4,918 research outputs found
Advanced concepts for intelligent vision systems : 16th International Conference, ACIVS 2015, Catania, Italy, October 26-29, 2015. Proceedings
Supernova neutrino physics with a nuclear emulsion detector
The existence of the coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering reaction requires
to evaluate, for any detector devoted to WIMP searches, the irreducible
background due to conventional neutrino sources and at same time, it gives a
unique chance to reveal supernova neutrinos. We report here a detailed study
concerning a new directional detector, based on the nuclear emulsion
technology. A Likelihood Ratio test shows that, in the first years of
operations and with a detector mass of several tens of tons, the observation of
the supernova signal can be achieved. The determination of the distance of the
supernova from the neutrinos and the observation of B neutrinos are also
discussed.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figure
Birds of a Feather Flock Together: The Inclusive Effect of Similarity Patterns in Equity Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is helping to drive financial inclusion by expanding the availability of funds to traditionally excluded and underserved groups of individuals, such as ethnic minority and female entrepreneurs. This study verifies how ethnic and gender similarity between investor and entrepreneur can affect the invested amount in an equity crowdfunding campaign. Using an integrated approach with linear regression and Shapley decomposition, we analyze 8600 investments made by 5996 unique personal shareholder investors in 81 equity crowdfunding campaigns. Results show that similarity patterns seem to significantly influence the amount invested in a campaign but their effects change according to investor’s gender and ethnic origin. In fact, even if female investors give a higher amount to men-led companies, their preference changes if the company is run by a female founder belonging to the same ethnic minority group. Results emphasize equity crowdfunding’s potential as a tool for the financial inclusion of ethnic minority groups of investors and entrepreneurs
ANALYSIS OF INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES BASED ON INTEGRATION OF DIFFERENT SIMULATION TOOLS
The present paper provides an example of software tools integration in order to perform simulations incomplex industry models, such as a ceramic tile manufacture. The first part of the paper presents thefeatures of the two simulation tools adopted: AutoMod\u2122 and VirtES. AutoMod\u2122 is a commercial suiteof simulation tools witch provides an environment easy to develop highly accurate models for analysis.VirtES simulation tool was developed by the Industrial Plants Research Group of the Department ofIndustrial and Civil Engineering (DIMeC) of the University of Modena and Reggion Emilia. Modelsdeveloped in VirtES are useful to investigate macro Key Performances Indicators (KPI), such aseconomic indicators. The integrated used of VirtES and AutoMod\u2122 allows to perform accuratesimulation at line production level developed by AutoMod\u2122 in multiple virtual scenarios created byVirtES
Effects of herd origin, AI stud and sire identification on genetic evaluation of Holstein Friesian bulls
The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of herd origin of bull, AI stud and sire identification number (ID) on official estimated breeding values (EBV) for production traits of Holstein Friesian proven bulls. The data included 1,005 Italian Holstein-Friesian bulls, sons of 76 sires, born in 100 herds and progeny tested by 10 AI studs. Bulls were required to have date of first proof between September 1992 and September 1997, to be born in a herd with at least one other bull and to have sire and dam with official EBV when bull was selected for progeny testing. Records of sires with only one son were also discarded. The dependent variable analyzed was the official genetic evaluation for a “quantity and quality of milk” index (ILQ). The linear model to predict breeding values of bulls included the fixed class effects of herd origin of bull, AI testing organization, birth year of bull, and estimated breeding values of sire and dam, both as linear covariates. The R2of the model was 45% and a significant effect was found for genetic merit of sire (P < 0.001) and dam (P < 0.014), for herd origin of bull (P < 0.01) and for birth year of bull (P < 0.001). The effect of AI testing organization was not sig- nificant. The range of herd origin effect was 872 kg of ILQ. However, in this study, the causes of this result were not clear; it may be due to numerous factors, one of which may be preferential treatment on dams of bulls. Analyses of resid- uals on breeding value of proven bulls for ILQ showed a non significant effect of sire ID, after adjusting for parent aver- age, herd origin effect and birth year effect. Although the presence of bias in genetic evaluation of dairy bulls is not evi- dent, further research is recommended firstly to understand the reasons of the significant herd origin effect, secondly to monitor and guarantee the greatest accuracy and reliability of genetic evaluation procedures
A Survey on Feedlot Performance of Purebred and Crossbred European Young Bulls and Heifers Managed Under Intensive Conditions in Veneto, Northeast Italy
This study, based on a nearly 10-year collection of performance data of young bulls and beef heifers, aimed to benchmark production traits of specialized fattening herds of northern Italy and to compare the performance of stock calves belonging to several European genetic types (GT). Data originated from 2806 batches (a group of stock calves homogeneous for GT, origin, finishing herd, fattening period, and diets), and concerned 188,891 animals of 10 GT herded in 44 farms of the Veneto region. For each batch, average body weight (BW) at arrival and at sale, duration of the fattening period, losses due to injury or death, purchase and sell price were collected, and average daily gain (ADG) and net sale gain (NSG) per head, per day of fattening, and per kg of BW gain were computed. Charolais and Limousine young bulls accounted for nearly 50% and 20%, respectively, of all animals, and over 90% of calves originated from France. Average BW at arrival and at slaughter approximated 370 and 650 kg, respectively, and ADG approached 1.30 kg/d, but variation due to GT was large (P<0.01). Charolais young bulls were the heaviest at slaughter and showed the greatest ADG, whereas Irish crosses produced the highest NSG per head and per day of fattening. Year affected all traits (P<0.01), but his magnitude was limited for BW at purchase or sale and for ADG, and slightly larger for NSG, even if this last trait did not evidence any long period congruent trend
