A basis for estimation of consumption: literature values for selected food volatiles. Part I

This paper is a compilation of quantitative data available on volatile compounds reported so far in 18 food items including some legume, cereals, grapes and cheeses as well as crab, lobster, cocoa and chocolate. No publications reporting quantitative data were found for five of these 18 food products, i.e. sultana grape, broad beans, cassava, oat and rye. About 440 volatile compounds have been assayed globally in the other 13 food products and more than 50% of them were found in grape or in grape juice. Levels of these volatile compounds in the selected foods were generally in the ppb range and less often in the low ppm range. Very high levels were found for some carboxylic acids in cheeses and cocoa and for some alcohols and acids as well as for ethyl acetate in grape juice.     

The canonical processes of a dramatized approach to information presentation

This paper describes the application “Carletto the spider” in terms of the mapping with the canonical processes of media production. “Carletto the spider” is a character-based guide to a historical site and implements the Dramatour approach for the design of drama-based interactive presentations. Dramatization makes presentations more engaging, thus improving the reception of the content by the user. The major technical issue of the approach is the segmentation of the presentation into audiovisual units that are edited on-the-fly in a way that guarantees dramatic continuity while adapting to the user response. We describe the workflow of the application and its mapping to the canonical processes of media production, envisaging possible standardizations for the application portability.     

Assessing landscape preferences: a visual choice experiment in the agricultural region of Märkische Schweiz,Germany

Natural amenities and the aesthetic value of agricultural landscapes are important territorial assets for improving rural tourism and the quality of the living environment. To identify which characteristics shape the visual quality of a landscape, a stated-preference survey was conducted (N = 200) using photorealistic landscape visualisations of four different landscape attributes (point green elements, linear green elements, crop diversity and presence of livestock). We estimated respondents’ preferences for landscape attributes, examined the extent of agreement among respondents and identified socio-economic factors influencing their responses. Results revealed that point elements had the highest general preference. About 70% of respondents preferred diverse and highly structured landscapes, while about 30% of respondents had opposing preferences. Preferences were also found to be dependent on the individual’s sociocultural background, such as their level of education, gender or age. These results can help to improve the multi-objective targeting of policies by including an aesthetic value perspective.     

Optical micro-structures fabricated on top of optical fibers by means of two-photon photopolymerization

In this work we report, for the first time to our knowledge, the possibility to fabricate various structures, with good optical proprieties, on the top of optical fibers, using the two-photon lithography (TPL) technique. We show the convenience of this approach to quickly create generic 3D shapes using a single set-up by contrast to past shape-dependent methods. A set of different structures are fabricated and characterized to demonstrate the versatility of this approach and their high optical quality.     

Learning hierarchical probabilistic logic programs

Machine Learning - Probabilistic logic programming (PLP) combines logic programs and probabilities. Due to its expressiveness and simplicity, it has been considered as a powerful tool for learning...     

Evolution of the Metaponto District,Southern Italy: From Land Reform to New Sustainable Scenarios

In this paper we have represented the economic, environmental and territorial transformation of Metaponto district (southern Italy) generated by the land reform since 1950. The coastal area, once inhospitable and unproductive, through land reform has become a point of development for the entire Basilicata Region. The intensive model of economic development applied to agriculture and tourism today represents the main critical points of high environmental impact. In particular, the great human pressure exerted by economic activities has led to an insufficient capacity of water purification systems in the area and such criticism is amplified in the summer mainly for seaside tourism. In this study we have measured the environmental load exerted on the territory and we have estimated the human pressure on the district in the year 2030 and made proposals for amendments to current patterns of development in the agricultural and tourist sectors.     

Effect of Synthesis and Sintering Conditions on the Thermoelectric Properties of n-Doped Mg2Si

Magnesium silicide (Mg₂Si)-based alloys are promising candidates for thermoelectric (TE) energy conversion in the middle–high temperature range. The detrimental effect of the presence of MgO on the TE properties of Mg₂Si based materials is widely known. For this reason, the conditions used for synthesis and sintering were optimized to limit oxygen contamination. The effect of Bi doping on the TE performance of dense Mg₂Si materials was also investigated. Synthesis was performed by ball milling in an inert atmosphere starting from commercial Mg₂Si powder and Bi powder. The samples were consolidated, by spark plasma sintering, to a density >95%. The morphology, and the composition and crystal structure of samples were characterized by field-emission scanning electronic microscopy and x-ray diffraction, respectively. Moreover, determination of Seebeck coefficients and measurement of electrical and thermal conductivity were performed for all the samples. Mg₂Si with 0.1 mol% Bi doping had a ZT value of 0.81, indicative of the potential of this method for fabrication of n-type bulk material with good TE performance.     

Writing and Functionalisation of Suspended DNA Nanowires on Superhydrophobic Pillar Arrays

Nanowire arrays and networks with precisely controlled patterns are very interesting for innovative device concepts in mesoscopic physics. In particular, DNA templates have proven to be versatile for the fabrication of complex structures that obtained functionality via combinations with other materials, for example by functionalisation with molecules or nanoparticles, or by coating with metals. Here, the controlled motion of the a three‐phase contact line (TCL) of DNA‐loaded drops on superhydrophobic substrates is used to fabricate suspended nanowire arrays. In particular, the deposition of DNA wires is imaged in situ, and different patterns are obtained on hexagonal pillar arrays by controlling the TCL velocity and direction. Robust conductive wires and networks are achieved by coating the wires with a thin layer of gold, and as proof of concept conductivity measurements are performed on single suspended wires. The plastic material of the superhydrophobic pillars ensures electrical isolation from the substrate. The more general versatility of these suspended nanowire networks as functional templates is outlined by fabricating hybrid organic–metal–semiconductor nanowires by growing ZnO nanocrystals onto the metal‐coated nanowires.