Nitrogen status assessment for variable rate fertilization in maize through hyperspectral imagery

This paper presents a method for mapping the nitrogen (N) status in a maize field using hyperspectral remote sensing imagery. An airborne survey was conducted with an AISA Eagle hyperspectral sensor over an experimental farm where maize (Zea mays L.) was grown with two N fertilization levels (0 and 100 kg N ha-1) in four replicates. Leaf and canopy field data were collected during the flight. The nitrogen (N) status has been estimated in this work based on the Nitrogen Nutrition Index (NNI) defined as the ratio between the leaf actual N concentration (%Na) of the crop and the minimum N content required for the maximum biomass production (critical N concentration (%Nc)) calculated through the dry mass at the time of the flight (Wflight). The inputs required to calculate the NNI (i.e. %Na and Wflight) have been estimated through regression analyses between field data and remotely sensed vegetation indices. MCARI/MTVI2 (Modified Chlorophyll Absorption Ratio Index / Modified Triangular Vegetation Index 2) showed the best performances in estimating the %Na (R2 = 0.59) and MTVI2 in estimating the Wflight (R2 = 0.80). The %Na and the Wflight were then mapped and used to compute the NNI map over the entire field. The NNI map agreed with the NNI estimated using field data through traditional destructive measurements (R2 = 0.70) confirming the potential of using remotely sensed indices to assess the crop N condition. Finally, a method to derive a pixel based variable rate N fertilization map was proposed as the difference between the actual N content and the optimal N content. We think that the proposed operational methodology is promising for precision farming since it represents an innovative attempt to derive from an aerial hyperspectral image a variable rate N fertilization map based on the actual crop N status.JRC.H.4-Monitoring Agricultural Resource

Nitrogen status assessment for variable rate fertilization in maize through hyperspectral imagery

JRC.H.4-Monitoring Agricultural Resource

A new generation of sensors and monitoring tools to support climate-smart forestry practices

Climate-smart forestry (CSF) is an emerging branch of sustainable adaptive forest management aimed at enhancing the potential of forests to adapt to and mitigate climate change. It relies on much higher data requirements than traditional forestry. These data requirements can be met by new devices that support continuous, in situ monitoring of forest conditions in real time. We propose a comprehensive network of sensors, i.e., a wireless sensor network (WSN), that can be part of a worldwide network of interconnected uniquely addressable objects, an Internet of Things (IoT), which can make data available in near real time to multiple stakeholders, including scientists, foresters, and forest managers, and may partially motivate citizens to participate in big data collection. The use of in situ sources of monitoring data as ground-truthed training data for remotely sensed data can boost forest monitoring by increasing the spatial and temporal scales of the monitoring, leading to a better understanding of forest processes and potential threats. Here, some of the key developments and applications of these sensors are outlined, together with guidelines for data management. Examples are given of their deployment to detect early warning signals (EWS) of ecosystem regime shifts in terms of forest productivity, health, and biodiversity. Analysis of the strategic use of these tools highlights the opportunities for engaging citizens and forest managers in this new generation of forest monitoring.Peer reviewe

A new generation of sensors and monitoring tools to support climate-smart forestry practices

Climate-smart forestry (CSF) is an emerging branch of sustainable adaptive forest management aimed at enhancing the potential of forests to adapt to and mitigate climate change. It relies on much higher data requirements than traditional forestry. These data requirements can be met by new devices that support continuous, in situ monitoring of forest conditions in real time. We propose a comprehensive network of sensors, i.e., a wireless sensor network (WSN), that can be part of a worldwide network of interconnected uniquely addressable objects, an Internet of Things (IoT), which can make data available in near real time to multiple stakeholders, including scientists, foresters, and forest managers, and may partially motivate citizens to participate in big data collection. The use of in situ sources of monitoring data as ground-truthed training data for remotely sensed data can boost forest monitoring by increasing the spatial and temporal scales of the monitoring, leading to a better understanding of forest processes and potential threats. Here, some of the key developments and applications of these sensors are outlined, together with guidelines for data management. Examples are given of their deployment to detect early warning signals (EWS) of ecosystem regime shifts in terms of forest productivity, health, and biodiversity. Analysis of the strategic use of these tools highlights the opportunities for engaging citizens and forest managers in this new generation of forest monitoring.Peer reviewe

