of organic seed? How can organic plant breeding contribute to 100% organic seed use? 4. How has the organic seed market developed in the last years? According to seed suppliers` perspective, what factors hamper the further development of the organic seed sector? To answer these questions, researchers in the LIVESEED project applied integrated research tools and methodologies: a comparative review of the different databases on organic seed in 28 EU countries; an integrated analysis of national derogation reports to measure the current use of nonorganic seed in Europe; a survey among farmers, to understand their perspective on the use of organic seed; and finally a survey among seed suppliers to evaluate trends in the offer of organic seed on the market. A quantitative model was used to estimate the potential demand for organic seed in Europe on the basis of the data collected

Informality and social urban planning in Medellin

La ciudad de Medellín, después de unas décadas de aislamiento e involución caracterizadas por altos índices de inseguridad, violencia y segregación social, ha venido experimentando en la última década un proceso de renacimiento urbanístico que tuvo comienzo bajo el liderazgo del Alcalde Sergio Fajardo y que se conoce con el nombre de Urbanismo Social. Entre los pilares de dicho proceso están los Proyectos Urbanos Integrales (PUI), estrategias de intervención física en los sectores informales de la ciudad que buscan colmar la enorme deuda social que la ciudad formal ha venido acumulando durante años de olvido. El objetivo de este artículo es describir las características de dichas intervenciones analizando en detalle su proyecto piloto, el Proyecto Urbano Integral de la Nororiental, ubicado en unas de las áreas con los índices más bajos de calidad de vida de la ciudad.La ciutat de Medellín, després d’unes dècades d’aïllament i involució caracteritzades per alts índexs d’inseguretat, violència i segregació social, ha experimentat en l’última dècada un procés de renaixement urbanístic que va tenir començament sota el lideratge de l’alcalde Sergio Fajardo i que es coneix amb el nom d’Urbanisme Social. Entre els pilars d’aquest procés hi ha els Projectes Urbans Integrals (PUI), estratègies d’intervenció física en els sectors informals de la ciutat que busquen satisfer l’enorme deute social que la ciutat formal ha vingut acumulant durant anys. d’oblit. L’objectiu d’aquest article és descriure les característiques d’aquestes intervencions analitzant en detall el seu projecte pilot, el Projecte Urbà Integral de la nord-oriental, situat en una de les àrees amb els índexs més baixos de qualitat de vida de la ciutat.After decades of isolation and involution characterized by high levels of insecurity, violence and social segregation, the city of Medellin has been experiencing an urban renaissance process over the last decade. This process has begun under the leadership of Mayor Sergio Fajardo and it’s known as Social Planning. The Integral Urban Projects (PUI), are among the pillars of this process, as physical intervention strategies in the informal sectors of the city, and seeks to tackle the huge social debt that the formal city has been building over years of neglect. The aim of this paper is to describe the interventions described and to discuss in detail its pilot project, the Northeast Integral Urban Project, located in one of the areas with lowest quality of life in the city.Peer Reviewe

Usable Security. A Systematic Literature Review

Usable security involves designing security measures that accommodate users’ needs and behaviors. Balancing usability and security poses challenges: the more secure the systems, the less usable they will be. On the contrary, more usable systems will be less secure. Numerous studies have addressed this balance. These studies, spanning psychology and computer science/engineering, contribute diverse perspectives, necessitating a systematic review to understand strategies and findings in this area. This systematic literature review examined articles on usable security from 2005 to 2022. A total of 55 research studies were selected after evaluation. The studies have been broadly categorized into four main clusters, each addressing different aspects: (1) usability of authentication methods, (2) helping security developers improve usability, (3) design strategies for influencing user security behavior, and (4) formal models for usable security evaluation. Based on this review, we report that the field’s current state reveals a certain immaturity, with studies tending toward system comparisons rather than establishing robust design guidelines based on a thorough analysis of user behavior. A common theoretical and methodological background is one of the main areas for improvement in this area of research. Moreover, the absence of requirements for Usable security in almost all development contexts greatly discourages implementing good practices since the earlier stages of development

Literature review on the potential of urban waste for the fertilization of urban agriculture : A closer look at the metropolitan area of Barcelona

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MUrban agriculture (UA) activities are increasing in popularity and importance due to greater food demands and reductions in agricultural land, also advocating for greater local food supply and security as well as the social and community cohesion perspective. This activity also has the potential to enhance the circularity of urban flows, repurposing nutrients from waste sources, increasing their self-sufficiency, reducing nutrient loss into the environment, and avoiding environmental cost of nutrient extraction and synthetization. The present work is aimed at defining recovery technologies outlined in the literature to obtain relevant nutrients such as N and P from waste sources in urban areas. Through literature research tools, the waste sources were defined, differentiating two main groups: (1) food, organic, biowaste and (2) wastewater. Up to 7 recovery strategies were identified for food, organic, and biowaste sources, while 11 strategies were defined for wastewater, mainly focusing on the recovery of N and P, which are applicable in UA in different forms. The potential of the recovered nutrients to cover existing and prospective UA sites was further assessed for the metropolitan area of Barcelona. Nutrient recovery from current composting and anaerobic digestion of urban sourced organic matter obtained each year in the area as well as the composting of wastewater sludge, struvite precipitation and ion exchange in wastewater effluent generated yearly in existing WWTPs were assessed. The results show that the requirements for the current and prospective UA in the area can be met 2.7 to 380.2 times for P and 1.7 to 117.5 times for N depending on the recovery strategy. While the present results are promising, current perceptions, legislation and the implementation and production costs compared to existing markets do not facilitate the application of nutrient recovery strategies, although a change is expected in the near future

Morphological and Physiological Plant Responses to Drought Stress in Thymus citriodorus

Water availability is considered as a determinant factor that affects plant growth. The commercial medicinal values of an aromatic plant rely on the presence of secondary metabolites that are affected under water shortage. Two-year-old Thymus citriodorus plants were subjected to different polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) levels (0, 2%, and 4%) under greenhouse condition. PEG treatment lasted for 15 days. Thyme plant showed a morphological drought avoidance mechanism by maintaining the root system development through shoot fresh weight reduction resulting in promoted root absorption capacity and sustained plant growth. Moreover, stressed plants were able to maintain water use efficiency and root: shoot ratio suggesting a strong relation between root water uptake and water use saving strategies. Furthermore, thyme plants reduced tissue dehydration through stomatal closure and improved root water uptake. Content of volatile oil constituents of geraniol and diisobutyl phthalate increased upon drought stress while pseudophytol was reduced. Unexpectedly, thymol was not reported as a main oil element under either control or mild stress condition, while it was increased upon high drought stress in measure of 4.4%. Finally, carvacrol significantly accumulated under high drought stress (+31.7%) as compared to control plants

The EU organic seed sector – statistics on organic seed supply and demand

The EU organic seed sector – statistics on organic seed supply and deman