A naturalistic justification of the generic multiverse with a core

In this paper, I argue that a naturalist approach in philosophy of mathematics justifies a pluralist conception of set theory. For the pluralist, there is not a Single Universe, but there is rather a Multiverse, composed by a plurality of universes generated by various set theories. In order to justify a pluralistic approach to sets, I apply the two naturalistic principles developed by Penelope Maddy (cfr. Maddy (1997)), UNIFY and MAXIMIZE, and analyze through them the potential of the set theoretic multiverse to be the best framework for mathematical practice. According to UNIFY, an adequate set theory should be foundational, in the sense that it should allow one to represent all the currently accepted mathematical theories. As for MAXIMIZE, this states that any adequate set theory should be as powerful as possible, allowing one to prove as many results and isomorphisms as possible. In a recent paper, Maddy (2017) has argued that this two principle justify ZFC as the best framework for mathematical practice. I argue that, pace Maddy, these two principles justify a multiverse conception of set theory, more precisely, the generic multiverse with a core (GMH)

Organic substrate for transplant production in organic nurseries. A review

A transplant can be defined as a seedling or sprouted vegetative propagation material grown in a substrate or in the field, for transfer to the final cropping site. Nurseries use a range of growing media in the production of transplants, and the quality of a substrate may be defined in terms of its feasibility for the intended use and also according to the climatic condition of the production site. Peat is the worldwide standard substrate, but because of its origin and the increasing environmental and ecological concerns, new alternatives have been proposed for organic production. Here, we reviewed these new alternatives, assuming that the proposed growing media will need to respond in a proper way to specific plant requirements while also taking them into consideration to be environmental friendly, at the same time. Appropriate composting management combined with suitable feedstock material can produce substrates with adequate properties to develop transplants. Potential added-value benefits of particularized compost have been highlighted, and these include suppressiveness or capacity for plant pathogen control, biofertilization, and biostimulation. This added value is an important point in relation to the framework of organic agriculture because the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is limited. Different permitted fertilizers are proposed by incorporating them by dress fertilization before planting or by foliar fertilization or fertigation during the seedling production phase. In this context, specific beneficial microorganism inoculation demonstrates better and quicker nutrient solubilization. Its inclusion during seedling production not only facilitates plant growth during the germination and seedling stages but also could bring efficient microorganisms or beneficial microorganisms to the field with the transplants. This review will help to bridge the gap between the producers of compost and the seedling plant producers by providing updated literature

Empathising and systemising in adolescents with gender dysphoria

Background: Recent studies have highlighted the co-occurrence of gender dysphoria (GD) in adolescence and Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC). Systemising and empathising are two psychological dimensions linked to ASC. People with ASC score below average on the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and average or above average on the Systemising Quotient (SQ). Based on the results of previous studies we predicted that if the young people with GD shared aspects of the ‘broader autism phenotype’, their EQ would be lower, and their SQ would be the same or higher, compared to controls of their natal gender. Methods: This preliminary study examined systemising and empathising in adolescents with GD using parent report questionnaires. 35 parents of adolescents with GD aged 12-18 attending the Gender Identity Development Service (London) took part. Parents of 156 typically developing adolescents aged 12-18 were used as a control group. The parents were asked to complete the Adolescent EQ and SQ. Results: The mean EQ score of both the female-to-male, and male-to-female GD group was found to be significantly lower than typically developing females, but similar to that of control males. There was no significant difference on the SQ between the gender dysphoric groups and either female or male controls. Conclusion: This study shows that on average adolescents with GD, specifically those who are female-to-male, have lower empathy than controls. For this group of adolescents it may be helpful to offer psychological interventions that improve their communication skills and their ability to take on board other people’s views, to support their development. This may enable them to make better informed decisions regarding treatment and physical intervention options during adolescence and beyond

