The analytic torsion of a disc

In this article, we study the Reidemeister torsion and the analytic torsion of the m dimensional disc, with the Ray and Singer homology basis (Adv Math 7:145-210, 1971). We prove that the Reidemeister torsion coincides with a power of the volume of the disc. We study the additional terms arising in the analytic torsion due to the boundary, using generalizations of the Cheeger-Muller theorem. We use a formula proved by Bruning and Ma (GAFA 16:767-873, 2006) that predicts a new anomaly boundary term beside the known term proportional to the Euler characteristic of the boundary (Luck, J Diff Geom 37:263-322, 1993). Some of our results extend to the case of the cone over a sphere, in particular we evaluate directly the analytic torsion for a cone over the circle and over the two sphere. We compare the results obtained in the low dimensional cases. We also consider a different formula for the boundary term given by Dai and Fang (Asian J Math 4:695-714, 2000), and we compare the results. The results of these work were announced in the study of Hartmann et al. (BUMI 2:529-533, 2009).

Improving gender classification accuracy in the wild

[EN]In this paper, we focus on gender recognition in challenging large scale scenarios. Firstly, we review the literature results achieved for the problem in large datasets, and select the currently hardest dataset: The Images of Groups. Secondly, we study the extraction of features from the face and its local context to improve the recognition accuracy. Diff erent descriptors, resolutions and classfii ers are studied, overcoming previous literature results, reaching an accuracy of 89.8%.

L’impatto degli incentivi sull’efficienza delle imprese manifatturiere

Produttività ed efficienza sono termini comunemente utilizzati per caratterizzare l’abilità di un’impresa nell’utilizzazione delle risorse, sia in ambito privato che pubblico. Entrambi i concetti sono legati da una teoria della produzione che diventa essenziale per la determinazione dei criteri base con i quali confrontare i risultati dell’attività produttiva e i fattori impiegati per ottenerli. D’altronde, le imprese scelgono di produrre e di investire sulla base delle proprie prospettive di mercato e di costi dei fattori. Quest’ultimi possono essere influenzati dalle politiche dello Stato che fornisce incentivi e sussidi allo scopo di modificare le decisioni riguardanti l’allocazione e la crescita delle imprese. In questo caso le stesse imprese possono preferire di non collocarsi nell’equilibrio produttivo ottimo, massimizzando produttività ed efficienza, per poter invece utilizzare tali incentivi. In questo caso gli stessi incentivi potrebbero distorcere quindi l’allocazione delle risorse delle imprese che sono agevolate. L’obiettivo di questo lavoro è quello di valutare attraverso metodologie parametriche e non parametriche se incentivi erogati dalla L. 488/92, la principale politica regionale in Italia nelle regioni meridionali del paese nel periodo 1995-2004, hanno avuto o meno effetti sulla produttività totale dei fattori delle imprese agevolate. Si è condotta una ricognizione rispetto ai principali lavori proposti in letteratura riguardanti la TFP e l’aiuto alle imprese attraverso incentivi al capitale e (in parte) dell’efficienza. La stima della produttività totale dei fattori richiede di specificare una funzione di produzione ponendo l’attenzione su modelli di tipo parametrico che prevedono, quindi, la specificazione di una determinata forma funzionale relativa a variabili concernenti i fattori di produzione. Da questa si è ricavata la Total Factor Productivity utilizzata nell’analisi empirica che è la misura su cui viene valutata l’efficienza produttiva delle imprese. Il campione di aziende è dato dal merge tra i dati della L.488 e i dati di bilancio della banca dati AIDA. Si è provveduto alla stima del modello e si sono approfonditi diversi modelli per la stima della TFP; infine vengono descritti metodi non parametrici (tecniche di matching basate sul propensity score) e metodi parametrici (Diff-In-Diffs) per la valutazione dell’impatto dei sussidi al capitale. Si descrive l’analisi empirica condotta. Nella prima parte sono stati illustrati i passaggi cruciali e i risultati ottenuti a partire dalla elaborazione del dataset. Nella seconda parte, invece, si è descritta la stima del modello per la TFP e confrontate metodologie parametriche e non parametriche per valutare se la politica ha influenzato o meno il livello di TFP delle imprese agevolate.

