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Essential oil of Apium nodiflorum (L.) Lag. growing in Ksob River, Algeria
No full textThe essential oil from the aerial parts of Apium nodiflorum (L.) Lag. (Apiaceae), collected in Ksob River (Algeria) and obtained by hydrodistillation, was analysed by GC-MS. Sixty-seven components have been identified, representing more than 98.7% of the total oil. The essential oil was found to be rich in terpinolene (32.9 ± 4.6%), myristicin (10.6 ± 2.3%), myrcene (6.2 ± 1.1%), limonene (6.0 ± 0.9%), γ-terpinene (5.9 ± 1.2%) and (Z)-caryophyllene (5.3 ± 1.0%)
Demographic explosion of the brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus Ives 1891 (Decapoda: Penaeidae) in the central and northern Adriatic: implications for ecosystems and fisheries
No full textPenaeus aztecusIves 1891 is an invasive species ofwesternAtlantic origin that hasbecomeestablished indifferent areas ofthe Mediterranean Sea. This study highlights a recent demographic explosion of this alien species in the AdriaticSea. A considerable number ofindividuals(more than 20 per fishing vesselout of a total of 36 surveyed)were captured bytrawling at San Benedetto del Trontoon 30September 2024, the first fishing day following a 30-day fishing moratorium. Additional unusually highcatches in otherareas ofthecentral and northernItalianAdriatic Seaoccurred in the same period,further confirminga clearrecentpopulation surgeof this speciesintheAdriatic.Our results suggesta rapidly growing population in this region of the Mediterranean.We discuss the possible causes of this sudden population increase, as well asthe ecologicaland socio-economic impacts that the species may have on the region in the coming years
Italian White Truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico): Discovery of new molecules through untargeted UHPLC-QTOF-MS analysis
No full textThe Italian white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico) is worldwide recognized as one of the most expensive edible mushrooms. Its chemical characterization has not yet been properly investigated in scientific literature. The aim of this study was to explore, for the first time, the truffle polar metabolic profile using an untargeted approach through UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS data-dependent acquisition. The total features list was filtered and molecules were annotated according to the MS spectra correspondence score with a threshold of 60 %. This led to a total of 412 annotated compounds mainly referred to amino acids, B-vitamins, carbohydrates and fatty acids derivatives. A targeted analysis was applied to four annotated molecules never detected in truffle before, being riboflavin, azelaic, 2-isopropylmalic and 3-isopropylmalic acids. Some constituents of the extracts were semi-quantitatively
analysed by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Results place a first brick in white truffle characterization, paving the way towards authenticity biomarkers detection useful in frauds prevention
Cafeteria Diet Abstinence Induces Depressive Behavior and Disrupts Endocannabinoid Signaling in Dopaminergic Areas: A Preclinical Study
No full textBackground: Alterations of dopamine (DA) transmission in the brain reward system can be associated with an addictive-like state defined as food addiction (FA), common in obese individuals. Subjects affected by FA experience negative feelings when abstinent from their preferred diet and may develop mood disorders, including depression, sustained by alterations in brain DA pathways. Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of long-term abstinence from a palatable diet on depressive-like behavior in rats, exploring neurochemical alterations in monoamine and endocannabinoid signaling in DA-enriched brain regions, including ventral tegmental area, dorsolateral striatum, substantia nigra and medial prefrontal cortex. Methods: Rats underwent exposure and subsequent abstinence from a palatable cafeteria diet. During abstinence, animals were treated with fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor PF-3845 (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal administration every other day). Lastly, animals were subjected to a forced swimming test, and their brains were dissected and processed for high-performance liquid chromatography measurement of monoamines and western blot analyses of markers of the endocannabinoid machinery. Results: After the withdrawal from the palatable diet, animals showed depressive-like behavior, coupled with significant variations in the concentration of brain monoamines and in the expression of endocannabinoid signalling machinery proteins in cited brain areas. Treatment with PF-3845 exerted an antidepressant- like effect and restored part of the alterations in monoaminergic and endocannabinoid systems. Conclusion: Overall, our results suggest that abstinence from a cafeteria diet provokes emotional disturbances linked to neuroadaptive changes in monoamines and endocannabinoid signalling in brain areas partaking to DA transmission that could partially be restored by the enhancement of endocannabinoid signalling through FAAH inhibition
Explainability and Interpretability in Concept and Data Drift: A Systematic Literature Review