Immunomodulating Therapies in Acute Myocarditis and Recurrent/Acute Pericarditis

The field of inflammatory disease of the heart or "cardio-immunology " is rapidly evolving due to the wider use of non-invasive diagnostic tools able to detect and monitor myocardial inflammation. In acute myocarditis, recent data on the use of immunomodulating therapies have been reported both in the setting of systemic autoimmune disorders and in the setting of isolated forms, especially in patients with specific histology (e.g., eosinophilic myocarditis) or with an arrhythmicburden. A role for immunosuppressive therapies has been also shown in severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a condition that can be associated with cardiac injury and acute myocarditis. Furthermore, ongoing clinical trials are assessing the role of high dosage methylprednisolone in the context of acute myocarditis complicated by heart failure or fulminant presentation or the role of anakinra to treat patients with acute myocarditis excluding patients with hemodynamically unstable conditions. In addition, the explosion of immune-mediated therapies in oncology has introduced new pathophysiological entities, such as immune-checkpoint inhibitor-associated myocarditis and new basic research models to understand the interaction between the cardiac and immune systems. Here we provide a broad overview of evolving areas in cardio-immunology. We summarize the use of new imaging tools in combination with endomyocardial biopsy and laboratory parameters such as high sensitivity troponin to monitor the response to immunomodulating therapies based on recent evidence and clinical experience. Concerning pericarditis, the normal composition of pericardial fluid has been recently elucidated, allowing to assess the actual presence of inflammation; indeed, normal pericardial fluid is rich in nucleated cells, protein, albumin, LDH, at levels consistent with inflammatory exudates in other biological fluids. Importantly, recent findings showed how innate immunity plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of recurrent pericarditis with raised C-reactive protein, with inflammasome and IL-1 overproduction as drivers for systemic inflammatory response. In the era of tailored medicine, anti-IL-1 agents such as anakinra and rilonacept have been demonstrated highly effective in patients with recurrent pericarditis associated with an inflammatory phenotype.Peer reviewe

La governance del Family business. Il caso Savema S.p.A.

Il presente elaborato verte sull’analisi dei sistemi di corporate governance delle aziende familiari. Nel primo capitolo si affronta il problema relativo alla definizione di Family business e si procede nell’illustrazione delle tipicità delle aziende familiari. Inoltre viene approfondito un argomento largamente dibattuto dalla dottrina italiana ed internazionale: la sovrapposizione istituzionale tra il sistema azienda ed il sistema famiglia. Nel secondo capitolo vengono descritte le caratteristiche proprie dei sistemi di amministrazione e controllo delle aziende familiari, tema cardine del presente lavoro. Sono approfonditi in particolar modo il ruolo del Consiglio di amministrazione nelle aziende familiari, le peculiarità degli organi di governo del Family business e le implicazioni del passaggio generazionale sulla governance. Ulteriori tematiche affrontate nello svolgimento della Tesi concernono la professionalizzazione del Family business e le fonti di finanziamento alle quali fanno tipicamente ricorso le aziende familiari. L’elaborato si conclude con l’analisi dell’evoluzione del sistema di corporate governance di Savema S.p.A., azienda familiare con sede operativa in Pietrasanta, leader internazionale per la produzione e vendita di marmo, granito e altre pietre ornamentali

Wooden treehouses in the Chilean forests: parametric and sustainable design for ecotourism

The exploitation of natural resources inclined to primary wood products for international market is highly present in Chile and in Villarrica area. This involves also the banishment of indigenous peoples,that are deprived of their own territories, and the occurrence of social conflicts. Furthermore, the secondary wood products for the construction industry have to be imported: in this way, costs, times and transportation pollution increase. To answer this critical issues, the project proposes the creation of a natural park with the management of native peoples. This park will increase the ecotourism of the region, and allow a new manner for visitors to enjoy the natural landscape. In its 4000 hectares of extension, the park includes cabins, paths, shelters, and a area of production of timber, that can be visited by the tourists. They are involved in the production process, that can be viewed from the plants to the buildings, to the reforestation management. The indigenous people can pass down the respect of the nature,and can educate the visitors to a correct management of the common natural resource. The architectural design focuses on the cabins’ study, that are built with the timber produced in the park, and that are completely integrated with the natural context. In particular, to create a strong relationship with the nature and a new touristic experience, the cabins will be on the trees. The design is inspired by natural world, especially to honeycombs, whose modules allow the cabins adaptation at the geographic and energetic context, and a more easy production and assembly. The lanning is totally parametric: that permits the optimization of each house and of the entire complex, from the point of view of volumes, supporting trees configuration, and solar irradiation. A general model can be set and optimized for different configurations. Finally, a concept inspired by Artificial Life is introduced. The forest represents the main entity to deal with in our design process, and an important source of inspiration: a living macro-organism hosting many individual ecosystems (most notably, trees). Accordingly, we view our treehouses complex as an organism of self-sufficient but networked cells: the housing units. The whole complex lives in a symbiotic interaction with the forest. All this will bring integration and sustainability to unprecedented levels

