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Study of WH production through vector boson scattering and extraction of the relative sign of the W and Z couplings to the Higgs boson in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 13 TeV
No full textA search for the production of a W boson and a Higgs boson through vector boson scattering (VBS) is presented, using CMS data from proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV collected from 2016 to 2018. The integrated luminosity of the data sample is 138 fb−1. Selected events must be consistent with the presence of two jets originating from VBS, the leptonic decay of the W boson to an electron or muon, possibly also through an intermediate τ lepton, and a Higgs boson decaying into a pair of b quarks, reconstructed as either a single merged jet or two resolved jets. A measurement of the process as predicted by the standard model (SM) is performed alongside a study of beyond-the-SM (BSM) scenarios. The SM analysis sets an observed (expected) 95% confidence level upper limit of 14.3 (9.9) on the ratio of the measured VBS WH cross section to that expected by the SM. The BSM analysis, conducted within the so-called κ framework, excludes all scenarios with λWZ < 0 that are consistent with current measurements, where λWZ = κW ∕κZ and κW and κZ are the HWW and HZZ coupling modifiers, respectively. The significance of the exclusion is beyond 5 standard deviations, and it is consistent with the SM expectation of λWZ = 1
Feeding Behavior of the European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus, Leu2 Haplotype) on Pianosa Island: Insights into the Absence of Trophic Competition
Get PDF: This study investigates the feeding behavior of the European brown hare on Pianosa Island, Italy, focusing on seasonal dietary preferences in coastal and inland areas. We quantified plant species frequencies in vegetation and fecal pellets, assessed α and β diversity, compared diets via Bray-Curtis matrices, and evaluated selection preferences using the Resource Selection Ratio. During spring, the coastal diet was predominantly composed of grasses, particularly Dactylis glomerata, while non-leguminous forbs like Hedypnois rhagadioloides were prominent inland. Fabaceae, including Lotus ornithopodioides, were highly preferred. In autumn, non-leguminous forbs, such as Crepis foetida, were favored on the coast, while grasses like Bromus hordeaceus dominated inland. Fabaceae, particularly Trifolium species, remained a key component of the diet. Plant diversity peaked in spring and decreased markedly in autumn. Dietary overlap between seasons was moderate, with higher similarity observed in the coastal area. The study underscores the importance of Fabaceae and seasonal vegetation changes in shaping the hare's diet. These findings provide valuable insights for conservation, emphasizing the need to preserve key plant species and habitats to support isolated hare populations in Mediterranean ecosystems
Comportamento dei terreni argillosi e stabilità dei versanti in formazioni strutturalmente complesse
No full textLandslides in structurally complex clay formations are
widespread in the Italian Apennines and prevail over other
types of landslides in the Basento river valley. Based on data
collected in the Basilicata region, this paper analyses some
kinematic, hydraulic and chemo-physical aspects of the
landslide behaviour that are considered interesting for risk
mitigation. The paper is divided into three parts. After a brief
overview of the lithological and landslide typologies of the
Basento valley, in the first part, the paper focuses on a large
slope affected by various landslide systems, and describes the
main kinematic characteristics of some landslides, highlighting
the fast response of deep basal displacements to rainfall. In the
second part, based on piezometric measurements, permeability
tests and numerical simulations, the observed behaviour
is attributed to the intense and rapid effects of rainfall on
the water pressures along the slip surface that, in turn, are
justified by the permeability of the zone, higher than those of
the landslide body and stable formation. The influence of the
hydraulic features on the efficiency of drain systems is shown
to be significant. In the third part, the composition of the pore
water is analysed as well as the effects of its variations on the
behaviour of the clays and the landslides. In particular, the
effects of the soil mechanical deterioration induced by the
chemo-physical interaction with rainwater are shown and
their influence on the landslide behaviour is discussed
Search for heavy neutral Higgs bosons A and H in the ttZ channel in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV
No full textA direct search for new heavy neutral Higgs bosons A and H in the ttZ channel is
presented, targeting the process pp → A → ZH with H → tt. For the first time,
the channel with decays of the Z boson to muons or electrons in association with all-
hadronic decays of the tt system is targeted. The analysis uses proton-proton collision
data collected at the CERN LHC with the CMS experiment at √s = 13 TeV, which cor-
respond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1. No signal is observed. Upper limits
on the product of the cross section and branching fractions are derived for narrow
resonances A and H with masses up to 2100 and 2000 GeV, respectively, assuming A
boson production through gluon fusion. The results are also interpreted within two-
Higgs-doublet models, where A and H are CP-odd and CP-even states, respectively,
complementing and substantially extending the reach of previous searche
Multi-scale Perspectives on Building Heritage Conservation and Sustainable Cities
No full textDuring the period between world wars, the Modern Movement has spread in Europe
and the USA a new design culture bringing about a radical renewal of architec-
ture and urbanism with new formal characters laid down by the logic of rationalism
and functionalism. Modernist architects played a leading role in designing social
housing and entire new neighbourhoods to meet the housing needs of the migratory
flow of the working class from the countryside to the cities. They were not only
authors of masterpieces recognized as icons of a new International Style but also
modernity-makers in the true meaning of experimentation and innovation for the
quality-of-life improvement. An early milestone of the paradigm shift was the foun-
dation in 1919 of the Bauhaus art and design school in Weimar (Germany) by Walter
Gropius (Berlino, 1883—Boston, 1969). The school was an incubator of innovation
in design and architecture with the participation of teachers and students of different
nationalities at the forefront of European culture until 1933 when Hitler’s nationalism
imposed its closure. The Bauhaus also had the important merit of introducing peda-
gogical models based on humanistic and scientific disciplines and practical exercises
of art and technology. The second milestone was in 1928 with the institution in La
Sarraz (Switzerland) at the behest of di Le Corbusier (La Chaux-de-Fonds, 1887—
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, 1965) of the International Congress of Modern Architec-
ture, CIAM Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne, which were held until
the 11th edition in 1959 in Otterlo (Netherlands) when the members decided to cease
their activities. These international events were laboratories of ideas that stimulated
the debate between architects, engineers, craftsmen and artists and spread throughout
the world the postulates of the international modern movement. At the second CIAM
congress in Frankfurt in 1929, the so-called modern minimalist house in a collective
housing block in open-plan reinforced concrete structures and duplex typology was
proposed as a solution to the city housing needs. This new housing model allowed
for the best use of the plot area for the daily and collective activities of the city’s
inhabitants. The individual dwelling was conceived as the unit cell of the complex
system of relationships of the city consisting of streets, public buildings, commercial
premises, green parks and recreation areas, at the neighbourhood scale, which in turn
became a functional unit of the new model of the open city. After the 4th CIAM held in 1933 on the ship Patri II travelling from Marseille to Athens, the Athens Charter
was published in 1938, first in French and later in the major European languages. The
document consisting of 95 points was a manifesto of the Modern Movement outlining
the basic principles of the contemporary city according to the logic of rationalism
and functionalism. It introduced city zoning with division into neighbourhoods and
diversification of construction according to the four main functions performed by city
dwellers: living, working, entertaining, and moving. In Spain, the establishment first
of the Catalan group of GATPAC (Grupo de Arquitectos y Técnicos Catalanes para el
Progreso de la Arquitectura Contemporánea) in 1930 and later of the national group
of GATEPAC (Grupo de Artistas y Técnicos Españoles para el Progreso de la Arqui-
tectura Contemporánea) in 1932 promoted modernist architecture in the country in
the 1930s. During the period of the Second Republic from 1931 to 1939, many
social housing initiatives were carried out with paradigmatic examples of rationalist
architecture. La Casa Bloc housing complex by Josep Lluís Sert (1902–1983), Josep
Torres Clavé (1906–1939) y Joan Baptista Subirana (1904–1978) built between 1932
and 1936 in the Sant Andreu district of Barcelona is one of the highest expressions
of the modernist model of the open city. It is a combination of “L”-shaped blocks,
on seven levels with access corridors to the duplex-type dwellings every second one,
thus maximizing the area for collective activities. The building complex was a refer-
ence model for the urban expansion plan for the city of Barcelona designed by Sert
in those years in cooperation with Le Corbusier principles that were widely adopted
by urban planners in the reconstruction of Europe.