No full textExplainability and interpretability have emerged as essential considerations in machine learning, particularly as models become more complex and integral to a wide range of applications. In response to increasing concerns over opaque “black-box” solutions, the literature has seen a shift toward two distinct yet often conflated paradigms: explainable AI (XAI), which refers to post hoc techniques that provide external explanations for model predictions, and interpretable AI, which emphasizes models whose internal mechanisms are understandable by design. Meanwhile, the phenomenon of concept and data drift—where models lose relevance due to evolving conditions—demands renewed attention. High-impact events, such as financial crises or natural disasters, have highlighted the need for robust interpretable or explainable models capable of adapting to changing circumstances. Against this backdrop, our systematic review aims to consolidate current research on explainability and interpretability with a focus on concept and data drift. We gather a comprehensive range of proposed models, available datasets, and other technical aspects. By synthesizing these diverse resources into a clear taxonomy, we intend to provide researchers and practitioners with actionable insights and guidance for model selection, implementation, and ongoing evaluation. Ultimately, this work aspires to serve as a practical roadmap for future studies, fostering further advancements in transparent, adaptable machine learning systems that can meet the evolving needs of real-world applications
Cityrhythm
No full textThis marks the first stable, feature-complete version of our advanced geospatial data visualisation dashboard. CityRhythm provides a powerful platform for exploring and understanding complex urban dynamics through an interactive map interface. This release consolidates all core functionalities into a robust and performant application, ready for demonstration and further development. Key Features in this Release Interactive Map Dashboard: A fully-featured map interface powered by Mapbox GL JS, allowing smooth panning, zooming, and 3D visualisation of terrain and buildings. Comprehensive Data Layers: Support for multiple, toggleable data layers, including KML areas, POI spots, presence density, and Local Climate Zones (LCZ). Dynamic Timeline Analysis: A 168-hour timeline control enables users to explore how footfall, demographics, and visitor interests change throughout the week. Detailed Analytics Sidebar: On selecting a map area, a context-aware sidebar appears, populated with interactive charts from ECharts. It displays detailed statistics on: Average Presence (Footfall) Demographics (Gender, Age) Geographic Origin (Provinces and Countries) Visitor Interests (via a dynamic word cloud) Visit Frequency Synthetic Crowdedness Engine: A sophisticated algorithm that estimates crowd levels in areas without direct sensor data. It uses a weighted K-Nearest Neighbours approach based on distance and Jaccard similarity of associated tags, enabling a more complete view of urban activity. Advanced Population Simulation: Visitor presence is rendered as thousands of individual points with organic, "swarming" animations driven by a Perlin noise function. The point distribution is intelligently weighted by the synthetic crowdedness engine, creating a realistic and visually compelling simulation. Dynamic UHI Risk Visualisation: The Urban Heat Island (UHI) risk layer is not static. Its visibility dynamically adapts based on a combination of the area's intrinsic risk and the real-time density of simulated presence, effectively highlighting zones of highest combined risk. Cross-Filtering Interaction: Clicking on a chart in the sidebar (e.g., gender distribution) instantly re-colours the presence points on the map to match, providing powerful and intuitive visual feedback. What's Next While v1.0.0 represents a major milestone, we are already looking ahead. Future development will focus on: Performance optimizations for even larger datasets. Expanding the range of supported data sources and types. Adding more advanced analytical and predictive features. Thank you to everyone who has followed the project's development. We welcome feedback and contributions as we continue to evolve CityRhythm
Caratteri di celluloide. Scrittura, tipografia e comunicazione nei titoli di testa cinematografici
No full textIl legame tra cinema e grafica ha sempre rivestito
un’importanza notevole. Ha coinvolto elementi
inerenti alla comunicazione – come manifesti,
locandine e altri materiali stampati – ma ha an-
che avuto un ruolo chiave nella definizione stessa
dell’opera cinematografica, a partire dai titoli di
testa fino ad influenzare il progetto visivo comples-
sivo del film.
Questo contributo si propone di esplorare quei par-
ticolari artefatti che sono i titoli di testa, focalizzan-
dosi sull’uso dei segni e della tipografia, e mettendo
in luce come le esigenze di informazione si integrino
in modo creativo in modelli di rappresentazione.
I titoli di testa fungono da primo invito,
un’anteprima che introduce il pubblico allo svi-
luppo della narrazione. In questo contesto de-
limitato si ha l’opportunità di comunicare stile,
tono e natura dell’opera, stabilendo anche i cod-
ici per avvicinarsi alla visione del film. Pertanto,
l’impiego di segni e della tipografia si rivela es-
sere non solo rilevante, ma anche determinante
nell’immagine cinematografica. Inizialmente,
la comunicazione testuale era concepita esclusi-
vamente per soddisfare aspetti ‘informativi’, ma
con l’evoluzione del linguaggio cinematografico
e delle tecniche di ripresa, i titoli di testa hanno
cercato un’importante caratterizzazione formale.
