bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Superintegrable Systems on Moduli Spaces of Flat Connections
Authors: Arthamonov S. , Reshetikhin N.
Published: July 2021

The main result of this paper is the construction of a family of superintegrable Hamiltonian systems on moduli spaces of flat connections on a principalG-bundle on a surface. The moduli space is a Poisson variety with Atiyah–Bott Poisson structure. Among particular cases of such systems are spin generalizations of Ruijsenaars–Schneider models.
Super-Macdonald Polynomials: Orthogonality and Hilbert Space Interpretation
Authors: Atai Farrokh , Hallnäs Martin , Langmann Edwin
Published: July 2021

The super-Macdonald polynomials, introduced by Sergeev and Veselov (Commun Math Phys 288: 653–675, 2009), generalise the Macdonald polynomials to (arbitrary numbers of) two kinds of variables, and they are eigenfunctions of the deformed Macdonald–Ruijsenaars operators introduced by the same authors in Sergeev and Veselov (Commun Math Phys 245: 249–278, 2004). We introduce a Hermitian form on the algebra spanned by the super-Macdonald polynomials, prove their orthogonality, compute their (quadratic) norms explicitly, and establish a corresponding Hilbert space interpretation of the super-Macdonald polynomials and deformed Macdonald–Ruijsenaars operators. This allows for a quantum mechanical interpretation of the models defined by the deformed Macdonald–Ruijsenaars operators. Motivated by recent results in the nonrelativistic ($$q\rightarrow 1$$q→1) case, we propose that these models describe the particles and anti-particles of an underlying relativistic quantum field theory, thus providing a natural generalisation of the trigonometric Ruijsenaars model.
The Trithorax group protein ASH1 requires a combination of BAH domain and AT hooks, but not the SET domain, for mitotic chromatin binding and survival
Authors: Steffen Philipp A. , Altmutter Christina , Dworschak Eva , Junttila Sini , Gyenesei Attila , Zhu Xinzhou , Kockmann Tobias , Ringrose Leonie
Published: July 2021

The Drosophila Trithorax group (TrxG) protein ASH1 remains associated with mitotic chromatin through mechanisms that are poorly understood. ASH1 dimethylates histone H3 at lysine 36 via its SET domain. Here, we identify domains of the TrxG protein ASH1 that are required for mitotic chromatin attachment in living Drosophila. Quantitative live imaging demonstrates that ASH1 requires AT hooks and the BAH domain but not the SET domain for full chromatin binding in metaphase, and that none of these domains are essential for interphase binding. Genetic experiments show that disruptions of the AT hooks and the BAH domain together, but not deletion of the SET domain alone, are lethal. Transcriptional profiling demonstrates that intact ASH1 AT hooks and the BAH domain are required to maintain expression levels of a specific set of genes, including several involved in cell identity and survival. This study identifies in vivo roles for specific ASH1 domains in mitotic binding, gene regulation, and survival that are distinct from its functions as a histone methyltransferase.
Using data-driven algorithms for semi-automated geomorphological mapping
Authors: Giaccone Elisa , Oriani Fabio , Tonini Marj , Lambiel Christophe , Mariéthoz Grégoire
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we compare the performance of two data-driven algorithms to deal with an automatic classification problem in geomorphology: Direct Sampling (DS) and Random Forest (RF). The main goal is to provide a semi-automated procedure for the geomorphological mapping of alpine environments, using a manually mapped zone as training dataset and predictor variables to infer the classification of a target zone. The applicability of DS to geomorphological classification was never investigated before. Instead, RF based classification has already been applied in few studies, but only with a limited number of geomorphological classes. The outcomes of both approaches are validated by comparing the eight detected classes with a geomorphological map elaborated on the field and considered as ground truth. Both DS and RF give satisfactory results and provide similar performances in term of accuracy and Cohen’s Kappa values. The map obtained with RF presents a noisier spatial distribution of classes than when using DS, because DS takes into account the spatial dependence of the different classes. Results suggest that DS and RF are both suitable techniques for the semi-automated geomorphological mapping in alpine environments at regional scale, opening the way for further improvements.
Deep brain stimulation in patients on chronic antiplatelet or anticoagulation treatment
Authors: Runge Joachim , Cassini Ascencao Luisa , Blahak Christian , Kinfe Thomas M. , Schrader Christoph , Wolf Marc E. , Saryyeva Assel , Krauss Joachim K.
Published: August 2021

Background

In the aging society, many patients with movement disorders, pain syndromes, or psychiatric disorders who are candidates for deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery suffer also from cardiovascular co-morbidities that require chronic antiplatelet or anticoagulation treatment. Because of a presumed increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage during or after surgery and limited knowledge about perioperative management, chronic antiplatelet or anticoagulation treatment often has been considered a relative contraindication for DBS. Here, we evaluate whether or not there is an increased risk for intracranial hemorrhage or thromboembolic complications in patients on chronic treatment (paused for surgery or bridged with subcutaneous heparin) as compared to those without.