The Streptomyces coelicolor small ORF trpM stimulates growth and morphological development and exerts opposite effects on actinorhodin and calcium-dependent antibiotic production
In actinomycetes, antibiotic production is often associated with a morpho-physiological differentiation program that is regulated by complex molecular and metabolic networks. Many aspects of these regulatory circuits have been already elucidated and many others still deserve further investigations. In this regard, the possible role of many small open reading frames (smORFs) in actinomycete morpho-physiological differentiation is still elusive. In Streptomyces coelicolor, inactivation of the smORF trpM (SCO2038) – whose product modulates L-tryptophan biosynthesis – impairs production of antibiotics and morphological differentiation. Indeed, it was demonstrated that TrpM is able to interact with PepA (SCO2179), a putative cytosol aminopeptidase playing a key role in antibiotic production and sporulation. In this work, a S. coelicolor trpM knock-in (Sco-trpMKI) mutant strain was generated by cloning trpM into overexpressing vector to further investigate the role of trpM in actinomycete growth and morpho-physiological differentiation. Results highlighted that trpM: (i) stimulates growth and actinorhodin (ACT) production; (ii) decreases calcium-dependent antibiotic (CDA) production; (iii) has no effect on undecylprodigiosin production. Metabolic pathways influenced by trpM knock- in were investigated by combining two-difference in gel electrophoresis/nanoliquid chromatography coupled to electrospray linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (2D- DIGE/nanoLC-ESI-LIT-MS/MS) and by LC-ESI-MS/MS procedures, respectively. These analyses demonstrated that over-expression of trpM causes an over-representation of factors involved in protein synthesis and nucleotide metabolism as well as a down-representation of proteins involved in central carbon and amino acid metabolism. At the metabolic level, this corresponded to a differential accumulation pattern of different amino acids – including aromatic ones but tryptophan – and central carbon intermediates. PepA was also down-represented in Sco-trpMKI. The latter was produced as recombinant His-tagged protein and was originally proven having the predicted aminopeptidase activity. Altogether, these results highlight the stimulatory effect of trpM in S. coelicolor growth and ACT biosynthesis, which are elicited through the modulation of various metabolic pathways and PepA representation, further confirming the complexity of regulatory networks that control antibiotic production in actinomycetes
The QUAX proposal: a search of galactic axion with magnetic materials
Aim of the QUAX (QUaerere AXion) proposal is to exploit the interaction of
cosmological axions with the spin of electrons in a magnetized sample. Their
effect is equivalent to the application of an oscillating rf field with
frequency and amplitude which are fixed by axion mass and coupling constant,
respectively. The rf receiver module of the QUAX detector consists of
magnetized samples with the Larmor resonance frequency tuned to the axion mass
by a polarizing static magnetic field. The interaction of electrons with the
axion-equivalent rf field produces oscillations in the total magnetization of
the samples. To amplify such a tiny field, a pump field at the same frequency
is applied in a direction orthogonal to the polarizing field. The induced
oscillatory magnetization along the polarizing field is measured by a SQUID
amplifier operated at its quantum noise level.Comment: 5 pages, Contribution for the proceedings of the TAUP2015,
International Conference on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics,
7-11 September 2015, Torino, Ital
Fighting poverty and social exclusion. Including through minimum income schemes
The study pursues two main aims. Firstly, it addresses the issue of poverty and social exclusion from a theoretical perspective – assessing the relevant concepts – and an empirical perspective – discussing the limitations of different indicators and data with reference to EU countries. Secondly, it focuses on national and EU-level policies dealing with poverty and social exclusion, in particular, on minimum income schemes, presenting 6 country case studies and evaluating the feasibility of an EU minimum income framework.
This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the request of the committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)
Milk Bioactive Compounds and Gut Microbiota Modulation: The Role of Whey Proteins and Milk Oligosaccharides
A strong correlation between the occurrence of various pathological conditions and intestinal dysbiosis is supported by a range of strong evidence. Vice versa, many pathologies have been
shown, in turn, to be responsible for alterations in the gut microbiota, a condition that can worsen
illness outcomes and response to therapies. For these reasons, great efforts have been made, and
studies are still ongoing, to elucidate the mechanisms underlying gut microbiota alterations and
to search for pharmacologic or other strategies that can effectively restore the gut microbiota. In
this narrative review, we examined the most signifiant literature on the role of some milk bioactive
compounds, such as milk oligosaccharides and whey proteins, in modulating the composition of
the gut microbiota and the underlying mechanisms of action, with the aim of investigating the
impact of the microbiota changes mediated by these milk bioactive molecules on human health, and
their potential use as therapeutics to treat or adjuvate the treatment of gut dysbiosis and associated
pathologies
- …