Lachancea thermotolerans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in simultaneous and sequential co-fermentation: A strategy to enhance acidity and improve the overall quality of wine

In the last few years there is an increasing interest on the use of mixed fermentation of Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces wine yeasts for inoculation of wine fermentations to enhance the quality and improve complexity of wines. In the present work Lachancea (Kluyveromyces) thermotolerans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were evaluated in simultaneous and sequential fermentation with the aim to enhance acidity and improve the quality of wine.     

The Social Life of Wireless Urban Spaces: Internet Use,Social Networks,and the Public Realm

This study explores the role of urban public spaces for democratic and social engagement. It examines the impact of wireless Internet use on urban public spaces, Internet users, and others who inhabit these spaces. Through observations of 7 parks, plazas, and markets in 4 North American cities, and surveys of wireless Internet users in those sites, we explore how this new technology is related to processes of social interaction, privatism, and democratic engagement. Findings reveal that Internet use within public spaces affords interactions with existing acquaintances that are more diverse than those associated with mobile phone use. However, the level of colocated social diversity to which Internet users are exposed is less than that of most users of these spaces. Yet, online activities in public spaces do contribute to broader participation in the public sphere. Internet connectivity within public spaces may contribute to higher overall levels of democratic and social engagement than what is afforded by exposure within similar spaces free of Internet connectivity.     

Non-contact intrawall penetrating radar for heritage survey: the search of the ‘Battle of Anghiari’ by Leonardo da Vinci

In this paper a high-frequency large-bandwidth synthetic aperture penetrating radar intended for the inspection of masonry walls, and its application to intrawall investigation of an important Heritage structure in Florence, Italy, are described. The radar system has been conceived and designed for non-contact operation, in particular for allowing walls covered by paintings to be inspected avoiding damages to the surface artworks. The radar signal was a Continuous-Wave Step-Frequency (CW-SF) waveform, sampling a 4 GHz bandwidth at 10 GHz center frequency, thus providing relatively high resolution images of the investigated structures. Cross-range resolution is provided by applying a synthetic aperture approach, obtained by mechanically moving the radar antenna along a 2 m length aperture. In order to assess the radar performances and its detection capability, laboratory tests on masonry facilities were preliminarily performed. Finally, an extensive measurement campaign was carried out on a famous 16th century structure: the ‘Hall of 500’, in Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace), in Florence (Italy). This investigation was aimed at finding evidence of possible discontinuities in the masonry walls, where fragments of the famous fresco the ‘Battle of Anghiari’ by Leonardo da Vinci could be hidden.     

Permanent scatterers analysis for atmospheric correction in ground-based SAR interferometry

Ground-based synthetic aperture radar (GB-SAR) interferometry has already been recognized as a powerful tool, complementary or alternative to spaceborne SAR interferometry, for terrain monitoring, and for detecting structural changes in buildings. It has been noted that, in spite of the very short range, compared with the satellite configuration, in GB-SAR measurement the disturbances due to atmospheric effects cannot be neglected either. The analysis of the interferometric phases of very coherent points, called permanent scatterers (PSs), allows the evaluation of the atmospheric disturbance and the possibility of removing it. In this paper, the PS analysis is carried out both on a test site facility and on a real campaign (Citrin Valley, Italy) that provided data with a temporal baseline of about ten months.     

Doppler echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular diastolic function in myotonic dystrophy

To determine the increased production and release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from the retina in the eye with non-angiogenic retinal detachment in which relative blood supply disturbance may be present, the concentration of VEGF in subretinal fluid and vitreous fluid collected from the eyes was investigated by enzyme linked immunospecific assay. The average concentration of VEGF was 0.5 +/- 1.1 ng/ml (mean +/- standard deviation) in nine samples of vitreous fluid collected from proliferative retinal detachment, and was 1.2 +/- 1.2 ng/ml in eleven samples of subretinal fluid from rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. The concentration of VEGF in six samples of vitreous fluid from angiogenic diabetic eyes (5.0 +/- 2.8 ng/ml) was significantly higher than in the samples from eyes with retinal detachment. The results suggest that the relative ischemic insult to the detached retina increases the release of VEGF into the vitreous cavity and subretinal space. The increased concentration of VEGF does not induce remarkable angiogenesis since the concentration is lower than the biological threshold, or the effect is modulated by inhibitors.     

Thermodynamic properties of the Pd77.5Cu6Si16.5 undercooled liquid

Proper understanding of glass formation implies the knowledge of the thermodynamics of the undercooled melts. Specifically, high values of the excess specific heat of the liquid are expected for good glass-formers. Extending the work of Gillessen and Herlach [F. Gillessen, D.M. Herlach, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 117–118 (1990) 555–558], we re-propose a calculation of the temperature dependence of entropy difference between amorphous-liquid and crystal states.An amorphous Pd_77.5Cu₆Si_16.5 alloy has been produced by injection casting in a cylindrical copper mould. DSC measurements in the liquid, amorphous and crystalline states were performed with samples sliced from the cylinder to determine the heat of fusion, of crystallization and the difference in specific heat capacity between amorphous-liquid and crystal phases. These thermodynamic quantities are used to calculate the thermodynamic functions of the liquid-glass with reference to the equilibrium crystal mixture. The data are compared to those of other bulk glass-formers in terms of fragility plots.     

Measurement of thermophysical properties of liquid metallic alloys in a ground- and microgravity based research programme — theThermoLab project

The ThermoLab project is concerned with the measurement of the thermophysical properties of industrial alloys in the liquid phase. The project combines long and short duration microgravity measurements based on containerless processing with an electromagnetic levitation device and a ground based experimental programme using conventional and containerless processing techniques. An overview of the project and representative results from the ground based experimental programme are given. Alloys investigated included Ni-based, Fe-based, a Cu-Sn-Mg alloy and a γ-TiAl alloy.