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Plasma-derived therapeutic proteins are produced through an industrial fractionation process where proteins are purified from individual intermediates, some of which remain unused and are discarded. Relatively few plasma-derived proteins are exploited clinically, with most of available plasma being directed towards the manufacture of immunoglobulin and albumin. Although the plasma proteome provides opportunities to develop novel protein replacement therapies, particularly for rare diseases, the high cost of plasma together with small patient populations impact negatively on the development of plasma-derived orphan drugs. Enabling therapeutics development from unused plasma fractionation intermediates would therefore constitute a substantial innovation. To this objective, we characterized the proteome of unused plasma fractionation intermediates and prioritized proteins for their potential as new candidate therapies for human disease. We selected ceruloplasmin, a plasma ferroxidase, as a potential therapy for aceruloplasminemia, an adult-onset ultra-rare neurological disease caused by iron accumulation as a result of ceruloplasmin mutations. Intraperitoneally administered ceruloplasmin, purified from an unused plasma fractionation intermediate, was able to prevent neurological, hepatic and hematological phenotypes in ceruloplasmin-deficient mice. These data demonstrate the feasibility of transforming industrial waste plasma fraction into a raw material for manufacturing of new candidate proteins for replacement therapies, optimizing plasma use and reducing waste generation.

In this paper, we develop a theoretical model to evaluate the re-centralization of public procurement in an emergency under different collective choice mechanisms. We show that the equilibrium degree of centralization is the result of the interplay of three forces: (i) an “efficiency gain” effect, that works in favour of full centralization, since central government is likely to be more efficient than regional governments in purchasing goods on the market, and (ii) “dangerous liaisons” across levels of government, that work against centralization, because of (ii.a) the central government’s willingness to scapegoat failures on regional governments (“blame effect”), and (ii.b) the regional governments’ shame in delegating to the centre (“shame effect”). We have used the model to interpret the change in the governance of public procurement in Italy during the COVID-19 crisis. In fact, Italy, likewise many other countries around the world, responded to COVID-19 emergency with a mixed bag of centralized and decentralized measures that most likely reflected the particular ways in which politicians assumed blame and shame would work at different stages of the pandemic rather than their considerations on efficiency.

The increasing demand for reliable traceability tools in the meat supply chain has prompted the exploration of innovative approaches that meet stringent quality standards. In this work, 57 elements were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and direct mercury analysis in 80 muscle and 80 liver samples of Italian heavy pigs to investigate the potential of new tools based on multi-elemental profiles in supporting valueadded meat supply chains. Samples from three groups of animals belonging to the protected designation of origin (PDO) Parma Ham circuit (conventionally raised; raised with genetically modified organism (GMO)-free feeds; raised with GMO-free feeds plus the supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA)) and a fourth group of samples from animals not compliant with the PDO Parma Ham production process were analyzed. Hierarchical cluster analysis allowed for the identification of three macro-clusters of liver or muscle samples, highlighting some inhomogeneities among the target groups. Following SIMCA analysis, better classification models were obtained by using liver elemental profiles (95% correct classification rate), with the highest classification accuracy observed for GMO-free livers (100%). The elements contributing the most to the separation of livers by class membership were La, Ce, and Pb for conventional, Li, Cr, Fe, As, and Sr for GMO-free + n3 PUFA, and Lu for non-PDO samples. Given these findings, the analysis of the elemental profiles of pig tissues can be regarded as a promising method to confirm the declared pig meat label attributes, deter potential complex fraud, and support meat traceability systems., Metodou ICP-MS bylo v 80 vzorcích svalů a jater italských těžkých prasat kvantifikováno 57 prvků. Navrženy a testovány byly vybrané nástroje strojového učení za účelem hodnocení prvkového profilu a možnosti využití pro sledovatelnost produktů v dodavatelském řetězci. Postupy byly testovány a validovány pro tři skupiny zvířat s chráněným značením původu. Nejvyšší přesnosti klasifikace (> 95 %) bylo dosaženo s algoritmem SIMCA.

On 5 June 2017, an airspace blockade was imposed on the State of Qatar by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (neighboring countries), and Egypt. We exploit this exogenous increase in air transportation costs toward non-blockading countries to examine the effect of increased travel distance, due to re-routing, on bilateral trade. Based on a gravity model estimated using a Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood estimator, we find a distance elasticity of imports between −0.3 and −0.5. Overcoming the limitations of cross-sectional studies and taking advantage of this quasi-natural experiment, our findings are robust and revise downward previous estimates of the distance elasticity.

We investigate how transfers of military equipment in the United States through the 1033 Program impact the electoral performance of sheriffs that receive a significant share of equipment while directly accountable to voters. To address this question, we have compiled a unique dataset covering 7281 sheriff elections in 2714 counties between 2006 and 2016. Our findings indicate that an increase in military transfers to the sheriff’s office, from no transfers to the 25th percentile, increases the probability of the incumbent being reelected by 5.8–12.5 percentage points. This is due to an increase in the number of votes cast for the incumbent while there is no effect on the total number of voters participating in the election. Our heterogeneity results demonstrate that voters tend to reward military equipment transfers, especially when local newspapers are present and in Republican-leaning small counties, providing novel insights into voter responsiveness in local elections (JEL D72, H56, H76, K42).

Immune-inflammatory mechanisms are promising targets for antidepressant pharmacology. Immune cell abnormalities have been reported in mood disorders showing a partial T cell defect. Following this line of reasoning we defined an antidepressant potentiation treatment with add-on low-dose interleukin 2 (IL-2). IL-2 is a T-cell growth factor which has proven anti-inflammatory efficacy in autoimmune conditions, increasing thymic production of naïve CD4 + T cells, and possibly correcting the partial T cell defect observed in mood disorders. We performed a single-center, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial evaluating the safety, clinical efficacy and biological responses of low-dose IL-2 in depressed patients with major depressive (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD). 36 consecutively recruited inpatients at the Mood Disorder Unit were randomised in a 2:1 ratio to receive either aldesleukin (12 MDD and 12 BD) or placebo (6 MDD and 6 BD). Active treatment significantly potentiated antidepressant response to ongoing SSRI/SNRI treatment in both diagnostic groups, and expanded the population of T regulatory, T helper 2, and percentage of Naive CD4+/CD8 + immune cells. Changes in cell frequences were rapidly induced in the first five days of treatment, and predicted the later improvement of depression severity. No serious adverse effect was observed. This is the first randomised control trial (RCT) evidence supporting the hypothesis that treatment to strengthen the T cell system could be a successful way to correct the immuno-inflammatory abnormalities associated with mood disorders, and potentiate antidepressant response.

