LZER0: A Cost-Effective Multi-Purpose GNSS Platform

Recent advances in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology have made low-cost sensors available to the mass market, opening up new opportunities for real-time ground deformation and structure monitoring. In this paper, we present a new product developed in this framework by the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics–OGS in collaboration with a private company (SoluTOP SAS): a cost-effective, multi-purpose GNSS platform called LZER0, suitable not only for surveying measurements, but also for monitoring tasks. The LZER0 platform is a complete system that includes the GNSS equipment (M8T single-frequency model produced by u-blox) and the web portal where the results are displayed. The GNSS data are processed using the RTKLIB software package, and the processed results are made available to the end user. The relative positioning mode was adopted both with real-time and post-processing RTKLIB engines. We present three applications of LZER0—cadastral, monitoring, and automotive—which demonstrate that it is a flexible, multi-purpose platform that is easy to use in terms of both hardware and software, and can be easily deployed to perform various tasks in the research, educational, or professional sectors

Microalgae Cultivation on Anaerobic Digestate of Municipal Wastewater, Sewage Sludge and Agro-Waste

Microalgae are fast-growing photosynthetic organisms which have the potential to be exploited as an alternative source of liquid fuels to meet growing global energy demand. The cultivation of microalgae, however, still needs to be improved in order to reduce the cost of the biomass produced. Among the major costs encountered for algal cultivation are the costs for nutrients such as CO2, nitrogen and phosphorous. In this work, therefore, different microalgal strains were cultivated using as nutrient sources three different anaerobic digestates deriving from municipal wastewater, sewage sludge or agro-waste treatment plants. In particular, anaerobic digestates deriving from agro-waste or sewage sludge treatment induced a more than 300% increase in lipid production per volume in Chlorella vulgaris cultures grown in a closed photobioreactor, and a strong increase in carotenoid accumulation in different microalgae species. Conversely, a digestate originating from a pilot scale anaerobic upflow sludge blanket (UASB) was used to increase biomass production when added to an artificial nutrient-supplemented medium. The results herein demonstrate the possibility of improving biomass accumulation or lipid production using different anaerobic digestates. \ua9 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

HySIA: Tool for Simulating and Monitoring Hybrid Automata Based on Interval Analysis

We present HySIA: a reliable runtime verification tool for nonlinear hybrid automata (HA) and signal temporal logic (STL) properties. HySIA simulates an HA with interval analysis techniques so that a trajectory is enclosed sharply within a set of intervals. Then, HySIA computes whether the simulated trajectory satisfies a given STL property; the computation is performed again with interval analysis to achieve reliability. Simulation and verification using HySIA are demonstrated through several example HA and STL formulas.Comment: Appeared in RV'17; the final publication is available at Springe

Statistical Model Checking for Stochastic Hybrid Systems

This paper presents novel extensions and applications of the UPPAAL-SMC model checker. The extensions allow for statistical model checking of stochastic hybrid systems. We show how our race-based stochastic semantics extends to networks of hybrid systems, and indicate the integration technique applied for implementing this semantics in the UPPAAL-SMC simulation engine. We report on two applications of the resulting tool-set coming from systems biology and energy aware buildings.Comment: In Proceedings HSB 2012, arXiv:1208.315

Boosting the Ni-Catalyzed Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of Anisole Using Scrap Catalytic Converters

The large availability and renewable nature of lignin makes its upgrading to bioproducts of particular interest for sustainable development. The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of anisole specifically represents a model reaction for the conversion of lignin to biofuels through the removal of the aromatic carbon-oxygen bonds. To date, a range of Ni-based catalysts have been reported as highly active systems for the HDO of anisole. However, there has been a substantial lack of consideration given to the environmental characteristics of these catalytic systems, in contrast with the scope of the sustainable production of biofuels. Herein, Ni-based SiO2 catalysts are prepared by a solventless and highly efficient mechanochemistry approach, having a considerably lower environmental impact as compared to standard impregnation methods. Importantly, scrap catalytic converters (SCATs) are employed as co-catalysts, proving the possibility of enhancing the catalytic HDO of anisole, with a scarcely exploited waste material. The results demonstrate that the combined use of Ni/SiO2 as catalysts and Ni/SCATs as co-catalysts remarkably boosts the rate of the conversion of anisole up to more than 50% by achieving an almost complete conversion of anisole in only 40 min instead of at 200 °C and 4 MPa H2