Le strategie progettuali variano: alcuni autori
fanno interagire elementi tipografici con le im-
magini, mentre altri realizzano specifici artefatti
grafici in cui la tipografia – da sola o in associazi-
one con altri elementi della grafica – diventa la
protagonista nell’architettura dell’artefatto.
Un aspetto cruciale di questa comunicazione è l’uso
dei caratteri tipografici: grazie alla selezione dei font,
alle loro dimensioni, agli allineamenti e ai colori
scelti, i titoli di testa possono trasmettere una vasta
gamma di emozioni e concetti. In questo modo,
la tipografia gioca un ruolo fondamentale, parag-
onabile a quello che ha nella stampa: comunicare
in modo efficace e visivamente coerente, catturare
l’interesse dello spettatore e anticipare l’esperienza
cinematografica che seguirà.The link between cinema and graphics has always
been of considerable importance. It has involved
elements inherent to communication, such as
posters, playbills and other printed materials, but
it has also played a key role in the very definition
of the film work itself, starting with the opening
credits and influencing the overall visual design
of the film.
This contribution aims to explore the specific
artefacts that are the opening credits, focusing on
the use of signs and typography, and highlighting
how information needs are creatively integrated
into representational models.
The opening credits act as an initial invitation,
a preview that introduces the audience to the
development of the narrative. In this delimited
context one has the opportunity to communicate
the style, tone and nature of the work, also
establishing the codes for approaching the
viewing of the film. Therefore, the use of signs and
typography proves to be not only relevant, but
also decisive in the film image. Initially, textual
communication was conceived exclusively to fulfil
‘informational’ aspects, but with the evolution of
film language and filming techniques, headlines
sought an important formal characterisation.
Design strategies vary: some authors make
typographic elements interact with images, while
others realise specific graphic artefacts in which
typography, alone or in association with other
graphic elements, becomes the protagonist in the
architecture of the artefact.
A crucial aspect of this communication is the
use of typefaces: thanks to the selection of
fonts, their size, alignments and chosen colours,
headlines can convey a wide range of emotions
and concepts. In this way, typography plays
a fundamental role, comparable to its role in
printing: to communicate in an effective and
visually coherent manner, to capture the viewer’s
interest and to anticipate the cinematic experience
that will follow
Statistical method for A-RNA and B-DNA
No full textNucleic acids have been regarded as stiff polymers with long-range flexibility and generally modeled using elastic rod models of polymer physics. Notwithstanding, investigations carried out over the past few years on single fragments of order ∼ 100 base pairs have revealed remarkable flexibility properties at short scales and called for theoretical approaches that emphasize the role of the bending fluctuations at single sites along the molecule stack. Here, we review a three-dimensional mesoscopic Hamiltonian model which assumes a discrete representation of the double-stranded (ds) molecules at the level of the nucleotides. The model captures the fundamental local interactions between adjacent sugar-phosphate groups and the
pairwise interactions between complementary base pair mates. A statistical method based on the path integral formalism sets the ensemble of the base pair breathing fluctuations which are included in the partition function and permits to derive the thermodynamics and the elastic response of single molecules to external forces. We apply the model to the computation of the twist-stretch relations for fragments of ds-DNA and ds-RNA, showing that the obtained opposite pattern (DNA overtwists whereas RNA untwists versus force) follows from the different structural features of the two helices. Moreover, we focus on the DNA stretching due to the confinement in nano-pores and, finally, on the computation of the cyclization probability of
open ends molecules of ∼ 100 base pairs under physiological conditions. The mesoscopic model shows a distinct advantage over the elastic rod model in estimating the molecule bendability at short-length scale
Chitosan elicitation enhances biomass and secondary metabolite production in Carlina acaulis L.
No full textCarlina acaulis L. (Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant with a long history of use as an herbal remedy. Recently, this species attracted the interest of agrochemical companies due to the presence of valuable biopesticides among which the most promising is carlina oxide (COx). To stimulate the biosynthesis of its specialised metabolites by elicitation, a polysaccharide – chitosan was supplemented as chitosan lactate (ChL). The aim was to evaluate the effects of ChL soil and foliar application on the C. acaulis biomass, photosynthetic efficiency, and levels of the COx, chlorogenic acids, protocatechuic acid, schaftosides, and triterpenic acids. ChL has been shown to have no effect on shoot growth while considerably increasing root biomass. It improved photosynthetic efficiency and enhanced levels of specialised metabolites. Soil application of ChL significantly increased chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acid content in leaves, by approximately 330% and 70%, respectively compared to controls. In contrast, foliar application more strongly increased COx levels in roots (55% for foliar vs. 16% for soil treatment). This study has demonstrated that the application of ChL can be used as an inexpensive and accessible way to boost the production of valuable compounds in C. acaulis