Acta Orientalia Vilnensia
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Assessing the Uptake of Toxic Elements by Brassica rapa and Associated Health Risks in Soils with Different Natural Background Levels
No full textGenetic Algorithms for Pareto Optimization in Bayesian Cournot Games Under Incomplete Cost Information
No full textThis paper develops a practical computational framework for the Bayesian Cournot
model with bilateral incomplete cost information, where each player is uncertain about
the opponent’s marginal cost, drawn from a continuous compact interval [c_∗,c^∗] with
0 <∞. The infinite dimensionality of the functional strategy spaces (mappings
from types to production quantities) renders analytical closed-form solutions infeasible in
this continuous-type setting. To overcome this challenge, we restrict the strategy spaces to
finite-dimensional differentiable sub-manifolds—specifically, one-parameter families of
oscillatory functions (cosine, sine, and mixed forms). After suitable affine Q-rescaling to
map the oscillatory range into the production interval [0,Q], and with parameter ranges
satisfying α, β > (π/2)/c_∗, these curves ensure near-exhaustivity: the joint production
map (α,β)→ (xα(s),yβ(t)) covers [0,Q]^2 densely for every fixed cost pair (s,t), thereby
recovering (up to density and closure) the full ex-post payoff space. We introduce the
ex-post payoff mapping Φ(s,t,x,y) = (e_s(x,y)(t), f_t(x,y)(s)), which collects every realizable payoff pair once nature draws the types and players select their strategies. The
image of Φ defines the general payoff space of the game, and its non-dominated points
constitute the general ex-post Pareto frontier—all efficient realized outcomes across type
strategy realizations, without dependence on private probability measures over types.
Using multi-objective genetic algorithms, we numerically approximate this frontier (and
selected collusive compromises) within the restricted but representative sub-manifolds.
The resulting frontiers are computationally accessible, robust to parameter variations, and
validated through hypervolume convergence, sensitivity analysis, and comparisons with
NSGA-II, PSO and scalarization methods. The findings are significant because they provide
decision-makers in oligopolistic markets (e.g., electric vehicles) with viable, implementable
production policies that explore efficient trade-offs under genuine cost uncertainty, without
requiring explicit forecasts of the opponent’s type distribution—a limitation of traditional
expected-utility approaches. By focusing on ex-post efficiency, the method reveals belief
independent compromise solutions that may guide tacit coordination or collusive outcomes
in real-world strategic settings
Did the COVID-19 pandemic shift the landscape of late HIV diagnosis?
No full textBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted healthcare services. This study assessed the impact of the pandemic on the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of late HIV diagnosis (LD) in Italy. Methods: All people with HIV (PWH) enrolled in ICONA during 2016-2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2021-2024 (post-pandemic), and diagnosed with HIV within 3 months before enrolment, were included. LD was defined as CD4 <350 cells/mm3 or an AIDS-defining event (ADE) within three months of HIV diagnosis; AIDS presentation (AIDS-P) was considered an ADE at diagnosis. Annual incidence, socio-demographic determinants, and survival outcomes were compared between periods using Poisson regression, Cox proportional hazards models, and Fine-Gray competing risk models. Results: Among 5,724 newly diagnosed PWH, 56% were enrolled in pre-pandemic and 44% post-pandemic. Overall, 58% presented late and 13% as AIDS-P, with proportions stable across periods. Risk factors for LD - female sex, older age, foreign nationality, heterosexual transmission, lower education, and unemployment - remained consistent, with no significant interaction by time (p = 0.39). During follow-up, 151 deaths occurred. LD and especially AIDS-P were associated with substantially increased all-cause mortality compared with non-LD, particularly within the first-year post-diagnosis. Adjusted hazard ratios were 2.96 for LD and 6.51 for AIDS-P pre-pandemic, and 8.64 and 17.99 post-pandemic. No excess risk was observed for non-AIDS-related mortality. Conclusions: The prevalence and determinants of LD and AIDS-P in Italy remained stable before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, late presentation continues to carry a heavy mortality burden, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen early testing and prompt linkage to care
Sustainable and Efficient Supplier Selection: A Decision-Making Framework