La sorpresa come fattore critico indicatore di sintonizzazione emotiva in bambini normali e con disturbi pervasivi dello sviluppo

The topic of this study is surprise, re gard as an evolutionary complex process, with manifold implication in different fields, from neurological, since aspecific correlate of surprise exist more or less at every level of neuronal processes (e.g. Rao e Ballard, 1999.), to behavioral , inasmuch a s our ability to quickly valuate(assess), recognize and learn from surprising events, are be regarded as pivotal for survival (e.g. Ranganath e Rainer, 2003). In particular this work, going from belief that surprise is really a psychoevolutive mechanism of primary relevance, has the objective to investigate if there may be a substantial connection between development of surprise' emotion and specific developmental problems, or, if in subjects with pervasive developmental disorders surprise may embody (represent) a essential mechanism of emotional tuning, and consequently if abnormalities in such process may be at the base of at least a part of cognitive and behavioural problems that determine (describe) this pathology. Theoretical reasons lead us to conside r this particular pathologic condition, recall to a broad area of research concern the comprehension of belief as marker of ability to reasons about mental states of others (i.e. Theory of Mind), and in addition, at the detection of specific subjects' diff iculty in this field. On the experimental side, as well as limited of this work, we have to compare comprehension and expression of surprise in a sample of 21 children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), with a sample of 35 children without deve lopmental problems, in a range of age 3-12. Method After the customary approach to become friendly with the child, an experimenter and an accomplice showed three boxes of nuts, easily to distinguish one from the other because of their different colours an d , working together with the child, the contents of one of the boxes were replaced and a different material (macaroni, pebbles) was put in the box. for the purpose of preparing a surprise for someone. At this stage, the accomplice excused himself/herself and left and the experimenter suggested to the child that he prepare another surprise, replacing the contents in the second box. When the accomplice came back, the child was asked to prepare a surprise for him by picking out the box that he thought was the right one for the purpose. After, and the child doesn't know it, the accomplice change the content of one of the boxes with candies and asked out to the children to open the box, in order to see if he show surprise. Result Date have obtain a significant difference between autistic and normal group, in all four tests. The expression of surprise too, is present in significantly lower degree in autistic group than in control group. Moreover, autistic children do not provide appropriate metarappresentative explanations. Conclusion Our outcome, with knowledge of the limit of our investigation at an experimental level (low number of the champions, no possibility of video registration to firm the expressions ) orient to consider eventuality that surprise, may be seen as relevant component, or indicative, in autistic spectrum disorders.

Un concetto innovativo di limitatore di corrente di guasto superconduttivo

The thesis topic concerns the limitation of fault current high temperature superconducting (HTS), reported in scientific literature by the acronym HTSFCL (High Temperature Superconducting Fault Current Limiter) or more commonly with SFCL. These devices, at least in their ideal concept, turn on limiting short-circuit current only when the event of failure occurs, and are transparent to the network during normal operating conditions. The thesis is therefore focused on the study of diff�erent types of SFCL and results in the production of a new and original concept of superconducting limiter, called "DC Resistive SFCL". It has designed and patented in the Department of Electrical Engineering University of Bologna. The author and ing. Antonio Morandi (tutor) are the inventors. The objective of the thesis is therefore to propose a type of SFCL which may have the potential to be a viable economic solution as well as technique. The innovative concept of DC Resistive SFCL device, in fact, provides a DC operating conditions for the used superconducting (SC). It allows the use of cryogen-free solutions for cooling system and the exploitation of cheap SC materials (MgB2), both of reality are already commercially existing and indeed precluded by the types of SFCL which provides an AC operating conditions for the used SC material.

