A deep learning approach for detecting security attacks on blockchain

In these last years, Blockchain technologies have been widely used in several application fields to improve data privacy and trustworthiness and security of systems. Although the blockchain is a powerful tool, it is not immune to cyber attacks: for instance, recently (January 2019) a successful 51% attack on Ethereum Classic has revealed security vulnerabilities of its platform. Under a statistical perspective, attacks can be seen as an anomalous observation, with a strong deviation from the regular behavior. Machine Learning is a science whose goal is to learn insights, patterns and outliers within large data repositories; hence, it can be exploit for blockchain attack detection. In this work, we define an anomaly detection system based on a encoder-decoder deep learning model, that is trained exploiting aggregate information extracted by monitoring blockchain activities. Experiments on complete historical logs of Ethereum Classic network prove the capability of the our model to effectively detect the publicly reported attacks. To the best of our knowledge, our approach is the first one that provides a comprehensive and feasible solution to monitor the security of blockchain transactions

The call of nature. Three post-pandemic scenarios about remote working in Milan

In recent years remote working (RW) arrangements have increased in many countries, mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also intensified the need for humans to live closer to nature. Within this context, the paper aims to discuss three possible future scenarios for the spread of RW by 2050, and how this could affect residential choices, people’s relationship with the natural environment, and thus the renewed role of large cities, small towns, and areas close to nature. A specific focus is placed on the city of Milan in northwest Italy. To give empirical foundations to our scenarios, we analyzed data for the year 2021. The first scenario we consider (the Gentrified City) implies the risk that Milan will become a gentrified city, thus pushing social and economic inequality. However, on the contrary, our data suggest that in Italy a potential pool of workers would leave the city and move to a small town or closer to nature if allowed to work remotely. This trend could lead to the second scenario (the Doughnut City), but data for Milan show that the share of those willing to leave Milan is lower than the national average, which can be explained by the good quality of offered services; thus, the city center is unlikely to empty due to RW. The desirable option would be represented by the third scenario: some remote workers move to intermediary cities (the Intermediary Cities scenario), reducing territorial disparities

Inclisiran in lipid management: A Literature overview and future perspectives

Primary and secondary prevention protocols aim at reducing the plasma levels of lipids - with particular reference to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) plasma concentrations – in order to improve the overall survival and reduce the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events. The use of statins has been widely considered as the first-line approach in lipids management as they can dramatically impact on the cardiovascular risk profile of individuals. The introduction of ezetimibe and proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors overcame the adverse effects of statins and ameliorate the achievement of the target lipids levels. Indeed, advances in therapies promote the use of specific molecules – i.e. short strands of RNA named small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) – to suppress the transcription of genes related to lipids metabolism. Recently, the inclisiran has been developed: this is a siRNA able to block the mRNA of the PCSK9 gene. About 50% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels have been observed in randomized controlled trials with inclisiran. The aim of this review was to summarize the literature regarding inclisiran and its possible role in the general management of patients with lipid disorders and/or in primary/secondary prevention protocols

Acute Myocarditis After Black Widow Spider Bite: A Case Report

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Millstones as indicators of relative sea-level changes in northern Sicily and southern Calabria coast lines, Italy

New data are presented for late Holocene relative sea-level changes in two coastal sites of Sicily and Calabria, southern Italy. Reconstructions are based on precise measurements of submerged archaeological remains that are valuable indicators of past sea-level position. The archaeological remains are millstone quarries carved on sandstone coastal rocks and nowadays partially submerged which, to the authors’ knowledge, are used for the first time as sea-level markers. Millstones of similar typology are located on the coast of Capo d’Orlando (northern Sicily) and Capo dell’Armi (southern Calabria). When the archeologically-based sea-level position is compared with the shoreline elevation provided by geological markers (Holocene beachrock, Late Pleistocene marine terraces), a refined understanding of relative sea-level changes and rates of vertical tectonic movements for these coastline locations is gained

Interaction Between Dietary Lipid Level and Seasonal Temperature Changes in Gilthead Sea Bream Sparus aurata: Effects on Growth, Fat Deposition, Plasma Biochemistry, Digestive Enzyme Activity, and Gut Bacterial Community

A 121-day feeding trial was undertaken to test the effects of two dietary lipid levels (16 and 21% L16, L21) in triplicated gilthead sea bream groups (initial weight: 67.5 g) reared at two different water temperatures (high, H 23°C and low, L 17°C) in the same recirculation system but exposed to a switch in temperature after 58 days. Fish kept at H were transferred to L (HL transition, autumn shift), and the fish kept at L were exposed to H (LH transition, summer shift), while continuing to receive the same diet to apparent satiation in each group. At the end of the trial, no significant diet effect on specific growth rate (SGR), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion rate (FCR) were detected in fish exposed to HL transition compared with those exposed to LH transition, while gross lipid efficiency (GLE) and lipid efficiency ratio (LER) were higher in L16. After temperature changes, L16 displayed higher SGR, FI, GLE, and LER, while mesenteric fat index was reduced. After temperature changes, the combined effects of low lipid diet and low temperature conditions resulted in higher pepsin activity, while trypsin, chymotrypsin, and lipase activities were generally higher at high lipid content. The combined effect of diet and temperature did not alter the metabolic plasma profile, except for the observed final higher aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) values when combining high dietary lipid (L21) and temperature changes. Different diets showed a significantly different gut microbiome layout, only at high temperature with L16 diet resulting in a higher load of Lactobacillus. On the contrary, no dietary impact on ecosystem diversity was observed, independently from the temperature. In addition, L16 diet in the HL transition favored an increase in Weissella and Bradyrhizobium genera in the gut microbiome, while in the final condition of LH transition, L21 diet favored a significant increase in Streptococcus and Bacillus. According to the results, the utilization of 16% dietary lipid levels in gilthead sea bream should be preferred during seasonal temperature changes in order to optimize feed utilization and gut health

New evidence of mis 3 relative sea level changes from the messina strait, Calabria (Italy)

none12Investigation of sea-level positions during the highly-dynamic Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3: 29–61 kyrs BP) proves difficult because: (i) in stable and subsiding areas, coeval coastal sediments are currently submerged at depths of few to several tens of meters below the present sea level; (ii) in uplifting areas, the preservation of geomorphic features and sedimentary records is limited due to the erosion occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) with sea level at a depth of −130 m, followed by marine transgression that determined the development of ravinement surfaces. This study discusses previous research in the Mediterranean and elsewhere, and describes new fossiliferous marine deposits overlaying the metamorphic bedrock at Cannitello (Calabria, Italy). Radiocarbon ages of marine shells (about 43 kyrs cal BP) indicate that these deposits, presently between 28 and 30 m above sea level, formed during MIS 3.1. Elevation correction of the Cannitello outcrops (considered in an intermediate-to-far-field position with respect to the ice sheet) with the local vertical tectonic rate and Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) rate allows the proposal of a revision of the eustatic depth for this highstand. Our results are consistent with recently proposed estimates based on a novel ice sheet modelling technique.openAntonioli F.; Calcagnile L.; Ferranti L.; Mastronuzzi G.; Monaco C.; Orru P.; Quarta G.; Pepe F.; Scardino G.; Scicchitano G.; Stocchi P.; Taviani M.Antonioli, F.; Calcagnile, L.; Ferranti, L.; Mastronuzzi, G.; Monaco, C.; Orru, P.; Quarta, G.; Pepe, F.; Scardino, G.; Scicchitano, G.; Stocchi, P.; Taviani, M

Assessment of Cardiovascular Function in Childhood Leukemia Survivors: The Role of the Right Heart

