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Cordilleran-type Mountain building and subduction geometry: insights from the Peruvian Andean orogenic segment
No full textMountain building in Cordilleran-type orogens, such as the Andes, is controlled by complex interactions between subduction dynamics, crustal and lithospheric deformation, and climatic influences. However, the mechanisms linking these processes to the orogen's structural evolution remain poorly understood, particularly in regions influenced by variations in crustal thickness, plate heterogeneities, and mantle dynamics. This PhD thesis examines the impact of the Nazca Ridge on the tectonic and thermal evolution of the Peruvian Andean margin. The Nazca Ridge is an aseismic ridge formed in the early Cenozoic at the Pacific-Farallon/Nazca spreading centre that has been subducting beneath South America since 11 Ma, significantly influencing the geodynamics of the Peruvian forearc system and the South American Plate. Through integrated large-scale and local-scale investigations, this research reconstructs the lithospheric structure and deformation patterns associated with Nazca Ridge subduction. The study is organized around a multidisciplinary approach that begins by constructing a balanced and restored cross-section along the Peruvian margin using surface geological and geophysical data, delineating the crustal structure to a depth of approximately 130 km. This structural framework serves as the basis for developing a 2D geothermal model to analyse the thermal configuration of the overriding plate. Building on this, a forward gravity modelling technique is employed to refine the initial framework, generating a detailed density model that captures the complex lithosphere and crustal geometries associated with the subducting Nazca Ridge. Subsequently, the geothermal model is enhanced, and a 2D finite element analysis is conducted to simulate stress accumulation and megathrust deformation, providing a clearer picture of the mechanical behaviour of the overriding plate. Additionally, the geological structures and stratigraphic framework of the East Pisco Basin are mapped in detail, shedding light on the tectono-sedimentary evolution of the forearc region. The results underscore the significant impact of Nazca Ridge subduction on the tectonic evolution of the Peruvian margin, driving changes in thermal structure, stress distribution, and forearc basin development. This comprehensive approach offers new perspectives on the geodynamic processes shaping the Peruvian forearc and serves as a reference for understanding similar tectonic interactions in other convergent margin settings
Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Tourism: Integrating Scenario Workshops and Participatory Scenario Planning
No full textSummary of Background Data
Destination management organizations are increasingly considered key players in coordinating tourism
initiatives that balance economic growth with sustainability and inclusion [1]. However, the traditional
top-down approaches often fall short of fully incorporating the diverse priorities of local stakeholders.
Enter the Scenario Workshop methodology, particularly when adapted and combined with Participatory
Scenario Planning (PSP). This approach offers a framework that encourages multi-stakeholder
engagement, fostering dialogue and consensus-building. It's shown promise in tackling complex
challenges within tourism governance. How? By promoting discussions that lead to actionable outcomes,
aligning with the sector's evolving demands for innovation [3], accessibility [2], and environmental
sustainability.
Objectives
In this research, we're taking a critical look at how well the Scenario Workshop method works for
developing Destination Management Organizations (DMOs). We're also exploring its potential as a
participatory tool that could lead to more inclusive, forward-thinking tourism governance [1]. Our study
offers a practical view of structured participatory approaches to managing destinations, showing how
these methods can help align various stakeholders' priorities with broader strategic goals in tourism.
Methods
Our research employs a modified version of the Scenario Workshop methodology, which has its roots in
the European Awareness Scenario Workshop (EASW) framework. We've deliberately simplified and
streamlined this approach to work within our time and resource constraints. We've also incorporated
elements from the Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP) methodology to bolster its effectiveness and
relevance. This tailored approach allows us to gather valuable insights whilst maintaining efficiency. By
combining these methodologies, we're able to leverage the strengths of both, creating a robust framework
that suits our specific research needs.
Results
Our workshops revealed an interesting alignment between local stakeholders' priorities and key themes in
current tourism research. These themes notably centre on sustainability, accessibility, and innovation. It's
clear that the concerns of those on the ground mirror the academic discourse, suggesting a promising
convergence of practical and theoretical perspectives in the field.
Discussion/Conclusions
Our findings highlight the benefits of blending Scenario Workshop methods with Participatory Scenario
Planning (PSP) approaches. This combination can yield concrete, practical outcomes whilst aligning
stakeholder interests with strategic tourism objectives. The research demonstrates that the Scenario
Workshop methodology serves as a powerful tool to foster the growth of Destination Management
Organisations (DMOs) that are firmly grounded in community values and sustainability principles.
