showing 36 of ~574560 from 574555 documents
Images of the future for a circular economy : The case of Finland
2022
A transition from a linear to a circular economy (CE) is one of the key solutions to the sustainability crisis. A CE requires new mental models and insights, especially of a desirable future towards which to move. A CE aims at making better use of resources and jointly considers economic, environmental and social sustainability aspects in the long run. The objective of this study is to develop alternative images of the future for CE in Finland in 2050. The study was performed using qualitative research methods and covers extensive data from 61 interviews with experts. We analysed the data using qualitative content analysis. Four alternative images of the future were generated: A circular su…
Phase-selective low molecular weight organogelators derived from allylated D-mannose
2022
In the last decades, synthesis and design of low molecular weight organogelators has gained increasing attention due to their versatile use in, for example, cosmetics, biomedicine and oil spill remediation. In this work, three potential gelators have been prepared from allylated d-mannose. Both the gelators and the corresponding gels formed were thoroughly characterized by crystallography, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, rheometry and NMR spectroscopy, in solution and in solid state. The results showed that two of the compounds phase-selectively form gels with hydrocarbon solvents. The most promising gelator compound is alkene terminated, with the unsaturated end functionality not critical for gel …
Aleksandram Zāmelim - 125
2022
Latviešu botāniķa un ģenētiķa Aleksandra Zāmeļa (1897-1943) 125. jubilejai veltīta Latvijas Universitātes Muzeja virtuālā izstāde “Aleksandram - Zāmelim 125”.
Dynamic networks of physiologic interactions of brain waves and rhythms in muscle activity.
2022
The brain plays a central role in facilitating vital body functions and in regulating physiological and organ systems, including the skeleto-muscular and locomotor system. While neural control is essential to synchronize and coordinate activation of various muscle groups and muscle fibers within muscle groups in relation to body movements and distinct physiologic states, the dynamic networks of brain-muscle interactions have not been explored and the complex regulatory mechanism of brain-muscle control remains unknown. Here we present a first study of network interactions between brain waves at different cortical locations and peripheral muscle activity across key physiologic states - wake,…
Socio-economic inequality, interregional mobility and mortality among cancer patients: A mediation analysis approach
2022
This paper investigates the effect of socio-economic status on interregional mobility and mortality among cancer patients. The cohort under analysis comprises patients residing in Sicily (Italy), who were diagnosed with lung and colon cancer between 2010 and 2011. The data was collated from the hospital discharge records of the Sicilian Region and the Regional register of the causes of death, by considering all those patients for whom information relating to socio-economic status was available. First, graphical models were applied to highlight the multivariate structure of association among socio-economic status, interregional mobility and 3-year mortality. Secondly, mediation analysis quan…
Reshaping End-of-Life components by sheet hydroforming: An experimental and numerical analysis
2022
In this study, a numerical/experimental analysis is proposed to investigate the possibility of reshaping sheet metal-based End-of-Life (EoL) components using sheet Hydroforming (SHF). Returned EoL components are challenging to be reformed, they are usually characterised by high heterogeneity as there are localised thinning areas (caused by the original forming processes), and the overall formability is reduced with respect to the original flat sheet material. The reshaping route was replicated: a deep drawing process was adopted to impart a square feature; subsequently, SHF was performed. The capability of remove the deep drawn feature was analysed with varying Blank-holder force, oil press…
Photothermal nanofibrillar membrane based on hyaluronic acid and graphene oxide to treat Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infected wo…
2022
Here we reported the fabrication of an electrospun membrane based on a hyaluronic acid derivative (HA-EDA) to be used as a bandage for the potential treatment of chronic wounds. The membrane, loaded with graphene oxide (GO) and ciprofloxacin, showed photothermal properties and light-triggered drug release when irradiated with a near-infrared (NIR) laser beam. Free amino groups of HA-EDA derivative allowed autocrosslinking of the elec- trospun membrane; thus, a substantial enhancement in the hydrolytic resistance of the patch was obtained. In vitro antibacterial activity studies performed on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa revealed that such electrospun membranes, due to the…