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors who underwent chemotherapy with anthracyclines have an increased cardiovascular risk. The aim of the study was to evaluate left and right cardiac chamber performances and vascular endothelial function in childhood ALL survivors. Fifty-four ALL survivors and 37 healthy controls were enrolled. All patients underwent auxological evaluation, blood pressure measurements, biochemical parameters of endothelial dysfunction, flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery, mean common carotid intima-media thickness (c-IMT), antero-posterior diameter of the infra-renal abdominal aorta (APAO), and echocardiographic assessment. The ALL subjects had significantly lower FMD (p = 0.0041), higher left (p = 0.0057) and right (p = 0.0021) echocardiographic/Doppler Tei index (the non-invasive index for combined systolic and diastolic ventricular function) as compared to controls. Tricuspid annular plane excursion (TAPSE) was 16.9 +/- 1.2 mm vs. 24.5 +/- 3.7 mm, p < 0.0001. Cumulative anthracycline doses were related to TAPSE (p < 0.001). The ALL survivors treated with anthracyclines demonstrated systo/diastolic alterations of the right ventricle and reduced endothelial function compared with healthy controls. The early recognition of subclinical cardiac and vascular impairment during follow up is of utmost importance for the cardiologist to implement strategies preventing overt cardiovascular disease considering the growing number of young adults cured after childhood ALL

Holocene Sea Level Recorded by Beach Rocks at Ionian Coasts of Apulia (Italy)

Beach rocks are located along many coasts of the Mediterranean basin. The early diagenesis environment and the mean sea level along the shoreline make these landforms useful in the reconstruction of relative sea-level changes and, in particular, as SLIPs (sea-level index points). The beach rocks surveyed along the Ionian coast of Apulia were found to be well preserved at three specific depth ranges: 6–9 m, 3–4 m, and from the foreshore to about 1.20 m. Morpho-bathymetric and dive surveys were performed to assess both the geometries and the extension of the submerged beach rocks. Samples were collected at these different depths in the localities of Lido Torretta, Campomarino di Maruggio, San Pietro in Bevagna, and Porto Cesareo. Bivalve shells were identified and isolated from the beach rock samples collected at a depth of 7 m; AMS dating provided a calibrated age of about 7.8 ka BP. Their morphology and petrological features, along with the time constraints, enabled us to (i) reconstruct the local sea-level curve during the Holocene, (ii) corroborate acquired knowledge of the relative sea-level history, and (iii) identify possible local vertical land movement (VLM)

Effects of increasing dietary level of organic acids and nature-identical compounds on growth, intestinal cytokine gene expression and gut microbiota of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared at normal and high temperature

Organic acids (OA) and nature-identical compounds (NIC) such as monoterpenes and aldehydes are well-known growth and health promoters in terrestrial livestock while their application for fish production is recent and their mechanisms of action require further study. Hence, this study tested the increasing dietary level (D0, D250, D500, D1000; 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg kg feed−1 respectively) of a microencapsulated blend containing citric and sorbic acid, thymol and vanillin over 82 days on rainbow trout to assess the effects on growth, feed utilization, intestine cytokine gene expression and gut microbiota (GM). Furthermore, the effects on intestinal cytokine gene expression and GM were also explored after one week at high water temperature (23 °C). OA and NIC improved specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion rate (FCR) during the second half (day 40–82) of the feeding trial, while at the end of the trial protein (PER) and lipid efficiency (LER) increased with increasing dietary level. GM diversity and composition and cytokine gene expression analysis showed no significant differences in fish fed with increasing doses of OA and NIC (82 days) demonstrating the absence of inflammatory activity in the intestinal mucosa. Although there were no statistical differences, GM structure showed a tendency in clustering D0 group separately from the other dietary groups and a trend towards reduction of Streptococcus spp. was observed in the D250 and D1000 groups. After exposure to high water temperature, lower GM diversity and increased gene expression of inflammatory intestinal cytokines were observed for both inclusions (D0 vs. D1000) compared to groups in standard condition. However, the gene up-regulation involved a limited number of cytokines showing the absence of a substantial inflammation process able to compromise the functional activity of the intestine. Despite further study should be conducted to fully clarify this mechanism, cytokines up-regulation seems to be concomitant to the reduction of the GM diversity and, particularly, to the reduction of specific lactic acid bacteria such as Leuconostoc. The application of the microencapsulate blend tested can be a useful strategy to improve growth and feed utilization in rainbow trout under normal temperature conditions. According to the results organic acids and nature-identical compounds did not revert the effects triggered by the increased temperature of water