Verso una teoria delle differenze tra documenti semi-strutturati

I sistemi di versionamento moderni quali "git" o "svn" sono ad oggi basati su svariati algoritmi di analisi delle differenze (detti algoritmi di diffing) tra documenti (detti versioni). Uno degli algoritmi impiegati con maggior successo a tal proposito è il celebre "diff" di Unix. Tale programma è in grado di rilevare le modifiche necessarie da apportare ad un documento al fine di ottenerne un altro in termini di aggiunta o rimozione di linee di testo. L'insieme di tali modifiche prende nome di "delta". La crescente richiesta e applicazione dei documenti semi-strutturati (ed in particolar modo dei documenti XML) da parte della comunità informatica soprattutto in ambito web ha motivato la ricerca di algoritmi di diffing più raffinati che operino al meglio su tale tipologia di documenti. Svariate soluzioni di successo sono state discusse; algoritmi ad alte prestazioni capaci di individuare differenze più sottili della mera aggiunta o rimozione di testo quali il movimento di interi nodi, il loro riordinamento finanche il loro incapsulamento e così via. Tuttavia tali algoritmi mancano di versatilità. L'incapsulamento di un nodo potrebbe essere considerata una differenza troppo (o troppo poco) generale o granulare in taluni contesti. Nella realtà quotidiana ogni settore, pubblico o commerciale, interessato a rilevare differenze tra documenti ha interesse nell'individuarne sempre e soltanto un sottoinsieme molto specifico. Si pensi al parlamento italiano interessato all'analisi comparativa di documenti legislativi piuttosto che ad un ospedale interessato alla diagnostica relativa alla storia clinica di un paziente. Il presente elaborato di tesi dimostra come sia possibile sviluppare un algoritmo in grado di rilevare le differenze tra due documenti semi-strutturati (in termini del più breve numero di modifiche necessarie per trasformare l'uno nell'altro) che sia parametrizzato relativamente alle funzioni di trasformazione operanti su tali documenti. Vengono discusse le definizioni essenziali ed i principali risultati alla base della teoria delle differenze e viene dimostrato come assunzioni più blande inducano la non calcolabilità dell'algoritmo di diffing in questione.

A universal delta model

This thesis presents a universal model of documents and deltas. This model formalize what it means to find differences between documents and to shows a single shared formalization that can be used by any algorithm to describe the differences found between any kind of comparable documents. The main scientific contribution of this thesis is a universal delta model that can be used to represent the changes found by an algorithm. The main part of this model are the formal definition of changes (the pieces of information that records that something has changed), operations (the definitions of the kind of change that happened) and deltas (coherent summaries of what has changed between two documents). The fundamental mechanism tha makes the universal delta model a very expressive tool is the use of encapsulation relations between changes. In the universal delta model, changes are not always simple records of what has changed, they can also be combined into more complex changes that reflects the detection of more meaningful modifications. In addition to the main entities (i.e., changes, operations and deltas), the model describes and defines also documents and the concept of equivalence between documents. As a corollary to the model, there is also an extensible catalog of possible operations that algorithms can detect, used to create a common library of operations, and an UML serialization of the model, useful as a reference when implementing APIs that deal with deltas. The universal delta model presented in this thesis acts as the formal groundwork upon which algorithm can be based and libraries can be implemented. It removes the need to recreate a new delta model and terminology whenever a new algorithm is devised. It also alleviates the problems that toolmakers have when adapting their software to new diff algorithms.

Studio di un algoritmo per confrontare documenti xml

Tesi sullo studio di algoritmi per il confronto di documenti XML, panoramica sui vari algoritmi. Focalizzazione sull'algoritmo NDiff e in particolare sulla gestione degli attributi.

