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Supersampling and network reconstruction of urban mobility
Get PDFUnderstanding human mobility is of vital importance for urban planning, epidemiology, and many other fields that draw policies from the activities of humans in space. Despite the recent availability of large-scale data sets of GPS traces or mobile phone records capturing human mobility, typically only a subsample of the population of interest is represented, giving a possibly incomplete picture of the entire system under study. Methods to reliably extract mobility information from such reduced data and to assess their sampling biases are lacking. To that end, we analyzed a data set of millions of taxi movements in New York City. We first show that, once they are appropriately transformed, mobility patterns are highly stable over long time scales. Based on this observation, we develop a supersampling methodology to reliably extrapolate mobility records from a reduced sample based on an entropy maximization procedure, and we propose a number of network-based metrics to assess the accuracy of the predicted vehicle flows. Our approach provides a well founded way to exploit temporal patterns to save effort in recording mobility data, and opens the possibility to scale up data from limited records when information on the full system is required
Tandem Repeats in Proteins: Prediction Algorithms and Biological Role
Get PDFTandem repetitions in protein sequence and structure is a fascinating subject of research which has been a focus of study since the late 1990s. In this survey, we give an overview on the multi-faceted aspects of research on protein tandem repeats (PTR for short), including prediction algorithms, databases, early classification efforts, mechanisms of PTR formation and evolution, and synthetic PTR design. We also touch on the rather open issue of the relationship between PTR and flexibility (or disorder) in proteins. Detection of PTR either from protein sequence or structure data is challenging due to inherent high (biological) signal-to-noise ratio that is a key feature of this problem. As early in silico analytic tools have been key enablers for starting this field of study, we expect that current and future algorithmic and statistical breakthroughs will have a high impact on the investigations of the biological role of PTR
Progetto ClickON \u27Clinical Knowledge ON action\u27- Gli aspetti di ricerca: integrazione, standardizzazione, ontologia di dominio - Deliverable 5.3
No full textClickON - Clinical Knowledge on action: an open source web-based platform for integrated cardiological data collection (https://clickon.extrasys.it/) is a web-based interoperable open-source platform for the integrated management of clinical cardiological data, which is the result of a research and development project co-financed by the Tuscany Region (POR CReO FESR 2007-2013, Line of Action 1.5.a - 1.6.). ClickON involved the creation and link to a validated medical ontology in the cardiovascular domain with the technological platform tightly integrated with the semantic world. ClickON has been designed for the integration and management of cardiological data, implementing an open-source and web-based prototype, driven by a domain Ontology. The ClickON prototype has been implemented by Extra Srl in partnership with the Institute of Clinical Physiology of CNR in Pisa. The collaboration of Extra with IFC has been critical since the early planning of ClickON. The complementary expertise and experience of IFC and the technological expertise of Extra enabled the extension and development of an Ontology in the cardiovascular domain that support personalized medicine. This paper describes the research contributions by IFC , with particular attention to issues: integration and standardization of data; definition of the key information of interest and their management through the platform interfaces; creation, validation and refinement of a dynamic Ontology in the cardiovascular domain.Il progetto ClicK-ON ? il risultato di un progetto di ricerca e sviluppo cofinanziato dalla Regione Toscana nell\u27ambito del bando POR CReO FESR 2007-2013, Linea di Intervento 1.5.a - 1.6. Il progetto ? frutto di una sinergia fra pubblico e privato: Extra Srl (www.extrasrl.it) e l\u27Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica del CNR di Pisa (https://www.ifc.cnr.it). La collaborazione fra Extra ed IFC ? stata fondamentale gi? in fase di ideazione e redazione della piattaforma ClicK-ON. Le competenze ed esperienze complementari di IFC rispetto all\u27expertise tecnologica di Extra hanno consentito di approfondire e sviluppare temi legati alle Ontologie di dominio, a supporto della Medicina personalizzata. I principali obiettivi del progetto hanno riguardato: Standardizzazione e Integrazione di dati provenienti da fonti eterogenee. Informazioni chiave e principali funzionalit? della piattaforma web per pazienti con problematiche cardiovascolari. Analisi dei Requisiti con esperti