GPU Implementation of the DP code

Main goal of this PRACE project was to evaluate how GPUs could speed up the DP code { a linear response TDDFT code. Pro ling analysis of the code has been done to identify computational bottlenecks to be delegated to the GPU. In order to speed up this code using GPUs, two di erent strategies have been developed: a local one and a global one. Both strategies have been implemented with cuBLAS and/or CUDA C. Results showed that one can reasonably expect about 10 times speedup on the total execution time, depending on the structure of the input and the size of datasets used, and speedups up to 16 have been observed for some cases

Consumer attitudes and preference exploration towards fresh-cut salads using best–worst scaling and latent class analysis

This research explored the preferences and buying habits of a sample of 620 consumers of fresh-cut, ready-to-eat salads. A best–worst scaling approach was used to measure the level of preference stated by individuals regarding 12 attributes for quality (intrinsic, extrinsic and credence) of fresh-cut salads. The experiment was carried out through direct interviews at several large-scale retail outlets in the Turin metropolitan area (north-west of Italy). Out of the total number of questioned consumers, 35% said they did not consume fresh-cut salads. On the contrary, the rest of the involved sample expressed the highest degree of preference towards the freshness/appearance attribute, followed by the expiration date and the brand. On the contrary, attributes such as price, organic certification and food safety did not emerge as discriminating factors in consumer choices. Additionally, five clusters of consumers were identified, whose preferences are related both to purchasing styles and socio-demographic variables. In conclusion, this research has highlighted the positive attitude of consumers towards quality products backed by a brand, providing ideas for companies to improve within this sector and implement strategies to answer the needs of a new segment of consumers, by determining market opportunities that aim to strengthen local brands

THE ROLE OF DIVERSITY AND DIVERSIFICATION FOR RESILIENT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

Biodiversity is a unique and precious heritage: generic but also cultural, social and economic. Its drastic curtailment, however, puts at risk the survival of local farming systems, and this is even more so in fragile socio-economic contexts where it risks translating into conditions of food insecurity and poverty. From the elementary level of the gene, rising in complexity up to the ecosystem, it is therefore a central element in defining first the resistance and then the resilience of the system, and by the first term meaning the degree of resistance to a disruption that distances it from the initial state of equilibrium and by the second the capacity of a system to return to guaranteeing minimum standards following a disturbance, the capacity to get back on ones feet after a fall. It seems to be crucial, then, at a time when cooperation development projects that operate in various ways to safeguard and promote biodiversity are far more numerous, to intervene to preserve and restore the local biodiversity in order to avert future problems, and even curb them ahead of time, using resilience as an approach for managing the system we are dealing with (natural or heavily affected by human activity). In any event, this is a passage that is not routine, which makes it necessary to look at the ecosystem, at its various components, both natural and human. In the light of these preliminary remarks, the article will analyse the potentiality for applying, also in the field of development cooperation, the theoretical approach including empirical methods and instruments represented by the Diversified Farming Systems DFS), where the starting point is diversity and diversification as functional elements in the construction of resilient farming systems

Anomalous Angular Dependence of the Dynamic Structure Factor near Bragg Reflections: Graphite

The electron energy-loss function of graphite is studied for momentum transfers q beyond the first Brillouin zone. We find that near Bragg reflections the spectra can change drastically for very small variations in q. The effect is investigated by means of first principle calculations in the random phase approximation and confirmed by inelastic x-ray scattering measurements of the dynamic structure factor S(q,\omega). We demonstrate that this effect is governed by crystal local field effects and the stacking of graphite. It is traced back to a strong coupling between excitations at small and large momentum transfers

Hardy type spaces on certain noncompact manifolds and applications

In this paper we consider a complete connected noncompact Riemannian manifold M with Ricci curvature bounded from below, positive injectivity radius and spectral gap b. We introduce a sequence X^1(M), X^2(M), ... of new Hardy spaces on M, the sequence Y^1(M/, Y^2(M), ... of their dual spaces, and show that these spaces may be used to obtain endpoint estimates for purely imaginary powers of the Laplace-Beltrami operator and for more general spectral multipliers associated to the Laplace--Beltrami operator L on M. Under the additional condition that the volume of the geodesic balls of radius r is controlled by C r^a e^{2\sqrt{b} r} for some real number a and for all large r, we prove also an endpoint result for first order Riesz transforms D L^{-1/2}. In particular, these results apply to Riemannian symmetric spaces of the noncompact type.Comment: 27 pages, v2: the first version has been revised and rearranged, with additions, in two papers, of which this new version is the first. The second paper is posted as arXiv:1002.1161v

Dietary Patterns at the Individual Level through a Nutritional and Environmental Approach: The Case Study of a School Canteen