The Subgingival Microbiota in older subjects. Impact of Chlorhexidine Rinsing

Background: Periodontitis and caries are common diseases in older adults. Aims: To test if rinsing with chlorhexidine over five years has an impact on the subgingival microbiota. Methods: In a double blind randomized five years chlorhexidine rinse study clinical oral data and subgingival plaque samples were analyzed by the checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method. Results: At year 5 subject mean age was 71.2 years (S.D. + 4.1) (56.2% women). Only in subjects with no bone loss did the chlorhexidine rinse group subjects presented with lower total bacterial (DNA) counts (mean diff: 63.1 (x105), S.E diff + 30.1 (x105), 95%CI: 0.8 to 120.5 (x105), p<0.05) [(i.e.Lactobacillus acidophilicus (p<0.05) , Streptococcus oralis (p<0.05), Eikenella. corrodens (p< 0.05), C. gracilis (p<0.01), F.nucl.sp. nucleatum (p< 0.02), Fusobacterium nucl. sp. polymorphum (p<0.02), Neisseria mucosa (p<0.02), Leptothrichia buccalis (p<0.02), and Selenomonas noxia (p<0.050)]. Higher bacterial loads were found for the green (p<0.05), yellow (streptococci spp) (p<0.01), and the ‘other' complexes (p<0.01). Conclusions: Independent of probing pocket depth, older subjects carry a large variety of bacteria associated with periodontitis. The oral microbiota in older subjects is linked to alveolar bone loss and not to probing depth. Chlorhexidine may provide a benefit in preventing periodontitis in older persons.

Modeling of transfer kinetics at the serum-cerebrospinal fluid barrier in rabbits with experimental meningitis: application to grepafloxacin

The goals of the present study were to model the population kinetics of in vivo influx and efflux processes of grepafloxacin at the serum-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier and to propose a simulation-based approach to optimize the design of dose-finding trials in the meningitis rabbit model. Twenty-nine rabbits with pneumococcal meningitis receiving grepafloxacin at 15 mg/kg of body weight (intravenous administration at 0 h), 30 mg/kg (at 0 h), or 50 mg/kg twice (at 0 and 4 h) were studied. A three-compartment population pharmacokinetic model was fit to the data with the program NONMEM (Nonlinear Mixed Effects Modeling). Passive diffusion clearance (CL(diff)) and active efflux clearance (CL(active)) are transfer kinetic modeling parameters. Influx clearance is assumed to be equal to CL(diff), and efflux clearance is the sum of CL(diff), CL(active), and bulk flow clearance (CL(bulk)). The average influx clearance for the population was 0.0055 ml/min (interindividual variability, 17%). Passive diffusion clearance was greater in rabbits receiving grepafloxacin at 15 mg/kg than in those treated with higher doses (0.0088 versus 0.0034 ml/min). Assuming a CL(bulk) of 0.01 ml/min, CL(active) was estimated to be 0.017 ml/min (11%), and clearance by total efflux was estimated to be 0.032 ml/min. The population kinetic model allows not only to quantify in vivo efflux and influx mechanisms at the serum-CSF barrier but also to analyze the effects of different dose regimens on transfer kinetic parameters in the rabbit meningitis model. The modeling-based approach also provides a tool for the simulation and prediction of various outcomes in which researchers might be interested, which is of great potential in designing dose-finding trials.

Carbon stocks, tree diversity, and the role of organic certification in different cocoa production systems in Alto Beni, Bolivia

This study compares aboveground and belowground carbon stocks and tree diversity in different cocoa cultivation systems in Bolivia: monoculture, simple agroforestry, and successional agroforestry, as well as fallow as a control. Since diversified, agroforestry-based cultivation systems are often considered important for sustainable development, we also evaluated the links between carbon stocks and tree diversity, as well as the role of organic certification in transitioning from monoculture to agroforestry. Biomass, tree diversity, and soil physiochemical parameters were sampled in 15 plots measuring 48 × 48 m. Semi-structured interviews with 52 cocoa farmers were used to evaluate the role of organic certification and farmers’ organizations (e.g., cocoa cooperatives) in promoting tree diversity. Total carbon stocks in simple agroforestry systems (128.4 ± 20 Mg ha−1) were similar to those on fallow plots (125.2 ± 10 Mg ha−1). Successional agroforestry systems had the highest carbon stocks (143.7 ± 5.3 Mg ha−1). Monocultures stored significantly less carbon than all other systems (86.3 ± 4.0 Mg ha−1, posterior probability P(Diff > 0) of 0.000–0.006). Among shade tree species, Schizolobium amazonicum, Centrolobium ochroxylum, and Anadenanthera sp. accumulated the most biomass. High-value timber species (S. amazonicum, C. ochroxylum, Amburana cearensis, and Swietenia macrophylla) accounted for 22.0 % of shade tree biomass. The Shannon index and tree species richness were highest in successional agroforestry systems. Cocoa plots on certified organic farms displayed significantly higher tree species richness than plots on non-certified farms. Thus, expanding the coverage of organic farmers’ organizations may be an effective strategy for fostering transitions from monoculture to agroforestry systems.

