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Among the many causes of collapse of civil structures, those related to the downfall of foundations are crucial for their likely catastrophic consequences. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) techniques may help monitoring the time evolution of ground displacements affecting engineered structures in large urban areas. Artificial neural networks can be exploited to analyze the huge amount of data that is collected over long periods of time on very dense grid of geographical points. The paper presents a neural network-based analysis tool, able to evidence similarities among time series acquired in different points and times. This tool could support an early-warning system, aiming to forecast critical events in urban areas. The implemented procedure is tested on a dataset of InSAR time series recorded over an area of the city of London.

The aim of this work is the evaluation of a green extraction technology to exploit winery waste byproducts. Specifically, a solid⁻liquid extraction technology (Naviglio Extractor) was used to obtain polyphenolic antioxidants from the grape marc. The extract was then chemically characterized by spectrophotometric analysis, high-performance liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry, revealing a total polyphenol content of 4.00 g/L ± 0.05, and the presence of anthocyanins, one of the most representative groups among the total polyphenols in grapes. To investigate potential biological activities of the extract, its ability to counteract hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress and cell death was assessed in primary human endothelial cells. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test, used to assess potential extract cytotoxicity, failed to show any deleterious effect on cultured cells. Fluorescence measurements, attained with the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) probe 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H₂DCF-DA), revealed a strong antioxidant potential of the marc extract on the used cells, as indicated by the inhibition of the hydrogen peroxide-induced ROS generation and the counteraction of the oxidative-induced cell death. Our results indicate the Naviglio extraction, as a green technology process, can be used to exploit wine waste to obtain antioxidants which can be used to produce enriched foods and nutraceuticals high in antioxidants.

The aim of this study was to investigate the first stages of total phenolics evolution and the antioxidant activity in Italian Grape Ales (IGA) aged in three wood barrels that previously contained, for three years, Vernaccia di Oristano D.O.C., a Sardinian white wine. Total phenolic content (TPC) was determined by a really simple and low cost amperometric graphite sensor and validated by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant activity of beer was determined spectrophotometrically by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays.