Network-based epidemic models that account for heterogeneous contact patterns are extensively used to predict and control the diffusion of infectious diseases. We use census and survey data to reconstruct a geo-referenced and age-stratified synthetic urban population connected by stable social relations. We consider two kinds of interactions, distinguishing daily (household) contacts from other frequent contacts. Moreover, we allow any couple of individuals to have rare fortuitous interactions. We simulate the epidemic diffusion on a synthetic urban network for a typical medium-sized Italian city and characterize the outbreak speed, pervasiveness, and predictability in terms of the socio-demographic and geographic features of the host population. Introducing age-structured contact patterns results in faster and more pervasive outbreaks, while assuming that the interaction frequency decays with distance has only negligible effects. Preliminary evidence shows the existence of patterns of hierarchical spatial diffusion in urban areas, with two regimes for epidemic spread in low- and high-density regions.

High quality long-term data sets of altitude-resolved measurements of the atmospheric composition areimportant because they can be used both to study the evolu-tion of the atmosphere and as a benchmark for future mis-sions. For the final ESA reprocessing of MIPAS (MichelsonInterferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding) on ENVISAT (ENViromental SATellite) data, numerous improve-ments were implemented in the Level 2 (L2) processor Op-timised Retrieval Model (ORM) version 8.22 (V8) and itsauxiliary data. The implemented changes involve all aspects of the processing chain, from the modelling of the measure-ments with the handling of the horizontal inhomogeneitiesalong the line of sight to the use of the optimal estimationtechnique to retrieve the minor species, from a more sensitive approach to detecting the spectra affected by cloudsto a refined method for identifying low quality products. Improvements in the modelling of the measurements werealso obtained with an update of the used spectroscopic dataand of the databases providing the a priori knowledge ofthe atmosphere. The HITRAN_mipas_pf4.45 spectroscopic database was finalised with new spectroscopic data verifiedwith MIPAS measurements themselves, while recently measured cross-sections were used for the heavy molecules. TheLevel 2 Initial Guess (IG2) data set, containing the clima-tology used by the MIPAS L2 processor to generate the ini-tial guess and interfering species profiles when the retrieved profiles from previous scans are not available, was improved taking into account the diurnal variation of the profiles defined using climatologies from both measurements and models. Horizontal gradients were generated using the ECMWFERA-Interim data closest in time and space to the MIPASdata. Further improvements in the L2 V8 products derivedfrom the use of the L1b V8 products, which were upgraded to reduce the instrumental temporal drift and to handle theabrupt changes in the calibration gain. The improvements in-troduced into the ORM V8 L2 processor and its upgraded auxiliary data, together with the use of the L1b V8 products, lead to the generation of the MIPAS L2 V8 products, which are characterised by an increased accuracy, better temporal stability and a greater number of retrieved species.

Spectral emissivity is a key property of the Earth's surface, of which only very few measurements exist so farin the far-infrared (FIR) spectral region, even though recent work has shown that the FIR is important for accurate mod-elling of the global climate. The European Space Agency's9th Earth Explorer, FORUM (Far-infrared Outgoing Radi-ation Understanding and Monitoring) will provide the firstglobal spectrally resolved measurements of the Earth's top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) spectrum in the FIR. In clear-skyconditions with low water vapour content, these measurements will provide a unique opportunity to retrieve spectrally resolved FIR surface emissivity. In preparation for the FORUM mission with an expected launch in 2027, this study takes the first steps towards the development of an opera-tional emissivity retrieval for FORUM by investigating the sensitivity of the emissivity product of a full spectrum optimal estimation retrieval method to different physical andoperational parameters. The tool used for the sensitivity testsis the FORUM mission's end-to-end simulator. These tests show that the spectral emissivity of most surface types canbe retrieved for dry scenes in the 350-600 cm-1 region, with an absolute uncertainty ranging from 0.005 to 0.01. In addition, the quality of the retrieval is quantified with respectto the precipitable water vapour content of the scene, and the uncertainty caused by the correlation of emissivity withsurface temperature is investigated. Based on these investigations, a road map is recommended for the development of the operational emissivity product.

FORUM (Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring) will fly as the ninth ESA's Earth Explorer mission, and an end-to-end simulator (E2ES) has been developed as a support tool for the mission selection process and the subsequent development phases. The current status of the FORUM E2ES project is presented together with the characterization of the capabilities of a full physics retrieval code applied to FORUM data. We show how the instrument characteristics and the observed scene conditions impact on the spectrum measured by the instrument, accounting for the main sources of error related to the entire acquisition process, and the consequences on the retrieval algorithm. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous case studies are simulated in clear and cloudy conditions, validating the E2ES against appropriate well-established correlative codes. The performed tests show that the performance of the retrieval algorithm is compliant with the project requirements both in clear and cloudy conditions. The far-infrared (FIR) part of the FORUM spectrum is shown to be sensitive to surface emissivity, in dry atmospheric conditions, and to cirrus clouds, resulting in improved performance of the retrieval algorithm in these conditions. The retrieval errors increase with increasing the scene heterogeneity, both in terms of surface characteristics and in terms of fractional cloud cover of the scene.

If I? R is a bounded interval, we prove the boundedness of Calderón singular operator and of Hardy-Littlewood Maximal operator in the generalized weighted Grand Lebesgue spaces Lpp),?(I), 1 < p< ?.

Progress in understanding, managing, and securing current and future ecosystem functions and services is challenged by fragmented and dispersed ecosystem research. As the topic is often approached using narrow disciplinary perspectives, a holistic understanding of complex eco- and socio-ecological systems is hampered and prevented. The emerging European Long-Term Ecosystem, critical zone and socio-ecological systems Research Infrastructure (eLTER) aims to overcome this challenge by addressing this issue in the ecosystem and biodiversity domain and thereby closing this gap in the European RI landscape. With its concept of the 'Information Clusters' eLTER aims to provide a framework to lower the barrier to information access and exchange. The main idea behind the concept is to simplify the harvesting and user uptake of data from multiple information sources, facilitating the integration with eLTER data by making use of existing services, like Copernicus or statistical information. The selection of sources and content of relevant data layers is the result of an internal discussion where the Research Challenges (RC) play the main role by identifying the current requirements for environmental research and the ensuing demand for external data. The overarching framework of the eLTER Standard Observations informs this process. In order to achieve the implementation of 'Information Clusters', three different data sources have been identified to complement eLTER observations and analysis: (a) in-situ legacy and third party data, (b) data from official statistics, and (c) remote sensing data and products. The activities described in the report focus on the collection and exemplary retrieval of relevant in-situ legacy data, which we identified as complementary data sources and could play an important role within the planned eLTER data analysis workflows. This is relevant to (a) get additional data for data analysis or visualisation, (b) retrieve data from eLTER sites provided by national level catalogues, and (c) retrieve data from eLTER sites provided to other relevant RIs or monitoring networks. The aim of task 4.1 was to develop and test workflows for access and basic level harmonisation of relevant in-situ data sources on global, continental and national scale. We focused on data requirements defined both by the RC addressed in the eLTER PLUS project as well as the needs for supporting the implementation of data flows defined by the eLTER SOs. We identified 176 legacy and third party data sources which could be assigned to a respective eLTER SO and which sufficiently cover each component of the Ecological Integrity concept. Based on a generic workflow described in the report we tested through demonstrators exemplary data extraction workflows being of relevance in the project context. This demonstrators focused on: (a) retrieve occurrence biodiversity data based on API access, (b) retrieve harmonised site gas flux observation data based on downloads, (c) retrieve data from E-OBS historic data (Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2020) to calculate climate diagrams for sites, (d) retrieve data from gridded and modelled data (e.g. E-OBS) based on the site extent, and (e) retrieve earth observation data products based on site extent. It could be shown that the selected workflows are, at least on a prototype level, operational and are useful for the eLTER PLUS users. We applied a co-design process including the respective RC leads and Science Case (SC) contributors in the design and implementation phase on a regular basis. However, eLTER needs to decide if eLTER Information Clusters focus on on-demand services for extracting information sources or pre-calculated datasets. The results of the work done in task 4.1 provide input to the design and architecture of the extended eLTER Information System led by WP11 and the further definition of workflows towards the eLTER Standard Data Products led by WP10. The report summarises the work done with respect to define and prototype workflows for the retrieval and harmonisation of legacy data. It specifically focuses on priority variables defined by the eLTER SO and aims to support Research Challenge related Science Cases at both, site and network scale. The first section describes the context of the work done, also in relation to the 'Information Clusters' concept, which aims to enhance findability and accessibility of relevant data sources in the eLTER context. The second section lists identified relevant data sources relevant in this context and provides demonstrators for data retrieval and harmonisation in the third part. We finally discuss and provide recommendations for the eLTER Information Clusters that focus on thematic prioritisation, structural and legal interoperability as well as outline next steps for the implementation. The annexes provide detailed information shown in the report only in aggregated format.