The Choice of Control Variables : How Causal Graphs Can Inform the Decision
2022
Control variables have a central role when empirical data are used to support causal claims in management research. The current literature has been intransparent in so far as to how control variables should be chosen, how many control variables should be chosen and whether a potential control variable should be included. Causal diagrams provide a transparent framework on how to select control variables for causal identification. This article delineates how causal graphs can inform researchers in leadership and management in finding the correct set of control variables and possible solutions in the case that causal identification is not possible or when causal identification requires unobser…
Digital content marketing in business markets : Activities, consequences, and contingencies along the customer journey
2022
Fundamental shifts in business-to-business (B2B) buying behavior make digital content marketing (DCM) a strategic priority for vendors, though firms struggle to achieve its full potential, as a customer-centric marketing approach. To address important knowledge gaps in extant research, this study identifies key activities for realizing customer-centric DCM in B2B markets and key contingencies that influence its performance outcomes. A theories-in-use approach, building on 56 interviews with managers at 36 B2B companies that have invested heavily in DCM, advances current literature by developing an activity-based conceptualization, grounded in relevant marketing research streams (customer en…
Opuntia Ficus Indica based green composites for NPK fertilizer controlled release produced by compression molding and fused deposition modeling
2022
Excessive fertilization causes ecological problems due to leaching issues. To solve this problem and promote agriculture sustainability an innovative green composite for controlled release fertilizers was produced by adding NPK fertilizer flour to a biodegradable polymer with or without Opuntia Ficus Indica (OFI) particles. Six for- mulations were produced and employed for the fabrication of devices both for compression molding and fused deposition modeling (FDM). Both fillers displayed a good dispersion in the composites, excellent adhesion with the polymeric matrix and effectively acted as reinforcement. The decrease of NPK release rate (up to 30 days) was achieved using whole composites …
Knowledge management and intellectual capital in the business model innovation of Costa Rican manufacturing firms
2022
Abstract The purpose of this article is to analyze the impact of knowledge management and intellectual capital on the ability of companies to generate business model innovation. To evaluate the proposed hypotheses, we surveyed a final sample of 100 Costa Rican manufacturing companies and analyzed the data using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that knowledge management positively contributes to the development of business model innovations. Similarly, intellectual capital has a direct positive influence on business model innovation. However, the direct contribution intellectual capital depends on the adoption of practices that encourage knowledg…
Spatiotemporal monitoring of the rare northern dragonhead (Dracocephalum ruyschiana, Lamiaceae) — SNP genotyping and environmental niche modeling her…
2022
The species we have studied the spatiotemporal genetic change in the northern dragonhead, a plant species that has experienced a drastic population decline and habitat loss in Europe. We have added a temporal perspective to the monitoring of northern dragonhead in Norway by genotyping herbarium specimens up to 200 years old. We have also assessed whether northern dragonhead has achieved its potential distribution in Norway. To obtain the genotype data from 130 herbarium specimens collected from 1820 to 2008, mainly from Norway (83) but also beyond (47), we applied a microfluidic array consisting of 96 SNP markers. To assess temporal genetic change, we compared our new genotype data with exi…
Key CDO functions for successful digital transformation: Insights from a Delphi study
2022
Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUG Given that the Chief Digital Office (CDO) is a new business position, it is not yet clear what the key functions they must develop to successfully undertake the company digital transformation process. Although previous literature has tentatively covered this issue, there are still gaps in knowledge about which functions are truly relevant. The aim of this paper is to fill this gap by (1) clarifying the key CDO functions through a Delphi study, validated by a digital dynamic capabilities (DDC) framework (Warner and Wäger 2019), and (2) presenting a measurement instrument useful for assessing the degree of the key CDO fu…
Sulla nuova conciliazione su proposta del giudice tributario
