Wavelet-Fourier CORSING techniques for multi-dimensional advection-diffusion-reaction equations

We present and analyze a novel wavelet-Fourier technique for the numerical treatment of multidimensional advection-diffusion-reaction equations based on the CORSING (COmpRessed SolvING) paradigm. Combining the Petrov-Galerkin technique with the compressed sensing approach, the proposed method is able to approximate the largest coefficients of the solution with respect to a biorthogonal wavelet basis. Namely, we assemble a compressed discretization based on randomized subsampling of the Fourier test space and we employ sparse recovery techniques to approximate the solution to the PDE. In this paper, we provide the first rigorous recovery error bounds and effective recipes for the implementation of the CORSING technique in the multi-dimensional setting. Our theoretical analysis relies on new estimates for the local a-coherence, which measures interferences between wavelet and Fourier basis functions with respect to the metric induced by the PDE operator. The stability and robustness of the proposed scheme is shown by numerical illustrations in the one-, two-, and three-dimensional case

Bioclimates of Italy

The Worldwide Bioclimatic Classification System according to Rivas-Martínez (WBCS) is a bioclimatic classification that is widely used in vegetation science, geobotany, and landscape ecology. To date, only one complete WBCS map has been produced for Italy at the national scale. Here, we define two major updates to the WBCS map of Italy: improvements to the surface spatial accuracy for the climate, especially for precipitation; and detailed mapping of the Submediterraneity Index and its levels, which mainly characterize the ecotone area between the Mediterranean and the Temperate macrobioclimates. Finally, all WBCS units (i.e. macrobioclimates, bioclimatic variants, bioclimates, continentality types, bioclimatic belts) and the Submediterraneity Index are mapped on a scale of 1:2,500,000. These maps and the bioclimatic indices and monthly climatic surfaces are available here as raster data-sets (resolution, 900 m) and are useful for accurate bioclimatic diagnosis for the entire Italian territory. They will also support vegetation–environment relationship analysis, ecological modeling, and applied studies of climate change at the national scale

Seismic performance of Point Fixed Glass Facade Systems through Finite Element Modelling and proposal of a low-damage connection system

Among glazed curtain walls, the growing interest in Point Fixed Glass Facade Systems (PFGFS), simply known as “Spider Glazing”, is mainly due to their aesthetics, architectural attractiveness and high transparency they can provide when compared to more traditional framed glass facades. PFGFS are in fact punctually attached to the structure by using spider arms and bolted fittings. However, some PFGFS solutions have shown an unexpected moderate seismic vulnerability in recent earthquake events, as a consequence of inadequate connection detailing. As part of current seismic design philosophy, high structural and non-structural damage is accepted under a design-level earthquake. This inevitably leads to high post-earthquake losses in terms of both repair costs and business interruption for the damaged buildings. Therefore, nowadays the need for research efforts towards the development of low-damage technologies for the overall building system, including structural and non-structural components, is increasingly recognized. This paper aims at investigating the seismic performance of PFGFS through numerical studies at both localconnection level, by advanced non-linear FEM modelling implemented in ABAQUS software, and at globalfacade system level, through a simplified lumped plasticity macro-model developed in SAP2000 program. Non-linear static (PushOver) analyses have been carried out to assess the overall in-plane capacity of the facade. Based on the numerical outcomes obtained for a PFGFS consisting of traditional connections (i.e., available on the market), a novel low-damage system has been proposed. This solution comprises horizontal slotted holes for the bolted connection of the spider arms to the supporting structure. A parametric analysis, involving the variation of the slotted hole length, has been finally performed to study the effectiveness of the proposed solution. Results highlight the improvement of the in-plane capacity of the PFGFS, specifically an increase of the maximum allowable inter-storey drift ratio from 1.17% for the traditional system to 2.49% for the low-damage connection

