Plasmopara viticola is the causal agent of the downy mildew, the most severe disease of grapevines. In order to prevent and/or mitigate the plant disease, fungicide treatments are often required, despite the presence of side effects on the environment and the potential hazard for human health in case of prolonged exposition. The choice of proper treatments and optimal scheduling is the key to m…
Technology development has led to a growing availability of low-cost data ready-to-use, frequently derived from large scale observations (i.e. data from pervasive systems like GPS sensors, or remote sensing data from earth observation technologies). Oftentimes, these data can’t directly answer specific questions posed by researchers and data users, or even if they can they are subject to meas…
Organic chemistry
The Covid emergency has forced universities around the world to transfer teaching activities online. Even if online teaching has made it possible to carry out the planned teaching activities, it is necessary, in retrospect, to evaluate the impact that this teaching method has had on the different types of students, in terms of preparation, characteristics and social background. In this framewor…
Neurodegenerative diseases are being modelled in-vitro using human patient-specific, induced pluripotent stem cells and transgenic embryonic stem cells to determine more about disease mechanisms, as well as to discover new treatments for patients. Current research in modelling Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson’s disease using pluripotent stem cells is described, alo…
A rhetorical model of the debate centered on the image of a labyrinth is more suitable than the metaphor of debate-as-game in describing the benefits of arguing in front of an audience. The labyrinth best expresses that proceeding by successive choices, coming and going, and sometimes retracing one's steps, typical of the debate activity. The basic thesis is that arguing is a continuous adaptat…
Currently, industrial robot arms are trending in prefabricated building construction; however, a notable gap exists in established automated processes and related research specifically for the insertion of batt thermal insulation. The current method for accomplishing this task relies on manual insertion, which is labour-intensive for the workers and poses long-term health and safety concerns. T…
Transport: general interest
This interlude chapter—between the analysis and assessment of the status-quo (chapters 2–5; first part of the book) and the visions and prospects for the future of interdisciplinary knowledge production (the following chapters 6–8; second part of the book)—addresses shortcomings of the instrumentalist view of interdisciplinarity and its isolated focus on recipes and organization procedu…
Medical genetics