At the ITOI-CNR, unit of Bologna, we developed a research area aimed at the study of neuromuscular disorders, with particular emphasis on muscular dystrophies and diseases associated with defects of nuclear lamina proteins. In the recent years, six genetic disorders have been linked to mutations of LMNA gene coding for alternatively spliced lamins A and C, main components of the nuclear lamina. The X-linked form of Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy has been linked to mutations of emerin, an ...

The preservation of plant biodiversity combats the risk of "genetic erosion", i.e., the risk that species, forms and plant varieties may become extinct, producing a definitive loss of the genetic variability which they contain. It is estimated that today over 9000 species can be considered endangered in the world. As concerns woody plants, the cultivation of which is characterized by the use of a more and more restricted number of selected cultivars in fruit and timber plant orchards, the ...

In Europe per annum more than 80 million cubic meters of sawn timber are dried in industrial kilns. This drying process consumes huge amounts of energy but is an unavoidable production step in the woodworking industry and a pre-condition for high-value application. Science related to wood drying and thermal treatment has a long history in Europe. Fundamental work during the last century and the technical developments in electronics and process control during the last 40 years have contributed to ...

Difficulties in math learning are frequently reported. Often the ability of understanding or not understanding math is a key factor in school success. At ITD innovative ICT- based learning environments are being studied. They aim at improving learning quality both from the standpoint of acquired abilities and of motivational levels, in various subject areas and with a special attention to math. This applied research activity requires contributions from different disciplines: math, education, ...

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system is a highly polymorphic gene complex which has an essential role in immune response activation and in self and non-self discrimination. HLA molecules influence the immune response to pathogens, are involved in disease susceptibility, in autoimmunity and in transplant engraftment (histocompatibility). Analysis of HLA gene polymorphism HLA can be used in to characterize individuals and populations and is useful for anthropological studies to shed light on ...

The sight of nature as an historical subject implies a change in the perspective when we reconstruct economic and social features, human relations, and technical innovation and finally the very idea of wealth. Researches in progress in the Institute are connected with the use of concept of "resource" in Northern and Southern Mediterranean regions. Researchers in the Institute are contributing on topics such as forests, seas, water resources. Part of these researches has already been published ...

Definizione e applicazioni. Gli Agenti Virtuali con Faccia Parlante costitutiscono la più recente proposta per una interazione uomo-macchina più robusta e più naturale rispetto agli attuali sistemi unimodali di sintesi e di riconoscimento automatico del parlato. Sono sistemi più naturali perchè si propongono di riprodurre l'interazione comunicativa umana faccia-a-faccia nella quale l'informazione viene scambiata lungo i canali uditivo e visivo attraverso messaggi verbali, intonazione, ...

Introduction The development of new technologies in the field of the automatic treatment of human language are essential for an effective utilization of new multimodal and multimedia systems built with the eventual goal of enabling people to communicate with machines using natural communication skills. Advances in human language technology (HLT) offer the promise of nearly universal access to on-line information and services. Since almost everyone speaks and understands a language, the ...