HyperSpectral Imaging based approach for monitoring of micro-plastics from marine environment

The possibility to develop a sensor based procedure in order to monitor plastic presence in the marine environment was explored in this work. More in detail, this study was addressed to detect and to recognize different types of microplastics coming from sampling in different sea areas adopting a new approach, based on HyperSpectral Imaging (HSI) sensors. Moreover, a morphological and morphometrical particle characterization was carried by digital image processing. Morphological and morphometrical parameters, combined with hyperspectral imaging information, give a full characterization of each investigated particle, concurring to explain all the transportation, alteration and degradation phenomena suffered by each different polymer particle. Obtained results can represent an important starting point to develop, implement and set up monitor strategies to characterize marine microplastics. Moreover, the procedure developed in this work is fast, not expensive and reliable, making its utilization very profitable

Quality of services for remote control in High Energy Physics experiments: a case study

Abstract The development of new advanced applications and the evolution in networking are two related processes which greatly benefit from two-way exchanges and from progress in both fields. In this study we show how mission-oriented networked applications can be effectively deployed for research purposes if coupled to the support of Quality of Service (QoS) in IP networks. QoS is one of the latest research topics in network engineering. In this article we focus on two specific examples of networked applications: remote instrumentation control and remote display of analysis data when applied for the support of experiments in the high energy physics field. In this paper we focus on the application requirements: the availability of a reliable transmission channel, limited one-way delay for timely interactions between servers and clients and fairness in network resources allocation in case of contention. The above-mentioned requirements can be addressed through the support of QoS, i.e. through the differential treatment of packets on the end-to-end data path. Several technologies and protocols for QoS support in packet networks have been devised during the last years by the research community. In this study we focus on the Differentiated Services (diffserv) approach, an architecture characterized by high scalability, flexibility and interoperability. In this paper we identify the application requirements and we quantitatively specify the corresponding service profiles. The diffserv network architecture needed to support the services is defined in terms of functional blocks (policing, classification, marking and scheduling) and of their placement in the network. Finally, for each of them the configuration best suited to remote control support is defined

Development of a Solar-reflective Ceramic Tile Ready for Industrialization

Solar-reflective surfaces represent an effective countermeasure to UHI. The market of "cool" materials is dominated by polymeric solutions which, under UV exposure, are damaged. On the other hand, an increasing attention was paid recently to ceramic-based solar-reflective surfaces, characterized by very long lifespan. A ceramic tile is typically made by a three layers structure: substrate-engobe-glaze. This structure has been exploited to develop a cool ceramic tile that can be produced in the same production facilities of common products to create a whole tile by merging technological results and industrial production needs, to achieve a compromise between performance and costs

Sensitivity of credit risk stress test results: Modelling issues with an application to Belgium. National Bank of Belgium Working Paper No. 338

This paper assesses the sensitivity of solvency stress testing results to the choice of credit risk variable and level of data aggregation at which the stress test is conducted. In practice, both choices are often determined by technical considerations, such as data availability. Using data for the Belgian banking system, we find that the impact of a stress test on banks' Tier 1 ratios can differ substantially depending on the credit risk variable and the level of data aggregation considered. If solvency stress tests are going to be used as a supervisory tool or to set regulatory capital requirements, there is a need to further harmonise their execution across institutions and supervisors in order to enhance comparability. This is certainly relevant in the context of the EU-wide stress tests, where institutions often use different credit risk variables and levels of data aggregation to estimate the impact of the common methodology and macroeconomic scenario on their capital level while supervisors rely on different models to quality assure and validate banks’ results. More generally, there is also a need to improve the availability and quality of the data to be used for stress testing purposes

On prospective teachers' evaluations of freshman students' written arguments

n this paper we present a qualitative study in which we analyse how a group of prospective mathematics teachers evaluates written arguments produced by freshman students solving a problem involving graphs. The prospective teachers were attending a course of Mathematics Education for the second year of a master degree in Mathematics. In particular we focus on how prospective teachers in their evaluations look at mathematical content, language, and argumentative structure. The outcomes show, on the one hand, a certain attention to some linguistic aspects, on the other hand, a greater attention to the content than to the argumentative structure of the texts. We suggest that prospective teachers' models for linguistic education are often the standard ones, based on conformity to grammar or style rather than on adequacy with respect to goals