Strategy and Action Plan for Sustainable Land Management in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai Mountains

This Strategy and Action Plan was written within the framework of the project on Sustainable Land Management in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai Mountains (PALM). PALM is an integrated transboundary initiative of the governments of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan. It aims to address the interlinked problems of land degradation and poverty within a region that is one of Central Asia’s crucial sources of freshwater and a location of biodiversity hotspots. The project is executed by the Committee on Environment Protection in Tajikistan and the National Center for Mountain Regions Development in Kyrgyzstan, with fi nancial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other donors. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the GEF Implementing Agency for the project, and the United Nations University (UNU) is the International Executing Agency. This Strategy and Action Plan integrates the work of three main teams of experts, namely the Pamir-Alai Transboundary Strategy and Action Plan (PATSAP) team, the Legal Task Forces, and a team of Natural Disaster Risk specialists. The PATSAP team was coordinated by the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Switzerland. The Legal Task Force was led by the Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law of the University of New England (UNE), and responsibility for the Natural Disaster Risk assessment was with the Central- Asian Institute of Applied Geosciences (CAIAG) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The development of the strategy took place from June 2009 to October 2010. The activities included fi eld study tours for updating the information base with fi rst-hand information from the local level, coordination meetings with actors from the region, and two multi-level stakeholder forums conducted in Khorog and Osh to identify priorities and to collect ideas for concrete action plans. The baseline information collected for the Strategy and Action Plan has been compiled by the experts and made available as reports1. A joint multi-level stakeholder forum was conducted in Jirgitol, Tajikistan, for in-depth discussion of the transboundary aspects. In August 2010, the draft Strategy and Action Plan was distributed among local, national, and international actors for consultation, and their comments were discussed at feedback forums in Khorog and Bishkek. This Strategy and Action Plan is intended as a recommendation. Nevertheless, it proposes concrete mechanisms for implementing the proposed sustainable land management (SLM) activities: The Regional Natural Resources Governance Framework provides the legal and policy concepts, principles, and regulatory requirements needed to create an enabling environment for SLM in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai region at the transboundary, national, and local levels. The priority directions outlined provide a framework for the elaboration of rayon-level strategies and for strategies on specifi c topics (forestry, livestock, etc.), as well as for further development of government programmes and international projects. The action plans may serve as a pool of concrete ideas, which can be taken up by diff erent institutions and in smaller or larger projects. Finally, this document provides a basis for the elaboration and signing of targeted cooperation agreements on land use and management between the leaders of Osh oblast (Kyrgyz Republic), Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, and Jirgitol rayon (Republic of Tajikistan).

Induction of autophagy is a key component of all-trans-retinoic acid-induced differentiation in leukemia cells and a potential target for pharmacologic modulation

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by the accumulation of immature blood cell precursors in the bone marrow. Pharmacologically overcoming the differentiation block in this condition is an attractive therapeutic avenue, which has achieved success only in a subtype of AML, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Attempts to emulate this success in other AML subtypes have thus far been unsuccessful. Autophagy is a conserved protein degradation pathway with important roles in mammalian cell differentiation, particularly within the hematopoietic system. In the study described here, we investigated the functional importance of autophagy in APL cell differentiation. We found that autophagy is increased during all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA)-induced granulocytic differentiation of the APL cell line NB4 and that this is associated with increased expression of LC3II and GATE-16 proteins involved in autophagosome formation. Autophagy inhibition, using either drugs (chloroquine/3-methyladenine) or short-hairpin RNA targeting the essential autophagy gene ATG7, attenuates myeloid differentiation. Importantly, we found that enhancing autophagy promotes ATRA-induced granulocytic differentiation of an ATRA-resistant derivative of the non-APL AML HL60 cell line (HL60-Diff-R). These data support the development of strategies to stimulate autophagy as a novel approach to promote differentiation in AML.

