Matrix factorizations for quantum complete intersections

We introduce twisted matrix factorizations for quantum complete intersections of codimension two. For such an algebra, we show that in a given dimension, almost all the indecomposable modules with bounded minimal projective resolutions correspond to such matrix factorizations.Comment: 13 page

Intermodal vs. conventional logistic of refrigerated products: a case study from Southern to Northern Europe

Most of perishable goods, such as fruit and vegetables, are transported in Europe by truck and clogging up the main road networks. The increasing demand for freight transport and the environmental concerns all indicate the necessity to embrace new means of transport such as the intermodal one. The intermodal transport uses swap bodies and reefer containers that allow for the use of interchangeable truck, train, and ship to reduce direct and external costs. Nowadays, the utilization of exclusive truck transport is due to its considerable flexibility and often to the disregard of the motor vehicle regulations during transport. This research aims to analyze some essential readjustments that must be made in order to increase efficiency in the logistic of refrigerated fruit and vegetables. To do so, some hypotheses were analyzed and formulated in which the strategic use of the truck was recognized and inserted as part of an intermodal transport system. The transport options of a combined use of ships and trains in association with trucks were evaluated with respect to the current prevalent solution of exclusive use of trucks. Such options were evaluated by comparing them under different itineraries hypotheses (from south Italy, Sicily to Germany, Munich) on the base of costs and transit-times parameters. This was done mainly throughout interviewing sector-relevant transport operators. The results of the comparison between the intermodal and conventional transport was shown to be economically more convenient with respect to both legal and illegal transport by exclusive truck transport, presenting lower per unit costs (swap body or semi-trailer, containing the same amount of goods). Moreover, the intermodal solution scores equal or higher transit times in the comparison with the “transit by regulation compliance” and much higher transit times if compared with the “illegal” option. Therefore, the regulation compliance aspect would partially promote the use of intermodal options in a future fair competition. In addition, besides reducing the direct costs, it produces several other positive effects in terms of external costs to the society such as to reduce road crashes, noises, atmospheric emissions and greenhouse effect. A more efficient system should plan an integrated system of arrival and departure organizing together the schedules of ships and trains dedicated to perishable goods and increasing the transported amounts. Furthermore, another idea is to stipulate commercial agreements with train operators, applying a reduction on the base price, by ensuring the delivery of a block train for an arranged period.   Keywords: Intermodal, freight logisticcentre, truck haulage, rail hub; terminal

An Advanced Colour Calibration Method for Fish Freshness Assessment: a Comparison Between Standard and Passive Refrigeration Modalities

Freshness represents a pivotal aspect in fish product for both security and quality. Its evaluation still represents the key factor driving the consumer' choices. Fish appearance is affected by many different factors that demand the contribution of different disciplines to be understood: from the physical and optical properties to the slaughtering and post-slaughtering conditions. An innovative preservation system is represented by the Passive Refrigeration PRS (TM) developed for the preservation and transport of perishable food products. Scientific methods for product freshness evaluation may be conveniently divided into two categories: sensorial and instrumental. In this study, an instrumental method of colour calibration and discrimination is proposed at pilot scale for automatic evaluation of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) freshness. We propose a non-destructive method based on the colorimetric imaging of the whole external body of seabreams to evaluate through multivariate partial least squares which approach the differences in the freshness preservation under four refrigeration modalities. The matrix of the independent variables is represented by RGB values for each pixel belonging to an extracted region of interest (129,633 values). The dependent variable is composed by two dummy variable corresponding to fresh (T-0) or non-fresh (T-2) individuals. T-1 individuals were used as external test. The results quantified significant colorimetric differences between fresh and non-fresh fish. All fish used to create the model (T-0 and T-2) were correctly classified as fresh or non-fresh, while external test individuals (T-1) were all classified as fresh. The proposed imaging method merges different image analysis techniques: (a) colorimetric calibration, (b) morphometric superimposition and (c) partial least square discriminant analysis modelling. This innovative and non-destructive approach allows the automatic assessment of fish freshness