We consider a nonminimally coupled curvature-matter gravity theory at the Solar System scale. Both a fifth force of Yukawa type and a further non-Newtonian extra force that arises from the nonminimal coupling are present in the solar interior and in the solar atmosphere up to interplanetary space. The extra force depends on the spatial gradient of space-time curvature R. The conditions under which the effects of such forces can be screened by the chameleon mechanism and be made consistent with Cassini measurement of parametrized post-Newtonian parameter gamma are examined. Constraints from spectroscopic observations of the solar atmosphere are also taken into account. This consistency analysis requires a specific study of the Sun's dynamical contribution to the arising forces at all its layers.

Networks are pervasive in computer science and in real world applications. It is often useful to leverage distinctive node features to regroup such data in clusters, by making use of a single representative node per cluster. Such contracted graphs can help identify features of the original networks that were not visible before. As an example, we can identify contiguous nodes having the same discrete property in a social network. Contracting a graph allows a more scalable analysis of the interactions and structure of the network nodes. This paper delves into the problem of contracting possibly large colored networks into smaller and more easily manageable representatives. It also describes a simple but effective algorithm to perform this task. Extended performance plots are given for a range of graphs and results are detailed and discussed with the aim of providing useful use cases and application scenarios for the approach.

We study the consistency and the oracle properties of the adaptive Lasso estimator for the coefficients of a linear AR(p) time series with a strictly stationary white noise (not necessarily described by i.i.d. r.v.'s). We apply the results to INAR(p) time series and to the non-parametric inference of the fertility function of a Hawkes point process. We present some numerical simulations to emphasize the advantages of the proposed procedure with respect to more classical ones and finally we apply it to a set of epidemiological data

Modeling and direct numerical simulation of particle-laden flows have a tremendous variety of applications in science and engineering across a vast spectrum of scales from pollution dispersion in the atmosphere, to fluidization in the combustion process, to aerosol deposition in spray medication, along with many others. Due to their strongly nonlinear and multiscale nature, the above complex phenomena still raise a very steep challenge to themost computationalmethods. In this review,we provide comprehensive coverage of multibody hydrodynamic (MBH) problems focusing on particulate suspensions in complex fluidic systems that have been simulated using hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian particulate flow models. Among these hybridmodels, the Immersed Boundary-Lattice Boltzmann Method (IB-LBM) provides mathematically simple and computationally-efficient algorithms for solid-fluid hydrodynamic interactions in MBH simulations. This paper elaborates on the mathematical framework, applicability, and limitations of various 'simple to complex' representations of closecontact interparticle interactions and collision methods, including short-range interparticle and particle-wall steric interactions, spring and lubrication forces, normal and oblique collisions, and mesoscale molecular models for deformable particle collisions based on hard-sphere and soft-sphere models in MBH models to simulate settling or flow of nonuniform particles of different geometric shapes and sizes in diverse fluidic systems.