Palermo, metropolitan mainstreams with a twist

Palermo, administrative capital of Sicily, with its metropolitan region, hosts around one million people. A city with long history which has been, for long periods, one of the richest cities in Europe. At the end of the first millennium, during the Arab domination, Palermo was described as the most beautiful and happy city in the world. An history of multifaceted dominations the one following the other. In XXth century, the worst days had come. After the the world wars, Palermo was one of the cities in Italy which couldn’t - or wouldn’t - step out of post-war era. The city grew, but who decided how wasn’t the public interest: from the country the Mafiosi had come, willing to take their place in the city. And it was them, with the complicity of the leading political class, to draw the city to come. Remember Vito Ciancimino, member of Democrazia Cristiana, major in the seventies, the one who signed - in just one night - for the demolition of numbers of liberty villas, to be substituted by condominiums. Another paradigmatic story regards the airport, built during the 50s. The technicians had suggested to build it on the east of the metropolitan area, but mysterious powers moved it to the other side, shifting the growth of the city to lands bought at low prices by the Mafia. Who paid the bill? In 1972, when technological aids for flight were not developed, the Alitalia 112 flight collided with Montagna Longa, a mountain near the airport. 115 victims of the Mafia, not even acknowledged as that. And the city? The historical centre, one of the biggest and richest in Europe, remained abandoned, restructuring being less profitable than building new neighbourhoods. In the 90s, with the first left-wing administrations of its history, the city had its ‘spring’. In consequence of 1992 Mafia slaughters, the city reacted, a new season had begun. Buildings destroyed since second world war started to be restructured, the focus moved to the historical centre, a detailed plan was designed, local development was launched with partial results. With the new millennium the spring has shifted to a new autumn. A new administration, right-wing sided, promoted the building - more often the design - of infrastructures and flag projects. But suddenly something happened. A major known just for his wild nights - made of alcohols and young ladies -, dozens of scandals - for instance those regarding the management of waste -, fiscal crisis, a second mandate coming from debated elections - pre-empted ballotpapers were found, judicial enquiries are questioning the validity of the process - have undermined the credibility of the administration. Thus, everything seems blocked, the city is stuck, mainstream pressures are slowed by a viscous atmosphere. What has not stopped is private led neighbourhoods upgrading. Palermo’s metropolitan mainstream are going on, but ancient drifts deviate them. Everything reveals backsides, contradiction is normality. Resistance appears where you may not imagine. We’ve tried to show it in the map, where some stories are strangely mixed, some narratives pertaining to different categories than usual. Palermo, Southern Europe, Metropolitan Mainstream with a twis

Development and reproduction of Cataclysta lemnata, a potential natural enemy of the invasive alien duckweed Lemna minuta in Italy

Life cycle of the aquatic moth Cataclysta lemnata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) was studied in laboratory conditions to obtain a basic biological knowledge useful for predicting the possible success of the herbivorous larvae of this insect as potential control agents in limiting the spread of the invasive American duckweed Lemna minuta (Alismatales: Araceae) in Italy. The multivoltinism of C. lemnata, as well as the high overall emergence from the pupal stage (85%), the high success in mating among the formed couples (>90%), and the high number of larvae born from each egg laying (on average 310 individuals), suggest that the insect can be successfully bred in the laboratory for the purposes of an augmentative biological control. Under experimental conditions, larvae developed in 23 days (through six larval instars, distinguishable by cephalic capsule dimensions) and pupae in 10, with no difference in duration between females and males. The larval phase resulted longer than the adult one (23 vs 10 days), therefore it can be considered the most suitable stage for releasing the insect in field for biocontrol purposes. Indeed, the larvae having a herbivorous diet might consume large amount of the invasive plant, contrarily to the adult phase which is focused exclusively on reproduction. The results emerged not only allow to contribute to the knowledge on aquatic lepidoptera that are scarcely known, but also support the effectiveness of a possible protocol for an augmentative biological control of the invasive alien duckweed L. minuta

DIFFERENCES IN LANDING STRATEGIES DURING A VERTICAL DROP JUMP TEST AS A FUNCTION OF GENDER AND AGE IN YOUTH ÉLITE SOCCER PLAYERS

We analyzed the kinematics and kinetics of vertical drop jump landing in a group of 85 (20 females) elite youth soccer players (U10-U11 and U17). Peak knee flexion and knee varus increased in male players as a function of age; normalized peak vertical ground reaction forces decreased with age and in female players. Preliminary data can be used to build reference tables for this specific population and can help to correct dangerous landing strategies, and to keep each player’s development monitored. We also suggest that education of safe landing technique would prevent dangerous knee postures