di dominio. Creazione dell\u27Ontologia di ClicK-ON, a supporto semantico dei clinici e dei ricercatori nella fase di definizione della Diagnosi per il paziente. Validazione e refinement dell\u27Ontologia. Progettazione ed implementazione della piattaforma ClicK-ON in ambiente Open-Source a supporto di tali attivit?: Funzionalit? del prototipo per data entry web. Funzionalit? di acquisizione dei flussi disponibili (schede di dimissione ospedaliera, farmaceutica, referti, ?) in differenti formati: elettronico, cartaceo, contenuto vocale. Implementazione del Modulo Semantico con l\u27aggancio all\u27Ontologia. Nel presente documento si descrivono i contributi di ricerca a cura di IFC nell\u27ambito del progetto, con una particolare attenzione agli aspetti: integrazione e standardizzazione dei dati; definizione delle principali informazioni di interesse e loro gestione attraverso le interfacce della piattaforma; creazione, validazione e refinement di un\u27Ontologia dinamica nel dominio cardiovascolare
I laghi, riserva di vita
No full textNot availableI laghi rappresentano la maggiore riserva di acqua dolce immediatamente disponibile sul pianeta. Questa riserva ? sufficiente, ma NON ? abbondante
Allergy and asthma: effects of the exposure to particulate matter and biological allergens
No full textThe prevalence of asthma and allergies including atopy has increased during the past decades, particularly in westernized countries. The rapid rise in the prevalence of such diseases cannot be explained by genetic factors alone. Rapid urbanization and industrialization throughout the world have increased air pollution and population exposures, so that most epidemiologic studies are focusing on possible links between air pollution and respiratory diseases. Furthermore, a growing body of evidence shows that chemical air pollution may interact with airborne allergens enhancing the risk of atopic sensitization and exacerbation of symptoms in sensitized subjects. These phenomena are supported by current in vitro and animal studies showing that the combined exposure to air pollutants and allergens may have a synergistic or additive effect on asthma and allergies, although there is an insufficient evidence about this link at the population level. Further research is needed in order to elucidate the mechanisms by which ollutants and biological allergens induce damage in exposed subjects. The abatement of the main risk factors for asthma and allergic diseases may achieve huge health benefits. Thus, it is important to raise awareness of respiratory allergies as serious chronic diseases which place a heavy burden on patients and on society as a whole
Il progetto INSIEME: perch? una ricerca sui Centri per bambini e famiglie?
No full textAt more than a quarter of century from the first creation of Centri per bambini e famiglie in Italy, they seem to be increasingly secluded within a peripheral area of the ECEC world and their objectives and goals are no more discussed. This article describes the rationale and methodology of the research project Insieme, which was aimed at verify the actual presence of CBF in Italy and analyse their nature and functions. The project, promoted by ISTC-CNR and carried out in collaboration with Qua_Si/UniversiScuola, University of Milano-Bicocca, was composed by two studies: a survey on the distribution and functioning of CBF across Italian regions and a study based on a qualitative data collection (observations in the services and interviews to CBF professionals) in a sample of services. Some of the main issues raised by the study are presented and discussed with particular concern to the relationship of CBF to the other ECEC services.A pi? di un quarto di secolo dalla prima istituzione dei Centri per bambini e famiglie in Italia sono stati progressivamente confinati in una area marginale del sistema dei servizi per l\u27infanzia ed ? stata spesso trascurata la riflessione sulle loro finalit?. Questo articolo illustra le motivazioni e l\u27impianto metodologico del progetto di ricerca Insieme che ha voluto far riemergere dall\u27ombra i Centri per bambini e famiglie, verificare la loro diffusione nel paese e analizzare la loro attuale natura e funzione. Il progetto, promosso dall\u27Istituto di Scienze e tecnologie della cognizione del CNR e svolto in collaborazione con il Centro Interdipartimentale Qua_Si/UniversiScuola dell\u27Universit? di Milano-Bicocca, si ? articolato in due iniziative parallele: un\u27indagine sulla diffusione e il funzionamento dei CBF nelle diverse regioni italiane e un approfondimento con metodiche di ricerca qualitativa su una percentuale rilevante dei servizi esistenti per esplorare la natura delle prestazioni offerte alle famiglie. Sono discussi alcuni degli interrogativi cui questa analisi ha voluto rispondere relativi alla rielaborazione degli obiettivi di socializzazione dei bambini e genitori e di sostegno al ruolo dei genitori che ne hanno ispirato l\u27istituzione e al rapporto tra i CBF e gli altri servizi per l\u27infanzia