2022
La legge di riforma della giustizia e del processo tributari reca nuove disposizioni anche in tema di conciliazione giudiziale: da un lato introduce la possibilità che la proposta conciliativa venga formulata anche dal giudice e, dall’altro, modifica le conseguenze previste a carico della parte che abbia rifiutato di aderire alla proposta, sia che essa provenga dal giudice, sia che essa provenga dall’altra parte. Le conseguenze previste per la parte che non accetti la proposta di conciliazione appaiono sproporzionate rispetto al fine che il legislatore intende perseguire, che è quello di sanzionare le condotte di abuso del giudizio, riducendo, sempre in un’ottica deflattiva, il ricorso allo…
Outcome of liver cancer patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection: an international, multicentre, cohort study
2022
Background & Aims Information about the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients with liver cancer is lacking. This study characterizes the outcomes and mortality risk in this population. Methods Multicentre retrospective, cross-sectional, international study of liver cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection registered between February and December 2020. Clinical data at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and outcomes were registered. Results Two hundred fifty patients from 38 centres were included, 218 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 32 with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). The median age was 66.5 and 64.5 years, and 84.9% and 21.9% had cirrhosis…
Some classes of quasi *-algebras
2022
In this paper we will continue the analysis undertaken in [1] and in [2] [20] our investigation on the structure of Quasi-local quasi *-algebras possessing a sufficient family of bounded positive tracial sesquilinear forms. In this paper it is shown that any Quasi-local quasi *-algebras (A, A0), possessing a ”sufficient state” can be represented as non-commutative L2- spaces.
Phase 1 du programme "Trames noires du Massif central" (IPAMAC). Compte-rendu intermédiaire. Visite du Parc national des Cévennes
2022
Feasibility of using more polishable aggregates in dense-graded asphalt surface mixture: Case study of dolomite
2022
This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using more dolomite aggregates in asphalt surface mixtures that are typically used by West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH). The laboratory test results indicated that increasing dolomite content in asphalt surface mixtures resulted in a faster deterioration rate at the early polishing stage. In addition, asphalt surface mixtures containing more than 50% dolomite coarse aggregates would significantly reduce roadway safety. The field test results validated that dolomite shall not exceed 50% of coarse aggregate in asphalt surface mixture if the projected traffic volume is greater than 3.0 million equivalent single axle loads (ESALs).
Agile Enterprise Transformations : Surveying the Many Facets of Agility for the Hybrid Era
2022
Agile companies are not uniform. Consequently, agile transformations are conceived broadly, ranging from adopting agile methods and practices in software development teams or functions to building all-encompassing enterprise agility. Moreover, the targeted effects of agility may vary, and the success of transformations and the attainment of agility are measured in various ways. In this paper, based on a recent industrial survey study, we scrutinize holistically why companies want to transform, what types of agility they are aiming at, and how they gauge transformations. The survey data was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Most of the respondents were in large or very large co…
OCT applications in contact lens fitting
2022
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive, high-speed, high-resolution imaging technology based in the Michaelson interferometry. A near-infrared light beam is used to register the intensity variations for the light backscattered on each sample layer. Due to the high repeatability on corneal measurements, spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) is the gold standard when talking about in vivo, non-invasive anterior segment imaging. Changes in the morphology of various ocular surfaces such as the cornea, conjunctiva, limbus or tear film with soft (SCL), rigid, corneal or scleral lens (SL) wear can be described by OCT measurements. For instance, evaluation of the corneoscleral region is essenti…
Adaptive Attitude Control of a Rigid Body with Input and Output Quantization
2022
Author's accepted manuscript. © 2021 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works. In this paper, the adaptive attitude tracking the problem of a rigid body is investigated where the input and output are transmitted via a network. To reduce the communication burden in a network, a quantizer is introduced in both uplink and downlink communication channels. An adaptiv…