Evaluation of triclosan effects on cultured swine luteal cells

Triclosan is a chlorinated phenolic, used in many personal and home care products for its powerful antimicrobial effect. Several studies have shown triclosan toxicity and the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2016 has limited its use. It has been recently included in endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), a list of chemicals known for their ability to interfere with hormonal signaling with particular critical effects on reproduction both in animals and humans. In order to deepen the knowledge in this specific field, the present study was undertaken to explore the effect of different concentrations of triclosan (1, 10, and 50 µM) on cultured luteal cells, isolated from swine ovaries, evaluating effects on growth Bromodeoxyuridine (BrDU) incorporation and Adenosine TriPhosphate (ATP) production, steroidogenesis (progesterone secretion) and redox status (superoxide and nitric oxide production, enzymatic and non-enzymatic scavenging activity). A biphasic effect was exerted by triclosan on P4 production. In fact, the highest concentration inhibited, while the others stimulated P4 production (p < 0.05). Triclosan significantly inhibited cell proliferation, metabolic activity, and enzymatic scavenger activity (p < 0.05). On the contrary, nitric oxide production was significantly increased by triclosan (p < 0.01), while superoxide anion generation and non-enzymatic scavenging activity were unaffected

La grandiosa rosa di pietra. Analisi litologica del rosone del Duomo di Modena

L'analisi litologica del rosone del Duomo di Modena ha permesso di identificare 5 diversi litotipi: Arenaria della Formazione di Pantano, Arenaria di Scabiazza, Pietra di Aurisina varietà granitello, Rosso Ammonitico e Marmo Proconnesio.Lo studio del rosone ha dimostrato come il Duomo sia l’unico monumento modenese in cui si sia utilizzata pietra locale. Nel contesto della Cattedrale la rosa si contraddistingue in quanto non presenta reimpiego di materiali antichi, come testimoniato nelle fasi precedenti, e nemmeno di Rosso Ammonitico veronese, litotipo principale utilizzato dai Campionesi. L’arenaria impiegata nel rivestimento lapideo esterno si è rivelata del tutto inadeguata, come dimostrato sulla Ghirlandina dalle sostituzioni col Rosso Ammonitico effettuate a partire dal XVI secolo. La pratica del restauro dei materiali degradati è stata affrontata diversamente nel corso dei secoli, e progressivamente si è giunti alla consapevolezza del rispetto dei materiali. Solo alla fine del ‘800, quando vennero condotti i risanamenti sulla Cattedrale, la cultura del restauro impose di impiegare lo stesso materiale nel ricostruire gli elementi danneggiati dal tempo. Una nuova attenzione, specchio della sensibilità artistica del momento storico, ha permesso di conservare questo unicum all’interno del panorama architettonico modenese

Tuberin haploinsufficiency is associated with the loss of OGG1 in rat kidney tumors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is caused by defects in one of two tumor suppressor genes, <it>TSC-1 </it>or <it>TSC-2</it>. <it>TSC-2 </it>gene encodes tuberin, a protein involved in the pathogenesis of kidney tumors. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the <it>TSC2 </it>locus has been detected in <it>TSC</it>-associated renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and in RCC in the Eker rat. Tuberin downregulates the DNA repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA-glycosylase (OGG1) with important functional consequences, compromising the ability of cells to repair damaged DNA resulting in the accumulation of the mutagenic oxidized DNA, 8-oxo-dG. Loss of function mutations of OGG1 also occurs in human kidney clear cell carcinoma and may contribute to tumorgenesis. We investigated the distribution of protein expression and the activity of OGG1 and 8-oxo-dG and correlated it with the expression of tuberin in kidneys of wild type and Eker rats and tumor from Eker rat.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Tuberin expression, OGG1 protein expression and activity were higher in kidney cortex than in medulla or papilla in both wild type and Eker rats. On the other hand, 8-oxo-dG levels were highest in the medulla, which expressed the lowest levels of OGG1. The basal levels of 8-oxo-dG were also higher in both cortex and medulla of Eker rats compared to wild type rats.</p> <p>In kidney tumors from Eker rats, the loss of the second <it>TSC2 </it>allele is associated with loss of OGG1 expression. Immunostaining of kidney tissue shows localization of tuberin and OGG1 mainly in the cortex.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results demonstrate that OGG1 localizes with tuberin preferentially in kidney cortex. Loss of tuberin is accompanied by the loss of OGG1 contributing to tumorgenesis. In addition, the predominant expression of OGG1 in the cortex and its decreased expression and activity in the Eker rat may account for the predominant cortical localization of renal cell carcinoma.</p