Internetopoli, alla scoperta della Rete-Didamatica 2015-Atti Convegno
No full textInternetopoli (www.internetopoli.it) ? una web app il cui obiettivo ? diffondera la cultura digitale nelle scuole primarie. L\u27app multimediale ? suddivisa in otto livelli ognuno dedicato a un aspetto della Rete:storia, governance, funzionamento, domini, navigazione sicura, risorse online, internet delle cose, smart cities
miR-26a targets identification in prostate cancer cell lines using miRNA pull-out assay
Get PDFThe re-expression of tumor suppressor (TS) miRNAs in cancer cells in which they are downregulated (miRNA replacement therapy) has been evaluated as a promising approach to inhibit tumor proliferation both in in vitro and in vivo models. As a single miRNA simultaneously targets hundreds of genes, it derives that the TS-miRNA re-expression gives rise to a broad inhibition of pro-tumorigenic genes and pathways. In this work we investigated the molecular mechanism at the basis of the antiproliferative potential of the TS-miR-26a by identifying all its targets in prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines using the miRNA pull-out assay. miR-26a was transfected using the appropriate transfectant for each tumor cell lines. Cell proliferation was detected with crystal violet staining. miRNA pull-out assay was performed using biotinylated synthetic version of miR- 26a and the miRNA/target complexes isolated with streptvidine sepharose high performance (GE Health care). RNA-seq was performed with TruSeq stranded total RNA sample preparation kit and sequenced with HiSeq 2000 (Illumina). We rst demonstrated that miR-26a was downregulated in several tumor cell lines (including PCa cell lines). By overexpressing miR-26a in some of these tumor cell lines we established its tumor suppressor activity in that it was able to inhibit cell proliferation. In particular, it was able to affect cell proliferation in both PC-3 and DU-145 PCa cells. To identify the miR-26a targets in PCa, the miRNA pull-out assay was performed in DU-145 cells. Using this approach we were able to isolate the miRNA/target complexes that we sequenced using high-throughput technology. We obtained 1423 transcripts and we found that 85% of them presented canonical miRNA binding sites predicted by more than one predictive algorithms, suggesting that the miRNA/targets isolation was successful. These results were reinforced by the fact that some of the identi ed transcripts were miR-26a targets already validated in other biological contests. Finally, the isolated targets were signi cantly enriched of transcript belonging to biological processes relevant for cancer proliferation. The results indicate that the TS-miRNA pull-out assay protocol may be useful for the identi cation of TS-miRNA targets involved in key anti-tumorigenic processes and for that possible targets for anticancer therapy
Pulling Information from Social Media in the Aftermath of Unpredictable Disasters
Get PDFSocial media have become a primary communication channel among people and are continuously overwhelmed by huge volumes of User Generated Content. This is especially true in the aftermath of unpredictable disasters, when users report facts, descriptions and photos of the unfolding event. This material contains actionable information that can greatly help rescuers to achieve a better response to crises, but its volume and variety render manual processing unfeasible. This paper reports the experience we gained from developing and using a web-enabled system for the online detection and monitoring of unpredictable events such as earthquakes and floods. The system captures selected message streams from Twitter and offers decision support functionalities for acquiring situational awareness from textual content and for quantifying the impact of disasters. The software architecture of the system is described and the approaches adopted for messages filtering, emergency detection and emergency monitoring are discussed. For each module, the results of real-world experiments are reported. The modular design makes the system easy configurable and allowed us to conduct experiments on different crises, including Emilia earthquake in 2012 and Genoa flood in 2014. Finally, some possible functionalities relying on the analysis of multimedia information are introduced
Stereo Visualisation of Historical Aerial Photos - a Valuable Digital Heritage Research Tool
Get PDFWe demonstrate with several examples how historical aerial photos can benefit from being viewed in stereo and how this can be useful as tool in digital heritage research. The main reason why stereo images are important is that they give a much better understanding of what is actually in the scene than single photos can. The important factor is the depth cue that helps understanding the content and adds the ability to distinguish between objects such as houses and trees and the ground as well as estimating heights of objects. There are however still challenges but also possibilities that will be discussed