Do the eyes have it? Inferring mental states from animated faces in autism

The ability of individuals with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) to infer mental states from dynamic and static facial stimuli was investigated. In Experiment 1, individuals with ASD (10- to 14-year olds; N=18) performed above chance but not as well as controls. Accuracy scores for mental states did not differ between dynamic and static faces. Furthermore, participants with ASD gained higher scores when the eyes conveyed information than when this region remained static and neutral. Experiment 2 revealed that those with ASD (11- to 15-year olds; N=18) were as successful as controls in recognizing mental states when the eyes were presented in isolation or in the context of the whole face. Findings challenge claims that individuals with ASD are impaired at inferring mental states from the eyes.     

Development of subjective recollection: understanding of and introspection on memory States

The development of subjective recollection was investigated in participants aged 6-18 years. In Experiment 1 (N = 90), age-related improvements were found in understanding of the subjective experience of recollection, although robust levels of understanding were observed even in the youngest group. In Experiment 2 (N = 100), age-related differences were found in subjective recollection during a memory task, suggesting development not only in the ability to reflect on memory states, but also in the informational basis of subjective recollection. Lower understanding of memory states was associated with increased propensity to claim recollection. These results indicate that subjective recollection develops considerably during childhood and suggest that the development of metamemory supports this capacity.     

Who are the researchers that are collaborating with industry? An analysis of the wine sectors in Chile, South Africa and Italy

Research on University-industry (U-I) linkages and their determinants has increased significantly in the past few years. However, there is still controversy on the key factors explaining the formation of U-I linkages, and especially related to individual researcher characteristics. This paper provides new empirical evidence and, in particular, looks at the importance of researchers’ individual characteristics and their institutional environments in explaining the propensity to engage in different types of U-I linkages. Based on an original dataset, we present new evidence on three wine producing areas - Piedmont, a region of Italy, Chile and South Africa - that have successfully responded to recent structural changes in the industry worldwide. Empirical findings reveal that researchers’ individual characteristics, such as centrality in the academic system, age and sex, matter more than publishing records or formal degrees. Institutional specificities at country level also play a role in shaping the propensity of researchers to engage with industry.     

Assessing the contribution to innovation of private equity investors: A study on European buyouts

The paper provides an empirical analysis of the patenting activity of a sample of Western European manufacturing firms undergoing a buyout between 1998 and 2004. A panel data design is used to test whether the characteristics of the deal and of private equity (PE) firms can affect acquired companies’ subsequent innovation effort as measured by the number of patents granted by the EPO. Results support the view that the innovation activity of portfolio firms is affected by different types of investors, pursuing different objectives and differing in their risk propensity, expected returns and investment policies. The characteristics of lead investors (size, stage specialization, geographical location) and of the deal (amount invested, presence of multiple investors) are also investigated and are found to differently affect the post-buyout innovation activity of sample firms.     

Evaluating the usability and instructional design quality of Interactive Virtual Training for Teachers (IVT-T)

Educational technology research and development - Simulation offers unique affordances over traditional training (e.g., remote access, mastery learning experiences, immediate feedback) relevant to...     

The contribution of urban-scale environmental monitoring to materials diagnostics: A study on the Cathedral of Modena (Italy)

The problem of environmental monitoring aimed at identifying and evaluating the weathering mechanisms affecting historical stoneworks is here discussed and a methodology based on the use of already available, long record, urban-scale environmental data is proposed. An example of its application to the Cathedral of Modena (Italy, XII-XIV century, included in the UNESCO's World Heritage List) is then presented. In this case, the methodology allowed the identification of the main degradation causes, which found significant confirmation by material diagnostics on the available samples and finite element structural modelling. Thanks to the decay causes identification allowed by the proposed methodology, more effective restoration procedures can be outlined.