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Investments in infrastructure development are considered a key for economic growth, but their impact on well-being of rural populations is controversial. We propose an agent-based model to study the impact that water canals and electric grid development have on the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus in a rural area. The analysis addresses the effects of hydropower infrastructure construction on basic needs satisfaction show the emergence of a competition for land between rural communities and water and energy sectors. Environmental heterogeneity is found to play a critical role, because physical exclusion and economic constraints may reduce the benefits of new service access for some intended beneficiares. These results have implications for government planning processes, as they emphasize the potential for infrastructure to cause appreciable, even if unintended, harm to local rural communities. The use of agent-based analysis like that presented here, can help to minimize unintended consequences and to inform compensation policies.

Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) are valuable research tools in nutritional epidemiology. This study aimed to develop and validate a new semi-quantitative FFQ, specifically designed for the Italian population and best fitted for self-administration. During the development process, we adapted to Italian needs the validated FFQ proposed by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, revising food items, food frequency scale, portion sizes, and time frame. To assess the validity of the proposed FFQ, we compared the estimated daily intake using FFQ with the mean of 3-day food diaries and one 24-hour recall (considered as reference method). The validation process was conducted among a cohort of 51 healthy subjects enrolled in a clinical trial. Four statistical tests were applied on 23 estimated nutrient intakes. Spearman's coefficients ranged from 0.223 (sodium) to 0.748 (alcohol) and were good (≥0.50) and acceptable (0.20-0.49) for 7 and 16 nutrients, respectively. Cross classification showed a good agreement (≥50% in the same tertile or ≤10% in the opposite tertile) for 7 nutrients. The weighted Cohen's kappa values indicated an acceptable outcome (0.20-0.60) for 13 nutrients. Bland Altman plots did not show heteroscedasticity in the error terms, despite the presence of a bias. Our study provided a new Italian semi-quantitative FFQ for self-administration with an acceptable validation level. Its definitive release requires additional refinements and efforts.

Honey bees play an important role in the maintenance of both, biodiversity and food security through pollination services and also represent an important source of income for rural areas. Despite several studies and monitoring projects gathering a large amount of data on the main factors/stressors influencing honey bee colonies, there is a lack of holistic and multidimensional statistical tools integrating different aspects which define honey bee colony health. Such tools are important to support the sustainable management of honey bees. In this study, we designed and tested a methodological framework based on Structural Equation Models for the development of a honey bee Health Status Index. The index accounts for the main abiotic (e.g. pesticide contamination, landscape characteristics) and biotic (e.g. parasitosis, virosis) factors influencing honey bee health, including the beekeepers role in managing the colony. The proposed methodology was validated against a dataset representing seven scenarios generated through Expert Knowledge Elicitation. The validation procedure showed that the Health Status Index integrates different sources of data and it can quantify the health status of a honey bee colony based on the characteristics of each scenario. Furthermore, it allows the investigation of the influence of different drivers/stressors on the health of the honey bee colony. The Health Status Index provides flexibility in the selection of variables, making it a valuable tool for holistic and harmonised assessment of honey bee health. Once validated, the index can support the evaluation at different spatial (from local- to area-wide management) and temporal (medium- to long-term management) scales to support stakeholders’ (e.g. beekeepers, risk assessors, risk managers) decision-making.

In the light of an increment of the safety of CFRP components and systems subjected to low-velocity impacts, the identification of a damage onset threshold is desired. Hence the suitability of an analytical model for the estimation of the critical load of delamination onset, as well as, an approximation of the load-displacement curve, has been investigated. Starting from the Olsson's analytical model, available in the literature, a new model has been developed for the prediction of the mechanical behaviour of composite laminates subjected to low-velocity impacts, following a dynamic approach and taking into account stiffness degradation. The performances of the new model have been compared with results of an experimental impact testing program, showing good agreement with the data and significant improvements when compared with the Olsson's model.

Reproduction is a fundamental process for the species maintenance and the propagation of genetic information. The energy expenditure for mating is overtaken by motivational stimuli, such as orgasm, finely regulated by steroid hormones, gonadotropins, neurotransmitters and molecules acting in the brain and peripheral organs. These functions are often investigated using animal models and translated to humans, where the androgens action is mediated by nuclear and membrane receptors converging in the regulation of both long-term genomic and rapid non-genomic signals. In both sexes, testosterone is a central player of this game and is involved in the regulation of sexual desire and arousal, and, finally, in reproduction through cognitive and peripheral physiological mechanisms which may decline with aging and circadian disruption. Finally, genetic variations impact on reproductive behaviours, resulting in sex-specific effect and different reproductive strategies. In this review, androgen actions on sexual desire are evaluated, focusing on the molecular levels of interaction.

Arsenic (As) groundwater contamination is common yet spatially heterogeneous within most environments. It is therefore necessary to measure As concentrations to determine whether a water source is safe to drink. Measurement of As in the field involves using a test strip that changes color in the presence of As. These tests are relatively inexpensive, but results are subjective and provide binned categorical data rather than exact determinations of As concentration. The goal of this work was to determine if photos of field kit test strips taken on mobile phone cameras could be used to extract more precise, continuous As concentrations. As concentrations for 376 wells sampled from Araihazar, Bangladesh were analyzed using ICP-MS, field kit and the new mobile phone photo method. Results from the field and lab indicate that normalized RGB color data extracted from images were able to accurately predict As concentrations as measured by ICP-MS, achieving detection limits of 9.2μg/L, and 21.9μg/L for the lab and field respectively. Data analysis is most consistent in the laboratory, but can successfully be carried out offline following image analysis, or on the mobile phone using basic image analysis software. The accuracy of the field method was limited by variability in image saturation, and variation in the illumination spectrum (lighting) and camera response. This work indicates that mobile phone cameras can be used as an analytical tool for quantitative measures of As and could change how water samples are analyzed in the field more widely, and that modest improvements in the consistency of photographic image collection and processing could yield measurements that are both accurate and precise.

Introduction This study aimed to evaluate the time required for bone marrow–derived cells (BMDCs) from transgenic green fluorescent protein (GFP)+ donor mice (GFP+ mice) to migrate into the dental pulp of wild-type GFP– recipient mice (GFP– mice) by using bone marrow transplantation (BMT) as an in vivo model for tracking BMDCs from GFP+ mice (GFP+ BMDCs). Methods GFP+ BMDCs were injected into irradiated GFP– mice. Maxillary arches, tibiae, and femora from GFP– mice were isolated and processed at 24 hours, 48 hours, 4, 7, and 14 days, and 7 weeks after BMT. Confocal laser microscopy analyses were performed to assess the presence of GFP+ BMDCs in the dental pulp, and flow cytometry of BM was performed to confirm the efficiency of engraftment of GFP+ BMDCs. Results Confocal laser microscopy analyses evidenced the presence of GFP+ BMDCs in the dental pulp of GFP– mice from 14 days to 7 weeks after BMT. There was no presence of GFP+ BMDCs at 24 hours, 48 hours, 4 days, and 7 days. Flow cytometry of the BM of GFP– mice demonstrated a constant increase in the presence of GFP+ BMDCs at 24 hours, 48 hours, and 4 days after BMT, which stabilized from 7 days to 7 weeks. Conclusions The study demonstrated the presence of GFP+ BMDCs in the dental pulp from 14 days to 7 weeks after BMT and the feasibility of using GFP+ animals and BMT as an in vivo model for tracking GFP+ BMDCs.

Honey bee colonies are fundamental for the provision of goods and ecosystem services. Honey bees are highly influenced by environmental conditions and quality, beekeepers’ management practices, socio-economic conditions and policies adopted for cropping and land use. We propose a modelling framework aiming at assessing the bee health status and forecast colony outputs. Two modelling tools are here presented: (i) a Health Status Index (HSI) exploring the consequences of abiotic, biotic drivers and beekeeping actions on bee health; and (ii) predictive models for the estimation of honey production and the provision of pollination service considering abiotic, biotic drivers and HSI. The models proposed represent useful tools for science-based decision support for beekeepers, risk managers and policymakers.

In recent decades, the interest of the manufacturing industry towards additive manufacturing techniques has increased considerably. Speed and ease of implementation are just some of the factors that helped making this type of production one of the most developed in the world, considering also the possibility of creating complex geometries. The present research uses of a series of Al A357 specimens produced by SLM method. The experimental measurements on a first geometry have been used to calibrate the ductile damage model implemented in the FE code. The material model is based on both classical incremental model of plastic response with isotropic hardening and phenomenological concept of damage in continuum mechanic. The result of the calibration process was verified through the comparison of FE simulation of reticular specimens with the measured experimental response. Comparison between experimental data and numerical results will be discussed.