The chapters in this book explore the evolution and preservation of modern archi-
tecture, with a particular focus on how social, cultural, and technological factors
shaped architectural practices. Chapters go through an analysis of popular archi-
tecture during industrialization and examine the balance between innovation and
cultural preservation through the work of Alfredo Baeschlin. A study highlights
Bruno Taut’s visionary housing settlements as a response to social reform. The
works of Giuseppe Samonà in Italy emphasize the importance of understanding
and preserving the technical and stylistic aspects of his buildings. The transition
from Rationalism to Brutalism, stressing the importance of sustainability in adapting
these iconic structures is also discussed. Other chapters delve into the importance
of adaptive reuse, with systematic review of modern heritage preservation, and the
investigation into circular economy strategies for conserving modern architecture.
Through these discussions, the volume illustrates how modern architectural heritage
is both a symbol of past ideals and a resource for future sustainability, underscoring
the role of architects, engineers, and scholars in safeguarding these buildings
STUDIO MORFOMETRICO DI ACCESSIONI DI OLIVO IN BASILICATA: VARIABILITÀ GENETICA E IMPLICAZIONI PER LA BIODIVERSITÀ
No full textGli oliveti mediterranei rappresentano un sistema complesso che integra produzione agricola, paesaggio e biodiversità. La multifunzionalità dell’olivicoltura è riconosciuta a livello europeo con l’Ecoschema 3 della PAC, volto alla tutela degli oliveti tradizionali. In Basilicata sono state descritte 29 varietà locali di Olea europaea L. (Rotundo et al., 2013), ma molti genotipi non sono ancora caratterizzati geneticamente. Un’accurata identificazione potrebbe favorire la selezione di varietà più adatte alle mutate condizioni climatiche, alla maggiore densità d’impianto e alla resistenza a Xylella fastidiosa. In aree di antica olivicoltura, la corrispondenza tra denominazione locale e varietà è spesso incerta, ostacolando la conservazione della biodiversità.
Con queste premesse, l’obiettivo di questo studio è stato quello di caratterizzare in situ diverse accessioni di olivo coltivate in Basilicata mediante l’analisi morfometrica di foglie, frutti ed endocarpi. I caratteri morfometrici sono stati misurati su immagini digitali di un campione rappresentativo di circa 30-40 foglie, drupe ed endocarpi per ciascuna accessione. I dati hanno mostrato un’ampia variabilità nei tratti morfometrici. L’analisi multivariata delle componenti principali (PCA) e l’analisi discriminante lineare (LDA) hanno raggruppato le accessioni in base alle loro caratteristiche morfometriche.
In conclusione, lo studio ha evidenziato una notevole diversità genetica di Olea europea nell’areale analizzato e ha contribuito a chiarire casi di sinonimia e omonimia tra accessioni. Questi risultati forniscono informazioni utili per la valorizzazione e conservazione della biodiversità olivicola. Inoltre, è stata confermata l’efficacia dell’analisi morfometrica nello studio del germoplasma in alternativa o a supporto della caratterizzazione genetica
Differential cross section measurements for the production of top quark pairs and of additional jets using dilepton events from pp collisions at sqrt{s} = 13 TeV
No full textDifferential cross sections for top quark pair (tt ̄) production are measured in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV using a sample of events containing two oppositely charged leptons. The data were recorded with the CMS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1. The differential cross sections are measured as functions of kinematic observables of the tt ̄ system, the top quark and antiquark and their decay products, as well as of the number of additional jets in the event. The results are presented as functions of up to three variables and are corrected to the parton and particle levels. When compared to standard model predictions based on quantum chromodynamics at different levels of accuracy, it is found that the calculations do not always describe the observed data. The deviations are found to be largest for the multi-differential cross sections
Effects of Digestate from Biogas on Agronomic Traits, Functional and Health Properties of Hydroponic Cultivation of Rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.) and Parsley (Petroselinum crispum Mill.)