Geschlechtsspezifische Berufswünsche und Ausbildungsentscheidungen

Dass es geschlechtstypische Berufe gibt, und dass die Berufsaspirationen und die Wahl der Berufsausbildung nach der Pflichtschulzeit zwischen den Geschlechtern deutlich differieren, ist eine vielfach empirisch belegte Tatsache. Diese geschlechtstypische Segregation bei der Berufswahl und der zum ausgewählten Beruf führenden schulischen und beruflichen Ausbildung wird bei der Erklärung oftmals (pauschal) auf die geschlechtsspezifische Sozialisation und darin vermittelte Geschlechterstereotype zurückgeführt. Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden aus strukturell-individualistischer Sicht Mechanismen der geschlechtstypischen Berufsaspiration und Berufsbildungsentscheidung beschrieben, die theoriegeleitet empirisch aufgedeckt werden sollen. Für die Analysen werden Daten der drei Wellen des DAB-Panels verwendet, die für die Deutschschweiz Informationen von 203 Schulklassen mit rund 3.300 Schülerinnen und Schüler zur Verfügung stellen. Mittels dieser Paneldaten wird für Jugendliche der Deutschschweiz gezeigt, dass der sozioökonomische Status des Elternhauses, das damit einhergehende Motiv des intergenerationalen Statuserhalts sowie der Lebenslaufplanungen wichtige Beiträge zur Erklärung der Segregation der Berufswahl nach Geschlecht liefern. Diese mit dem Sozialstatus des Elternhauses verbundenen Mechanismen sind weitaus einflussreicher als die geschlechtsspezifische Sozialisation.

Host risk factors for rifamycin-resistant clostridium difficile infection: A case control study

Objective. To evaluate the host risk factors associated with rifamycin-resistant Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection in hospitalized patients compared to rifamycin-susceptible C.diff infection.^ Background. C. diff is the most common definable cause of nosocomial diarrhea affecting elderly hospitalized patients taking antibiotics for prolonged durations. The epidemiology of Clostridium difficile associated disease is now changing with the reports of a new hypervirulent strain causing hospital outbreaks. This new strain is associated with increased disease severity and mortality. The conventional therapy for C. diff includes metronidazole and vancomycin but high recurrence rates and treatment failures are now becoming a major concern. Rifamycin antibiotics are being developed as a new therapeutic option to treat C. diff infection after their efficacy was established in a few in vivo and in vitro studies. There are some recent studies that report an association between the hypervirulent strain and emerging rifamycin resistance. These findings assess the need for clinical studies to better understand the efficacy of rifamycin drugs against C. diff.^ Methods. This is a hospital-based, matched case-control study using de-identified data drawn from two prospective cohort studies involving C. diff patients at St Luke's Hospital. The C. diff isolates from these patients are screened for rifamycin resistance using agar dilution methods for minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) as part of Dr Zhi-Dong Jiang's study. Twenty-four rifamycin-rifamycin resistant C. diff cases were identified and matched with one rifamycin susceptible C. diff control on the basis of ± 10 years of age and hospitalization 30 days before or after the case. De-identified data for the 48 subjects was obtained from Dr Kevin Garey's clinical study at St Luke's Hospital enrolling C. diff patients. It was reviewed to gather information about host risk factors, outcome variables and relevant clinical characteristic.^ Results. Medical diagnosis at the time of admission (p = 0.0281) and history of chemotherapy (p = 0.022) were identified as a significant risk factor while hospital stay ranging from 1 week to 1 month and artificial feeding were identified as an important outcome variable (p = 0.072 and p = 0.081 respectively). Horn's Index assessing the severity of underlying illness and duration of antibiotics for cases and controls showed no significant difference.^ Conclusion. The study was a small project designed to identify host risk factors and understand the clinical implications of rifamycin-resistance. The study was underpowered and a larger sample size is needed to validate the results.^