No full textThe selection of an appropriate supplier is essential in supply chain management, as it directly impacts operational efficiency and production continuity. Consequently, a well-structured selection procedure may offer multiple advantages, including enhanced supply chain performance and improved organizational outcomes. In recent years, the integration of sustainability concepts into supplier selection process is becoming increasingly critical, driven by the growing demand for eco-friendly and responsible practices. In this paper, a supplier selection model is presented that enables the simultaneous consideration of often conflicting factors, including economic, environmental, operational aspects. Specifically, due to the multi-criteria nature of the problem, the VIKOR method is applied. A real-world case study is incluted to illustrate practical feasibility and operational efficiency of the proposed model for a manufacturing company in Italy. The proposed model provides companies a strategic tool to balance sustainability and operational goals, thereby improving supplier performance and contributing to more resilient and efficient supply chains
Decarbonising Summer Cooling in Residential Buildings: Integrating Occupant Summer Thermal Comfort into the Smart Readiness Indicator
No full textThe decarbonisation of the building sector is increasingly challenged by rising summer temperatures and the growing demand for cooling, especially in high-density residential buildings. University residences (UR) are a critical building type where overheating, poor indoor air quality (IAQ), and occupant vulnerability converge, directly impacting health, well-being, and energy demand. In this context, the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI),
introduced at the European level, aims to promote climate-responsive building management. However, the current methodology primarily reflects technological readiness rather than the actual performance of indoor environments. This study proposes a methodological framework to assess the correspondence between summer thermal comfort (defined by UNI EN 16798-1) and IAQ considerations in relation to the SRI score. This
would enhance the SRI’s role as a decision-making and policy support tool. The approach involves reviewing the European regulatory framework on summer comfort, defining comfort- and IAQ-oriented indicators in line with the SRI structure, and applying dynamic energy simulations to a representative UR case study. The results reveal a consistent overall SRI score for the case study, reflecting different indoor summer conditions,
while scores linked to “Comfort” and “Health, Well-being” criteria align with dynamic simulation outcomes. This suggests an initial correspondence between comfort, IAQ indicators, and SRI impact criteria
First line of defense: viral RNA-induced cell death mechanisms in macrophages and neutrophil responses to live bacteria.
No full textInflammation is a fundamental protective response that relies on the coordinated action of innate immune cells to eliminate pathogens, remove damaged tissues, and restore homeostasis. This work addresses two complementary aspects of inflammatory regulation, focusing on (i) the mechanisms of macrophage cell death induced by viral RNA mimetics, and (ii) the ability of human neutrophils to discriminate live from dead bacteria, with particular attention to Group B Streptococcus (GBS).
First, we investigated how human macrophages respond to cytosolic Poly(I:C), a synthetic analogue of viral dsRNA. Our findings demonstrate that Poly(I:C) triggers a mixed lytic cell death program involving pyroptosis secondary to apoptosis and necroptosis. This response is mediated by TLR3 and requires TRIF-dependent activation of caspase-8, caspase-3, and GSDME, while GSDMD remains inactive. Importantly, Poly(I:C)-induced macrophage death is also caused by RIPK3, which leads to necroptosis, and occurs independently of NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Although Poly(I:C) did not prime or activate inflammasome pathways in unprimed macrophages, it acted as a secondary signal in LPS-primed cells; however, transfection reagents influenced these outcomes, prompting ongoing optimization. Overall, our data identify a TLR3–TRIF–caspase-8/3–GSDME axis as the central driver of dsRNA-induced lytic death in human macrophages.
Second, we examined how neutrophils detect and respond to GBS. We show that human neutrophils preferentially sense live GBS through the combined activity of formyl peptide receptors (FPR1 and FPR2) and TLR8. TLR8-mediated recognition of bacterial RNA emerged as the dominant pathway for cytokines and ROS production, while FPR1 and FPR2 selectively engaged distinct formylated GBS peptides, acting as crucial determinants of bacterial viability sensing. Neutrophil activation was markedly reduced when either TLR8 or FPR signaling was inhibited, indicating that robust inflammatory responses require concurrent engagement of both receptor systems. This multisensory mechanism likely functions as a safeguard to ensure that potent neutrophil effector functions are deployed only in the presence of live, potentially dangerous bacteria.