Methods

Out of a series of 465 patients undergoing functional stereotactic neurosurgery, 34 patients were identified who were on chronic treatment before and after receiving DBS. In patients with antiplatelet treatment, medication was stopped in the perioperative period. In patients with vitamin K antagonists or novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs), heparin was used for bridging. All patients had postoperative stereotactic CT scans, and were followed up for 1 year after surgery.

Results

In patients on chronic antiplatelet or anticoagulation treatment, intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 2/34 (5.9%) DBS surgeries, whereas the rate of intracranial hemorrhage was 15/431 (3.5%) in those without, which was statistically not significant. Implantable pulse generator pocket hematomas were seen in 2/34 (5.9%) surgeries in patients on chronic treatment and in 4/426 (0.9%) without. There were only 2 instances of thromboembolic complications which both occurred in patients without chronic treatment. There were no hemorrhagic complications during follow-up for 1 year.

Conclusions

DBS surgery in patients on chronic antiplatelet or anticoagulation treatment is feasible. Also, there was no increased risk of hemorrhage in the first year of follow-up after DBS surgery. Appropriate patient selection and standardized perioperative management are necessary to reduce the risk of intracranial hemorrhage and thromboembolic complications.
Self-body recognition and attitudes towards body image in younger and older women
Authors: Bellard Ashleigh , Urgesi Cosimo , Cazzato Valentina
Published: July 2021

Despite the fact that ageing causes dramatic changes in bodily appearance, little is known about how self-body recognition changes across life span. Here, we investigated whether older, compared to younger women, differed in the ability of recognising their own than other women’s body parts and whether this effect was associated to negative body image dispositions. Twenty-eight young (Mage: 25.93 years, SDage = 4.74) and 25 middle-aged (Mage: 54.36 years, SDage = 4.54) women completed an implicit task consisting of visual matching of self and others’ body parts and an explicit self–other body discrimination task. Stimuli comprised of images of body parts of the participant and of other age- and BMI-matched models, which were presented in the original size or modified to look rounder or thinner. Measures of adiposity (i.e. BMI), body image concerns and appearance-related worries for specific body parts and for the whole body were also collected. Whilst both groups showed a self-body advantage in the implicit, but not in the explicit task, the advantage was notably bigger for the younger group. However, the implicit self-advantage was higher in those middle-aged women that displayed more body image concerns and worries for specific body parts. Furthermore, the two groups were comparably less able in recognising their body parts when presented thinner as compared to rounder or in their actual size. Overall, these findings open the possibility that, as women age, their implicit self-recognition abilities may decline in association with more negative body image dispositions.
Changing places: spatial ecology and social interactions of female and male Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) in the Spanish Extremadura
Authors: Berger-Geiger Brigitte , Heine Georg , Kumaraswamy Ajayrama , Galizia C. Giovanni
Published: August 2021

The ground nesting raptor Montagu’s Harrier breeds in loose colonies in cereal fields in the Spanish Extremadura. It is unclear how and whether birds in different colonies interact and how harriers spend time before and after nesting, before starting migration. We used GPS–GSM tags deployed on ten females and three males, some over multiple seasons, to follow bird movements with unprecedented detail. Arriving from spring migration, all males and most females returned to their old nest site, and spent between 13 and 25 days in mate choice and local site inspection. During incubation and early nesting female movements were strongly reduced, but increased significantly during late nesting and post-fledging periods. After fledging or after breeding failure, females increased their flying radius. Some of them visited other colonies, for single days or for longer periods, or flew long distances within Spain. These visits might have included help in breeding attempts of other pairs (adoptions). Four out of six females returned to their own breeding site before starting migration. Several females repeatedly used common roosts in this phase. Non-breeding females were active in defending nests in the colony against predators. Females with successful brood initiated migration earlier and spent less time in Spain than non-breeders or those with predated nests. Unlike females, daily distances in males were more uniform. While all males remained in the breeding area for the entire season, their activity centres shifted more within that area than those of females.
Rational verification: game-theoretic verification of multi-agent systems
Authors: Abate Alessandro , Gutierrez Julian , Hammond Lewis , Harrenstein Paul , Kwiatkowska Marta , Najib Muhammad , Perelli Giuseppe , Steeples Thomas , Wooldridge Michael
Published: August 2021

We provide a survey of the state of the art ofrational verification: the problem of checking whether a given temporal logic formulaϕis satisfied in some or all game-theoretic equilibria of a multi-agent system – that is, whether the system will exhibit the behaviorϕrepresents under the assumption that agents within the system act rationally in pursuit of their preferences. After motivating and introducing the overall framework of rational verification, we discuss key results obtained in the past few years as well as relevant related work in logic, AI, and computer science.
Moisture absorption measurement and modelling of a cellulose acetate
Authors: Khoshtinat S. , Carvelli V. , Marano C.
Published: August 2021

With a view toward the application of highly hygroscopic polymers as a humidity responsive self-actuator, the evaluation of the real time moisture concentration in the material becomes a priority. In this paper, the moisture diffusion process in a cellulose acetate (53.3% of acetylation) has been studied. Membranes of cellulose acetate (thickness within the range 66–200 µm) have been prepared, and the moisture absorption at room temperature and at a different relative humidity (RH within the range 21–53%) has been monitored. An analytical model has been used to describe the observed non-Fickian sigmoidal behavior of moisture diffusion. A relaxation factor (β) of about 0.026 s−1and a moisture diffusion coefficient (D) of 3.35 × 10–6mm2/s have been determined. At constant room temperature, the moisture concentration at saturation (Csat) has shown a linear relation with relative humidity. The identified values β, D and Csatof the analytical model have been used as input for the finite element simulation of the non-Fickian diffusion. The reliability of the finite element simulations has been confirmed with a second set of experiments.
Achieving negative emissions through oceanic sequestration of vegetation carbon as Black Pellets
Authors: Miller Leonard A. , Orton Philip M.
Published: August 2021

Natural processes and human activities produce vast amounts of dead vegetation which return CO2 to the atmosphere through decay and combustion. If such vegetation could be converted into biocoal and sequestered on the ocean floor, it could reduce the accumulation of atmospheric CO2 without involving sequestration in the form of CO2. Given that raw vegetation is unsuitable for large-scale energy applications, a process was developed to convert raw vegetation into a form of biocoal, termed Black Pellets, that solves the logistical and energy conversion problems of using raw vegetation for power generation. Seemingly overlooked is that properties of Black Pellets—higher density than seawater and resistance to microbial decay—may offer an environmentally safe way of sequestering vegetation carbon on the sea floor. Sequestering vegetation carbon by depositing biocoal as Black Pellets in the deep ocean (oceanic sequestration of biocoal—OSB) would be a means of achieving long-lasting negative emissions. Sacrificing the energy content of the deposited pellets would require substituting energy from other sources. If the substitute energy could be from lower-carbon natural gas or carbon-free sources, the effects would be less accumulation of atmospheric CO2 compared to using the pellets for energy and a nearly 60 to 100% reduction in the need for geologic sequestration compared to bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS). If confirmed by research, OSB would be an addition to the sparse toolbox of negative emission technologies (NETs) which would give humankind more flexibility in meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Magnetic imaging of the outer solar atmosphere (MImOSA)
Authors: Peter H. , Ballester E. Alsina , Andretta V. , Auchère F. , Belluzzi L. , Bemporad A. , Berghmans D. , Buchlin E. , Calcines A. , Chitta L.P. , Dalmasse K. , Alemán T. del Pino , Feller A. , Froment C. , Harrison R. , Janvier M. , Matthews S. , Parenti S. , Przybylski D. , Solanki S.K. , Štěpán J. , Teriaca L. , Bueno J. Trujillo
Published: August 2021

The magnetic activity of the Sun directly impacts the Earth and human life. Likewise, other stars will have an impact on the habitability of planets orbiting these host stars. Although the magnetic field at the surface of the Sun is reasonably well characterised by observations, the information on the magnetic field in the higher atmospheric layers is mainly indirect. This lack of information hampers our progress in understanding solar magnetic activity. Overcoming this limitation would allow us to address four paramount long-standing questions: (1) How does the magnetic field couple the different layers of the atmosphere, and how does it transport energy? (2) How does the magnetic field structure, drive and interact with the plasma in the chromosphere and upper atmosphere? (3) How does the magnetic field destabilise the outer solar atmosphere and thus affect the interplanetary environment? (4) How do magnetic processes accelerate particles to high energies? New ground-breaking observations are needed to address these science questions. We suggest a suite of three instruments that far exceed current capabilities in terms of spatial resolution, light-gathering power, and polarimetric performance: (a) A large-aperture UV-to-IR telescope of the 1-3 m class aimed mainly to measure the magnetic field in the chromosphere by combining high spatial resolution and high sensitivity. (b) An extreme-UV-to-IR coronagraph that is designed to measure the large-scale magnetic field in the corona with an aperture of about 40 cm. (c) An extreme-UV imaging polarimeter based on a 30 cm telescope that combines high throughput in the extreme UV with polarimetry to connect the magnetic measurements of the other two instruments. Placed in a near-Earth orbit, the data downlink would be maximised, while a location at L4 or L5 would provide stereoscopic observations of the Sun in combination with Earth-based observatories. This mission to measure the magnetic field will finally unlock the driver of the dynamics in the outer solar atmosphere and thereby will greatly advance our understanding of the Sun and the heliosphere.
Laboratory Forensics for Open Science Readiness: an Investigative Approach to Research Data Management
Authors: Lefebvre Armel , Spruit Marco
Published: August 2021

Recently, the topic of research data management has appeared at the forefront of Open Science as a prerequisite for preserving and disseminating research data efficiently. At the same time, scientific laboratories still rely upon digital files that are processed by experimenters to analyze and communicate laboratory results. In this study, we first apply a forensic process to investigate the information quality of digital evidence underlying published results. Furthermore, we use semiotics to describe the quality of information recovered from storage systems with laboratory forensics techniques. Next, we formulate laboratory analytics capabilities based on the results of the forensics analysis. Laboratory forensics and analytics form the basis of research data management. Finally, we propose a conceptual overview of open science readiness, which combines laboratory forensics techniques and laboratory analytics capabilities to help overcome research data management challenges in the near future.
Resources, Problems and Challenges of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis and Support System in Poland
Authors: Lenart Anna , Pasternak Jacek
Published: August 2021

The article refers to resources, problems and challenges of autism diagnosis and support system in Poland. The resources include: the increasing number of specialists, diagnostic and therapeutic centres, well-established course of education for people working with youths, standardised and normalised diagnostic tools. The diagnostic process is not without some areas in need of our focus: the tendency of some specialists to make unauthorised diagnosis, overshadowing; underestimation of comorbidity of ASD with other disorders. The challenges refer to introducing an effective system of monitoring the services provided in form of certification and control in order to prevent their abuse, initiating category of temporary diagnosis; paying more attention on individual’s resources, better cooperation among specialists, teachers and families, developing and unifying diagnostic standards.
Camouflaging Intent, First Impressions, and Age of ASC Diagnosis in Autistic Men and Women
Authors: Belcher Hannah L. , Morein-Zamir Sharon , Mandy Will , Ford Ruth M.
Published: August 2021

Camouflaging of autistic traits may make autism harder to diagnose. The current study evaluated the relations between camouflaging intent, first impressions, and age of autism diagnosis. Participants comprised autistic and non-autistic adults (n = 80, 50% female) who completed the Camouflaging of Autistic Traits Questionnaire. They were later video-recorded having a conversation with a person unaware of their diagnostic status. Ten-second clips from half these videos were later shown to 127 non-autistic peers, who rated their first impressions of each participant. Results showed that autistic participants were rated more poorly on first impressions, males were rated less favourably than females, and male raters were particularly harsh in their evaluations of autistic males. Camouflaging intent did not predict first impressions but better first impressions were linked with a later age of diagnosis.
A robust approach to parameterize dislocation glide energy barriers in FCC metals and alloys
Authors: Ashraf Farhan , Castelluccio Gustavo M.
Published: August 2021

The mechanical response of metallic materials is controlled by multiple deformation mechanisms that coexist across scales. Dislocation glide is one such process that occurs after bypassing obstacles. In macroscopic well-annealed single-phase metals, weak obstacles such as point defects, solid solution strengthening atoms, short-range dislocation interactions, and grain boundaries control dislocation glide by pinning the scarce dislocation density. This work investigates the dislocation glide energy barrier in face-centered cubic (FCC) metallic materials by considering a crystal plasticity model that computes the yield strength as a function of temperature. The dislocation glide energy barrier is parameterized by three different formulations that depend on two parameters. A Monte Carlo analysis randomly determines all other coefficients within uncertainty bounds identified from the literature, followed by fitting the two energy barrier parameters to experimental data. We consider ten FCC materials to demonstrate that the methodology characterizes robustly the dislocation glide energy barrier used by crystal plasticity models. Furthermore, we discovered a correlation between the glide barrier and the stacking fault energy that can be used as a basis to infer the glide activation energy.

Graphical abstract
Measles, Media and Memory: Journalism’s Role in Framing Collective Memory of Disease
Authors: Conis Elena , Hoenicke Sarah
Published: August 2021

Language used to describe measles in the press has altered significantly over the last sixty years, a shift that reflects changing perceptions of the disease within the medical community as well as broader changes in public health discourse. California, one of the most populous U.S. states and seat of the 2015 measles outbreak originating at Disneyland, presents an opportunity for observing these changes. This article offers a longitudinal case study of five decades of measles news coverage by the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle, which represented two of the largest news markets in California when the measles vaccine was released, in 1963, and during the 2015 outbreak. Measles reporting during this period displays patterns pointing to an active role for journalists in shaping public understanding of health and medical matters, especially as they recede from public memory, through the employment of available and circulating political and cultural frames. Moreover, journalistic frames in this period of reporting incorporated presentist descriptions of the disease, which imposed present values on the medical past, and which were constructed of decontextualized historical references that supported prevailing contemporary notions of the disease. Framing and the tendency toward presentism, in the context of shifting public health discourse, had the effect of communicating an increasingly severe sounding disease over time, and of shifting blame for that disease’s spread from nature to government to individuals. Journalistic framing and causal stories have much power to shape public understanding of medical matters as they recede from public memory.
Automated Flaw Detection in Multi-channel Phased Array Ultrasonic Data Using Machine Learning
Authors: Siljama Oskar , Koskinen Tuomas , Jessen-Juhler Oskari , Virkkunen Iikka
Published: August 2021

