Optimize the Transport Cost and Environmental Impact of Whey Collection: A Case Study in the Region Trentino A. A. (Italy)

The scope of this research is to elaborate a strategy to minimize the logistic cost of the whey collection. The problem consists of the description of the whey collection basin and transport from CP (Cheese plant) to WPP (Whey processing plant). We started with an initial basic solution and proceeded with successive iterations to find the final optimal solution. Two numeric methods are proposed to solve iteratively the problem: the first one emulates the simplex method, the second one is an empirical solution to find the optimal route. Both are solved with an Excel and Google map software and do not require a dedicated LP program for calculus. The results demonstrate that both methods contribute to solve the transport problem and generate valuable information for the achievement of economic and environmental targets

A stochastic framework of neurogenesis underlies the assembly of neocortical cytoarchitecture

The cerebral cortex contains multiple areas with distinctive cytoarchitectonical patterns, but the cellular mechanisms underlying the emergence of this diversity remain unclear. Here, we have investigated the neuronal output of individual progenitor cells in the developing mouse neocortex using a combination of methods that together circumvent the biases and limitations of individual approaches. Our experimental results indicate that progenitor cells generate pyramidal cell lineages with a wide range of sizes and laminar configurations. Mathematical modelling indicates that these outcomes are compatible with a stochastic model of cortical neurogenesis in which progenitor cells undergo a series of probabilistic decisions that lead to the specification of very heterogeneous progenies. Our findings support a mechanism for cortical neurogenesis whose flexibility would make it capable to generate the diverse cytoarchitectures that characterize distinct neocortical areas

γ-H2AX in recognition and signaling of DNA double-strand breaks in the context of chromatin

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are extremely dangerous lesions with severe consequences for cell survival and the maintenance of genomic stability. In higher eukaryotic cells, DSBs in chromatin promptly initiate the phosphorylation of the histone H2A variant, H2AX, at Serine 139 to generate γ-H2AX. This phosphorylation event requires the activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-OH-kinase-like family of protein kinases, DNA-PKcs, ATM, and ATR, and serves as a landing pad for the accumulation and retention of the central components of the signaling cascade initiated by DNA damage. Regions in chromatin with γ-H2AX are conveniently detected by immunofluorescence microscopy and serve as beacons of DSBs. This has allowed the development of an assay that has proved particularly useful in the molecular analysis of the processing of DSBs. Here, we first review the role of γ-H2AX in DNA damage response in the context of chromatin and discuss subsequently the use of this modification as a surrogate marker for mechanistic studies of DSB induction and processing. We conclude with a critical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the approach and present some interesting applications of the resulting methodology

Mercati parziali ed informazioni asimmetriche e strategie di crescita delle imprese Agrobiotech

L'aumento dei rapporti di scambio interni ed esterni all'impresa e dei nessi contrattuali in un mercato imperfetto rende pi\uf9 plausibile l'ipotesi di un'impresa la cui organizzazione gerarchica interna sia in grado di gestire nessi contrattuali secondo il modello "principale-agente". L'efficienza con cui si realizzano nessi contrattuali dipende dal livello di informazione disponibile, dalla natura delle risorse investite nella produzione, dalla specificit\ue0 delle stesse risorse, dalla frequenza dei contratti e dai costi di transazione1. In questo specifico contesto, caratterizzato da rapidit\ue0 e trasferibilit\ue0 dell'innovazione e dall'ampiezza del business in mercati globalizzati, assume un ruolo importante la distribuzione delle informazioni fra le imprese che creano un prodotto innovativo con la ricerca (agenti) e le imprese che distribuiscono il prodotto finale (principali).La capacit\ue0 del contratto di ripartire equamente i benefici derivanti dalle attivit\ue0 svolte di ricerca e commercializzazione prodotti, dipende dalla possibilit\ue0 di prevedere il maggior numero di situazioni possibili sulle relazioni contrattuali (completezza contrattuale). Nel caso esaminato, ci\uf2 \ue8 reso complesso dagli esiti positivi della ricerca di base e di sviluppo del prodotto, dall'incertezza del percorso commerciale del prodotto biotech dalla materia prima, al prototipo sino al suo disegno finale e dalla difficolt\ue0 di prevedere il suo successo di mercato, spesso condizionato da fattori che esulano dall'aspetto puramente commerciale del prodotto. L'informazione in senso lato intesa come insieme di conoscenze scientifiche e tecnologiche e come conoscenza dei prospetti attuali di mercato e di previsioni, \ue8 il fattore intangibile frutto dello sviluppo recente della information e biotechnology*, che ha creato le condizioni per l'emergere delle imprese biotech e della trasformazione dei mercato biotech

Sunflower Oil Functional Properties for Specialty Food

The sunflower seed oil is an agricultural raw commodity mainly used for cooking and sold at a price not different to other seed oils and well below the olive oil. Millions dollars have been spent in USA to advertise some commodity goods to increase the consumer loyalty. Medical knowledge and advance in biotechnologies and genomics allows creating new sunflower varieties by changing the mix of fat components to challenge the consumers\u2019 needs. The most profitable market segments of sunflower oil are functional foods for human consumption and oil for the industr

SUNFLOWER OIL: FROM COMMODITY TO FUNCTIONAL FOOD FOR NEW CUSTOMERS AND MARKETS

The sunflower seed oil is an edible seed oil used as salad oils, dressing, cooking oils, liquid and solid shortenings, spreads and ingredients in several foods, including bakery products and fried food. Our interest is to explore the potential market of modified sunflower oil composition as functional food by testing a sample of potential consumers using the SEM approach

Farm/crop portfolio simulations under variable risk: a case study from Italy

Abstract Important sources of risk in agriculture are yield and price fluctuations caused by unpredictable and uncontrollable events, inducing income volatility and adding considerable complexity to farmers’ decisions. The literature suggests that these events could affect farmers’ risk aversion in decision making and justify their preferences for risk minimizing and safety-first survival, rather than a profit maximization strategy. The aim of this study is to test this hypothesis by using a quadratic programming in linearized version and the sumex utility function, which is representable as sum of products of polynomials and exponential (or “polynex”) functions to simulate risk aversion for specific traits of the E-V frontier (Nakamura, Mathematical Soc Sci 31:39–47, 1996). The linear approximation of the utility function is obtained with the MOTAD approach, consisting in the minimization of errors generated by total absolute deviations of gross income from the expected value (Hardaker et al. Rev Mark Agric Econ 59:9–22, 1991). This method allows different portfolio simulations to be run of selected cereal and oilseed crops as risky prospects, by varying the risk parametrically. The results obtained confirm the hypothesis that risk affects farmers’ decisions and that crop diversification is a viable strategy as a hedge against risk