Together, these findings highlight key innate immune mechanisms governing inflammatory responses to viral and bacterial stimuli, revealing how macrophages integrate dsRNA-driven death pathways and how neutrophils combine FPRs and TLR8 signaling to discriminate live from dead microbes and calibrate inflammation accordingly
LA FUNZIONE DISTINTIVA DEL MARCHIO TRA TUTELA DEL MERCATO E PROTEZIONE DEL CONSUMATORE
No full textIl presente elaborato si prefigge di analizzare la tutela riservata al titolare del marchio nell’ordinamento nazionale e sovranazionale e le relazioni da esso scaturenti, sia in una prospettiva pubblicistica, ovvero di tutela nel mercato concorrenziale e di rispetto tra gli operatori economici, sia in una accezione privatistica, con particolare riferimento al rapporto tra titolare del marchio e consumatore medio virtuale, nel settore della privativa industriale
Innovative transition from traditional pyrolysis to catalytic pyrolysis for bioenergy: Optimizing bio-oil production from renewable biomass
No full textThe exploration of catalytic influences on biomass pyrolysis for bio-oil production encompasses zeolites, metal oxides, and metallic salts. Zeolites, notably ZSM-5, play a pivotal role in enhancing monoaromatic compound production, with modifications addressing concerns related to deactivation. Metal oxides like CaO and MgO exhibit varied properties, impacting ketone formation, deacidification, and overall product yields. Additionally, metallic salts, such as nickel and iron salts, are studied for their catalytic impact on gas, biochar, and bio-oil yields. These investigations underline the nuanced effects of catalysts on bio-oil composition, quality, and calorific value, highlighting the importance of selecting tailored catalysts for optimizing pyrolysis processes. Developing pyrolysis technology from lignocellulosic biomass offers promise for energy diversification and carbon emission mitigation. Enhancing bio-oil production is crucial with abundant low-quality feedstock and high product demand. Understanding the conversion process's complexity, including biomass structure and reactions, is vital for designing cost-effective pyrolysis processes. This review manuscript discusses biomass structure, pyrolysis behaviors, the impact of process parameters, and pretreatment techniques. Advanced catalytic pyrolysis is emphasized for selective product production, including co-pyrolysis with polymers to improve yield and quality. Challenges and future research directions for effective pyrolysis are also addressed, paving the way for significant breakthroughs
A compact dual-band power amplifier using spoof surface plasmon polaritons for broadband RF applications
No full textSpoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs) effectively manipulate electromagnetic waves in the microwave frequency range through ultrathin corrugated metallic structures. This work primarily focused on SSPPs for designing active circuits. Utilizing SSPP-based output matching networks (OMN) for a dual-band power amplifier design (DBPA), offering enhanced impedance matching and bandwidth expansion. Unlike conventional microstrip, the proposed SSPP OMN employs an excavated groove-inclusion design that enhances field confinement, reduces transverse size, and enables miniaturized wideband operation. The proposed DBPA-SSPP, fabricated using CREE CG2H40010F GaN HEMT technology on Rogers RT/duroid 5880 substrates, exhibits strong agreement between experimental results and simulations, validating the effectiveness of the design methodology. The final implementation achieves frequencies of 1.69–1.89 GHz and 2.37–2.42 GHz, saturated output powers of 42.5 dBm and 40 dBm, gains of 14.5 dB and 14 dB, and drain efficiencies of 77.3% and 68.5%, respectively. Furthermore, adjacent channel power (ACP) is measured at −68.6 dBc and −64.3 dBc, with fractional bandwidths of 11.23%, and 2.08%, respectively. These results highlight the feasibility of SSPP-enabled amplifiers for sub-6 GHz 5G systems and suggest potential applications in microwave plasma communication and power delivery systems
Scouting of different separation strategies for phenolic compounds in comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography
No full textComprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC × LC) offers unique opportunities to resolve structurally diverse analytes that cannot be fully characterized by conventional one-dimensional methods. In this work, different LC × LC configurations combining reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) and hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) were systematically investigated for the separation of a 48-compound phenolic standard mixture. Special attention was devoted to the discussion of key method parameters affecting retention behaviour and selectivity in the different LC × LC configurations. Three setups, namely, HILIC × RP-LC, RP-LC × RP-LC, and RP-LC × HILIC were optimized using focusing modulation with active trapping and evaluated in terms of orthogonality, peak capacity, resolution, dilution factor, analysis time, and solvent consumption. Among the tested configurations, HILIC × RP-LC provided the best results in terms of both separation efficiency and operational sustainability with higher corrected peak capacity, reduced dilution, and enhanced throughput. On the one hand, RP-LC × RP-LC offered robust performance with broad applicability due to stationary-phase availability, whereas, RP-LC × HILIC showed complementary selectivity but lower eco-sustainability. The Red, Green, Blue (RGB) additive colour model was applied to integrate analytical, environmental, and productivity metrics, identifying HILIC × RP-LC as the most effective configuration. Finally, the optimized method was applied to the characterization of phenolic profiles in herbal liqueurs, enabling detailed fingerprinting of complex natural matrices. These findings highlight the importance of rationally selecting LC × LC configurations and demonstrate the potential of HILIC × RP-LC with focusing modulation for efficient, sustainable, and information-rich profiling of phenolic compounds