No full textThe study aimed to use vermicompost (V) from solid digestate and liquid digestate (LD) from biogas as renewable and sustainable growing medium and nutrient solution in a hydroponic cultivation of wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum Mill.), under greenhouse condition. Four different combinations were considered, where peat (P) and standard solution (SS) were used as a comparison: P + SS, P + LD, V + SS, V + LD. Phytotoxicity was never induced on rocket, while a strong biostimulant effect was induced by vermicompost in parsley. In rocket V + SS showed the highest values of root dry weight (0.38 ± 0.05 g), while V + LD ensured optimal leaf size (around 10 cm). V + SS positively affected all growth parameters in parsley. Vermicompost induced positive effect on physiological parameters in both species (high values of specific leaf area and reduced transpiration rate). P + LD induced the highest values of polyphenolic compounds in both cuts for parsley and in the first cut for rocket. V + LD positively affected total phenols content, flavonoid productions and antioxidant powers in parsley. Qualitative analysis showed six different glucosinolates and several kaempferol derivatives in rocket, while parsley exhibited a higher number of polyphenolic compounds. PCA models indicated that the different substrate impacted the metabolites expression, V and LD inducing richness in sinapic acid derivatives in rocket, and higher concentration of apigenin derivatives in parsley. Our results suggest that V and LD could be valid alternatives to P and SS and that they could improve the leaf quality when combined together
Applicazione del Laser Scanner Terrestre (TLS) per la costruzione di una tavola di cubatura in un popolamento di Douglasia (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) nel Sud Italia
Get PDFIn recent years, the implementation of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technologies in forestry has significantly improved forest inventory methods, enabling rapid and accurate assessments of forest stand structure. Among these advancements, Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) provides high-resolution data for fine structural characterization of forest ecosystems. This study presents an applied case of TLS-based forest assessment in an artificial Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) stand in southern Italy, focusing on the development of a site-specific volume table. By leveraging a non-destructive approach, TLS facilitated the accurate estimation of key dendrometric variables, including diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, and volume. The comparison between traditional dendrometric surveys and TLS-derived measurements demonstrated high accuracy and reproducibility, significantly reducing subjectivity in forest measurements. The site-specific volume equation showed a strong correlation (R2 = 0.9735) with national yield tables, confirming the reliability of TLS-based estimates. This study highlights the growing importance of TLS in modern forest management. Its integration into forest inventory protocols, even at local scales, enhances data-driven decision-making, supports sustainable resource utilization, and optimizes stand monitoring and planning processes. While TLS proves highly effective in localized applications, its broader implementation could contribute to large-scale forest monitoring, fostering the transition toward a more innovative, sustainable, and precise approach to forest management
Potential Herbicidal and Insecticidal (Beneficial) Properties of Nepalese Lemongrass Essential Oil
Get PDF: Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf, commonly known as lemongrass, is a member of the Poaceae family and is native to tropical and subtropical regions, including South Asia. The species is renowned for its diverse applications in culinary arts, perfumery, and traditional medicinal practices. This study aimed to characterize the essential oil (EO) composition of lemongrass and evaluate its biological properties. The EO was extracted via hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus, and its chemical profile was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The major constituents identified were neral (35.5 ± 0.6%) and geranial (36.0 ± 0.4%), which together constitute the primary isomers of citral. The antioxidant activity, assessed using DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays, was moderate compared to the Trolox standard. Similarly, the EO exhibited weak tyrosinase inhibition activity. However, the EO exhibited significant herbicidal and insecticidal effects with no observed ecotoxicological risks. These findings highlight lemongrass EO as a promising eco-friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides