An Object-Oriented Approach to the Classification of Roofing Materials Using Very High-Resolution Satellite Stereo-Pairs

The availability of multispectral images, with both high spatial and spectral resolution, makes it possible to obtain valuable information about complex urban environment, reducing the need for more expensive surveying techniques. Here, a methodology is tested for the semi-automatic extraction of buildings and the mapping of the main roofing materials over a urban area of approximately 100 km², including the entire city of Bologna (Italy). The methodology follows an object-oriented approach and exploits a limited number of training samples. After a validation based on field inspections and close-range photos acquired by a drone, the final map achieved an overall accuracy of 94% (producer accuracy 79%) regarding the building extraction and of 91% for the classification of the roofing materials. The proposed approach proved to be flexible enough to catch the strong variability of the urban texture in different districts and can be easily reproducible in other contexts, as only satellite imagery is required for the mapping

Innovative Output, Infra-Industry Spilloves, and R&D Cooperation: Theory and Evidence.

We analyse both the theoretical and empirical side of the issue of R&D spillover. Each firm`s R&D costs are increasing in the amount of the information transmitted to the other firms , and we account for the possibility that the firms control spillovers. We consider both Cournot-Nash and Cornot-Stackelberg behavior. The empirical analyst suggests that (i) firms` control on spillovers is relatively low; (ii) the cost-saving effect associated to joint ventures or R&D cartels is confermed for industries where firms rely mainly upon own R&D as a source of innovation; (iii) R&D cooperation may increase informationsharing, thereby enhancing spillovers

Highly proteolized novel and traditional foods

The present Ph.D. Thesis concerns the molecular characterization of highly proteolyzed foods, with particular attention to the influence on their biological and functional properties exerted by oligopeptides and amino acids. Different kinds of foods containing low molecular weight nitrogen compounds have been considered: traditional food products derived from a natural proteolytic processes, , and in particular Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Culatello sausages, and novel foods obtained by a proteolytic digestion through an innovative biocatalytic processes, considering in particular proteic hydrolyzates obtained from the recovery of poultry industry leftovers. The nitrogen fractions of the proteinaceous hydrolyzates extracted from the different food matrices, both traditional and produced according to novel technologies, have been extensively studied by means of mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography. This technique has been demonstrated to be a valid approach to monitor the composition of complex peptide mixtures, because of its high sensibility and selectivity. In particular a new LC/MS/MS methods to quantify free and total amino acids without any derivatization step has been developed and validated, and improved LC/MS methodologies have been set up also for the analysis of other nitrogen components Cheese is a natural product with a potential high biological value. Proteolysis occurring during ageing time leads to the release of a large number of peptides from caseins, which have been demonstrated to be biologically active by in vitro studies. The composition of the oligopeptide fraction of different Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses at different ageing times has been extensively studied in a very detailed way by means of LC/MS methodologies. Antioxidant and antihypertensive properties of these peptide fractions have been studied. Moreover, since data on the effective bioavailability of these peptides are still quite scarce, the work of the present PhD. thesis also addressed the study of their bioaccessibility through simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Low molecular weight nitrogen compounds in Culatello sausages, one of the most famous Italian dry pork meat products, have also been studied. For the first time data on the amount of characteristic’s meat compounds, such as carnosine, anserine, creatine and creatinine, in cured meat are reported and their amount was found to be strictly related to the technological production process. Finally, free and total amino acid analysis of the biosynthetic proteinaceous hydrolyzates derived from poultry leftovers have shown that this potential novel foods posses an high nutritional value, due to the high content of bioavailable essential amino acids. These proteic hydrolyzates showed interesting antioxidant and antihypertensive properties. Amino acidic composition, and overall oligopeptide fractions, have been found to be strictly related to the proteolytic conditions used for food production, thus bioactive compound amounts may be regulated on the basis of the desired features. For example, samples with the highest hydrolysis degree may be used as functional food ingredients in virtue of their high antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, the present thesis demonstrated that proteolyzed foods can be considered high quality food and food ingredients, either if traditional food obtained by natural proteolytic processes or novel foods obtained through innovative technologies. In the latter case, it has been demonstrated that leftover of the food industry can be transformed in new food and feed not only having a high nutritional value, but also possessing biofunctional properties

TWI computation: a comparison of different open source GISs

Abstract The opportunities of retrieving geospatial datasets as open data and the reliability of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) GIS increased the possibilities of performing a large number of geospatial analyses. In particular, the worldwide availability of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) permits to compute several topographic indexes able to characterize the land morphology. In this paper, we evaluate the performances of different open source GIS in the calculation of the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), a widespread index in hydrological analysis that describes the tendency of an area to accumulate water. Nowadays, there is a large number of available open source desktop GIS, maintained as FOSS projects, each of them focusing on developing specific goals. Therefore, from user point of view, the choice of the best software in solving a particular task is influenced by the GIS specific features. The test was performed computing the TWI for the Rio Sinigo basin, in northern Italy. The DEM of the test area has been processed with GRASS GIS, Whitebox GAT and SAGA GIS. In order to identify equal workflows, all the combinations of available algorithms and parameters have been studied for each considered GIS. The final TWI maps produced as output were compared and discussed

Implementing energy transition and SDGs targets throughout energy community schemes

Citizens are expected to play a great role in the future global energy transition, being able to give a decisive contribution to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid the worst consequences. Empowering citizens is crucial and assigning them the role of prosumers in the new energy market is necessary to ensure a sustainable and fair pathway to the low-carbon energy transition. Creating energy communities (ECs) can also engage citizens by providing flexibility and ancillary services, reducing losses and curtailments in the grid. It also yields environmental and social benefits, activating virtuous circles in the local economy aligned with the SDGs of Agenda 2030. We illustrate the experience of an EC implementation, using GECO-Green Energy COmmunity project, as a case study. In particular, the in-depth qualitative analysis of the project from a social and technical perspective is provided. The GECO Project is active in the districts of Pilastro and Roveri, Bologna, Italy, being implemented by a consortium including the Energy and Sustainable Development Agency (AESS), the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) and the University of Bologna (UniBo). Our findings show the potential interconnections among the development of an ECs and SDGs, especially goals 7, 11, 12 and 13. Placing ECs and prosumers at the centre of the international debate may deliver a more sustainable paradigm in the energy sector, in line with the climate change needs and community approaches

Management of young women with early breast cancer

Breast cancer is still the most frequent cancer diagnosed in women aged 6440 years and the primary cause of death in this age group. The management of these patients needs a dedicated approach involving a multidisciplinary team that takes into account their treatment and survivorship issues. The present review aims to provide a perspective on the many challenges associated with treatment of young women with early breast cancer. We will focus on the standard (neo)adjuvant treatment, highlighting the paucity of age-specific results about the available genomic signatures, the groundbreaking landscape of adjuvant endocrine therapy and the relevant issue of the fertility preservation

The Natural History of Peyronie's Disease

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Hypoxia Preconditioning of Human MSCs: a Direct Evidence of HIF-1α and Collagen Type XV Correlation

Background/Aims: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) hold considerable promise in bone tissue engineering, but their poor survival and potency when in vivo implanted limits their therapeutic potential. For this reason, the study on culture conditions and cellular signals that can influence the potential therapeutic outcomes of MSCs have received considerable attention in recent years. Cell maintenance under hypoxic conditions, in particular for a short period, is beneficial for MSCs, as low O2 tension is similar to that present in the physiologic niche, however the precise mechanism through which hypoxia preconditioning affects these cells remains unclear. Methods: In order to explore what happens during the first 48 h of hypoxia preconditioning in human MSCs (hMSCs) from bone marrow, the cells were exposed to 1.5% O2 tension in the X3 Hypoxia Hood and Culture Combo – Xvivo System device. The expression modulation of critical genes which could be good markers of increased osteopotency has been investigated by Western blot, immunufluorescence and ELISA. Luciferase reporter assay and Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to investigate the regulation of the expression of Collagen type XV (ColXV) gene. Results: We identified ColXV as a new low O2 tension sensitive gene, and provided a novel mechanistic evidence that directly HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha) mediates ColXV expression in response to hypoxia, since it was found specifically in vivo recruited at ColXV promoter, in hypoxia-preconditioned hMSCs. This finding, together the evidence that also Runx2, VEGF and FGF-2 expression increased in hypoxia preconditioned hMSCs, is consistent with the possibility that increased ColXV expression in response to hypoxia is mediated by an early network that supports the osteogenic potential of the cells. Conclusion: These results add useful information to understand the role of a still little investigated collagen such as ColXV, and identify ColXV as a marker of successful hypoxia preconditioning. As a whole, our data give further evidence that hypoxia preconditioned hMSCs have greater osteopotency than normal hMSCs, and that the effects of hypoxic regulation of hMSCs activities should be considered before they are clinically applied

Lidocaine constant rate infusion in isoflurane anesthetized neonatal foals

IntroductionIn horses, lidocaine infusion is administered intraoperatively for analgesia and for a reduction of inhalant anaesthetic requirement. The objective of the study was to describe the anaesthetic effects of lidocaine infusion in isoflurane anaesthetised foals.MethodsTwelve foals (<3 weeks old) undergoing surgery were included in the study (LIDO group). Foals were premedicated with midazolam and butorphanol IV, anaesthesia was induced with ketamine and propofol IV and maintained with isoflurane. Lidocaine was administered intraoperatively at 0.05 mg/kg/min. Also, the anaesthetic records of 11 foals in which lidocaine was not administered intraoperatively were retrospectively evaluated and they were considered as a historical control group (HC). Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and fraction of expired isoflurane were monitored continuously. Time of extubation, time to reach sternal recumbency and standing were recorded. The quality of recovery was assessed.ResultsHR decreased in both groups compared with baseline values and intraoperatively the differences were statistically significant (p = 0.01 and p = 0.03 respectively in the LIDO and HC groups). Intraoperatively the HR was significantly lower in the LIDO group (71.2 ± 13.4 bpm) compared with the HC group (87.1 ± 17.7 bpm) (p = 0.0236). The number of foals requiring inotropic support (LIDO n = 7 and HC n = 9) was not statistically associated with the treatment group (p = 0.371). The extubation time, the time to reach the sternal recumbency and the quality of recovery did not differ significantly between the two groups (p = 0.7 and p = 0.6 respectively).DiscussionIn conclusion, in anaesthetised foals the addition of lidocaine does not provide a sparing effect on isoflurane requirement, and it does not interfere with the quality of recovery, however it decreases significantly the HR, which is pivotal in foals for the maintenance of cardiac output and peripheral perfusion. Therefore, a continuous patient monitoring is essential