Compensazione di reti topografiche integrate a supporto di misure di gravità

L’uso di tecniche di compensazione che combinino misure topografiche classiche ed osservazioni GNSS all’interno della stessa rete facilita il rilievo di punti sparsi su ampie superfici garantendo un’elevata accuratezza ed una maggiore precisione della stessa. Tra le possibili applicazioni che possono beneficiare di questa combinazione c'è il rilievo per l'inquadramento di misure di gravità a terra, che tipicamente richiedono un posizionamento di precisione, soprattutto in quota dove gli errori devono essere contenuti in pochi centimetri. In questo lavoro presentiamo un esempio di compensazione ai minimi quadrati di osservazioni topografiche classiche e GNSS necessarie all'appoggio della rete gravimetrica per lo studio della grotta Gigante a Trieste, effettuata con il software GeoNet sviluppato da Politecnico di Milano e GReD s.r.l. Il software permette la compensazione rigorosa delle osservazioni direttamente in un sistema di riferimento ellissoidico. In particolare sono stati osservati circa 80 punti su una superficie di 20000 m² integrando le seguenti tecniche: - GPS RTK con il servizio di posizionamento fornito della rete FReDNet gestita dall’OGS; - GPS statico rapido e successivo post-processamento con il metodo differenze doppie rispetto a stazioni permanenti, con osservazioni di 15 minuti per punto. - Stazione totale. Il campo di gravità, acquisito con un gravimetro Lacoste&Romberg mod. D, permette di rilevare molto bene sia la presenza che la forma della grotta Gigante. L'esperimento mostra come la combinazione di sistemi GPS e strumenti classici sia una soluzione ottimale per questo tipo di problemi, permettendo di evitare grandi reti topografiche classiche, superando i problemi di scarsa visibilità del cielo del sistema GPS e fornendo risultati di elevata precisione (deviazioni standard di 15 mm in quota). Inoltre i risultati ottenuti dall'osservazione del campo di gravità mostrano come una copertura sistematica del Carso potrebbe servire per la determinazione di tutte le maggiori grotte esistenti con grande impatto in applicazioni civili e ambientali, dato che consentirebbe la pianificazione dello sviluppo urbanistico a distanza di sicurezza dalle grotte del sottosuolo

Value of large scale expansion of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in a compartmentalised gas-permeable bag: interests for adoptive immunotherapy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) has emerged as an effective treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma. However, there are several logistical and safety concerns associated with large-scale <it>ex vivo </it>expansion of tumour-specific T lymphocytes for widespread availability of ACT for cancer patients. To address these problems we developed a specific compartmentalised bag allowing efficient expansion of tumour-specific T lymphocytes in an easy handling, closed system.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Starting from lymph nodes from eight melanoma patients, we performed a side-by-side comparison of Tumour-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) produced after expansion in the compartmentalised bag versus TIL produced using the standard process in plates. Proliferation yield, viability, phenotype and IFNγ secretion were comparatively studied.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found no differences in proliferation yield and cell viability between both TIL production systems. Moreover, each of the cell products complied with our defined release criteria before being administered to the patient. The phenotype analysis indicated that the compartmentalised bag favours the expansion of CD8+ cells. Finally, we found that TIL stimulated in bags were enriched in reactive CD8+ T cells when co-cultured with the autologous melanoma cell line.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The stimulation of TIL with feeder cells in the specifically designed compartmentalised bag can advantageously replace the conventional protocol using plates. In particular, the higher expansion rate of reactive CD8+ T cells could have a significant impact for ACT.</p

Individual based model links thermodynamics, chemical speciation and environmental conditions to microbial growth

Individual based Models (IbM) must transition from research tools to engineering tools. To make the transition we must aspire to develop large, three dimensional and physically and biologically credible models. Biological credibility can be promoted by grounding, as far as possible, the biology in thermodynamics. Thermodynamic principles are known to have predictive power in microbial ecology. However, this in turn requires a model that incorporates pH and chemical speciation. Physical credibility implies plausible mechanics and a connection with the wider environment. Here, we propose a step toward that ideal by presenting an individual based model connecting thermodynamics, pH and chemical speciation and environmental conditions to microbial growth for 5·105 individuals. We have showcased the model in two scenarios: a two functional group nitrification model and a three functional group anaerobic community. In the former, pH and connection to the environment had an important effect on the outcomes simulated. Whilst in the latter pH was less important but the spatial arrangements and community productivity (that is, methane production) were highly dependent on thermodynamic and reactor coupling. We conclude that if IbM are to attain their potential as tools to evaluate the emergent properties of engineered biological systems it will be necessary to combine the chemical, physical, mechanical and biological along the lines we have proposed. We have still fallen short of our ideals because we cannot (yet) calculate specific uptake rates and must develop the capacity for longer runs in larger models. However, we believe such advances are attainable. Ideally in a common, fast and modular platform. For future innovations in IbM will only be of use if they can be coupled with all the previous advances

On the sequential massart algorithm for statistical model checking

Several schemes have been provided in Statistical Model Checking (SMC) for the estimation of property occurrence based on predefined confidence and absolute or relative error. Simulations might be however costly if many samples are required and the usual algorithms implemented in statistical model checkers tend to be conservative. Bayesian and rare event techniques can be used to reduce the sample size but they can not be applied without prerequisite or knowledge about the system under scrutiny. Recently, sequential algorithms based on Monte Carlo estimations and Massart bounds have been proposed to reduce the sample size while providing guarantees on error bounds which has been shown to outperform alternative frequentist approaches [15]. In this work, we discuss some features regarding the distribution and the optimisation of these algorithms.No Full Tex

Sequential schemes for frequentist estimation of properties in statistical model checking

National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapor