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The effect of thickness on the Sb2Se3 superstrate solar cells
No full textIn this study, we analyze the impact of different thickness of antimony selenide thin films on the electrical properties of the absorber and on the efficiency of the finished solar cells. Sb2Se3 absorbers have been deposited with different thickness: from 400 nm to 1200 nm, grown by thermal evaporation on CdSe buffer layer in superstrate configuration. The highest efficiency has been delivered by the thinner absorber, with a large absorption spectrum, a higher quantum efficiency response, and a higher carrier concentration. Moreover, a post-annealing treatment in air at 150 °C, improves the efficiency of the cells with a larger impact on the thinnest absorber, increasing the Voc and correcting the rollover effect observed in the current voltage curve of the thicker absorber layers
Optimizing data-driven weights in multidimensional indexes
No full textMultidimensional indexes are ubiquitous, and popular, but present non negligible normative choices when it comes to attributing weights to their dimensions. This paper provides a more rigorous approach to the choice of weights by defining a set of desirable properties that weighting models should meet. It shows that Bayesian Networks is the only model across statistical, econometric, and machine learning computational models that meets these properties. An example with EU-SILC data illustrates this new approach highlighting its potential for policies
Karl Ludwig Michelet’s Anthropology and Psychology: With Hegel Beyond Hegel
No full textIn this chapter, I first introduce Michelet’s person and works (1.1; 1.2). I then present his idea of psychology and his work devoted to it, arguing that it is based on Hegel’s philosophy of subjective spirit but at the same time goes beyond it (2). Finally, I will focus on Michelet’s understanding and discussion of mental derangement, which was a highly debated theme in the nineteenth century Germany
in the fields of philosophy, as well as of law and of psychology (3)
Reinforcement learning for bidding strategy optimization in day-ahead energy market
No full textIn day-ahead markets, participants submit bids specifying the amounts of energy they wish to buy or sell and the price they are prepared to pay or receive. However, the dynamic for forming the Market Clearing Price (MCP) dictated by the bidding mechanism is frequently overlooked in the literature on energy market modeling. Forecasting models usually focus on predicting the MCP rather than trying to build the optimal supply and demand curves for a given price scenario. This article develops a data-driven approach for generating optimal offering curves using Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG), a reinforcement learning algorithm capable of handling continuous action spaces. Our model processes historical Italian electricity price data to generate stepwise offering curves that maximize profit over time. Numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, with the agent achieving up to 85% of the normalized reward, i.e. the ratio between actual profit and the maximum possible revenue obtainable if all production capacity were sold at the highest feasible price. These results demonstrate that reinforcement learning can effectively capture complex temporal patterns in electricity price data without requiring explicit forecast models, providing market participants with adaptive bidding strategies that improve profit margins while accounting for production constraints
Cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with cancer: exploring the role of physical exercise
Get PDFPurpose: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of non-cancer mortality among patients with cancer, with cardiac autonomic dysfunction identified as a significant predictor of future cardiovascular conditions. Despite the importance of autonomic dysfunction as a prognostic marker being well-established in healthy individuals and other chronic conditions, its role in patients with cancer remains underexplored. This narrative review aims to synthesize existing literature on the role of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with cancer and explore the potential of physical exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention to modulate the autonomic nervous system positively.MethodsThis review examines methods for assessing cardiac autonomic dysfunction, the factors contributing to its dysregulation, and the prognostic role of heart rate variability. It also analyzes current evidence on the effectiveness of various physical exercise modalities, including aerobic, resistance training, and mind-body interventions, in modulating autonomic function.ResultsPatients with cancer are exposed to disease-related, lifestyle, and physiological factors that impair autonomic regulation. This dysfunction is associated with worse outcomes, such as increased mortality and disease progression. Preliminary evidence suggests that physical exercise, particularly a combination of aerobic and resistance training, as well as yoga, may improve heart rate variability and mitigate sympathovagal imbalance in patients.ConclusionWhile research on the effects of physical exercise on autonomic modulation in cancer patients is still limited, early findings show promise. Further studies are needed to fully understand the mechanisms through which exercise improves cardiac autonomic function and its long-term benefits in oncology, positioning this as a novel area of research
"Put Yourself in the Other Person's Shoes": University Community's Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators to Active Bystander Intervention in Sexual Harassment
No full text: Bystanders play a key role in detecting, preventing, and addressing sexual harassment (SH) and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV) in university settings. This study aims to explore attitudes toward the factors that either facilitate or hinder individuals from actively intervening in situations of SH and GBV. A qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews was conducted between November 2023 and April 2024 with 89 key informants from universities in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. Thematic analysis identified four main categories: knowledge and awareness, bystanders' evaluation of costs and benefits, perceptions of institutional responses, and interpersonal/community factors. Findings revealed that a lack of knowledge about SH, particularly non-physical forms, was a major barrier. Increased awareness, ability to recognize signs of discomfort, self-confidence, and knowledge of support resources were key facilitators. Lack of empathy and solidarity, and fears of social judgment or professional consequences, hindered intervention, especially in situations involving power imbalances. Conversely, protective measures, such as guarantees of confidentiality were crucial in encouraging intervention. These findings highlight the need to raise awareness, create safe environments, and promote prosocial attitudes to foster a culture of active bystander intervention
Risankizumab differentially modulates circulating T-cell populations in psoriasis according to autoreactivity status
Get PDFBackground: In a recent paper, our group described that the presence of double autoreactivity to both LL37 and ADAMTSL5 autoantigens in psoriatic patients decreased the clinical responses to risankizumab, but how this influences the changes in the peripheral inflammatory T-cell populations is still unknown. Objective: This study aims to evaluate how risankizumab modulates the circulating inflammatory T-cell populations in psoriatic patients and, specifically, in autoreactive subjects. Methods: The presence of LL37- and ADAMTSL5-reactive circulating T-cells was assessed in a cohort of 142 psoriatic patients, and 87 demonstrated autoreactivity at baseline. Patients were treated with risankizumab for 52 weeks, and specific T-cell populations were analyzed at different timepoints. Results: The frequency of Ki67+CD4+, Ki67+CD8+ T-cells, CD8+IL-17+ and CD8+IL-22+ T-cells showed a positive correlation with baseline PASI and decreased with treatment. Notably, CD8+IL-17+ T-cells decreased both in single-LL37 and single-ADAMTSL5-reactive subjects, but not in subjects that showed autoreactivity to both autoantigens. LL37 autoreactivity of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells decreased with treatment, but not for CD4+ in double-reactive subjects. While Treg frequency negatively correlated with baseline PASI and increased within 16 weeks of treatment, significantly decreasing the IL-17+CD4+/Treg ratio over time, Treg modulation was not evident in double-reactive subjects. Interestingly, the subpopulations of CD8+MAIT IL-17+ and CD3+MAIT IL-22+ cells, involved also in psoriatic arthritis, decreased in treated subjects following IL-23 inhibition. Conclusion: Rizankizumab efficiently decreases the circulating inflammatory T-cell populations and modulates Tregs’ plasticity in single-LL37- or single-ADAMTSL5-reactive subjects, but not in double-reactive subjects. © 2025 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies
The Influence of Genetics in the Early Development of Axial Postural Abnormalities in Parkinson's Disease
Get PDFBackground; Postural abnormalities (PA) can complicate Parkinson's disease (PD). While age and motor severity are established predictors, the genetic role remains underexplored. Objective: To evaluate the influence of major genetic variants on PA development in PD over 4 years. Methods: We analyzed 429 patients from Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative, including GBA, LRRK2 and SNCA mutation carriers. PA were assessed using the MDS-UPDRS-III item 3.13 and risk factors were analyzed with Cox uncertain regression. Results: SNCA-PD patients were the youngest at onset (50.8 years) and showed the highest PA cumulative incidence over 4 years (30%), followed by GBA-PD (25.8%), idiopathic PD (23%), and LRRK2-PD (17.2%). No significant differences in PA prevalence were found across groups at baseline or at the 4-year follow-up, and genetic status was not a predictor for PA development. Results: SNCA-PD patients were the youngest at onset (50.8 years) and showed the highest PA cumulative incidence over 4 years (30%), followed by GBA-PD (25.8%), idiopathic PD (23%), and LRRK2-PD (17.2%). No significant differences in PA prevalence were found across groups at baseline or at the 4-year follow-up, and genetic status was not a predictor for PA development. Conclusions: Although not significant, the higher PA incidence in SNCA-PD, despite its younger age, suggests that genetic factors may influence PA progression, warranting further studies