The Evolution of Interaction Shape in Differential Susceptibility

Expectations about the shape of statistical interactions play a crucial role in the study of differential susceptibility and other types of person–environment interplay. These expectations shape methodological guidelines and inform the interpretation of empirical findings; however, their logic has never been explicitly examined. This study is the first systematic exploration of the evolution of interaction shape in differential susceptibility. The model introduced here yields a number of novel insights; for example, interactions in differential susceptibility should usually be asymmetric and likely to be biased toward the prototypical shape of diathesis–stress models. This article also presents an exploratory analysis of interaction shape in recent empirical studies and ends with a discussion of the theoretical and methodological implications of the present findings.     

Conservation of stained glass windows with protective glazing: Main results from the European VIDRIO research programme

The methodology of protecting the European stained glass windows against environmental risk (e.g. meteorological factors, air pollution, microorganisms) by means of an external glazing is not new. In spite of many scientific studies carried out in the last 20 years, some questions were still up for discussion. The European VIDRIO (2002–2005) project gave an answer to these questions. The research carried out by the different project partners established a new multidisciplinary approach aimed at evaluating the efficiency of the protective glazing systems and their effects on stained glass windows conservation, and finally at assessing the most appropriate strategy to preserve stained glass windows. Scientific results showed that the so-called isothermal glazing (i.e. ventilation by the air coming from the inside of the building) protected efficiently the ancient stained glass window from environmental attack (i.e. rain, pollutants, condensation, thermal shocks) with very limited secondary effects. The scientific research highlighted that its efficiency was strongly related to the technical design of the protective system. In particular, the ventilation and the size of the interspace had to be carefully considered. The research developed within the VIDRIO project was turned into general recommendations to the owners and practitioners on the best practice for the stained glass windows future conservation.     

Differential effects of reading trainings on reading processes: a comparison in Grade 2

Phonics, fluency, and reading strategy trainings are evidence-based interventions that foster the reading skills of poor readers in primary school. The purpose of the present study was to compare differential effects of the three types of trainings on the efficiency of component processes on word, sentence, and text level immediately after the training and at a 3-month follow-up. The 235 poor readers were randomly allocated to one of the reading interventions or to a control condition. All interventions consisted of 25 sessions that were scheduled twice a week and lasted 45 min. Results indicated short-term effects of the phonics training and the strategy training on the efficiency of a broad range of word-level and sentence-level processes. None of the treatment effects persisted over the long term, indicating the need for instructional efforts to regularly practice the acquired skills after the actual training.     

Kinematic,kinetic and EMG analysis of four front crawl flip turn techniques

This study aimed to analyse the kinematic, kinetic and electromyographic characteristics of four front crawl flip turn technique variants. The variants distinguished from each other by differences in body position (i.e. dorsal, lateral, ventral) during rolling, wall support, pushing and gliding phases. Seventeen highly trained swimmers (17.9 ± 3.2 years old) participated in interventional sessions and performed three trials of each variant, being monitored with a 3-D video system, a force platform and an electromyography (EMG) system. Studied variables: rolling time and distance, wall support time, push-off time, peak force and horizontal impulse at wall support and push-off, centre of mass horizontal velocity at the end of the push-off, gliding time, centre of mass depth, distance, average and final velocity during gliding, total turn time and electrical activity of Gastrocnemius Medialis, Tibialis Anterior, Biceps Femoris and Vastus Lateralis muscles. Depending on the variant, total turn time ranged from 2.37 ± 0.32 to 2.43 ± 0.33 s, push-off force from 1.86 ± 0.33 to 1.92 ± 0.26 BW and centre of mass velocity during gliding from 1.78 ± 0.21 to 1.94 ± 0.22 m · s^?1. The variants were not distinguishable in terms of kinematical, kinetic and EMG parameters during the rolling, wall support, pushing and gliding phases.     

