University of Milano-Bicocca

About: University of Milano-Bicocca is a education organization based out in Milan, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Blood pressure. The organization has 8972 authors who have published 22322 publications receiving 620484 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca & Universita degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca.

Gaming for Earth: Serious games and gamification to engage consumers in pro-environmental behaviours for energy efficiency

Abstract: Serious games and gamification to engage consumers in pro-environmental behaviours for energy efficiency are in their infancy To date, despite growing interest and some initial attempts, their potential to engage consumers in energy efficiency behaviours has been understudied To provide an overview of serious games and gamification to engage individuals in pro-environmental behaviours for energy efficiency, a computer-based search for relevant publications was performed in several databases After applying the inclusion criteria and removing duplicates, 10 papers were included in this systematic review Results showed that serious games and gamification have been used in three different areas related to energy efficiency: environmental education, consumption awareness, and pro-environmental behaviours This review also showed that applied gaming interventions can be used in more than one of these three areas (comprehensive interventions) The main observation to be drawn from this review is that both serious games and gamification can foster energy-saving behaviours and vary widely in terms of type of games and of features that might be appealing and motivating

Deciphering the complexity of Toll-like receptor signaling

Abstract: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are essential players in the innate immune response to invading pathogens. Although extensive research efforts have provided a considerable wealth of information on how TLRs function, substantial gaps in our knowledge still prevent the definition of a complete picture of TLR signaling. However, several recent studies describe additional layers of complexity in the regulation of TLR ligand recognition, adaptor recruitment, posttranslational modifications of signaling proteins, and the newly described, autonomous role of the TLR4 co-receptor CD14. In this review, by using it as model system for the whole TLR family, we attempt to provide a complete description of the signal transduction pathways triggered by TLR4, with a particular emphasis on the molecular and cell biological aspects regulating its function. Finally, we discuss a recently reported model of CD14-dependent signaling and highlight its biological implications.

Consistent modelling of the meta-galactic UV background and the thermal/ionization history of the intergalactic medium

Abstract: Recent observations suggest that hydrogen reionization ends late (⁠|$z$| ≃ 6) and proceeds quickly. We present here a new model of the meta-galactic ultraviolet/X-ray background (UVB) that is consistent with this. It adopts the most recent determinations of the ionizing emissivity due to stars and active galactic nuclei (AGN), as well as of the H i absorber column density distribution. Another major improvement is a new treatment of the intergalactic medium (IGM) opacity for ionizing photons that is able to consistently capture the transition from a neutral to an ionized IGM. Previous synthesis models of the UVB, when used in simulations, yield reionization and thermal histories that are inconsistent with the assumed ionizing emissivities. With our new treatment, this discrepancy is fully resolved. In our fiducial model, galaxies leaking |${\lesssim}18{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| of their Lyman continuum emission drive H i reionization, while AGN drive He ii reionization (completing at |$z$| ≃ 6.2 and 2.8, respectively). Due to the limited time available for cooling between H i and He ii reionization, higher IGM temperatures are predicted for late reionization scenarios. In our fiducial model, the predicted temperatures agree well with observational constraints at |$z$| ≲ 4, while being slightly high compared to (somewhat uncertain) data above that. Models with a larger contribution of AGN are instead disfavoured by the temperature data, as well as by measurements of the H i and He ii Lyman-α forest opacities. We also present ‘equivalent-equilibrium’ ionization/heating rates that mimic our fiducial UVB model for use in simulation codes that assume ionization equilibrium.