Several controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) protocols have been developed to increase the yield of mature oocytes retrieved in assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs). The ovarian reserve (OR) influences the COS response, and it represents the main parameter that helps clinicians in refining clinical treatments in the perspective of a "personalized" ART. This approach is even more needed in particular conditions such as poor OR or polycystic ovary syndrome. Follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and human chorionic gonadotropin are currently used in COS at different combinations and with different efficacies, even if the best approach definition is controversial. Differences in individual-specific ovarian response to gonadotropin stimulation can be due to alterations of genes encoding for hormones or their receptors. In particular, FSHB c.-211G>T, FSHR p.Asn680Ser, and c.-29G>A SNP allelic combinations may be used as OR and COS response markers. The purpose of this review is to highlight the evidence-based relevance of mutations and polymorphisms in gonadotropins and their receptor genes as predictive markers of OR and COS response to achieve fine-tuned therapeutic regimens.

In this paper we report on the single stage deposition of CuInxGa1−xSe2 (CIGS)-based bifacial solar cells on glass coated with Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (FTO) or Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) by single-stage low-temperature (250 °C) pulsed electron deposition (LTPED). We show that the mechanism of Sodium incorporation during the low-temperature deposition of CIGS on both FTO and ITO leads to the formation of a stable n+/p+ ohmic tunnel junction and photovoltaic efficiencies exceeding 14% can be obtained without any intentional bandgap grading of CIGS. The significant degradation of the cell fill factor with decreasing CIGS thickness is found to be related to the presence of craters left behind by micro-fragments of CIGS target, which are weakly incorporated in the film during the LTPED growth and removed during the subsequent process steps. Evidence is also presented that the low-temperature deposition of CIGS on ITO leads to the formation of a Ga-rich CIGS layer at the interface and to an unintentional compositional grading propagating towards the active region of the solar cells. The defects associated with this grading may be responsible for the loss in FF and Voc with respect to the cells deposited on FTO and Mo back contacts.

The study explores complex non-linear decisions in land use allocation, focusing on the competition between cash and food crops. We develop an agent-based model to investigate whether the decision to opt for eucalyptus plantation is a rational choice in the perspective of different farmer types. We analyse the negative externalities (i.e. allelopathic effects) caused by the presence of eucalyptus on the productivity of neighbouring plots and the possible spill-over effects. The findings demonstrate that cultivation of eucalyptus as a cash crop may improve the rural populations' well-being only if there are no physical and economical constraints on access to food and services. The model shows that the allelopathic characteristics of eucalyptus strongly affect the soil fertility, inhibiting the possibility to switch to food crops in the future. In addition, the results of policy scenario simulations indicate that government environmental policies can play a key-role in improving awareness of the ecological effects of eucalyptus plantation on soil fertility in fragile socio-economic contexts characterized by high ecological vulnerability.

Decisions on capital intensive hydrological infrastructure, including dams and canal-fed irrigation schemes, may have non-trivial effects on the behaviour and, ultimately, the well-being of local communities. We propose an interdisciplinary agent-based model to deepen the understanding of the impact of hydropower infrastructure investment on the water-energy-food nexus of local rural communities, focusing on food security in the context of a moderately sized hydropower and irrigation development in a developing country. The paper explicitly formalises the decision processes and the interactions between rural villages, districts and national governments in hierarchical and peer-topeer networks. The findings capture the consequences of the arising competition for water and land between new dam construction and local agricultural production. Results demonstrate that these dynamics can be further exacerbated by demographic pressures and climate change, leading to unsustainable consumption levels. However, these effects could be mitigated by prevention-oriented governmental policies such as investments in best practices and technological innovation, or by updating diet preferences, such increasing the consumption of food commodities with more efficient production.

