The Number of Convex Permutominoes

Permutominoes are polyominoes defined by suitable pairs of permutations. In this paper we provide a formula to count the number of convex permutominoes of given perimeter. To this aim we define the transform of a generic pair of permutations, we characterize the transform of any pair defining a convex permutomino, and we solve the counting problem in the transformed space

Application Studies for the Implementation of the Sustainability Charter in the Metropolitan City of Genoa

Starting from Agenda 2030 and existing tools in the field of sustainability, this research defines the guidelines for a new Sustainability Charter created for a metropolitan-level city. These guidelines are then applied to the case study of the metropolitan city of Genoa. The paper reports, therefore, application studies for the implementation of the Sustainability Charter in the metropolitan city of Genoa. Funded by the Ministry of the Environment and the Protection of Territory and Sea, the Sustainability Charter of the Metropolitan City of Genoa, which we present here, is developed as part of \u201cAgenda 2030, the Sustainable Metropolitan Agenda of the Metropolitan City of Genoa: moving towards sustainable metropolitan spaces\u201d. This research has led to the implementation of a concrete product the entire citizenship can benefit from. The new proposed tool is oriented towards the application of sustainability in urban planning and management in order to reduce environmental impacts and promote a proper and better quality of life: a driving force for sustainable urban development. Sustainability as a tool to safeguard the cultural and environmental heritage and the economic system, which can represent a new opportunity for the development of competitiveness, innovation and employment

Defective dystrophic thymus determines degenerative changes in skeletal muscle.

In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), sarcolemma fragility and myofiber necrosis produce cellular debris that attract inflammatory cells. Macrophages and T-lymphocytes infiltrate muscles in response to damage-associated molecular pattern signalling and the release of TNF-α, TGF-β and interleukins prevent skeletal muscle improvement from the inflammation. This immunological scenario was extended by the discovery of a specific response to muscle antigens and a role for regulatory T cells (Tregs) in muscle regeneration. Normally, autoimmunity is avoided by autoreactive T-lymphocyte deletion within thymus, while in the periphery Tregs monitor effector T-cells escaping from central regulatory control. Here, we report impairment of thymus architecture of mdx mice together with decreased expression of ghrelin, autophagy dysfunction and AIRE down-regulation. Transplantation of dystrophic thymus in recipient nude mice determine the up-regulation of inflammatory/fibrotic markers, marked metabolic breakdown that leads to muscle atrophy and loss of force. These results indicate that involution of dystrophic thymus exacerbates muscular dystrophy by altering central immune tolerance

Simulations of organic aerosol with CAMx over the Po Valley during the summer season

A new sensitivity analysis with the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) using a traditional two-product scheme (SOAP) and the newer Volatility Basis Set (VBS) algorithm for organic aerosol (OA) calculations is presented. The sensitivity simulations include the default versions of the SOAP and VBS schemes, as well as new parametrizations for the VBS scheme to calculate emissions and volatility distributions of semi- and intermediate-volatile organic compounds. The focus of the simulations is the summer season (May to July 2013), in order to quantify the sensitivity of the model in a period with relatively large photochemical activity. In addition to the model sensitivity, we validate the results with ad hoc OA measurements obtained from aerosol mass spectrometers at two monitoring sites. Unlike winter cases previously published, the comparison with experimental data showed limited sensitivity to total OA amount, with an estimated increase in OA concentrations limited to a few tenths of µg m−3, for both the primary and secondary components. We show that the lack of pronounced sensitivity is related to the effect of the new parametrizations on different emissions sectors. Furthermore, the minor sensitivity to the new parametrizations could be related to the greater partitioning of OA towards the gaseous phase in the summer period, thus reducing the organic fraction in the aerosol phase

Complement activation predicts negative outcomes in COVID-19: The experience from Northen Italian patients

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) may present as a multi-organ disease with a hyperinflammatory and prothrombotic response (immunothrombosis) in addition to upper and lower airway involvement. Previous data showed that complement activation plays a role in immunothrombosis mainly in severe forms. The study aimed to investigate whether complement involvement is present in the early phases of the disease and can be predictive of a negative outcome. We enrolled 97 symptomatic patients with a positive RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 presenting to the emergency room. The patients with mild symptoms/lung involvement at CT-scan were discharged and the remaining were hospitalized. All the patients were evaluated after a 4-week follow-up and classified as mild (n. 54), moderate (n. 17) or severe COVID-19 (n. 26). Blood samples collected before starting any anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive therapy were assessed for soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) and C5a plasma levels by ELISA, and for the following serum mediators by ELLA: IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12p70, IFNγ, IFNα, VEGF-A, VEGF-B, GM-CSF, IL-2, IL-17A, VEGFR2, BLyS. Additional routine laboratory parameters were measured (fibrin fragment D-dimer, C-reactive protein, ferritin, white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and fibrinogen). Fifty age and sex-matched healthy controls were also evaluated. SC5b-9 and C5a plasma levels were significantly increased in the hospitalized patients (moderate and severe) in comparison with the non-hospitalized mild group. SC5b9 and C5a plasma levels were predictive of the disease severity evaluated one month later. IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, IL-10 and complement split products were higher in moderate/severe versus non-hospitalized mild COVID-19 patients and healthy controls but with a huge heterogeneity. SC5b-9 and C5a plasma levels correlated positively with CRP, ferritin values and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. Complement can be activated in the very early phases of the disease, even in mild non-hospitalized patients. Complement activation can be observed even when pro-inflammatory cytokines are not increased, and predicts a negative outcome

Empirical Evaluation of a Differentiated Assessment of Data Structures: The Role of Prerequisite Skills

There can be many reasons why students fail to answer correctly to summative tests in advanced computer science courses: often the cause is a lack of prerequisites or misconceptions about topics presented in previous courses. One of the ITiCSE 2020 working groups investigated the possibility of designing assessments suitable for differentiating between fragilities in prerequisites (in particular, knowledge and skills related to introductory programming courses) and advanced topics. This paper reports on an empirical evaluation of an instrument focusing on data structures, among those proposed by the ITiCSE working group. The evaluation aimed at understanding what fragile knowledge and skills the instrument is actually able to detect and to what extent it is able to differentiate them. Our results support that the instrument is able to distinguish between some specific fragilities (e.g., value vs. reference semantics), but not all of those claimed in the original report. In addition, our findings highlight the role of relevant skills at a level between prerequisite and advanced skills, such as program comprehension and reasoning about constraints. We also suggest ways to improve the questions in the instrument, both by improving the distractors of the multiple choice questions, and by slightly changing the content or phrasing of the questions. We argue that these improvements will increase the effectiveness of the instrument in assessing prerequisites as a whole, but also to pinpoint specific fragilities