Jessie Bernard. Paradossi dei matrimoni felici e della maternità incondizionata
2022
Questo volume introduce per la prima volta in Italia il pensiero di Jessie Bernard, la cui produzione scientifica sui temi del genere e del femminile – dal matrimonio alla maternità, dalla segregazione alla mobilità professionale – ha fornito un importante contribuito alla rivoluzione femminista, proponendo un’analisi articolata del “sistema coniugale americano” e dei condizionamenti operanti sulle famiglie bianche e su quelle di colore in tema di maternità. Il pensiero di Jessie Bernard non si situa in una lotta ideologica, ma nell’esperienza di una studiosa che ha “scalato le montagne” dell’irrisione coniugale, della sufficienza accademica e del sospetto femminista. Una riflessività – que…
Thermal solitons in nanotubes
2022
Starting from a recent proposal of a nonlinear Maxwell-Cattaneo equation for the heat transport with relaxational effects at nanoscale, in a special case of thermal-wave propagation we derive a nonlinear Schrodinger equation for the amplitudes of the heatflux perturbation. The complete integrability of the obtained equation is investigated in order to prove the existence of infinite conservation laws, as well as the existence of infinite exact solutions. In this regards, we have considered the simplest nontrivial solutions, namely, the bright and dark (thermal) solitons, which may be interesting for energy transport and for information transmission in phononic circuits. (c) 2022 Elsevier B.…
Time-dependent stability of monocyte distribution width (MDW)
2022
Trajectory subgroups of perceived emotional support from teachers : Associations with change in mastery climate and intentions to quit upper secondar…
2022
The aims of this three-wave longitudinal study were to identify and describe trajectories of perceived emotional support from teachers and investigate whether these trajectories were related to the development of intentions to quit upper secondary school via change in perceived mastery climate. Among 1379 Norwegian upper secondary school students, three trajectory subgroups were identified: stable high (84.9%), decreasing (7.8%), and low increasing (7.3%). The subgroups differed in levels of achievement ambition and academic self-concept. Further, a parallel process latent growth curve model revealed essential associations with change in intentions to quit school. Specifically, students wit…
The role of ethical attitudes in the mortality of patients with disorders of consciousness.
2022
Predicting and Measuring Decision Rules for Social Recognition in a Neotropical Frog.
2022
AbstractMany animals use signals, such as vocalizations, to recognize familiar individuals. However, animals risk making recognition mistakes because the signal properties of different individuals often overlap due to within-individual variation in signal production. To understand the relationship between signal variation and decision rules for social recognition, we studied male golden rocket frogs, which recognize the calls of territory neighbors and respond less aggressively to a neighbor’s calls than to the calls of strangers. We quantified patterns of individual variation in acoustic properties of calls and predicted optimal discrimination thresholds using a signal detection theory mod…
Extraction of lipids from microalgae using classical and innovative approaches
2022
Microalgae, as a photosynthetic autotrophic organism, contain a variety of bioactive compounds, including lipids, proteins, polysaccharides, which have been applied in food, medicine, and fuel industries, among others. Microalgae are considered a good source of marine lipids due to their high content in unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) and can be used as a supplement/replacement for fish-based oil. The high concentration of docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) in microalgae lipids, results in important physiological functions, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immune regulation, being also a prerequisite for its development and application. In this paper, a variety…
The effect of Holder pasteurization on the lipid and metabolite composition of human milk
2022
Human milk (HM) is the gold standard for newborn nutrition. When own mother's milk is not sufficiently available, pasteurized donor human milk becomes a valuable alternative. In this study we analyzed the impact of Holder pasteurization (HoP) on the metabolic and lipidomic composition of HM. Metabolomic and lipidomic profiles of twelve paired HM samples were analysed before and after HoP by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS) and gas chromatography-MS. Lipidomic analysis enabled the annotation of 786 features in HM out of which 289 were significantly altered upon pasteurization. Fatty acid analysis showed a significant decrease of 22 out of 29 detectable fatty acids. The observed c…