Moreover, it underscores the vital need for adequate resources and technical know-how to successfully
implement digital and sustainable [3] initiatives in the tourism industry
Biomarkers in Ataxia-Telangiectasia: a Systematic Review
No full text: Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T) is a very rare multisystem disease of DNA repair, associated with progressive disabling neurological symptoms, respiratory failure, immunodeficiency and cancer predisposition, leading to premature death. There are no curative treatments available for A-T but clinical trials have begun. A major limiting factor in effectively evaluating therapies for A-T is the lack of suitable outcome measures and biomarkers. We have performed a systematic review to collect the information currently available on biomarkers for A-T both in patients and preclinical studies. We have identified 56 reports discussing potential A-T biomarkers in both pre-clinical models and patients. These studies report on diagnostic biomarkers but prognostic biomarkers and responsive markers of clinical status are currently lacking. Some biomarkers of neurodegeneration in A-T show promise, including non-invasive neuroimaging biomarkers. Some biomarkers of oxidative stress and responsive markers to radiotherapy and steroid treatment have potential value in clinical trials. The formation of the A-T biomarker working group with international experts is an important step forward to facilitate the sharing of materials, data and expertise with the common goal of finding effective biomarkers for A-T
Accurate Visualization and Interaction of 3D Models Belonging to Museums’ Collection: From the Acquisition to the Digital Kiosk
No full textSince 2019 the authors of this article were involved in the digital acquisition and storytelling of artifacts belonging to museum collections. This work showcases on purpose various related case studies to illustrate key issues in the field. They are the Orcinus Citoniensis paleontological finding (representative of a complex geometry to be acquired), the Annunciation by Beato Angelico (representative of materials with articulate behaviors to light such as the gold foil and tempera), and the Giovanni Battista Amici’s Microscope (representative of non-cooperative specular materials). Since they refer to such different contests, they are a valid test field to bring into the discussion methods and techniques for:
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the digitization and interactive representation of multicomponent finds;
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a reliable visualization of pictorial works with complex optical behaviors;
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a cost-effective, rapid digitization of extensive collections with non-cooperating materials.
The article outlines a pipeline from accurate digitization to 3D modeling, texturing, and optimization, culminating in the production of interactive experiences. The aim is the introduction of our experience in authoring high-resolution digital surrogates for scholars and museum visitors, to be explored in museums and cultural institutions through conventional devices or digital interactive kiosks. It emphasizes logistical challenges in photogrammetry for acquiring artifacts, including 3D or 2D objects, paleontological finds, and optically non-cooperating items, with a focus on accurate color acquisition and rendering. The developed pipeline enhances the user experience of 3D digital replicas via visualization apps designed for exhibitions and permanent collections
The lateralized cerebellum: insights into motor, cognitive, and affective functioning across ages: a scoping review
No full textResearch on the cerebellum and its functional organization has significantly expanded over the last decades, expanding our comprehension of its role far beyond motor control, including critical contributions to cognition and affective processing. Notably, the cerebellar lateralization mirrors contralateral brain lateralization, a complex phenomenon that remains unexplored, especially across different stages of life. The present work aims to bridge this gap by providing a comprehensive scoping review of the lateralization of motor, cognitive, and affective functioning within the cerebellum across the lifespan. A methodical search in electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO) was conducted up to October 2024, focusing on neuroimaging studies with healthy participants of all ages performing motor, cognitive, or affective tasks. Our selection process, which involved multiple independent reviewers, identified 128 studies reporting cerebellar asymmetries in individuals from early childhood to older age, with a significant portion of studies regarding young-middle adults (19-45 years old). The majority of the findings confirmed established lateralization patterns in motor and language processing, such as ipsilateral motor control and right-lateralized language functions. However, less attention has been paid to other cognitive functions and affective processing where more heterogeneous and less consistent asymmetries have been observed. To the best of our knowledge, this scoping review is the first to comprehensively investigate the motor, cognitive, and affective functional lateralization of the cerebellum across lifespan, highlighting previously overlooked dimensions of cerebellar contributions
Mainstreaming and transnationalization of anti-gender ideas through social media: the case of CitizenGO
No full textIl Tessitore. Memoria e usi pubblici di Cavour in età liberale (1861-1915)
Get PDFThe subject is therefore not only Cavour as the idol of moderate Italian liberalism who was long looked to in the attempt to restore the nation's fortunes, but also the ‘national’ Cavour commemorated on the occasion of major anniversaries – his birth, his death, the crucial dates of Unification – and exalted by essays, biographies, and the instrumental publication of letters. To this end, it is also important to examine the street names and, in particular, sculptures, which, numerically inferior to the statues of other italian heroes, are useful to understand the reasons put forward by institutions, town councils and notabilities in favour of a marble or bronze memorial. At the same time, the aim is to determine the extent and level of popularity of Cavour's commemorations that marked the 50-year postunification period by dwelling on anniversaries, the inauguration of busts and monuments, pilgrimages to the family tomb at Santena, major exhibitions, and the creation of the first museums of the Risorgimento. From the context would thus emerge the role played by the family and former collaborators in the posthumous representation of the statesman, placed at the centre of the strategies employed by the cultural world and publicity to bring the character closer to the masses, influencing patriotic languages and rituals. This broad field of investigation also includes the reception by Italian associations and political cultures, which are often territorially connoted. The aim is therefore to highlight, where possible, the relationship between the heterogeneous Catholic, socialist, republican and anarchist milieu and the memory of the Piedmontese statesman, subject to periodic revisions to coincide with anniversaries. Having identified Cavour's death as the beginning of the process of ‘mythologising’, the work follows the entire chronological arc, dwelling on the junctures considered crucial to the study of the phenomenon and choosing the most significant cases that show us its development, especially the public ceremonies, up to the threshold of the Great War. The diachronic perspective assumed in order to follow the phenomenon in its progressive definition (chapters 1-4) is combined with a thematic in-depth study. The final chapter is dedicated to the image of Cavour in its various manifestations: public statuary, street names, portraiture, caricature, patriotic pedagogy of a ‘Deamicisian’ kind, popular culture
Nuove indagini presso le terme pubbliche di Forum Sempronii (Fossombrone, PU)
No full textThe excavation of the public baths of Forum Sempronii, after the first investigations which took place between 1996 and 1997, was resumed in 2020 with the ambitious project of bringing to
light and restoring all the rooms relevant to the building located within the Archaeological Park (approximately 1,200 m2). A destructured context relating to the later phases of use of the area emerged thanks to new research, which made it possible to define the original function of the 9 rooms detected. With the progressive depopulation of the town and the start of processes of ruralization of the site, phenomena placeable starting to at least the 4th century AD, this urban sector was also the subject of intense plundering, in particular of its marbles, until it disappeared under layers of collapse and abandonment. The rooms of the baths were the site of residential areas of which, however, very few traces remain due also to the intense agricultural work, and not far away the spaces of the city were occupied by a necropolis area. The coarse ware pottery recovered in the superficial stratigraphies of the thermal environments, associated with numerous fragments of animal bones, testify to an attendance that continued during the 5th-6th century AD, if not even beyond
Monitoring the impact of EU F-gas regulation on HFC-134a emissions through a comparison of top-down and bottom-up estimates
Get PDFUnveiling the Interactions between Amino Acids-Based Surfactants and Lipid Bilayers: A Small Angle Neutron Scattering and Reflectivity Study
No full textN-Acyl amino acids are biodegradable anionic amphiphilic molecules made up of linear fatty acids as hydrophobic tails and amino acids as polar heads, which are promising for their applicability in different technological fields. In the light of widening their use, a deeper understanding of their interactions with biological membranes is required, especially to further assess their toxicological profile. We investigated the interaction between N-decanoyl amino acid surfactants and phospholipid bilayers as simple in vitro models for biological membranes in comparison to sodium dodecyl sulfate using neutron scattering techniques. The information from small angle neutron scattering (SANS, q range from 0.008 to 0.25 Å-1) focusing on liposome-to-surfactant interactions and neutron reflectivity (NR, Q range measured at three incident angles θ = 0.35, 0.65, and 1.5°) focusing on lipid bilayer-to-surfactant interactions was combined to provide a detailed characterization. All amino acid surfactants (C10-alanine, C10-glycine, C10-leucine, C10-methionine, C10-serine, and C10-proline) exhibited a similar behavior in terms of incorporation in liposomes and lipid removal as well as adsorption profiles in bilayers up to their critical micelle concentration (CMC). Notably, bilayer destabilization occurred for all surfactants (except for C10-serine and C10-alanine) at a concentration between CMC and 2× CMC. Such a result demonstrates the exceptional ability of C10-serine and C10-alanine to integrate into bilayers without disruption up to concentrations as high as ∼3-4× CMC. These findings support the lower cytotoxic effect of C10-serine and C10-alanine surfactants, observed in previous studies, and provide new insights on the mechanism of interaction of N-decanoyl amino acids with lipid membranes