Índice de massa corporal de gestantes na unidade de saúde da família

Introduction: In Brazil, obesity is found in 25% to 30% of pregnancies. Objectives: To analyze the body mass index in the gestation of women attended at the Basic Health Unit; To identify the prevalence of overweight and obesity in pregnant women; To verify the gestational weight gain and to associate with the variables: age, marital status, gestational number, parity, pre-gestational weight and prenatalMethodology: Quantitative, retrospective and descriptive study comprising 241 women who had under gone to prenatal care, from 2013 to 2015. The Prevalence Coefficient (total number of overweight and obese pregnant women x 103/total number of pregnant women) was considered.Results: The prevalence coefficient of overweight and obesity was 34.54%, in 2013; in 2014, 43.61% and in 2015, 41.34%. According to obstetric characteristics, they had a strong correlation with the total weight gain of the gestation at prenatal consultations and at gestational age, with significance equal to P <0.0001. It was identified that the BMI of pregnant women ranged from 15.80 to 46.8 kg / m². Overweight was detected in 39.84% of pregnant women; of these 34.44% gained weight higher than the expected during gestation. While of the with overweight 55.00% gained more weight than recommended, and of those with obesity 54.77%. The correlation of pre-gestational BMI with the variables of the previous weight, the weight at the last consultation and the total weight gain during pregnancy was strong with the BMI, P <0.0001.Conclusion: Inadequate nutritional status has been increasing over the years, strengthening the importance of a more comprehensive approach on the subject with pregnant women.Introducción: En Brasil, la obesidad se encuentra en 25% a 30% de las gestantes. Objetivos: Analizar el índice de masa corporal en la gestación de mujeres atendidas en la Unidad Básica de Salud; Identificar la prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad en las gestantes; Verificar la ganancia de peso gestacional y asociar con las variables: edad, estado conyugal, número de gestación, paridad, peso pre-gestacional y prenatal Metodología: Estudio cuantitativo, retrospectivo y descriptivo. Compuesto por 241 mujeres que realizaron el prenatal, de 2013 a 2015. Fue considerado el Coeficiente de Prevalencia (número total de gestantes con sobrepeso y obesidad 103/número total de gestantes). Resultados: El coeficiente de prevalencia del sobrepeso y obesidad fue de 34,54%, en 2013; en 2014, de 43,61% y en 2015, de 41,34%. En las características obstétricas, tuvieron una fuerte correlación con el peso total ganado en la gestación las consultas prenatales y la edad gestacional, y relevancia igual a P<0,0001. Se identificó que el IMC de las gestantes varió de 15,80 a 46,80Kg/m². Se detecto que 39,84% de las gestantes pasaron del peso; 34,44% ganaron más peso que lo previsto en una gestación. De las con sobrepeso 55,00% ganaron más peso que lo recomendable y de las con obesidad 54,77%. Con respecto a la correlación del IMC pregestacional con los variables del peso previo, el peso en la última consulta y el aumento de peso total en la gestación fue intenso con el IMC, P<0,0001. Conclusión: El estado nutricional inadecuado se eleva con el paso de los años, reforzando la importancia de un abordaje más amplio acerca de la temática con las gestantes.Introdução: No Brasil, a obesidade é encontrada em 25% a 30% das gestações.Objetivos: Analisar o índice de massa corporal na gestação de mulheres atendidas na Unidade Básica de Saúde; Identificar a prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade nas gestantes; Verificar o ganho de peso gestacional e associar com as variáveis: idade, estado conjugal, número de gestação, paridade, peso pré-gestacional e pré-natal.Metodologia: Estudo quantitativo, retrospectivo e descritivo. Composto por 241 mulheres que realizaram o pré-natal, de 2013 a 2015. Foi considerado o Coeficiente de Prevalência (número total de gestantes com sobrepeso e obesidadex 103/número total de gestantes). Resultados: O coeficiente de prevalência do sobrepeso e obesidade foi de 34,54%, em 2013; em 2014, de 43,61% e em 2015, de 41,34%. Nas características obstétricas, tiveram uma forte correlação com o ganho de peso total da gestação às consultas pré-natal e à idade gestacional, e significância igual a P<0,0001. Identificou-se que o IMC das gestantes variou de 15,80 a 46,80 Kg/m². Acima do peso detectou-se 39,84% das gestantes; 34,44% ganharam peso acima do esperado na gestação. Enquanto que das sobrepeso 55,00% ganharam peso mais do que o recomendado e das com obesidade 54,77%. A correlação do IMC pré-gestacional com as variáveis do peso anterior, o peso na última consulta e o ganho de peso total na gestação foi forte com o IMC, P<0,0001. Conclusão: O estado nutricional inadequado vem aumentando com o decorrer dos anos, reforçando a importância de uma abordagem mais ampla sobre o tema com as gestantes. &nbsp

Hydrodynamic forcing and sand permeability influence the distribution of anthropogenic microparticles in beach sediment

The distribution of anthropogenic microparticles (Mps), such as plastic and natural fibres used in textiles, in beach sediments was studied in a human-influenced pocket beach in Liguria (NW Mediterranean Sea). Information on environmental parameters such as rainfall, hydrodynamic characteristics and sediment texture was collected at the same time as the sediment samples. The Mps (416 +- 202 Mps kg-1 on average) were mainly fibres (57\u2013100%), while fragments and spheres showed irregular abundances linked to the draining action of waves on the beach. Uni- and multivariate statistical analyses highlighted that the different spatial and seasonal distribution of fibres primarily depended on the action of the waves that force seawater into the sand, rather than on sedimentation following depositional processes. Wave height and direction had a role in fibre distribution in the sand, as well as sediment permeability and sorting. The occurrence of short-term and spatially-localised hydrodynamic events such as rip currents were observed to influence the abundance of fibres, overlapping the seasonal sequences of beach accretion and erosion that is typical of the area and increasing fibre abundance by transporting those accumulated in the sediments of the submerged beach during winter