Causes and Consequences of Thyroid Dysfunction throughout Life: a population-based and genetic approach

__Abstract__ Adequate thyroid hormone (TH) levels are essential for normal growth and differentiation, for the regulation of energy metabolism, and for the physiological function of virtually all human tissues. This is illustrated by the well-known effects of hypo- and hyperthyroidism. In addition, more recent studies show that also minor variation in serum TH levels, even within the normal range, can have important effects on clinical endpoints, such as bone mineral density, atrial fibrillation, metabolic syndrome (3) and cardiovascular mortality

PestOn: an ontology to make pesticides information easily accessible and interoperable

Globally present regulations treat pesticide use with a light touch, leaving in the field users with scarce reporting requirements, although numerous initiatives that have been undertaken to reduce risks from pesticide product use and to provide the public with sufficient level of information. Nevertheless, food chain actors are not required to disclose much information on hazards, with many safety aspects laying undervalued. This has resulted in information gaps concerning production, authorization, use, and impact of pesticide products for both consumer and regulatory stakeholders. Often the public cannot directly access relevant information about pesticides with respect to retail products or their farm origins. National authorities have poor legal tools to efficiently carry out complete investigations and take action to mitigate pesticide externalities. Aimed at bridging these gaps, the ontology PestOn was created to directly access pesticide products information, making existing data more useful, and improve the flow of information in food value chains. This demonstration project shows how to integrate various already existing ontologies to maximize interoperability with related information on the semantic web. As a semantic tool, it can help in addressing challenges related to food quality, food safety and information disclosure, opening up to several opportunities for food value chain actors and the public. In its first version, the ontology PestOn accounts for more than 16,000 pesticide products authorized in Italy during the last 50 years

Chapter H-BIM semantico come strumento di documentazione inclusiva e accesso al Nuovo Catalogo Digitale dei Beni Culturali: il caso studio di Santa Maria delle Vergini a Macerata

The 43rd UID conference, held in Genova, takes up the theme of ‘Dialogues’ as practice and debate on many fundamental topics in our social life, especially in these complex and not yet resolved times. The city of Genova offers the opportunity to ponder on the value of comparison and on the possibilities for the community, naturally focused on the aspects that concern us, as professors, researchers, disseminators of knowledge, or on all the possibile meanings of the discipline of representation and its dialogue with ‘others’, which we have broadly catalogued in three macro areas: History, Semiotics, Science / Technology. Therefore, “dialogue” as a profitable exchange based on a common language, without which it is impossible to comprehend and understand one another; and the graphic sign that connotes the conference is the precise transcription of this concept: the title ‘translated’ into signs, derived from the visual alphabet designed for the visual identity of the UID since 2017. There are many topics which refer to three macro sessions: - Witnessing (signs and history) - Communicating (signs and semiotics) - Experimenting (signs and sciences) Thanks to the different points of view, an exceptional resource of our disciplinary area, we want to try to outline the prevailing theoretical-operational synergies, the collaborative lines of an instrumental nature, the recent updates of the repertoires of images that attest and nourish the relations among representation, history, semiotics, sciences

Interpreting Environmental Impacts Resulting from Fruit Cultivation in a Business Innovation Perspective

Sustainability of food production is a major concern today. This study assessed the environmental impact of fruit production and discussed business implications for sustainability. Data were collected from three agricultural enterprises growing six species of fruit, extending over a total of 34 hectares, and producing roughly one thousand tons of fruit per year. The results of the life-cycle assessment (LCA) showed that several production activities heavily impact the environment: in descending order of absolute terms, fruit refrigeration, agronomic operations, irrigation, and fertilizer use were recognized as the most impacting. Other activities, including agrochemical applications, planting, and plastic use for harvesting and packaging, showed overall lower impacts. The high environmental impact associated with most of the production activities emphasizes the need to make the primary food production cleaner, more resource-efficient, and less energy-intensive. Affordable incremental innovations able to reshape the way business is conducted in the context of primary food production are proposed, mainly relying on process rationalization and digital switchover. The analysis of the business path toward increased sustainability involves strategic issues, ranging from the reshaping of production processes to relationships with consumers, affecting value proposition, creation, and capture

