Polytechnic University of Milan

About: Polytechnic University of Milan is a education organization based out in Milan, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Finite element method & Population. The organization has 18231 authors who have published 58416 publications receiving 1229711 citations. The organization is also known as: PoliMi & L-NESS.

RAWGraphs: A Visualisation Platform to Create Open Outputs

Abstract: RAWGraphs is an open source web application for the creation of static data visualisations that are designed to be further modified. Originally conceived for graphic designers to provide a series of tasks not available with other tools, it evolved into a platform that provides simple ways to map data dimensions onto visual variables. It presents a chart-based approach to data visualisation: each visual model is an independent module exposing different visual variables that can be used to map data dimensions. Consequently, users can create complex data visualisations. Finally, the tool is meant to produce outputs that are open, that is, not subjected to proprietary solutions, which can be further edited.

Securing XML Documents

Abstract: Web-based applications greatly increase information availability and ease of access, which is optimal for public information. The distribution and sharing by theWeb of information that must be accessed in a selective way requires the definition and enforcement of security controls, ensuring that information will be accessible only to authorized entities. Approaches proposed to this end level, independently from the semantics of the data to be protected and for this reason result limited. The eXtensible Markup Language (XML), a markup language promoted by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), represents an important opportunity to solve this problem. We present an access control model to protect information distributed on the Web that, by exploiting XML's own capabilities, allows the definition and enforcement of access restrictions directly on the structure and content of XML documents. We also present a language for the specification of access restrictions that uses standard notations and concepts and briefly describe a system architecture for access control enforcement based on existing technology.

The water-land-food nexus of first-generation biofuels.

Abstract: Recent energy security strategies, investment opportunities and energy policies have led to an escalation in biofuel consumption at the expenses of food crops and pastureland. To evaluate the important impacts of biofuels on food security, the food-energy nexus needs to be investigated in the context of its linkages with the overall human appropriation of land and water resources. Here we provide a global assessment of biofuel crop production, reconstruct global patterns of biofuel crop/oil trade and determine the associated displacement of water and land use. We find that bioethanol is mostly produced with domestic crops while 36% of biodiesel consumption relies on international trade, mainly from Southeast Asia. Altogether, biofuels rely on about 2-3% of the global water and land used for agriculture, which could feed about 30% of the malnourished population. We evaluate the food-energy tradeoff and the impact an increased reliance on biofuel would have on the number of people the planet can feed.