This paper is the continuation of a previous work where the authors have introduced a new class of quadrature rules for evaluating the finite Hilbert transform. Such rules are product type formulae based on the filtered de la Vallée Poussin (shortly VP) type approximation. Here, we focus on some particular cases of interest in applications and show that further results can be obtained in such special cases. In particular, we consider an optimal choice of the quadrature nodes for which explicit formulae of the quadrature weights are given and sharper error estimates are stated.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the neurological disorder showing the greatest rise in prevalence from 1990 to 2016. Despite clinical definition criteria and a tremendous effort to develop objective biomarkers, precise diagnosis of PD is still unavailable at early stage. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have used omic methods to unveil the molecular basis of PD, providing a detailed characterization of potentially pathological alterations in various biological specimens. Metabolomics could provide useful insights to deepen our knowledge of PD aetiopathogenesis, to identify signatures that distinguish groups of patients and uncover responsive biomarkers of PD that may be significant in early detection and in tracking the disease progression and drug treatment efficacy. The present work is the first large metabolomic study based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with an independent validation cohort aiming at the serum characterization of de novo drug-naive PD patients. Here, NMR is applied to sera from large training and independent validation cohorts of German subjects. Multivariate and univariate approaches are used to infer metabolic differences that characterize the metabolite and the lipoprotein profiles of newly diagnosed de novo drug-naive PD patients also in relation to the biological sex of the subjects in the study, evidencing a more pronounced fingerprint of the pathology in male patients. The presence of a validation cohort allowed us to confirm altered levels of acetone and cholesterol in male PD patients. By comparing the metabolites and lipoproteins levels among de novo drug-naive PD patients, age- and sex-matched healthy controls, and a group of advanced PD patients, we detected several descriptors of stronger oxidative stress.

Advanced age represents one of the major risk factors for Parkinson's Disease. Recent biomedical studies posit a role for microRNAs, also known to be remodelled during ageing. However, the relationship between microRNA remodelling and ageing in Parkinson's Disease, has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to unravel the relevance of microRNAs as biomarkers of Parkinson's Disease within the ageing framework. We employed Next Generation Sequencing to profile serum microRNAs from samples informative for Parkinson's Disease (recently diagnosed, drug-naïve) and healthy ageing (centenarians) plus healthy controls, age-matched with Parkinson's Disease patients. Potential microRNA candidates markers, emerging from the combination of differential expression and network analyses, were further validated in an independent cohort including both drug-naïve and advanced Parkinson's Disease patients, and healthy siblings of Parkinson's Disease patients at higher genetic risk for developing the disease. While we did not find evidences of microRNAs co-regulated in Parkinson's Disease and ageing, we report that hsa-miR-144-3p is consistently down-regulated in early Parkinson's Disease patients. Moreover, interestingly, functional analysis revealed that hsa-miR-144-3p is involved in the regulation of coagulation, a process known to be altered in Parkinson's Disease. Our results consistently show the down-regulation of hsa-mir144-3p in early Parkinson's Disease, robustly confirmed across a variety of analytical and experimental analyses. These promising results ask for further research to unveil the functional details of the involvement of hsa-mir144-3p in Parkinson's Disease.