The clinical phenotype of the so-called late-onset depression (LOD) affecting up to 30% of older adults and yielding heterogeneous manifestations concerning symptoms, severity and course has not been fully elucidated yet. This European, cross-sectional, non-interventional, naturalistic multicenter study systematically investigated socio-demographic and clinical correlates of early-onset depression (EOD) and LOD (age of onset ≥ 50 years) in 1410 adult in- and outpatients of both sexes receiving adequate psychopharmacotherapy. In a total of 1329 patients (94.3%) with known age of disease onset, LOD was identified in 23.2% and was associated with unemployment, an ongoing relationship, single major depressive episodes, lower current suicidal risk and higher occurrence of comorbid hypertension. In contrast, EOD was related to higher rates of comorbid migraine and additional psychotherapy. Although the applied study design does not allow to draw any causal conclusions, the present results reflect broad clinical settings and emphasize easily obtainable features which might be characteristic for EOD and LOD. A thoughtful consideration of age of onset might, hence, contribute to optimized diagnostic and therapeutic processes in terms of the globally intended precision medicine, ideally enabling early and adequate treatment allocations and implementation of respective prevention programs., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

This paper presents an interaction-aware energy management optimization framework for Formula 1 racing. The considered scenario involves two agents and a drag reduction model. Strategic interactions between the agents are captured by a Stackelberg game formulated as a bilevel program. To address the computational challenges associated with bilevel optimization, the problem is reformulated as a single-level nonlinear program employing the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions. The proposed framework contributes towards the development of new energy management and allocation strategies, caused by the presence of another agent. For instance, it provides valuable insights on how to redistribute the energy in order to optimally exploit the wake effect, showcasing a notable difference with the behavior studied in previous works. Robust energy allocations can be identified to reduce the lap time loss associated with unexpected choices of the other agent. It allows to recognize the boundary conditions for the interaction to become relevant, impacting the system's behavior, and to assess if overtaking is possible and beneficial. Overall, the framework provides a comprehensive approach for a two-agent Formula 1 racing problem with strategic interactions, offering physically intuitive and practical results.

Item does not contain fulltext, BACKGROUND: Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are among the most frequently prescribed antidepressants (ADs) for major depressive disorder (MDD), with an increasing trend in the last decade. Given the relative dearth of information regarding rationales for their preferred use as first-line ADs in the broad clinical routine, the present study systematically investigated real-world characteristics of MDD patients prescribed either SNRIs or other AD substances across different countries and treatment settings. METHODS: In the present secondary analyses based on a large European, multi-site, naturalistic and cross-sectional investigation with a retrospective assessment of treatment outcome, we firstly defined the proportion of MDD patients receiving SNRIs as first-line AD psychopharmacotherapy and secondly compared their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics to those patients prescribed alternative first-line ADs during their current major depressive episode (MDE). RESULTS: Within the total sample of 1410 MDD patients, 336 (23.8 %) received first-line SNRIs. Compared to other ADs, SNRIs were significantly associated with inpatient care, suicidality and treatment resistance during the current MDE, and a longer lifetime duration of psychiatric hospitalizations. Moreover, greater severity of depressive symptoms at study entry, higher daily doses of the administered ADs, as well as more frequent prescriptions of psychopharmacotherapeutic add-on strategies in general and antipsychotic augmentation in particular, were significantly related to first-line SNRIs. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the limitations of a cross-sectional and retrospective study design, our data point towards a preferred use of first-line SNRIs in a generally more severely ill MDD patients, although they did not lead to superior treatment outcomes compared to alternative ADs.

Muscle and liver tissues from Italian heavy pigs were analyzed to investigate whether the chronic consumption of these products by local consumers could represent a health risk in relation to the contamination by some toxic metals and metalloids (TMMs). The concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sn, U, and Zn were measured with an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer, while Hg analysis was performed by using a mercury analyzer. Fe, Zn, and Cu were the most abundant elements in both tissues, while U was detected only at ultra-trace levels. As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Pb, U, and Zn showed significantly higher concentrations in livers compared to muscles (p <= 0.01), with Cd and Cu being 60- and 9-fold more concentrated in the hepatic tissue. Despite this, concentrations of all TMMs were found to be very low in all the samples to the point that the resulting estimated dietary intakes did not suggest any food safety concern. Indeed, intakes were all below the toxicological health-based guidance values or resulted in low margins of exposure. Nevertheless, in the calculation of the worst-case exposure scenario, the children's estimated intake of Cd, Fe, and Zn through the sole consumption of pig liver contributed to more than 23, 38, and 39% of the tolerable weekly intakes of these elements, while the combined consumption of pig liver and pig muscle to more than 24, 46, and 76%. These findings alert about the probability of exceeding the toxicological guidance values of Cd, Fe, and Zn though the whole diet, suggesting long-term negative health effects for the younger population., Metodou hmotnostní spektrometrie s ionizací v indukčně vázaném plazmatu (ICP-MS) a termooxidační metodou byly analyzovány svalové a jaterní tkáně italských těžkých prasat za účelem posouzení dietární expozice různých věkových skupin italské populace vybranými těžkými kovy. Z experimentálních dat byla s využitím vhodných matematicko-statistických postupů vyhodnocena potencionální zdravotní rizika spojená s konzumací uvedených vzorků a definována doporučení s ohledem na posílení integrovaných monitorovacích programů pro kontrolu výskytu kontaminantů v krmivech a masných výrobcích.

We study nodal librations of outer particles in the framework of the elliptical restricted three-body problem including general relativity (GR) effects. From an analytical treatment based on secular interactions up to quadrupole level, we derive equations that define the nodal libration region of an outer test particle, which depends on the physical and orbital parameters of the bodies of the system. From this, we analyze how the GR constrains the semimajor axis of outer test particles that experience nodal librations under the effects of an inner planet around a single stellar component. Such an upper limit of the semimajor axis, which is called a2,lim , depends on the mass of the star ms, the mass m1, the semimajor axis a1, and the eccentricity e1 of the inner planet, and the eccentricity e2 of the outer test particle. On the one hand, our results show that the greater m1, a1, and e2 and the smaller ms, the greater the value of a2,lim. On the other hand, for fixed ms, m1, a1, and e2, a2,lim does not strongly depend on e1, except for large values of such an orbital parameter. We remark that N-body experiments of particular scenarios that include GR show results consistent with the analytical criteria derived in the present research. Moreover, the study of hypothetical small body populations of real systems composed of a single star and an inner planetary-mass companion show that the GR effects can play a very important role in their global dynamics., Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

