A study on different experimental configurations for age, race, and gender estimation problems

This paper presents a detailed study about different algorithmic configurations for estimating soft biometric traits. In particular, a recently introduced common framework is the starting point of the study: it includes an initial facial detection, the subsequent facial traits description, the data reduction step, and the final classification step. The algorithmic configurations are featured by different descriptors and different strategies to build the training dataset and to scale the data in input to the classifier. Experimental proofs have been carried out on both publicly available datasets and image sequences specifically acquired in order to evaluate the performance even under real-world conditions, i.e., in the presence of scaling and rotation

Blood Metabolite Profiling of Antarctic Expedition Members: An 1H NMR Spectroscopy-Based Study

Serum samples from eight participants during the XV winter-over at Concordia base (Antarctic expedition) collected at defined time points, including predeparture, constituted the key substrates for a specific metabolomics study. To ascertain acute changes and chronic adaptation to hypoxia, the metabolic profiles of the serum samples were analyzed using NMR spectroscopy, with principal components analysis (PCA) followed by partial least squares and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analyses (PLS-DA and OPLS-DA) used as supervised classification methods. Multivariate data analyses clearly highlighted an adaptation period characterized by an increase in the levels of circulating glutamine and lipids, mobilized to supply the body energy needs. At the same time, a reduction in the circulating levels of glutamate and N-acetyl glycoproteins, stress condition indicators, and proinflammatory markers were also found in the NMR data investigation. Subsequent pathway analysis showed possible perturbations in metabolic processes, potentially related to the physiological adaptation, predominantly found by comparing the baseline (at sea level, before mission onset), the base arrival, and the mission ending collected values

Progress towards Sustainable Control of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca in Olive Groves of Salento (Apulia, Italy)

Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca is the causal agent of "olive quick decline syndrome" in Salento (Apulia, Italy). On April 2015, we started interdisciplinary studies to provide a sustainable control strategy for this pathogen that threatens the multi-millennial olive agroecosystem of Salento. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and fluorescence quantification showed that a zinc-copper-citric acid biocomplex-Dentamet®-reached the olive xylem tissue either after the spraying of the canopy or injection into the trunk, demonstrating its effective systemicity. The biocomplex showed in vitro bactericidal activity towards all X. fastidiosa subspecies. A mid-term evaluation of the control strategy performed in some olive groves of Salento indicated that this biocomplex significantly reduced both the symptoms and X. f. subsp. pauca cell concentration within the leaves of the local cultivars Ogliarola salentina and Cellina di Nardò. The treated trees started again to yield. A 1H-NMR metabolomic approach revealed, upon the treatments, a consistent increase in malic acid and γ-aminobutyrate for Ogliarola salentina and Cellina di Nardò trees, respectively. A novel endotherapy technique allowed injection of Dentamet® at low pressure directly into the vascular system of the tree and is currently under study for the promotion of resprouting in severely attacked trees. There are currently more than 700 ha of olive groves in Salento where this strategy is being applied to control X. f. subsp. pauca. These results collectively demonstrate an efficient, simple, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable strategy to control this pathogen in Salento

A zinc, copper and citric acid biocomplex shows promise for control of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca in olive trees in Apulia region (southern Italy)

The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca is associated with the “olive quick decline syndrome” in the Apulia region of southern Italy. To investigate control of this phytopathogen, a compound containing zinc and copper complexed with citric-acid hydracids (Dentamet®) was evaluated for in vitro and in planta bactericidal activity. Confocal laser scanning microscopy, fluorescent quantification and atomic emission spectroscopy were then used to determine if the compound reached the xylem networks of leaves, twigs and branches of olive, to release zinc and copper within the xylem. A 3-year field trial in an olive orchard containing mature Cellina di Nardò and Ogliarola salentina olive trees, and officially declared infected by X. fastidiosa subsp. pauca,was also carried out o to determine if the compound affected severity of the disease. Each year, from early April to October (excluding July and August), six spray treatments of 0.5% (v:v) Dentamet® were applied on the olive tree crowns. The compound reduced severity of symptoms in both cultivars. Most untreated trees died by the end of the trial, whereas all treated trees survived with good vegetative status as assessed by a normalized difference vegetation index. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed from June 2016 to September 2017, following the official procedures established by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization. The analysis revealed a statistically significant reduction of X. fastidiosa cell densities within the leaves of treated trees. These promising results suggest that integrated management to reduce severity of X. fastidiosa that includes regular pruning and soil harrowing with spring and summer spray treatments with Dentamet®, is likely to effectively control the disease.

Search for the rare decays B0→J/ψγB^{0}\to J/\psi \gamma and Bs0→J/ψγB^{0}_{s} \to J/\psi \gamma

A search for the rare decay of a $B^{0}$ or $B^{0}_{s}$ meson into the final state $J/\psi\gamma$ is performed, using data collected by the LHCb experiment in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ and $8$ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$. The observed number of signal candidates is consistent with a background-only hypothesis. Branching fraction values larger than $1.7\times 10^{-6}$ for the $B^{0}\to J/\psi\gamma$ decay mode are excluded at 90% confidence level. For the $B^{0}_{s}\to J/\psi\gamma$ decay mode, branching fraction values larger than $7.4\times 10^{-6}$ are excluded at 90% confidence level, this is the first branching fraction limit for this decay.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-044.htm

Pharmacokinetic aspects of retinal drug delivery

Drug delivery to the posterior eye segment is an important challenge in ophthalmology, because many diseases affect the retina and choroid leading to impaired vision or blindness. Currently, intravitreal injections are the method of choice to administer drugs to the retina, but this approach is applicable only in selected cases (e.g. anti-VEGF antibodies and soluble receptors). There are two basic approaches that can be adopted to improve retinal drug delivery: prolonged and/or retina targeted delivery of intravitreal drugs and use of other routes of drug administration, such as periocular, suprachoroidal, sub-retinal, systemic, or topical. Properties of the administration route, drug and delivery system determine the efficacy and safety of these approaches. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors determine the required dosing rates and doses that are needed for drug action. In addition, tolerability factors limit the use of many materials in ocular drug delivery. This review article provides a critical discussion of retinal drug delivery, particularly from the pharmacokinetic point of view. This article does not include an extensive review of drug delivery technologies, because they have already been reviewed several times recently. Instead, we aim to provide a systematic and quantitative view on the pharmacokinetic factors in drug delivery to the posterior eye segment. This review is based on the literature and unpublished data from the authors' laboratory.Peer reviewe

Les droits disciplinaires des fonctions publiques : « unification », « harmonisation » ou « distanciation ». A propos de la loi du 26 avril 2016 relative à la déontologie et aux droits et obligations des fonctionnaires

The production of tt‾ , W+bb‾ and W+cc‾ is studied in the forward region of proton–proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.98±0.02 fb−1 . The W bosons are reconstructed in the decays W→ℓν , where ℓ denotes muon or electron, while the b and c quarks are reconstructed as jets. All measured cross-sections are in agreement with next-to-leading-order Standard Model predictions.The production of $t\overline{t}$, $W+b\overline{b}$ and $W+c\overline{c}$ is studied in the forward region of proton-proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.98 $\pm$ 0.02 \mbox{fb}^{-1}. The $W$ bosons are reconstructed in the decays $W\rightarrow\ell\nu$, where $\ell$ denotes muon or electron, while the $b$ and $c$ quarks are reconstructed as jets. All measured cross-sections are in agreement with next-to-leading-order Standard Model predictions

Study of ψ(2S) production and cold nuclear matter effects in pPb collisions at √ sNN = 5 TeV

The production of ψ(2S) mesons is studied in dimuon final states using proton-lead (pPb) collision data collected by the LHCb detector. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.6 nb−1. The nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of the pPb collisions is (Formula presented.) TeV. The measurement is performed using ψ(2S) mesons with transverse momentum less than 14 GeV/c and rapidity y in the ranges 1.5 < y < 4.0 and −5.0 < y < −2.5 in the nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass system. The forward-backward production ratio and the nuclear modification factor are determined for ψ(2S) mesons. Using the production cross-section results of ψ(2S) and J/ψ mesons from b-hadron decays, the (Formula presented.) cross-section in pPb collisions at (Formula presented.) TeV is obtained

Measurements of long-range near-side angular correlations in √sNN = 5 TeV proton-lead collisions in the forward region

Two-particle angular correlations are studied in proton-lead collisions at a nucleon–nucleon centre-of-mass energy of √sNN = 5 TeV , collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The analysis is based on data recorded in two beam configurations, in which either the direction of the proton or that of the lead ion is analysed. The correlations are measured in the laboratory system as a function of relative pseudorapidity, Δη, and relative azimuthal angle, Δϕ, for events in different classes of event activity and for different bins of particle transverse momentum. In high-activity events a long-range correlation on the near side, Δ ϕ ≈ 0 , is observed in the pseudorapidity range 2.0 < η < 4.9 . This measurement of long-range correlations on the near side in proton-lead collisions extends previous observations into the forward region up to η = 4.9 . The correlation increases with growing event activity and is found to be more pronounced in the direction of the lead beam. However, the correlation in the direction of the lead and proton beams are found to be compatible when comparing events with similar absolute activity in the direction analysed