The Project to Complete the Regional Topographic Geodatabase in Lombardy, Italy

The Regional Topographic Geodatabase (DBTR) was officially defined in 2005 as the multi-scale (1:1,000 – 1:2,000 – 1:5,000 – 1:10,000) cartographic reference for urban and regional planning in Lombardy Region. The DBTR had been previously introduced at national level to take over traditional numerical topographic maps adopted for urban planning, with the aim to provide a base map to be implemented either at regional level (Regional Geoportal) and by local administrations. The DBTR is structured by following some national guidelines that define either the content and the topological structure, that makes simple its implementation in GIS environment. The construction of the entire DBTR has historically gone through different phases, with the consistent support of the regional subsidiary policy. But when the effects of the world economic crisis in 2008 became tangible in the budget of public administrations, the growth of the project faced an important break. In 2017 the administration of Lombardy Region has promoted and financed a new project finalized to the completion of the DBTR. A temporary association of mapping companies won the tender and completed the project by summer 2020, despite of the difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A team led by Politecnico di Milano was appointed for the quality assessment. The proposed paper would like to present this project and the operational solutions applied for the production of the new subsections of the DBTR, as well as its quality assessment/validation.

Identification of Follower Status Based on Male Proximity Score in Crested Macaque

Crested macaque live in multimale-multifemale social groups where temporary association (consortship) typically occurs. Current theory and these limited qualitative observations suggest the hypothesis that behavior functions as a means for males to gain access to fertile females. The aim of this study was to investigate follower status based on quantitative method. Males were classified as either “consort males,” “followers,” and “non-followers” based on proximity maintanance every 15 minute uses scan sampling. Tactics used by followers were classified into 1) individual challenge, 2) coalitionary challenge, 3) abandoned takeover, and 4) opportunistic takeover. The proportion of successful takeovers by followers was calculated by dividing the number of takeovers by followers by the total number of observed takeovers. The proportion of followers is higher than average on D-5 and earlier, D-4, and D-3. Only two of the four consort takeover tactics were used by followers. For abandoned which made up 40% and for individual tactic was made up to 11.5% of consort takeovers tactic used. This study contribute to our understanding of alternative mating strategy in primate and provide the first quantitative data demonstrating that following is an alternative mating strategy in crested macaque (Macaca nigra).

FLUXES WITH DECREASED VISCOSITY AFTER REFLOW FOR FLIP-CHIP AND SIP ASSEMBLY

A series of flux systems have been developed which would result in a reduced viscosity after reflow. This enables a high viscosity, high tack flux to be used to secure components at the component placement and reflow stage, but ends up with a low viscosity flux residue after reflow, thus facilitating the flux residue to be cleaned. A technique for forming such special fluxes is to establish a temporary association force within the materials themselves, such as an acid-base association. This kind of association force can increase the apparent molecular weight and cause material viscosity to increase. After a heating process, one of the critical ingredients was evaporated, thus eliminating the association force, causing a decrease in the apparent molecular weight, and consequently a decrease in viscosity or an increase in mobility. The evaporation of one ingredient can be the result of one ingredient having a lower boiling point, or the decomposition of one ingredient during heating. A strong association force is desired to allow this acid-base combination approach to work. In this work, the volatile ingredient approach was less effective than a decomposable ingredient approach, presumably due to the formation of a bigger association cluster from the decomposable ingredient. Accordingly, the decomposable ingredient was the best approach to lower flux viscosity after reflow.

The Influence of Family Structure on Delinquent Behavior

Previous research has linked changes in family structure (especially parental divorce) with involvement in juvenile delinquency. Comparatively less research has attempted to examine the long-term impact of shifts in family structure on delinquent and criminal involvement. The current study addresses this gap in the literature by examining the influence of changes in family structure during adolescence on delinquent involvement both cross sectionally and longitudinally. Our findings revealed a small and only temporary association between changes in family structure and adolescent delinquency. We discuss the implications of these results for future research.

Dynamic Meso-Scale Anchorage of GPI-Anchored Receptors in the Plasma Membrane: Prion Protein vs. Thy1

The central mechanism for the transmission of the prion protein misfolding is the structural conversion of the normal cellular prion protein to the pathogenic misfolded prion protein, by the interaction with misfolded prion protein. This process might be enhanced due to the homo-dimerization/oligomerization of normal prion protein. However, the behaviors of normal prion protein in the plasma membrane have remained largely unknown. Here, using single fluorescent-molecule imaging, we found that both prion protein and Thy1, a control glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein, exhibited very similar intermittent transient immobilizations lasting for a few seconds within an area of 24.2 and 3.5 nm in diameter in CHO-K1 and hippocampal neurons cultured for 1- and 2-weeks, respectively. Prion protein molecules were immobile during 72% of the time, approximately 1.4× more than Thy1, due to prion protein’s higher immobilization frequency. When mobile, prion protein diffused 1.7× slower than Thy1. Prion protein’s slower diffusion might be caused by its transient interaction with other prion protein molecules, whereas its brief immobilization might be due to temporary association with prion protein clusters. Prion protein molecules might be newly recruited to prion protein clusters all the time, and simultaneously, prion protein molecules in the cluster might be departing continuously. Such dynamic interactions of normal prion protein molecules would strongly enhance the spreading of misfolded prion protein.

Social organization of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), with special reference to relationships among females

Approximately 130 individually recognized reindeer, plus unidentified calves, were observed over the course of 9 months from the rutting period to the calving period in Finnish Lapland. The level of association among nonrelated females in resting groups fluctuated with the passage of time. Among related females, only yearling daughters associated significantly with their respective mothers, although coexistence between mothers and yearling daughters was accompanied by antagonism. Two-year-old daughters were next in terms of association with their mothers, whereas daughters of 3 years of age and older rarely associated with their mothers and the level of association decreased to the level observed for nonrelated females. When two herds joined each other, the frequency of antagonistic interactions among foreign individuals was initially quite high. Thereafter, the two herds became united as a new herd within a week or two. A linear dominance hierarchy was found among 90 females that joined the studied herd. Their social rank was correlated with body weight. Thereby, the dominance hierarchy was stably maintained even though the herd itself was a temporary association of individuals. During the nonrutting period, animals segregated themselves by sex. The shedding of male antlers was correlated with drastic changes in ranking.

Nodulation of soybeans carrying the nodulation-restrictive gene, rj1, by an incompatible Rhizobium japonicum strain upon mixed inoculation with a compatible strain

The rj1 gene in soybeans prevents nodulation by most strains of Rhizobium japonicum. Several strains, however, are known to nodulate rj1 plants in vermiculite or sand culture. Pure broth cultures of one of these strains (61 NalR) and a strain producing the typical non-nodulating response with rj1 (I-110 ARS) were mixed and used as inoculum on Clark rj1 soybeans in a growth chamber experiment. Both strains carried drug resistance markers and were identified using selective media. Analysis of the nodules formed indicated that 32% of the nodules contained both strains, 36% contained only the usually non-nodulating strain I-110 ARS, and 32% contained the usually infective strain (61 NalR). These results indicate that under conditions of high inoculum density the roots of Clark rj1 plants did not distinguish between Rhizobium strains 61 NalR and I-110 ARS. Subsequent tests with Rhizobium isolates from the nodules containing only strain I-110 ARS indicated that these rhizobia had not undergone a permanent genetic change in nodulation potential but were infective only because of temporary association with strain 61 NalR.