Studio di un algoritmo lineare di ricostruzione analogica della posizione per il rivelatore a pixel di ATLAS

A detailed study of spatial resolution of Atlas pixel sensors prototypes was performed. Charge interpolation was used and allowed for a significant improvement with respect to digital resolution. A simplified algorithm for charge interpolation was developed. Its application to both unirradiated and irradiated sensors is presented and discussed

Editing Behavior Analysis and Prediction of Active/Inactive Users in Wikipedia

In this project, we focus on English Wikipedia, one of the main user-contributed content systems, and study the problem of predicting what users will become inactive and stop contributing to the encyclopedia. We propose a predictive model leveraging frequent patterns appearing in user’s editing behavior as features to predict active vs. inactive Wikipedia users. Our experiments show that our method can effectively predict inactive users with an AUROC of 0.97 and significantly beats competitors in the task of early prediction of inactive users. Moreover, we study differences in editing behavior of inactive vs. active users to explain why some users are leaving and provide some rules explaining our predictive model

Iso-lines and inbred-lines confirmed loci that underlie resistance from cultivar ‘Hartwig’ to three soybean cyst nematode populations

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars varied in their resistance to different populations of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, called HG Types. The rhg1 locus on linkage group G was necessary for resistance to all HG types. However, the loci for resistance to H. glycines HG Type 1.3- (race 14) and HG Type 1.2.5- (race 2) of the soybean cyst nematode have varied in their reported locations. The aims were to compare the inheritance of resistance to three nematode HG Types in a population segregating for resistance to SCN and to identify the underlying quantitative trait loci (QTL). ‘Hartwig’, a soybean cultivar resistant to most SCN HG Types, was crossed with the susceptible cultivar ‘Flyer’. A total of 92 F5-derived recombinant inbred lines (RILs; or inbred lines) and 144 molecular markers were used for map development. The rhg1 associated QTL found in earlier studies were confirmed and shown to underlie resistance to all three HG Types in RILs (Satt309; HG Type 0, P = 0.0001 R 2 = 22%; Satt275; HG Type 1.3, P = 0.001, R 2 = 14%) and near isogeneic lines (NILs; or iso-lines; Satt309; HG Type 1.2.5-, P = 0.001 R 2 = 24%). A new QTL underlying resistance to HG Type 1.2.5- was detected on LG D2 (Satt574; P = 0.001, R 2 = 11%) among 14 RILs resistant to the other HG types. The locus was confirmed in a small NIL population consisting of 60 plants of ten genotypes (P = 0.04). This QTL (cqSCN-005) is located in an interval previously associated with resistance to both SDS leaf scorch from ‘Pyramid’ and ‘Ripley’ (cqSDS-001) and SCN HG Type 1.3- from Hartwig and Pyramid. The QTL detected will allow marker assisted selection for multigenic resistance to complex nematode populations in combination with sudden death syndrome resistance (SDS) and other agronomic traits

The receptor like kinase at Rhg1-a/Rfs2 caused pleiotropic resistance to sudden death syndrome and soybean cyst nematode as a transgene by altering signaling responses

Background: Soybean (Glycine max (L. Merr.)) resistance to any population of Heterodera glycines (I.), or Fusarium virguliforme (Akoi, O’Donnell, Homma & Lattanzi) required a functional allele at Rhg1/Rfs2. H. glycines, the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) was an ancient, endemic, pest of soybean whereas F. virguliforme causal agent of sudden death syndrome (SDS), was a recent, regional, pest. This study examined the role of a receptor like kinase (RLK) GmRLK18-1 (gene model Glyma_18_02680 at 1,071 kbp on chromosome 18 of the genome sequence) within the Rhg1/Rfs2 locus in causing resistance to SCN and SDS. Results: A BAC (B73p06) encompassing the Rhg1/Rfs2 locus was sequenced from a resistant cultivar and compared to the sequences of two susceptible cultivars from which 800 SNPs were found. Sequence alignments inferred that the resistance allele was an introgressed region of about 59 kbp at the center of which the GmRLK18-1 was the most polymorphic gene and encoded protein. Analyses were made of plants that were either heterozygous at, or transgenic (and so hemizygous at a new location) with, the resistance allele of GmRLK18-1. Those plants infested with either H. glycines or F. virguliforme showed that the allele for resistance was dominant. In the absence of Rhg4 the GmRLK18-1 was sufficient to confer nearly complete resistance to both root and leaf symptoms of SDS caused by F. virguliforme and provided partial resistance to three different populations of nematodes (mature female cysts were reduced by 30–50%). In the presence of Rhg4 the plants with the transgene were nearly classed as fully resistant to SCN (females reduced to 11% of the susceptible control) as well as SDS. A reduction in the rate of early seedling root development was also shown to be caused by the resistance allele of the GmRLK18-1. Field trials of transgenic plants showed an increase in foliar susceptibility to insect herbivory. Conclusions: The inference that soybean has adapted part of an existing pathogen recognition and defense cascade (H.glycines; SCN and insect herbivory) to a new pathogen (F. virguliforme; SDS) has broad implications for crop improvement. Stable resistance to many pathogens might be achieved by manipulation the genes encoding a small number of pathogen recognition proteins