Branding of Flemish higher education institutions: a strategic balance perspective

Branding of higher education institutions (HEIs) is an expanding area of research. The existing literature mainly draws on the strategic management perspective that argues that HEIs are pressured to develop brands which differentiate them from their competitors. Past studies, however, do insufficiently take into account that most HEIs are positioned in systems that contain both competitive pressures (to differentiate) and institutional pressures (to meet taken-for-granted expectations), where neither of the pressures is clearly dominant. Our multiple case study of the five Flemish universities finds that branding can simultaneously address competitive and institutional pressures and that the universities studied combine aspects of distinctiveness with elements of similarity.     

On functional observers for linear systems with unknown inputs and HOSM differentiators

The problem of constructing functional observers for linear systems with unknown inputs is considered. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a proper observer (without differentiations) are revisited. A simple and explicit form of a functional observer is presented. It is shown that when such observer is not proper, it is still possible to use the High-Order Sliding Mode differentiator to implement it. Nevertheless, in such case, additional conditions on the system and the unknown input are required.     

A new industry creation and originality: Insight from the funding sources of university patents

Scientific breakthroughs coming from universities can contribute to the emergence of new industries, such as in the case of biotechnology. Obviously, not all research conducted in universities leads to a radical change from existing technological trajectories. Patents and patent dynamics have long been recognized as critical in understanding the emergence of new technologies and industries. Specifically, patent citations provide insight into the originality of a discovery that has received patent protection. Yet while a large body of literature addresses the impact of patent originality on various firm performance measures, we address the question of what conditions drive patent originality in the process of knowledge creation within the university. Using data on patented cancer research, we examine how research context – as reflected by the funding source for each scientist – is associated with patent originality. We find that when university scientists are partly funded by their own university, they have a higher propensity to generate more original patents. By contrast, university scientists funded either by industry or other non-university organizations have a lower propensity to generate more original patents. The significance of our findings in the cancer research setting call for further research on this question in other research fields.     

False negativity to carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and drugs: a clinical case

Introduction:

In this work we report on the possible effect of the medical therapy on CDT concentration in a chronic alcohol abuser, with known medical history (July 2007 – April 2012) and alcohol abuse confirmed by relatives.

Case history:

At the end of 2007, patient displayed the following laboratory results: AST 137 U/L, ALT 120 U/L, GGT 434 U/L, MCV 101 fL and CDT 3.3%. On December 2007, after double coronary artery bypass surgery, he began a pharmacological treatment with amlodipine, perindopril, atorvastatin, isosorbide mononitrate, carvedilol, ticlopidine and pantoprazole. In the next months, until may 2011, the patient resumed alcohol abuse, as confirmed by relatives; however, CDT values were repeatedly found negative (0.8% and 1.1%) despite elevated transaminases and GGT, concurrent elevated ethyl glucuronide concentration (> 50 mg/L) and blood alcohol concentration (> 1 g/L). Alcohol consumption still continued despite increasing disulfiram doses ordered by an Alcohol Rehab Center. On May 2011, the patient was transferred to a private medical center where he currently lives.

Conclusions:

This study suggests the possibility that a medical therapy including different drugs may hamper the identification of chronic alcohol abusers by CDT.     

The birth of a new industry: entry by start-ups and the drivers of firm growth: The case of encryption software

The paper analyses the birth of the encryption software industry (ESI), a new niche in the software industry. Using a Chandlerian perspective, this work reports the main facts about firm entry and growth, with a particular focus on start-up strategies and actions.Since scale economies do not play a major role in ESI, the paper investigates the different sources of firm competitive advantages.This work shows that innovation and product differentiation, along with investments in co-specialised assets, are variables strongly correlated to young firm probability to survive and grow. In doing so, we have collected highly detailed information on product introduction, US patents granted, worldwide alliances and biographical data of firm founders.     

Hide and Seek: Neoliberalizing the State and “Stating” the Neoliberal in the Italian Media System

The author claims that neoliberal discourse plays “hide and seek” with the state, which appears at the same time absent and present, negated, and necessitated. In order to test its limits, the paper historicizes such discourse by engaging with the Italian case. More specifically, this study examines the most representative figure of Italian neoliberalism, former prime minister and media tycoon, Silvio Berlusconi, and his ambiguous relationship with the state. Drawing on Marx and Gramsci's conceptualization of the state, the paper sheds light on the Italian context as well as the more general characteristics of the neoliberal state.