Modern robotics often involves multiple embodied agents operating within a shared environment. Path planning in these cases is considerably more challenging than in single-agent scenarios. Although standard Sampling-based Algorithms (SBAs) can be used to search for solutions in the robots' joint space, this approach quickly becomes computationally intractable as the number of agents increases. To address this issue, we integrate the concept of factorization into sampling-based algorithms, which requires only minimal modifications to existing methods. During the search for a solution we can decouple (i.e., factorize) different subsets of agents into independent lower-dimensional search spaces once we certify that their future solutions will be independent of each other using a factorization heuristic. Consequently, we progressively construct a lean hypergraph where certain (hyper-)edges split the agents to independent subgraphs. In the best case, this approach can reduce the growth in dimensionality of the search space from exponential to linear in the number of agents. On average, fewer samples are needed to find high-quality solutions while preserving the optimality, completeness, and anytime properties of SBAs. We present a general implementation of a factorized SBA, derive an analytical gain in terms of sample complexity for PRM*, and showcase empirical results for RRG., Comment: under review

Background: Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are among the most frequently prescribed antidepressants (ADs) for major depressive disorder (MDD), with an increasing trend in the last decade. Given the relative dearth of information regarding rationales for their preferred use as first-line ADs in the broad clinical routine, the present study systematically investigated real-world characteristics of MDD patients prescribed either SNRIs or other AD substances across different countries and treatment settings. Methods: In the present secondary analyses based on a large European, multi-site, naturalistic and cross-sectional investigation with a retrospective assessment of treatment outcome, we firstly defined the proportion of MDD patients receiving SNRIs as first-line AD psychopharmacotherapy and secondly compared their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics to those patients prescribed alternative first-line ADs during their current major depressive episode (MDE). Results: Within the total sample of 1410 MDD patients, 336 (23.8 %) received first-line SNRIs. Compared to other ADs, SNRIs were significantly associated with inpatient care, suicidality and treatment resistance during the current MDE, and a longer lifetime duration of psychiatric hospitalizations. Moreover, greater severity of depressive symptoms at study entry, higher daily doses of the administered ADs, as well as more frequent prescriptions of psychopharmacotherapeutic add-on strategies in general and antipsychotic augmentation in particular, were significantly related to first-line SNRIs. Conclusions: Considering the limitations of a cross-sectional and retrospective study design, our data point towards a preferred use of first-line SNRIs in a generally more severely ill MDD patients, although they did not lead to superior treatment outcomes compared to alternative ADs., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

We analyze the role of the general relativity (GR) on the nodal librations of test particles located at the Habitable Zone (HZ) around a solar-mass star, which evolve under the influence of an eccentric planetary-mass perturber with a semimajor axis of 0.1 au. Based on a secular Hamiltonian up to quadrupole level, we derive analytical criteria that define the nodal libration region of a HZ particle as a function of its eccentricity $e_2$ and inclination $i_2$, and the mass $m_1$ and the eccentricity $e_1$ of the perturber. We show that a HZ particle can experience nodal librations with orbital flips or purely retrograde orbits for any $m_1$ and $e_1$ by adopting a suitable combination of $e_2$ and $i_2$. For $m_1 <$ 0.84 M$_\textrm{Jup}$, the greater the $m_1$ value, the smaller the $e_2$ value above which nodal librations are possible for a given $e_1$. For $m_1 >$ 0.84 M$_{\textrm{Jup}}$, a HZ test particle can undergo nodal librations for any $e_2$ and appropriate values of $e_1$ and $i_2$. The same correlation between $m_1$ and $e_2$ is obtained for nodal librations with orbital flips, but a mass limit for $m_1$ of 1.68 M$_{\textrm{Jup}}$ is required in this case. Moreover, the more massive the inner perturber, the greater the nodal libration region associated with orbital flips in the ($e_1$, $i_2$) plane for a given value of $e_2$. Finally, we find good agreements between the analytical criteria and results from N-body simulations for values of $m_1$ ranging from Saturn-like planets to super-Jupiters.

Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) promise a range of societal advantages, including broader access to mobility, reduced road accidents, and enhanced transportation efficiency. However, evaluating the risks linked to AVs is complex due to limited historical data and the swift progression of technology. This paper presents a data-driven framework for assessing the risk of different AVs' behaviors in various operational design domains (ODDs), based on counterfactual simulations of "misbehaving" road users. We propose the notion of counterfactual safety margin, which represents the minimum deviation from nominal behavior that could cause a collision. This methodology not only pinpoints the most critical scenarios but also quantifies the (relative) risk's frequency and severity concerning AVs. Importantly, we show that our approach is applicable even when the AV's behavioral policy remains undisclosed, through worst- and best-case analyses, benefiting external entities like regulators and risk evaluators. Our experimental outcomes demonstrate the correlation between the safety margin, the quality of the driving policy, and the ODD, shedding light on the relative risks of different AV providers. Overall, this work contributes to the safety assessment of AVs and addresses legislative and insurance concerns surrounding this burgeoning technology., Comment: updated experiments

The high glycolytic activity of multiple myeloma (MM) cells is the rationale for use of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) to detect both bone marrow (BM) and extramedullary disease. However, new tracers are actively searched because [18F]FDG-PET has some limitations and there is a portion of MM patients who are negative. Glutamine (Gln) addiction has been recently described as a typical metabolic feature of MM cells. Yet, the possible exploitation of Gln as a PET tracer in MM has never been assessed so far and is investigated in this study in preclinical models. Firstly, we have synthesized enantiopure (2S,4R)-4-fluoroglutamine (4-FGln) and validated it as a Gln transport analogue in human MM cell lines, comparing its uptake with that of 3H-labelled Gln. We then radiosynthesized [18F]4-FGln, tested its uptake in two different in vivo murine MM models, and checked the effect of Bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor currently used in the treatment of MM. Both [18F]4-FGln and [18F]FDG clearly identified the spleen as site of MM cell colonization in C57BL/6 mice, challenged with syngeneic Vk12598 cells and assessed by PET. NOD.SCID mice, subcutaneously injected with human MM JJN3 cells, showed high values of both [18F]4-FGln and [18F]FDG uptake. Bortezomib significantly reduced the uptake of both radiopharmaceuticals in comparison with vehicle at post treatment PET. However, a reduction of glutaminolytic, but not of glycolytic, tumor volume was evident in mice showing the highest response to Bortezomib. Our data indicate that [18F](2S,4R)-4-FGln is a new PET tracer in preclinical MM models, yielding a rationale to design studies in MM patients.

This paper looks at decentralisation as an institutional solution for curbing secessionist pressures by making potentially seceding regions strictly better off by staying in the union. We show that a bottom-up decentralisation reform, where single regions that can opt to assume or not stronger fiscal responsibilities on the basis of bilateral negotiations with the central government, may be more successful in avoiding instability and a secessionist conflict than more standard top-down decentralisation, where the central government assigns identical fiscal powers to all regions. The example of the decentralisation process in Spain over the last 40 years illustrates the relevance of the institutional pattern we analyse in the paper.

