Parametric Surfaces for Augmented Architecture representation

Augmented Reality (AR) represents a growing communication channel, responding to the need to expand reality with additional information, offering easy and engaging access to digital data. AR for architectural representation allows a simple interaction with 3D models, facilitating spatial understanding of complex volumes and topological relationships between parts, overcoming some limitations related to Virtual Reality. In the last decade different developments in the pipeline process have seen a significant advancement in technological and algorithmic aspects, paying less attention to 3D modeling generation. For this, the article explores the construction of basic geometries for 3D model’s generation, highlighting the relationship between geometry and topology, basic for a consistent normal distribution. Moreover, a critical evaluation about corrective paths of existing 3D models is presented, analysing a complex architectural case study, the virtual model of Villa del Verginese, an emblematic example for topological emerged problems. The final aim of the paper is to refocus attention on 3D model construction, suggesting some "good practices" useful for preventing, minimizing or correcting topological problems, extending the accessibility of AR to people engaged in architectural representation

Drying kinetics and physico-chemical quality of mango slices

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is an important tropical fruit consumed worldwide and grown in Italy only in Sicily, where the areas of the Tyrrhenian coast have proved to be suitable to produce valuable fruits. Mango fruit has a pleasant aroma and taste, which are important qualities for consumer’s sensorial acceptance. However, they are highly perishable, prone to progressive undesired changes if stored untreated, resulting in around 25% postharvest losses, which is further increased during storage and transportation. An alternative for reducing the above-mentioned undesired changes is the dehydration of the cut fruit, which reduce the fruit water activity, thereby avoiding the deteriorative process and extending the shelf-life. This study investigates the effect of dehydration at different temperatures (50, 60 and 70°C) on drying kinetics and volatile compounds of two cultivars (Keitt and Osteen) of mango fruits cultivated in Sicily. Significant losses of volatile constituents of fresh mango occurred at higher temperature, especially for the Osteen cultivar. A diffusion model including the effect of shrinkage is also proposed, which may be used to describe drying behaviour of fruits and to define the optimal drying conditions.. Experimental data of the moisture ratio during drying were well predicted by the model

Sulfur-containing histidine compounds inhibit γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in human cancer cells

γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is an enzyme located on the surface of cellular membranes and involved in GSH metabolism and maintenance of redox homeostasis. High GGT expression on tumor cells is associated with increased cell proliferation and resistance against chemotherapy. GGT inhibitors evaluated so far in clinical trials are too toxic for human use. In this study, using enzyme kinetics analyses, we demonstrate that ovothiols, 5(Nπ)-methyl thiohistidines of marine origin, act as noncompetitive inhibitors of GGT, with an apparent Ki of 21 μM, when we fixed the concentrations of the donor substrate. We found that these compounds are more potent than the known GGT inhibitor 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine and are not toxic toward human embryonic cells. In particular, cellular process-specific fluorescence-based assays revealed that ovothiols induce a mixed cell-death phenotype of apoptosis and autophagy in GGT-overexpressing cell lines, including human liver cancer and chronic B leukemic cells. The findings of our study provide the basis for further development of 5-thiohistidines as therapeutics for GGT-positive tumors and highlight that GGT inhibition is involved in autophagy

Model of black hole evolution

From the postulate that a black hole can be replaced by a boundary on the apparent horizon with suitable boundary conditions, an unconventional scenario for the evolution emerges. Only an insignificant fraction of energy of order $(mG)^{-1}$ is radiated out. The outgoing wave carries a very small part of the quantum mechanical information of the collapsed body, the bulk of the information remaining in the final stable black hole geometry.Comment: 9 pages, harvmac, 3 figures, minor addition

Rate-Control or Rhythm-Contol: Where do we stand?

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained rhythm disturbance and its prevalence is increasing worldwide due to the progressive aging of the population. Current guidelines clearly depict the gold standard management of acute symptomatic atrial fibrillation but the best-long term approach for first or recurrent atrial fibrillation is still debated with regard to quality of life, risk of new hospitalizations, and possible disabling complications, such as thromboembolic stroke, major bleeds and death. Some authors propose that regaining sinus rhythm in all cases, thus re-establishing a physiologic cardiac function not requiring a prolonged antithrombotic therapy, avoids the threat of intracranial or extracranial haemorrhages due to Vitamin K antagonists or aspirin. On the contrary, advocates of a rate control approach with an accurate antithrombotic prophylaxis propose that such a strategy may avoid the risk of cardiovascular and non cardiovascular side effects related to antiarrhythmic drugs. This review aims to explore the state of our knowledge in order to summarize evidences and issues that need to be furthermore clarified

Model of black hole evolution

From the postulate that a black hole can be replaced by a boundary on the apparent horizon with suitable boundary conditions, an unconventional scenario for the evolution emerges. Only an insignificant fraction of energy of order $(mG)^{-1}$ is radiated out. The outgoing wave carries a very small part of the quantum mechanical information of the collapsed body, the bulk of the information remaining in the final stable black hole geometry.Comment: 9 pages, harvmac, 3 figures, minor addition

Microwave-induced thermal escape in Josephson junctions

We investigate, by experiments and numerical simulations, thermal activation processes of Josephson tunnel junctions in the presence of microwave radiation. When the applied signal resonates with the Josephson plasma frequency oscillations, the switching current may become multi-valued in a temperature range far exceeding the classical to quantum crossover temperature. Plots of the switching currents traced as a function of the applied signal frequency show very good agreement with the functional forms expected from Josephson plasma frequency dependencies on the bias current. Throughout, numerical simulations of the corresponding thermally driven classical Josephson junction model show very good agreement with the experimental data.Comment: 10 pages and 4 figure

Prediction of hearing recovery in sudden deafness treated with intratympanic steroids

The present study aims to obtain a probability model allowing the prediction of the auditory recovery in patients affected by sudden sensorineural hearing loss treated exclusively with intratympanic steroids. A monocentric retrospective chart review of three-hundred eighty-one patients has been performed. A Probit model was used to investigate the correlation between the success of the treatment (marked or total recovery according to Furuashi's criteria), and the delay between the onset of disease and the beginning of therapy. The age of the patients and the audiometric curve shapes were included in the analysis. Results show that delay is negatively correlated with the variable success. Considering the entire sample, each day of delay decreases by 3% the probability of success. The prediction model shows that for every day that passes from the onset of the disease the probability of success declines in absence of the medical treatment, hence we conclude that early treatment is strongly recommended