Consumer attitudes and value perception for fruit with a lower carbon footprint

This work analyses consumers' attitudes for products characterised by a reduced environmental impact on carbon footprint (CF). Value perception was measured using a contingent valuation approach, asking consumers to state their willingness to accept (WTA) monetary compensation for a product exchange offer. Consumers were hypothetically endowed with a punnet of fruit produced with innovative, low CF farming methods and was offered to exchange it with a punnet of regular fruit. Results showed that demographics affect the value associated with fruit with a lower CF and that consumers' preference for lower CF products is associated with fruit consumption habits and environmental concern. At the same time, a positive relationship with CF levels needs further investigation

Role of sustainability attributes and price in determining consumers' fruit perceived value

This work analyses consumers' behaviour and attitudes toward products characterised by a reduced environmental impact in terms of carbon footprint (CF). Value perception was measured using a contingent valuation approach, asking consumers to state their willingness to accept (WTA) monetary compensation for a product exchange offer, particularly fruit characterised by a higher CF in place of fruit characterised by a lower CF. Field experiments were conducted to determine consumers WTA as well as factors affecting the choice. Consumers were hypothetically endowed with a punnet of fruit produced with innovative, low CF farming methods and were offered to exchange it with a punnet of regular fruit. Variables representing consumer fruit consumption habits, consumer attitude and concern towards the environment, and socio-demographics were chosen to represent factors that motivate consumers' value perception of environmentally-friendly fruit. The scale of green consumption values (GCVs) was used to model consumer concern towards the environment. Results showed that demographics affect the perceived value of fruit characterised by a lower CF and that consumers' preference for lower CF products is associated with fruit consumption habits and environmental concerns. At the same time, a positive relationship with CF levels needs further investigation

Development and Validation of on-board systems control laws

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe the tool and procedure developed in order to design the control laws of several UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) sub-systems. The authors designed and developed the logics governing: landing gear, nose wheel steering, wheel braking, and fuel system. Design/methodology/approach - This procedure is based on a general purpose, object-oriented, simulation tool. The development method used is based on three-steps. The main structure of the control laws is defined through flow charts; then the logics are ported to ANSI-C programming language; finally the code is implemented inside the status model. The status model is a Matlab-Simulink model, which uses an embedded Matlab-function to model the FCC (Flight Control Computer). The core block is linked with the components, but cannot access their internal model. Interfaces between FCCs and system components in the model reflect real system ones. Findings - The user verifies systems' reactions in real time, through the status model. Using block-oriented approach, development of the control laws and integration of several systems is faster. Practical implications - The tool aims to test and validate the control laws dynamically, helping specialists to find out odd logics or undesired responses, during the pre-design. Originality/value - The development team can test and verify the control laws in various failure scenarios. This tool allows more reliable and effective logics to be produced, which can be directly used on the system

Definition of innovative material scenarios through digitization processes

The ongoing synergy between the digitization of the building process and new paradigms related to the production of architectural constructions and building elements, pave the way for the definition of new scenarios that are worth investigating. The recurring question, indeed, is how the most advanced digital techniques for material production can have a tangible impact on architecture and its morphological languages.  In the field of building design, the chance to turn digital data into matter represents a key point to deal with, in order to demonstrate the possibility to transfer actual benefits from other sectors related to the construction industry

A Path Model of the Intention to Adopt Variable Rate Irrigation in Northeast Italy

Irrigated agriculture determines large blue water withdrawals, and it is considered a key intervention area to reach sustainable development objectives. Precision agriculture technologies have the potential to mitigate water resource depletion that often characterises conventional agricultural approaches. This study investigates the factors influencing farmers\u2019 intentions to adopt variable rate irrigation (VRI) technology. The Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM-3) was employed as a theoretical framework to design a survey to identify the factors influencing farmers\u2019 decision-making process when adopting VRI. Data were gathered through quantitative face-to-face interviews with a sample of 138 fruit and grapevine producers from the Northeast of Italy (Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia). Data were analysed using partial least squares path modelling (PLS-PM). The results highlight that personal attitudes, such as perceived usefulness and subjective norm, positively influence the intention to adopt VRI. Additionally, the perceived ease of use positively affects intention, but it is moderated by subject experience