Multivariate forecasting model to optimize management of grape downy mildew control

Aim of this study was to develop a forecasting model for Plasmopara viticola to achieve rational disease management and to reduce the use of copper treatments in organic farming. Starting from meteo-climatic, agronomic and phytopathological data a partial least squares discriminant analysis was developed. Three different strategies were compared: treatments according to the established organic agricultural practice (standard); treatments according to the predictive model and untreated control where no fungicides against downy mildew were applied. The modelling approach was divided into three phases: 1) model calibration; 2) field testing and 3) a posteriori model performance evaluation. The prediction was separately considered and modelled for: i) disease onset and ii) disease progress. The results for phase 1 show a percentage of correct classification equal to 91.8 % for the disease onset with 3 days elapsed between the prediction of first potential attack and disease onset and to 91.23 % for disease progress. In field testing phase the percentage of correct classification was equal to about 81 % for both the analysed years (2009 and 2010). In the phase 3 the percentages were quietly higher for the 2009. The number of fungicide applications on the partial least squares discriminant analysis model was almost half compared with standard schedule both in 2009 and 2010. Finally this approach showed the possibility to reduce fungicidal treatments and to avoid applying copper not essential for disease control representing a first step in the model validation

Digital imaging based spectrophotometric techniques for soil pathogen monitoring and detection

Soil characteristics in agriculture represent one of the primary key-factors affecting soil productivity and quality of the produced products. Soil characterization are conventionally performed adopting integrated physical-chemical analyses based on soil portion (samples) directly collected in situ. Such an approach is obviously time consuming. In this work is examined the possibility offered by digital imagine, based spectrophotometric techniques in order to perform fast and reliable tests able to identify and quantify specific soil characteristics of primary importance in horticulture. The proposed approach is very simple to apply and for its flexibility can be profitably utilized also for other applications (i.e. environmental monitoring) where soil reclamation plays a pre-eminent role

Automated sorting for size, sex and skeletal anomalies of cultured seabass using external shape analysis.

In aquaculture, automation of fish processing by computer vision could reduce operating costs, improving product quality and profit. Currently fish are mechanically sorted by size, but market constraints require that externally malformed fish be removed as well. Additionally fish farmers screen for sex, in order to exploit the higher growth potential of females. The aim of this study was the development of methodological tools applicable to the on-line sorting of farmed seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.) for size, sex and presence of abnormalities. These tools are based on image analysis and utilizing outline morphometry (Elliptic Fourier analysis) combined with multivariate techniques (based on partial least squares modelling). Moreover, the integration of these techniques produce size estimation (in weight) with a better regression efficiency (r=0.9772) than the commonly used log of the measured body length (r=0.9443). The two partial least squares discriminant analysis models used to select sex and malformed fish also returned high discrimination efficiencies (82.05% and 88.21%, respectively). The implementation of a similar approach within an on-line sorting machine would allow for real-time live fish processing

Hyperspectral imaging based techniques in ornamental stone characterization

Ornamental stones are usually utilized for many purposes, ranging from structural to aesthetic ones. In this wide range of utilization, many different industrial sectors are involved. For all of them it is very important, at a different level, that these materials satisfy not only specific physical-chemical-mechanical requirements, but also some attributes that are much more difficult to quantify, that is those attributes strictly related to the final pictorial aspect of the stone manufactured goods. Stone pictorial-aesthetic characteristics are strongly influenced by stone surface status, that is by the surfaces reflectance properties. Such a property depends from stone compositional-textural characteristics and from the working procedures applied. The first set of attributes are related to stone mineral composition and their micro/macro arrangement, the others are related to the tools utilized and the actions applied in terms of operation sequence and workers knowledge-expertise. Each stone and each macro-operation carried out lead to a stone product whose finishing has to follow a specific rule: "optimal" polishing procedures for a stone can lead to very poor results for others. The study was addressed to evaluate the possibility to introduce a new hyperspectral imaging based approach to quantify the level of polishing of stone products and, at the same time, trying to perform also a pictorial-aesthetic characterization trough the identification of natural and/or working defects