Rill flow velocity and resistance law: A review
2022
Rills caused by runoff concentration on erodible hillslopes generally have very irregular longitudinal profiles and cross-section shapes. Rill erosion directly depends on the hydraulics of flow within the rills which may differ greatly from that in larger and regular channels like streams or rivers. At first, in this paper, a review of the two different approaches to estimate rill flow velocity, based on flow regime and flow resistance laws, is presented. Recent advances in measurements of rill geometry by the three-dimensional photo-reconstruction (3D-PR) technique, which allows one to obtain a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) by low-altitude aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry, are also disc…
Forms of gastronomic camouflage: veridiction in the kitchen
2022
In this essay, we analyse the regimes of truth and the forms of culinary camouflage inscribed in some signature dishes by several well-known Italian chefs, whose work is emblematic of the various fictional trends in gastronomy. In doing so, we will keep in mind the so-called semiotic square of veridiction that discursive semiotics has been proposing and using for some time. The analysis reveals how the gastronomic discourse of the Italian haute cousine produces effects of illusion, secrecy, falsehood and truth. The concurrence of these veridiction modes allows for an explicit model which accounts for the various styles of camouflage and thus describes current tendencies in contemporary cuis…
Machine Learning–Enabled Multimodal Fusion of Intra-Atrial and Body Surface Signals in Prediction of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Outcomes
2022
Background: Machine learning is a promising approach to personalize atrial fibrillation management strategies for patients after catheter ablation. Prior atrial fibrillation ablation outcome prediction studies applied classical machine learning methods to hand-crafted clinical scores, and none have leveraged intracardiac electrograms or 12-lead surface electrocardiograms for outcome prediction. We hypothesized that (1) machine learning models trained on electrograms or electrocardiogram (ECG) signals can perform better at predicting patient outcomes after atrial fibrillation ablation than existing clinical scores and (2) multimodal fusion of electrogram, ECG, and clinical features can furt…
Prevenzione e benessere in tempo di peste: cura della persona e dietetica nel contributo del medico siciliano Giovanni Filippo Ingrassia (1576)
2022
Il saggio intende evidenziare il contributo che Giovanni Filippo Ingrassia (1510-1580) ha offerto alla definizione di un regime salutare di igiene personale e di alimentazione a livello preventivo, secondo la tradizione umoralistica, in occasione dell’ondata epidemica che colpì la Sicilia nel 1575-76. La ricerca, connettendosi a studi recenti su queste tematiche, fa emergere aspetti finora poco noti della personalità scientifica del grande medico siciliano e aggiunge un tassello alla letteratura sul vivere sano. The essay aims to highlight Giovanni Filippo Ingrassia’s (1510-1580) contribution towards identifying and defining a healthy personal hygiene and dietary regime preventing the sprea…
Crop type discrimination using Geo-Stat Endmember extraction and machine learning algorithms
2022
Increasing intensity of deimatic behaviour in response to repeated simulated attacks: a case study on the mountain katydid (Acripeza reticulata)
2022
Abstract How and when deimatic behaviours are performed can change during encounters between predators and prey. Some predators attack repeatedly, investigating and manipulating prey, and in response, an individual’s deimatic behaviour may intensify or may diminish in favour of escaping. The presence of a resource can further force a trade-off between displaying and escaping. Here, we examined the intensity of the katydid’s deimatic behaviour, a visual display, the propensity of their escape response under repeated simulated attacks, and how these responses change in the presence of foraging resources. We found that display intensity increased with repeated simulated attacks and that femal…
Managing coopetition in diversified firms: Insights from a qualitative case study
2022
Abstract Cooperation among divisions is usually thought to explain the performance of diversification strategies. However, such divisions are also in competition. Through the in-depth analysis of an intraindustry diversified firm operating in the global semiconductor industry, this paper identifies the sources of coopetition and the treatment of coopetitive tensions among divisions in the production allocation process. We find a multipoint origin of cooperation within a competitive setting. Then, we extend a previous study that considers uniquely two substitute views: (a) corporate-centric; and (b) division-centric. Additionally, by employing formal organizational mechanisms, we show that c…