Peeling behavior of thin viscoelastic tapes

Viscoelasticity, frictionandgeometry:whichistheirroleingoverningthebehavior of adhesive systems? Despite the long standingeffort onthese issues, capturingandmodelingdissipativephenomenaandnon-linearities inherent inreal processesisatoughchallenge, leavingseveralquestionsandproblemsunresolved. This thesis explores someof theseparticular aspects insoft contactmechanics withaprimaryemphasisonpeelingprocesses. Inthefirstpart, anoverviewof thepeelingmechanismisprovidedwhere themost important resultsandmodelsarediscussed. Mainconceptsof linearviscoelasticityarealsogiventodefine themathematical framework foranalyzingviscoelasticpeeling. Weaddress the singlepeelingof thinviscoelastictapes inthecaseof stuckandfrictional sliding interfaces.WhileaKendall-likebehavior ispredictedintheabsenceof slippage, whenconsidering frictional dissipation inthemodel sensibledifferencesemerge. Higherpeelingforcesareobservedatlowpeelinganglesandthesystemtoughness becomesvelocity-dependentinagreementwithexperimentalobservationandphenomenologicalmodels.WealsoinvestigatetheV-peelingconfigurationaddressing thenonsteadypropagationwhichoccurs as the effect of time-dependentmaterialbehaviorandsystemgeometryvariation.Nonmonotonicevolutionofpeeling quantitiesresultsfromthecontinuouscreepoftapeduringthedetachmentprocess whichcanalsoarrestforparticularcombinationsofinitialparametersandloading conditions. Interestingly,forimpactloadingconditionsanenhancementofpeelresistanceispredictedsuggestingthatviscoelasticitycouldbecrucialforthesuperior adhesiveperformanceofnaturalpeelingsystems. Inthe lastpart,wediscussan experimentalstudyonslidingcontactbetweenasphericalglassrobeandaPDMS substratecarriedviaanadhocdevicewhichallowsforthemeasureofsurfaceinplanedisplacements.Weconsistentlyobserveacontactareareductionandashape asymmetryasapossibleeffectofgeometricalandmaterialnon-linearitiesarisingin thetensile/compressivezoneatthetrailingandleadingedge, respectively,where highlevelsofstrainareachievedandnormal-tangentialuncouplingpredictedfrom linear-elasticity isbroken. Mechanical confinementalso leads toamodification of couplingbehaviorwithrespect to infinitecontactconditions, suggestingthat geometricalaspectsarepivotaltobetterunderstandingfrictionaladhesivecontact

Uremic lung: The “calcified cauliflower” sign in the end stage renal disease

AbstractMetastatic pulmonary calcification (MPC) is a rare pathological condition consisting of lung calcium salt deposits which commonly occurs in patients affected by chronic kidney disease probably for some abnormalities in calcium and phosphate metabolism. CT represents the technique of choice for detecting MPC findings including ground glass opacities and partially calcified nodules or consolidations. We present a case of MCP in a patient affected by hepato-renal autosomic-dominant polycystic disease; chest CT revealed extensive lobar-segmental parenchymal calcification with a peculiar cauliflower shape which we called “calcified cauliflower” sign. The “calcified cauliflower” sign can be reported as a new CT pattern of uremic lung that needs to be identified for a correct diagnosis and patient management

Transhumanism vs. Theistic Ethics

I argue that there are three limits to the transhumanist project of moral enhancement. They are “technological ignorance,” “technological passivity” and “technological easiness.” I argue that they make it unlikely that the enhancement in question will be achieved. I also argue that there are no similar limits in the context of theistic Christian ethics, although it may seem otherwise at first sight. Following Aquinas, I show that there is no “theological ignorance,” “theological passivity” or “theological easiness” that may hinder moral progress via the Christian faith. In conclusion, Christian theistic ethics is more beneficial to us than transhumanist views of moral enhancement

