On the conformal gauge of a compact metric space

In this article we study the Ahlfors regular conformal gauge of a compact metric space $(X,d)$, and its conformal dimension $\mathrm{dim}_{AR}(X,d)$. Using a sequence of finite coverings of $(X,d)$, we construct distances in its Ahlfors regular conformal gauge of controlled Hausdorff dimension. We obtain in this way a combinatorial description, up to bi-Lipschitz homeomorphisms, of all the metrics in the gauge. We show how to compute $\mathrm{dim}_{AR}(X,d)$ using the critical exponent $Q_N$ associated to the combinatorial modulus.Comment: 49 pages, 9 figure

CO2 Emissions and Economic Activity: heterogeneity across countries and non stationary series

This paper explores the homogeneity of the functional form, the parameters, and the turning point, when appropriate, of the relationship between CO2 emissions and economic activity for 31 countries (28 OECD, Brazil, China, and India) during the period 1950 to 2006 using cointegration analysis. With a sample highly overlapped over time between countries, the result reveals that the homogeneity across countries is rejected, both in functional form and in the parameters of long term relationship. This confirms the relevance of considering the heterogeneity in exploring the relationship between air pollution and economic activity to avoid spurious parameter estimates and infer a wrong behavior of the functional form, which could lead to induce that the relationship is reversed when in fact it is direct.Bound testing, cointegration, CO2 emissions, environmental Kuznets curve, heterogeneity

CO2 emissions and economic activity: heterogeneity across countries and non stationary series

This paper explores the homogeneity of the functional form, the parameters, and the turning point, when appropriate, of the relationship between CO2 emissions and economic activity for 31 countries (28 OECD, Brazil, China, and India) during the period 1950 to 2006 using cointegration analysis. With a sample highly overlapped over time between countries, the result reveals that the homogeneity across countries is rejected, both in functional form and in the parameters of long term relationship. This confirms the relevance of considering the heterogeneity in exploring the relationship between air pollution and economic activity to avoid spurious parameter estimates and infer a wrong behavior of the functional form, which could lead to induce that the relationship is reversed when in fact it is direct.Bound testing, cointegration, CO2 emissions, environmental Kuznets curve, heterogeneity

Oncolytic immunovirotherapy as an agnostic vaccination against glioblastoma

High grade gliomas (HGG) are aggressive tumors characterized by high heterogeneity, immune modulated environment and resiliency to standard treatments. Despite the HGG frequency is about 5 people every 100000, the overall survival (OS) rate at one year is extremely low. Standard of care treatments are invasive and never resolving while alternative approaches like immunotherapy and oncolytic virotherapy are showing promising outcomes. In this thesis are discussed the results obtained by the employment of an innovative therapy based on the combination of immunotherapy and oncolytic virotherapy. A new oncolytic HSV, R-115, has been evaluated for its ability to increase survival and rescue immunocompetent mice previously injected with murine HGG. The effects of R-115 immunovirotherapy were tested in two murine models, based on completely or partially targetable cells, respectively. The analyses were also focused on the ability of R-115 treatment to induce an immune memory which prevented secondary transplanted tumors and prolonged survival when administered as cell therapy. Altogether, our investigations candidate R-115 as a valuable alternative to common treatments and encourage further investigation to evaluate its potential for clinical application

The inadequacy of regulatory frameworks in time of crisis and in low-resource settings : personal protective equipment and COVID-19

COVID-19 pandemic is plaguing the world and representing the most significant stress test for many national healthcare systems and services, since their foundation. The supply-chain disruption and the unprecedented request for intensive care unit (ICU) beds have created in Europe conditions typical of low-resources settings. This generated a remarkable race to find solutions for the prevention, treatment and management of this disease which is involving a large amount of people. Every day, new Do-It-Yourself (DIY) solutions regarding personal protective equipment and medical devices populate social media feeds. Many companies (e.g., automotive or textile) are converting their traditional production to manufacture the most needed equipment (e.g., respirators, face shields, ventilators etc.). In this chaotic scenario, policy makers, international and national standards bodies, along with the World Health Organization (WHO) and scientific societies are making a joint effort to increase global awareness and knowledge about the importance of respecting the relevant requirements to guarantee appropriate quality and safety for patients and healthcare workers. Nonetheless, ordinary procedures for testing and certification are currently questioned and empowered with fast-track pathways in order to speed-up the deployment of new solutions for COVID-19. This paper shares critical reflections on the current regulatory framework for the certification of personal protective equipment. We hope that these reflections may help readers in navigating the framework of regulations, norms and international standards relevant for key personal protective equipment, sharing a subset of tests that should be deemed essential even in a period of crisis

Assessing feasibility of reverse osmosis treatment of anaerobic membrane bioreactor industrial permeate, focusing on fouling characteristics

La tesis de maestría incluye una evaluación completa del efluente de un reacción tras anaerobios de membranas (AnMBR). El reactor se utilizo para tratar efluentes de la industria láctea. Posterior al análisis del efluente del América, se estudio el post tratamiento con un sistema de ósmosis inversa, para reuso del agua tratada y remoción y reuso de nutrientes. El énfasis en el sistema de ósmosis inversa se coloco en su operación e investigación vinculada a su obstrucción.Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovació

ORLICZ SPACES AND THE LARGE SCALE GEOMETRY OF HEINTZE GROUPS

We consider an Orlicz space based cohomology for metric (measured) spaces with bounded geometry. We prove the quasi-isometry invariance for a general Young function. In the hyperbolic case, we prove that the degree one cohomology can be identified with an Orlicz-Besov function space on the boundary at infinity. We give some applications to the large scale geometry of homogeneous spaces with negative curvature (Heintze groups). As our main result, we prove that if the Heintze group is not of Carnot type, any self quasi-isometry fixes a distinguished point on the boundary and preserves a certain foliation on the complement of that point