Modern ultrasonic inspections utilize ever-richer data-sets made possible by phased array equipment. A typical inspection may include tens of channels with different refraction angle, that are acquired at high speed. These rich data sets allow highly reliable and efficient inspection in complex cases, such as dissimilar metal or austenitic stainless steel welds. The rich data sets allow human inspectors to detect cracks with low signal-to-noise ratio from the wider signal patterns. There’s a clear trend in the industry to even richer data sets with full matrix capture (FMC) and related techniques. Convolutional neural networks have recently shown capability to detect flaws with human level accuracy in ultrasonic signals at the B-scan level. To enable automated flaw detection at human-level accuracy for critical applications, these neural networks need be developed to take advantage of today’s rich phased array data-sets. In the present paper, we extend previous work and develop convolutional neural networks that perform highly reliable flaw detection on typical multi-channel phased array data on austenitic welds. The results show, that the modern neural networks can accommodate the rich ultrasonic data and display high flaw detection performance.
Meta-inferences and Supervaluationism
Authors: Incurvati Luca , Schlöder Julian J.
Published: August 2021

Many classically valid meta-inferences fail in a standard supervaluationist framework. This allegedly prevents supervaluationism from offering an account of good deductive reasoning. We provide a proof system for supervaluationist logic which includes supervaluationistically acceptable versions of the classical meta-inferences. The proof system emerges naturally by thinking of truth as licensing assertion, falsity as licensing negative assertion and lack of truth-value as licensing rejection and weak assertion. Moreover, the proof system respects well-known criteria for the admissibility of inference rules. Thus, supervaluationists can provide an account of good deductive reasoning. Our proof system moreover brings to light how one can revise the standard supervaluationist framework to make room for higher-order vagueness. We prove that the resulting logic is sound and complete with respect to the consequence relation that preserves truth in a model of the non-normal modal logic NT. Finally, we extend our approach to a first-order setting and show that supervaluationism can treat vagueness in the same way at every order. The failure of conditional proof and other meta-inferences is a crucial ingredient in this treatment and hence should be embraced, not lamented.
Focused ultrasound in neuro-oncology: the role of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation in driving adoption and innovation
Authors: Whipple Emily C. , Favero Camille A. , Kassell Neal F.
Published: August 2021

The Focused Ultrasound Foundation was created to improve the lives of millions of people worldwide by accelerating the development of this noninvasive technology. The Foundation works to clear the path to global adoption by organizing and funding research, fostering collaboration, and building awareness among patients and professionals. Since its establishment in 2006, the Foundation has become the largest nongovernmental source of funding for focused ultrasound research. For more information, visit http://www.fusfoundation.org.
Pituitary metastases from neuroendocrine neoplasms: case report and narrative review
Authors: Ragni Alberto , Nervo Alice , Papotti Mauro , Prencipe Nunzia , Retta Francesca , Rosso Daniela , Cacciani Marta , Zamboni Giuseppe , Zenga Francesco , Uccella Silvia , Cassoni Paola , Gallo Marco , Piovesan Alessandro , Arvat Emanuela
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Pituitary metastases (PM) are uncommon findings and are mainly derived from breast and lung cancers. No extensive review of PM from neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) is on record. Here we describe a clinical case of PM from pancreatic NEN and review the clinical features of PM from NENs reported in the literature.

Methods

A case of PM from a pancreatic NEN followed at our institution is described. We also reviewed the 43 cases of PM from NENs reported in the literature.

Results

A 59-year old female patient, previously submitted to duodeno-cephalo-pancreasectomy for a well-differentiated pancreatic NEN, with known hepatic metastases, underwent a 68 Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT that revealed an uptake in the pituitary gland. A subsequent MRI displayed a pituitary lesion, with suprasellar extension. After a hormonal and genetic diagnostic workup that excluded the diagnosis of MEN 1, the worsening of headache and visual impairment and the growth of the lesion lead to its surgical removal. A pituitary localization of the pancreatic NEN was identified. Regarding the published cases of PM from NENs, the most common tumour type was small cell lung cancer (SCLC), accounting for nearly half of the cases, followed by bronchial and pancreatic well differentiated NENs. The most frequent symptom was a variable degree of visual impairment, while headache was reported in half of the cases. Partial or total anterior hypopituitarism was present in approximately three quarters of the cases, while diabetes insipidus was less common. The most frequent treatment for PM was surgical resection, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The clinical outcome was in line with previous reports of PM from solid tumours, with a median survival of 14 months. Surgery of PM was associated with prolonged survival.