[Abstract]: With the advent of flexible electronics, the old fashioned and conventional solid-state technology will be replaced by conductive inks combined with low-cost printing techniques. Graphene is an ideal candidate to produce conductive inks, due to its excellent conductivity and zero bandgap. The possibility to chemically modify graphene with active molecules opens up the field of responsive conductive inks. Herein, a bioresponsive, electroactive, and inkjet-printable graphene ink is presented. The ink is based on graphene chemically modified with selected enzymes and an electrochemical mediator, to transduce the products of the enzymatic reaction into an electron flow, proportional to the analyte concentration. A water-based formulation is engineered to be respectful with the enzymatic activity while matching the stringent requirements of inkjet printing. The efficient electrochemical performance of the ink, as well as a proof-of-concept application in biosensing, is demonstrated. The versatility of the system is demonstrated by modifying graphene with various oxidoreductases, obtaining inks with selectivity toward glucose, lactate, methanol, and ethanol.

Item does not contain fulltext

On June 5th, 2017, an airspace blockade was imposed on the state of Qatar by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (neighboring countries) and Egypt. We exploit this exogenous increase in air transportation costs towards non-blockading countries to examine the effect of increased travel distance, due to re-routing, on bilateral trade. Based on a gravity model estimated with a Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood estimator, we find a distance elasticity of imports between -0.3 and -0.5. Overcoming the limitations of cross-sectional studies and taking advantage of this quasi-natural experiment, our findings are robust and revise downwards previous estimates of the distance elasticity.

Contains fulltext : 242755.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)

The demand for fish and seafood is growing worldwide. Meanwhile, problems related to the integrity and safety of the fishery sector are increasing, leading legislators, producers, and consumers to search for ways to effectively protect themselves from fraud and health hazards related to fish consumption. What is urgently required now is the availability of reliable, truthful, and reproducible methods assuring the correspondence between the real nature of the product and label declarations accompanying the same product during its market life. The evaluation of the inorganic composition of fish and seafood appears to be one of the most promising strategies to be exploited in the near future to assist routine and official monitoring operations along the supply chain. The present review article focuses on exploring the latest scientific achievements of using the multi-elemental composition of fish and seafood as an imprint of their authenticity and traceability, especially with regards to the geographical origin. The scientific literature of the last 10 years focusing on the analytical determination and statistical elaboration of elemental data (alone or in combination with methodologies targeting other compounds) to verify the identity of fishery products is summarized and discussed., Hodnocení anorganického prvkového složení ryb a mořských plodů se zdá být jednou z nejslibnějších strategií, které budou v blízké budoucnosti využity k podpoře rutinních a oficiálních monitorovacích operací v dodavatelském řetězci. Tento přehledový článek se zaměřuje na zkoumání nejnovějších vědeckých poznatků využití multi-prvkového profilu tkání ryb a mořských plodů pro potřeby jejich autentifikace a sledovatelnost s ohledem na geografický původ. Je shrnuta a diskutována vědecká literatura za posledních 10 let, zaměřená na analytická stanovení a statistické zpracování experimentálních dat pro ověření identity produktů rybolovu.

Contains fulltext : 242755.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)

Virtual Reality (VR) is gaining ground in the robotics and teleoperation industry, opening new prospects as a novel computerized methodology to make humans interact with robots. In contrast with more conventional button-based teleoperations, VR allows users to use their physical movements to drive robotic systems in the virtual environment. The latest VR devices are also equipped with integrated eye-tracking, which constitutes an exceptional opportunity for monitoring users' workload online. However, such devices are fairly recent, and human factors have been consistently marginalized so far in telerobotics research. We thus covered these aspects by analyzing extensive behavioral data generated by 24 participants driving a simulated industrial robot in VR through a pick-and-place task. Users drove the robot via button-based and action-based controls and under low (single-task) and high (dual-task) mental demands. We collected self-reports, performance and eye-tracking data. Specifically, we asked i) how the interactive features of VR affect users' performance and workload, and additionally tested ii) the sensibility of diverse eye parameters in monitoring users' vigilance and workload throughout the task. Users performed faster and more accurately, while also showing a lower mental workload, when using an action-based VR control. Among the eye parameters, pupil size was the most resilient indicator of workload, as it was highly correlated with the self-reports and was not affected by the user's degree of physical motion in VR. Our results thus bring a fresh human-centric overview of human-robot interactions in VR, and systematically demonstrate the potential of VR devices for monitoring human factors in telerobotics contexts.

This work proposes a new machine learning (ML)-based paradigm aiming to enhance the computational efficiency of non-equilibrium reacting flow simulations while ensuring compliance with the underlying physics. The framework combines dimensionality reduction and neural operators through a hierarchical and adaptive deep learning strategy to learn the solution of multi-scale coarse-grained governing equations for chemical kinetics. The proposed surrogate's architecture is structured as a tree, with leaf nodes representing separate neural operator blocks where physics is embedded in the form of multiple soft and hard constraints. The hierarchical attribute has two advantages: i) It allows the simplification of the training phase via transfer learning, starting from the slowest temporal scales; ii) It accelerates the prediction step by enabling adaptivity as the surrogate's evaluation is limited to the necessary leaf nodes based on the local degree of non-equilibrium of the gas. The model is applied to the study of chemical kinetics relevant for application to hypersonic flight, and it is tested here on pure oxygen gas mixtures. In 0-D scenarios, the proposed ML framework can adaptively predict the dynamics of almost thirty species with a maximum relative error of 4.5% for a wide range of initial conditions. Furthermore, when employed in 1-D shock simulations, the approach shows accuracy ranging from 1% to 4.5% and a speedup of one order of magnitude compared to conventional implicit schemes employed in an operator-splitting integration framework. Given the results presented in the paper, this work lays the foundation for constructing an efficient ML-based surrogate coupled with reactive Navier-Stokes solvers for accurately characterizing non-equilibrium phenomena in multi-dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulations.

We consider the interaction among agents engaging in a driving task and we model it as general-sum game. This class of games exhibits a plurality of different equilibria posing the issue of equilibrium selection. While selecting the most efficient equilibrium (in term of social cost) is often impractical from a computational standpoint, in this work we study the (in)efficiency of any equilibrium players might agree to play. More specifically, we bound the equilibrium inefficiency by modeling driving games as particular type of congestion games over spatio-temporal resources. We obtain novel guarantees that refine existing bounds on the Price of Anarchy (PoA) as a function of problem-dependent game parameters. For instance, the relative trade-off between proximity costs and personal objectives such as comfort and progress. Although the obtained guarantees concern open-loop trajectories, we observe efficient equilibria even when agents employ closed-loop policies trained via decentralized multi-agent reinforcement learning., Comment: Under review

A new tool, ML-J-DP4, provides an efficient and accurate method for determining the most likely structure of complex molecules within minutes using standard computational resources. The workflow involves combining fast Karplus-type J calculations with NMR chemical shifts predictions at the cheapest HF/STO-3G level enhanced using machine learning (ML), all embedded in the J-DP4 formalism. Our ML provides accurate predictions, which compare favorably alongside with other ML methods.

