Slow and fast dynamics in coupled systems: A time series analysis view

We study the dynamics of systems with different time scales, when access only to the slow variables is allowed. We use the concept of Finite Size Lyapunov Exponent (FSLE) and consider both the case when the equations of motion for the slow components are known, and the situation when a scalar time series of one of the slow variables has been measured. A discussion on the effects of parameterizing the fast dynamics is given. We show that, although the computation of the largest Lyapunov exponent can be practically infeasible in complex dynamical systems, the computation of the FSLE allows to extract information on the characteristic time and on the predictability of the large-scale, slow-time dynamics even with moderate statistics and unresolved small scales.Comment: 17 pages RevTeX, 6 PostScript figures, tarred, gzipped, uuencoded. Submitted to Physica

Singular dynamics under a weak potential on a sphere

We give a detailed analytical description of the global dynamics of a point mass moving on a sphere under the action of a logarithmic potential. We perform a McGehee-type blow-up in order to cope with the singularity of the potential when the point mass goes through the singularity. In addition we investigate the rest-points of the flow, the invariant (stable and unstable) manifolds and we give a complete dynamical description of the motion

Measuring consumer effort in circular economy initiatives in the food domain: An exploratory analysis

: The transition towards a Circular Economy (CE) system requires a change in consumers' behavioural pattern that implies a certain level of effort which, in turn, could affect initiatives' success. Although consumers' role in CE is increasingly drawing the attention of scholars, limited knowledge is available on the evaluation of consumer's effort in CE initiatives. The current research provides an identification and measurement of the core parameters affecting consumer effort, offering a comprehensive Effort Index applied to 20 CE companies operating in food domain. Companies were classified in 5 categories (Quantity of food, Appearance of food, Edibility of food, Living with food and Local and sustainable food); the analysis of the companies revealed 14 parameters building the Effort Index. Results showed that initiatives ascribable to the category "Local and sustainable food" require higher levels of consumer effort; in contrast, case studies belonging to "Edibility of food" group are less effort-requiring

β‐Ionone: Its Occurrence and Biological Function and Metabolic Engineering

β‐Ionone is a natural plant volatile compound, and it is the 9,10 and 9’,10’ cleavage prod-uct of β‐carotene by the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase. β‐Ionone is widely distributed in flowers, fruits, and vegetables. β‐Ionone and other apocarotenoids comprise flavors, aromas, pigments, growth regulators, and defense compounds; serve as ecological cues; have roles as insect attractants or repellants, and have antibacterial and fungicidal properties. In recent years, β‐ionone has also received increased attention from the biomedical community for its potential as an anticancer treatment and for other human health benefits. However, β‐ionone is typically produced at relatively low levels in plants. Thus, expressing plant biosynthetic pathway genes in microbial hosts and engineering the metabolic pathway/host to increase metabolite production is an appealing alternative. In the present review, we discuss β‐ionone occurrence, the biological activities of β‐ionone, empha-sizing insect attractant/repellant activities, and the current strategies and achievements used to re-construct enzyme pathways in microorganisms in an effort to to attain higher amounts of the de-sired β‐ionone

Protandric hermaphroditism in the bivalve Arca noae (Mollusca: Arcidae)

Following the histological analysis of Arca noae samples from the south-western Adriatic Sea, five hermaphroditic specimens were found out of 168 sexed individuals (3.0%). The hermaphrodite gonads showed the co-occurrence of male and female germ cells within the same acini, i.e. both spermatozoa in the lumen and oogonia lining its wall. Oogonia increased in size through winter, thus suggesting that the direction of sex change is from male to female. Both the biometrical analyses and theoretical considerations strongly suggest that A. noae is an obligate protandric species

Accreditation procedure for Trichinella spp. Detection in slaughterhouses: The experience of an internal laboratory in Italy

Trichinellosis is a severe foodborne zoonotic disease due to the consumption of undercooked meat containing Trichinella spp. larvae. According to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1375/2015, domestic pigs, farmed wild boar, and horses must be tested for the presence of the parasite in the muscles as part of post-mortem examination. In this study, the accreditation procedure and the maintenance of the certificate for internal laboratory attached to a slaughterhouse are described. The main advantages of such accreditation are represented by the possibility to obtain fast results in order to process carcasses quickly, whereas the difficulties for the technician are linked to performing proficiency testing and following training courses. This program can be considered particularly useful for surveillance and food safety purposes