Conclusions

PM from NENs have clinical features similar to metastases derived from other solid tumours, albeit the involvement of the anterior pituitary seems more frequent; a thorough pituitary hormonal evaluation is mandatory, after focused radiological studies, particularly if a surgical approach is considered. The optimal management of PM remains disputed and seems mainly driven by the aggressiveness of the primary tumour and the presence of symptoms. In well-differentiated NENs, particularly in the case of symptomatic PM, surgical removal may be a reasonable approach.
Conservative solutions for progress: on solution types when combining QCA with in-depth Process-Tracing
Authors: Álamos-Concha Priscilla , Pattyn Valérie , Rihoux Benoît , Schalembier Benjamin , Beach Derek , Cambré Bart
Published: August 2021

What is the most appropriate QCA solution type when engaging in a multimethod design that includes QCA and in-depth process-tracing (PT)? While either the intermediate or the parsimonious solution are generally favored in QCA-only studies, we identify important challenges that can emerge when selecting those solutions in a QCA-PT multimethod study. We particularly highlight the risk of mechanistic heterogeneity, omitted conditions, and draw the attention on the issue of generalization. We discuss each of these intertwined challenges in depth, and explain why the conservative solution is useful to consider in addressing them. We substantiate our arguments by drawing on a recently completed evaluation study that was commissioned by the Flemish ESF Agency in Belgium. In the study, we combined QCA and theory-guided in-depth process-tracing to uncover under what combinations of conditions (QCA) a training programme would lead to successful training transfer and how (PT) this happened in the successful cases. The article highlights the need to carefully consider the selection of solution types in any multimethod design comprising QCA.
Rethinking stabilization policies; Including supply-side measures and entrepreneurial processes
Authors: Braunerhjelm Pontus
Published: August 2021

Traditional macroeconomic stabilization policies seek to moderate swings in economic activity through measures that primarily augment aggregate demand. Such measures are, however, inadequate in mitigating the comprehensive effects of crisis such as the COVID-19, which affects both the demand and supply sides of the economy. Moreover, monetary policies are presently close to a liquidity trap combined with weakened transmission links to the real economy. Fiscal policies have been reactivated, albeit in an ad hoc and experimental manner. Based on a literature review and the policy responses following the COVID-19 crisis, the objective is to present a modified and extended framework for stabilization policies. In particular, the importance of microeconomic supply-side measures that promote entrepreneurial processes and knowledge-upgrading efforts are emphasized. Furthermore, a coherent realigning of policies at the micro- and macro-levels is argued to enhance the potential for long-term growth and to facilitate the restructuring of an economy that normally follows a crisis.
Homophily and peer influence in early-stage new venture informal investment
Authors: Qin Fei , Mickiewicz Tomasz , Estrin Saul
Published: August 2021

Conceptualising early-stage new venture informal investors as co-entrepreneurs whose actions are socially embedded, we examine the role of social influence and how it interplays with entrepreneurial experience at the individual level leading to informal investment. We extend theories of social homophily and social influence to argue that informal investment decisions are influenced by shared experience and entrepreneurism in peer groups. We test our hypotheses with a multi-level model using first a large cross-country dataset and next in depth within a country. Our analysis reveals that both individual entrepreneurship experience and peer group-embedded experience significantly influence the likelihood that an individual becomes an early-stage investor. Furthermore, these social effects substitute for the lack of individual entrepreneurial experience.
Clinical outcomes of surgical embolectomy versus catheter-directed thrombolysis for acute limb ischemia: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Yang Po-Kai , Su Chien-Chou , Hsu Chih-Hsin
Published: August 2021

In Taiwan, the outcomes of acute limb ischemia have yet to be investigated in a standardized manner. In this study, we compared the safety, feasibility and outcomes of acute limb ischemia after surgical embolectomy or catheter-directed therapy in Taiwan. This study used data collected from the Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Database (NHID) and Cause of Death Data between the years 2000 and 2015. The rate ratio of all-cause in-hospital mortality and risk of amputation during the same period of hospital stay were estimated using Generalized linear models (GLM). There was no significant difference in mortality risk between CDT and surgical intervention (9.5% vs. 10.68%, adjusted rate ratio (95% CI): regression 1.0 [0.79–1.27], PS matching 0.92 [0.69–1.23]). The risk of amputation was also comparable between the two groups. (13.59% vs. 14.81%, adjusted rate ratio (95% CI): regression 0.84 [0.68–1.02], PS matching 0.92 [0.72–1.17]). Age (p < 0.001) and liver disease (p = 0.01) were associated with higher mortality risks. Heart failure (p = 0.03) and chronic or end-stage renal disease (p = 0.03) were associated with higher amputation risks. Prior antithrombotic agent use (p = 0.03) was associated with a reduced risk of amputation. Both surgical intervention and CDT are effective and feasible procedures for patients with ALI in Taiwan.
Evidence of interpopulation variation in the germination of Eryngium maritimum L. (Apiaceae)
Authors: Cortés-Fernández I. , Cerrato M. D. , Ribas-Serra A. , Cardona C. , González C. , Gil L.
Published: August 2021

