Polarity assessment of reflection seismic data: a Deep Learning approach

We propose a procedure for the polarity assessment in reflection seismic data based on a Neural Network approach. The algorithm is based on a fully 1D approach, which does not require any input besides the seismic data since the necessary parameters are all automatically estimated. An added benefit is that the prediction has an associated probability, which automatically quantifies the reliability of the results. We tested the proposed procedure on synthetic and real reflection seismic data sets. The algorithm is able to correctly extract the seismic horizons also in case of complex conditions, such as along the flanks of salt domes, and is able to track polarity inversions

Epistemología para la sociedad de la información

El trabajo fue estructurado en tres grandes bloques: 1) realizar un estudio de los principales paradigmas epistemológicos de la sociedad contemporánea (posmodernidad y ciencias de la complejidad), en su relación con el campo de la comunicación y las tecnologías digitales de la información; 2) desarrollar un estudio de las relaciones entre transformaciones políticas, sociales y económicas y el cambio tecnológico; y 3) proponer lineamientos para nuevos modelos pedagógicos basados en un análisis crítico de los contenidos y los procesos tecnológicos actuales

REPRESENTING INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY: FROM THE DEEP ABYSS OF THE PAST TO DIGITAL TWIN AND XR OF THE NEANDERTHAL MAN AND LAMALUNGA CAVE (ALTAMURA, APULIA)

The Altamura Man and the paleontological remains are situated within a complex context encompassing logistical, geological, paleoenvironmental, and cultural perspectives. This context is exceptionally well-preserved but also fragile, requiring its preservation due to its unique nature. Unresolved inquiries exist in various disciplines, such as archaeology, biocultural studies, ecology, and geology, pertaining to karst formation, taphonomic dynamics, and the cultural and ecological context of the Neanderthal individual found in the cave. Interdisciplinary research was necessary to address these complex questions and understand the broader context of the Lamalunga Cave. Climate change also necessitated attention to preserving the cave’s microclimate and monitoring potential biodegradation. Digital technologies, including photogrammetry and laser scanning, were crucial for monitoring and safeguarding the cave’s cultural heritage. Digital representation, 3D modelling and Digital Twin were essential for managing the cave’s intricacies, analysing its values, and enhancing visual communication. The management of the Lamalunga cave aimed to promote scientific interpretation, safeguard the cave, and provide tools for understanding, storytelling, and further investigation. It was essential to utilise available methodologies and technologies while avoiding destructive interventions. Contemporary technologies have revolutionised the archaeological and paleoanthropological domains, enabling remote study and preservation. Protecting and comprehending the cultural heritage of the cave is linked to its usability, which can be enhanced through digital documentation methodologies to inform visitors about the karst context and promote social and economic development

Buffalo behavioural response to machine milking in early lactation

Buffalo farming in Italy is traditionally oriented towards mozzarella cheese production. Over the last decade, it has rapidly increased. As a result, intensive techniques and mechanization of farm activities have been introduced. Those sudden changes in rearing techniques have aroused a general concern about buffalo welfare and its possible consequences on product quality. Human-animal interactions are recognized to have an impact on productivity, behaviour and welfare, particularly in dairy farms, where the milking process involves a close interaction with a human handler. Focusing on the first month of lactation, this preliminary study aimed at evidencing buffalo behavioural responses to machine milking. The relationship between behaviour and oxytocin administration, often performed to allow milk let down, was also investigated. The experiment included 8 multiparous and 6 primiparous buffaloes that calved in the same period. Starting from the first entrance in the milking parlour, the animals were followed 2 days/week during the morning milking for the first 5 weeks of lactation. Behaviour observation was performed following a focal animal sampling (continuous recording) technique. Proportional frequencies of the following behaviours were calculated: kicking; stepping; defaecating; urinating; vocalizing; and pulling the teat cup off the teats. The exogenous oxytocin administration at milking was recorded. Pearson chi-square test was used to verify the presence of differences between the primiparous and multiparous cow behaviour at milking. Cochran's Q test was used to assess the variability of behaviour over time, and a binomial regression was performed in order to verify the correlations between animal behaviour and the need to administer oxytocin. Considering the lactation number, every behavioural pattern in primiparous cows, except for stepping, resulted to be more frequently performed (36.67% vs. 24.36% for kicking; 5% vs. 2.56% for defaecating; 11.67% vs. 5.13% for pulling the teat cup off the teats). The behaviour of urinating (48.33% vs. 11.54%) proved to have a significantly higher mean frequency of occurrence compared to the multiparous one (P<0.001). The frequency of oxytocin administration showed a high variability over time (P<0.001) which decreased soon, whereas the selected behaviours proved to be more stable in time except for kicking and urinating (P<0.05). Some correlations between animal behaviour at milking and oxytocin administration were found. Kicking, stepping and urinating appeared to be significantly related to the requirement of exogenous molecule (P<0.001). The occurrence of behaviours considered as indicators of acute stress and their correlation with oxytocin administration were a clear proof of the machine milking impact on buffalo welfare and productivity

Histological evaluation of duodenal biopsies from coeliac patients : the need for different grading criteria during follow-up

Background: Coeliac disease is characterised by villous atrophy, which usually normalises after gluten withdrawal. Sometimes the revaluation of duodenal histology is required during follow-up, even if the methodology for comparing duodenal histology before and after introducing a gluten-free diet is not yet established. Our aim was to evaluate a novel criterion to compare duodenal histology in coeliac disease before and after gluten withdrawal. Methods: Duodenal biopsies from coeliac patients were retrospectively reviewed to compare duodenal histology at diagnosis and after at least one year on a gluten-free diet. Two different methods were used: the first was represented by the classical Marsh-Oberhuber score, the second compared the areas covered by each Marsh-Oberhuber grade and expressed as percentages, the final grade being calculated from the analysis of ten power fields per duodenal biopsy. Results: Sixty-nine patients (17 males 52 females, age at diagnosis 36\ub115 years) who underwent duodenal biopsies, were considered. According to the classical Marsh-Oberhuber scale, 32 patients did not present atrophy during follow-up while 37 showed duodenal atrophy, among whom 26 improved the grade of severity and 11 retained the same one. Of these latter, according to the second method, eight patients were considered improved, two showed a worsened duodenal damage and only one remained unchanged; the evaluation changed in 91 % of cases. Conclusions: The proposed semi-quantitative approach (i.e. the second method) for the evaluation of histology at follow-up provides additional information about the progression/regression of the mucosal damage

The mortality of colorectal cancer in relation to the initial symptom at presentation to primary care and to the duration of symptoms: a cohort study using medical records

The association between the staging of colorectal cancer and mortality is well known. Much less researched is the relationship between the duration of symptoms and outcome, and whether particular initial symptoms carry a different prognosis. We performed a cohort study of 349 patients with primary colorectal cancer in whom all their prediagnostic symptoms and investigation results were known. Survival data for 3–8 years after diagnosis were taken from the cancer registry. Six features were studied: rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, weight loss, and anaemia. Two of these were significantly associated with different staging and mortality. Rectal bleeding as an initial symptom was associated with less advanced staging (odds ratio from one Duke's stage to the next 0.50, 95% confidence interval 0.31, 0.79; P=0.003) and with reduced mortality (Cox's proportional hazard ratio (HR) 0.56 (0.41, 0.79); P=0.001. Mild anaemia, with a haemoglobin of 10.0–12.9 g dl−1, was associated with more advanced staging (odds ratio 2.2 (1.2, 4.3); P=0.021) and worse mortality (HR 1.5 (0.98, 2.3): P=0.064). When corrected for emergency admission, sex, and the site of the tumour, the HR for mild anaemia was 1.7 (1.1, 2.6); P=0.015. No relationship was found between the duration of symptoms and staging or mortality

