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A Fairness-Oriented Reinforcement Learning Approach for the Operation and Control of Shared Micromobility Services
Get PDFAs Machine Learning grows in popularity across various fields, equity has become a key focus for the AI community. However, fairness-oriented approaches are still underexplored in smart mobility. Addressing this gap, our study investigates the balance between performance optimization and algorithmic fairness in shared micromobility services providing a novel framework based on Reinforcement Learning. Exploiting Q-learning, the proposed methodology achieves equitable outcomes in terms of the Gini index across different areas characterized by their distance from central hubs. Through vehicle rebalancing, the provided scheme maximizes operator performance while ensuring fairness principles for users, reducing iniquity by up to 85% while only increasing costs by 30% (w.r.t. applying no equity adjustment). A case study with synthetic data validates our insights and highlights the importance of fairness in urban micromobility (source code)
A Bioprocess Engineering Approach to Boost Selection of Fully Segregated Transformants in Cyanobacteria
Get PDFCyanobacteria are photoautotrophic microorganisms with significant applications in biotechnology. Although many cyanobacteria, including Picosynechococcus sp. (formerly called Synechococcus sp.) PCC 11901 (Picosynechococcus) and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Synechocystis), are readily and naturally transformable, their polyploidy poses a major challenge. To obtain a stable phenotype, transgenic strains must be fully segregated, i.e. mutations must appear in all chromosome copies. Traditional protocols rely on re-streaking of colonies on increasingly selective plates, a time-intensive laboratory procedure that requires continuous intervention from the operator. This study proposes an alternative protocol that combines transformation in a batch system in liquid culture with transformant selection in a continuous-flow stirred-tank reactor system. This protocol led to the successful selection of homoplasmic transformants of Picosynechococcus containing, alternatively, an antibiotic resistance alone (construct “SmR”) or a more complex construct (“bKT”) that leads to the accumulation of a ketocarotenoid. The stability of SmR transformants under semi-continuous cultivation in the absence of antibioticsf was tested for 42 days, proving their potential fitness to industrial cultivation conditions. The selection process was also validated on the model species Synechocystis, demonstrating its applicability to other cyanobacterial strains
Spent Pleurotus substrate as organic fertilizer to improve yield and soil fertility: the case of baby leaf lettuce production
No full textBACKGROUND: Spent mushrooms substrate is the most important waste generated by edible mushrooms industry and can be re-used as organic fertilizer, following sustainable production principles. In the present study, Spent Pleurotus substrate (SPS) was used for organic fertilization of baby leaf production during two consecutive cycles (1st: October to December; 2nd: December to March) using two variety of lettuce (Doge and Imperiale). Different amounts of SPS in a mix with chemical fertilizers were applied: 100% SPS to fulfil the N needs of the crop and 50% of mineral N (T100 + 50), 200% SPS to fulfil the double N needs (T200) and 200% SPS to fulfil the N needs of the crop and 50% of mineral N (T200 + 50). SPS treatments were compared with an unfertilized control (T0) and chemical fertilization treatments. The crops coverage, Soil Plant Analysis Development index (i.e. SPAD) and yield were monitored during each cycle and soil samples were analysed to observe the effect of SPS on soil fertility.RESULTSAmong SPS treatments, T100 + 50, which combined 50% mineral fertilization with SPS, yielded the best productive results among SPS treatments. This combination improved nutrient availability, whereas higher SPS concentrations (T200, T200 + 50) reduced yields due to nitrogen immobilization. The high initial soil nitrogen content limited significant changes in soil nitrogen, but SPS improved soil organic matter, active carbon and enzyme activity, enhancing microbial activity. Among the two lettuce varieties a difference in nitrogen uptake and utilization was observed.CONCLUSIONOverall, the study highlights the potential of raw SPS as a sustainable organic fertilizer for baby leaf cultivation. Incorporating SPS alongside half of the crop's mineral nitrogen requirement offers a promising alternative to conventional mineral fertilization. After just two crop cycles, this approach maintains a good yield at the same time as enhancing soil organic matter and enzymatic activity, ultimately improving soil fertility. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry
Soil Conservation Measures Enhanced Soil Organic Carbon Storage Across China
No full textSevere soil erosion accelerates the depletion of soil organic carbon (SOC). While the role of soil conservation measures (SCMs) in mitigating erosion is well-documented, their influence on SOC storage remains insufficiently synthesized. This study incorporates 846 datasets from 55 peer-reviewed studies to evaluate the effects of SCMs on SOC storage across diverse regions of China, with a particular focus on underlying processes and controlling factors. Results show that SCMs implementation increased SOC content by an average of 3.17 g/kg—a 30.3% improvement compared to areas without SCMs. Biological measures (BMs) enhanced plant biomass input and root turnover, promoting SOC accumulation through increased organic matter supply and stabilization in aggregates. These mechanisms were especially effective in the Huang-Huai-Hai Region (HHR), Northern Arid and Semiarid Regions (NAS), Northeast China (NE), and the Sichuan Basin and its surrounding areas (SBS). Engineering measures (EMs) reduced surface runoff and erosion intensity, thereby minimizing SOC loss and promoting in situ retention, which dominated in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau (YGP) and Loess Plateau (LP). Combined EMs and BMs enhanced SOC sequestration by simultaneously reducing erosion and boosting organic matter inputs, proving most effective in the Middle-Lower Yangtze Region (MYR) and Southern China (SC). The effectiveness of SCMs for SOC sequestration was modulated by multiple factors, including rainfall, slope, soil moisture content, soil depth, bulk density, and aggregate particle size, with soil moisture identified as the predominant driver. Our findings provide a scientific basis for implementing region-specific conservation strategies to enhance carbon sequestration and promote sustainable land management