Germination is considered as one of the most crucial steps in a plant’s lifetime. The germination of Eryngium maritimum, a dune species located across all European coasts, has been extensively analysed in Northern populations, where it is considered a locally endangered species. However, less attention has been given to southern populations, where the knowledge about the germination of the species is very limited. The main objective of the present study was to analyse the effect of cold stratification in one Mediterranean and one Atlantic population of the species, as well as to compare the potential variation of seed dormancy among a latitudinal gradient in European populations based on current literature. Seeds collected from Mallorca (Mediterranean, Spain) and Asturias (Atlantic, Spain) were germinated at different temperatures and cold stratification periods ranging from 4 to 20 weeks. These results were merged with the results of previous studies to test the potential effect of latitude and climatic variables in germination. Although the optimal incubation temperature was 10 ºC, the highest final germination percentages (up to 96%) was obtained in both populations combining specific cold stratification periods (5 ºC) and constant incubation temperatures (15–20 ºC). Atlantic seeds needed longer cold stratification times to reach high germination percentages compared with Mediterranean seeds. Apart from the stratification response, significant differences in viability and in germination were observed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean populations. Considering data from previous studies in the analysis, the results suggest that there is a potential effect of latitude in the ecological germination requirements, by which the higher the latitude, the longer the cold stratification period required to germinate, with a correlation with the mean annual temperature. These results suggests that two factors, modulation of dormancy relating to adaptative or maternal effects and viability, govern the germination of the species.
Commentary: Matching IRT Models to PRO Constructs—Modeling Alternatives, and Some Thoughts on What Makes a Model Different
Authors: Davier Matthias von
Published: August 2021

This commentary is an attempt to present some additional alternatives to the suggestions made by Reise et al. (2021). IRT models as they are used for patient-reported outcome (PRO) scales may not be fully satisfactory when used with commonly made assumptions. The suggested change to an alternative parameterization is critically reflected with the intent to initiate discussion around more comprehensive alternatives that allow for more complex latent structures having the potential to be more appropriate for PRO scales as they are applied to diverse populations.
HuGoS: a virtual environment for studying collective human behavior from a swarm intelligence perspective
Authors: Coucke Nicolas , Heinrich Mary Katherine , Cleeremans Axel , Dorigo Marco
Published: August 2021

Swarm intelligence studies self-organized collective behavior resulting from interactions between individuals, typically in animals and artificial agents. Some studies from cognitive science have also demonstrated self-organization mechanisms in humans, often in pairs. Further research into the topic of human swarm intelligence could provide a better understanding of new behaviors and larger human collectives. This requires studies with multiple human participants in controlled experiments in a wide variety of scenarios, where a rich scope of possible interactions can be isolated and captured. In this paper, we present HuGoS—‘Humans Go Swarming’—a multi-user virtual environment implemented using the Unity game development platform, as a comprehensive tool for experimentation in human swarm intelligence. We demonstrate the functionality of HuGoS with naïve participants in a browser-based implementation, in a coordination task involving collective decision-making, messaging and signaling, and stigmergy. By making HuGoS available as open-source software, we hope to facilitate further research in the field of human swarm intelligence.
Comparing Automated Morphology Quantification Software on Dendrites of Uninjured and Injured Drosophila Neurons
Authors: Nguyen Carolee , Thompson-Peer Katherine L.
Published: August 2021

Dendrites shape inputs and integration of depolarization that controls neuronal activity in the nervous system. Neuron pathologies can damage dendrite architecture and cause abnormalities in morphologies after injury. Dendrite regeneration can be quantified by various parameters, including total dendrite length and number of dendrite branches using manual or automated image analysis approaches. However, manual quantification is tedious and time consuming and automated approaches are often trained using wildtype neurons, making them poorly suited for analysis of genetically manipulated or injured dendrite arbors. In this study, we tested how well automated image analysis software performed on class IV Drosophila neurons, which have several hundred individual dendrite branches. We applied each software to automatically quantify features of uninjured neurons and neurons that regenerated new dendrites after injury. Regenerated arbors exhibit defects across multiple features of dendrite morphology, which makes them challenging for automated pipelines to analyze. We compared the performances of three automated pipelines against manual quantification using Simple Neurite Tracer in ImageJ: one that is commercially available (Imaris) and two developed by independent research groups (DeTerm and Tireless Tracing Genie). Out of the three software tested, we determined that Imaris is the most efficient at reconstructing dendrite architecture, but does not accurately measure total dendrite length even after intensive manual editing. Imaris outperforms both DeTerm and Tireless Tracing Genie for counting dendrite branches, and is better able to recreate previous conclusions from this same dataset. This thorough comparison of strengths and weaknesses of each software demonstrates their utility for analyzing regenerated neuron phenotypes in future studies.
The Po Plain Loess Basin (Northern Italy): Scientific Values, Threats, and Promotion Opportunities
Authors: Bollati Irene M. , Zerboni Andrea
Published: August 2021