Oxidative stress as a biomarker for monitoring treated celiac disease article

Introduction: High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and impaired antioxidant defense systems lead to oxidative stress (OxS) and tissue injury in different intestinal and extra intestinal conditions, including celiac disease (CD). The aim of the present study was to investigate the role and potential use of ROS and other biomarkers of OxS in the clinical management of CD. Methods: We collected duodenal specimens and blood samples from na\uefve patients (N-CD), patients on a gluten free diet (GFD) including responders (CD-GFD) and non-responders (NRCD). We measured plasmatic ROS production (electron paramagnetic resonance, EPR), lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS), protein oxidation (protein carbonyl, PC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), nitric oxides and glutathione (GSH) in erythrocytes. Results: Fifty-four patients affected by CD were enrolled (17 N-CD, 18 CD-GFD and 19 NRCD; 44 F; age 44 \ub1 13 years). A significant increase of plasmatic OxS biomarkers (ROS, peroxidated lipids, oxidized proteins, and nitrate concentrations) and decrease of antioxidant species (TAC and GSH levels) were found in NRCD and N-CD compared to CD-GFD. Comparably, a significant direct relationship between the severity of duodenal atrophy, ROS production rates and TBARS was found; conversely, TAC and GSH presented an inverse correlation. Discussion: OxS is involved in CD tissue damage and correlates with the degree of duodenal atrophy. These findings suggest the possible role of OxS biomarkers as indicators of CD activity during the clinical follow-up

Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter

An in-situ calibration of a logarithmic periodic dipole antenna with a frequency coverage of 30 MHz to 80 MHz is performed. Such antennas are part of a radio station system used for detection of cosmic ray induced air showers at the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory, the so-called Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA). The directional and frequency characteristics of the broadband antenna are investigated using a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) carrying a small transmitting antenna. The antenna sensitivity is described by the vector effective length relating the measured voltage with the electric-field components perpendicular to the incoming signal direction. The horizontal and meridional components are determined with an overall uncertainty of 7.4^{+0.9}_{-0.3} % and 10.3^{+2.8}_{-1.7} % respectively. The measurement is used to correct a simulated response of the frequency and directional response of the antenna. In addition, the influence of the ground conductivity and permittivity on the antenna response is simulated. Both have a negligible influence given the ground conditions measured at the detector site. The overall uncertainties of the vector effective length components result in an uncertainty of 8.8^{+2.1}_{-1.3} % in the square root of the energy fluence for incoming signal directions with zenith angles smaller than 60{\deg}.Comment: Published version. Updated online abstract only. Manuscript is unchanged with respect to v2. 39 pages, 15 figures, 2 table

Multi-resolution anisotropy studies of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays detected at the Pierre Auger Observatory

We report a multi-resolution search for anisotropies in the arrival directions of cosmic rays detected at the Pierre Auger Observatory with local zenith angles up to $80^\circ$ and energies in excess of 4 EeV ($4 \times 10^{18}$ eV). This search is conducted by measuring the angular power spectrum and performing a needlet wavelet analysis in two independent energy ranges. Both analyses are complementary since the angular power spectrum achieves a better performance in identifying large-scale patterns while the needlet wavelet analysis, considering the parameters used in this work, presents a higher efficiency in detecting smaller-scale anisotropies, potentially providing directional information on any observed anisotropies. No deviation from isotropy is observed on any angular scale in the energy range between 4 and 8 EeV. Above 8 EeV, an indication for a dipole moment is captured; while no other deviation from isotropy is observed for moments beyond the dipole one. The corresponding $p$-values obtained after accounting for searches blindly performed at several angular scales, are $1.3 \times 10^{-5}$ in the case of the angular power spectrum, and $2.5 \times 10^{-3}$ in the case of the needlet analysis. While these results are consistent with previous reports making use of the same data set, they provide extensions of the previous works through the thorough scans of the angular scales.Comment: Published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Added Report Numbe