Shanley Farms: Premium Produce that People Care About

When Jim Shanley retired from an executive position with a large commodity and feed company, he bought avocado farms in Morro Bay and Visalia. He soon expanded into Finger Limes and innovative marketing of his avocados

Research Notes : United States : An improved greenhouse method of evaluation for inheritance of resistance to race 4 of soybean cyst nematode

Studies to determine mode of inheritance of resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, could be influenced by the methods of evaluation in use. Any improvement in growing conditions of the host and pathogen, superior inoculation techniques, inducement of desirable infection in the host with minimum genetic variability in the SCN population could result in optimum expression of full complement of genes conferring resistance to SCN races. Our objective was to determine the mode of inheritance of resistance in Soybean Plant Introduction PI 88.788 for SCN race 4 reaction, using the improved techniques of evaluation

Washing ex-situ process applied to contaminated sands by petroleum hydrocarbons: selection of biogenic agents and/or microbial surfactants non-toxic/biodegradable and optimization of process parameters

La ricerca, nell’ambito del progetto europeo Kill Spill, riguarda l’applicazione del soil washing in scala di laboratorio al risanamento ex-situ di sabbie contaminate da carburante marino IFO180, mediante agenti mobilizzanti biogeni e surfattanti microbici, non-tossici e biodegradabili. Gli agenti testati differiscono per origine (vegetale, animale, microbica) e per proprietà chimiche (carattere idrofilo/lipofilo). Essi sono: acidi biliari, due tipi di ciclodestrine – idrossipropil-beta-ciclodestrine (HPB-CD) e beta-ciclodestrine metilate (RAMEB) – due lecitine di soia – disoleata (SL) e grezza (Textrol F10) – 4 detergenti commerciali (ditta BioBased Europe) tre surfattanti microbici – ramnolipidi (RL), soforolipidi (SR) e surfattine (SF) - e Triton X-100 (TX), surfattante sintetico di confronto. Iniziali washing di screening (24 ore) hanno permesso di selezionare i 3 agenti migliori (SL, HPB-CD e SR), utilizzati nella successiva ottimizzazione dei parametri operativi (concentrazione del surfattante, concentrazione di IFO180, rapporto acqua/sabbia, velocità di miscelazione), tramite il disegno statistico sperimentale CCD e la Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Per ciascun agente (oltre TX e blank) sono stati identificati i parametri operativi e gli effetti di interazione che influenzano significativamente le performance del processo. I modelli predittivi, sperimentalmente validati, sono stati interrogati per identificare le condizioni operative ottimali (massima rimozione di idrocarburi possibile, minimo consumo di acqua) per diverse livelli di contaminazione delle sabbie. SL consente, in condizioni ottimali, di rimuovere meglio gli idrocarburi di quanto faccia il TX. Analoghi risultati si ottengono per HPB-CD e SR, per basse contaminazioni. Sono state valutate le frazioni IPA (idrocarburi policiclici aromatici) e n-alcani in IFO180, unitamente alle rese di rimozione delle due distinte frazioni dalle sabbie contaminate, nei casi considerati ottimali per il processo. Per l’agente più efficace (SL) è stato studiato l’effetto della durata del washing, evidenziando che il parametro tempo può essere ridotto a 14 ore senza ridurre significativamente la resa di rimozione degli idrocarburi.The present work, related to European project Kill Spill, concerns the application of soil washing on a laboratory scale for the ex-situ remediation of contaminated sands by marine fuel IFO180 using mobilizing biogenic agents and surfactants microbial, non-toxic and biodegradable. The tested agents differ in origin (plant, animal, microbial) and chemical properties (hydrophilic/lipophilic character). They are: bile acids; two types of - hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrins (HPB-CD) e methylatedbeta-cyclodextrins (RAMEB) - two soy lecithin - oil free (SL) and coarse (Textrol F10) - 4 commercial detergents (Bio-based company Europe), three microbial surfactants - ramnolipidi (RL), soforolipidi (SR) and surfattine (SF) and Triton X-100 (TX) as synthetic comparison surfactant. After the screening phase (washing applied to contaminated sands for 24 hours) were selected the 3 best performing agents (SL, HPB-CD and SR), used in the subsequent optimization of operating parameters (concentration of surfactants, concentration of IFO180, ratio water/sand and mixing rate), through statistical experimental design CCD and the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). For each agent (over TX and blank) were identified operational parameters and the interaction effects that significantly influence the performance of washing process. The predictive models, experimentally validated, were used to identify the optimum operating conditions (maximum possible removal of hydrocarbons, minimum water consumption) for different levels of sands contamination. SL allows, under optimal conditions, better hydrocarbons removal(%) than TX does. Similar results are obtained for HPB-CD and SR, for low sands contamination. the IPA fractions (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and n-alkanes in IFO180 were evaluated, together with the removal(%) of two distinct fractions from contaminated sands, in the cases considered as optimal for the washing process. For the best agent (SL) was studied the effect of the washing duration, highlighting that the time parameter can be reduced to 14 hours without significantly reducing the yield of the hydrocarbon removal