Since selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, that are recommended as first-line antidepressant psychopharmacotherapy for major depressive disorder (MDD), may not be the optimal choice for every patient, antidepressants with different modes of action exerting a distinct set of expectant effects, represent a valuable alternative. Despite the previously observed increased prescription rates of noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants (NaSSAs) - particularly mirtazapine - in Europe, the individual profiles of patients primarily prescribed NaSSAs in real-world settings have not been systematically investigated yet. In this secondary analysis based on a European, cross-sectional, naturalistic, multicenter study involving 1410 adult males and females with primary MDD, sociodemographic and clinical variables were compared between patients dispensed NaSSAs and those with alternative first-line antidepressants. Hereby, NaSSAs were administered in 8.6 % of the sample (mirtazapine: n = 114, mianserin: n = 7). We detected associations with older mean age, male sex, unemployment, as well as additional melancholic and catatonic features, inpatient treatment, lower mean daily-dosages of the administered antidepressants but higher rates of augmentation with low-potency antipsychotics, and greater mean reductions of depressive symptoms during their current major depressive episodes. Although the study design is unsuitable to draw any causal conclusions, our findings provide a realistic picture of patients eligible for first-line antidepressant treatment with NaSSAs, especially mirtazapine, and underscore the role of this AD substance class in severe MDD. Further, they may represent a promising basis for future systematic research focusing on precision diagnostics and treatment in MDD, that would ideally result in faster responses and better outcomes, especially in the so-called difficult-to-treat conditions including treatment resistant depression., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The measurement and analysis of fifty-two elements by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICP-MS) and direct mercury analysis were applied to origin discrimination of Italian traditional cuttlefish (Chioggia, Venice lagoon) from Mediterranean and Atlantic samples. A total 68 specimens were analyzed in triplicates to generate 204 mass spectra profiles which were statistically processed by different chemometric techniques. Loading weights from principal component analysis as input for linear discriminant analysis (LW-LDA), stepwise-LDA (S-LDA) and variable influence of projection-partial least square discriminant analysis (VIP-PLS-DA) were used to classify samples while retaining the lowest possible number of key variables. VIP-PLS-DA was found to be the best variable selection-discriminant tool combo since the selected Na-Co-B-K-Cd-V-U-Rb-Ni-Ba-Cu-As-Sr-Mn-Mo-Li-Ca-Mg-Se-Bi-Cs-P-Y elemental pattern allowed the samples to be classified with 100% sensitivity, specificity and accuracy., Metodou hmotnostní spektrometrie s ionizací v indukčně vázaném plazmatu a kvadrupólovým analyzátorem iontů (Q-ICP-MS) byl v 68 vzorcích hlavonožců stanoven multi-prvkový profil, který byl společně s nástroji vícerozměrné analýzy dat (LW-LDA, S-LDA, VIP-PLS-DA) využit k rozlišení geografického původu vzorků ze Středozemního moře a Atlantiku. Aplikací metody VIP-PLS-DA, v kombinací s vhodnými prediktory, bylo dosaženo klasifikace vzorků se 100% senzitivitou, specificitou a přesností.

Quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICP-MS) and direct mercury analysis were used to determine the elemental composition of 180 transformed (salt-ripened) anchovies from three different fishing areas before and after packaging. To this purpose, four decision trees-based algorithms, corresponding to C5.0, classification and regression trees (CART), chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID), and quick unbiased efficient statistical tree (QUEST) were applied to the elemental datasets to find the most accurate data mining procedure to achieve the ultimate goal of fish origin prediction. Classification rules generated by the trained CHAID model optimally identified unlabelled testing bulk anchovies (93.9% F-score) by using just 6 out of 52 elements (As, K, P, Cd, Li, and Sr). The finished packaged product was better modelled by the QUEST algorithm which recognised the origin of anchovies with F-score of 97.7%, considering the information carried out by 5 elements (B, As, K. Cd, and Pd). Results obtained suggested that the traceability system in the fishery sector may be supported by simplified machine learning techniques applied to a limited but effective number of inorganic predictors of origin., S využitím hmotnostní spektrometrie s ionizací v indukčně vázaném plazmatu a kvadrupólovým analyzátorem iontů (Q-ICP-MS), byl ve 180 vzorcích ančoviček stanoven multi-prvkový profil, který byl s pomocí několika algoritmů klasifikačních či regresních rozhodovacích stromů (CART, C5.0, CHAID a QUEST) využit k rozlišení geografického původu vzorků ze tří různých oblastí. Vzorky byly analyzovány před a po jejich průmyslovém zpracování. Aplikací zjednodušených technik strojového učení, využívajících omezený počet vhodně zvolených prediktorů, bylo možné dosáhnout klasifikace uvedených typů vzorků s vysokou mírou senzitivity, specificity a přesnosti.