The public catering sector has important responsibilities in seeking a change toward more sustainable choices for many aspects related to the environmental impacts of their services. The environmental impact of production processes can be studied through life cycle assessment (LCA), which allows a greater awareness of choices and has rarely been applied to catering. In this work, we studied the impacts of two dishes (braised meat and cauliflower meatballs) in a school canteen, their impacts were studied using the daily energy requirement (expressed in kcal) as a functional unit. Global warming potential (GWP) and nonrenewable energy (NRE) were calculated starting from the supply of raw materials up to distribution. Electricity and the act of cooking the meatballs accounted for more than 60% of the measured impact in terms of GWP, whereas, less markedly, they dominated in terms of nonrenewable energy used. In the case of braised meat, the total impact was, however, attributable to the life cycle of the meat (between 60% and 76%) and the consumption of electricity (between 19% and 27%), whereas for all other factors, the contribution was never particularly high. Additionally, a discussion on the correct functional unit to be used proposed the environmental impact of different recipes as an additional criterion for nutritionists during the composition of the menu. An integrated system appears important for changing policies and behaviors and the application of LCA can be a tool capable of contributing to the construction of a holistic instrument of sustainability

Towards quantitative molecular mapping of cells by Raman microscopy: Using AFM for decoupling molecular concentration and cell topography

Raman micro-spectroscopy (RMS) is a non-invasive technique for imaging live cells in vitro. However, obtaining quantitative molecular information from Raman spectra is difficult because the intensity of a Raman band is proportional to the number of molecules in the sampled volume, which depends on the local molecular concentration and the thickness of the cell. In order to understand these effects, we combined RMS with atomic force microscopy (AFM), a technique that can measure accurately the thickness profile of the cells. Solution-based calibration models for RNA and albumin were developed to create quantitative maps of RNA and proteins in individual fixed cells. The maps were built by applying the solution-based calibration models, based on partial least squares fitting (PLS), on raster-scan Raman maps, after accounting for the local cell height obtained from the AFM. We found that concentrations of RNA in the cytoplasm of mouse neuroprogenitor stem cells (NSCs) were as high as 25 ± 6 mg ml-1, while proteins were distributed more uniformly and reached concentrations as high as ∼50 ± 12 mg ml-1. The combined AFM-Raman datasets from fixed cells were also used to investigate potential improvements for normalization of Raman spectral maps. For all Raman maps of fixed cells (n = 10), we found a linear relationship between the scores corresponding to the first component (PC1) and the cell height profile obtained by AFM. We used PC1 scores to reconstruct the relative height profiles of independent cells (n = 10), and obtained correlation coefficients with AFM maps higher than 0.99. Using this normalization method, qualitative maps of RNA and protein were used to obtain concentrations for live NSCs. While this study demonstrates the potential of using AFM and RMS for measuring concentration maps for individual NSCs in vitro, further studies are required to establish the robustness of the normalization method based on principal component analysis when comparing Raman spectra of cells with large morphological differences

Unlocking Plum Genetic Potential: Where Are We At?

Plums are a large group of closely related stone fruit species and hybrids of worldwide economic importance and diffusion. This review deals with the main aspects concerning plum agrobiodiversity and its relationship with current and potential contributions offered by breeding in enhancing plum varieties. The most recent breeding achievements are revised according to updated information proceeding from relevant scientific reports and official inventories of plum genetic resources. A special emphasis has been given to the potential sources of genetic traits of interest for breeding programs as well as to the need for efficient and coordinated efforts aimed at efficaciously preserving the rich and underexploited extant plum agrobiodiversity. The specific objective of this review was to: (i) analyze and possibly evaluate the degree of biodiversity existing in the cultivated plum germplasm, (ii) examine the set of traits of prominent agronomic and pomological interest currently targeted by the breeders, and (iii) determine how and to what extent this germplasm was appropriately exploited in breeding programs or could represent concrete prospects for the future

Community garden initiatives addressing health and well‐being outcomes: A systematic review of infodemiology aspects, outcomes, and target populations

Previous research has suggested that activities such as community gardens could offer a wide range of health benefits. The aim of the article is to systematically review the available literature to analyse the magnitude of the phenomenon, the geographical distribution, and the main characteristics in terms of health outcomes and target populations. The search addresses the question whether the activity in community gardens improves health and well-being outcomes of individuals. From the total amount of 7226, 84 selected articles showed that:(1) up to 50% are published by U.S. universities or institutions; (2) up to 44% of the studies considered “community gardens” as the main activity of the research focus; (3) one-third of the studies included adults; (4) almost 25% of the studies used “general health” as the main outcome when investigating the benefits of community gardens; (5) the percentage of studies that achieved their outcomes was heterogeneous among the different health dimensions. In conclusion, while a certain degree of heterogeneity in the used definition and outcome still exist, community gardens may be a viable strategy for well-being promotion in terms of psychological, social, and physical health and may be considered as an innovative urban strategy to promote urban public health