Geoheritage studies periodically propose assessment methodologies addressed to quantify the value of sites of interests towards geoconservation and/or promotion. Loess outcrops in the Po Plain Loess basin (Northern Italy) represent potential geoheritage sites, allowing to reconstruct glacial and interglacial cycles, testifying evidence of paleoseismicity, and preserving traces of Palaeolithic human exploitation along the foreland of the Alpine and Apennine ranges. In this contribution, firstly we propose a brief review on the loess sites in the framework of geoheritage studies. Then, we evaluate the 6 most significant loess outcrops scattered across the Po Plain Loess Basin (Monte Netto Hill, Val Sorda Sequence, Gajum Section, Ghiardo Plateau, Valenza Section, Torino Hill) applying a quantitative methodology aimed at ranking each locality respect to a benchmark site — the Romanengo Plateau — which is the sole loess site included in the Italian Inventory of Geosites. The 70% of sites obtained a global value higher than our benchmark. They show a high diversity, not only from the scientific point of view (i.e.,site-intrinsic geodiversity), but also when we consider theirPotential for Use. Despite often disregarded in the international panorama, Italian loess sites require a great attention. Moreover, such sites areevolving passive geomorphosites, thus potentially vulnerable from natural and human causes: this must be considered in the framework of geoconservation and sustainable promotion of each site. Finally, we discuss the possibility of promoting Italian loess sites through different strategies (e.g. virtual tours, 3D models, and gamification based on landscape reconstruction) allowing to visit them by remote and favouring promotion. At the same time, this approach will also promote geoconservation, improving awareness in the general public on the relevance of such sites for Earth (natural and human-related) history.
Exploring a food system index for understanding food system transformation processes
Authors: van Berkum Siemen , Ruben Ruerd
Published: August 2021

Whereas most indicators for food systems performance only focus on outcomes, we explore the prospects for a kind of Food Systems Index (FSI) that tries to capture several key components that influence differences in food system performance at country level. We outline the theoretical foundations and methodological approach underlying the FSI framework and illustrate its relevance for understanding major food system characteristics. We therefore focus on major FSI differences between regions and types of countries and compare FSI outcomes across different types of food systems and in relationship to other indicators of change in the rural and economic structure. We explain the potential of the FSI framework for identifying more coherent food system policies but also acknowledge the challenges for its further operationalization.
Rock typing based on hydraulic and electric flow units for reservoir characterization of Nubia Sandstone, southwest Sinai, Egypt
Authors: El-Sayed Abdel Moktader A. , Sayed Nahla A. El , Ali Hadeer A. , Kassab Mohamed A. , Abdel-Wahab Salah M. , Gomaa Moataz M.
Published: August 2021

The present work describes and evaluates the reservoir quality of the sandstone of the Nubia Formation at the Gebel Abu Hasswa outcrop in southwest Sinai, Egypt. Hydraulic flow unit (HFU) and electrical flow unit (EFU) concepts are implied to achieve this purpose. The Paleozoic section made up of four formations has been studied. The oldest is Araba Formation followed by Naqus formations (Nubia C and D) overlay by Abu Durba, Ahemir and Qiseib formations (Nubia B), where the Lower Cretaceous (Nubia A) is represented by the Malha Formation. The studied samples have been collected from Araba, Abu Durba, Ahemir and the Malha formations. The hydraulic flow unit (HFU) discrimination was carried out based on permeability and porosity relationship, whereas the electrical flow unit (EFU) differentiation was carried out based on the relationship between formation resistivity factor and porosity. Petrographic investigation of the studied thin sections illustrates that the studied samples are mainly quartz arenite. Important roles to enhance or reduce the pore size and/or pore throats controlling the reservoir petrophysical behavior are due to the diagenetic processes. The present study used the reservoir quality index (RQI) and Winland R35 as additional parameters applied to discriminate the HFUs. The study samples have five hydraulic flow units of different rock types, where the detected electrical flow units are only three. The differences between them are may be due to the cementation process with iron oxides that might act as pore filling, lining and pore bridging, sometimes bridges helping to decrease permeability without serious reduction in porosity. The reduction between the number of EFUs and HFUs comes from the effect of diagenesis processes which is responsible for a precipitation of different cement types such as different clay minerals and iron oxides.