About two thirds of the patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not sufficiently respond to monotherapy with antidepressants (ADs) which makes them reliant on further treatment approaches. Hereby, combination of different ADs and augmentation with second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are widely used and recommended psychopharmacotherapeutic strategies. The present secondary analyses are based on an international, naturalistic, cross-sectional multicenter study conducted by the European Group for the Study of Resistant Depression. Comparing socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of 436 adult MDD patients receiving either SGAs (N = 191, 43.8%) or ADs (N = 245, 56.2%), that were additionally administered to their first-line AD psychopharmacotherapy, we aimed to identify possible trajectories of decision-making for clinicians regarding which treatment option to prefer in individual patients. Our most robust findings represent an association of SGA augmentation with the presence of psychotic symptoms, longer mean duration of lifetime psychiatric hospitalizations, employment of further augmentation strategies with mood-stabilizers and benzodiazepines, and a trend towards higher mean daily dosages of their first-line ADs and current suicidal risk. Treatment outcome was not significantly different between patients receiving either SGA augmentation or AD combination. Being aware of limitations inherent to the cross-sectional study design and the lack of randomization, more severe and rather chronic conditions in MDD seemed to encourage clinicians to choose SGA augmentation over AD combination. The fact that mood-stabilizers and/or benzodiazepines were more frequently co-administered with SGAs may represent a requirement of an overall refined psychopharmacotherapy including additional fast-acting agents with potent AD, tranquilizing and anti-suicidal effects in MDD patients experiencing challenging clinical manifestations. New glutamatergic substances seem, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background: Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is spreading around the world. At the end of February, the outburst of the pandemic has hit hard on northern Italian's hospitals. As of today, no data have been published regarding the severity of respiratory failure of patients presenting to the Emergency Departments. Moreover, the outcome the patients forced to undergo Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) or Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV) due to lack of Intensive Care resources is unknown. “Papa Giovanni XXIII” hospital (HPG23) of Bergamo is one of the largest hospitals in the Country, with an Emergency Department (ED) managing over 100,000 patients per year. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study based on chart review of patients presenting to the Emergency Department of HPG23 from 29/02/2020 to 10/03/2020 with a clinical condition highly suspicious for COVID-19 infection. Registration of admission rates, severity of respiratory failure (ARDS classification), need of respiratory support, SARS-CoV-2 PCR test and outcome of patients treated with a ventilatory support were registered on 10th of May 2020. Findings: From 29/02 to 10/03 611 patients with a suspected diagnosis of COVID-19 infection were evaluated in our ED; 320 (52%) met the criteria for hospital admission and 99 (31%) needed to be immediately started on ventilatory support (81% CPAP, 7% NIPPV, 12% Invasive Mechanical Ventilation). Eighty-five (86%) of the 99 patients needing a ventilatory support eventually had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by PCR test on nasal-pharyngeal swab. Their median PO2/FiO2 ratio was 128 (IQR 85–168), with 23 patients (29.5%) classified as severe ARDS. Mortality rate as of 10th of May was 76.5%, ranging from 44.4% within patients <60 years old to 85% within those older than 60 years (p = 0.001). NIPPV/CPAP failure occurred in 91.5% of patients. Interpretation: The population of patients suspected for COVID-19 infection presenting at o

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is a vector of a pathogen associated with greening and thus a major problem in citriculture worldwide. Lures are much needed for improving ACP trapping systems for monitoring populations and surveillance. Previously, we have identified acetic acid as a putative sex pheromone and measured formic acid- and propionic acid-elicited robust electroantennographic responses. We have now thoroughly examined in indoor behavioral assays (4-way olfactometer) and field tests the feasibility of these three semiochemicals as potential lures for trapping ACP. Formic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid at appropriate doses are male-specific attractants and suitable lures for ACP traps, but they do not act synergistically. An acetic acid-based homemade lure, prepared by impregnating the attractant in a polymer, was active for a day. A newly developed slow-release formulation had equal performance but lasted longer, thus leading to an important improvement in ACP trap capture at low population densities.

The spread of food allergens is a topic of global importance due to its impact on public health. National and International regulations ask food producers and manufacturers to declare product compositions on the label, especially in case of processed raw materials. Wheat flour (Triticum aestivum) can be contaminated by a wide range of species belonging to the Brassicaceae in the field or during grain harvests, storage, and processing. Among them, mustards (Brassica nigra, Brassica juncea and Sinapis alba) are well known allergenic species. Often, food quality laboratories adopt an ELISA approach to detect the presence of mustard species. However, this approach shows cross-reactivity with other non-allergenic species such as Brassica napus (rapeseed). In the last few years, DNA barcoding was proposed as a valid identification method, and it is now commonly used in the authentication of food products. This study aims to set up an easy and rapid DNA-based tool to detect mustard allergenic species. DNA barcoding (matK and ITS2) and chromosome markers (A6, B, C1 genome regions) were selected, and specific primers were validated on incurred reference food matrices. The developed test was proven to be able to distinguish mustard from rapeseed and wheat, overcoming cross-reactivity with Brassica napus.

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is a vector of a pathogen associated with greening and thus a major problem in citriculture worldwide. Lures are much needed for improving ACP trapping systems for monitoring populations and surveillance. Previously, we have identified acetic acid as a putative sex pheromone and measured formic acid- and propionic acid-elicited robust electroantennographic responses. We have now thoroughly examined in indoor behavioral assays (4-way olfactometer) and field tests the feasibility of these three semiochemicals as potential lures for trapping ACP. Formic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid at appropriate doses are male-specific attractants and suitable lures for ACP traps, but they do not act synergistically. An acetic acid-based homemade lure, prepared by impregnating the attractant in a polymer, was active for a day. A newly developed slow-release formulation had equal performance but lasted longer, thus leading to an important improvement in ACP trap capture at low population densities.

The spread of food allergens is a topic of global importance due to its impact on public health. National and International regulations ask food producers and manufacturers to declare product compositions on the label, especially in case of processed raw materials. Wheat flour (Triticum aestivum) can be contaminated by a wide range of species belonging to the Brassicaceae in the field or during grain harvests, storage, and processing. Among them, mustards (Brassica nigra, Brassica juncea and Sinapis alba) are well known allergenic species. Often, food quality laboratories adopt an ELISA approach to detect the presence of mustard species. However, this approach shows cross-reactivity with other non-allergenic species such as Brassica napus (rapeseed). In the last few years, DNA barcoding was proposed as a valid identification method, and it is now commonly used in the authentication of food products. This study aims to set up an easy and rapid DNA-based tool to detect mustard allergenic species. DNA barcoding (matK and ITS2) and chromosome markers (A6, B, C1 genome regions) were selected, and specific primers were validated on incurred reference food matrices. The developed test was proven to be able to distinguish mustard from rapeseed and wheat, overcoming cross-reactivity with Brassica napus.

Silica-based electrodes which permanently include a graphite/Au nanoparticles composite were tested for non-enzymatic detection of glucose and fructose. The composite material showed an effective electrocatalytic activity, to achieve the oxidation of the two analytes at quite low potential values and with good linearity. Reduced surface passivation was observed even in presence of organic species normally constituting real samples. Electrochemical responses were systematically recorded in cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry by analysing 99 solutions containing glucose and fructose at different concentration values. The analysed samples consisted both in glucose and fructose aqueous solutions at pH 12 and in solutions of synthetic musts of red grapes, to test the feasibility of the approach in a real frame. Multivariate exploratory analyses of the electrochemical signals were performed using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This gave evidence of the effectiveness of the chemometric approach to study the electrochemical sensor responses. Thanks to PCA, it was possible to highlight the different contributions of glucose and fructose to the voltammetric signal, allowing their selective determination.