Climate change and firm performance

This thesis explores the impact of climate change on firm performance and examines the possible mechanism by which weather shocks influence sales outcomes. Leveraging a comprehensive dataset spanning Brazilian manufacturing firms between 2003 and 2009, coupled with high-resolution weather data, the study analyzes the impact of weather shocks. Employing the identification strategy of location-specific z-scores with the analytical framework advanced by Colmer (2021), the findings underscore the profound effect of weather shocks causing substantial declines in firm sales. Furthermore, the research investigates the distributional impacts of weather fluctuations. A closer examination reveals that the Northern regions of the country bear the brunt of these adversities, experiencing disproportionately greater sales losses compared to their Southern counterparts. In addition, the study delves into the transmission mechanisms of the weather-firm performance nexus. It finds that frequent power outages and inclines in energy costs as drivers of the declines in sales through productivity shocks.Esta tese explora o impacto das mudanças climáticas no desempenho das empresas e examina o mecanismo possível pelo qual os choques climáticos influenciam os resultados de vendas. Utilizando um conjunto abrangente de dados que abrange empresas manufatureiras brasileiras entre 2003 e 2009, juntamente com dados meteorológicos de alta resolução, o estudo analisa o impacto dos choques climáticos. Empregando a estratégia de identificação de escores z específicos de localização com o quadro analítico avançado por Colmer (2021), os resultados destacam o efeito profundo dos choques climáticos causando quedas substanciais nas vendas das empresas. Além disso, a pesquisa investiga os impactos distribucionais das flutuações climáticas. Uma análise mais detalhada revela que as regiões Norte do país sofrem mais com essas adversidades, experimentando perdas de vendas desproporcionalmente maiores em comparação com suas contrapartes do Sul. Além disso, o estudo adentra nos mecanismos de transmissão da relação clima-desempenho da empresa. Ele descobre que as frequentes quedas de energia e os aumentos nos custos de energia são impulsionadores das quedas nas vendas por meio de choques de produtividade

Promoting SME cooperative aggregations: main criteria and contractual models

Collaboration is considered an effective solution to improve business strategies. However, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) often lack common principles and common forms of contractual coordination. Several policies implemented by the EU have addressed the set-up of a comprehensive SME policy framework, but European institutions seem to have focused more on organisational devices to conduct business activities rather than on contractual forms of coordination. In April 2009, Italy adopted a law in network contract to promote the development of inter-firm cooperation strategies to foster enterprises' innovation and growth. Even if this law represents a novelty in Europe and may offer new challenges and hints, it still presents some lacks in its formulation. The current research aims at presenting the Italian law for network contract and a comparison with other models of SME aggregations adopted in EU countries. A formal model to support the design of an SME network was proposed, by providing both an ontology-based model to help the definition of the contract in a structured way, and a basic workflow to identify the important phases of the network design, i.e. the feasibility study and the negotiatio

Developing as a College Science Teacher: Using Identity to Examine Transformation

Guided by identity theory, this study investigated how a college biology professor’s early career experiences contributed to the transformation of his identity as a college science teacher. This study showcases the four components of identity as described by Gee as a lens and it specifically focuses on the emergent role of institutional identity and its associated conflicts with incompatible belief systems. This qualitative study illustrated the utility of Gee’s theory to study how various components of identity can be useful to examine the transformation of a college faculty member. The participant’s position as a non-tenured faculty member created dissonance between his developing beliefs concerning quality science instruction and those imposed on him by his departmen

Protective and risk social dimensions of emergency remote teaching during COVID-19 pandemic: A multiple mediation study

The changes in teaching due to COVID-19-related restraints generated distress among teachers, putting their job-related efficacy and satisfaction at risk. This study deepens the community-related protective and risk factors in teachers' experience. An online questionnaire detecting social distancing burnout, job-related distress experience, efficacy and satisfaction, and Sense of Community (SoC) was administered to 307 Italian teachers. A multiple mediation model was tested with Structural Equation Modeling. Evidence showed that social distancing burnout could increase teachers' distress rates and, through them, impact their job-related efficacy and satisfaction; however, its effects on the latter depended on the kind of distress mediating. Conversely, SoC could support their job-related efficacy and satisfaction, yet no association with their distress rates emerged. The role of social distancing and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)-related distress as the main threats for teachers stems, along with the one of job distress and the community of belonging as assets on which teachers relied