Differenti colorazioni nella citologia del Mastocitoma canino

L’esame citologico è molto sensibile e specifico per la diagnosi di mastocitoma cutaneo nel cane. Tuttavia, l’esame istologico rimane il gold standard per il corretto grading della malattia. L’obiettivo dello studio è stato quello di confrontare le caratteristiche morfologiche dei mastocitomi tra preparati citologici colorati con diverse colorazioni e istologiche. Inoltre, si è valutato il corretto grading citologico impiegando la classificazione di Kiupel e Camus utilizzando quello istologico come gold standard. Le colorazioni utilizzate sono state il Diff Quik, May-Grunwald Giemsa ed Ematossilina Eosina; il citologico in DQ è stato successivamente decolorato e ricolorato in EE . 27 mastocitomi canini prelevati da 16 cani, 3 con diagnosi istologica high-grade Kiupel e i restati 24 con diagnosi low-grade Kiupel. Valutando gli HG è risultato che complessivamente il decolorato ha performance migliori rispetto alle altre colorazioni. La colorazione che mette maggiormente in evidenza le mitosi e multinucleate è il DQ, le binucleate e i nuclei bizzarri il decolorato, mentre l’EE ha perfomance migliore per individuare la cariomegalia. i risultati ottenuti non supportano l’idea di alcuni autori riguardo l’utilità nella pratica clinica di effettuare più campioni citologici con colorazioni diverse e decolorazione poiché EE, non sembra offrire vantaggi tali da poter sostituire o affiancare la tecnica in DQ. Nella popolazione del nostro studio, la classificazione citologica di Camus è risultata più affidabile nell’individuare i mastocitomi HG rispetto al metodo Kiupel The cytological examination is very sensitive and specific method for the diagnosis of cutaneous mast cell tumor in dogs. However, histological examination is still the gold standard for the correct grading of the tumor. The aim of the study was to compare the morphological characteristics of neoplastic mast cells between cytological preparations stained with different colors and histological preparations. Furthermore, the correct cytological grading was evaluated using the Kiupel and Camus classification, with the histological one as the gold standard. Three types of coloring were used: Diff Quik, May-Grunwald Giemsa and Hematoxylin Eosin; the cytology in DQ was subsequently decolored and recolored in EE. 27 canine mast cell tumors from 16 dogs, 3 with HG Kiupel histological diagnosis and the remaining 24 with LG Kiupel diagnosis. Overall, our results show that the better method to assess HG tumors was EE after decoloration. The staining that highlights mitosis and multinucleated the most was the DQ, the discolored allows a better view of binucleated and bizarre nuclei, and finally EE was the most suitable to detect karyomegaly. the results obtained do not support the idea of some authors regarding the usefulness in clinical practice of carrying out multiple cytological samples with different stains and discoloration since EE does not seem offer such advantages as to be able to replace or complement the DQ technique. In the population of our study, Camus' cytological classification was more reliable in identifying HG mast cell tumors than the Kiupel metho

Assessment and management of vegetation and green areas ti prevent damage caused by extreme weather events

In the last five years, our country has experienced a gradual increase in extreme weather events, as floods, landslides, hurricanes and typhoons, storm surges, droughts and long periods of heat or frost. Extreme weather events (climate change?) have periodically repeated that can no longer be considered contingent and their frequency is going to increase. In this new climate contest, the vegetation can play important and different roles. During storms and flooding, trees can become dangerous falling for the tipping of the root plate or for the breaking of branches and stems. On the contrary, vegetation can filter stormwater pollution and regulate runoff, green areas can facilitate water infiltration with the realization of bio-retention gardens, green roofs, constructed wetlands and grassed swales. In this scenario, the proposed study concerns two topics: a) Assessment and prevention of the instability of the trees, in general and in particular the pines which are elements of identity of the coastal landscape and not only, with innovative methods such as the use of sensors and simulation software, cabling and bracing that can preserve the existing trees and alert municipalities before their fall. b) Process analysis and simulation models to assess the influence of different green constructions on biodiversity, stormwater retention, runoff process and water pollution filtration. The final objectives will be to get some models of green assessment and managing for the urban environment risk mitigation