Multiplatform system oriented to telemedicine

The research arises from the need that was seen in people in recent years due to COVID-19, since remote medical care was required to avoid contagion, that it was developed with the Flutter tool and it is oriented towards telemedicine, which provides a medical evaluation service between patients and doctors. For the development of the methodology, the agile methodology of extreme programming "XP" was implemented, since it is of great help for the development of the system, the proto-types, and their different phases, since, compared to other methodologies, XP was the that gave more results in less time, which allowed us to have a faster development. The objective of the research is to implement a multiplatform system oriented to expert telemedicine. It has been possible to develop a basic demonstration of the system that would be the video calls, one of the most important functions of the entire system, and its operation has been effective as has been demonstrated in the results of this project, in which it was carried out carried out a survey of 50 questions and 95% agreed with the multiplatform system, since it would be of great help for several people

Optimization of washing conditions with biogenic mobilizing agents for marine fuel-contaminated beach sands

Washing is a rapid and effective treatment to remediate contaminated sands impacted by oil spills, although synthetic additives used to increase extraction efficiency may cause additional pollution issues due to their intrinsic toxicity and very often low biodegradability. In this study, different biogenic mobilizing agents (soybean lecithins, cyclodextrins, cholic acids, plant-derived cleaners, rhamnolipids and sophorolipids) were tested in the washing of beach sands artificially contaminated with the Intermediate Fuel Oil IFO-180. Among these, a de-oiled soybean lecithin (SL-1), hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrins (HPB-CD) and sophorolipids (SR) achieved hydrocarbon removals close to those attained with the synthetic surfactant Triton X-100 (TX) in preliminary washing tests carried out at constant mixing rate, water/sand ratio and IFO-180 contamination level using agents concentrations close to their critical micelle concentration (0.1% and 1% w/v for microbial and non-microbial agents, respectively). The effects of agent concentration, water/sand ratio, mixing rate and IFO-180 contamination on hydrocarbons removal were modelled using face-centred central composite design and ANOVA. Optimal washing parameters for sand contamination levels in the range 0.5-20 g/kg were identified with response surface methodology. While HPB-CD and SR performed equally to TX only at low sand contaminations, SL-1 attained hydrocarbon removal higher or equal to that of TX at any IFO-180 contamination and at lower application rates. SL-1 also outperformed TX when minimizing the water/sand ratio, i.e., the volume of water used. Considering its lower toxicity, higher biodegradability and higher hydrocarbon removal efficiencies, SL-1 is an effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to synthetic surfactants in washing treatments for marine fuel-contaminated sands