Inflammaging is a low-grade inflammatory state generated by the aging process that can contribute to frailty and age-related diseases in the elderly. However, it can have distinct effects in the elderly living in endemic areas for infectious diseases. An increased inflammatory response may confer protection against infectious agents in these areas, although this advantage can cause accelerating epigenetic aging. In this study, we evaluated the inflammatory profile and the epigenetic age of infected and noninfected individuals from an endemic area in Brazil. The profile of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors analyzed in the sera of the two groups of individuals showed similarities, although infected individuals had a higher concentration of these mediators. A significant increase in IL-1ra, CXCL8, CCL2, CCL3 and CCL4 production was associated with leprosy infection. Notably, elderly individuals displayed distinct immune responses associated with their infection status when compared to adults suggesting an adaptive remodelling of their immune responses. Epigenetic analysis also showed that there was no difference in epigenetic age between the two groups of individuals. However, individuals from the endemic area had a significant accelerated aging when compared to individuals from São Paulo, a non-endemic area in Brazil. Moreover, the latter cohort was also epigenetically aged in relation to an Italian cohort. Our data shows that living in endemic areas for chronic infectious diseases results in remodelling of inflammaging and acceleration of epigenetic aging in individuals regardless of their infectious status. It also highlights that geographical, genetic and environmental factors influence aging and immunosenescence in their pace and profile.

Usually, clinicians assess the correct hemodynamic behavior and fetal wellbeing during the gestational age thanks to their professional expertise, with the support of some indices defined for Doppler fetal waveforms. Although this approach has demonstrated to be satisfactory in the most of the cases, it can be largely improved with the aid of more advanced techniques, i.e. numerical analysis and simulation. Another key aspect limiting the analysis is that clinicians rely on a limited number of Doppler waveforms observed during the clinical examination. Moreover, the use of simple velocimetric indicators for deriving possible malfunctions of the fetal cardiovascular system can be misleading, being the fetal assessment based on a mere statistical analysis (comparison with physiological ranges), without any deep physiopathological interpretations of the observed hemodynamic changes. The use of a lumped mathematical model, properly describing the entire fetal cardiovascular system, would be absolutely helpful in this context: by targeting physiological model parameters on the clinical reliefs, we could gain deep insights of the full system. The calibration of model parameters may also help in formulating patient-specific early diagnosis of fetal pathologies. In the present work, we develop a robust parameter estimation algorithm based on two different optimization methods using synthetic data. In particular, we deal with the inverse problem of recognizing the most significant parameters of a lumped fetal circulation model by using time tracings of fetal blood flows and pressures obtained by the model. This represents a first methodological work for the assessment of the accuracy in the identification of model parameters of an algorithm based on closed-loop mathematical model of fetal circulation and opens the way to the application of the algorithm to clinical data.

Editorial

Questo documento riassume l'attività svolta nei vari WP, le azioni completate e lo stato di del progetto progetto per il periodo di attività dal 9 giugno 2021 (RA3) al 19 aprile 2022 (RA4)

o The first draft version of the Interface definition report has been delivered at PM2. The draft pointedout the various problems and solutions in defining the netCDF interface. At PM2 it was decided toconcentrate the efforts on defining the output file interfaces, since these are the main files that willbe used to analyze the result, both in the FORUM Scienza community, and in the general remotesensing community.o The second draft of the document was delivered at PM3. It contained the specification of the outputinterface.o This final version is delivered at PM4 and contains the revised specification for the output files.o Example fortran 95 routines that read and write a compliant output file are also delivered. These alsoinclude an extensive documentation on how to interface a proprietary code with the supplied routines.

We review some recent results on crystallization in two dimensions for pairwise interaction energies adopting a variational approach.We discuss the behavior of minimizers and quasi-minimizers of the Heitmann-Radin sticky disc model and we see how this model can be enriched in order to deal with collective behavior for systems of oriented particles.

Bandelt and Mulder’s structural characterization of bipartite distance hereditary graphs asserts that such graphs can be built inductively starting from a single vertex and by repeatedly adding either pendant vertices or twins (i.e., vertices with the same neighborhood as an existing one). Dirac and Duffin’s structural characterization of 2–connected series–parallel graphs asserts that such graphs can be built inductively starting from a single edge by adding either edges in series or in parallel. In this paper we give an elementary proof that the two constructions are the same construction when bipartite graphs are viewed as the fundamental graphs of a graphic matroid. We then apply the result to re-prove known results concerning bipartite distance hereditary graphs and series–parallel graphs and to provide a new class of polynomially-solvable instances for the integer multi-commodity flow of maximum value.