We study how electoral incentives affect policy choices on secondary issues, which only minorities of voters care intensely about. We develop a model in which office and policy motivated politicians vote in favor or against regulations on these issues. We derive conditions under which politicians flip flop, voting according to their policy preferences at the beginning of their terms, but in line with the preferences of single-issue minorities as they approach re-election. To assess the evidence, we study U.S. senators' votes on gun control, environment, and reproductive rights. In line with the model's predictions, we find that i) election proximity has a pro-gun effect on Democratic senators and a pro-environment effect on Republican senators; these effects arise for senators who ii) are not retiring, iii) do not hold safe seats, and iv) represent states where the single-issue minority is of intermediate size. Also in line with our theory, election proximity does not affect votes on reproductive rights, due to the presence of single-issue minorities on both sides.

Für den überwiegenden Teil der Berufstätigen ist eine erfolgreiche Laufbahn als Führungskraft ein erstrebenswertes Berufsziel. Für die erfolgreiche Führungstätigkeit wird jedoch neben fachlicher Kompetenz auch ein breites Skillset an weiteren Fähigkeiten vorausgesetzt. Im Zeitalter des sich zunehmend beschleunigenden digitalen Wandels gewinnen nebst technologischen und ökonomischen Kompetenzen auch soziale Fähigkeiten in interpersonellen Bereichen (z.B. der Mitarbeiterführung) an Bedeutung. Die vorliegende Arbeit möchte Antworten auf die Frage finden, welche Kompetenzen für heutige und zukünftige Führungskräfte zentral sind und ob sich dahingehend ein Trend feststellen lässt. Untersucht wurde in diesem Zusammenhang, ob sich in der letzten Dekade zentrale Kompetenzen in der Mitarbeiterführung verändert haben, respektive ob sich eine Veränderung in den Anforderungen an ein modernes Führungsverständnis finden lässt. Im Zentrum der vorliegenden Arbeit liegen daher die zukünftigen Führungskompetenzen, welche eine erfolgreiche und nachhaltige Führung ermöglichen. Als Datenbasis dienen über 700 real durchgeführte Management- Assessments der Avenir Consulting AG. Dabei wurden die Häufigkeiten von 44 Variablen pro Assessment erfasst und zusätzlich weitere 59 Items aus den Auftragsklärungen qualitativ codiert. Durch die mit dem Statistikprogramm SPSS durchgeführten statistische Analysen (ANOVA und T-Tests) lassen sich für die 3 Messzeitpunkte (Jahre 2009, 2014 und 2019) signifikante Zusammenhänge hinsichtlich der formulierten Hypothesen nachweisen. Mittels des gewählten Verfahrens vermag durch diese Arbeit aufgezeigt werden, dass interpersonelle Kompetenzen insgesamt an Bedeutung gewinnen und sich somit ein Trend in Richtung transformational geprägter Führungsstile empirisch belegen lässt. In der Folge gewinnen moderne Formen der Mitarbeiterführung zunehmend an Bedeutung, beispielsweise erfolgen individualisierte Entwicklungsmassnahmen verstärkt über den Einsatz von Coachingm

We study how electoral incentives affect policy choices on secondary issues, which only minorities of voters care intensely about. We develop a model in which office and policy motivated politicians vote in favor or against regulations on these issues. We derive conditions under which politicians flip flop, voting according to their policy preferences at the beginning of their terms, but in line with the preferences of single-issue minorities as they approach re-election. To assess the evidence, we study U.S. senators' votes on gun control, environment, and reproductive rights. In line with the model's predictions, we find that i) election proximity has a pro-gun effect on Democratic senators and a pro-environment effect on Republican senators; these effects arise for senators who ii) are not retiring, iii) do not hold safe seats, and iv) represent states where the single-issue minority is of intermediate size. Also in line with our theory, election proximity does not affect votes on reproductive rights, due to the presence of single-issue minorities on both sides.

This paper examines how trade protection is affected by changes in the value-added content of production arising through global value chains (GVCs). Exploiting a new set of WTO rules adopted in 1995 that impose an exogenously-timed requirement for countries to re-evaluate their previously-imposed trade protection, we adopt an instrumental variables strategy and identify the causal effect of GVC integration on the likelihood that a trade barrier is removed. Using a newly constructed dataset of protection removal decisions involving 10 countries, 41 trading partners, and 18 industries over 1995–2013, we find that bilateral industry-specific domestic value-added growth in foreign production significantly raises the probability of removing a duty. The results are not limited to imports from China but are only found for the protection decisions of high-income countries. Back-of-the-envelope calculations indicate that rapid GVC growth in the 2000s freed 15% of the trade flows subject to the most common temporary restrictions (i.e. antidumping) applied by high-income countries in 2007.

Modern applications require robots to comply with multiple, often conflicting rules and to interact with the other agents. We present Posetal Games as a class of games in which each player expresses a preference over the outcomes via a partially ordered set of metrics. This allows one to combine hierarchical priorities of each player with the interactive nature of the environment. By contextualizing standard game theoretical notions, we provide two sufficient conditions on the preference of the players to prove existence of pure Nash Equilibria in finite action sets. Moreover, we define formal operations on the preference structures and link them to a refinement of the game solutions, showing how the set of equilibria can be systematically shrunk. The presented results are showcased in a driving game where autonomous vehicles select from a finite set of trajectories. The results demonstrate the interpretability of results in terms of minimum-rank-violation for each player., Comment: 8 pages

Für den überwiegenden Teil der Berufstätigen ist eine erfolgreiche Laufbahn als Führungskraft ein erstrebenswertes Berufsziel. Für die erfolgreiche Führungstätigkeit wird jedoch neben fachlicher Kompetenz auch ein breites Skillset an weiteren Fähigkeiten vorausgesetzt. Im Zeitalter des sich zunehmend beschleunigenden digitalen Wandels gewinnen nebst technologischen und ökonomischen Kompetenzen auch soziale Fähigkeiten in interpersonellen Bereichen (z.B. der Mitarbeiterführung) an Bedeutung. Die vorliegende Arbeit möchte Antworten auf die Frage finden, welche Kompetenzen für heutige und zukünftige Führungskräfte zentral sind und ob sich dahingehend ein Trend feststellen lässt. Untersucht wurde in diesem Zusammenhang, ob sich in der letzten Dekade zentrale Kompetenzen in der Mitarbeiterführung verändert haben, respektive ob sich eine Veränderung in den Anforderungen an ein modernes Führungsverständnis finden lässt. Im Zentrum der vorliegenden Arbeit liegen daher die zukünftigen Führungskompetenzen, welche eine erfolgreiche und nachhaltige Führung ermöglichen. Als Datenbasis dienen über 700 real durchgeführte Management- Assessments der Avenir Consulting AG. Dabei wurden die Häufigkeiten von 44 Variablen pro Assessment erfasst und zusätzlich weitere 59 Items aus den Auftragsklärungen qualitativ codiert. Durch die mit dem Statistikprogramm SPSS durchgeführten statistische Analysen (ANOVA und T-Tests) lassen sich für die 3 Messzeitpunkte (Jahre 2009, 2014 und 2019) signifikante Zusammenhänge hinsichtlich der formulierten Hypothesen nachweisen. Mittels des gewählten Verfahrens vermag durch diese Arbeit aufgezeigt werden, dass interpersonelle Kompetenzen insgesamt an Bedeutung gewinnen und sich somit ein Trend in Richtung transformational geprägter Führungsstile empirisch belegen lässt. In der Folge gewinnen moderne Formen der Mitarbeiterführung zunehmend an Bedeutung, beispielsweise erfolgen individualisierte Entwicklungsmassnahmen verstärkt über den Einsatz von Coachingm

This paper looks at decentralisation as an institutional solution for curbing secessionist pressures by making potentially seceding regions strictly better off by staying in the union. We show that a bottom-up decentralisation reform, where single regions that can opt to assume or not stronger fiscal responsibilities on the basis of bilateral negotiations with the central government, may be more successful in avoiding instability and a secessionist conflict than more standard top-down decentralisation, where the central government assigns identical fiscal powers to all regions. The example of the decentralisation process in Spain over the last 40 years illustrates the relevance of the institutional pattern we analyse in the paper.

Purpose Our paper shows an empirical analysis of the European football companies to test the association between sport results, proxied by ranking position and financial performance in panel framework (starting from 59 firms over the 2013–2018 time span). Design/methodology/approach We use panel data models for studying the relationship of our interest and we make no a priori assumption about the strict exogeneity of the covariates and estimate equation using both Random Effects GLS (RE-GLS) and Fixed Effects OLS (FE-OLS) estimations. Findings Our results suggest there is stable and significant relationship between the two types of performance and that when detectable this is linked in a positive way to the profit maximization of the business model, suggesting that it is more useful for investor remuneration and to increase technical-tactical resources and therefore sports results. Not surprisingly, as for many clubs, concentration effect is relevant while the financial fair play regulation is not. In fact, the current regulation of UEFA authority does not seem to have an impact on sport and financial results. Originality/value This work complements literature in several ways. First, we offer new empirical evidence for the association between the sport and financial performance for a panel of the European football companies, listed and not. Second, we show that the persistence of the sport results is strongly correlated with financial performance.

O presente estudo busca analisar as percepções de gestores sobre o processo de sucessão presidencial em cooperativas de crédito. Para isso, buscou-se, em primeiro lugar, identificar e analisar os quesitos formulados no processo de seleção e avaliação de candidatos ao cargo de presidente da Cooperativa de Crédito Sicredi na região do Alto Uruguai/RS. Além disso, pretendeu-se conhecer o método utilizado e o perfil exigido pela cooperativa nesse processo sucessório. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como qualitativa e descritiva, realizada por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas com os gestores da cooperativa. Conforme apontam os resultados, o processo sucessório na cooperativa de crédito em estudo refletiu os valores compartilhados entre o indivíduo e a empresa, reafirmando que essa relação é a principal fonte de eficácia pessoal e organizacional. Cabe ressaltar que a forma de sucessão é inovadora para esse tipo de instituição e traz muitos pontos positivos, já que desperta nos colaboradores o interesse em evoluir e o sentimento de valorização por parte da instituição., This study seeks to analyze the perceptions of managers in the process of presidential succession in credit unions, which had presidential transition of managers. To this end, we first sought to identify and analyze the requirements used in the selection and evaluation process of candidates for successor to the position of president of the Sicredi Alto Uruguai/RS Credit Cooperative. In addition, it was intended to know the method used and the profile that the cooperative seeks in this succession process. The research is characterized as qualitative and descriptive, conducted through semi-structured interviews with managers of the cooperative. As a result, the succession process in the credit union studied reflected the values ​​shared between the individual and the company, reaffirming that this relationship is the main source of personal and organizational effectiveness. It is also noteworthy that the form of succession is innovative for this type of institution and that brings with it many positive points as it arouses in employees the interest of evolution and the feeling of appreciation by the institution.

O presente estudo busca analisar as percepções de gestores sobre o processo de sucessão presidencial em cooperativas de crédito. Para isso, buscou-se, em primeiro lugar, identificar e analisar os quesitos formulados no processo de seleção e avaliação de candidatos ao cargo de presidente da Cooperativa de Crédito Sicredi na região do Alto Uruguai/RS. Além disso, pretendeu-se conhecer o método utilizado e o perfil exigido pela cooperativa nesse processo sucessório. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como qualitativa e descritiva, realizada por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas com os gestores da cooperativa. Conforme apontam os resultados, o processo sucessório na cooperativa de crédito em estudo refletiu os valores compartilhados entre o indivíduo e a empresa, reafirmando que essa relação é a principal fonte de eficácia pessoal e organizacional. Cabe ressaltar que a forma de sucessão é inovadora para esse tipo de instituição e traz muitos pontos positivos, já que desperta nos colaboradores o interesse em evoluir e o sentimento de valorização por parte da instituição., This study seeks to analyze the perceptions of managers in the process of presidential succession in credit unions, which had presidential transition of managers. To this end, we first sought to identify and analyze the requirements used in the selection and evaluation process of candidates for successor to the position of president of the Sicredi Alto Uruguai/RS Credit Cooperative. In addition, it was intended to know the method used and the profile that the cooperative seeks in this succession process. The research is characterized as qualitative and descriptive, conducted through semi-structured interviews with managers of the cooperative. As a result, the succession process in the credit union studied reflected the values ​​shared between the individual and the company, reaffirming that this relationship is the main source of personal and organizational effectiveness. It is also noteworthy that the form of succession is innovative for this type of institution and that brings with it many positive points as it arouses in employees the interest of evolution and the feeling of appreciation by the institution.

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Under laboratory conditions, mating activity in Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) started 4 days after emergence, peaked at day 7, and showed a clear window of activity starting 8 h into the photophase and extending through the first hour of the scotophase. We confirmed that ACP males are attracted to emanations from conspecific females. Traps loaded with a candidate compound enriched with female extract, lignoceryl acetate (24Ac), at various doses were active only after being deployed for several weeks in the field, suggesting that a degradation product, not the test compound, was the active ingredient(s). Lignocerol, a possible product of 24Ac degradation, was not active, whereas acetic acid, another possible degradation product, was found in the airborne volatile collections from lures matured under field conditions and detected in higher amounts in volatiles collected from females at the peak of mating activity than in male samples. Acetic acid elicited dose-dependent electroantennographic responses and attracted ACP males, but not females, in Y-type and 4-way olfactometers. Field tests showed that acetic acid-baited traps captured significantly more males than control traps. Surprisingly, captures of females in acetic acid-baited traps were also higher than in control traps, possibly because of physical stimuli emitted by captured males.