Physiologically based demographic models are important tools for the development of sustainable pest management as they can realistically describe the spatio-temporal dynamics of population abundance as function of environmental forcing variables, e.g. temperature and resource availability. The physiological based model presented here is based on a stochastic demographic model for a stage-structured population that has application to a wide range of species across different taxa. The species life-history strategies are described in terms of a set of biodemographic rate functions dependent from the biological characteristics of the species and their environmental driver variables. Model application required parameter estimation of the biodemographic rate functions at two levels: assessing physiological responses at the per capita level and/or using population time series data for rate functions estimation. To explore the usefulness of the modelling framework in pest management, we consider the case study of the grape berry moth Lobesia botrana, a major pest in European vineyard. Most of the model parameters were estimated from data in the literature. An unpublished dataset of population dynamics collected in a vineyard in the Veneto region (Italy) over three years was used to estimate the mortality function. Model validation was performed with a set of independent data. Model simulations provided realistic trajectories of population dynamics obtained with a limited dataset of initial conditions. The suitability of the model as a tool for decision support for grape berry moth management is discussed.

In this study, a comparison between Al-doped ZnO (AZO) as Transparent Conductive Oxide for Cu(In,Ga)Se-2-based solar cells grown by Pulsed Electron Deposition (PED) and Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering (RFMS) was performed. PED yielded polycrystalline [002] mono-oriented thin films with low electrical resistivity and high optical transparency with heater temperatures ranging from room temperature (RT) to 250 degrees C. The electrical resistivity of these films can be tuned by varying the heater temperature, reaching a minimum value of 3.5 x 10(-4) Omega cm at 150 degrees C and an average transmittance over 90% in the visible range. An AZO film grown at RT was deposited by PED on an actual Cu(In,Ga)Se-2-based solar cell, resulting to an efficiency value of 15.2% on the best device. This result clearly shows that PED is a suitable technique for growing ZnO-based thin films for devices/applications where low deposition temperature is required. On the other hand, an optimized AZO thin film front contact for thin film solar cells was studied and fabricated via RFMS. The parameters of this technique were tweaked to obtain highly conductive and transparent AZO thin films. The lowest resistivity value of 3.7 x 10(-4) Omega cm and an average transmittance of 86% in the 400-1100 nm wavelength range was obtained with a heater temperature of 250 degrees C. A thick sputtered AZO film was deposited at RT onto an identical cell used for PED-grown AZO, reaching the highest conversion efficiency value of 14.7%. In both cases, neither antireflection coatings nor pure ZnO layer was used. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In this paper, modified Mohr Coulomb (MMC) and Lemaitre׳s damage model have been calibrated for a Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy. A large uniaxial and multiaxial experimental program has been carried out on round, flat, smooth and notched, specimens. All experimental tests have been numerically reproduced adopting finite element models: most of the tests have been used to define the material parameters for the investigated damage models, exploiting an inverse method; some selected tests have been used to validate the calibrated damage criteria. Specifically, after the calibration stage, the capability of the material models to be transferred to a different and more critical scenario (high triaxiality and strain gradient) has been investigated by means of a three point bending test on a notched specimen. Moreover, in the paper, the advantages and drawbacks of Lemaitre׳s continuum damage mechanics (CDM) and MMC approaches have been addressed and discussed. Furthermore, a metallographic analysis using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) has been carried out and images of the specimen׳s fracture surface have been acquired in order to investigate the potential different fracture mechanisms, depending on the stress state.

Sandwich panels are used in industrial fields where lightness and energy absorption capabilities are required. In order to increase their exploitation, a wide knowledge of their mechanical behavior also in severe loading conditions is crucial. Light structures such as the one studied in the present work, sandwich panels with aluminum skins and Nomex ™ honeycomb core, are exposed to a possible decrease of their structural integrity, resulting from a low velocity impact. In order to quantitatively describe the decrease of the sandwich mechanical performance after an impact, an experimental program of compression after impact tests (CAI) has been performed. Sandwich panel specimens have been damaged during a low velocity impact test phase, using an experimental apparatus based on a free fall mass tower. Different experimental impact energies have been tested. Damaged and undamaged specimens have been consequently tested adopting a compression after impact procedure. The relation between the residual strength of the panel and the possible relevant parameters has been statistically investigated. The results show a clear reduction of the residual strength of the damaged panels compared with undamaged ones. Nevertheless, a reduced dependency between the impact energy and the residual strength is found above a certain impact energy threshold.