Analysis and Design of a SiGe BiCMOS PA for 6G FR3 Band With 29-dBm PSAT and 40.1% PAE
No full textThis work presents a watt-level two-stage differential power amplifier (PA) implemented in a 130-nm SiGe BiCMOS technology. The PA leverages a stacked topology to achieve high power over a wide bandwidth while employing only low-voltage high-speed (HS) bipolar devices and using a 3.3-V supply. The measured small-signal gain is 34.2 dB, with a 3-dB bandwidth ranging from 4 to 11 GHz, covering a large portion of the sixth generation (6G) new radio (NR) FR3 spectrum. The PA is capable of delivering a measured peak saturated output power of 29 dBm without the need of power combining, leading to a compact area of 1.35 mm2 , including the pads. A peak power-added efficiency (PAE, PAEPEAK) larger than 40% is measured at 5 GHz. The PA is tested with a 5G NR-FR1 modulation, achieving 6.4% error vector magnitude (EVM) and -33-dBc adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) with 15.6% of average PAE (PAEAVG) at 21.5 dBm of average output power (PAVG). When tested with the 100-MHz 256 QAM signal for 5G, the PA is compliant with the 5G NR-FR1 standard up to 20 dBm of PAVG
T.R.I.C.K. 2.0: Enhanced Vehicle Dynamics Analysis and Estimation Harnessing Advanced Vehicle Sensors
No full textEffect of enrichment with hemp seeds on the behaviour of laying hens in a cage-free system
No full textThe present study evaluated the effect of hempseed supplementation over the diet as an envi-ronmental enrichment on behaviour of laying hens. A 4-weeks trial run with 1800 Hy-line Brown laying hens, from 37 to 40 weeks of age, randomly allocated in 8 pens of an experimental aviary. Whole hempseeds were distributed (10% of the daily feed intake) in additional manual feeders in two pens or directly on the litter in other two pens, once a day at the same hour (10:00 a.m.), whereas no enrichment was provided in the other 4 pens. Hen behaviour was assessed through the analysis of 4 days of video recordings (one day per week) by scanning 10 sec every 30 min for every hour to score the number of hens on the floor, pecking the feeder, pecking the litter, moving, preening, dust-bathing, aggression, piling, inactive. Data were submitted to ANOVA with hemp seeds enrichment and hour of observation as main effects and the pen as a random effect, using the PROC GLIMMIX of SAS. The enrichment with hemp seeds in the feeder was obviously associated to a rate of animals pecking the feeder (7.37% of observed hens), which corresponded to a decreased preening in the same pens compared to those that received hemp seeds on the litter or did not receive any enrichment (11.5% vs. 15.3% and 19.7% of observed hens, respectively; P<0.001). In the same pens receiving hemp seed in the feeders, a higher rate of piling hens was observed compared to the group with hemp seed distributed on the litter and that without enrichment) (5.58% vs. 4.37% and 2.42% observed hens; P=0.01). Other behaviours were not modified by the environmental enrichment. As for changes according to the hour of observation, the highest number of hens on the ground was observed around 9:00 a.m. (43.8% of observed hens), when people entered the farm for daily recordings, ranging from 24.3% to 41.7% at the other observation hours. The rate of hens pecking the ground increased after switching on the lights and remained high until 8:00 a.m. when it started to decrease; then, it increased again from 11:00 a.m. until the end of daylight, which was negatively associated to the rate of inactive animals. Dust bathing showed a peak between 11 a.m. and 12:00 a.m., whereas preening was especially observed at the same hours besides 2 hours after switching on the light. In conclusion, the enrichment with hemp seeds did not substantially change the behaviours of animal, except for the opportunities of feeding alternative to the commercial diets. It should be further proved that the higher rate of piling hens in pens receiving hemp seeds, especially at the time of the entrance of people in the farm, could be considered an anticipatory behaviour eventually associated to a positive effect of the enrichment on hen affective status
Law and Habilitation to Dialogue: the Challenge of Mediation from a (Paduan) legal-philosophical Perspective
No full textThe chapter considers the possible theoretical evolution of the "process-based" theory of law ('prospettiva processuale del diritto') into a theory of "Law as habilitation to dialogue". Moving from a consolidated philosophical tradition, based at Padua University's Law School, the chapter examines how the current rise of tools and methodologies which claim to be alternative to the legal process (such as mediation, for instance), challenges some aspects of the process-based theory, and, on the other hand, confirms its overall proposal of a dynamic and relational approach to human conflict and to the role of law in its solution
Methods to assess on-farm biosecurity in Europe and beyond
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to identify which biosecurity assessment methods (BAMs) are currently used in practice in animal farms. To address this, a structured questionnaire was developed to gather information such as the animal species, main objectives, type of enforcement, output generated and feedback of the result. In the context of the BETTER Cost Action project, country representatives identified in each of their countries which BAMs were used and completed an online survey. The survey was prepared and translated in 23 languages. Besides a descriptive analysis, clusters of BAMs were determined using a multiple correspondence analysis. Responses, collected between December 2022 and July 2023, included 74 BAMs used in 28 countries. Most of them were used in a single country while three were used in multiple countries. This study provides a comprehensive picture of existing BAMs and insights into their diversity, such as variations in objectives, implementation, evaluators, respondents, feedback, or assessment outputs. Moreover, we identified four BAMs clusters differentiated by their objective, evaluator and type of feedback provided. This study might also represent the basis for future research on strengths and weaknesses of different BAMs
